This dissertation encapsulates a qualitative study that explores the identification and educational experiences of Third Culture Kids living abroad. A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is an individual who has spent a significant part of their developmental years outside of their parents' culture and country of nationality. This study specifically examines…

The purpose of this research project was to establish consensus among experts regarding best practices of online undergraduate spiritual formation with a specific focus on the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Prior to this project, there was no consensus regarding best practices of online spiritual formation at the…

The role of the school principal is demanding in a variety of ways. School principals are faced with the daily challenge of balancing their roles of site manager and instructional leader. This study examined and identified the knowledge and learning opportunities school principals rely upon to lead schools, particularly those that lead schools…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 (Public Law 114-95) requires each state to create a plan for its statewide accountability system. In particular, ESSA calls for state plans that include strategies for reporting education outcomes by grade for all students and for economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and…

High-leverage practices (HLPs) and evidence-based practices (EBPs) when used together can become powerful tools for improving student outcomes. This brief is designed to show the promise of these practices in advancing educator preparation and practice and, subsequently, outcomes for students with disabilities and those who struggle. We begin by…

Research connecting the learning needs of emotionally disturbed (ED), existing effective practices, teacher training, and teacher perceptions of their own ability to teach students with ED is scarce. The purpose of this study was to address this scarcity through a focus on teacher perceived self-efficacy, teacher outcome expectancy, and teacher…

As state, district, and school leaders begin work under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to identify and intervene in low-performing schools and among under-achieving groups of students, this report offers action steps and research-backed solutions to guide their work. Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), states and districts chose from…

The plight of students in the United States has been one of repeated socialization toward dehumanizing divides trapped in policies with a history of reproducing oppression and social stratification. The voice of reason has left the educational policy debates as the idea of equity and access in schooling has been replaced and confused by neoliberal…

What is the competition doing? How is today's outreach changing? How are best practices evolving? To explore these questions, undergraduate officials from a broad cross-section of private and public U.S. colleges and universities participated in an April 2017 poll that produced this report. Data in this report reflect responses from 91 nonprofit…

In this study, we analyzed the perceptions of treatment teachers who participated in a randomized controlled trial study which targeted a science-infused literacy intervention, "Let's Talk Science," for first grade English language learner students. Three aspects, including the effectiveness of the intervention, details of instructional…

For nearly three decades, charter schools have provided families with a public school alternative to traditional district schools, but they have not been without controversy. Charter schools often come under fire for "privatizing" education, for "creaming" the best students, or for taking money from district schools. The…

Established in December 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Data Science Postsecondary Education was charged with identifying the challenges of and highlighting best practices in postsecondary data science education. Convening quarterly for 3 years, representatives from academia, industry, and…

The Student Achievement Initiative (SAI) is the guiding framework for the Washington state community and technical college system's goals for student success. SAI emphasizes student momentum for college success by both building college readiness (such as basic skills gains and completion of precollege education, sometimes known as developmental…

The U.S. Department of Education's (Department) mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. The Department pursues its mission by establishing policies and distributing corresponding funds, focusing national attention on key educational issues,…

This essay offers key highlights from a panel discussion that took place at the 2014 National Association of Communication Centers (NACC) conference at Arizona State University -- West in Glendale, Arizona. The panel included communication center directors from across the United States. Each participant was asked to describe assessment efforts at…