An indicator of college readiness is the participation in advanced courses in junior high school. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine the social capital of 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in advanced mathematics courses. This study examined junior high student perspectives in the areas of attitude toward college, teacher…

The School Improvement Grant (SIG), initially authorized in 1965 under the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, was passed to substantially support disadvantaged students' needs to raise students' achievement in their lowest-performing schools. This research addresses whether SIG funding alone is the catalyst to…

This comparative case study investigated how two Title I elementary schools within the same school district implement, promote, and maintain familial/community engagement programs. The district adopted and implemented a family engagement model based on Dr. Karen Mapp's Academic Parent-Teacher Team approach within the Dual Capacity-Building…

Educational equity programs have been created to provide opportunities and resources for upward social mobility to low-SES individuals and students, students of color, historically marginalized students, and first-generation college students. This research study focused on educational equity programs recognized as the federally funded TRIO…

The inclusion of prekindergarten programs has increased awareness as to whether or not children are gaining the readiness skills necessary for a successful entry into kindergarten. This study examined the impact of preschool experiences on kindergarteners' reading readiness levels. This study determined whether or not there were differences in…

The prevalence and effects of lagging or delayed early literacy and motor skill development in children of low-SES backgrounds is a significant issue that can have adverse developmental consequences and affect children's ability to succeed in school (Evans, 2004; NELP, 2008; Stodden et al., 2008). This study examined the impact of the…

Through an in-depth, multi-case study of five schools and forty-seven teachers, I examine how teacher commitment to students plays out under conditions of socioeconomic adversity in elementary and middle schools. Relying on different sources of literature, I theorize that commitment is the degree of educators' determination to respond to student…

This quantitative study examined the frequency counts of Head Start teachers' verbalizations or teacher talk and the scores of such teachers in the Mediated Learning Rating Scale (MLERS) during interactions with diverse young learners (DYLs) of three sites in a Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The relationships between Head Start…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to ascertain the degree to which a relationship exists between teacher-reported technology integration in the classroom and student math achievement of classrooms containing third through fifth grade students in one Southern California school district, as measured by a standardized…

There is an education gap that exists in our nation. Black students are more likely to encounter obstacles and barriers that are associated with college attainment when compared to their White peers. This study sought to understand factors that hinder college readiness and success among Black students who graduated from The Neighborhood Academy…

Validity studies of college admissions tests have found that black and Hispanic students typically perform worse in college, as measured by their freshman grade point average (FGPA), than predicted based on college admissions test scores. These studies, however, conflate student and school characteristics when estimating differential prediction.…

The student demographic in United States public schools is becoming increasingly diverse. Yet, the curriculum used in classrooms throughout the country remains largely Euro-centric. Despite research confirming that the use of culturally relevant literature can increase engagement and academic achievement, most historically marginalized students…

Students who are classified as minority and living in poverty generally experience a gap in academic achievement when compared to their white and more affluent counterparts. This gap has affected this population from as far back as the early 1800's. The achievement gap is compounded with the effects of living in poverty which have devastating…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate why African American female students are being "pushed out" of learning environments in public schools. This study attempted to answer the central question: "According to the "lived experiences" of African - American female students in Arkansas, what are the…

Almost 30 states in the U.S. have authorized their community colleges to confer baccalaureate degrees without a partnership with a traditional four-year institution. The intention of four-year degree programs at select community colleges is to increase four-year degree production in areas with high labor market demand but a low supply of qualified…