School districts are employing instructional technology coaches more frequently to support teachers in adopting technology in their classroom instruction. However, many school districts still face challenges with technology adoption, raising concerns about the influence of instructional technology coaches on technology adoption. This case study…

High teacher turnover disrupts instruction continuity, hinders student learning experiences, and leads to financial and logistical burdens on schools and districts. The problem is teacher retention is a complex, critical issue affecting the education sector's stability and quality. A gap in the existing literature reveals the need for a focused…

High teacher turnover disrupts instruction continuity, hinders student learning experiences, and leads to financial and logistical burdens on schools and districts. The problem is teacher retention is a complex, critical issue affecting the education sector's stability and quality. A gap in the existing literature reveals the need for a focused…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of six first-year teachers related to the practices they experienced through the systemwide induction program within one Georgia school system, Beckett County School District (pseudonym). The researcher sought to investigate the types of coaching tools (i.e., observations,…

During the 2015-16 academic year, Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) piloted three professional development models for Georgia's Pre-K teachers. All three models focused on the Instructional Support domain of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008) and used resources developed by…

The purpose of this dissertation was to discover the perceived effect that eliminating instructional coaches has had on teachers, professional development, and student achievement in one elementary school in the Southeastern Georgia School District. The methodology for this study was qualitative using a basic qualitative design. This study…

In this period of accountability advocated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, testing has been selected as a primary means of measuring the performance of schools. The State of Georgia is in the process of replacing its old curriculum--Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) with a new curriculum--Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) to…

A survey of 442 beginning teachers, 57 mentors, and 33 administrators asked participants to rate the support provided to first-year teachers. Respondents identified persons who provided the most support, and responses were compared. Generally, new teachers indicated that administrators and other teachers had been more helpful than were mentors. In…