This qualitative dissertation explores the implementation of new instructional coaching programs in elementary schools, focusing on the perceptions of instructional coaches and teachers. Amid growing demands for educational improvement and teacher support in the United States, instructional coaching has emerged as a pivotal strategy for enhancing…

This non-experimental quantitative study utilized linear regression to examine if elementary school counselor and principal relationships predict elementary school counselors' implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. The sample (N = 163) included elementary school counselors (n = 108) and principals (n =…

Most Black males envision community colleges as a gateway to higher education and upward mobility. Unfortunately, success metrics from across the United States reveal that community colleges fail to facilitate equitable outcomes for these students. A combination of factors creates campus climates that are not conducive to Black male student sense…

The U.S. college-going population has diversified significantly in the past five decades. That fact, combined with a large community college capacity, an increased need for highly skilled workers, and the knowledge that higher education means social and economic mobility, makes improving student success at community colleges essential. All 116…

Most schools have a code of conduct that guides their expectations for student behaviors. While schools' policies around discipline are believed to help deter further negative behavioral incidents, restorative practices is a field of study that strives to proactively build community and social coherence rather than exclusionary consequences…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how educators describe the impact of SEL instruction provided by the guidance counselor. Additionally, this study also sought to explore how educators perceive the supporting role they play in the delivery of SEL instruction alongside the guidance counselor. The overarching two…

A history of trauma can have a significant negative impact on the functioning of a student in the school environment. Check & Connect, a school engagement and dropout intervention program, has been found to have positive effects on student school engagement and decrease the likelihood of dropping out of school. However, a review of the Check…

This qualitative grounded theory study updated the framework, including a definition, of Appreciative Administration. Bloom et al. (2013) first introduced the concept of Appreciative Education in a "New Directions for Student Services" article. Appreciative Education's framework is harnessed by the power of the organizational development…

This qualitative phenomenological study examines special education teachers' perspectives to understand how virtual learning environments can support, through social-emotional interactions, the cognitive development of students with low-incident disabilities in a homebound setting. For this study, which was based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory…

There is a grave need for additions to the school psychologist's toolbox to support students with intellectual disability (ID) and sexual trauma. These children are especially vulnerable to adverse life experiences overall and are at a particularly high risk of experiencing sexual abuse and resulting trauma. Children with ID are less likely to…

Background: The Dogwood Mountain School System (DMSS) faces the challenge of trying to address the apparent drop-off of female student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and increase female student interest and engagement in STEM. Purpose: The purpose of this action research study was to understand how individual…

The purpose of the study was to gain an in-depth perspective of rural special education teachers' experiences and beliefs regarding the characteristics of mentoring programs that will assist beginning special education teachers to remain in rural districts. A basic qualitative design was used in the study. The following research question guided…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how to effectively support novice teachers through comprehensive induction programming that ultimately leads to increased student learning and teacher job satisfaction. This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of novice teachers and how they perceived that they benefited from…

Student success inequities in online gateway math courses exacerbate the problematic trend that too few marginalized, community college students complete a degree, especially during the time of COVID-19 in which this study was situated. This critical participatory action research study examined the experiences and perspectives of the on-the-ground…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe secondary teachers' perceptions of online learning in Washington. This was done by distributing a survey to three districts in the State of Washington to identify the advantages and challenges of online learning according to participating secondary teachers. In addition, the teachers provided…