Although some safe schools analysts assume a link between climate and school violence and disorder, there has been little empirical data to support this assumption. Using survey data from 20 Florida middle and high schools, this research explored relationships between a school's climate and students' perceptions about the safety of their school environments. Climate was measured by students' perceptions of the following: fairness of discipline, consistency of discipline enforcement, teacher control over classroom disruption, fairness of grading, teachers' willingness to assist with schoolwork problems and whether teachers cared about students. Controlling for student demographics, attitudes and behaviors as well as for unique school characteristics, school climate was found to be a key determinant of students' perceptions about safety. Students were more likely to report feeling safe and less likely to report serious classroom incidents in schools where teachers were perceived as having control over classroom misbehavior and discipline was seen as consistent and fair. In addition, students were more likely to report feeling safe in schools where teachers were seen as caring and helpful with schoolwork problems. Students were also less likely to report serious classroom incidents in schools where grading was seen as fair. These positive climate factors were not only key factors in making schools safer, they were better predictors of serious classroom incidents and feeling safe than were student qualities or other school factors. Climate factors were also better predictors of student reports of feeling safe than serious incidents or other school qualities. Even in schools with a higher frequency of serious classroom incidents or higher proportions of disadvantaged students, students were more likely to report feeling safe in schools with positive climate factors. Challenging a major assumption of safe schools programs, these results suggest that simply focusing on reducing the frequency of serious classroom incidents will not guarantee that students will feel safe. Rather, findings indicate that positive climate factors need to be an integral part of any program for developing a “safe” school. Finally, the results suggest that educators can reduce the likelihood of aggressive incidents in classrooms by improving the school's climate.

This study examined teacher and student beliefs about physical education by addressing the following questions (a) what beliefs about physical education do the teacher and students bring with them to class? (b) are there differences between the beliefs held by the teacher and those held by the students? and (c) what role does context play in facilitating or inhibiting the translation of these beliefs into action? Participants in this case study were one high school physical education teacher and twelve students from the same physical education class. Methodology included qualitative field notes taken during observations of two activity units (volleyball and team handball), five interviews with the teacher, four interviews with each student, and administration of the repertory grid. Data were analyzed concurrently using constant comparison to identify common themes. Throughout the study data were returned to the participants for their responses. The teacher's beliefs formed an intricate, multi-dimensional system with the core belief that, "physical education should provide an equitable environment for all students." Secondary level beliefs included for example, "the teacher is responsible for creating a safe atmosphere," and, "physical education should be recreational." The two student belief systems were, "gym class is not important now or in the future," and "it's really important to have friends in gym class." There were five key differences between teacher and student beliefs focused on the following issues, (a) the importance of physical education, (b) whether it should be mandatory, (c) the definition of learning, (d) the importance of equity, and (e) the role of the teacher. Although the teacher and students held very different beliefs about physical education, they co-existed in the same class by manipulating the context to facilitate the translation of their beliefs into action. While the teacher acted on her beliefs, she never explained them in class and the students left this program with no understanding of how the teacher viewed physical education or why she believed it to be important. Instead, students' beliefs were strongly influenced by other contextual factors and they embraced the marginal status of physical education promoted by parents, administrators, and teachers.

The main focus in this study is on teacher empowerment. This case study, involving interviews with twelve middle school teachers in a New England middle school, looks at teacher empowerment at two levels: micro and macro. At the micro level, teacher empowerment is conceptualized as investing in teachers the right to exercise professional judgment about the content of the curriculum and means of instruction, i.e. the right to make decisions on classroom-related issues on a daily basis. At the macro level, teacher empowerment is conceptualized as investing in teachers the right to participate in the determination of school goals and policies. This study is an attempt to explore how the philosophy and approach a school adopts impacts teacher empowerment. The study seeks to provide administrators and educators some insights into the extent to which teachers in a school that has adopted a progressive educational philosophy and approach feel empowered.

This dissertation explores implications about teacher inquiry group (IG) practices through the representations of achievement gap (AG) discourses. The study draws from the challenges, struggles, and accomplishments of a middle school inquiry group of teachers and staff that worked collaboratively, as an institutionalized practice, with the intention to develop recommendations for closing the AG. After five years of collaborative work, the group did not get to develop an action plan. This longitudinal, ethnographic, qualitative study unveils multiple and contested representations of AG discourses and unpacks three assumptions about teacher inquiry group practices as a strategy for institutional and/or individual change: (1) that the group can resolve the issue at task; (2) that members embody the role of researchers; and (3) participation in the group can provide opportunities for transforming discourses. Critical discourse analysis provides the lens for analyzing four years of data collection: field notes, audio and written records from monthly sessions, written feedback and reflections, as well as interviews. My dual role, as member and teacher-researcher, and the use of CDA allowed me to identify critical moments. I describe critical moments as instances in which discourses of AG changed, reproduced, but not necessarily transformed. The analytical tools facilitated intertextual and discourse meaning connections. Data analysis indicated relevant findings: that the inquiry group provided opportunity for discourses to reproduce and change; that critical moments provided possibilities for transformation; that members did not always recognize these moments for which transformations may have eluded them; that inquiry groups have the potential to be a transforming intuitional practice. In general, findings suggested the need for structures that support, encourage, and engage members in “Self” reflection praxis for personal, and collective transformations, if the status quo is to be interrupted.

It was the purpose of this study (1) to discover if an interpretation of the principle of separation of church and state is an issue in public school counseling; (2) to discover the extent to which public school students bring moral or religious problems to guidance personnel; (3) to describe procedures reportedly used by guidance personnel in handling these problems, as well as to enumerate apparent difficulties in doing so; (4) to discover the effect, if any, of the current psychology-religion controversy upon school counseling; (5) to report counselor opinions regarding the adequacy of their professional preparation in dealing with these problems; (6) to suggest areas for further study.

Empirical evidence substantiating the effectiveness of engagement programs to support at-risk students is virtually nonexistent. In an attempt to improve student engagement and literacy for Grade 9 students enrolled in a developmental curriculum known as the essential-level program, the staff at one school implemented single-gender classes during the 2010--2011 school year. This project study was designed as a summative, goals-based, quantitative program evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the first-year single-gender program based on its stated goals and objectives. A purposive sample of 45 students, 6 teachers, and 2 educational assistants in the essential-level program was used to collect pretest and posttest Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) score data as well as teacher and student survey data related to perceptions of single-gender classes. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine perceptions of student engagement, academic achievement, and behavior in single gender classrooms. Findings revealed that students and teachers indicated more positive perceptions toward single-gender classes. Analysis of covariance revealed that students in single-gender classes showed significantly higher reading achievement scores when compared to students in mixed-gender classrooms. The results of this program evaluation contribute to social change by adding to the body of knowledge focused on quantitative program evaluations, addressing a deficiency in the literature on single-gender instruction for at-risk students, and assisting the educational community in decision making to address gaps in literacy development and student engagement.

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