Statistical learning (SL), the ability to detect and extract regularities from inputs, has been considered as an early-maturing and domain-general mechanism that is critical for typical language development. However, recent evidence in neurotypical adults and children have found that individuals can vary in their SL abilities across linguistic and…

Though the concepts of trauma are not new, studies on adverse childhood experiences have seen a steady increase since Felitti et al. (1998) began their work on its lasting effects. In the context of education, when leaders are not trained to identify behaviors through a trauma-informed lens, students with adverse childhood experiences may be…

This study investigated the role of special education administrators in the transition planning process for children with disabilities ages 3-21 in selected Washington school districts. A basic qualitative study was selected to construct meaning from a described phenomenon. The study sought to identify and explain how special education…

The effects of a school-based social-emotional and character development program, "Positive Action," on the developmental trajectory of character development was evaluated using data from three randomized trials. Results come from (1) 4-years of data from elementary children in 20 Hawai'i schools, (2) 3-years of data from elementary…

This dissertation addresses the question of how structured out-of-school-time settings, such as afterschool programs and summer camps, are positioned to support children's engagement and learning in science. This study addresses a gap in the research literature that does not fully specify the nature of the out-of-school-time (OST) setting and that…

Children who experience homelessness have an increased risk for negative outcomes in several developmental areas (Bucker, 2008). While there are numerous programs that hope to mediate these and other risks by offering services to families experiencing homelessness, there is a paucity of research that addresses how children's psychosocial needs are…