The planning and implementation of effective transition services for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have emerged as crucial aspects of middle school special education. This action research study examines the impact of professional development and collaborative practices on improving transition services for middle school students with…

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to examine if gender and participation in a STEM curriculum have separate and/or interacting statistically significant effects on academic achievement of 8th grade middle school students attending Arizona Title I middle schools. The theoretical foundation was cognitive learning theory, which…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the role parents play and the support they need to better help their child with Common Core math homework, using a sample of parents from Arizona K-8 schools. Epstein's model of parental involvement provided the conceptual framework for this study, with a specific focus on the help…

Socratic seminars are active learning opportunities for students that create a classroom atmosphere building upon the foundational knowledge and experience of the students in the room. The teacher acts as a facilitator of learning, and students research, create questions, and converse to create a deeper understanding of learning. The purpose of…

In an effort to meet the requirements of the many reform efforts facing schools, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been created and implemented by many schools as a valuable strategy to increase student achievement. The main focus of most PLCs is on the cultivation of learning, which includes teachers and administrators working…

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive, single case study was to explore how K-8 teachers, lead teachers, and school administrators in an Arizona school district experienced shared leadership and described its influence on student and school success. The theoretical foundation that provided a lens for this study was the theory of shared…

School principals were presented an unprecedented opportunity beginning in March 2020 when their leadership ability was tested due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Principals relied on their leadership skills to navigate this unknown terrain of leading through a global pandemic. Through the course of leading in crisis, their…

Connectivism has been studied primarily in online college classes and was shown to increase the self-regulated learning behaviors of tertiary students. It was not known how Arizona public middle school teachers from a single metropolitan school district perceived the influence of connectivist learning networks on the self-regulated learning…

There has been a sharp increase in mental health support for children in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a growing demand for school-based mental health services due to gaps in the US youth mental health infrastructure. This dissertation presents an action research study conducted in a Title I middle school in Arizona, exploring a school…

Teachers must meet a variety of students' mathematics learning needs but are often not trained to do so. Little is known about how teachers perceive their efficacy to meet diverse math learning needs. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore teacher attitudes and perceptions of professional development (PD) and…

The 21st century public school principal is faced with complex challenges and issues as would be expected to befall a key influencer of student success. Among others, these challenges include accountability demonstrated through high stakes testing, data-driven decision making, effectively incorporating innovative technology, recruiting and…

This quantitative correlational study was designed to determine if and to what extent there was a relationship between the Arizona Assessment Collaborative (AZAC) district benchmark assessment scores and the Arizona's Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching (AzMERIT) state achievement test scores for reading and math for students…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Title I school performance and effective district leadership and reform strategies. This study focused on the successful attributes and characteristics of principals whose high-performing (the percentage of students that meet or exceed on the AzMERIT assessment) high-poverty schools…

While attempting to provide real world experiences in STEM, educators face numerous challenges including adhering to curriculum requirements and working with potentially limited resources. The purpose of this action research study was to examine how the addition of authentic learning modules to the existing University of Arizona Middle School…

Online education is unique in part for the relatively high degrees of autonomy afforded learners. Self-direction and self-regulation, along with support, are essential for students to succeed. The site of this action research project was a new, small online public charter school for middle and high school students, Foothills Academy Connected…