A discrepancy in high school graduation rates for low socioeconomic students has been a historical trend. Despite evidence that reduced high school completion rates limit these students' career options and earning potential, state and national data consistently show a higher failure-to-graduate rate for them despite government interventions to…

The purpose of this study was to examine the dispositions of Sierra Leone's higher education stakeholders toward using a community college system as an alternative model for expanding postsecondary accessibility in Sierra Leone. The study was prompted by a high number of students failing to gain admissions into universities in Sierra Leone every…

Efforts to bridge educational achievement gaps and address inequities remain a central challenge across the United States. The multitiered system of supports has emerged as a prominent intervention framework with which to equip educators for this task. Given its growing adoption across school districts, a deeper understanding of teacher…

For this qualitative study, I employed performance gap analysis and root cause analysis on a university via semi-structured interviews that included member checking follow-ups with 10 university stakeholders and three focus groups to: (1) identify the performance gap; (2) hone in on the performance gap and identify the root causes; and (3)…

Since at least 2001, an emphasis has been placed on the use of evidence-based practices in schools to close achievement gaps. Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) emerged during this time as a framework of evidence-based practices adopted by nearly all U.S. states including Georgia. When implemented with fidelity, MTSS has the potential to close…

Since at least 2001, an emphasis has been placed on the use of evidence-based practices in schools to close achievement gaps. Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) emerged during this time as a framework of evidence-based practices adopted by nearly all U.S. states including Georgia. When implemented with fidelity, MTSS has the potential to close…

For high school graduates with visual impairments, the options for post-secondary pursuits is very similar to that of the general high school graduate population. However, after high school, they are not finding the same success as their sighted peers, with far fewer graduates completing degrees in higher education or securing gainful employment.…

The United States of America has failed to educate generations of children. This egregious failure consigns far too many young people--especially those from low-income families or who are African American and Latino--to lives on the margins of the American mainstream. As a result, unemployment, underemployment, imprisonment, child poverty, and…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 raised awareness of the educational quality gap between European Americans and minorities, especially in reading. This gap underscores the importance that students master basic reading skills in order to achieve higher levels of reading proficiency. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was…

As the pressure on schools to meet higher and higher expectations with less and less resources increases, educators seek to explore school models which are centered on reforms that increased the likelihood of meeting this challenge. One reform initiative which has received much attention is the utilization of teacher leadership to improve school…