District systems supporting the school-level implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a multi-tiered framework organizing the delivery of a continuum of evidence-based practices promoting positive student social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, are critical to its success. While literature recognizes the…

It is common for graduate programs to be plagued by delays in on-time student completion or to experience student attrition. Students have experienced such delays in a local program at the University where I am employed as a lecturer. Therefore, this dissertation was undertaken with the aim of supporting university students at the graduate level…

There has been an increase in the mental health concerns of students of all ages over the past several years. Specifically, since COVID-19, the social and emotional needs of students at the elementary school level have become drastically more evident. This qualitative action research study aimed to understand teachers' implementation of Morning…

Open Educational Resources (OER) was first introduced in universities as a cost-saving option to traditional textbooks. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Education announced the #GoOpen initiative, challenging school districts nationwide to convert at least one course from traditional curriculum resources to OER. Existing research has focused on the…

The phenomenological study explored how effectively the MTSS process was implemented pre-COVID and post-COVID based on participants' lived experiences. The participants were educators with 10+ years of experience who shared their perspectives about the MTSS process before, during, and after COVID. The participant interviews revealed that many…

With the continual decline of high school graduation rates in South Carolina, there is a need for high schools to look at alternative pathways to graduation. Many of the current alternatives offered to students remove them from the high school setting or interactions with the student body. This study focused on an alternative pathway to…

This action research study investigates the role of Data-Based Decision-Making (DBDM) in increasing academic outcomes within a charter school network. During Cycle 1, interviews and focus groups with teachers, interventionists, and school deans shed light on critical themes, including leadership, data collection, analytic capacity, and a culture…

Background: This paper poses to discuss and examine the concern of unmonitored and excessive internet use by school-age children, ages eight years to 11 years old, along with the importance of employing a Family Media Use Plan, which is recommended by the American Family of Pediatrics (AAP). This issue, although not often studied, is a common…

This archival small-study meta-analysis was an examination of the across-study and in-study effects of functional behavioral assessment--based interventions on time-on-task for students with or at risk of emotional disturbance (ED)/emotional behavioral disorder (EBD). A sample of 15 across-study K-6 learners (11 males, 4 females; ages 5-13) was…

Reported rates of anxiety, depression, and lack of attention in adolescents have been on the rise for the past decade. The Centers for Disease Control reported that one in five high school students meets the criteria for a mental health disorder. School leaders are trying to address the growing challenge by providing students with tools they can…

This study examined how faculty and Resident Director (RD) staff collaborate with each other in a Faculty in Residence Program (FIR) at a mid-sized, urban, private, research university, located in the Northeast region of the United States. This study examined the experiences of these two distinct groups of participants, and ultimately how they…

Homework enables students to practice what they learn from classroom instruction. However, students' off-task behavior may negatively impact their engagement and performance during homework activities. Self-monitoring is an evidence-based intervention associated with improved engagement and decreased off-task behavior. Compared to traditional…

Nursing programs in the country are facing challenges in producing enough nurses who are safe, compassionate, and critical thinker to meet the growing demands of the health care system. Lack of clinical sites and qualified faculty are some of these challenges which resulted to a long list of applicants in the nursing programs. Nursing programs are…

The present study sought to understand teachers' beliefs and perceptions during Second Step implementation. The leading central question was stated: How do kindergarten through fifth grade teachers describe implementation of the Second Step Social Emotional Learning Program? The following research questions guided this qualitative study: R1: How…

Disproportionality in education is defined as the overrepresentation of specific racial or ethnic groups requiring special education (NJDOE New Jersey Department of Education [OSEP], 2018). Minority students who may be inappropriately identified as having disabilities may be harmed by being stigmatized with labels, experiencing lower expectations,…