More than 50% of sixth-grade students at an urban middle school in the Southeastern United States scored below the 50th percentile (B50PR) of expected student outcomes on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth reading assessment. The problem to addressed in this study was that many sixth-grade students in the United States lack proficiency…

With the 2015 change in science standards to align more closely with the Next Generation Science Standards, as the district STEM coach, I saw a need for professional development that addressed the lack of understanding and skill needed to teach the Science and Engineering Practices, specifically the practice of Scientific Augmentation. This…

This quantitative, correlational study aimed to investigate the relationships between collective teacher efficacy (CTE), its enabling conditions (EC-CTE), and student achievement in third through eighth grades in Colorado. Leveraging the theoretical foundations established by Rotter (1954), Bandura (1977) and expanded by Tschannen-Moran et al.…

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative research study was twofold. First was to examine the impact of the use of the mindfulness computer program, Inner Explorer, on math success as measured by the cumulative CAASPP scores in sixth-grade tests. The second was to determine how the use of Inner Explorer affected students'…

This study explored student and teacher perspectives of technology use at Franklin Elementary School in South San Jose, CA, using qualitative, quantitative, and observational methods, including interviews, observations, and surveys. Thirteen teachers responded to a survey on educational technology use. Among this group, eleven provided interviews,…

In an urban school district in a southwestern state, the problem investigated was that elementary educators are struggling to support the reading needs of Grade 3 through Grade 6 students from families having limited access to economic resources. Students with higher socioeconomic status (SES) outperform students with low SES backgrounds. Students…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers are struggling to support the instructional needs of at-risk students Grades 3-5 in mathematics in a Southern state. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of Grades 3-5 teachers of the instructional supports, approaches, and recommendations to support the…

Co-teaching is a progressive approach to teaching using an inclusive model where all students experience the same lesson while receiving individualized resources to meet personal learning needs. The purpose of this case study was to examine one school district's transition from resource rooms to inclusion using the co-teaching model. The middle…

Outdoor School (ODS) in Oregon is a regular educational experience for Oregon's fifth and sixth graders. ODS programs and providers have identified training opportunities related to ensuring ODS is accessible and inclusive for all students, particularly students with disabilities. The current study explored the unique educational context of ODS…

Student transition from one school to another is considered a major life event. Transition to middle school is further complicated by the onset of puberty at this developmental stage. The problem is middle school students are not prepared socially and emotionally for the transition to middle school. A gap exists in identifying the perceptions of…

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine how school climate, leadership, and teachers' belief systems are interrelated and how they jointly influence teachers' classroom practices and students' learning and development. This dissertation is structured as follows. In chapter 1, the overarching themes of the dissertation are…

As STEM initiatives increase throughout elementary schools, literacy teachers need help finding their role in school-wide implementation. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and willingness of sixteen literacy teachers to integrate engineering practices with children's texts. Through the lens of Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory,…

The sentiment that creativity is the most important skill needed to solve the problems that we face is repeated by different business and industry leaders around the world (Bronson & Merryman, 2010; NEA, n.d.; Nussbaum et al., 2005; Sammio, 2017). The call for creativity has been amplified in response to the problems and obstacles caused by…

The purpose of this longitudinal, mixed methods quasi-experimental study was to investigate the impact of balanced literacy coaching on teacher efficacy, practices, beliefs, and student achievement. The participants were third- through sixth-grade teachers from five elementary schools within the same south suburban Chicago public school district.…

This study tests the effects of performing daily kind acts over a 4-week period on upper elementary students' subjective well-being (happiness) and academic engagement. It also tests the correlation between increases in both measures. Upper elementary students often experience a decrease in academic engagement due to increased difficulty and…