Writing is a critical skill for success in all areas of life, but it is one of the least taught skills in school. Teachers consistently report being unprepared to teach writing. In this study, set in a Southern U.S. boomtown, teachers received two days of practice-based professional development for a ten-week implementation of self-regulated…

This exploratory, descriptive study sought to determine the perceptions of special education (SPED) directors and their respective SPED teachers regarding self-efficacy in meeting the diverse needs of students who have English learning challenges and have been identified as having special learning needs. Also, general information regarding the…

Current models of education are less effective at developing the skills needed for individuals to thrive in this Information Age and beyond. One way to adapt education for current times is through what the authors call Active Playful Learning (APL), a pedagogical framework that is evidence-based, practical, and uniquely co-designed with scientists…

Engineering education has a long and well-researched history; however, recent declines in the number of undergraduate students entering and matriculating through to graduation has commanded the engineering education community's attention. To help counter the declining number of students entering and persisting in engineering, an engineering…

This qualitative descriptive study aims to explore how secondary teachers describe how the course influenced their teacher efficacy and how their teacher efficacy influenced student performance. There is a problem space in the literature on the effectiveness of technology-supported learning in transforming teachers' behaviors and practices. A…

The purpose of this systematic observation study was to improve our understanding of small-group reading instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties (RDs). We aimed to observe and document activity types addressed as well as instructional practices and materials employed during small-group instruction, with a particular…

The purpose of this systematic observation study was to improve our understanding of small-group reading instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties (RDs). We aimed to observe and document activity types addressed as well as instructional practices and materials employed during small-group instruction, with a particular…

The need to improve outcomes among students with disabilities (SWD) by increasing teachers' skilled use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) has been a pressing challenge around the country. Texas, in particular, has a specific focus on supporting the increased use of teachers' EBPs within their State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP). Therefore,…

Use of evidence-based practices is important for the success of students in special education settings in public education. In total, 255 special educators in public education were surveyed about (a) use of instructional practices, (b) preparedness to use interventions, (c) access to training, (d) influences on decision-making, and (e) areas of…

Students with mathematics difficulties and disabilities require evidence-based instructional strategies and interventions to improve their mathematical performance. Dissemination of these practices to teachers in rural settings presents specific challenges, including lack of Internet access, few discretionary resources, and geographic isolation.…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify effective teaching strategies used with students with autism to enhance social skill development. With the growing need for teachers to address students with autism, viable strategies are needed to be implemented effectively to ensure social outcome success for students. The Individuals with…

Developing preservice special educators' understandings of curricular content knowledge in inclusive and self-contained settings is essential. The purpose of the present study was to better understand specific preparation practices teacher educators use to equip preservice special educators with curricular content knowledge. Using a survey…

This study examined levels of English proficiency before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among English learner students in grades 3-12 in Texas. In 2020-2021, nearly 750,000 students in grades 3-12--approximately one in five Texas students--were English learner students. In accordance with Texas state law and the Every Student Succeeds Act,…

Student state testing, annual teacher evaluation, and A-to-F campus and school district rating are here. And all of these have real policy implications for every school system. With seven thousand students a day dropping out of the public schools in the United States at a rate of one student every 26 seconds, what might be done to help these…

Texas educates the second-most students in the country with a home language other than English. Students are identified as English learners (EL) based on a state language assessment that evaluates a student's primary language other than English to determine if the student qualifies for additional support to develop the English language skills…