This study employed a qualitative content analysis design to examine the extent to which 8th and 11th-grade U.S. History textbooks, adopted by the State of Texas, foster historical empathy and disciplinary knowledge and skills in the subject of history through student engagement with textbook activities. The textbook activities collected for this…

In today's workforce, individuals are staying in their respective professions longer and retiring at ages past 67, resulting in a generationally diverse workforce. Currently, teachers range from 21-80 years of age, working in the same profession and receiving the same professional development. Considering adult learning and the dynamics associated…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how end-of-course general education teachers in public high schools (grades 9-12) described cognitive fatigue during the preparation and implementation of standardized testing practices in a Texas urban public school district. Prior to this study, it was not known how Texas public…

The purpose of this study was to explore how district funding for 4 years of PSAT administrations for all students in Grades 8-11 impacted Hispanic students at a North Texas school district. Using college admissions data from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), the researcher examined overall district-wide college admissions percentages for…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how certified 9th-12th grade public school teachers who have one year of teaching and implementing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in the classroom describe their perception of PBIS and the influence of teacher perception on the implementation of PBIS with…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational research study was to determine to what extent, if any, teacher technology-related professional development affected the actual integration of technology in the classroom among 9th-12th-grade teachers. Convenience sampling was used to collect data. The sample for this study was 78 high school teachers…

As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, public school educators encountered several difficulties acquiring and integrating curriculum online. The problem addressed in this study was the negative effect online curriculum implementation had on student achievement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case…

With a steady increase of virtual learning courses taught throughout K-12 education, limited empirical research exists to allow educational leaders and policy makers the ability to accurately identify student demographic characteristics that correlate to the acquisition of virtual course credit (Barbour, 2009). The purpose of this quantitative…

Standardized assessment is the government measurement of academic success in Texas. Currently, students in Grades 3-11 participate in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) as a measure of their comprehension of the state standards. In high school, students are required to pass the high school STAAR End of Course test in…

According to the Nation's Report Card (2015), American schools are suffering a double-digit academic gap between minority and non-minority students in reading proficiency scores and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mediated reading (MR) across the curriculum on the achievement of at-risk low-SES minority…

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between virtual school size and student achievement in virtual schools in a southwestern state. Enrollment size and the following areas were studied in an attempt to determine student achievement: STAAR English Language Arts/Reading, STAAR Math, STAAR Science, and STAAR Social Studies…

Schools' functioning as learning organizations provide educators the opportunity to focus on working together in innovative ways. However, it is unknown to what extent learning organizations exist in small high schools or whether small high schools' functioning as learning organizations improve academic achievement. The purpose of this study was…

The content area of social studies has not been given as much attention as its counterparts despite its inclusion in the state wide TAKS exam in Texas. All students in grades 8, 10, and 11 are required to take the social studies portion, and must pass it in order to graduate. The consequences of such a test and the importance of social studies in…

Scope and Method of Study: This study assesses the status of Earth and environmental sciences education in Texas Public High Schools by analyzing enrollment proportions of 11th and 12th grade students in 607 Independent School Districts (ISD) for the 2010-2011 academic school year using a quantitative, non-experimental alpha research design. This…

Throughout the history of education, it has been noted that teachers are influential people in lives of children (Applegate & Applegate, 2004; Daisey, 2010; Gambrell, 1996; Ruddell, 1995). Children spend one-third (or more) of the day with teachers; and as they enter into adolescence, children come in contact with more and more teachers during…