In this phenomenological study, seven K-8 school principals who have made measurable advances in achievement gap scores were interviewed to understand the lived experiences that informed their successful leadership practices. Annually, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) releases Ohio School Report Cards (n.d.), a statewide report that contains…

Nationwide, 15.2% of teachers employed in schools with students with low socioeconomic status left their schools annually, compared with 10.5% of their counterparts at high socioeconomic status schools (Burbach & Flores, 2012; Harding & Quinn, 2012). Teacher quality was considered a prerequisite for student learning, but urban schools had…

Chronic absenteeism has been a growing concern for large urban districts over the last ten years as students with disabilities (SWD) are chronically absent at a much higher rate than their same-age non-disabled peers. This study examines the Truancy Task Force (TTF) recommendations that were developed to address absenteeism in a large school…

Young Black and Latino men face profound academic obstacles in transitioning to college. Few studies have interrogated college readiness practices in urban schools through the lens of masculinity. Drawing on a yearlong ethnography, this study investigated how young men respond to college-readiness practices while enacting masculinity. Many young…

This paper presents a teaching scenario designed to introduce preschool children to electricity, structured around the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate). The study involves 18 children from an urban kindergarten with diverse backgrounds and learning needs. Over four weeks, children engage in interactive…

This study examines differences in educational experiences and outcomes for high school (HS) students who participated in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program and earned full diplomas compared to those who participated in the IB Diploma Program but did not earn the diploma. ACT scores, after-HS placement, and HS graduation rates of…

Background: Teacher resistance is sometimes cited as a barrier to implementing Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), an approach to school breakfast in which students eat at their desks after the school day has begun. Given their role in serving breakfast with BIC, teacher perceptions may be critical in implementing an effective BIC program. Methods:…

Context: Civic education is marginalized in many U.S. schools. It is especially rare in elementary schools and in schools serving low-income students of color. Although professional development opportunities in civic education for teachers are limited, these experiences can positively influence teachers' conceptions of teaching for civic…

While there are many common challenges that are experienced by all new teachers, pressures on new teachers can differ based on the context in which they work. This qualitative study aims to highlight the first-year challenges and most effective supports experienced by first-year teachers in a small Canadian public school district situated in an…

This research sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of special education inclusion teachers (SEITs) from an urban county in Central Georgia. The qualitative narrative analysis proposed here aims to give school districts insight into why SEITs leave the field. This study followed a basic qualitative design. Participants were pulled…

Even the least severe forms of exclusionary discipline are associated with detrimental effects for students that attend schools that overuse them. With a nationally representative longitudinal study of high school students, we utilize propensity score weighting to limit selection bias associated with schools that issue high numbers of in-school…

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. The EMSs are a distinctive population as informal teacher leaders, with a primary responsibility of teaching students. Described here are data collected at the end…

Created as a partnership between the local school district, schools, community agencies, and university, the teacher residency program studied in this paper provided secondary teachers a clinically intensive pathway to learning to teach in urban classrooms, using co-teaching as the signature pedagogy. A current challenge related to teacher…

Despite the best intentions of many educators, scholars have theorized that systemic racism and sexism are major impediments to the academic engagement of African American males. The current study explored a potential pathway to address this issue. In a sample of 223 African American male high school students, this study examined the relationship…

This study explores the intersections of race, gender, and trauma in students' school experiences. We collected focus group data from 36 trauma-exposed Black girls and 10 trauma-exposed Black boys from two urban high schools. Data was analyzed using an intersectional framework and resulted in the following themes: (1) Don't Touch the Students; (2)…