This dissertation in practice focused on the use of Motivational Interviewing in the school environment between school staff and families. More specifically, this program evaluation sought to see if the use of Motivational Interviewing by school staff could improve parent participation rates in student attendance improvement conferences (SAICs).…

COVID-19 helped to shift the traditional educational learning platforms. Higher learning institutions have been engaged with online learning for decades, but online learning was prevalent in elementary schools. This phenomenon catapulted elementary schools to adjust their tactics and learn the best instructional practices to engage online…

The focus of this dissertation centers around the beliefs that early education teachers hold regarding the role digital technology plays in the learning and development of young children and how those beliefs are implemented in the classroom. Although there is some previous research on this topic not enough is known about digital technology…

Virginia Public schools continue to face teacher shortages, and policymakers and school leaders are desperately seeking ways to influence teachers' decisions to stay at school. This multi-site case study of seven elementary schools offers a conceptual framework to examine how teachers' trusting relationships with students and parents relate to…

Increasingly, ethnically diverse teachers were found to exist at lower rates in classrooms where student demographics were indirectly proportional. The purpose of this study was to cross-examine the relationships between variables of teacher job satisfaction, teacher experience as measured in years of service, and perceptions of teacher support…

The unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic led teachers to innovatively shift their teaching methods. These pioneering practices inspired this study's "Elevated Family-Teacher Partnership" intervention which was designed to provide equitable guidance and communication for all families. This dissertation, in practice,…

Parents and educators are at the forefront of promoting children's health and well-being. Yet little is known about the factors that contribute to forming a positive relationship between parents and their children's educators. Very few researchers have investigated the perceptions of parents, teachers, and support staff regarding the factors that…

Schools once enjoyed the implicit trust of their community, and school leaders felt that they could take for granted the trust of both the internal and external constituencies. Trust in our society seems to be damaged and is in short supply (Tschannen-Moran, 2014). The Millennial generation (individuals born in the years 1981-1996) has become our…

The benefit of parental involvement (PI) cannot be underestimated, most specifically, the PI that operates on mutual trust and respect, and balancing of power between homes and schools. It is particularly beneficial to students who are learning English as a second language because their parents can partner with educators to close the achievement…

Parent-teacher collaboration in early childhood education has been found to have a positive effect on students in the areas of academic achievement and appropriate behavior. The importance of enhancing parent-teacher collaboration in children's education has been supported by research (Walker, Shenker, & Hoover-Dempsey, 2010; Moorhouse &…

The general problem for this study was that African American families are less involved in their child's education compared to their Caucasian counterparts, and when parents are not involved in their child's K-12 schooling experience, students may struggle academically, emotionally, and behaviorally. As a result, teachers often interact…

The COVID-19 pandemic created a worldwide disruption to the educational system that shuttered traditional classrooms and immediately shifted to virtual teaching and learning. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore how novel virtual teaching experiences contributed to primary teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy during the…

The lack of current research on the lived experiences of Black women early childhood educators who utilize culturally relevant pedagogy with young children has rendered this group of educators functionally invisible. Using the theoretical frameworks of critical race theory, Black feminist thought, and intersectionality, the purpose of this…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine teacher self-efficacy among general education teachers in inclusive settings in the Northwest region of Arkansas. The study further explored factors that contribute to the perceived level of efficacy, and the role of teacher education programs and professional development sessions in the level…

Schools across the United States are seeing an increase in culturally and linguistically diverse students. While there is recognition of the need for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices in K-12 settings, many teachers encounter challenges in effectively implementing these practices, particularly in science classrooms. There…