This study examined teachers' perceptions regarding a pay-for-performance model in one large urban Texas school district, implementing pay-for-performance. The district model investigated has been implemented for nine years, replacing the traditional salary schedule with an entirely performance-based system. For the quantitative portion of this…

A qualitative content analysis was employed to examine what factors contributed to effective teachers' selection and retention in urban high poverty schools. First, the Star Teacher Interview was used to identify effective urban educators. Then, verbal interviews were conducted with star subjects to determine factors that contributed to their…

The adoption of trauma-informed practices in schools is a significant and growing area of school reform efforts. It has been assumed that professional development aimed at influencing teacher attitudes toward trauma-informed care in schools is an important first step in adopting trauma-informed practices and improving student and school outcomes.…

Outdoor education fosters student well-being, development and learning. However, many schools restrict outdoor experience to their own playground, and to times considered recess. This case study, which examined student and teacher perceptions about the outdoor experience on traditional playgrounds, was conducted in an urban school in the Basque…

National teacher shortages have received attention in the last few years, and researchers have projected turnover rates will grow in the upcoming years. As a result, districts and administrators were challenged to hire highly qualified teachers. There needed to be more educational research regarding why teachers remained in urban Title I schools.…

This qualitative study adds to the growing body of research on teacher residency programs through exploration of a small university's graduate teacher residency program for urban special education teachers. The author investigated the program over a four-year period to determine if it was meeting its espoused goals and to understand how the…

This study explored strategies and practices that seek to increase the retention of provisional special education teachers (PSETs). Urban school divisions have challenges with hiring and/or retaining high-quality special education teachers (SETs). The cyclical practice of hiring and losing PSETs creates an equity imbalance as marginalized school…

Due to the low academic performance of Liberian students, in 2013, the president of Liberia declared that the education sector needed to be overhauled. Consequently, the education minister launched a nationwide professional development (PD) program. Despite the PD initiatives, academic performance in an urban school district (USD, a pseudonym) has…

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of induction programs from the perspectives of new teachers in urban and suburban school districts. The research uses a phenomenological qualitative research design. The theoretical frameworks for this research are the Motivation Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory. There are eight participants, four…

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. Our inquiry centers on their experiences in the EMS preparation program and the development of important outcomes, specifically productive beliefs and teacher…

Students are entering the classroom with more technological knowledge than ever before, and to provide enriching learning opportunities, teachers need to be ready to use that background. Elementary mathematics teachers are often provided with technology to use with their mathematics curriculum. However, they do not always receive any guidance or…

Turnaround schools represent a strategy for swiftly revitalizing underperforming educational institutions. This study examined how teachers perceived the role of teacher leadership within one urban turnaround high school. The study addressed the following research questions: 1. How do teachers within an urban turnaround high school conceptualize…

Teachers are responsible for providing opportunities to use learning strategies in the classroom. The students' engagement shows an observable reflection of the educator's teaching practice. This qualitative case study highlights teachers' perceptions of student engagement in the urban elementary classroom. The research questions asked about…

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to determine if and to what extent teacher perception of principal charismatic leadership characteristics, both collectively and individually, predicted teacher job satisfaction in a large urban school district in the Southwestern United States. Based on Herzberg's Two-Factor…

The purpose of this study is to assess the mental health consequences of teaching trauma-exposed students in alternative settings. As school district administrators may provide general or common mental health services for teachers, special attention needs to be given and additional programs and supports provided for teachers who teach…