Recent literature has shown that the average recovery time from concussion is 29.4 days (D'Lauro et al., 2018). Such injuries pose the threat to cause unforeseen and significant health problems in children that include the development of social, emotional, or behavioral disorders, poor academic performance, and long-term cognitive impairment (CDE,…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have difficulties with social integration and sensory challenges on collegiate campuses. These difficulties are sometimes tied together as social integration spaces are not always sensory-friendly and can be overwhelming for the individual. Creating a sensory-friendly space within the potentially…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the approaches of newly appointed principals in New York State to build capacity through their Instructional Leadership Team (ILT). Interviews were conducted with 16 newly appointed principals to dive into their lived experiences using ILTs in their schools. Two approaches were identified: general…

The purpose of this applied research study, using program evaluation, was to improve professional development for teachers to build their capacity in student engagement. This applied research study used three elements: professional development, professional learning communities, and observation-feedback, to improve teacher quality and to increase…

This study aimed to examine the effects of several factors (professional role, perceived level of assessment training, and perceived level of assessment competence) on student affairs staff members' views of what constitutes effective assessment and what they value in an assessment culture, measured through seven survey constructs. Adapted from…

Since their inception in the 1960s, federally funded workforce development programs have promised a solution to unemployment, labor market skills gaps, and income inequality. However, until recently, lack of data and methodological challenges have made evaluation of these programs difficult. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in response to…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a history of "doing more with less" and this is often reflected in their effectiveness in securing financial resources from private donors. The purpose of this study is to probe and explore how the Kresge Foundation's HBCU Initiative strengthened HBCU fundraising capacity from…

Research focused on school improvement points to the principal as one of the decisive factors needed to sustain school success and increase student achievement (Cowie & Crawford, 2007; Duke, Grogan, Tucker, & Heinecke, 2003; Tucker, Henig, & Salmonowicz, 2005). Despite the demonstrated importance of principal leadership, large school…

This study examines whether the physical location of Pre-K programs--whether in elementary school buildings or stand-alone centers--leads to differences in student outcomes in elementary school. Over the past several decades, public investment in Pre-K programming has burgeoned. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, 32…

Over the last decade, higher education has come under intense scrutiny from the government; accrediting agencies in particular have come under fire for a lack of accountability and transparency. Reports from the Commission on the Future of Higher Education and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee served as a driving force for…

The purpose of this study was to understand the decisions elementary principals have made during the Common Core State Standards reform. Specifically, (a) what decisions principals have made to support Common Core implementation, (b) what strategies elementary principals have employed to communicate with stakeholders about Common Core State…

Telehealth units are one of many university administrative units created to foster innovation in universities over the last 40 years. Despite the proliferation of such units, few organizational studies have examined the work undertaken inside of these units. This qualitative study used a sequential two-part research design to understand the…

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it sought to add to the body of research and literature on youth leadership development in secondary schools, filling a critical gap in the literature. Second, it aimed to help determine the essential elements of successful youth leadership development programs in the areas of content, pedagogy,…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine what inspires or leads seventh-grade African-American girls toward an interest in STEM, to characterize and describe the context of an out-of-school STEM learning environment, explore the impact on the seventh-grade African-American girls who participated in the program as it relates to…

This dissertation offers a case study of the YMCA of the USA's pilot Higher Education Service Project (YHESP) with 61 local YMCAs on how the collaborative evaluation approach functioned to facilitate an organizational culture around evaluation and reinvention strategies of YMCAs as college access service providers. Multiple data collection sources…