Wage gap statistics continue to show that efforts around equitable pay distributions continue to fail. These data inform us that the outcomes are not meeting expectations therefore something must change. We still see nationally that white men are paid more than any other gender or racial group, which tells us that we are hiring more diverse…

The purpose of this quantitative associative-correlational study was to determine if there is a correlation between teacher job satisfaction and distributed leadership and if that relationship is shared or different between genders. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Gronn's (2002) and Spillane's et al. (2004) theories on distributed leadership…

Undeclared students choose their major while enrolled in college, but major choice can have long-term implications on social mobility, career path, and lifetime earnings. Identity can play a role in the major selected by an undeclared student. This research analyzed the relationship between identity and major selection for undecided students to…

It was not known if, and to what extent, differences exist in decision-making, impact, status, autonomy, professional development, and self-efficacy dimensions of teacher empowerment for high school teacher race, gender, and administrative staff gender composition among high school teachers in the Southeastern United States, as measured by the…

Physics education researchers have called for a shift from traditional laboratory (lab) instruction to labs that focus on the development of experimental skills. Although research has demonstrated the efficacy of such reformed labs, much work remains to determine what these labs can and should teach students and how best to achieve these goals.…

The purpose of this quantitative study is to test the relationship between degree choice and post-graduate outcomes for students in the United States by describing the relationship between a selected major and post-graduate outcomes including employment sector, salary for women and men. As college costs rise, and enrollments fall for the first…

The main purpose of this study was to compare delay discounting of hypothetical monetary outcomes by adolescents adjudicated of illegal behavior to that of college students in order to lay a foundation for future discounting work with adjudicated adolescents. It is important to note that we conducted this work during the COVID-19 pandemic, which…

Adults are faced daily with making financial decisions, some which are very difficult, therefore, more knowledge is necessary about personal finance to help adults make wise financial decisions. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in pretest and posttest scores from the Test for Financial Literacy (TFL) as well…

Liberia faces many challenges in its rebuilding process, including building a pipeline of reliable and productive human capital. Though science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers have gained global popularity, the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers is a concerning trend that requires a data-driven explanation and prompt…

This quantitative study explored the intricate landscape of marketing strategies influencing adult learners' satisfaction with their decisions to enroll in community colleges. Using survey research design, this study illuminated significant insights into the multifaceted world of higher education marketing, particularly in the context of community…

Major choice matters for both individuals' welfare and the overall economy. A large body of studies in various countries has documented the determinants of college major choices, such as individual background characteristics, expected earnings and ability sorting, structural barriers in K-12 education, peer and family influences and expectations,…

Higher education, like most charitable organizations, is dependent on alumni funding as donors pour a tremendous amount of dollars into these organizations. However, the nature of donor involvement in higher education institutions has evolved over the last four centuries. The generational change of the donor base from the Boomers to the…

Dual language education is an innovative educational model available for families selecting schools through school choice. While extensive research supports the academic benefits of dual language programs (DLPs) for non-English native speakers and communities of color in the United States, enrollment often does not reflect these populations. This…

Biodiversity loss and rising global challenges are directly linked to the current climate crisis. Peoples' behaviors and lives are being negatively impacted daily, ushering in a new wave of physiological and emotional distress referred to as eco-anxiety, which is being experienced by young people. Urgent concerns for the need for environmental…

This dissertation consists of two chapters studying problems faced by youths in two contexts that could be pivotal to their future: admissions to higher education and the juvenile criminal justice system. The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has been studied extensively, and there have…