Alternative schools operate today as a hidden, parallel educational system, providing a separate and often unequal education to many at-risk students, with little to no accountability. The number of alternative schools, and enrollment in alternative schools, is increasing, due in part to excessive use of zero tolerance policies. Students of color,…

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to identify the extent to which the Intervention and Referral Services program at the elementary schools in District M are effective at meeting the stated goals of helping students who struggle and helping teachers who work with those students. Both quantitative and qualitative methods…

The current research, "Citizen Support for Northern Ohio Community College Funding Initiatives during an Economic Recession Recovery", asks the question: Do the citizens of Northern Ohio support community college funding during difficult economic times? Based on the theory of Stakeholder Analysis, the purpose of this concurrent,…

The California State University system recently announced a long-term Graduation Initiative to increase the six-year graduation rate by 8%. As a result, close attention is being focused on ways to retain students at risk of leaving the university prior to graduation. Although it is generally acknowledged that mentoring programs promote college…

Using a mixed-methods design, this study examined conflict management styles of elementary school principals in South Carolina and the relationship of conflict management style and school climate. The Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II, Form B, which identifies five styles of managing conflict, was used to determine principal conflict…

The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods research was to discover the impact school culture, internal factors, and the state of flow has upon motivating a teacher to develop teaching expertise. This research was designed to find answers concerning why and how individual teachers can nurture their existing internal factors to increase their…

This study investigated a school district's middle school 1:1 initiative and its potential to raise the quality of instruction, to increase levels of teacher engagement, and to provide equity of access to enriched learning experiences for students within the district's two middle schools. Through utilizing a mixed method design, data were…

The transition to formal schooling is thought of as a critical educational experience for all children and their families. This transition may be especially critical for those in the largest immigrant group in the United States, Mexican families and their children. Using Critical Race Theory, the aim of the current study was to give Mexican…

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized as a complex brain disorder that impacts the life of an individual (Autism Society, n.d.; Autism Speaks, 2013). The prevalence of autism is on the rise (Baio, 2012; CDC, 2012), impacting the stress of the family (Haimer, 2012; Hall & Graff) and the need for services (Haney, 2012). This capstone study…

This concurrent embedded mixed methods study investigates the influence of the computer program Tinkerplots™ on 34 preservice elementary teachers' understanding of measures of center and graphical representations of data. Participants' opinions and beliefs about the effectiveness of the program were also explored. At the beginning of the…

Access to post-secondary education, specifically in the technical, two-year institution area, is a topic of growing interest in the country. Funding agencies, such as NSF, via the Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), are supporting initiatives and research aimed at increasing the number of technicians and engineers and improving…

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-method correlational and interview study was to gain insights into how the school principal influences student learning and achievement by providing positive instructional leadership. Research has suggested the principal's role is highly significant in determining the quality of teaching and learning…

Institutional diversity is a long-held value in U.S. higher education with origins dating back 300 years to pre-Revolutionary colonial colleges. Institutional diversity is still valued today, but Institutional theory predicts that institutional organizations, such as universities, will homogenize without intervention to prevent loss of diversity.…

This study is a secondary analysis on a larger study that was conducted by Al Otaiba and colleagues (2011). The participants include 170 students that participated in Tier 2 and 3 intervention during a school year. The primary purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine accuracy for group membership for adequate and inadequate responders…

Although professionals and organizations in counseling and related fields have identified advocacy as an important role of the professional school counselor, researchers have failed to provide data on how practicing school counselors actually perceive and practice advocacy. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to address how school…