The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how lived experiences of Title 1 teachers affect social-emotional connections with their at-risk students. Because of the influence teachers have on their students, it is important to understand the life experiences and how they carry an abundance of vitality in teachers' decisions in the…

Teacher burnout in Title I schools has a detrimental effect on attrition and attrition behavior of staff as well as the educational outcomes of students. This study investigated causes and mitigating factors of educator burnout in a Title I district. Participants in Cycle 1 consisted of teachers in this district who were interviewed and surveyed…

This study was designed to address questions related to the phenomena of why beginning teachers leave or do not stay within the field of education. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine what factors influence beginning teacher retention/attrition in Title I schools. Twenty-nine beginning teachers from a Title I district in a…

With the federal initiatives of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, many school districts are employing literacy coaching in their quest to improve reading test scores. This study seeks sought to understand teachers' perceptions of literacy coaching to answer this primary research question: "What meanings do teachers make of literacy…

The problem addressed in the dissertation is the relationship between high poverty and low academic achievement that persists in spite of efforts to change it. In one Western state, a small proportion of the schools that are eligible for Title I funds, a measure of poverty, have achieved recognition for high student achievement. The recognition,…

The purpose of this study was to explore and report on the impact of coaching as an embedded part of professional development has on teacher learning and practice in the context of educating English Language Learners (ELLs). A close examination was made of what teachers, coaches and principals believe to be effective professional development and…

Education, a fundamental privilege in America, has been deemed the great equalizer that should afford each individual access and opportunity (Hale, 2004). However, research has proven that for many students of color, the American dream is simply a nightmare. Many minority students have lagged behind academically, failing to graduate and failing to…