In 1997, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced an ambitious plan to open 13 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs (IBDP) in neighborhood high schools throughout the city. Hoping to replicate the success achieved in the long-standing IB program at Lincoln Park High School, the scale of the IB experiment was unmatched by any other school…

Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S.…

In October 2005, the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine released a policy report that served as a call to action. The report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future" observed that "the scientific and technological building blocks…

A representative sample of approximately 2,000 public school principals in the Midwestern United States were surveyed about school policies and practices to prevent cyberbullying. They were also asked to interpret whether incidents involving problematic Internet and cell phone experiences of students were examples of cyberbullying. They also…

With older students being the new majority on campus today, it is imperative to understand the experience of adult learners who decide to return to school to complete their degree. The reasons for this surge of older students enrolling in undergraduate degree programs include the need for a more educated workforce as well as the national…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Gearing Up for Kindergarten program created a significant impact on parent understanding of children's development and aspects of school readiness. Parent perceptions of their child's readiness to make the transition to school were also assessed. The study also measured the Gearing Up for…

The purpose of this report on Arkansas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program activity is to inform education and policy makers about the need to prepare and graduate more students with degrees in STEM related fields as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arkansas is witnessing a significant…

In third world countries where education often takes a back seat to survival, teachers struggle to prepare themselves to shape the destiny and future of the upcoming generation. This study examined the phenomena of Tanzanian teacher preparation with special emphasis on the motivating factors, common experiences and reflections of participants…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify common practices of school-of-the-arts administrators and to determine if these commonalities differ from the practices of effective school leaders in general. A sample of administrators (n = 92) completed a 3-part Likert survey based on the 21 attributes identified in the balanced leadership…

This study explores the identity constructions of two cohorts of preservice teachers enrolled in English methods courses during a semester of field experience. This research employs a qualitative methodology and documents the nature of participant's responses posted to online wiki forum. Data sources include archived electronic interactions…

This research study investigated the effectiveness of an early reading intervention for self-efficacy (E-RISE) on struggling readers' efficacy and reading achievement in an at-risk elementary school setting. A total of 117 first, second, and third graders participated. The intervention group contained 39 students, and the comparison group…

Although many national studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of magnet programs, there is limited research involving math, science, and technology magnet schools and their influence on student academic performance, especially at the middle school level. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a statistical difference existed…

The three-fold purpose of this mixed methods study was to (a) analyze how preservice teachers' perceptions of teacher preparation program variables affect preservice teachers self-efficacy for literacy instruction, (b) determine how preservice teachers describe their teacher preparation program with regard to self-efficacy beliefs for…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze the perceptions (through survey data) of Disability Support Services (DSS) personnel regarding the transition process, documentation requirements to receive services, and services for students with invisible disabilities (Autism Spectrum Disorder [ASD], Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and determine how special education teachers perceived the effectiveness and impact of NCLB and IDEA on the academic achievement of high school students with disabilities. The purpose of the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA)…