Inequity in public education has remained constant throughout history with disadvantaged students being left behind. The obstacles faced by minority students often cause them to lag behind their White counterparts in a persistent decline that leads to lower academic achievement. The problem addressed in this study was lower academic achievement in…

Background: Inequality along racial and economic dimensions is well-documented and widespread in educational contexts. Achievement gaps are observed among children as early as primary school and are especially notable in standardized testing (Fryer & Levitt, 2004; Fryer & Levitt, 2013; Bond & Lang 2013). In response, some observers and…

Each and every student, including students with disabilities, needs to be engaged in high-quality science instruction that moves beyond just memorization and recall of facts and toward critical thinking that supports informed decision making about current issues. There are notable achievement gaps between the science proficiency of students with…

The digital gender divide is one of the most critical issues in education today. Digital gender gaps can exist in students' access to and use of ICT, attitudes toward technology, and digital knowledge and skills. However, previous research has primarily examined these divides in isolation and largely ignored their interdependencies. Using student…

The purpose of this multiple explanatory case study was to investigate the preparation of underserved school band programs for a Music Performance Assessment (MPA). Specifically, I examined racial, economic, and social inequalities, which are well documented in the research literature, and the related achievement gaps of underserved public school…

School leaders must make decisions and implement strategies to improve a school climate and student achievement, and it benefits them to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and student achievement with its school accountability measure, the College…

There has been a deliberate attempt to close the achievement gap by altering educational policies, yet the gap still exists. This phenomenology qualitative study sought teachers' opinions on whether STEM was seen as an effective intervention strategy for closing the achievement gap among African American students, and if so, why it wasn't used…

The gap in achievement and discipline between White and Black students is a significant problem in education across the nation. The objective of this study was to determine if the achievement gap increases once schools decrease suspension rates and offer alternatives to out-of-school suspension. The purpose of this study was to determine the…

Students in foster care are a resilient group of individuals who often face many obstacles and changes in environment (e.g., home, school, community) from a young age. While the foster care system's goal is to provide a safe and stable environment for children, adolescents, and transitional age youth, there are many challenges students in foster…

This paper examines the unique challenges faced by the 2023 Leaving Certificate cohort in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) in Ireland due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the significant impact of the pandemic on students who will be sitting their first-ever state examination at the age of 18. These…

Instructional leadership continues to be a focus of research due to its effectiveness in improving schools. The understanding of effective instructional leadership has shifted from being engaged in day-to-day teaching and learning to being capable of organizing and managing teachers for instructional improvement. Most instructional leadership…

Many countries have introduced flexibility in their admissions equivalents for tertiary education, allowing students to apply with vocational rather than academic qualifications at upper secondary level. However, entrants with vocational qualifications are generally less likely to succeed at university. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are…

The problem addressed in this study was that non-traditional high school students at the study site were not being provided with in-school intervention and support programs to assist them with academic achievement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore what in-school programs are offered to non-traditional students at the study…

Discipline disproportionality in education has been a topic of conversation for years. African American male students are suspended at much higher rates than their White peers. Although Black students represent less than half of the school population in the United States, they account for a majority of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions.…

This paper aims to examine the case for a focus on place-based drivers of inequalities in educational attainment among secondary school students in Scotland. Using desk-based sources, it provides an account of the post-2015 policy episode around improving educational attainment among children from disadvantaged areas. This started with the…