Since at least 2001, an emphasis has been placed on the use of evidence-based practices in schools to close achievement gaps. Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) emerged during this time as a framework of evidence-based practices adopted by nearly all U.S. states including Georgia. When implemented with fidelity, MTSS has the potential to close…

This dissertation was designed to examine how experiences, education, and professional development informed culturally responsive pedagogy and influenced teacher beliefs in their ability to guide students to success when employing culturally responsive teaching practices. The research school district was located in the piedmont region of North…

This three-article dissertation contains three approaches to the topic of professional learning communities and their impact on student achievement. Article I is a synthesis of the literature related to the purpose of professional learning communities. Implications in educational settings are also presented in this article. The context of the…

This dissertation study seeks to determine whether feedback in the online Technical and Professional Communication classroom impacts student performance. This dissertation proposes that online Technical and Professional Communication instructors consider adopt such a feedback methodology in order to engage students with writing practices that…

The randomized research study assessed the effect of an inquiry-based science (IBS) program on non-cognitive outcomes and academic achievement. The study was the result of a grant that was awarded by Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), a program affiliated with Montclair State University in conjunction with Bristol-Myers…

In order to serve its nontraditional students, a university piloted a competency-based program as alternative method for its students to earn college credit. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to conduct a summative program evaluation to determine if the program was successful in order to make decisions about program revision and…

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to evaluate to what degree Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education influenced mathematics and science achievement of seventh grade students in one Middle Tennessee school district. This research used an independent samples t test at the a = 0.05 level to evaluate…

In recent years, access to higher education was greatly improved through public funding. This improvement is not matched by a similar increase in graduation rate. The purpose of this study is to examine what postsecondary institutions can do to improve college freshman retention. The conceptual framework was based on research on college student…

This mixed methods study explored whether teachers who have experienced the new Massachusetts evaluation system as a member of three pilot or early adopter districts perceive it as a valuable process. The Race to the Top federal grant process required states to redesign evaluation systems that fostered effective teaching and included student…

This report describes a problem-based learning project focused on determining the barriers to the implementation of technological innovations. that properly executed technology implementation is an instructional variable related to student achievement; yet, school district leaders are faced with the problem of recognizing and identifying the…

This report describes a problem-based learning project focused on determining the barriers to the implementation of technological innovations. Research findings offered evidence that properly executed technology implementation is an instructional variable related to student achievement; yet, school district leaders are faced with the problem of…

This report describes a problem-based learning project focused on determining the barriers to the implementation of technological innovations. Research findings offered evidence that properly executed technology implementation is an instructional variable related to student achievement; yet, school district leaders are faced with the problem of…

Standardized-test scores are increasingly important indicators of school success. But how robust are school-performance ratings when they are based on measures derived from these scores? In my thesis, using data from Houston Independent School District (HISD) and New York State (NYS), I examined the robustness of school-performance ratings across…

The purpose of my study was to evaluate the relationship between classroom process quality and child language and academic outcomes from the beginning of the pre-kindergarten year to the beginning of the kindergarten year for one cohort of children participating in a state-funded pre-kindergarten program in South Carolina. Data for my study were…

African American males consistently perform at significantly lower academic levels, than their peers, at every age level and on almost every national assessment (Lewis, Simon, Uzzell, Horwitz, & Casserly, 2010; Harvey, 2010; Tsoi-A-Fatt, 2010; Fergus & Noguera, 2010), and of all racial/ethnic and gender groups, African American males…