This phenomenological study explored teacher perceptions of successful recruitment and retention of highly qualified educators in a rural North Texas school district. Interviews were conducted to identify successful recruitment and retention strategies from twelve teachers. Descriptive phenomenology was used to analyze transcribed participant…

Although school districts have prepared and planned for school crises for many years in response to the Columbine High School and Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting tragedies, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges for school districts when dealing with educating students amid a pandemic. This qualitative phenomenological study examined…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher perceptions of the evaluation process including informal walkthroughs and administrator feedback in South Texas rural schools to determine whether teachers felt that there was a connection to teacher effectiveness and student achievement. The findings of this study may assist…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology influence the integration of technology in rural south Texas teachers' classrooms. To investigate possible relationships, the researcher collected data through an online survey tool. The sample size for the study was 115…

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…

With close to a million Texas students attending rural schools, research on what influences student achievement is needed to guide policy, practice, and further research. Building on research relating student demographic variables and per student spending in rural schools to student achievement, through this dissertation research I used…

This study delved into the perceptions of educators regarding the impact of student trauma on teachers and how they coped within classroom settings. Through semi-structured interviews with 10 selected candidates in rural West Texas School Districts, the research aimed to shed light on the need for enhanced teacher training programs. The findings…

Since at least 2015, public education has experienced declining numbers in the quality of students' education as well as educator and student retention (Finn, 2019; Joubert, 2020). The problem is that due to limited financial resources, school districts need nonmonetary options to incentivize teachers and campus administrators to improve job…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive design study was to explore the perceptions of faculty, staff, and students regarding how academic and social integration affected student retention. The theoretical framework used for this study was Tinto's theory of student integration. The two research questions focused on how faculty, staff, and…

Educator retention is a concern plaguing the nation. Schools struggle yearly to fill positions for classroom educators as teachers leave the profession. This phenomenological study examined a rural Central Texas school district and its educators' perceptions of retention issues. Multiple classroom educators were interviewed at a Title 1 rural…

"I know you've heard the rumor about the school closing down. That is not a rumor. That's a fact." Years of unacceptable academic ratings, dysfunctional school leadership, and constant budget deficits had finally caught up to a rural school in South Texas. Unfortunately, this is not the only school that has heard these words. Many…

The prevalence of Autism is increasing exponentially in today's classrooms, such that general education teachers face a broad range of challenges within inclusive settings (Leech, 2008). This study investigated the degree of teacher preparedness in teaching autistic students in general education and special education classrooms by examining the…

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore faculty perceptions of barriers to academic literacy development for Hispanic students at a small, rural school district in North Texas. Specifically, the researcher sought to investigate the perceptions of faculty regarding the barriers to Hispanic literacy development that…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the perspectives and attitudes of teacher social emotional competencies (SEC) in relation to self-awareness and sense of belonging within the campus community. This mixed methods study focused on certified general education and special populations teachers in a rural Texas Independent School…

The number of emergent bilingual students in the United States increased by over half a million students between 2010 and 2020, and Texas' school counselor ratios do not reflect the minimum ratio recommended nationally, nor do they reflect the recommended ratio by The Texas Counseling Association, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals,…