<p> The researcher observed, as an educator, administrator, and graduate student, college student&rsquo;s withdrawal from school due to personal reasons or lack of determination. The study of Emotional and Social Intelligence (ESI) and grit enabled the researcher to learn about the traits or characteristics one must possess to achieve a goal, more specifically earning a college degree. The researcher tested hypotheses for a difference in ESI and grit scores among the studied population and sought the perception of ESI and grit through a mixed-methods study. The researcher measured the ESI and grit among Educational Leadership Specialists and Doctoral students and graduates at a private college in the Midwest. The researcher utilized the Emotional and Social Competence Inventory-University (ESCI-U) and the 12-Item Grit Scale and conducted a t-test for a difference in means analysis. Questionnaires and interviews, authored by the researcher, provided additional insight into student and graduate perception of ESI and grit. </p><p> Results from the surveys, questionnaires, and interviews proved to be consistent. The ESCI scores indicated no significant difference between EdD students and graduates. Likewise, grit scores indicated no significant difference between EdD students and graduates. The researcher discovered sub hypotheses of the competencies of ESI and concluded no significant difference between EdD students and graduates. The perceptions of the EdD students and graduates were consistent with the scores on the ESCI-U and grit survey tools. The EdS student and graduate scores were unable to be measured due to an insufficient number of participants. The growth of ESC and grit appeared throughout the literature and the recommendation of a longitude study among college students could provide knowledge on such growth into adulthood. The results of the study signified the purpose for future research at the collegiate level as a tool for professionals in higher education assisting students toward degree completion.</p><p>

<p> Since their inception in the 1960s, federally funded workforce development programs have promised a solution to unemployment, labor market skills gaps, and income inequality. However, until recently, lack of data and methodological challenges have made evaluation of these programs difficult. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in response to the Great Recession of 2008, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, represented a nearly $2 billion investment in community colleges and the U.S. labor force. Using third-party evaluations to provide evidence of strong outcomes for TAACCCT participants was one of its key objectives. Through a systematic review of TAACCCT third-party evaluation studies and case study analyses of two institutions, this study examined the impact of TAACCCT on participant completion, employment, and earnings and institutional capacity building during its first two funding rounds. TAACCCT enabled community colleges to invest in capacity-building activities, experiment with innovative program strategies, and strengthen and scale partnerships. It also had a positive and significant impact on participant completion and employment. Future workforce development programs should be informed by these successes. The experiences of grantees during these two rounds also offer insights into improvements for future programs. </p><p>

<p> Schools with similar demographics have varying school performance; these differences exist among schools across Western Pennsylvania. Questions remain as to why some schools perform at higher levels than other schools in similar regions. Some researchers posit that leadership practices in different schools may influence student learning and school performance. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to research the relationship between teachers&rsquo; and principals&rsquo; beliefs about the extent to which leadership practices influence school performance for high-, low-, and middle-level performing schools. This study examined how leadership practices are perceived by teachers and principals to influence school performance. </p><p> The beliefs of teachers and principals in regard to leadership behaviors were not assumed to reflect documented leadership behaviors within their schools. Teachers&rsquo; and principals&rsquo; perceptions about the extent to which they believe particular leadership practices influence school performance were collected and analyzed. Teachers and principals were asked to complete a survey to rate how much they believe certain leadership practices influence school performance. The results of the teachers&rsquo; and principals&rsquo; perceptions of leadership practices for how those leadership practices influence school performance were correlated to School Performance Profiles to see if relationships exist. Similarities as well as differences among higher, middle, and lower performing schools were also examined. </p><p> The results of this study do not determine causation, but the information gathered does reveal that differences and relationships exist between teachers and principals in terms of how much they believe certain leadership practices influence school performance. Principals tend to see challenging teachers&rsquo; past beliefs about their work and assumptions about students as a more influential leadership practice concerning school performance. <i>Treating teachers as individuals with unique needs and areas of expertise</i> is associated with higher performing schools, and <i>Communicating a shared vision with excitement about what can be accomplished through team work</i> is associated with lower performing schools. While both teachers and principals feel that Providing Individual Support is important, only principals believe that Building Vision is important. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that school leaders cannot focus on building vision alone if they wish to improve the school performance; they must provide teachers with the necessary support they need to gain confidence in their ability to reach the goals within the vision.</p><p>

