This study delved into the critical examination of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) and its integration into the English/language arts (ELA) curriculum. CRP, rooted in acknowledging and accommodating the diverse literacy levels, languages, and cultural practices of students, holds significant promise in enhancing educational equity and…

This dissertation examined the relationship between school reform initiatives in the United States over the last thirty years and multicultural teaching practices. The methodology chosen was a qualitative phenomenological research study that was conducted with six participants, three novice teachers and three teacher educators. The research…

This qualitative case study investigated rural high school social studies teachers' perceptions of Robert Stahl's decision-making materials within their content area and the relevance of curricular implementation. The primary questions addressed in this study focused on high school social studies teachers' perception of current instructional…

This manuscript illustrates the potential use of The Harvard Social Studies Project's (HSSP) ability to promote student decision-making skills by implementing case study material to increase the use of standards-based curriculum and accountability measures in social studies classrooms. Data was developed through a short survey and collected from…

Improving classroom teaching and learning requires both high-quality instructional materials and high-quality professional learning. Many professional learning stakeholders talk about the value of curriculum-based professional learning (CBPL) but there has been little consensus on what it is or how it fits within the larger field of professional…

This non-experimental, quantitative study explored how factors related to teachers' beliefs, curricular orientation, training and support received, and their identity and background experiences are associated with their use of curriculum. Specifically, this study sought to examine teachers' use of a curricular resource specifically designed to…

The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS)--adopted in 2013--have the potential to improve scientific literacy and strengthen the global competitiveness of California's workforce. However, longstanding underinvestment in science education and the unprecedented disruptions caused by COVID-19 have heightened challenges faced by…

California adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) in 2013, with the aim of improving scientific literacy and strengthening the global competitiveness of the state's workforce. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts.…

In 2016, Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) senior leadership determined that students were not consistently engaged with content, instruction, or tasks that support the specific instructional shifts in the North Carolina State Standards and 4Cs (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity). After an internal review…

The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS)--adopted in 2013--have the potential to improve scientific literacy and strengthen the global competitiveness of California's workforce. However, longstanding underinvestment in science education and the unprecedented disruptions caused by COVID-19 have heightened challenges faced by…

Teacher educators needing to meet requirements of state licensing bodies and accrediting organizations are in a position similar to that of K-12 teachers: they must adhere to externally imposed standards and curricular requirements while keeping their courses rigorous, interesting, and critical. This article reports results from a self-study…

Educational policies in the United States often adhere to society's ideal scenario for the perfect college and career ready student, but the realities of and differences in classroom instruction are often not considered. Whether or not policies will effectively improve student performance is unknown until implementation. The Common Core State…

The Common Core State Standards, released in 2010, were rapidly adopted by more than 40 states. Champions maintained that these rigorous standards would transform American education, but the initiative went on to encounter a bumpy path. A decade on, what are we to make of this ambitious effort? What kind of impact, if any, has it had on the…

College and career readiness for all students includes supporting the needs of students with disabilities. Ensuring students with disabilities are college and career ready goes beyond academics and must include self-determination skill development. As schools adapt to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and multi-tiered…

To graduate from high school and become competitive in the workplace and other postsecondary endeavors, adolescents are required to meet rigorous standards, such as the Common Core State Standards. To meet such standards, teachers must teach students to read and make sense of increasingly complex content-area expository text. Secondary teachers,…