The number of school age international students and their parents matriculating in U.S. schools continues to increase. These students and their families have a myriad of unique needs that are multidimensional and continue to evolve as they transition into U.S. culture. Strategically placed to help these students become familiar with school…

The foundations of academic and social learning are laid in the early years of school, and attendance is critical to school success. However, research suggests that chronic absenteeism is a significant problem at the elementary school level (Chang & Romero, 2008; Romero & Lee, 2007). This paper presents the results of an action research study…

Transition to a new school for adolescent students can be challenging. Students who have difficulty navigating the transition to ninth grade are at an increased disadvantage academically and personally. Even students who approach the move with excitement often have unrealistic expectations of what is necessary for success. Overall, those who do…

This paper is a description of an action research (AR) study done with chronically absent elementary school students. The AR sought to answer these questions: 1) do reinforcement and daily check-ins increase attendance and 2) why are some students absent? Related literature regarding attendance and the methods used for the study are described and…

This paper operationalizes the definition of action research (AR) and the importance of conducting such studies to improve the lives of students and professionals. This paper provides an overview of literature regarding variables related to truancy and absenteeism. The paper discusses the importance of students being present and engaged, negative…

Utilizing a single-group interrupted time series design (Creswell, 2003), this pilot study examined the relationship between academic achievement, school bonding, and the extracurricular activity participation of "uninvolved" students (n=11) who participated in a voluntary support group at a suburban high school in the southeast. Results indicated…

Coaching is an emerging form of professional learning. The article focuses on how coaching may be used to improve the quality of delivery of counseling instruction in the classroom.