Methods to estimate the causal effects of interventions are increasingly used in clinical medicine, public policy and social science. Using observational data, researchers can obtain causal treatment effect estimates without the ethical risks and time constraints that typically burden randomized experiments. The three studies in this dissertation…

Acceleration is one of the best-supported interventions available to gifted education practitioners internationally. However, the acceleration program in Saudi Arabia is still highly fluid and could benefit from additional revision. The purpose of this research was to explore Saudi stakeholders' perceptions regarding their lived experiences with…

This research aims to examine current practices in gifted and talented educator professional learning, as well as teacher attitudes, beliefs, and experiences towards gifted education in order to explore opportunities to further develop and improve professional learning structures. Through a qualitative methodology following the…

This quantitative descriptive comparative study compared academic achievement scores and student growth percentiles from a southwestern state's test of third-grade students, identified as gifted and talented, enrolled within a self-contained setting, receiving the William and Mary Language Arts Curriculum and the third-grade students, identified…

Parents of gifted adolescents often face unique challenges in supporting their children's social and emotional learning (SEL). The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to examine (1) As a result of a SEL parent workshop series, what changes were observed in: (a) Parental knowledge of SEL? (b) Parental self-efficacy in supporting…

This qualitative, phenomenological case study addresses a notable gap in the existing research literature on the impact on the end-users of a creativity training course with a simulated field experience to support public school teachers' creativity development. Specifically, the study examined the phenomenon of creativity of two K-12th grade…

Reading proficiency scores are the topic of many discussions in school districts nationwide. Low state test scores and current Science of Reading Research are driving many states to enact legislation to improve reading instruction. In order to better understand literacy instruction, a literature review explores the varied approaches to reading…

School counselors advocate for students' academic, social, and emotional needs. School counselors are at the forefront of addressing students' mental health needs. This study sought to investigate the types of mental health services available in high schools and explore school counselors' awareness of the impact these services have on gifted…

Early mathematical learning for students that exhibit typical gifted characteristics, including precocity and sophisticated math ability, should have opportunities to expand their thinking capacities through enrichment and/or advanced coursework that allows them to reach their full potential. Effective programming interventions allows for…

African American students are under-enrolled in gifted and honors programs due to external and internal factors, which are explained in this Executive Leadership Portfolio (ELP). To address this problem, I have studied the APEX program, a predominantly African American honors program based at East Side Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware, and…

Professional development is imperative for gifted and talented teachers' improvement in classrooms. However, many professional development courses are not meaningful for teachers and are not presented effectively. Using effective researched strategies, leaders can create better professional development courses. Professional development leaders…

Insufficient sleep among high school students has become a pressing concern for its detrimental effects on academic performance, physical health, and mental wellness. This concern is amplified for students living away from their parents in a boarding school setting. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate and improve the sleep…

The purpose of this mixed-method action research study was to support the asynchronous development of third-grade gifted students at GWE by identifying their key social and emotional needs and determining the outcomes of a differentiated SEL curriculum. The four most significant affective areas of social and emotional need as self-reported by the…

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to compare pull out and inclusion programs in two Texas school districts in terms of fourth grade students' academic performance in mathematics, while controlling for gender. The theoretical framework was provided by Renzulli's Three Ring Concept of Giftedness and based on the premise…

This study is an evaluation of the Brief Coping Cat anxiety reduction psychoeducational curriculum within a gifted elementary school population. The goal of the Brief Coping Cat intervention is to decrease students' self-reported feelings of anxiety by teaching them a variety of strategies designed to help them recognize, understand, and manage…