International comparisons of student mathematics achievement (OECD, 2014) continue to show that US students are lagging significantly behind many other countries both in math content areas (e.g., quantity, space and shape) and in mathematical practices (e.g., formulating, interpreting). Mathematical practices, such as constructing arguments or…

The purpose of the study was is to identify factors that are significant indicators of teachers' reasons for remaining in an urban school district. In an effort to understand the problem of retaining teachers in urban areas there have been countless research that have been conducted concentrating in the area of teacher retention in urban…

The purpose of this research is to document and describe the experiences of 15 sixth-grade students in an urban, after-school program entitled Drama Through Reading (DTR), as they co-construct and recreate their interpretations of literature through performance. Through rigorous, systematic observation, listening, re-listening, and documentation…

Although public school educators employed in high-poverty urban districts are likely to encounter traumatized children on a regular basis, there is a scarcity of research exploring the psychological effects of secondary traumatic stress exposure in this population. As such, a primary goal of the study was to explore the prevalence and correlates…

While research suggests that new teachers work to put into practice the pedagogy learned from their preservice preparation programs during their first year of teaching, they often resort to traditional, teacher-centered pedagogies even when prepared to use innovative practices, particularly in urban schools. Relatively little is known, however,…

Numerous studies exist on distributive and procedural justice among union represented or nonunion employees. However, there does not appear to be any research on the perceptions of justice from individuals who have worked in both capacities, under differing processes and procedures for each group, within the same heavily unionized organization.…

The curriculum for elementary students has undergone a significant change in the past decade. This led to an increased expectation for higher academic performance for fifth grade students in the areas of reading and mathematics. Teachers seek innovative ways to provide instructional practices within their classrooms that will aid success for all…

An exploratory study was conducted to focus on what is being done to help college athletes stay out of trouble and avoid activities that may lead to crime and/or criminal activity. The study was designed to find real examples of poor decisions and/or productive decisions made by athletes in order to provide for a rich learning opportunity. Crimes…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the CompassLearning Odyssey® Math (Compass Math) program on increasing mathematics achievement scores for students in an urban environment over two consecutive years. Thousands of schools and districts across the country currently utilize the Compass Math program for their students…

This study analyzed the performance and growth in letter knowledge and letter identification skills of children across an academic year. Repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted on letter name knowledge measures administered at three time points for all participating children (N = 177) and seven time points for children (n = 106)…

This study identified the variables associated with data-driven instruction (DDI) that are perceived to best predict student achievement. Of the DDI variables discussed in the literature, 51 of them had a sufficient enough research base to warrant statistical analysis. Of them, 26 were statistically significant. Multiple regression and an…

American education was going through dramatic change in the beginning of the 21st century. The way children were educated was constantly evolving. Public schools, private schools, parochial schools, charter schools, and many other types of educational institutions were affected by various federal and state regulations since the 1960's. The…

The roles of urban superintendents are crucial to improving the educational outlook for the neediest students, specifically the African-American males. The roles and responsibilities of the urban school superintendent today are more numerous, complex, and demanding than in the past. The expectations of today's urban superintendents are to be…

The Diversity Scorecard Project evaluated in this study was created by the University of Southern California's Center for Urban Education. It was designed to create awareness among institutional members about the state of inequities in educational outcomes for underrepresented students. The Diversity Scorecard Project facilitators' aimed to…

There is extant literature regarding teacher professional development; however, there is limited research in the area of "high-quality" teacher professional development practices which are advocated for at the government and district levels based on Learning Forward's (formerly National Staff Development Council--NSDC) guidelines for…