This study leveraged the knowledge and experiences of youth with disabilities, their families, and transition stakeholders to model how the frequency of family engagement activities and services and employment preparation activities and services predict the frequency of youth development activities and services. This information was obtained…

This study uses cultural capital theory as an analytical frame to investigate first-generation students' sense of belonging at university. The purpose of this study was to examine first-year students' perceptions of their sense of belonging by exploring the extent that they perceive a sense of belonging, whether they perceive barriers to their…

The transition from a public middle school to a public high school represents a pivotal point in the educational trajectory of a student. To combat freshman transition challenges, school district administrators created Freshman Academy models. This study examines the impact of two Freshman Academy models, isolated and school-within-a-school, on…

Transition education is a required component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Information Act of 2004, and all students who have disabilities must have a transition education plan to prepare them for life after high school. However, there are no definitive standards for transition programs, and it is unclear how administrators with…

Though there has been a great deal of research on the transition into college, there has been relatively little research on the transition out of college. This is particularly true in relation to theatre arts majors. Though recent graduates face many challenges post-college, there has been minimal exploration done on how graduates experience…

This dissertation examines the effectiveness of a professional development program designed specifically to provide foundational knowledge and skills to Technology Teachers in preparation for a transition to a Technology Integration Specialist position. Specifically, it evaluates the Technology Teachers' changes in knowledge and beliefs as a…

This three-article dissertation analyzes the question of how to best prepare students transitioning from secondary education to post-secondary life. The first article examines the theories of self-determination, the self-advocacy skills needed for its success, and how the two relate to students with learning disabilities. The second article…

This quantitative study examined first-time-in-college students' (FTIC) perceptions of a first- year-experience program, "Transition Course". The study used survey methodological techniques to examine variables and answer research questions. The theoretical frameworks for this study were based on the conceptualization of student success:…

This descriptive case study is a qualitative investigation into the perceptions of tenth grade students who experienced a ninth-grade transitional model high school academy within a large PreK-12 suburban school district. Specifically, this study provided the opportunity to examine the success of one Ninth Grade Academy, identify areas of concern…

This study examined the impact of grade-span configuration on the academic achievement and attendance of sixth-grade students. Because of the conflicting results in the extant literature, it was not known if and to what extent there was a difference in sixth-grade student achievement and attendance rates between students who attend a K-8 versus a…

This qualitative intrinsic case study explored the institutionalization of a Transition and Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant-funded program into a public four-year university in the Midwestern U.S. The study employed an ecological framework, and analyzed interview data from program stakeholders and…

The study of student transfer has been researched since the inception of the community college. It was not known how community college students interested in transfer and community college administrators perceive the transition into a four-year institution. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how transfer-interested…

Students must leave high school with a diploma in order to compete in the global economy. However, many students enter high school lacking the academic skills needed to be successful and are not engaged in the educational process. Ninth grade represents one of the last opportunities that educators have to address these problems. The purpose of…

Today, women comprise nearly half the U.S. workforce and outnumber men in many previously male-dominated fields. This seismic cultural and demographic shift has dramatically impacted organizations. The most obvious impact is the presence of, and dependence on, increased numbers of women employees throughout organizations. Retention of talented…

Public Montessori schools have grown in number significantly in the United States. This case study chronicles the journey of teachers as they navigate the tension of balancing the Montessori approach with an accountability Standards model. Although Montessori may be in demand among parents in the nation, exhibited by the increase in public…