<p> Rooted in Freirean pedagogy and using the Life Story Interview as a methodological tool, this dissertation research provides insight into the preparation, performance, and resilience of urban high school teachers and explores the viability of the Life Story Approach to reveal an alternative means of researching a teacher's approach to instructional pedagogy. This dissertation examines how a White female teacher's life story has informed her liberatory approach to teaching writing as an act of freedom in her urban high school classroom in Oakland, California. Observations of how the formation of a teacher's identity and instructional approach were influenced by her experiences in the world are explored in her story. This dissertation argues that if liberatory approaches and a critical literacy framework were considered within the context of seminal research on secondary writing instruction, teacher preparation programs and instructional pedagogy in urban classrooms would be compelled to change. These approaches are necessary to raise the critical consciousness of urban educators committed to serving low- income students of color in our nation's public schools and to inform instructional pedagogy and transform urban students' experiences in school and society. Implications for teacher preparation and approaches to curriculum development are considered.</p>

<p> Students who declare a major follow a sequence of courses beginning with the introductory course in the major that is usually defined as a 100-level, or freshman level course. This introductory class is called a gateway class, as students must complete this course to register for the next sequence of courses within their major. This study examined and measured the relationship between first-time, full-time freshman, college students who attempted a gateway class within their declared major during their first semester of college and the retention of these students to their second semester. The study also analyzed retention rates for students who declared a major, completed a class, but not the gateway class in their major and the retention rate for these students. Finally, the study analyzed students who did not declare a major, completed a class, and the retention rate for these students. The findings in this study suggests first-time, full-time freshman students who declared a major and successfully completed the gateway class were more likely to persist, then students who were unsuccessful with the gateway class, or students who declared a major, completed a class, but not the gateway class in their major. To improve retention of first-time, full-time freshman students, the results of this study indicate changes are warranted in the way students are advised with regard to which classes they should complete in their first semester of college. </p>

Sexual education has been a much-debated topic in the United States since it was instated in light of the HIV/AID pandemic of the 1980s. The debate has always centered on the role of sexual education: should it act to objectively relay the facts about sexual health? Or should it be utilized as a moral purveyor of teen’s sexual behavior? During the second Bush Administration it seemed as if the conservative right had won and sexual education adopted a role policing teen’s morality with $1.5 billion in federal funding for abstinence-only education. This study aims to provide evidence against abstinence-only education by highlighting its ineffectiveness to meet its own standards of success (preventing teen pregnancy and STI infection), as well as its violation of legal human rights standards. As well, this study will provide an alternative to abstinence-only education, comprehensive sexual education, which provides students with accurate information about sexual health (including information about contraception, abortion, etc.) while still emphasizing abstinence as the preferred sexual behavior in teens.

<p> The ever-changing implementations of assessing our students have driven instruction to focus on measuring academic growth for school improvement. Now that most of our nation has adopted the common core state standards to educate and prepare our students for college and career, the challenges will be even greater for those who are currently struggling such as many of the incarcerated youth. </p><p> According to the Juvenile Court Schools (JCS) fact sheet (Los Angeles County Office of Education; LACOE, 2012), many of the incarcerated youth generally "have serious gaps in their education and poor academic skills" (JCS Facts, bullet No. 4). Taking academic assessments can be challenging without external factors, but add in the fact that the student may be facing a life sentence in prison, placement in a group home or foster care facility away from family, or dealing with mental health issues drives the challenge of academic growth sometimes out of reach while incarcerated. Furthermore, the short period of stay in the incarcerated juvenile facility adds an even greater challenge to success or growth in their academic progress. </p><p> This study examined the challenges of measuring academic growth of incarcerated youth in a juvenile hall school facility. Through the use of mixed methods, a review of available student assessment data - increased frequent formative assessments, utilizing components of the RISE Educational Services and Total Educational Systems Support (TESS) Focused Adaptable- Structure Teaching (F.A.S.T.) Framework within the teacher's delivery of direct instruction - along with an online survey of the teachers' ability to collaborate in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and a focus group with those who spearheaded the implementation of the instructional method, teacher-leads and administrators, resulted in finding that a unique instructional method is needed for those students attending school in an incarcerated juvenile facility to measure academic growth. </p><p> The qualitative and quantitative data measured what needed to be continued, what needed to be stopped and what should be implemented regarding the instructional delivery, along with pre/post assessments of students who attended the incarcerated juvenile school facility and the dimensions of PLCs.</p>

