This longitudinal convergent mixed-methods study sheds light on how school-based personnel such as educators, counselors, and district leaders perceive the needs of immigrant youth. Additionally, we explore how immigrant youth experience belonging and well-being in school and community spaces to advance a conceptual framework for ecosystems of…

Children benefit from educational settings with a knowledgeable, caring team providing educational experiences. This mixed-method study aimed to gain insight into the perceptions of school employees who work with students who live in poverty. This study examined school staff's knowledge, perceptions, and experiences to foster student development…

The Schoolwide Expectations Survey for Specific Settings (SESSS) is a free-access tool that school leadership teams can use to gather opinions from faculty and staff regarding what student behaviors are critical for success in various school settings. While the SESSS has been used for over a decade to inform the building of schoolwide expectation…

There are many types of jobs under the heading education support professionals (ESPs): paraeducators, technical service workers, skilled trade workers, and health workers. Making up about one third of the public education workforce from early education through college, ESPs not only ensure that schools run smoothly, they also play a role in…

The Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) network is a diverse collaborative of organizations working together to advance equity in education. The BELE Network research and learning team, and are responsible for documenting the network learnings, which are grounded in seven "Essential Actions" and reflected in shared annual…

Scaling up the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) for autism across service sectors and regions has presented a considerable challenge indicating a clear need for continued development. The California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN) integrates implementation drivers into specific procedures and methodology as an…

This study aimed to advance the use of restorative justice and restorative approaches in graduate academic environments and contributed to the research on implementing the whole-school approach in higher education. The focus of this study was on applying restorative approaches to build community and strengthen relationships among community members…

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is recognized as a preventive tiered framework that positively supports and addresses student behavior. Currently, there are over 30,000 schools across America implementing PBIS. This phenomenological investigation examines the perceptions of key secondary school personnel on school climate in…

We live in a culture where school systems are accused of being negligent or at fault for any undesired outcome. This can leave school districts and their employees anxious about potential consequences, regardless if the negligent claim is warranted or not. Therefore, there is a need for all educators to understand their responsibilities to provide…

The focus of this doctoral project was to investigate the implementation of a new behavioral management system, Positive Behaviors Intervention and Support (PBIS), by the teaching staff in grades K-6 at a specific school. The aim of PBIS is to create a consistent set of behavior expectations across the entire campus, rather than just within…

This qualitative study sought to provides insights around the central research question, "What role does a school employee's cultural lens play in the cohesiveness and effectiveness among multi-national teams serving in private domestic and international schools within the Association of Christian Schools International and Network of…

Through effective organizational leadership, school leaders may influence a positive school culture. Lack of purposeful implementation of the elements required to make schools exceptional places to work is the problem, which may harm organizational culture and have a negative effect on staff, students, and the school community. This study sought…

Through effective organizational leadership, school leaders may influence a positive school culture. Lack of purposeful implementation of the elements required to make schools exceptional places to work is the problem, which may harm organizational culture and have a negative effect on staff, students, and the school community. This study sought…

Through effective organizational leadership, school leaders may influence a positive school culture. Lack of purposeful implementation of the elements required to make schools exceptional places to work is the problem, which may harm organizational culture and have a negative effect on staff, students, and the school community. This study sought…

Trauma is not a new term or concept, however, the integration of trauma-informed practices within the school setting has been a recent focus for many districts across the nation. School systems no longer focus solely on academics. Schools are charged with developing the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional competencies of students to help…