Teachers are among the most critical stakeholders within the school community. Effective teachers are needed to provide students with a quality education and to prepare them for success both in and out of the classroom (Miller et al., 2020). Almost half of all teachers leave the profession within their first five years of teaching. In Florida, 40%…

The accountability era has produced school grading systems that purport to evaluate school effectiveness yet utilize hegemonic formulas that label low-scoring schools and neighborhoods, depriving them of incentive monies tied to their school grades. This quantitative study analyzed the publicly available data of 106 elementary schools in one large…

Lately, there has been an increased focus on the role that certification plays in the long-term performance of classroom teachers. In short, does certification matter? Many studies have analyzed the specific components and requirements of certification programs to determine which might be more predictive of long-term teaching success. This study…

The following research study discusses how the St. Lucie District public schools can transform to virtual education. Inspiration for the following dissertation has been derived from the recent outbreak and pandemic of the COVID-19 virus and how it has crippled the global education sector. The closure of schools in the United States due to the 2019…

With the number of Hispanic students increasing in public schools across the United States, especially in Florida, instructional leaders should recognize Hispanic students being identified for special education programs. The problem was that Hispanic students may be misclassified, inappropriately identified, or disproportionately represented in…

English learners (ELs) in Florida face numerous challenges including low test scores, and high dropout rates, and are typically several years behind their peers when compared to other states. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental ex-post-facto study was to compare the differences between ACCESS 2.0 scores of high school ELs in…

To resolve the graduation gap among Black and Hispanic students in Central Florida, the development of equity-centered practices to improve high school graduation rates is essential. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of incorporating methods such as the self achievement theory, self-determination methodology, and equity…

Students are expected to complete high-stakes standardized tests on computers, but many are disadvantaged due to their lack of technical skills and experience. While students complete a required state practice test, the brief overview of the technology used during testing is often not enough to ensure that students can successfully navigate the…

Public school leaders struggle to find teachers to fill the vacancies in America's classrooms. The teacher shortage crisis is a result of many overlapping causes which include the disparity in resources to attract potential teachers, a declining enrollment in teacher preparatory programs, a lack of teachers certified to teach critical shortage…

An increasing number of U.S. teachers of English Language Learners (ELL) across the nation are not receiving adequate in-service training to provide instruction within students' zone of proximal development (ZPD). Vygotsky's ZPD is the difference between what a person can achieve when acting alone and what the same person can achieve when acting…

While students are the center of dual enrollment programs, high school counseling professionals, often called guidance counselors, and college/university administrators are vital to the success of these programs. High school guidance counselors coordinate schedules and ensure student awareness, registration, and participation in the program.…

In order to have organizational order and/or improvement, a school must first have strong and reliable leadership at the principal level. School leadership directly affects teacher turnover, job satisfaction, efficacy, and teacher burnout. This dissertation examines Florida's Level II Principal Preparation Program requirements and looks into how a…

This study examined the effect of clinical supervision on job satisfaction and burnout among school psychologists in large urban school districts in Florida. The theory of work adjustment, Maslach and Jackson's three-dimensional model of burnout, and Atkinson and Woods's triadic model of supervision were the theoretical foundations and/or…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore if and to what extent a correlation existed between school administrators' leadership styles and tenure of school special education teachers in schools in Southwest Florida School District. This study was conducted within the theoretical framework of McGregor's Theory X/Y and…

District leaders have countless responsibilities, from setting goals for the district to monitoring that all implementations run smoothly and effectively. Among them is ensuring the schools they oversee are adequately preparing their students for graduation and life beyond high school. For language learners high school requirements become…