The purpose of this dissertation research is to examine the interrelationships between transformational leadership, organizational learning, and the five dimensions of organizational innovativeness within Head Start programs. A survey containing 29 questions adapted from validated and reliable scales was administered using a sample of 64.…

Churches must be able to navigate forced changes like those brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions related to the pandemic impacted churches' abilities to provide needed support services to the African American community, including African American women, who shoulder tremendous challenges. Few studies report the views of African…

Challenging behavior in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can lead to decreased quality of life and social and community inclusion. Compared to research with children there is relatively limited research on effective behavior support interventions for adults with disabilities. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) program…

The focus of this study was to examine the impact of professional development on the leadership practices of Head Start program directors in the Southwest United States. The research sought to understand how professional development influences the leadership practices of these directors and aimed to provide practical insights into leadership in…

This dissertation aims to elucidate the complexities of chronic absenteeism in Head Start Programs post-COVID-19 to enhance early childhood education practices and policies. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study investigates the causes of absenteeism by surveying and interviewing 50 participants from a Head Start Program in the New York…

Federal health agencies are facing multiple vacancies and governance challenges due to their aging workforce, additional needs due to COVID-19, remote work opportunities, and decades-long mandates for reforming the Federal recruitment and hiring process. Training curriculum is often planned to be responsive to job-related competencies and current…

Voices of people with disabilities in Kenya have yet to influence disability services and the issues affecting their lives. This is in part due to the dominance of disability discourses from Global North contexts from which international policies on disability such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities borrow…

Students entering Kindergarten need to obtain readiness skills to make their first year of school a successful one. Many students may appear overwhelmed with the activities and expectations that are placed on them in a kindergarten classroom. Many families and teachers would like for kindergarten to be conducted the way it was many years ago, but…

This study identifies how to implement a cultural competency training program within a local Head Start program. Head Start is a federally funded program. It provides comprehensive services to children and families identified as low-income and culturally minoritized. The diversely populated Head Start program at the center of this study strives to…

Many Head Start programs have closed classrooms due to staff shortages, with up to 30% of teacher positions unfilled. Reducing the elevated teacher turnover rate in Head Start centers is critical to maintaining program effectiveness and controlling costs; however, a limiting factor may be differences in administrators' and teachers' perceptions of…

Administrators and teachers influence the culture of the school, and their ideologies of multiculturalism impacts the community they serve. These ideologies influence the climate of the school and the acceptance of diverse cultures and languages. This is a qualitative study that explores how Administrators and teachers influence language and…

According to the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE, 2008), there were 679,724 homeless students in the United States enrolled in schools in 2006-2007. In the 2017-2018 school year, there were 1,508,265 homeless students in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). In just over 12 years, the homeless student population had…

The unemployment rate for autistic young adults after high school graduation is higher than for all other populations with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires transition planning as part of an individualized education plan (IEP) starting no later than age 16. There is evidence, however, that autistic…

The purpose of this study was to examine in detail the experiences of school counselors with treating anger issues in school-age children from foster care homes. In particular, the study determined the counselors' experiences using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat anger and whether the interventions were effective. The aim was to shape…

Early childhood inclusion classrooms are becoming more prominent, but Head Start teachers need more job training to prepare them for the diversity of students in their classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate research questions about the challenges faced by Head Start inclusion teachers, the strategies they use…