<p> In America, children from urban communities come to kindergarten lacking the basic skills in literacy to be successful learners in life (Jumpstart, 2009). Students are unprepared and parents are becoming less knowledgeable of the requirements for early education and diminished confidence in their ability to prepare and assist their children is occurring. Therefore, there is a need to understand the underlying drivers of parents&rsquo; low self-efficacy and what can be done to support them. The purpose of this case study was to develop an understanding of a means to support parents of early education students enrolled in an urban learning center in the south bay area of Los Angeles, thereby improving parent&rsquo;s self- efficacy to increase parent involvement in their child&rsquo;s education. This study investigated the following research questions: (1) In what ways, if any, might parent self-efficacy be improved to enable parents to effectively assist their child in meeting the requirements for early education? (2) In what ways, if any, might parent involvement be encouraged to help them better assist their child with their education? A qualitative phenomenological single-case study design was used to explore the underlying drivers of parental self-efficacy and the best ways to support parents of early education students enrolled in an urban learning center in the south bay area of Los Angeles. The population consisted of parents of children grades Tk-3rd grade enrolled in an urban learning center in the south bay area of Los Angeles. Data were collected through in-person semi structured interviews. This study found that that underlying drivers of parent&rsquo;s low self-efficacy are lack of time, knowledge, and resources. Parents would benefit from resources to support homework, resources to supplement their child&rsquo;s curriculum, and accommodations for working parents from schools. </p><p>

<p>Teachers? Experiences in a Charter School With English Language Learners? Acquisition of Academic Literacy. Estella Stephens, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: charter schools, English language learners, literacy, phenomenon, qualitative research, teachers This qualitative applied dissertation was designed to investigate and give voice to the lived experiences of mainstream teachers at charter schools where the English language learner (ELL) population increased significantly. It replicated McCoy?s (2013) study. A phenomenological design was used to interview kindergarten-Grade 8 mainstream teachers in 3 charter schools. Interviews were conducted by a noninterested party due to the positionality status of the researcher. Interviews were transcribed, and the data analyzed and coded by the researcher. Teachers were asked about lived experiences with ELLs acquiring academic literacy, teachers? challenges and benefits in teaching academic literacy, changes that occurred in classrooms in their work with helping ELLs to attain grade-level academic literacy, and how they could be best prepared to help ELLs attain academic literacy based on Cummins (1973) language acquisition theory. Six themes emerged from the interviews relating teachers? experiences with ELLs? difficulty with mastering academic literacy in a charter school. The 6 themes that emerged included a large ELL percentage in the class, ELLs entering school behind grade level, cultural and language barriers, increased collaboration, greater emphasis on vocabulary, and increased professional development. The study found that teachers perceived that the influx of ELLs into mainstream classrooms and culture and native languages posed challenges to students? academic literacy achievement. Increased collaboration and a greater emphasis on teaching vocabulary proved to be helpful. The majority of teachers? requests for professional development targeted teaching ELLs to prepare teachers better to help students attain academic literacy. The results of the 3 major findings in McCoy?s (2013) research study were supported as principles of good teaching pedagogy. Implications, limitations, reflections, and recommendations for future research are reported.

<p> Success through education for women was vastly limited before the passage of Title IX, which guarantees equal access to programs in higher education. Eliminating sexual discrimination through this legislation had the potential to open new worlds for America&rsquo;s women as opportunities blossomed at the collegiate level which led to a host of new career paths. Women successfully entered higher education and are represented in every field. </p><p> Unfortunately, the prevalence of sexual assault incidents in colleges proved to be a detriment to accessibility, and Title IX served as a tool to help create a safe learning environment for all students. The novelty of creating policies and procedures in this new arena led to many problems for colleges and universities as they sought to comply with Title IX mandates. As a result, the Office of Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague Letter in 2011 to explain sexual assault and provide resources to bridge the complex divide between old and new notions of discrimination. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Dear Colleague Letter of 2011 on the implementation of Title IX at community and technical colleges in Louisiana. Policy analysis was used to determine if the policy and procedures recommended were established at all twelve of the institutions. Title IX Coordinators were interviewed to provide a more in-depth picture of the implementation process and what challenges the institutions may have encountered. The findings indicate that Title IX Coordinators were knowledgeable about the Dear Colleague Letter of 2011, but the policies did not reflect this understanding. The implications resulting from this study can be used to inform and assist higher education leaders in maintaining compliance with Title IX.</p><p>

<p> The balance of awareness of student disabilities, providing supports and accommodations necessary for the success of special education students, and a high understanding curriculum contents is a challenge for special educators in the co-taught setting. This study investigates the effect the relationship between the number of curricula in which the special educator is co-teaching has, on student achievement. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare both the results on state mandated end of course examinations, and course grades in classrooms where the special education coteacher was responsible for one curriculum content where they were responsible for two and three curricula. Findings show a significant difference in student achievement only between classrooms where the special educator was responsible for one curriculum and where they were responsible for two. In looking at the mean achievement results for end of course examinations and course grades, students in the classrooms where the special educator was responsible for three curriculum contents earned higher scores. Results indicate that factors or a combination of factors, other than curricula content knowledge of the special education co-teacher, play a greater role in effecting the achievement of the special education students in the co-taught classroom.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative explanatory multi-case study was to examine childcare workers&rsquo; perceptions about the use of developmentally appropriate practices within private toddler and preschool classrooms. The problem was that some child care workers have a master&rsquo;s or bachelor&rsquo;s degree in another field not related to early childhood education, which may result in a lack of knowledge regarding child growth and development and the use of developmentally inappropriate practices in toddler and preschool classrooms. The theoretical framework for this qualitative multi-case study was based on the contributions from the field of developmental psychology and neuroscience. Data collection included semi-structured one-on-one interviews, a focus group, and documentation which included photographs of participants&rsquo; classrooms, sample lesson plans, and children&rsquo;s work samples from 16 child care workers in Northern New Jersey. Transcribed interviews were imported to NVivo 12 Pro. NVivo 12 Pro was used to manage and organize transcribed data and assign codes, which led to emerging themes. Three themes emerged: (a) preparing children so they would not be behind in kindergarten or for the next teacher; (b) curriculum and the age level approach; and (c) qualifications, knowledge, and training. Recommendations may lead to better monitoring of child care center programs to ensure that program activities are appropriate according to age and developmental level of the children. Recommendations may also lead to training models for child care center directors and child care workers. </p><p>

