This study explores the challenges and barriers involved in implementing successful alternative education programs within rural Missouri school districts. Using a qualitative narrative approach based around the theoretical framework of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, this study focused on the differences between the recognized measures for success in…

Advanced Placement classes are introductory college courses taught in high school. Over 60% of all secondary gifted programs report utilizing AP classes as part of their program offerings (Callahan et al., 2017). Despite the prevalence of AP courses, there is no exact match between this particular type of programming and the needs of gifted…

An increasingly large number of students are experiencing test anxiety in the school setting. Cognitive Interruption Theory (CIT) can explain why students who experience test anxiety can lose their prior knowledge while in a testing setting. Schools often use traditional identification strategies to address test anxiety; unfortunately, these…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers feel ill-equipped to handle students who have been impacted by trauma. The purpose of this study was to examine the teachers' experiences in implementing a trauma informed schools (TIS) approach to classroom management in rural Tennessee. The theoretical framework used is Bronfenbrenner's…

Student input is usually limited to expression, while collaboration and leadership increase student engagement and investment. This study sought to collect and elevate the voices of students from a small school for girls in rural East India. Participants included staff and former students. During multiple cycles of data collection, participants…

K-3 teachers face challenges in meeting the learning needs of their emergent bilingual (EB) students in rural southeastern schools in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-3 teacher perspectives on challenges to meet the English language learning needs of their EB students and to identify what K-3 teachers…

The number of emergent bilingual students in the United States increased by over half a million students between 2010 and 2020, and Texas' school counselor ratios do not reflect the minimum ratio recommended nationally, nor do they reflect the recommended ratio by The Texas Counseling Association, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals,…

Educators are faced with increased accountability and decreased funding. This means that school districts must carefully determine how they can best invest their limited resources. Informed decisions that serve the best education interests of the students should be the practice of all schools. One small, rural school district has invested…

This case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff of mental health services at the elementary level in a rural district. Mental health services provided in elementary school settings can ultimately change the outcome of individuals' lives. Many districts in North Carolina lack the funds to hire mental health counselors, and must rely…

The role of the K-12 principal is one that is vast and diverse in its range of responsibilities. This qualitative study examined the current challenges specifically facing small rural school district principals and the access available to support for professional growth in that role. McREL's Balanced Leadership Framework was used as the…

The purpose of this research study was to explore secondary education teachers' perceptions of why they may be underprepared to support English language learners (ELLs) in the mainstream classroom. With the increasing number of ELLs in public schools across the United States, teachers with the background, training, and/or knowledge of how to…

The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in rural public schools has been steadily increasing in recent years. These rural schools are often underfunded and ill-prepared to manage this new demographic of students, which often leads to the students being neglected and falling behind in their studies. This Action Research Study consisted of…

Senior leaders of rural community colleges are presented with many challenges that affect the current operation of their college as they attempt to also address the future of the college towards efficiency and growth. In response, rural community colleges require a dual approach that balances the exploitation of learning from the past while also…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools had to make the difficult shift from face-to-face instruction to distance learning, which was especially difficult for schools in rural areas with limited resources and services. The purpose of the exploratory case study was to investigate the perceptions and experiences of general and special educators…

Teachers across the United States are responding to an increasingly diverse classroom environment. Problems unfold where teachers face challenges in adapting curriculum to diverse learners. Historically, most research has focused on the voices of teachers in urban classrooms, however; the voices of teachers in rural classrooms with indigenous…