This qualitative study described the lived experiences of 17 educators. These educators were 10 teachers and 7 principals. The study was conducted using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology to explore the lived experiences of teachers and principals. The population included those teachers and principals with 5 or more…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe effective constructivism teaching strategies and approaches for reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in a middle school gifted program at Stoneybrook Middle School in the Downey-Raine School System through an examination of the lived…

This study explores elementary school teachers' perceptions of emotional intelligence (EI) influence on the academic development of African American elementary students within a charter school in North Carolina. Persistent academic disparities faced by Black students, exacerbated by systemic educational inequalities and socio-cultural challenges,…

Summer school programs have been a part of national, state, and local education systems' instructional programming for decades. These programs exist in varying forms and rarely have a prescribed way in which they should be implemented. There is little to no research about teacher and administrator perceptions about these summer programs. The…

This study examined the relationship of a medium-sized coastal community college with African American males' choices concerning college transfer or career and technical education. The studied college serves two counties, forming a diverse community located in a southeastern North Carolina city. The combined population of both counties was nearly…

Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) present with specific challenges in language acquisition and literacy learning. For these children, developing age-appropriate language and literacy skills is often the exception, not the rule. This study defines the complex problem of disproportionate language and literacy acquisition and…

This study explored K-4 teachers and school district curriculum leadership's understanding of and inclination to implement culturally relevant pedagogy as a framework for teaching reading, especially for African American students. This qualitative study sought the potential basis that teachers and educational leaders retain from their experiences…

The community college is an institution where constant change is needed to keep up with technology, student needs, and industry standards. The evolution of developmental subjects, especially developmental math, is a needed change within the community college system. This research examined the impact of the new Reinforced Instruction for Student…

This research study was conducted to gain a better understanding of teacher perceptions, in both low-performing and high-performing urban charter schools, of the impact of administrative support, professional development, and teacher preparation in closing the achievement gap among fourth grade students. The trend over the last five years among…

Academic performance in American high schools has historically been lower for children with particular demographics such as low-socioeconomic status, membership in certain minorities, first-generation college enrollment, or other traditionally underrepresented on college campuses (Berger, 2015). This gap in academic performance between students of…

This qualitative exploratory case study focused on the achievement gap in mathematics that exists in one urban North Carolina middle school and the strategies used by school personnel to narrow this gap. The goal of this research was to determine effective instructional strategies and best practices used to engage students in learning that will…

In 2012, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) released a monumental report stating that the American Dream was at risk due to a swelling population of citizens who lack the education and skills to meet the demands of the 21st century (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2012). The Commission's report,…

The existence of a gap in academic performance between various groups of students, such as minority and non-minority students or socioeconomically disadvantaged and advantaged students, has been the subject of public discourse and research for many years. Research has indicated numerous reasons for the existence of this gap and its impact on…

Reading ability is one of the most crucial skills learned in elementary school, a primary focus for students in these years. Around the third grade, though, students start transitioning to a skill they will need the rest of their academic and work career--reading to learn. Students begin demonstrating their learning by taking high-stakes…

The case study takes place in a North Carolina School district diverse in student population and land use, which by some records is experiencing some success with the students it serves. Standardized test data reveals the existence of academic achievement gaps within schools throughout the district. The school district's superintendent declared…