This study explored K-4 teachers and school district curriculum leadership's understanding of and inclination to implement culturally relevant pedagogy as a framework for teaching reading, especially for African American students. This qualitative study sought the potential basis that teachers and educational leaders retain from their experiences…

Classroom teachers struggle to meet the needs of all students as the United States population continues to become more diverse. While preservice teacher training programs strive to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to complete this task effectively, opportunity gaps between minority students and their peers continue to grow. Through…

In a rural elementary school, characterized by high poverty levels in Appalachian Ohio, school personnel were concerned that student literacy and math proficiency levels remained low during 2005-2015 and teachers had not been able to close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and non-economically disadvantaged students…

This article presents case studies of two rural districts--both confronting economic and demographic challenges--that were making significant strides toward closing achievement gaps between students with and without disabilities. The districts accomplished this work by using six practices, common to both but implemented differently in each: (a)…

This critical case study addressed how the achievement gap reflects the culture gap between teachers and historically underrepresented students. This study allows educators to consider how attitudes on culture and diversity impact student achievement. It makes visible existing teacher and student relationships in a rural school system through the…

This publication contains 12 (A3 open-out) poster-style reports of teacher experimental research. The style of presentation parallels the type of preliminary reporting common at academic conferences and postgraduate events. At the same time, it aims to act as a form of short primer to introduce teachers to the basic options that there are when…

The purpose of this study was to find out how and to what extent alternatively certified teachers, who are considered highly qualified, impact the achievement gap that exists between Black and White students that is measured by the End Of Course Test (EOCT). Two public school districts, one rural and one suburban, were selected from 150 school…

Background/Context: School tracking practices have been documented repeatedly as having negative effects on students' identity development and attainment, particularly for those students placed in lower tracks. Despite this documentation, tracking persists as a normative practice in American high schools, perhaps in part because we have few models…