A sense of belonging was linked to academic performance for all students, but it was especially crucial for socially disadvantaged groups like African Americans, who have endured educational discrimination (Boston & Warren, 2017). High school social environments may develop race and culture silos, affecting students' sense of belonging. This…

This dissertation consists of three papers on education policy. In each paper, I use applied econometric methods and descriptive quantitative analysis to examine topics related to teacher labor markets and postsecondary attainment. The first paper leverages a rich student-teacher-day data set to study the relationship between daily teacher…

Since the passing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2001, schools receiving federal funding must administer a state standardized assessment annually and meet performance standards in selected grade levels and content areas. Although it seems reasonable to assume frequency of teacher absenteeism affects student achievement, research has not…

Education is critical to a democratic nation and in creating a strong economy (Verstegen, 2008). The importance of education is clear across society as an important tool in creating equal opportunities for all children regardless of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. As school accountability increases, it is critical to determine what…

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine to what extent the type of leave policy (restrictive vs. lenient vs. very lenient) in three New Mexico school districts affected teachers' number of unused paid leave days and to what extent the change in teacher attendance policy (from not including teacher absenteeism in…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the effect of teacher absenteeism on student reading and math growth in second through sixth grade controlling for teacher and student variables to establish the impact of teacher absenteeism on student growth. In order to achieve this objective, the following research questions framed this…

This study aims to explore the association between teacher absenteeism and student achievement. Specificially, this study aims to determine if an association exists between teacher absenteeism and elementary student reading growth and achievement. Further, it seeks to identify student and teacher factors that impact teacher absenteeism, including…

This study analyzes the impact attendance rates of middle school teachers have on academic achievement of students in South Carolina. The factors included are teacher attendance and student performance. The research will give an in-depth look into the affect's teacher absenteeism has on middle school students. And determined whether increased…

This dissertation includes three essays in the field of economics of education. The first essay estimates the effect of top school management on student achievement in America. I use newly-collected data on the tenures of school district superintendents--the highest-ranking executive in U.S. school districts--to estimate the impact of individual…

Teachers play a critical role in the academic achievement of children. Many students are not achieving at the same rate as their peers, leaving educators with the challenge of determining reasons for this variance. This quantitative study examined the relationship between teacher attendance and student achievement as measured by growth on the…

Students that consistently have access to high-quality teachers and teaching strategies experience higher degrees of success (Frieberg, 2013). In the absence of high-quality, professional classroom teacher, students may not succeed at the rate they would otherwise. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between classroom…

The purpose of this correlational, explanatory, cross-sectional quantitative research was to determine whether teacher absenteeism and student achievement are related in rural schools. This correlational study examines the predictor variable of teacher absenteeism on academic outcomes and also is inclusive of control variables teacher mobility,…

Institutions of higher education are facing increased pressure to do more with less while continuing to provide a high-quality education. Faculty are asked to teach more and do more with decreased resources and without additional compensation. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on institutions of higher education resulting in…

This study examined the relationship between teacher factors and student achievement, measured by high school grade point average while controlling for student and school-level factors. The study focused on teacher certification, teacher experience, full-time employment status, level of academic degree, and teacher absenteeism for the first…

The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to understand how the four-day school week influenced a school district in Northern Arizona, over five years. Research Questions 1 through 3 addressed district performance including teacher/staff and student attendance, achievement on the state assessment in reading and math, and costs on utilities.…