<p> This study was a program evaluation on the co-teaching model within the Smallville School District (a pseudonym) measuring its effectiveness defined by the perceptions of leaders in the field of special education. This study filled the gap of previous co-teaching studies by investigating a rural school district, across all buildings. The researcher selected the tools of classroom observations; convenience sample interviews; administrator, teacher, student, and parent surveys; and secondary data from High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and the school budget. </p><p> The researcher collected data with surveys, observations, and interviews to determine the perceptions of all stakeholders involved in the co-teaching experiences in the Smallville School District. Results included four essential emerging themes compiled from all interviews and surveys noted by the researcher. These themes were a lack of professional development, lack of common plan time, lack of consistent collaboration, and lack of emphasis on co-teaching due to extensive curriculum writing, during the 2013-2014 school year. When taking the MAP data and applying it to a t-test by two unequal samples at each level, the researcher found significant differences in the general education and special education scores at the elementary Communication Arts 2013 data, secondary Mathematics 2013 data, and the secondary Communication Arts 2013 data. Special education students in the co-teaching setting showed an overall increase in tests scores than their counterparts in the special education setting. The general education students in a co-teaching classroom, maintained or their scores decreased on the MAP and EOC.</p>

<p> The focus of this study was to examine the characteristics of alternative programs in the state of Missouri and to determine whether a statistical difference in the persistence to graduation rate existed between the two variations of programs. When identifying the characteristics, several commonalities emerged. These commonalities could be the focus of future studies to determine a list of best-practices among alternative programs. When focusing on the statistical element of this study, the two programs in question were revolving door and one-way programs. For the purpose of this study, a revolving door style program was defined as one that assesses and addresses student needs within an alternative setting. Once they record significant progress, these students return to the regular classroom setting. A one-way program style assigns students to an educational setting once they prove that the regular classroom setting is not an appropriate situation. The at-risk students in this program will either graduate from the alternative school or choose not to complete high school. According to the findings of this study, there was no statistically significant difference between and among the persistence to graduation rate midst the revolving door and one-way styles of alternative programs.</p>

<p> School accountability policies were created in response to concerns that the United States was under-performing and losing its position as an international leader in education. These policies are currently an integral part of the American educational system. The effectiveness of school accountability policies, however, remains unclear and research on how performance-based accountability is related to principal behavior is largely undeveloped. This dissertation examined the relationships between performance-based school accountability and the behaviors of school principals. Using a nationally-representative database of public elementary schools (the Schools and Staffing Survey 2003-04), this dissertation explored the associations between different aspects of performance-based educational policy on principal work engagement, supportive leadership, and shared instructional leadership. Findings suggest that most associations between performance-based rewards and interventions and principal behaviors are negligible or negative. State policy for rewards had a negative association with supportive leadership, and state policy for intervention had a negative association with principal engagement. Among schools meeting all performance goals in the previous academic year, nearly all of the associations were statistically negligible; the only significant association was that between exposure to school-wide monetary rewards and principal engagement. Specifically, exposure to school-wide monetary reward had a significant negative association with principal engagement. Among schools failing to meet all performance goals in the previous academic year, exposure to intervention was negatively related to all three principal behaviors and three associations were statistically significant. Specifically, exposure to evaluation cycle was associated with significantly less supportive leadership, exposure to reduced resources was associated with significantly less shared instructional leadership, as was exposure to school choice. The interactions with school size and school poverty varied by type of incentive and by principal behavior, and generally suggest that the relationships between policy and principal behavior are stable across different contexts. Findings from this dissertation resound previous concerns with present performance-driven school accountability policy and introduce a new point of concern into the argument against the practice. While negative associations between accountability policy and principal behaviors may not be deemed directly pertinent to the bottom line (i.e. student achievement), that the only significant relationships are negative is an important consideration and refutes the theory of action in accountability. Reconsideration of performance-based accountability is recommended, as neither reward nor intervention consistently related positively to principal behavior; state policy for reward and intervention, exposure to monetary rewards, and exposure to nearly all interventions were negatively related to at least one principal behavior.</p>

