School improvement and accountability pressures heightened at the turn of the 21st century, with the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002 and with the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015. These actions spurred research to facilitate school improvement and meet state standards. Researchers identified a strong correlation between a…

This dissertation explores the phenomenon of burnout among teachers of special education students in rural schools, focusing on understanding the factors that contribute to burnout and the strategies that can mitigate its effects. The study used a qualitative research design to interview teachers from a rural Board of Cooperative Educational…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve career development for rural college students in Western New York State. An initial research cycle utilized semi-structured interviews to identify rural college students' perceptions about their career development and the career-related institutional supports and experiences…

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nursing program students with grant funding investment in a nursing, allied, and physical health program at a rural community college in Western New York. This rural institution is a member institution of the State University of New York…

Undocumented students face a multitude of barriers to access higher education. Academic advisors can support these students as they pursue their college degrees. This hermeneutic phenomenological study used the Undocumented/ DACAmented Status Competency (UDSC) tripartite framework to learn about the awareness, knowledge, and skills of academic…

Teacher recruitment is a continual challenge facing many rural high-needs schools. The researcher designed this quantitative survey study to explore superintendent and teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher recruitment practices used in High Need/Resource Capacity Rural school districts in New York State and the use of Bolman and…

This qualitative comparative case study explores the teacher retention system practices of rural and small city school districts in New York State that have low entry-level teacher turnover rates. This research problem addresses the need to examine the system practices employed by districts with high rates of teacher retention in supporting and…

The critical shortage of qualified teachers in hard to staff urban schools has been a persistent issue in the U.S. for decades. Teachers and researchers have pointed to the inadequacy of teacher preparation programs to prepare teacher candidates to address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students and special education students…

Many rural high-need districts face persistent challenges in retaining a quality teaching force. The researcher designed this quantitative correlational study to explore superintendents' perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher retention practices used in rural high-need districts in New York State and aspects of the Deming Cycle…

This interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experience of rural high school principals in New York State and developed an understanding of why they choose to remain in their role as school leaders. The study answered two research questions: "What role, if any, does self-efficacy play in the sustainability of rural high school…

Focusing on rural school superintendents in New York State public school districts, this study examined the nexus between their leadership behaviors and the academic achievement levels of students within their districts. The study used a causal-comparative research design, also called an "ex-post facto design" (Isaac & Michael,…

This study examined how superintendents and principals' childhood experiences influenced the decisions they make regarding their students of poverty. A qualitative research design was used to gather findings and draw conclusions through an interview process of three superintendents and nine principals. The criteria for participation was being…

The use of instructional technology is an essential aspect for the education of the 21st century student. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how rural school leaders and teachers, in upstate New York, implement new learning technologies in the classroom to facilitate effective learning. Nine semistructured principal…

The purpose of this comprehensive multi-faceted research investigation was to collect evidence from various sources related to the impact of school building closings on rural communities. The researcher employed quantitative, qualitative, and US Census data analysis to collect information and comprehensively evaluate the impact of school closings…

Classroom teachers struggle to meet the needs of all students as the United States population continues to become more diverse. While preservice teacher training programs strive to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to complete this task effectively, opportunity gaps between minority students and their peers continue to grow. Through…