There is a call to action to close disparities and address inequalities throughout various institutions across the United States. There is a growing amount of research on the topic of education in relation to how schools can better serve as critical societal change agencies. This qualitative study serves to answer questions on the experiences and…

Although higher education institutions may be described as forward-thinking in areas such as research, their teaching practices are often perceived as lacking in innovation. This disjunction has led educators, researchers, and policymakers to question the role and implementation of change in higher education contexts and the factors that affect…

The South Carolina laws that mandate regular school attendance place the responsibility on parents to ensure compliance. South Carolina still uses punitive measures to address chronic absenteeism, meaning schools can refer students to law enforcement to face criminal truancy charges and jail time. Their parent(s) can also face criminal…

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be experienced around the globe. The impacts of which are most significant for children and adolescents. Long COVID is one of the persistent outcomes of the pandemic that can be catastrophic for youth who experience it. Although medical research remains ongoing in developing our understanding…

This study examines college men's resistance of traditional masculinity and support for diverse configurations of gender using the life story narratives of 14 male-identifying college students at 10 colleges across the United States. The research on masculinities in higher education primarily focuses on hegemonic masculinities (Connell, 2005;…

Parental participation and involvement in education has been recognized as a critical force in student achievement and success. This phenomenological study examines the parental involvement practices of parents of children with exceptionalities in traditional and virtual learning contexts. The research questions of this examination address (a) how…

A large body of research has documented the ineffectiveness and detrimental effects of punitive discipline policies and practices in schools. Though the anti-punitive discipline reform movement has grown in the last two decades, punitive discipline practices persist as the most prevalent approach to addressing behavior-related issues in U.S.…

Student-athletes have many commitments during their college experience. Their role as student-athletes impacts their career readiness. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) promotes the fact that most student-athletes will not become professional athletes. However, they do little to help prepare student-athletes for life after…

The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experiences of high school mathematics teachers with regards to postsecondary readiness, specifically how those experiences informed their perceptions of and experience with developing postsecondary readiness skills in their students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and via…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perspectives of academic advisors who are servicing the needs of students within the California community colleges participating in the Guided Pathways initiative. In addition, the study sought to provide a detailed understanding of the perceptions of (a) the academic advisor's role in…

The efforts towards reduction of violence in public schools could be jeopardized by failure to address the perceived efficacy, ethical concerns and the limited application of behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM). The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the behavioral threat assessment's efficacy,…

This dissertation describes a project to develop an art-based curriculum to teach young elementary school-age children social and emotional skills in the classroom based on the experiences of experts in the field of elementary education. Social-emotional learning (SEL) focuses on several key concepts including skills in interpersonal…

The goals of this research are twofold: (1) This research explores decision making and college experiences of Alaska Native undergraduates pursuing degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and (2) this research, using participant observation explores the Indigenous metaphor of "the trail" to frame…

This dissertation examined educational inequities exacerbated by disparities in technology and internet access in Title I schools. The global influence of information communication technologies on educational delivery, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted critical issues in technology access. The shift to remote learning…

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationship between knowledge of protocol and familiarity with the application of custodial situations in the educational setting. This study assessed both the self-reported knowledge of school leaders with current school and/or system protocols regarding custodial rights…