The purpose of this study was twofold. The first aim was to better understand the selection criteria that college students of varying demographic backgrounds find most important when making a final selection of a college or university during their college search process and the promotional information they find to be most useful, particularly…

Medical schools throughout the United States have admission committees that explore student applications using a multitude of criteria when choosing students for admissions into medical school. A great deal goes into the criteria that each medical school utilizes in selecting potential students to enroll in their school. Even though there has been…

The use of Evidence-based Practices (EBPs) in schools is heavily emphasized in educational research and policy; however, many teachers do not use EBPs for reading instruction and intervention. Previous research on the limited use of EBPs in classrooms has primarily focused on teacher characteristics, such as their attitudes or beliefs toward these…

Low financial literacy is a growing problem in young adults, which has effects throughout adulthood (Amagir et al., 2018). Record low personal savings rates, a shift toward increased personal responsibility for retirement, and increasing student loan balances put financial decision-making demands on young adults that have lifelong impacts (Lusardi…

The existing gap between females in the field of education and those in the highest levels of leadership persists, with women only making up 27% of the superintendency nationally. This study, informed by Tallerico's (2000a) conceptual framework, sought to determine how one's own individual agency, educational structures (like sponsorship), and the…

In this action research study, I explored and developed a means to address the challenge of developing, supporting, and retaining effective elementary school principals skilled in instructional leadership and serving in historically marginalized communities. Evidence from the research literature and earlier action research cycles indicated…

Challenging student behavior is a concern for teachers and administrators across the United States, and the situation in West Virginia is no different. In response to these behaviors, principals often use an exclusionary approach to discipline, including detentions, suspensions, and expulsions. While research indicates a functional approach to…

The establishment of Title 1 schools in America was to provide additional financial support for schools predominately serving children from low-income communities. However, Title 1 schools often encounter teacher attrition, leading to unpredictable workloads for remaining teachers. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to…

The research is extensive. Students are removed from school using exclusionary discipline practices at alarming rates. The short-term and long-term implications for the students excluded are primarily negative. Often, a short-term solution of removing unwanted behaviors from a learning environment can result in long-term negative impacts on the…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to understand why alternatively certified teachers choose to enter and stay in the teaching profession in Florida. The study utilizes the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) Model as the theoretical foundation for the following research questions, "Why do alternatively…

This study examines the experiences of prominent college and university presidents recognized for leading the successful transformation of their institutions. While "change" and "transformation" are often used interchangeably, the success rate of transformation at the institutional level--of reinventing the organization based…

Sexual assault of women is common on college campuses, but the vast majority of victims do not make a formal report. It is imperative to understand these decisions to help design and implement policies to normalize and encourage reporting. This study aimed to extend science on the thematic reasons for non-reporting by (1) establishing validity for…

News sharing has become a common user behavior in social networking services (SNS) and has been extensively studied as an emerging community practice. This dissertation presents four studies extending current news sharing knowledge. It also provides promising new directions for future investigation. Study 1: suggests that news sharing is a complex…

This research discusses the impact of environmental and social crisis events, how these events affect schools, and how administrators can make informed decision in response to those events. The qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of K-12 administrators in Mississippi Public Schools and how their perceptions of…

Community college faculty are essential to the success of student learning. As such, active participation through faculty shared governance is key to student and institutional success. This study explored the role communication and collaboration have in community college faculty shared governance. Using a mixed methods study design, with a focus…