The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has implemented a student accountability system that measures students' performance on the State of Texas Assessment for Academic Readiness (STAAR) in several content areas. Therefore, teachers and administrators all over the state are always seeking ways to ensure that students are academically well prepared.…

Objectives: This study examined the prevalence, patterns, and knowledge of Energy Drink (ED) consumption among undergraduate students. Participants: Participants included students (n = 373) attending a medium-sized rural university in Texas. Methods: Students were surveyed anonymously using convenience sampling and a cross-sectional design with 15…

This paper aims to better delineate the patterns of mobility and turnover of rural principals in Texas. Specifically, the authors examine the patterns of movement into, within, and out of rural principal positions, as a means to gain a better understanding of the forces of 'draw' within rural areas and 'drain' out. The study consisted of a sample…

In this complementary study, the researchers examine two novice rural teachers' dispositions before and during their participation in the PD-STEP summer professional development sessions which began July 2018 with subsequent sessions on July 2019 and July 2020. Together, Professional Development for Secondary School Teachers and Educational…

Public school campuses in rural South Texas are struggling to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. Districts now have flexibility in hiring certified teachers, but the need for teachers continues to grow annually. The challenge lies in attracting teachers to smaller school districts, when there are larger districts throughout the State of…

School choice is expected to generate competition and thereby lead to organizational improvements. Using teachers' original survey responses, this study uses the market culture within the competing values framework and finds substantial variation in how rural schoolteachers perceive competitive pressure and school climate. When we restricted our…

Principals play a critical role in improving schools, but high rates of principal turnover threaten improvement gains. In this study we used a mixed-methods design to examine school, district, and community factors associated with greater principal turnover, and explore how these factors differ for rural schools. We found that rural districts tend…

The objective of this study is to add to the existing literature on principal recruitment and hiring strategies by examining the turnover and retention patterns of internally recruited principals. For many hard-to-staff schools--particularly urban and rural schools--internal recruitment is considered a primary method of improving recruitment and…

The study aimed to address rural school principals with unique challenges and responsibilities who have the critical task of attracting and retaining skilled teachers. These schools often face challenges in hiring and keeping quality teachers due to their remote locations, low salaries, and additional workloads. The research focused on identifying…

The U.S. population has become more racially and ethnically diverse over time. The Latinx population growth makes Spanish the most common language encountered in non-native English-speaking populations such as Texas. The research objective of this study was to examine if implementing a One-Way Dual Language Education (DLE) Program could result in…

This paper reviews a two-day workshop held in the eastern part of Assam, India in 2020, aimed at enhancing English communication skills among rural school teachers in India. The workshop was facilitated by experienced educators and a Global Teacher Grant recipient. The workshop facilitators collaborated with language specialists to deliver…

Objective: To investigate influenza vaccination rates and perceptions underlying vaccine noncompliance. Participants: Participants included undergraduate students (N = 365) at a rural, medium-sized university in Texas. Methods: Students were anonymously surveyed in the spring of 2018 on demographics, insurance status, perceived barriers of…

Rural students graduate from high school at higher rates but go to college at lower rate than their urban and suburban peers. To take on the educational attainment challenge for rural students, we need to know more about postsecondary encouragement programs. This study examined a pilot postsecondary encouragement program in 11 rural high schools…

There was a period in U.S. history when Black teachers were heavily employed within the educational workforce and were leading examples of excellence (Anderson, 1988). Black teachers, teaching within their communities, were able to directly impact their students' achievement and behavior while also reinforcing shared family values. As a result of…

State legislation serves as a guide and critical influence on the evaluation and identification of students with dyslexia across the United States. The state of Texas has numerous laws and regulations concerning dyslexia, guided by the Texas Administrative Code, Texas Education Code, Texas Occupations Code, and the Texas Education Agency's…