The problem of this basic qualitative study was that students served in self-contained classes had limited access to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process due to the rationed participation by parents and teachers (i.e., advocates), which may have been restraining students' ability to prepare for adult living expectations within their…

There is a call to action to close disparities and address inequalities throughout various institutions across the United States. There is a growing amount of research on the topic of education in relation to how schools can better serve as critical societal change agencies. This qualitative study serves to answer questions on the experiences and…

Many of the conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education rightly focus on the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students and how to support them on their educational journey. Fewer of the conversations involve naming and interrogating the oppressive systems that cause these students to need…

To study school counseling professional advocacy in Alabama, I explored the lived experiences of Alabama School Counseling Program of Distinction school counselors. Through a qualitative, phenomenological design, I examined the research question addressing the professional advocacy experiences of Alabama school counselor Program of Distinction…

This qualitative, ethnographic case study investigated the journeys of three mana wahine who earned a certificate or degree from the University of Hawai'i Maui College. The study aimed to understand how these wahine characterized their success in this community college. The study also identified the influencers that contributed to their…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to examine the phenomenon of "having an accent" in the workplace as a Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL) teacher. The phenomenon was examined among the members of an educational organization located in the U.S. that offers professional learning and networking for language…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of individuals' self-management of celiac disease, and the role experiential learning played in that lived experience. The study was guided by the research question: What was the lived experience of individuals' self-management of celiac disease and what role did…

Equity in education has become increasingly prioritized, due to the growing mainstream recognition of the inequitable practices that historically have and presently continue to exist in K-12 education. With the K-12 student population diversity continuously increasing in areas such as abilities, race/ethnicities, socioeconomic status, languages,…

This research engaged a qualitative content analysis of current Latinx picture books about immigration. The study aimed to identify a thoroughly analyzed text set of 16 picture books from 2021 to present that support classroom teachers and students as they engage in discourse around Latinx immigration. Texts were selected from 8 sources. The data…

There has been an increase in the number of women serving as heads of school in independent schools, though women remain underrepresented as heads of school in large (> 700 students), K-12, co-educational independent day schools. Data in this qualitative study were gathered through interviews with six women who were current or retired heads of…

Although the profession of school counseling has existed for over a century, there are still philosophical differences and competing professional identity models that have led to conflicts regarding how school counselors should be trained. In particular, school counselor educators working in multi-specialization counselor education programs often…

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way education transpired for teachers and learners worldwide. Widespread virtual learning brought deeper academic and social inequities among K-12 diverse learners to light. Multilingual learners and their teachers were no exception. Advocacy is a key identity and expected role of English language…

LGBTQ+ youth make up a significant portion of the United States student population (Conron, 2020). A sense of belonging for middle school students is an essential indicator for academic achievement and positive motivational and health outcomes (Kosciw et al., 2020; Steiner et al., 2019), yet LGBTQ+ students experience less belonging than their…

All children in the United States have a right to effective education. While an optimal learning environment is important for all students, children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to barriers to accessing high-quality learning environments. Many parents of children receiving special education services want to be strong advocates for…

This study aimed to understand the relationship between School Counseling Site Supervisors' (SCSS) characteristics, Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) training, cultural humility, advocacy competency, and SDOH competency (n = 69). SDOH refers to the factors that inform an individual's physical and mental health. Cultural humility refers to an…