This study examines Black faculty experiences at a regional comprehensive, public university in Kentucky. Using critical race theory (CRT), I examine the factors impacting Black faculty experiences at a historically White institution (HWI). Specifically, in this study, when referring to institutions of higher education, this translates to…

This dissertation explores the issue of minority underrepresentation in K-12 educational leadership roles, examining its perceived causes and implications within academic settings. The research utilized a qualitative approach involving detailed surveys and interviews with school administrators from K-12 schools in Western North Carolina, Upstate…

Understanding Black female college students' experiences, and what influences their persistence in higher education requires a need to center Black female college students in research, policy, and practice. Black women have continued to vastly outnumber Black men with higher enrollment in institutions of higher education. They have intersectional…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational research was to examine if and to what extent principal support of school climate related to student weapons and student aggression incidents in a southwest school district. Three theoretical foundations supported this research: Socio-ecological theory, Social Learning Theory, and School Climate…

Students with disabilities are an underrepresented demographic in higher education institutions that is often overlooked and excluded with limited engagement strategies. It is imperative for postsecondary institutions to actively foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment for this student group. Little is understood about the impact of…

Punitive disciplinary approaches have been used for decades in primary grades with little improvement in behavior and negative impacts on classroom climate. This qualitative case study explored the perspectives of administrators and educators implementing restorative practice (RP) with fidelity in the primary grades of urban public elementary…

It was not known the extent, if any, the four facets of shared instructional leadership (shared vision, focus on instruction, monitoring of progress, and broad collaboration) predicted School Climate (SC). This study used a quantitative, predictive correlational design using multiple regression to statistically analyze the data. The population was…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of teachers who embodied a sense of professional well-being while in the workplace. The teachers who participated in this study self-identified as embodying the phenomenon and participated in one semi-structured, recorded interview lasting no longer than…

The flagship professional organization, the American School Counseling Association, emphasizes the need for school counselors to be systems change agents. School counselors also recognize the need to be leaders within their workplace. When they can exercise leadership, school counselors have an opportunity to impact the school's culture and…

Northern New Mexico colleges and universities have worked to battle low degree attainment rates and declining enrollment numbers. This work examined how campus leaders in Northern New Mexico Hispanic Serving Institutions have created inclusive and educative campus climates for their students, including what data, experiences, and research they…

Retention of secondary math teachers is a critical issue in the field of K-12 education. This dissertation investigates the internal influences, external influences, and motivators that retain secondary math teachers in the classroom. This study is framed around Bronfenbrenner's Socieoecological Framework, which guided the research questions and…

The central aim of this research was to contribute to understanding diversity management (DM) training programs in practice. The problem addressed in the study was women completing DM programs continue to experience workplace bias after leadership placement. This qualitative descriptive case study aimed to explore strategies to overcome workplace…

This quantitative research study examined the experiences of multiracial college students regarding racial identity and perceptions of discrimination against multiracial people, as well as college belonging, compared to their monoracial peers. Multiracial individuals can encounter microaggressions and racism as a result of not fitting into…

The human brain's ability to adapt and change in response to environmental inputs drives nearly all forms of learning throughout the lifespan. The unique plasticity of the human brain allows for the uptake of sociocultural inventions, such as reading and mathematics, through widespread changes across a range of cortical areas and white matter…

This mixed-methods study used the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college student sense of belonging. The purpose of this study was to explore how environmental changes related to the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may have altered students' sense of belonging to…