This study examines job satisfaction among special educators while focusing on factors such as workload, administrative support, compensation, and self-efficacy. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, and informed by push and pull theory, the research in this study combines both quantitative and qualitative data analysis through the collection of…

School districts across the country are experiencing high rates of attrition which are causing significant challenges. A growing list of demands and responsibilities, along with the lack of administrator support is often cited as the primary reason of departure by early career educators. This qualitative study researched the expectations of high…

With the growth and increased variation of faculty roles, research-intensive campuses have varied expectations with respect to teaching, service, and research. In this piece the authors introduce a categorization of the various types of teaching practice, differentiating them from knowledge generation in the disciplines. The authors then draw…

Purpose: With a growing need to assess multiple aspects of healthcare education, the goal of this study was to develop an innovative web-based application to streamline assessment processes and meet the increasingly complex role of the educational manager. Design/methodology/approach: AARDVARC (Automated Approach to Reviewing and Developing…

Professors from across the academic disciplines at Council for Christian College & Universities (CCCU) institutions have traditionally excelled in their teaching. In recent years, CCCU faculty have also increasingly been expected to conduct research and to publish scholarly work. As CCCU institutions expand research and scholarship…

California will need a stable, high-quality teacher workforce to weather the COVID-19 crisis and support student learning in the coming years. However, persistent and worsening teacher shortages threaten the state's ability to meet that need. Teacher shortages, which are often most acute in high-need fields and high-need schools, more severely…

With emerging evidence about the efficacy of integrated support programs for college students and increasing attention nationally to creating such programs, it is important to understand implementation barriers that might affect program success. This study is one of the first to examine implementation of integrated programs, with a particular…

During the spring of 2020, school districts across the United States were required to shift to distance learning modalities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic forced schools to close their doors to face-to-face instruction and quickly shift to an online format. While online education is prevalent in the United States, it only serves about…

California has experienced a decline in adequate funding for the public education system that has created a jarring reality for its 6.2 million students. While recent investments have helped schools fully recover from the devastating cuts made during the great recession, that additional spending has not come close to what is needed to achieve the…

California is in the midst of a severe special education teacher shortage that threatens the state's ability to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, who often have the greatest needs but receive the least expert teachers. To help policymakers address the shortage, the Learning Policy Institute conducted an analysis of the special…

This is a policy brief for "California's Special Education Teacher Shortage." California is in the midst of a severe special education teacher shortage that threatens the state's ability to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, who often have the greatest needs but receive the least expert teachers. To help policymakers…

This phenomenological qualitative study involved 15 veteran K-6 public school teachers--each having taught a minimum of 24 years--from several districts in Southern California. It identified and examined what factors influenced the ongoing commitment and engagement of these teachers over the course of their careers. Factors mirrored the study's…

Appropriate course enrollment maximums are an essential aspect of guaranteeing the quality of instructional programs. Colleges must consider many factors in establishing these enrollment limits, including legal codes, student and instructor safety, instructor workload, and the fiscal viability of the institution. However, the primary basis of any…

Nontraditional students bring to the classroom diversity in age, culture, experience, knowledge, and preparedness. The risk factors that circumstantially define nontraditional students outside the classroom result in transferrable challenges within the classroom. The purpose of this single descriptive case study was to explore and understand…

This paper provides information about noncredit instruction in the California Community Colleges and updates the 2009 paper "Noncredit Instruction: Opportunity and Challenge" to incorporate subsequent changes from the last decade. Since the passage of SB 361 (Scott, 2006), noncredit instruction has seen significant changes, including the…