Parental perception of the importance of science education and parental perceptions and use of active learning and inquiry-based practices in the context of homeschool science education represent a clear gap in the existing literature. This quantitative survey research study was designed to discover, analyze, and quantify parents' perceptions of…

Research has indicated that by acquiring the skills realted to self-determination postschoool outcomes and quality of life are likely to improve for young adults with disabilities. Therefore, instructional efforts focused on fostering the self-determination skills is considered an essential component of the educational program and services for…

This Action Research study investigated adult (i.e., teachers and parents) use of picture books with children as tools to support the exploration of their individual cultures and ethnicities. Participants in Cycle 1 consisted of educators (i.e., teachers, administrators, and librarians). Data was collected through interviews, lesson plans, and…

Every year in Riverside School District, a pseudonym, children face the prospect of not attaining a prekindergarten school admission. Riverside has a large population of Black and Brown students and Haitian second language learners. The school also has a high percentage, 89.4%, of families who are considered to be low-income (School and District…

According to the US Census data (2023), since the COVID-19 pandemic, more families are choosing to homeschool their children, the rate of white homeschooled children increased from 5.7% in the spring of 2020 to 9.7% in the fall of 2020. For Asian children, homeschooling rates increased from 4.9% to 8.8% during this same time. There was an overall…

The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to investigate general education K-12 teachers' perceptions of instructional practices and professional development for teaching Spanish as a first language English Language Learners. Specifically, I investigated the instructional practices and professional development experiences of K-12…

The unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic led teachers to innovatively shift their teaching methods. These pioneering practices inspired this study's "Elevated Family-Teacher Partnership" intervention which was designed to provide equitable guidance and communication for all families. This dissertation, in practice,…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the perceptions of transition specialists on effective teaching techniques for developing work-readiness and self-determination skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) participating in a post-secondary transition program. For this study the theoretical framework…

This qualitative case study identified how rural school principals utilized the transformation turnaround model in conjunction with the eight turnaround principles to promote and sustain academic success within their schools. The transformation turnaround model focuses on the following key strategies: replace the principal and work towards…

Culturally responsive practice (CRP) is a popular approach educators utilize to improve the gaps in achievement and discipline within U.S. schools. Current research provides insight into singular experiences of both school leaders and teachers working individually to enact CRP (Khalifa, Gooden, & Davis, 2016; Ladson-Billings, 2009). Although…

School districts across the nation seek parental involvement to increase student engagement and academic success. Families from Title I Schools, in comparison to dominant culture, may have a minimal opportunity of involvement with their child's education in respect to partnering with schools in comparison to the dominant culture. The Department of…

The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2021, one of four U.S. students will be Latino. Research points to an increase in students identified as English Language Learners (ELLs), thus providing a glimpse of tomorrow's demographics and framing the reality of the classroom of the future. Schools are examining their partnerships with families from…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the involvement level of parents and reveal whether principal-generated YouTube videos for regular communication would enhance levels of parental involvement at one North Texas Christian Middle School (pseudonym). The following questions guided this study: 1. What is the beginning level of parental…

Today, President Obama's "Blueprint for Education Reform" places the principal as the key player in raising academic standards and improving learning for all students. Research has been done on the role of the school principal in school effectiveness and school improvement at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. However, very…

The purpose of this heuristic case study was to develop a thick, rich description of the culturally responsive pedagogical practices of teachers and to describe what instruction looks like when students are engaged in learning that addresses their unique cultural needs. For the purposes of this study, culturally responsive pedagogy was defined as…