The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of instructors assigned to Detachment 9, in implementing and understanding Student-Centered Learning into classroom curriculum and practices. This study utilized a phenomenological design methodology to examine the instructors' lived experiences in great detail and to…

There needs to be more information on how teachers use social-emotional learning (SEL) in the elementary classroom. The problem is that elementary teachers' familiarity with effectively teaching SEL lessons in the general education classroom is unknown. A gap in literature exists, including research that explores elementary teachers' knowledge of…

A mid-Atlantic state has recently adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that require teachers to integrate inquiry-based instruction into the classroom. The problem at the local level is a new inquiry-based curriculum, based on the NGSS, is being mandated without identifying the instructional strategies teachers are using to…

There is a need for intervention programs that support teenagers' social and emotional development in American public schools. Education stakeholders have observed a disproportionate decline in social-emotional skills among minority and at-risk adolescents in low performing schools, increasing dropout rates and early exposure to the criminal…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore if and to what extent a correlation existed between the implementation of the Sown to Grow social and emotional learning curriculum, academic growth, and attendance. The study was grounded in the CASEL framework used by district leaders and curriculum designers to guide the…

Since 2008, the Ministry of Education in Grenada, where this study took place, started curriculum reform with the implementation of the HighScope curriculum in preschools. The problem is that many teachers faced challenges implementing the HighScope curriculum. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of early…

The dramatic and exponential demographic shift in the United States is more apparent in the public schools than anywhere else, further magnifying the importance of addressing and acknowledging racial and ethnic disparities in education. The increase in racial and ethnically diverse learners requires that teachers engage in Cultural Humility; a…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how school districts dealt with the challenges of implementing new science learning standards in their middle schools. Six Long Island school districts of varying size and levels of need, with different curricula models, and distinct building grade-level configurations were purposefully selected as case…

Students with special needs deserve a free and appropriate education. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore factors responsible for creating a sustainable literacy initiative in special education schools and in addition, to analyze the effectiveness of instructional leadership in 10 special education…

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of mental models in Idaho's Engineering and Technology Education teachers' in decision making when faced with major curriculum changes. Senge (1990) defined mental models as, "deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures or images that influence how we understand the world…

This dissertation addresses the question of what implications, if any, has implementing NCLB as mandated had on gifted students in one district. The purpose of this study is to determine 1.) How has a district responded to gifted and high-achieving students within the boundaries of post-NCLB curriculum? 2.) How have teachers responded to gifted…

The state of public education in the first decade of the 21st century is at a crossroads. Unlike the challenges that have confronted public education in the past, public schools are faced with the possibility of becoming obsolete. With the rapid advances in technology, increased school choice via charter schools, home schooling, and virtual…

The purpose of this study was to determine if third grade reading performance of students enrolled in south Mobile County Title I schools improved as a result of the first year implementation of the Scott Foresman "Reading Street" program. Attempts were also made to identify predictors that may improve future reading performance and data…

The overarching purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the patterns of development and implementation of Body of Evidence (BOE) science systems throughout the state of Wyoming, using an emerging and relatively open mixed methods design. BOEs were first launched throughout Wyoming a decade ago, and are ongoing today. Through interviews…

This study examined elementary student literacy performance in Lancaster School District in kindergarten through 5th grades for 6 elementary schools implementing the Reading First program and 6 elementary schools not implementing Reading First. Subgroup data for English Language Learners, Hispanic, and African American students was closely…