This qualitative phenomenological study delved into the factors influencing the retention of special education teachers in rural Luzerne County, Pennsylvania school districts. The focus was on understanding why these educators chose to continue in their positions despite facing significant challenges such as limited resources, administrative…

The present study examined what kind of parenting best supports toddlers' self-control in the context of poverty. Parents and toddlers (52% female; M[subscript age] = 2.60 years) in 117 families (35% White, 25% Black, 22% Latinx, 15% Multiracial, and 3% Asian; M family income = $1,845/month) engaged in structured interaction tasks, and toddlers…

The aim of this qualitative study was to contribute to an understanding of how biological fathers (N = 311) believe having a child with Down syndrome has impacted them personally. Thematic analysis was used to derive meaning from responses to open-ended survey questions. In addition to describing personal impacts, fathers shared how their…

The purpose of this study was to understand how schools address two specific criteria of the Schools to Watch® (STW) program: Social equity and developmental responsiveness. Descriptions of replicable practices, program/school characteristics, and initiatives created by each of the STW sites in Pennsylvania were analyzed. The data also includes…

Adolescent behavior now occurs offline and online. Frequently studied and treated independently, the relationship between offline problem behaviors and online risk taking is not well understood. This study asked whether there are any problematic behaviors predictive of online risk taking by high school students. Using a 2009 dataset of 2,077 high…

COVID-19 changed the educational landscape all overnight. After the initial shock and corresponding shut down, school districts and teachers were left scrambling to try and provide a remote educational environment for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. As summer came, the realization that COVID-19 was still going to have an impact on the…

Pennsylvania school librarians have ongoing professional learning opportunities to build compelling and inclusive experiences for learners in their libraries and within the school community. From learning the basics about the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Integrated Standards Frameworks to building innovative curriculum and…

Most educational development for inclusive excellence does not draw directly on the experiences and perspectives of students. This article presents two different approaches to positioning undergraduate students as critical partners in developing inclusive pedagogical practices. Co-authored by the directors of and student partners who participated…

This article presents findings from a study examining the impact of a virtual community of practice (VCoP) on professional development (PD) providers learning how to coach teachers using a virtual coaching model called VECTOR. The study was conducted during a time of widespread school closures amidst a global pandemic, but findings can inform the…

Purpose: Groups of students were enrolled in a course that sought to produce a three-phase theoretical model over three semesters. Design/methodology/approach: A design project to comprehensively address school violence was launched at a university in eastern Pennsylvania. Findings: This article updates the recent and most critical finding of the…

This article discusses lessons learned from the development and execution of F&M in Shanghai, a hybrid residential-remote program created for Franklin and Marshall College's first-year Chinese students in Fall 2020. The F&M Office of International Programs worked with the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) to develop the residential portion…

Food insecurity poses a serious threat to children's development, but the mechanisms through which food insecurity undermines child development are far less clear. Specifically, food insecurity may influence children through its effect on parents' psychological well-being and parent--child interactions as a result, but past research on the role of…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relations among children's symbolic functioning at 15 months, joint attention at 24 months, expressive communication at 24 and 36 months, and executive functioning at 36 months. With the sample from rural areas in the United States collected by the Family Life Project (N = 1,008), a longitudinal data…

The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in rural public schools has been steadily increasing in recent years. These rural schools are often underfunded and ill-prepared to manage this new demographic of students, which often leads to the students being neglected and falling behind in their studies. This Action Research Study consisted of…

The authors believe it is time to expand the term school climate to reflect an intention of giving all children access to positive school environments. Their expanded definition recognizes that equitable school climates are central to education equity, and it calls on educators and policymakers to deepen awareness of race, ethnicity, gender,…