<p> Preschool expulsions have gained new attention in the early child care field. The disproportionate rate of Blacks boys that are expelled or "pushed out" from their child care settings suggests particular concern for exploration. Behavioral problems in early childhood have negative outcomes later in life (Keane &amp; Calkins, 2004); therefore, it is imperative that educational systems create equitable, non-disciplinary practices, which do not marginalize or shame Black boys. This study captured the experiences of five parents of Black boys that were expelled or pushed out of multiple child care settings, as well as the temporary and lasting effects of the expulsions or "push-outs" on the entire family. One center director of a state-funded preschool and one head teacher of a private center also participated. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, focus groups, and on-line temperament profiles. Grounded theory was used to code the data in terms of the study's conceptual framework, including relationships between parent, child and teacher/provider, Critical Race Theory (CRT), neurobiological considerations, gaps in teacher/provider preparation, and the high-stakes accountability movement. The social construction of Black boys and learning in early child care settings was also explored. Expulsions or push-outs had several negative impacts for parents, the boys of this study and their families. However, through these hardships, parents learned strong advocacy skills and showed resiliency. Implications for providers and policy are discussed.</p>

<p> This study investigated the caregivers' most highly valued factors for enrolling their children in Christian schools. Caregivers (N = 297) were included from more than 39 California Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) schools. They responded to survey questions regarding their most highly valued factors for enrolling their children in Christian schools. The survey considered factors from five categories: (a) biblical values, (b) academics, (c) school culture, (d) student-centeredness, and (e) economic considerations. The study found their highest valued factors to be biblical values and care of the student. Quality academics, safe environment, and number of highly qualified teachers were also found to be highly valued factors. Factors that were found not likely to be important to caregivers were adherence to state standards, attention to special learning needs, technology in the classroom, fine arts, athletic programs, tuition and other school expenses, and distance from the home.</p>

<p> The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that, in 2013, only 35% of Virginia's eighth grade students tested at or above the proficient level on the grade level assessment for reading (National Center for Education Statistics, 2013). The Virginia State Report Card, published each year by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), reported that during the 2012-2013 school year, 29% of all tested eighth grade students failed to meet expectations in reading (VDOE, 2014). The Alliance for Excellent Education (2011) reported that a large number of students leave high school every year without the necessary skills to succeed and that reading and writing instruction across all grades must be addressed. Students are failing to graduate on time, and postsecondary and career goals of young students are suffering. This study looked specifically at how middle level principals might address the literacy needs of their schools and students. </p><p> Several experts in the field of education have developed literacy leadership models to address the demands currently facing school leaders (Guth &amp; Pettengill, 2005; Irvin, Meltzer, &amp; Dukes, 2007; Phillips, 2005; Taylor &amp; Collins, 2003). Based on a thorough examination and analysis of four literacy leadership models, five literacy leadership practices common to all models were identified. Survey data were collected in the following areas: literacy action planning, data-driven decision making, capacity building, instructional support, and resource allocation. Through descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis, this nonexperimental study assessed the extent to which middle school principals in Virginia employed the identified literacy leadership practices and the relationship of those practices to student achievement as measured by the Virginia Grade 8 Reading Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment. Although principals across the study identified that they did, in fact, employ the identified practices, the regression analyses resulted in nonsignificant findings at all levels.</p>