The detrimental effects of high-stakes testing and accountability mandates are experienced disproportionately in high-poverty urban schools, which African American and Hispanic students are more likely to attend. However, the literature does not fully address how teachers experience the inequitable working and learning conditions in these…

The desire to find pedagogically effective uses of technology in K-12 education has exposed the need for reliable professional development programs that empower teachers to identify the problems and needs they have in their classrooms, apply a process of systematic inquiry in order to discover solutions to those problems, and to share those…

Teachers in high-needs settings working with diverse populations are typically cited as a central element for school improvement yet are often described as resistant to such efforts. We sought to investigate the reasons behind teachers' views and beliefs about school reform within the context of collaboration and professional development, rather…

This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of 8 Local Education Agency (LEA) personnel who implemented the Transition Outcomes Project (TOP) in a midwestern state. These personnel represented 100% of the state LEAs who instigated the pilot of TOP in the participating state. Findings showed that TOP had 3 major positive effects: greater…

Most models of mixed methods research design provide equal emphasis of qualitative and quantitative data analyses and interpretation. Other models stress one method more than the other. The present article is a discourse about the investigator's decision to employ a mixed method design to examine special education teachers' advocacy and…

This is a phenomenological, qualitative study of 25 school nurses employed in a large, urban school district in the Midwestern section of the United States. The study's participants possess histories of professional work experiences in nursing specialties other than school nursing. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three prominent factors…

Universities need to work with teachers to dispel the belief that research is disconnected from practice and teachers must be open to the benefits of action inquiry. This study examined the process and impact of conducting action research on teachers' perceptions of practice and professionalism. Twelve teachers enrolled in a master's level course…

Despite legislation and the best efforts of special educators, students with disabilities continue to be segregated from the general education curriculum and classroom for a majority or part of the school day. Inclusion is often the goal, but is seldom fully implemented. This interview-based study explores new special educators' lived experiences…