The fact that inner city schools have not been effective in educating culturally, linguistically and economically different (CLED) students has led to the creation of multicultural education courses in teacher education programs across the nation. These courses have been created with the hope that preservice teachers (PSTs) who take one or more of…

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 strategic thinking and strategic planning efforts in a department, college and university in the Southeastern United States. The goal of the study was to identify elements of strategic planning processes that meet the unique organizational features and complexities of a higher education institution. The study employed a…

This study examined the impact of participation and non-participation in a federal work-study (FWS) program on student persistence and accrued student debt for undergraduate students enrolled in a small, public, four-year, liberal arts college in the South. Sanford's (1967) theory of Challenge and Support and Tinto's (1986) Integration…

The focus of this research was on Response to Intervention (RTI) from the teachers' perspective. A considerable amount of research has been done on the structure of RTI and on specific interventions. This research sought to better understand the implementation of RTI from the classroom teachers' perspective. The research approach in this…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the factors that affect new teacher attrition and to study the preparation programs that best accommodate the needs of new teachers in an effort to improve the quality of education students receive. Data from participants was collected using the qualitative case study research design, which…

Students entering into higher education institutions today represent America's growing diversity. Much of the increase seen is due to the large numbers of students from different ethnic backgrounds and the changing demographics of immigrants who have migrated to the United States. As a result of this research, the perceptions and experiences…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between technology skills and academic achievement among eighth-grade students. Previous studies investigated the relationship between the use of technology as a teaching tool and student outcomes, but none had specifically examined students' technology skill competencies…

This qualitative study investigated the behaviors of administrators and their impact on teacher retention. Teachers' perceptions were obtained in order to gain further understanding of the impact that administrators have on teachers' job satisfaction as well as of administrators' motivation to increase teacher retention. According…

The federal Reading First grant project began with the 2003-2004 school year. Since then, many schools have entered the program to take on the challenge of improving their reading test scores. The Reading First model of instruction has been used to help promote school improvement efforts throughout the United States, so that students may reach the…

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that induction programs have on self-efficacy of new teachers in urban, Midwestern high schools. Because induction programs have been used to measure elements of new teacher self-efficacy, it remains important to study this topic, and explore the information in an urban setting where self-efficacy…

The purpose of this exploratory, quantitative study is to evaluate the diversity preparedness of teacher education graduates from private, faith-based colleges. More specifically, the study identifies how teacher education graduates perceive their preparation to work with diversity issues in the classroom. Participants shared their perceptions of…

This study used a convenience sample military officers from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps enrolled in an undergraduate pilot training course but awaiting the start of their program. All participants were 4-year college graduates with a median age of 23. Of the 114 participants, 87% were male and 13% were female. Participants were…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of principals who have met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) with the special education subgroup. This was a qualitative study, utilizing interviews to answer the research questions. The first three research questions analyzed the areas of assessment, building-level leadership, and curriculum…

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact that professional learning communities (PLCs) have on student achievement. Through this study, the statewide performance results of a school district that implemented PLCs were examined. This study of an Illinois school district's statewide assessment results served as a foundation for further…