This study aimed to address the growing problem in education, the need to retain highly qualified teachers in the classroom. Beyond the task of just filling positions, experienced teachers bring unique skills to the school, making them better instructors (Melnick & Meister, 2008). This is a challenging topic; roughly 29% of teachers who left…

The purpose of this problem-based learning project was to explore how superintendents make decisions regarding school facility resource deployment in order to inform the process of decision-making, leading to facilities leadership better aligned with best practices. Through interviews with 12 superintendents from school districts, comparable in…

Counseling practicums are vital in counselor education and a significant transitional period from a student to a counselor. Practicum provides for the application of theory and counseling skills that students have learned during the coursework. It is also memorable moment to meet a real client for the first time. Practicum supervisees have to…

An estimated 10-15% of students miss an entire month of school each year. Past research on students who are chronically absent finds that, relative to their peers who consistently attend school, chronically absent students are more likely to experience negative academic outcomes (e.g., grade retention, dropping out), to be under- and unemployed,…

This qualitative and interpretive inquiry explores the information behavior of birthmothers surrounding the processes of decision-making, coping, and living with the act of child relinquishment to adoption. An interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology is used to reveal the phenomenon as experienced by eight birthmothers, women who…

The purpose of this study is to develop an empowered collegial school culture to systemically improve the function of the academic institution through the impact of a positive environment and shared leadership. When compared to the other middle schools in the district, Eagle Middle School had the lowest math achievement growth index during the…

This multiple case study examines two New Jersey non-scholarship community college athletic programs and answers the questions why student-athletes choose to attend the community college and participate in athletics, what factors influence their decisions, and how administrators and student-athlete descriptions of the value and contribution of…

Principals used distributed leadership, as suggested by researchers, to actively engage teacher leaders in instructional leadership responsibilities. It was not known how high school principals' distributed leadership practices enabled teacher leaders to assist principals with instructional leadership responsibilities. The purpose of this…

Limited research results have been provided on the influence of schools on dropout prevention, which consist of the accountability system and how teachers' attitudes affect students' decisions to dropout. The specific problem of interest was how the accountability model and teacher-student relationships plays a vital role in student dropout. The…

This study explores the outcomes of policy implementation from the perspective of the policy makers and the educators who are charged with implementation, specifically examining the decision-making process for district leaders during implementation. The study identifies the outcomes from the perspective of the policy-maker utilizing accountability…

Over the past few decades, organizations, researchers, and professional developers have noted the potential for using classroom discussions to improve student learning in mathematics classrooms. Yet, for teachers, managing the often-competing demands that arise while attempting to plan for and enact these discussions can be challenging. To better…

Decades of research have shown how play is a major vehicle for young children's development and learning. However, since the 1990's with greater emphasis on higher academic standards and accountability in the U.S. educational system, kindergarten teachers felt pressured to reduce or eliminate play for more didactic instruction and mandated…

Organizations invest billions annually in the form of Tuition Assistance Programs (TAP) with little knowledge as to the reasons why employees choose to participate. The purpose of this multiple exploratory case study was to explore the perceptions of employees with access to a TAP of at least $5,250 per year. Interviews were conducted with 17…

Lecture methods in higher education continue to be the most often used form of lesson delivery, although they seem to be less effective in promoting adult students' learning and engagement. Many higher education instructors have incorporated inverted classroom (IC) methods to increase student engagement and learning. The purpose of this…

In Uruguay, one constant concern for policy makers, authorities, teachers and administrators is student retention. Among adult learners who have returned to secondary school, dropping out of school is an even larger problem. However, there are several students that in spite of their problems and barriers continue studying and return to school.…