This qualitative study explored the impact of various professional development models in the Science of Reading on teachers' beliefs within a rural school district in southwestern Ohio, conducted amidst the state's implementation of the Dyslexia Law. The research aimed to address gaps in understanding how different approaches, such as LETRS and…

The National Center for Rural Education Research Networks (NCRERN) seeks to increase opportunity for rural students through the power of actionable data and evidence. NCRERN partners with networks of rural school districts to generate and evaluate strategies for improving student outcomes. For more information about NCRERN's work, see the…

This study examines the outcomes of non-school internships hosted by two Appalachian Ohio organizations: Rural Action and Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C). As intermediary organizations, these entities work outside the boundaries of formal schooling to address issues of youth outmigration and sustainable community development through high school…

E-sports, or online gaming, is a relatively new phenomenon taking place on high school campuses across the country. While many view online gaming through a negative lens, there is a growing body of research that E-sports participation provides similar benefits and detriments to those of traditional sports. The purpose of this paper was to identify…

Rural school districts face a unique set of challenges. This dissertation focuses on two rural counties in three school districts in southeastern Ohio and examines the difficulties special education teachers and administrators in rural communities often face. Two special education teachers, a general education teacher, two principals, a special…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers were required to continue instructing students, but using an online setting. This quantitative study examined teacher perceptions of readiness and institutional support in online instruction in a rural setting. Participants included 49 teachers from the K-12 level. Participants completed the TPACK…

Students with disabilities have progressed in achievement compared to their general education peers, but learning gaps remain. The problem is elementary and secondary school students with disabilities have achievement gaps despite receiving specially designed instruction through an individualized education program by an intervention specialist in…

This exploratory qualitative study gathered data on adolescents' mental models of illiteracy before and after they read news articles on the topic and explored their epistemic beliefs about illiteracy and news articles as a knowledge source. Engaging with the news requires critical thinking and civic engagement, both central components of…

Exposure to school violence has adverse effects on student academic performance and behavior. A safe school environment is essential for student and staff safety and achievement. Safety approaches include authoritative measures, which use security cameras, metal detectors, and controlled building access; and educational measures that include…

Peer coaching involves two or more professionals collaborating to reflect on and refine current skills and practices (Yee, 2016). The peer coaching model described in this article focused on grades K-2, a critical time for the development of students' reading skills. In the 2022-23 school year, a small pilot study was conducted of a program based…

The researchers investigated adolescent perceptions of school climate and academic self-efficacy over time for a group of Grade 7 through Grade 9 students. We followed 717 students in an ethnically diverse school district in a small town in northern Ohio from fall 2009 to spring 2011. Four waves of data collected in surveys each fall and spring…

The National Center for Rural Education Research Networks (NCRERN) seeks to increase opportunity for rural students through the power of actionable data and evidence. NCRERN partners with networks of rural school districts to generate and evaluate strategies for improving student outcomes. For more background on NCRERN's work, see the Introduction…

This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between teacher academic optimism and personalized professional learning in a rural Appalachian elementary school in southeastern Ohio. Twenty K-5 educators participated, with pre/post-surveys utilizing the Teacher Academic Optimism Scale-Elementary (TAOS-E) yielding quantitative data. Six…

Students today have various feelings of distrust among many of their teachers and administrators regarding the handling of violent episodes. As such, an examination of existing educational research to assess strategies that promote school safety and how to access community partnerships within this study is warranted. The efficacy of nonviolent and…

In the United States, national and state standardized assessments have become a metric for measuring student learning and high-quality learning environments. As the COVID19 pandemic offered a multitude of learning modalities (e.g., hybrid, socially distanced face-to-face instruction, virtual environment), it becomes critical to examine how this…