The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative research study was to explore and identify factors affecting the performance of elementary and secondary Title I schools in South Carolina. The study analyzed statistical significant differences in the overall performance of Title I schools over three years and analyzed other factors such as the…

In this paper, I examine the tensions that a school principal experienced in reconciling performative priorities with equitable practices in a government secondary school in a low Socio-Economic Status suburb in Victoria, Australia. I use the notion of paradox to explore how the principal navigated contradictions and tensions. I aim to provide a…

This qualitative case study investigates how faculty members in a Title I middle school engage in collaborative practices to enhance professional growth without formal professional learning. Framed within a descriptive lens (Merriam, 1998) and informed by Brown and Duguid's Community of Practice (CoP) framework (1991), the study addresses two…

Increased datafication of schooling, a common trend in Australia, the UK, Canada, and the USA, involves the use of standardized testing and its associated systems and practices to achieve high-stakes goals. The purpose of this study, set in an urban, low-income, predominately Black neighborhood in the southeast USA, was to better understand the…

The purpose of this Action Research project was to understand the educational needs of the underserved communities in rural Appalachia and to significantly enhance the fairness of currently limited access to Mountain Institute STEM Academy (MISA) STEM seminar programs. Cycle 1 research was conducted with STEM faculty from two rural Appalachian…

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the education sector, and its ramifications have extended far beyond the extended closure of many American schools. Among other things, they include a substantial enrollment decline in a non-trivial number of public schools across the United States, some of which were already experiencing…

This descriptive study assessed technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) competency among life sciences teachers in rural and marginalized schools. The study was guided by Koehler and Mishra's (2006) TPACK framework as its theoretical lens. Data gathered through questionnaires from 235 teachers in the Eastern Cape province, South…

Principals are faced with some frustrating situations from time to time in their line of duty in which they must make a variety of decisions affecting their students. This study argues that principals need to understand how to apply professional discretion in their practice and be accountable for their judgements and decisions to avoid the notion…

Despite ongoing debates over the adequacy of evidence regarding the positive impact of costs for instruction on student success, alternative teacher compensation systems, such as merit-based pay or performance-based pay, have already been implemented in numerous school districts across the nation. If increases in teachers' motivation are due to…

This study illuminated the experiences and perceptions of high school counselors in low-performing schools. The study specifically explored the impact of the role of high school counselors on student engagement and outcomes (i.e., chronic absenteeism, dropout rate, and graduation and completion). A literature review revealed a need for research to…

This study explored teachers' perceptions of their experiences participating in self-directed learning (Knowles, 1970, 1975). The teacher participants (n = 127) were guided through a self-directed learning framework for professional learning and reflected on their experiences. Findings indicate teachers reporting increased autonomy and…

Determining the factors that influence implementation of school-based wellbeing and health programs is essential for achieving desired program effects. Using a convergent mixed-methods, multiple informant design, this study considered factors that influence implementation of health programs for ninth grade students and in what ways implementation…

Education seems to have both an increase in standardization and teacher burnout. The loss of control could leave teachers feeling unimportant in their own classroom. This article explains how one teacher used reflection to find and create autonomy, reigniting her passion for her job. Through celebration, reflection, and authentic connection,…

This quantitative quasi-experimental study was completed to identify the impact the Success for All: Reading Edge (SFA) program had on student achievement at a Title I middle school. To improve literacy and student achievement in schools, scripted reading programs were created. With the popularity of these programs, research needs to be completed…

This dissertation exams the use of a weighted 5.0-scale high school grade point average (HS GPA), the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy Grade Point Average (SC UGP GPA), as the basis for a Multiple Measures placement system in English unique to Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC). FDTC's service area lies in the so-called…