This study seeks to share teachers' and principals' voices from middle schools in the Southeastern United States who are attempting to help their students achieve academic success. Obtaining a snapshot of middle schools in the Southeastern United States provides opportunities to recognize trends and identify challenges about the current…

This study analyzes the impact attendance rates of middle school teachers have on academic achievement of students in South Carolina. The factors included are teacher attendance and student performance. The research will give an in-depth look into the affect's teacher absenteeism has on middle school students. And determined whether increased…

This study was prompted by the continuous rise in expectations for students with disabilities to have access to the general education curriculum within the general education classroom. This study was a program evaluation on the Marilyn Friend co-teaching models that utilized Stufflebeam's (1960) Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) program…

This study takes place at a middle school in Charleston County, South Carolina. The study examines how White women educators make sense of being exposed to the content in "Don't Let Them Be Misunderstood", a professional development about Culturally Responsive Classroom Management (CRCM). Guided by sensemaking theory and the dispositions…

This study focused on the perceived impact of middle school teachers' job satisfaction on principal leadership. The problem addressed by this study was that middle school teachers were leaving the profession because of perceived poor leadership. After three years, one-third of teachers quit the profession, and after five years, nearly half of…

For more than 100 years, education communities have debated how best to educate the young adolescent. Proponents of both the junior high school model and the current middle school model have advocated for a specialized approach to educating adolescents that emphasizes the developmental needs of students. To accomplish this, various organizational…

The purpose of this study was to determine how various security measures affect performance in two South Carolina middle schools, one high-performing, and one low-performing. This research study determined educators' attitudes toward safety in one high-performing and low-performing school in the low country area of South Carolina. There were five…

This research study examined the relationship between school leadership style and the use of writing across the curriculum (WAC) in secondary classrooms. Writing practices and the use of writing as a form of assessment in subject areas other than ELA is thought to be a way to better prepare students to meet the literacy expectations of the 21st…

The purpose of this study was to determine if Knowledge Management Theory and Jim Collins' (2001) Hedgehog Concept from his book "Good to Great" were appropriate tools for strategic planning initiatives in K-12 public schools and to understand if there was a correlation between the application and use of these and (1) a principal's years…

Despite the complexities and challenges faced by principals on a daily basis, the literature posits that mentoring can be impactful to the individual mentee, as well as the potential benefits to the system in which they serve (Gross, 2009). While the benefits of mentoring are reviewed from the perspective of psychosocial development (Mertz, 2004),…

This dissertation investigates the challenge of translating theoretical knowledge into practical application regarding collaborative practices in secondary schools, specifically focusing on principals' leadership roles. Conducted in accredited middle and high schools in South Carolina's Lowcountry region during the 2023-2024 academic year, the…

The role of the school librarian has greatly evolved from its origination as a person who solely checks out books or reads to students. School librarians are a vital part of schools and, when utilized appropriately, can be an integral part of the learning process with students. When collaboration occurs regularly, collaborative relationships…

Alternatively certified teachers constitute a growing portion of public school educators in the U.S. This is a trend that is expected to continue, due to the declining enrollment in traditional teacher preparation programs across recent years. As such, this report examines the profiles of alternatively certified teachers working in South Carolina…

Purpose: To examine the relationship between the South Carolina middle school physical education assessment results and the school characteristics. In addition, the relationship between teacher training attendance and student achievement were determined. Method: Student performance on four physical education indicators in 63 middle schools (and…

This case study examined four impoverished middle schools in South Carolina to identify the factors prevalent in successfully performing impoverished middle schools which set them apart from underperforming impoverished middle schools. The study's objective was to provide principals working in similar (impoverished) settings an understanding of…