This study explored the identification and placement of historically underserved students (HUS) in Gifted and Talented (GT) programs in the State of Missouri. The researcher investigated if there was an inconsistent implementation of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) suggested approach to enhance equitable…

This action-research dissertation explored how Standard Age Scores on the "Cognitive Abilities Test™" ("CogAT®") (Cognitive Abilities Test) Screening Form of underserved populations, as identified through gifted literature, compared to those students who are traditionally overserved with mental gifted identification within the…

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for enhanced outbreak preparedness against viruses. Key elements to this preparedness are robust disease surveillance systems and effective interventions to minimize disease transmission. While individual clinical testing is the conventional disease surveillance approach, environmental…

The lack of validated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening instruments hampers rehabilitation efforts for children with ASD in Africa. In the present study, the psychometric properties of two ASD screening instruments, that have been well-validated in the United States (US) context, were examined in the Ugandan context. These instruments were…

Early literacy curriculum-based measures (CBMs) are widely used as universal screeners within multi-tiered systems of support in reading (MTSS-R) for (1) evaluating the overall effectiveness of the reading system and (2) assigning students to supplemental and intensive interventions. Evidence supporting CBM validity for these purposes have…

As academic standards for incoming kindergarten students at Morris Early Childhood Center (MECC), in the Milford School District, increase, a significant obstacle to student achievement has emerged. The deficiency of social and emotional skills among MECC students has increasingly impeded school staff from focusing on instruction due to the…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest-growing neurodevelopmental disorder (Baio et al., 2018), yet little information is available regarding the psychometric properties of the most commonly used ASD identification tools in school settings, particularly within traditionally culturally and linguistically minoritized populations (Boyd et al.,…

Due to lack of consistency among diagnosis practices of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in the state of Texas, as well as other legal matters regarding diagnoses of SLD, there is a divide among eligibility criteria for students around the state. Currently, the three models that have received the most attention of SLD…

Despite the high prevalence and associated consequences of mental health problems in youth, adolescents with these problems are often left untreated. This service gap is even greater in racial and ethnic minority youth who not only engage in treatment less frequently, but also experience far greater discrimination and systemic inequality than…

Using two paired datasets from the Head Start Program Information Report and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) Study, this study explored disparities in program rates of screening, referral, and identification for early intervention between MSHS and Head Start programs, as well as associations between MSHS teacher ratings of children's…

Depression is a risk factor for suicide in adolescents making it essential for school nurses to identify and refer at-risk adolescents for resources. At the project site, there is no current practice to routinely assess for adolescent depression. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if…

Early identification of at-risk students is a critical element of Response to Intervention (RTI) but there are few validated universal screeners for high school mathematics. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the screening system currently in use at one urban Texas public high school and compared its effectiveness to alternate screening…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the underrepresentation of twice-exceptional students in gifted programs. The study focused on the underrepresentation of twice-exceptional students in being recommended for gifted testing (Missett et al., 2016). The participants of the study encompassed kindergarten through fifth grade…

This basic qualitative study identified and described the types of explicit instruction talented and gifted (TAG) teachers used with struggling students and potential twice-exceptional (2e) students. The study also examined how teachers identify struggling students and potential 2e students. This study was essential to the field of education…

Positive behaviors are essential for individual student success as well as an overall positive school climate. Students with problem behaviors are at risk for lower academic achievement and poor social skills. Schools with high incidents of problem behaviors are at risk for a negative school climate. School-wide positive behavior interventions and…