This study investigated how a self-regulated learning intervention, implemented within a personalized learning environment, affected students' self-regulation, self-efficacy, and academic achievement at a middle school. The personalized learning environment in this study was two self-paced units within middle school seventh grade math classrooms.…

Leaders in education must focus on improving teacher attrition because teacher turnover contributes to lower student academic achievements by disrupting the learning environment for both students and teachers (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). This study took place in a North Florida School district where school and district leaders are…

COVID-19, social distasting, and synchronous versus asynchronous learning have continued to widen gaps in students' knowledge. Teachers have largely been responsible for closing those gaps with little to no additional resources, except for what new state mandates have in place such as House Bill 4545 in Texas. Previous research has shown that new…

This study used a convergent mixed-method design and a pragmatic approach to examine how professional development (PD) affected teachers' confidence in their abilities to use the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework in a rural Mississippi middle school. Grounded in Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the study aimed to answer two research…

Introduction: In today's world, which is progressively oriented towards science and technology and facing a growing demand for skilled professionals, it becomes essential to identify the factors that encourage individuals to pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Previous research has shown that…

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of middle school math teachers, as captured by survey ratings, of the frequency and quality of professional development programs. The study further examined the relationship of these perceptions to the degree to which professional development increased self-efficacy and social connections.…

Using technology in the 1:1 classroom has been a focus of scholars and has become the educational standard for many schools, especially those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, researchers have demonstrated that even though access to laptops is no longer an issue in many schools, there remains low integration of engaging activities in the…

The present study reports findings from a school-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Double Check cultural responsivity and student engagement model. Consistent with the focus of this special issue on the conceptual and methodological advances for understanding contextual, identity, and cultural effects in intervention research, we…

This study was prompted by the continuous rise in expectations for students with disabilities to have access to the general education curriculum within the general education classroom. This study was a program evaluation on the Marilyn Friend co-teaching models that utilized Stufflebeam's (1960) Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) program…

Background/significance: The World Health Organization identified bullying in childhood as major health problem; studies document its profound impact on physical, mental, and social well-being. To prevent these impacts, interventions need to be implemented. Bullying peaks in middle school; therefore, it is important to prepare school nurses to…

This essay contends that personalized professional learning can support the shift towards a culture of personalized learning at the middle school level, with the potential to make a district-wide impact. If you have ever worked in a middle school, you would agree there is a sense magic and contagious energy within middle school students. Middle…

We examined the effectiveness of the "Say Something Anonymous Reporting System" (SS-ARS) program in improving school safety in a cluster randomized control trial among over 700 students in 19 middle schools in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The SS-ARS is a program that emphasizes youth engagement and trains youth to recognize…

Twice-exceptional students require services that identify and serve their academic and social-emotional concerns; teacher understanding of these needs is not well-studied. Using Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and social cognitive theory, a descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to explore middle school teachers' self-efficacy beliefs…

Bullying is a major challenge faced by students and stakeholders in the education system. Governments and educators have implemented various initiatives and strategies to address bullying. Rising cases of bullying have raised scrutiny over the role of school counselors. This research investigated school counselors' perceived self-efficacy in…

While transition from primary to secondary school is a positive experience for many young people, for others, it may be a difficult period of adjustment. Socioeconomic status (SES) may influence the likelihood of a positive or negative transition experience owing to differences in psychosocial (self-esteem, self-efficacy, social support) and…