The purpose of this study was to examine Latino parent perspectives on parent engagement at the junior high level, focusing on experiences both at home and at school. Qualitative data was gathered from Latino parents of junior high students in Texas through bilingual focus groups and individual interviews. Themes synthesized from participant…

A Dissertation in Practice was conducted which connected theories of action and Yosso's (2015) community cultural wealth framework to address the absence of diverse parental perspectives and oversight at Freedom Middle School in South Texas. Platicas with seven parent volunteers and a parent engagement survey available to all Freedom Middle School…

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, early intervention (EI) practitioners experienced an unexpected shift to providing tele-intervention services to support children and families using virtual platforms. Because this shift occurred across the field, it is important to understand the perspectives of those who experienced it under exceptional…

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore how parental involvement in learning at home is perceived to influence student academic achievement among students in special education programs within a school district in North Central Texas. Epstein's 2010 theoretical framework on learning at home was used as a basis in this…

This study is an attempt to bridge the gap between the understanding of strengths and challenges of people with autism to operationalize a strength-based approach to serve people with autism effectively. By virtue of being based on firsthand accounts by parents and practitioners the people who spend prolonged periods with people with autism in…

The problem investigated by this study limited collaboration between parents of students with IDD and school personnel, limiting the quality of special education services delivered to students. A qualitative interpretive descriptive study was used to investigate strategies school personnel used resulting in positive collaborative experiences for…

A problem influencing mathematics performance and student's perceptions of their ability to learn mathematics is mathematics anxiety. This mixed method study examined the perceptions, correlations, and mathematical conversations of Hispanic fourth and fifth grade low-performing students and their parents. A psychological approach provided the…

It is critically important to understand the environmental contexts and demographic factors that put families at greater risk of COVID-related parenting stress. The current study examined a new scale measuring situational stress caused by concern about family safety and stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined how this stress differed…

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Latinx student parents in postsecondary institutions at universities in Colorado and Texas. Using narrative inquiry, this study is anchored in Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth framework and centers the voices of participants. This research is informed by the scholarship on student…

A relatively recent phenomenon of interest within the field of twice-exceptionality involves gifted children with autism. A literature search reveals a lack of published works about these individuals and empirical studies exploring the distinctive special educational needs of these children remain scarce (Nicpon et al., 2011; Rubenstein et al.,…

In university bilingual educator preparation programs, we frequently discuss issues across and around language, culture, and teaching. Topics inevitably emerge regarding the dialogue first generation college students have with their family members about maintaining the 'purity' of a language vis-à-vis navigating the waters of a translanguaging…

The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed method research design was to investigate family literacy activities reported by parents of Head Start children. In addition, the study explored the use of Family Literacy Book Bags by involving parents in shared reading and home-based literacy activities. Parents of Head Start children at a center in…

Mindfulness strategies can have a large impact on emotional regulation, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal relationships. Parents of children on the autism spectrum may experience greater stress, depression, and strained interpersonal relationships than those with typically developing children or those with children experiencing other…

The unintended academic and social consequences for students experiencing the transition from elementary to middle school have been well documented. A mixed method study was conducted to examine the perceptions and attitudes of 6th grade students, parents, and teachers from four middle schools in a large suburban school district in Southeastern…

In March 2020, the majority of schools in the United States transitioned to distance learning in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Little data is available on the impact of this abrupt transition on youth, but many experts have expressed concerns about the implications of this major change in schooling on mental health and academic outcomes.…