Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework that is used in many school districts in the state of Florida. When implemented with fidelity, this preventative program is designed to promote a positive climate and culture in schools, with the aim of limiting behavior that distracts or disrupts the learning environment, thus…

This study explores the challenges and barriers involved in implementing successful alternative education programs within rural Missouri school districts. Using a qualitative narrative approach based around the theoretical framework of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, this study focused on the differences between the recognized measures for success in…

Response to Intervention (RTI) has emerged as a leading framework for closing achievement gaps--a priority in education to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have equal access to quality education and the opportunity to succeed academically. Nonetheless, the extent to which RTI is effectively implemented can vary…

Since the 1960s, business leaders and educators used the idea of "goal setting theory" as a guide to success. Teachers who implemented goal setting strategies contributed to student success and achievement. During my study, I found little existing literature focused on academic goal setting implementation for students in Tennessee rural…

This qualitative case study provided insight into the effectiveness of rural school leaders' implementation practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study addressed the need for knowledge regarding school administrators' and educators' perspectives on the practice changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative case study aimed…

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a framework that incorporates assessments and interventions to reduce behavior issues and increase student achievement. Schools utilize Response-to-Intervention (RTI), a multi-tiered approach, to support students with academic and behavioral needs. School and district leaders in rural contexts face…

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…

This study used a convergent mixed-method design and a pragmatic approach to examine how professional development (PD) affected teachers' confidence in their abilities to use the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework in a rural Mississippi middle school. Grounded in Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the study aimed to answer two research…

School climate can be complex to measure and to change, but it is clear that it is a critical component of an effective school. One practice that has been shown to positively influence school climate is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS is a framework of evidence-based practices and its power for initiating change has…

A qualitative case study explored teachers' perceptions and beliefs about a mandated literacy instruction program at a mid-western rural middle school. This study used the implementation of a mandated reading and writing program as a basis for learning how programs can be sustainable and provide teachers with self-efficacy. This study used…

This study is a qualitative case study of middle schools located in a rural public school district in a southern state in the United States that has implemented the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) which explored the roles of education leaders in the implementation of NGSS. Participants included teachers, instructional coaches, and…

With just 43% of community college students graduating within six years (Causey et al., 2022b), low graduation rates have been the defining, animating issue for community colleges for over a decade (Cutler & White, 2022). Concurrently, high-impact practices (HIPs) have proven enormously successful in improving student outcomes at higher…

Many schools have implemented School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to address student behavior and social-emotional issues. Historically, the implementation of PBIS has been most prominent at the elementary level; however, more secondary schools have implemented PBIS in the past few years. Staff buy-in of PBIS at the…

This study examined whether the intensive reading intervention affects annual reading level growth in middle school students to mitigate reading loss from the COVID19 school closures. Participants included struggling middle school readers (N = 101) from a rural district in east Texas. Student participant Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)…

Teachers are not provided in-depth professional development opportunities to explore and understand college readiness. This problem has a direct impact on rural schools which are likely to experience increased college readiness barriers. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of high school teachers…