Educational accountability is dominated by a focus on test scores to assess academic achievement. An emerging trend toward "next-generation" accountability includes a broader conception of student learning and multiple metrics. A policy design approach is used to analyze this trend. Four design elements--goals, actors, metrics, and…

Black students were not allowed to enroll in Missouri public schools until 1866. During the fugitive school era (prior to 1863), keeping Black children and youth safe from white terrorists committed not only to disrupting nascent learning but burying Black bodies became priority one for clandestine school leaders (Williamson 2005). Later, when…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Fifth edition (WISC-V). As such, this is the first study that will examine the factor structure of the WISC-V in a non-standardization sample of Black children. Utilizing confirmatory and exploratory factor analytic techniques in AMOS our…

This dissertation study explores the lived experiences of Black women leaders of public school districts across the United States. Black women superintendents comprise roughly 2% of urban superintendencies in the United States, so understanding their journeys to and experiences in the position is critical to understanding ways that these systems…

"It is dark under the lamp"-a proverb that frequently refers to the misery that prevails in confined, lit environments. In terms of economic development, urban regions have risen to prominence as centers of excellence. Cities are populated by individuals from varied cultural, professional, and economic backgrounds. The disparities in…

This study introduces the development of a new, transferable, customizable, authentic, and analytic framework for addressing different dimensions of teacher reflection. Given the emphasis on teacher reflection as a socially situated practice spawned by cognitive and affective aspects, this study covers four dimensions (i.e., breadth, depth,…

In 2016, the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights reported that Black girls were overrepresented among students who face discipline that excluded or criminalized them. Although Black girls constituted only 8% of K-12 students nationwide, 14% had received one or more out-of-school suspensions. Out-of-school suspensions…

School discipline has been a site of contention and reform. In this study, we draw from 17 interviews with traditional and charter school principals in one mid-sized urban school district to examine how principals use discipline as a tool to both maintain control and demonstrate care. Our study calls attention to different strategies principals…

This quantitative comparison study was conducted to determine if there is a significant difference in multicultural and social justice competencies (MSJCC) between urban and rural school counselors in Pennsylvania. The purpose of the study was to discover how school counselors in different geographical areas assess their work within a…

The Chilean system is known worldwide for the detrimental effect of neoliberal policies on public education and school segregation (Bellei et al. 2022). Drawing on Sen's Capability Approach (1999), this paper examines how novice teachers of English balance the tension between the constraints of the social and educational systems (unfreedoms) to…

This dissertation examines the lived experiences of Black men credentialed to be assistant principals and principals within a southeastern, urban public school district based upon the philosophies of equity and social justice. Through a qualitative constructivist approach, this research explores their experiences in and with education and how it…

A significant criticism of the charter school movement is that funding for charter schools diverts money away from traditional public schools. The magnitude of such adverse fiscal externalities depends in part on the nature of state and local funding policies. In this paper, we examine the fiscal effects of charter schools on both urban and…

This qualitative case study explored the unique ways recent college graduates serving as full-time, near-peer mentors supported students along the path to college in three different urban public high schools. By applying the theory of figured worlds to school spaces and practices, this study sought to both define the physical and figurative ways…

Amidst the rapid expansion of education reform aimed at promoting educational equity, noticeably absent has been a focus on school counseling--a profession uniquely positioned to support students' postsecondary, social emotional, and academic development. Despite research continually affirming the positive influence of counselors on students,…

Many studies have investigated the inadequacy of training and support for special education paraeducators, but few have examined prehire activities or recommended a comprehensive plan to train and hire paraeducators. This quantitative action research study of 267 special education paraeducators and special education teachers was conducted in a…