Schools and districts in Pennsylvania continue to experience a gap between the demographic diversity of their students and staffs. Culturally responsive practices are an important approach bridging the gap between PA's teachers and increasingly diverse students and communities. This qualitative study was guided by three research questions: What…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the data from schools that have and have not implemented AVID for at least three years to determine what difference, if any, existed between the schools' racial discipline gap. This study compared both the suspension and expulsion outcomes of students of color and White students in Minnesota…

This purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore teacher knowledge of cultural proficiency as it relates to student achievement in a large, North Texas school district. In addition, the case study investigated teacher attitudes toward and perceived barriers to implementing a district cultural proficiency initiative. The following…

Meeting the social-emotional needs of a diverse student body has proven challenging for U.S. school district leaders, leading to considerable research on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). Teachers and administrators have noted challenges in implementing CRP in social-emotional learning (SEL) programs within their existing curricula. In this…

The purpose of this qualitative, narrative-inquiry research study was to examine the perceptions and implementation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process among elementary teachers who taught at a charter school in the southern area of Dallas, TX. In the qualitative research study, educators were provided an opportunity to voice their…

Teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at all educational and developmental levels represents a fundamental challenge for special education teachers. Teaching social skills, particularly to students with ASD, is arduous for two reasons: first, barriers in communication are paramount deficits in autism, and second, impairment in…

School principals' leadership strategies and collaborative efforts contribute immensely to defining and managing goals in response to any educational initiatives, including social-emotional learning (SEL) programs. The problem prompting this study was the disproportionate special education referral and school suspension of minority students.…

Background: Youth from low-income, racially and ethnically diverse families are at increased risk for academic challenges and nutritionally inadequate diets. Summer programs offer an opportunity to foster interest and engage students in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education while addressing summer learning loss.…

The dramatic and exponential demographic shift in the United States is more apparent in the public schools than anywhere else, further magnifying the importance of addressing and acknowledging racial and ethnic disparities in education. The increase in racial and ethnically diverse learners requires that teachers engage in Cultural Humility; a…

Service-learning is a form of experiential learning whereby students learn and develop through active participation in a carefully organized service that addresses the needs of the community. It is rooted in the reflective experiential traditions of Dewey, Kolb, and Freire. It provides students with opportunities for development in a variety of…

Diversity in schools is at an all-time high, and student diversity will continue to increase (Crouch, 2012; Tomlinson, Brighton, Hertberg, Callahan, Moon, Brimijoin, Conover, & Reynolds, 2003). The result is a need for teachers to respond to the differences among students. Teachers can respond to student differences through differentiated…

The U.S. physician population lacks diversity, and this lack of diversity is reflected in the medical student population. Medical schools have implemented various types of programs to increase the diversity of their student population, and by extension, the physician population. A public Northeastern medical school implemented a postbaccalaureate…

The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) has been adopted by forty-two states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of defense Education Activity (DoDeA). The intent of the CCSSI is to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and…

Ethically diverse students consistently perform at lower levels compared to their mainstream counterparts (Rychly & Graves, 2012). Some scholars suggest that this educational deficit is due to the cultural mismatch between educators and students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is an instructional approach that addresses the cultural misalignment…

In light of the paradigm shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered instruction occurring globally, the need for committed teachers is critical. Due to the influx of foreign nationals securing positions in the U.S. educational system, the teacher workforce has become more diverse. This diversity manifests a broad range of beliefs and values…