This evaluation report describes a central professional learning strategy that the California NGSS Early Implementers Initiative used to help teachers effectively transition to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The Initiative's approach to lesson study, called a Teaching Learning Collaborative (TLC), brings together teams of teachers…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of use of graphing calculators on student achievement in Common Core Algebra I. The following are the research questions of the proposed study. To what extent does use of graphing calculators in the math classroom affect student achievement? How might the use of graphing calculators in the…

In 1965, the federal government passed the Higher Education Act (HEA), which paved the way for today's federal student loan program. Much of the policy debate about student loans centers on the amount of debt that has already been issued, escalating default rates, and what can be done to make repayment more affordable. But often overlooked in this…

Many U.S. students arrive on college campus lacking the skills expected for college-level work. As state leaders seek to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion, public colleges have sought to lessen the delays created by remedial course requirements. Tennessee has taken a novel approach by allowing students to complete their remediation…

A growing body of literature on teacher learning highlights that teachers are not likely to change their practices as a result of participating in traditional one-shot conference and workshop professional development activities, and suggests that a more effective approach is a teacher-driven, situated, collaborative, and sustained one (Ball &…

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors and relationship between character and competence on leader effectiveness through the phenomenon of the Leader Academy. Specifically, this study investigates the implications of deliberate leadership development, focusing on the importance and interdependence of character and competence…

Identifying effective research-based interventions for students with ADHD is imperative because this disorder impacts numerous domains in the child's life, such as academic, behavioral, and interpersonal skills. Unfortunately, limited research studies are available that address effective interventions specifically designed for African American…

This qualitative study analyzed the attitudes and perceptions of Latino migrant students who were enrolled in the Project Based Research course, towards post-secondary STEM degrees. This study centered around ten Latino migrant students, 18-21 years of age who attended a Title I high school in South Texas. All participants took the Project Based…

Simultaneous in-class presentations are well suited to the use of peer evaluation, which also promotes greater involvement of the student audience. The problem for the teacher is how to manage peer evaluation and make it a useful part of the curriculum. PeerEval is a mobile application that allows students to anonymously evaluate presentations in…

This paper proposes a novel education system for learning electronic circuit construction involving soldering on a universal circuit-board. This system enables a student to efficiently design the layout of circuit components on a circuit board and helps the student securely construct the circuit by soldering the circuit components in accordance…

This Campbell systematic review examines the effects of linguistic comprehension instruction on generalized measures of language and reading comprehension skills. The review summarizes evidence from 43 studies, including samples of both pre-school and school-aged participants. This review considers whether language-supportive programs are…

Adolescent substance abuse can lead to detrimental long-term outcomes; thus, many schools have implemented programs to reduce both the incidence and prevalence of these issues. The "Botvin LifeSkills Training" (LST) program has demonstrated promising results in randomized controlled trials, but program results outside randomized trials…

Group size and treatment intensity are understudied topics in mathematics intervention research. This study examined whether the treatment intensity and overall intervention effects of an empirically-validated Tier 2 mathematics intervention varied between intervention groups with 2:1 and 5:1 student-teacher ratios. Student practice opportunities…

Of the many studies related to the effectiveness of National Board Certified teachers, there were none found that related to Arkansas teachers. This research study investigated the impact that Nationally Board Certified teachers (NBCTs) had on the achievement of third graders in the Pulaski County Special District (PCSSD). Achievement was…

This study addressed college matriculation rates among high-poverty Arkansas high schools and public charter schools. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the college preparation program of Cross County New Tech High School and KIPP Delta Collegiate High School from 2014-2015 through 2017-2018. Central High School in Helena-West…