Evidence-based mathematics interventions are critical for supporting students with mathematics difficulties. In research and practice, collecting implementation fidelity is important for ensuring that all the core components of the intervention are implemented as designed. Historically, implementation fidelity has been defined as multi-faceted…

The implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has been attributed to a decrease in office discipline referrals (ODRs) and suspensions and to increase academic performance, and engagement, as well as staff, family, and student perceptions of a safe and positive school climate. High schools have had more significant…

Districts and schools are under pressure to increase student academic outcomes while meeting their various social-behavioral needs. This pressure is compounded by the responsibility of creating climates that are safe and equitable for all students where teachers can teach, and all students can learn. However, far too often, negative, and…

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.…

In the dynamic realm of virtual education, the successful execution of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) becomes essential for promoting student achievement. This study examines a particular aspect of this educational framework, explicitly investigating the teachers' perceptions of the fidelity of implementing an MTSS framework within an…

The response to intervention (RTI) program has been implemented throughout the United States as a response to the federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA), which requires struggling students to receive a series of intense instructional modifications that are monitored on a continuous basis (Cowan & Maxwell,…

American Samoa, a U.S. territory, has grappled with low reading scores similar to other mainland schools. As a result, different reading interventions were implemented over the years. The problem studied was that despite using Achieve 3000 as a reading intervention for students in the local high school in American Samoa, reading scores had…

Great Expectations is a Virginia Community College System program for youth who were in foster care after the age of 13. Foster youth enter college with multiple disadvantages, including being less academically prepared compared to their peers and often lacking social support for their education. A program evaluation was conducted at a specific…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the individual experiences teachers, staff and administration at a secondary school in Pennsylvania have with implementing an MTSS framework with fidelity to successfully engage all students. Carroll's Theoretical Framework of Implementation Fidelity (2007) was used in this case study to help frame…

Children can experience unintentional injuries due to safety threats found in their environments (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Researchers have shown that children can be taught safety responses using behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training (IST). Within the safety skills literature, there is evidence that…

School safety is a primary societal concern due to catastrophic incidences of violence and educational leaders have a duty to ensure children's security. School shootings spotlight failures in school safety but educators and scholars cannot use tragedy to bridge the gap in high-efficacy practice. The problem is that school safety needs to improve…

In an effort to best support student learning, school districts are seeking the most effective means of improving instruction while effectively addressing student inequities. As the focus on accountability intensifies, the use of data is paramount. Access to data alone, does not ensure quality, data-driven instruction. The lack of teacher…

Although researchers have studied the impact of teacher evaluation laws on teachers and administrators, we know very little about how administrators, who assume most of the responsibility for implementing the state-mandated teacher evaluation system, proceed in making use of the evaluation tool their district uses for its performance evaluation…

The current study examines the impact of PBIS implementation on teacher self-efficacy (TSE) in elementary schools in Pennsylvania. Research questions evaluate (1) is there a significant difference between elementary teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy in schools implementing PBIS with fidelity and matched comparison schools and (2) what, if…

Previously there was limited information comparing urban and rural and elementary and secondary public schools' implementation of the PBIS program. This study sought to fill a gap in the research as to if there is a statistical difference not addressed previously in the peer-reviewed literature. This study offers insight and data to school leaders…