Students with disabilities learn differently and at various rates. The issue is not the students, however, but is the lack of a belief system to have the same expectations for students with disabilities as their non-disabled peers. Rules and regulations have been established to ensure K-12 public schools comply with and provide quality services to…

This study used a qualitative approach to explore a rural school district's freshman academy program through parent and staff member perspectives using Stufflebeam's (2003) CIPP model of program evaluation. Interviews and questionnaire data provided information to answer the following research questions: 1. Context: What is the context within…

The literature review in this doctoral project addresses secondary school transition. The definition of secondary school transition is defined, and the literature review goes over the disproportionate outcomes in post-secondary education and employment when special education students and general education students are compared. Current research is…

The high school dropout rate has become a critical issue nationwide. Research points to the high school transition as a stressful experience for students and identifies it as a potential contributor to the elevated dropout rate. Using the stage-environment fit theory as a framework (Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles et al., 1993), this research…

The 21st Century workforce must be flexible, adaptable, and innovative to stay competitive in today's fast-paced, ever-changing job market. Organizations play an important role in supporting the professional growth of its employees by offering various kinds of formal and informal professional development opportunities. While formal learning may be…

There is a lack of knowledge in the area of training needs for Deaf/Blind vocational rehabilitation and/or independent living service providers in Florida. This quantitative study utilized self-report surveys of Deaf/Blind providers in Florida to determine what needs to be done related to professional development. The researcher attempted to…

This study examined the relations between child internalizing behavior problems and social competence in a sample of young children (N = 166) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as they transitioned to early schooling. Previous literature suggested higher rates of comorbid psychopathology in this population of children; however, a limited number…

Although many students in low socioeconomic backgrounds lived in adverse situations during childhood, they were deeply motivated to pursue higher education. The current generic qualitative study was conducted to fill a gap in the literature pertaining to African American students' experiences of transitioning from high school to college. The…

The purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized learning environment while analyzing the cultural changes a small school district faced as it transitioned to a new delivery model using individual technological devices. Findings for the study will be used to guide 1:1 Chromebook implementation initiatives…

Within the last decade, several school and government-level administrations have been attempting to circumvent the incidence of poor academic achievement in relation to school transition. Military children already challenged by frequent moves and parental absences may also be challenged with the impact on their academic achievement. Due to a lack…

Thanks to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, veterans are entering American colleges and universities in numbers not seen since World War II. Very few of today's veterans, however, attend our nation's most selective institutions. Military-connected students constitute about 5% of the total college-going population, but make up only 2% or less of the student…

This three-article dissertation analyzes the question of how to best prepare students transitioning from secondary education to post-secondary life. The first article examines the theories of self-determination, the self-advocacy skills needed for its success, and how the two relate to students with learning disabilities. The second article…

Despite the fact that most school administrators were classroom teachers at some point in their educational career, there is little to no literature on the transition from classroom teachers to new assistant principals. What are their motivations for leaving the classroom and becoming an assistant principal? What are the perceptions of the…

In examining twenty-two summer bridge program websites across the country, this study focused on a particular type of student support at one of the most historically-contentious positions in a college student's trajectory--the point of access. Diverse student populations bring specific strengths, resources, skills, and knowledge, or "funds of…

This quantitative study examined first-time-in-college students' (FTIC) perceptions of a first- year-experience program, "Transition Course". The study used survey methodological techniques to examine variables and answer research questions. The theoretical frameworks for this study were based on the conceptualization of student success:…