This grounded theory study explores literacy achievement among male and female elementary school students. It focused on the perceived gap between genders and teachers' perspectives on narrowing this divide. Despite progress in education, educators still face ongoing challenges in literacy achievement disparities, where gender often plays a…

While America is becoming increasingly diverse, educational stakeholders seek programs that address varied language and cultural needs, which is reflected by the growing popularity of dual language immersion (DLI) programs in recent decades. The problem is an extensively persistent academic achievement gap between students with native English and…

This study examined how COVID-19 impacted elementary schools' reading achievement in rural school districts in South Carolina. The study employed the comparative research design to investigate differences between reading achievement before and after COVID-19 of rural elementary schools regarding gender and racial ethnicity. The methodology of this…

Students who are affiliated with the United States Armed Forces will transition every two to four years depending on their parents' career. The students who move may have educational gaps in mathematics because of a United States Armed Forces move occurring in the middle of a school year. The problem of practice addresses the educational gaps that…

Throughout history, Black, non-Hispanic students have performed lower in reading and mathematics than their White, non-Hispanic counterparts. Many researchers have argued that this is a result of systemic racism, lack of cultural awareness, and parent engagement barriers. Parent engagement is a critical component of student achievement. When…

Research examining reading abilities among Black children diverges significantly from prior literature, which either lacked focus or lacked substantial representation of Black children. Black students, particularly boys, tend to exhibit lower academic achievement compared to their peers. The problem addressed in this study is that Black boys, in…

The Matthew Effect is an educational theory that children who begin their academic careers with lower reading scores do not catch up to their peers, instead falling farther and farther behind as their schooling progresses. This study includes a hierarchical multiple-regression analysis of within-year benchmark data for the presence of Matthew…

I designed an explanatory sequential mixed-method study to explore the relationship between leadership practices, collective teacher efficacy (CTE), and educational outcomes of low SES students in an open school system. Four data sources were analyzed: K-5 student Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) results of 1,170 students, Collective Teacher…

The most recent nationwide math scores for 13-year-olds in the US dropping to the lowest level in decades, including Alabama's placement at the bottom, as revealed by the 2019 nationwide NAEP assessment, highlight the urgent need to improve mathematics standards in Alabama and all states. The shortage of math teachers, absenteeism, and the…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are significant differences in the English/Language Arts proficiency scores of elementary school students who attend a traditional public school or one of two types of turnaround schools in a large metropolitan school district in the southern region of the United States. The goal was to determine…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public-school IEP team members describe decision-making influences and thresholds in least restrictive environment (LRE) placement for K-5 students with significant support needs in the Midwest. Decision-Making Ecology served as a framework for two research questions which…

Literacy researchers have found that using evidence-based intervention strategies with students receiving response to intervention Tier 2 services impacted the support they receive. The problem was that researchers had not examined how elementary reading intervention teachers decided how to use effective evidence-based, culturally responsive…

Relationships matter in the classroom. The connections elementary school teachers build with their students throughout the school year can affect learners as they move to secondary education. African American boys in third through fifth grade receive discipline consequences that remove them from classroom instruction, negatively impacting success…

The COVID-19 global pandemic caused the education world to shift to distance learning. Before then, technology usage in the classroom showed minimal implementation and surfaced level approaches. The shift to distance learning caused students to rely on parents and their home environment to continue learning. For many students, this expands…

Researchers found dual language programs allow students to acquire a second language while building positive cross-cultural beliefs. However, there are inconsistencies between what research shows and teachers' perceptions of success. The problem was a gap in academic achievement between both English Language Learners (ELL) and non-ELL students…