Purpose: This study addressed a gap in the literature to clearly describe or identify effective models of new principal mentorship. Little research has been conducted examining the role that new principal mentorship can play in the development of TK-12 principal leadership skills. Theoretical Framework: Kram's mentor role theory provided a lens…

Universities are struggling to support college students' mental health and well-being. With finite counseling services available, it is imperative to explore upstream, strengths-based approaches that may benefit students holistically. This quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate whether a four-week program, using validated…

This phenomenological qualitative study examined school leaders' perceptions of using restorative practices within their schools. Participants included twelve school leaders who had experience with utilizing and implementing restorative practices. School leaders included: principals, assistant principals, deans, and administrative assistants.…

Educational leaders have long recognized the certified classroom teacher as the most important factor in student performance and success. In his research article "Teachers Matter: Understanding Teachers' Impact on Student Achievement" for the Rand Corporation, Opper (2019) stated, "When it comes to student performance on reading and…

Secure Code Education (SCE) is the compliance requirement for many organizations in the U.S. Consequently, many U.S. companies spend large sums on programs and tooling to meet this requirement and to upskill their developers. This tooling is largely underutilized. Classes beyond the bare required minimum are often not taken advantage of, leaving…

This qualitative study focused on the perceived effectiveness of a formal mentoring program in developing instructional leadership skills for K-12 novice principals with 5 or fewer years of experience. The 13 participants for this study were derived from 200 public schools in the Southwest Tennessee area. The participants consented to participate…

There is limited evidence on the imperative role that caregivers play in social-emotional learning development for effective social-emotional learning program implementation despite their crucial influence on childhood development. This doctoral project explored the effects of parent education for two school-based, social-emotional learning…

The need for multicultural competency in school psychology is crucial for creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. While research has often focused on graduate student perspectives, there's a notable gap regarding faculty members in school psychology programs. Ensuring that faculty are multiculturally competent is…

This dissertation investigates the educators' perceived impact of receiving a STEAM certification implementing STEAM education. This research stems from the foundation of the disparity between researchers agreeing that support for STEAM professional development should be continuous (e.g., Myunghee et al., 2013; Quigley & Herro, 2016; So et…

Reading fluency has been a tenacious problem in our schools. Studies have addressed the national decline in reading fluency in elementary schools. Tennessee's data outlines a similar pattern of findings. Approximately one third of Tennessee students complete third grade without becoming fluent readers (Tennessee Department of Education, 2023). New…

Trans people make up about 0.53% of the population or more. Many of these individuals, particularly in the higher education classroom setting, do not feel supported and are subject to discrimination and oppression. Many faculty are not up to date on terminology or ways to be trans-inclusive in the classroom. Studies show that professional…

The purpose of this study sought to investigate the link between professional development and the implementation of professional learning to improve student performance. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, this study explored whether the professional development of culturally responsive teaching influenced classroom implementation.…

Sparse information exists on how elementary teachers might use reflective journaling as a tool for professional development (PD) to enhance their teaching methods. The problem is that even though elementary teachers have access to a variety of PD opportunities, these opportunities are often insufficient for meeting individual teachers' needs to…

Obesity influences many adolescents, and a potential setting that can help with this health concern is schools. Schools can help raise awareness of adolescent obesity and promote healthier eating habits among adolescents. Therefore, researchers must determine if school food programs influence high school adolescents' behavior regarding the…

This phenomenological case study explores the perceptions of high school administrators who have implemented Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) at the universal tier with fidelity. For this study, perceptions refer to the views and experiences of administrators implementing SWPBIS on the success and growth they have…