Reading scores have not made a significant shift since the 1990's when national and state standardized assessments initially tested grade level reading comprehension (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], n.d. & Florida Department of Education [FLDOE], n.d.). In addition, when analyzing subgroups, economically disadvantaged students…

We study the effect of exposure to immigrants on the educational outcomes of US-born students, using a unique dataset combining population-level birth and school records from Florida. This research question is complicated by substantial school selection of US-born students, especially among White and comparatively affluent students, in response to…

Since 2017, over 300 presidentially-declared major disasters have occurred across all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Many of these disasters have had devastating effects on K-12 schools, including those in socially vulnerable communities for whom disaster recovery is more challenging. The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster…

Many states report school performance grades as a way to inform the public about school quality. However, past research has shown that when these grades drew largely on proficiency-based measures, they served to capture variation in school and community demographics rather than school quality. We extend this literature by examining whether a…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students from disadvantaged communities in South Florida who were significantly affected by the sudden switch to online learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the academic year Spring 2020 through Spring 2021. This study…

Using a regression discontinuity design generated by school-entry cutoffs and school records from an anonymous district in Florida, we identify externalities in human capital production function arising from sibling spillovers. We find positive spillover effects from an older to a younger child in less affluent families and negative spillover…

The role of a principal has drastically changed since school reform and accountability of the No Child Left Behind legislation in 2001. Principals are responsible for curriculum, academic performance of students, instructional practices and overall organization of a school. According to research, effective leadership is related to students'…

This dissertation examined the significance of the Undergraduate Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity and Excellence (USSTRIDE) community of practice (CoP) mentorship program offered at Florida State University College of Medicine and its profound impact on first-generation, rural, and economically disadvantaged undergraduate student…

School improvement plans (SIPs) have become a central feature of schooling. Educational leaders experience tension between balancing compliance with accountability demands and continuous improvement, and neither of these lenses is centered in the social justice necessary for closing opportunity gaps. We propose a new rubric for assessing the…

To resolve the graduation gap among Black and Hispanic students in Central Florida, the development of equity-centered practices to improve high school graduation rates is essential. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of incorporating methods such as the self achievement theory, self-determination methodology, and equity…

This study of homeless students' existential experiences was focused on urban community colleges and postsecondary vocational schools and universities. Homeless students encounter unique existential challenges, yet homeless students have proven abilities to access resources essential for their academic pursuits. The study results showed homeless…

This report examines one component of the current school accountability system--learning gains. We find that learning gain percentages are affected by a variety of factors including starting achievement level, socioeconomic status, and English language learner status when the current definition of learning gains is used. Hence, we propose a new…

We identify externalities in human capital production function arising from sibling spillovers. Using regression discontinuity design generated by school-entry cutoffs and school records from one district in Florida, we find positive spillover effects from an older to a younger child in less affluent families and negative spillover effects from a…

This study contrasted the standardized test scores of impoverished students who took secondary courses in a virtual setting with those of impoverished students who took secondary courses in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting in a selected school district in Florida. The selected school district is located on Florida's central eastern coast,…

In this descriptive and comparative study, we present results highlighting the complexity and scope of the challenges facing rural districts as they navigate the changing demographics of the students and families they serve. Rapid increases in the number and concentration of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in rural areas…