<p> Corporal punishment is a controversial method of student discipline used in schools world-wide. There are opposing viewpoints to this practice; corporal punishment is considered as a viable means of discipline, while on the other hand, non-advocates associate corporal punishment with abuse. Currently, corporal punishment is permitted in 19 states, while 31 states have abolished corporal punishment in the school setting. The practice is most predominant in the south, which includes Louisiana. Louisiana is one of 19 states where corporal punishment is deemed legal in a school setting. </p><p> The purpose of this study was two-fold. The primary purpose was to examine and describe Louisiana corporal punishment data retrieved from the Louisiana Department of Education. Secondly, potential relationships between corporal punishment data and three demographic variables (at-risk student counts, district locale, and district performance scores) were explored. There are 54 districts that authorize such practices, but only 42 have reported data to the state for the three reporting cycles. The essential questions dictating this research are: 1) What were corporal punishment practices (student numbers and events) in Louisiana public schools for school years 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14? 2) What distributional characteristics exist for students corporally punished and corporal punishment events in Louisiana during the school years 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14? 3) What percentage of Louisiana school districts experienced changes in corporal punishment practices between school years 2011-12, 2012-13, or 2013-14? 4) What is the relationship between at-risk student count, district locale type, and district performance scores with corporal punishment (student numbers) from an analysis of school districts for school year 2013-2014? </p><p> The federal government has outlawed physical punishment in prisons, jails, and medical facilities, yet students sitting in a classroom are targets for getting hit. It has been 150 years since the first state banned this practice in schools. Since then, an additional 31 states have done the same, but it is still occurring every day in this nation and in Louisiana. </p><p> Results and conclusions from this study may assist local school boards in deciding if corporal punishment should be used within their school districts. </p>

<p> For low-income minority and marginalized communities, American democracy&rsquo;s educational mission remains unfulfilled. Student voices have provided insight into ways that schools disserve and serve students and how schools can improve in promoting academic achievement; however, academically successful low-income students&rsquo; voices&mdash;particularly those at the elementary school level&mdash;are largely excluded from the literature. Providing a platform for student voices, this qualitative, intrinsic critical case study explored six high achieving low-income students&rsquo; views of their academic success and how that success was achieved. Participants were six fifthgrade students, their parents, and teacher, in a school-wide Title I urban public school. Data were collected over a 12-week period through individual interviews, observation, participation, and semiformal conversations. Using an immersive pattern analysis, four main categories emerged from the student interview data: student beliefs about their role; classroom structures; teacher practices; and family support. The study found four principal success factors: a dynamic effortdriven view of success and intelligence; a rigorous dialogic classroom that prioritized student voice, critical thinking, collaboration, and social imagination; an accountable classroom culture viii of high expectations and mastery learning; and the richly diverse experiences and teachings of parents and families as valuable funds of knowledge. Implications and recommendations are included for policy, practice, and future research.</p>

<p> This qualitative exploratory research study investigated the experiences of first-generation community college students who met specific momentum points toward transferring to a four-year university. The study participants completed 30 units and attended three consecutive semesters of college. In addition, the participants completed transferable levels of English and mathematics and maintained a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Four challenge themes and five discovery themes emerged from the data analysis. The study participants faced the following challenges: (a) managing expenses, (b) feeling alone, (c) overcoming obstacles, and (d) maintaining motivation.</p><p> Study participants made the following discoveries: (a) how to pay for college, (b) accessing college resources, (c) how to overcome obstacles, (d) the drive to complete college, and (e) hope for the future. The findings of this study inform community college policy and practice, and they highlight the need for inclusion of first-generation student status to inform equity policies and plans to address equity, disparities and disproportionate impact. Practices such as increasing face-to-face processes for students as they start college, supporting involvement of families in the college orientation process, providing early alert programs to make students aware of their need to seek assistance, and</p>

<p> This qualitative research study is a phenomenological exploration of teachers' understanding of and perceptions about the teacher evaluation process in North Carolina and the use of the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES). Twenty-three teachers with varying years of experience and from six schools of varying demographics were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions of each evaluation standard and were asked to provide examples of how they have used feedback from the evaluation process to inform their professional practices. Overall, participants had a limited understanding of the standards-based portion of the NCEES and of the value-added data component of the NCEES. Teachers received limited feedback from the evaluation process and were generally unable to provide examples of how they have been able to use feedback from the evaluation process to inform their professional practices. Teachers provided insight about the strengths and weaknesses of the NCEES and suggestions for improvement in the evaluation process and in the NCEES. As a result of the findings, implications for future teacher evaluation in North Carolina are discussed.</p>

Dissertation (Ed.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2010. / Directed by Rick Reitzug; submitted to the Dept. of Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jul. 20, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-181).