Student demographics in K-12 education have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Classrooms are increasingly more linguistically, culturally, and racially diverse than ever before, yet our educator workforce remains predominantly white. Moreover, racial and cultural opportunity gaps continue to widen. In this ethnographic case study,…

This paper examines the communication patterns of an academic program and the power dynamics between faculty, staff, and student workers. This study utilized participatory action research and consisted of two cycles of data collection. Additionally, this study relied heavily on current research and findings for nonacademic programs like libraries…

Research indicates that parental involvement is a key role in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways public school districts in New Jersey communicate to parents regarding their Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG). This document analysis reviewed the descriptive language presented in each school…

Civic engagement has become an important part of the educational landscape at institutions of higher education in the United States. The development of mutually-beneficial community-university partnerships has become a common interest for practitioners and researchers as the rise in civic engagement across higher education has grown. Institutions…

The purpose of this case study was to understand how collaboration, or lack of collaboration between community college-level silos, affected the process of accreditation as conducted by the Higher Learning Commission. The theory that guided this study is Smith's theory of seven silos of higher education, as it explains the relationships between…

The purpose of this qualitative, single-site case study is to explore the impact of one middle school's advisory program on teachers' perceptions of student engagement and connectedness within the school community. Advisory programs have been identified as a critical component of effective middle schools by supporting students' academic and…

This qualitative, phenomenological study explores the impact of employing a cross-grade grouping strategy in elementary advisory programs. The perceptions of advisors regarding the development of younger students' sense of community and connectedness due to interaction and collaboration with cross-grade peers were used to assess the impact. Data…

School principals are taxed with implementing programs and initiatives to meet the social emotional needs of students. More schools are incorporating school advisory programs to help meet these needs. Due to a lack of studies on implementing high school advisory programs, this qualitative transcendental, phenomenological study explored the…

In recent years, the school environment has witnessed an increase in the array of crises that are affecting communities, students, and staff. Providing adequate school safety policies and practices has never been such a central focus for federal and local politicians, school leaders, and community members. The importance of addressing school…

Teacher retention is an ongoing problem in education, especially in small private schools where resources are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate educator perceptions of a new teacher induction and mentoring program to support first-year teachers and improve teacher effectiveness and the retention of new teachers. Cycle 1…

The purpose of this study was to determine the quality, relevance, benefits, and teacher preparedness of a student advisory that was implemented in a high school to improve student connectedness to the school. Students' and staff perceptions and ideas were collected and analyzed for the purpose of understanding whether the advisory was meeting its…

Catholic schools have had a remarkable impact on education in the U.S., especially serving minority students in vulnerable communities. Unfortunately, there has been a significant decline in Catholic school enrollment beginning in the 1960s. In addition, the number of Catholic schools has steadily declined since the 1970s. This qualitative…

Rural community colleges sit at an important crossroads between academia, business, and government. Because of this unique position, they influence the economic development of the region in which they are located in many ways, and their external stakeholders often have unique and useful perspectives on this influence that can be utilized by the…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve teacher retention at Southside Public Schools, an urban public school district in Massachusetts. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of an interview with the school district's superintendent, a focus group that included Southside's director of human…

Teacher Education Advisory Committees (TEAC) are groups of individuals from higher education, K-12 Schools, and other stakeholders who have a vested interest in improving teacher education and teacher candidate preparation programs. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to ascertain the role and impact of the TEAC on a teacher preparation…