This dissertation examines the fidelity in which school districts are prepared to implement their reunification plan in the event of a tragedy or emergency. School emergencies continue to occur, and safety plans need to be developed and administered to support and protect students and staff. This dissertation is organized into two separate papers.…

This qualitative descriptive study sought to form a foundation for emergency response plan research. The intent was to gather descriptive descriptions from higher education administrators regarding how they communicated and implemented emergency response plans adjusted over the past decade due to the Presidential Preparedness Directive 8. Concern…

This study investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and the relationship between the principals' leadership styles and actions as they implemented in elementary schools in New York State. This study uses Bolman and Deal's (2006) Wizard and Warrior framework. The SurveyMonkey…

This qualitative study aims to understand further the lived experiences of high school mathematics teachers who underwent a sudden transformation into emergency remote teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used a qualitative approach, specifically an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Emergency remote teaching has been a new…

Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this action research school-wide case study was to compare the different perceptions of stakeholders at Wesleyan Christian School (WCS) regarding a safe school climate. A needs assessment was conducted surveying the different stakeholders to assess the changes and improvements needed. The primary factor…

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to explore the effect of the school closures due to COVID-19 on the delivery of FAPE in school districts who utilized their FID day models for the delivery of instruction. Education, as we know it, was forever changed in March of 2020. In the age of increasing natural disasters and…

The phenomenon of Emergency Remote Instruction (ERI) is not new, but in 2020 it was experienced at a historic scale. The purpose of this study was to examine the parent engagement experiences of parents with students in kindergarten through second grade during the COVID-19 school closings and their perceptions of their roles through the lenses of…

The shooting on Virginia Tech's campus that left 32 dead in 2007 and other incidents since then resulted in active threat preparations at institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States. Little is known about how emergency managers understand campus preparedness and what enhanced learning in the implementation, training, and…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public-school teachers experienced transaction-based technostress while providing remote instruction through the COVID-19 pandemic. This study's sample consisted of 17 teachers working within the same mid-sized suburban school district in a Western state. Data collection entailed…

Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to determine to what extent educational leaders in Houston, Texas; Miami, Florida; and the Island of Puerto Rico implemented the school emergency operations plan and recovery planning guides from the USDE before and during 2017 Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.…

Food allergies are an increasing health concern in the United States, affecting nearly 6 million children under the age of 18 years. Research has suggested that 18% of school-age children will have their first allergic reactions at school. Life-threatening allergic reactions experienced by children in the school setting are on the rise; however,…

During an emergency, information availability is critical to preserving life and minimizing damages. During the emergency response, however, information may not be available to those who need it. A community response grid (CRG) can help ameliorate this lack of availability by allowing people to document and distribute emergency information to…

The threat of terrorism is a concern in public facilities including schools. This study focused on school districts in a southwestern state. Terrorism emergency preparedness policies are well-documented as measures to protect students and staff in school districts from terrorism threats and vulnerabilities. However, those threats and…

In recent years, community colleges have garnered national attention in terms of their potential to produce graduates and assist in the revitalization of the national economy. This has resulted in an increased need for both community college researchers and practitioners to understand more fully the factors that influence student persistence. The…