Counselors play a critical role in U.S. schools and provide a range of services to students, from academic guidance to mental health supports. Yet, the profession remains vastly understudied. This three-paper dissertation aims to contribute to the existing literature on school counselors, particularly on the experiences of Black school counselors,…

In 2017-18, the number of learners ages 3-21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.0 million, or 14% of all public-school learners. Of that 7.0 million, 13% were Hispanic learners (NCES, 2019). Among ELLs with disabilities, nearly 50% had specific learning disability, and 21%…

Typical approaches to test and item development are rooted in the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing." Culturally responsive and antiracist assessment practices are two new processes that challenge the typical process noted in the "Standards," incorporating critical race theory and cultural responsiveness into…

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 issue of disproportionality, or the over-representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education, has long been a challenge for school districts. This issue predates the implementation of PL 94-192. School building administrators are seen as agents of change, responsible for setting expectations…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to better understand how children identify with superheroes to allow counselors to have a basis of understanding to inform their use of superheroes in therapeutic settings. The research questions are: (1) How do children ages 3-6 identify with their favorite superhero? and (2) how is children's self-concept…

Disproportionality in special education is a complex issue adversely impacting African-American students. African-American students experience disproportionality in referral to special education and identification with a disability, removing them from the general education setting and resulting in denial of access and socialization with their…

The purpose of this dissertation is to identify quality indicators for visual based learning material for technology education classes for grades 6th to 9th. This is a three round Delphi study aimed in answering the following research question. RQ: What are the quality indicators that contribute to the successful selection of visual-based learning…

Misinformation and Disinformation, both types of Information Disorder in the cyber world, operate on a systemic level. Several factors enabling their persistence, including laws, policies, and technological mediators, have been investigated in the literature. Cybersecurity frameworks and guidelines specify that the target victims, as part of the…

Although the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasing, children are less likely to be identified with ASD in schools compared to clinical settings. Moreover, Latino children are less likely to receive an identification of educational autism than non-Latino peers. This research explores the identification of educational ASD and…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the leadership experiences of department chairs in for-profit, higher education institutions to identify effective leadership competencies for the role. The study utilized Gigliotti and Ruben's (2019) Two-dimensional Competency Approach for Effective Leadership and Ruben's Leadership Competency…

Childhood trauma is a significant public health issue in the United States. The experiencing of traumatic events can result in deficiencies in developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation, impairing academic progress. The functional core aspects or primary domains of impairment (academics, relationships, self-regulation, and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate five White teachers and their teacher preparation programs' effectiveness in preparing them to educate African Americans in the United States. Using critical race theory, Black psychology, and critical Whiteness studies, I found four main themes: (a) the "White Filter," (b) Absence of African…

Aberrant behavior refers to any type of unusual behavior that would not be expected under normal circumstances. In educational and psychological testing, such behaviors have the potential to severely bias the aberrant examinee's test score while also jeopardizing the test scores of countless others. It is therefore crucial that aberrant examinees…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in test scores on the Grade Five Reading State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness involving male and female students identified as having the characteristics of dyslexia who received early dyslexia intervention and those who received late dyslexia intervention,…