<p> The ability to read proficiently is a comprehensive skill necessary for success at all academic levels. Students who consistently read below grade level continue to struggle throughout their school years with little chance of recovery. The administrative leaders of the Ocean View School District (a pseudonym) noticed a decline in reading scores and recognized a need for a significant shift in its instructional practices to reach its struggling readers. </p><p> The purpose of this study allowed school leaders an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) reading strategy within the structure of the Missouri Reading Initiative Program (MRI) regarding student achievement in reading at a small mid-western urban elementary school. During the study, the small mid-western urban school&rsquo;s Reading Specialists utilized two gradual release models, a Three-Step gradual release method and a Four-Step gradual release method in Grade 3 through Grade 5. The Primary Investigator collected secondary data in the form of reading and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores, to evaluate student outcomes. </p><p> The implementation of Reader&rsquo;s Workshop at the Valley Breeze Elementary School (a pseudonym) led to a discussion of the effectiveness best practices, balanced literacy, and small group instruction on student achievement and reading levels. Increase in student reading levels was gauged by an increase as assessed by the Fountas and Pinnell (F&amp;P) Reading Assessment. </p><p> The Primary Investigator formulated two hypotheses organized around the following questions: (1) How do reading scores differ in comparison to the implementation of two different models of Gradual Release of Responsibility within the Missouri Reading Initiative program? (2) How do ELA MAP scores differ in comparison to the implementation of two different methods of Gradual Release of Responsibility within the Missouri Reading Initiative program? </p><p> Overall, the Primary Investigator determined the results of the study as inconclusive. However, trends in growth due to student moving levels during a given school year, as well as, a positive average growth percentage of reading scores was noted. The Primary Investigator recommended another form of assessment to validate the increased achievement of student readers.</p><p>

<p> Cognitive variables have been the primary indicator of academic and professional success used to process degree applications in many admissions departments. Cognitive variables are numerically based markers such as grade point average and test scores. Although cognitive variables are essential in determining qualified candidates in graduate programs, noncognitive variables provide significant additional information about a candidate, such as motivation, strength of character, interpersonal skills, and field experience. This qualitative research study examines (a) the use of noncognitive variables in holistic admissions processes to predict academic and professional success of selected candidates in graduate teaching credential programs offered in private educational institutions in the state of California, and (b) the extent to which admissions administrators and decision-makers utilize holistic non-cognitive criteria to assess their applicants.</p><p>

<p> For centuries, education policymakers have sought to identify the most effective way to assess a potential teacher&rsquo;s readiness to enter the classroom. These assessments evolved from multiple choice examinations to performance-based assessments focused on teacher actions. The latest iteration of these performance-baed assessments is edTPA. </p><p> edTPA&rsquo;s structure mirrors that of the assessment for National Board Certification (NBC) designed for veteran teachers. The NBC assessment has shown to be educative for teachers who complete it, leading to positive changes in their post-assessment practice (Athanases, 1994; Hattie &amp; Clinton, 2010; Sato, Darling-Hammond and Wei, 2008; Steeley, 2003). This study examines whether edTPA has similar educative impacts on early career teachers. </p><p> Since edTPA is relatively new, little research has been completed on its impact on teacher practice. Most of the current literature on edTPA focuses on its implementation or on pre-service candidate perceptions of completing the assessment. This interview study also examines candidate perceptions but focuses on whether they felt completing edTPA was educative and impacted their current practice. </p><p> This study includes twenty teachers who participated in two hour-long interviews given roughly six months apart. All of the participants were recent secondary mathematics education graduates from one university. This study is among the first studies of edTPA to include teachers who both completed edTPA and have been teaching for at least two years. Another unique strength of this study is that, prior to the second interview, candidates reviewed their actual edTPA portfolio to help recall components of the assessment and to potentially make clearer connections between edTPA and their current practices. </p><p> The study results support the notion that edTPA can be educative and influence a teacher&rsquo;s current practices around planning, instruction, and assessment. The level of influence that completing edTPA has on a teacher&rsquo;s practices may be impacted by school or district policies that either hinder or support high-scoring edTPA practices. The results demonstrate how edTPA can not only be seen as a summative tool at the end of pre-service teaching, but also a formative tool that impacts the teaching practices of early career teachers.</p><p>

