This study surveyed school board members at rural districts in Missouri about their perceptions of their ability to evaluate a rural superintendent. A total of 41 school districts and 287 individual board members were included in the study, The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of rural board members related to training in…

This dissertation examined perceptions of elementary district superintendents regarding professional development in the superintendency. The current challenges of the superintendency require superintendents to be more prepared than ever before and to serve as effective leaders of school districts. Specifically, this research identified what…

Higher education insiders trumpet the use of results for improvement as the most important part of the assessment cycle. Yet, at the same time, we acknowledge the rarity of improvement, especially at a program level. What are some reasons the most important phase of assessment occurs so infrequently? To seek answers, we investigated the "Use…

Re-entering society after incarceration presents a formidable set of challenges. In addition to reconnecting with family and community, successful transition after imprisonment requires a person not only to avoid criminal activity, but also to obtain and sustain employment--or continue along an education pathway. Those best able to navigate this…

Small businesses have been sparking much of the recent job growth in New York City. However, there is a major disconnect in the city's workforce development system when it comes to working with small businesses. This report outlines a number of steps that policymakers, business leaders, and workforce providers could take to make workforce programs…

This case study explored why, after 25 years of international, political, and financial attention focused on Education for All, inequitable educational opportunity persisted in some developing regions of the world. INGOs [international nongovernmental organizations] offer some perspective in understanding systemic hindrances preventing global…

Most teachers participate in professional development of some kind at some point in their careers, yet many teachers report that professional development neither supports their practice nor improves learning. Thus, more work needs to be done on how professional development can meet those needs. In this study, a group of educators created a…

This issue of "Equity Dispatch" seeks to interrogate and redefine what it should mean to have a diverse workforce, specifically at the district level. When we begin to recognize the importance of holistic representations of difference, we can begin to shift the culture of our districts in equitable and inclusive ways.

Students as Partners (SaP) is an approach to student engagement that has gained much traction in recent years. Evidence shows that it adds value to the learning experience and provides opportunities for students to develop the capabilities needed in their future pathways. This paper documents one university's approach to embedding partnerships in…

Extension educators today face several challenges in designing, delivering, and evaluating programs. Achieving successful program outcomes is becoming increasingly difficult. Educators must choose amongst a wide variety of technology and delivery methods, all while facing resource constraints such as cost, time, and materials. Educators require a…

Children experience toxic stress if there is pronounced activation of their stress-response systems, in situations in which they do not have stable caregiving. Due to their exposure to multiple poverty-related risks, African American children may be more susceptible to exposure to toxic stress. Toxic stress affects young children's brain and…

In this chapter, we dismantle the current educational rhetoric that pervasively characterizes Black children as being "at-risk," "deficient," or "underachievers." Instead, we replace this deficit-oriented rhetoric with one that encapsulates the cultural and educational excellence that inspires Black children to reach…

This case study describes a research project employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design investigating teachers' motivations, expectations, values, and teaching practices due to their attendance of an innovative Professional Development program in the United States. The Professional Development program, called Research Experience for…

The purpose of this single-case study was to investigate the challenges that a teacher might encounter when incorporating vocabulary instruction and dialogic reading into the use of electronic storybooks (shortened as "e-storybooks" henceforth) to support oral narrative development of preschool English language learners. In our 4-week…

This is one of nine case studies that examine and document districts' uses, applications, and perceptions of the Future Ready Schools (FRS) professional learning resources in their efforts to become Future Ready. Washington County School District is located in the southwest corner of Utah. The district serves students in grades Prekindergarten…