Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been a catalyst for transformation in K-12 through initiatives, including diversifying teaching pipelines, starting new schools, and establishing programs designed to meet the aspirations of students far away from quality opportunities. HBCUs and their alumni have played powerful roles in…

The problem this study addressed was a lack of differentiation in supervision and professional development for administrators, teachers, and coaches in one K-12 cyber charter school system. The purpose of this qualitative case study was for administrators, teachers, and coaches to describe their perceptions of and recommendations for…

This mixed methods action research study was conducted in a Title I, K-12 public charter school with the purpose of exploring teachers' capacities to implement student-centered learning after participating in effective professional development (PD). Participants attended a PD cycle where the staff chose the topic, learning was sustained over a…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were achievement and behavior differences between three groups of students: (1) African American males from single-parent homes who had a mentor, (2) African American males from single-parent homes who did not have a mentor, and (3) African American males from a two-parent home that includes…

Researchers have considered how school choice policies affect student achievement, but less inquiry explores how the organization of schools may change in the presence of choice. This descriptive and exploratory paper analyzes a state representative sample of school mission statements at two time points: before the enactment of choice policies in…

This article investigates students' engagement with a historical inquiry into redlining--a practice of discriminatory lending that originated in the 1930s as part of the New Deal. The authors developed and implemented a week-long curricular intervention for high school sophomores using StoryQ--an Artificial Intelligence (AI) textual modeling…

This grounded theory study explored how primary-grade teachers perceive and enact dialogic English Language Arts (ELA) comprehension pedagogy in the novel context of pandemic-induced digital learning. The study involved nine diverse rural primary teachers teaching digitally during the coronavirus disease pandemic. The researchers followed a…

A quality learning space provides students with an optimal environment for social relations, collaborative work and participation, thus fostering innovation and incorporating active methodologies. The aim of this study is to analyze whether the design of existing learning environments is suitable for incorporating innovation in classrooms. The…

High school graduation represents a pivotal milestone with far-reaching implications for an individual's future in social, economic, professional, and personal spheres. Despite its significance, only approximately 85.5% of students in the United States successfully earn their diploma each year, with groups such as black, Hispanic, American…

Drawing upon principles of participatory action research, this study collected input from secondary school stakeholders (teachers, students, caregivers, alumni, staff, and administrators) to create a local definition of quality teaching for students at an urban charter school in the northeastern United States. Analysis of stakeholder input…

As the sector's gatekeepers, charter school authorizers are responsible for ensuring that schools in their purview set students up for success. To that end, they provide various forms of scrutiny and technical assistance, decide whether existing schools' charters should be renewed, and--perhaps most important--set the bar for the approval of new…

Over the past few decades, online schools have witnessed exponential growth. Nevertheless, the body of research on their effectiveness and viability as educational options for students with disabilities, as well as their offerings for diverse learners, remains surprisingly sparse. This deficiency in evidence is noteworthy, especially as the demand…

Every year, thousands of students leave traditional, Houston-area public schools for private schools, homeschools, or non-district charter schools. Some of these students eventually return to the public school setting. To investigate this phenomenon of "returners," the researchers followed two types of leavers in a cohort of Houston-area…

This engaged scholarship study includes three parts, a grant proposal to redesign the greenhouse at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School into a learning garden and two mixed method studies. The Costco Charitable Giving grant proposal to redesign the greenhouse is provided as a supplemental document to this dissertation. The two mixed method studies…

Charter schools are one of the fastest-growing forms of school choice. However, concerns have been raised about the quality of special education provided to students with disabilities. Results of a systematic review of court filings involving charter schools and special education and/or students with disabilities reveal recurring themes pertaining…