This dissertation presents a mixed-data investigation aiming to comprehensively understand math anxiety in teachers. Math anxiety is defined as "feelings of tension and anxiety that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and solving of mathematics problems in a variety of ordinary life and academic situations" (Richardson &…

Teacher retention has become a major challenge for schools over the past several years. Rural school districts have become increasingly short on staff and are struggling to retain the staffs they have. The study had four purposes: (a) to determine teachers' perceptions of the factors leading to their retention, (b) to determine administrators'…

Few researchers have examined the identification practices and services provided to gifted and talented students in rural settings. In this case study, we explored these processes from different perspectives, that of the gifted student, the parent(s) of the gifted student, a teacher of the gifted student, and the administrator(s) of the gifted…

Opportunities for professional development (PD) are the key for teachers to improve their skills in a variety of areas and situations, including, but not limited to, technology in the classroom, positive behavior management strategies, effective collaboration, and making instructional accommodations for students with disabilities. These areas of…

This technical appendix provides additional information about the sample, data, and estimation strategy used for a series of American Educator Panels (AEP) Data Notes published by the RAND Corporation in 2019. The Data Note series is intended to provide brief but incisive analyses of teacher and school leader survey results that may be of…

Technology has become an unavoidable part of a teachers' academic experience. In this technological world of evolving electronic devices, knowledge of how teachers perceive the value of web-based content and chosen devices as a medium for teaching and learning is imperative when making curriculum decisions. This study explored teachers'…

Rural educators in three states were surveyed regarding their perceptions of parental involvement in their schools. Significant indicators impacting student success included the expectation of parents and their attitudes toward education. Two strategies used to incorporate varying cultures and languages into the school community were creating a…

A survey of 130 third- and fifth-grade teachers in rural Nebraska revealed that 90% of respondents integrated children's literature in the social studies curriculum, the majority of respondents believed that children's literature is useful as a teaching tool, and most respondents planned to continue integrating literature in the social studies…

Questionnaires surveying the extent of programs and support for education of the gifted and talented were received from 60 teachers and administrators in rural elementary and secondary schools in Nebraska's 11 most western counties. (The return rate of the mailed questionnaires was 24%). Results indicated that teachers and administrators…

This study examined differences in nine factors between a group of the highest-performing needs high schools (HPHN) and a group of the lowest performing high-needs (LPHN) high schools using teacher responses from a national dataset. The factors are: (1) shared mission and goals; (2) professional development; (3) collaboration among teachers (4)…