<p>An increasing number of parents are opting-out their children from high-stakes. Accountability systems in education have used students? test scores to measure student learning, teacher effectiveness, and school district performance. Students who are opted-out of high-stakes tests are not being evaluated by the state tests, making their level of achievement or proficiency unknown by the state government. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the various reasons, factors, experiences, and personal events that led parents to opt-out their children from at least one 3rd through 8th grade high-stakes test. Data were collected using a researcher-designed semi-structured interview protocol developed using ecological approaches to systems theories and critical pedagogy theories. The study was set in New York and 10 participants were interviewed, all from different rural or small suburban school districts throughout the state. Five themes and 12 subthemes emerged from first and second cycle coding. Key findings indicated that parents decided to opt-out their children from high-stakes tests because they felt high-stakes were inappropriate and unfair. Further, parents were dissatisfied with current high-stakes testing practices. Previous 3rd through 8th grade testing procedures that allowed teachers to make and grade the state tests were seen as acceptable. Parents indicated no issue with testing. However, from a social change perspective they felt the current system of high stakes testing was used improperly to rate students, teachers, programs, and school districts, and that testing should be used to drive instruction and help struggling students. This study is beneficial for school personnel and policy makers because it provides different ways to assess student achievement.

<p> Early identification and intervention for struggling readers increased the likelihood of students identified as proficient; ultimately leading to future success. The researcher sought to evaluate the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program in a Midwest urban school district, to help close the achievement gap between students&rsquo; reading levels and students reading on grade level. The purpose of the study was to investigate the difference in STAR reading scaled scores between struggling 2nd grade students who received LLI and peers who did not receive LLI. The researcher also examined the possible relationship between the increase in students&rsquo; literacy skills and fidelity of implementation of LLI. Finally, the researcher examined the perception of LLI teachers and School Leadership Team (SLT) members on the implementation of LLI. The researcher selected a mixed-methods approach and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data, including LLI teacher survey data, LLI teacher and SLT member interview responses, fidelity of implementation tool, and pre- and post-STAR reading scaled scores to determine a possible increase in struggling students&rsquo; literacy skills. The results of the study showed no statistical difference between the LLI students and the non-LLI students. Furthermore, the study indicated no relationship existed between student outcomes and fidelity of implementation. However, the study revealed teachers who implemented LLI with fidelity, LLI teachers, and SLT members believed students&rsquo; literacy skills improved. As a result, the researcher recommended further studies on the implementation of LLI in urban settings.</p><p>

<p> In this mixed methods study, the researcher analyzed three school years of third through fifth-grade students&rsquo; reading scores on the NWEA MAP reading test to determine possible differences in students&rsquo; reading growth relative to the instructional delivery model used to provide Corrective Reading as supplemental reading intervention. Students received Corrective Reading intervention with the classroom teacher, the after-school teacher (both large groups), or in small-groups with the Title I Reading Teacher. </p><p> Five elementary school principals and 15 teachers answered interview questions related to experiences with Corrective Reading, perceptions of student academic and behavioral outcomes, and perceptions of the three instructional delivery models. Teachers and principals agreed Corrective Reading improved students&rsquo; academic and behavioral outcomes. Classroom and after-school teachers believed students demonstrated greater reading growth in small groups. Title I Reading Teachers agreed, but desired the ability to show academic gains with a larger number of students. </p><p> The researcher conducted an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test on reading growth scores from the three groups. The <i>p</i>-value of 0.0026 indicated a significant difference among the means, so the researcher rejected the null hypothesis. Students in all the reading intervention groups showed some reading growth. However, both the Tukey and Scheffe post hoc analyses revealed the mean of the Title I Reading Teacher group was significantly higher than the mean of the after-school group. As a result of the findings, the researcher recommends educational leaders staff buildings with reading intervention specialists to provide small-group intervention to struggling readers.</p><p>

<p> The time between the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and its replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, marked a period of unprecedented policy-driven education reform. Unfortunately, the major objectives of the policy were not achieved, and the very problems it sought to fix still exist. One reason for this was an overreliance on testing and test scores as a lever for change. This study&rsquo;s purpose was to explore the ways in which an educational leader could bring the tools of the practitioner-scholar to bear on public policy problems worth solving. This research question was addressed through three distinct, but interconnected, articles that utilized different methodologies. The first demonstrated the application of the tools of public policy analysis to bilingual education policy at the federal, state, and local levels. The second critiqued New York State&rsquo;s student growth model used in the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) using quantitative methods. The third analyzed the broader APPR policy and sought to address its many shortcomings by proposing a new, viable policy alternative for consideration by policymakers. The major implications of this study include a strong caution against the use of standardized tests of student achievement to measure progress toward policy goals, a demonstration of the importance of identifying and applying criteria to assess public education policies, and a recognition of educational leaders as important actors in the policy making process. </p><p>