Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore educators' perceptions of the effectiveness of the PBIS framework in changing student behavior outcomes in a continuation high school setting. Theoretical Framework: Behaviorism is one of the main theories that encapsulates the PBIS framework. However, born out of behaviorism is…

To study the implementation of and support for comprehensive school counseling programs (CSCP), I examined the perceptions and experiences of administrators and school counselors from programs awarded the Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction. Through a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design, I explored the general research…

One function of modern education has been to prepare students for future college and/or career pathways. Particular attention in the US is given to preparation in STEM career fields. However, we may not be effective in advising students towards some STEM careers. This qualitative interview study evaluates the perspectives of stakeholders in…

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) SCORE Academy is an alternative learning high school composed of two distinct programs. SCORE Academy Re-engagement (A) serves students who are 16 to 21 years old and need to earn between one and 10 credits toward graduation. SCORE Academy Reassignment (B) serves students who have been reassigned by the…

There is a gap in student affairs divisions when using a standard for assessment at the divisional level. While there is extensive literature on assessment within student affairs divisions, there is little to no information on the assessment of student affairs divisions. This study employs an exploratory quantitative research methodology to…

To examine support for comprehensive counseling program implementation, we explored principals' and school counselors' perceptions and experiences from programs awarded the Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed. We found substantial agreement and no statistically significant…

Sensemaking is a popular framework for studying the meaning-making dimensions of policy implementation, change initiatives, and practitioner action in education. While generative, it has traditionally offered less guidance on how certain organizational actors have formal and/or informal power to advance their version of events and how certain…

Mental health issues among school-age children are variable yet consistently prevalent worldwide; the implications can be debilitating and long-lasting. Due to their regular interactions with students, school staff members are well poised to identify issues and implement in-school mental health interventions. In this qualitative study, we examine…

Background: Despite ongoing calls for prioritizing K-12 computer science (CS) education, an enduring gender gap exists. Objective: We explored one high school CS program where female participation was consistently higher than state averages to better understand how the program was developed. Method: Using a case study method, data were collected…

Youths' affinity for snack foods is well-documented; in various contexts, they sell chips, candy, and other goods. Adults may frame such sales as either entrepreneurial or deviant, which can contribute to positive youth development (on one hand) or cycles of disengagement and criminalization (on the other). Drawing on ethnographic and interview…

The close partnership between school counselors and principals suggested that their work together can influence student learning and school culture. Their roles, while different in nature, could be conducive to collaborating in an effective manner to help achieve their respective goals and the objectives of their employment responsibilities.…

This mixed methods study was a concurrent exploratory study to examine the differences in perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) among CTE and Non CTE (N-CTE) stakeholders based on their individual experiences. These stakeholders (i.e., teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, former students, and business and industry partners)…

Alternative schools are vital spaces for students who are not successful in traditional schools. The knowledge of social and emotional learning (SEL) and the impact it has on students who attend alternative schools specifically is limited. The problem addressed by this study was the lack of success that explicit SEL programs have in meeting the…

The inconsistent implementation of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework within one school district has been a problem. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of 17 participants (nine teachers, three school counselors, two librarians, two administrators, and one instructional coach) in a school…

This dissertation was designed to discover the dispositions, perceptions, and integration processes for Culturally Aware Pedagogical Practices of a primary school teacher, counselor, and principal in a Midwest suburban school district. The school researched has historically had little to no diversity; however, considering increased national unrest…