A local and national concern in education is the persistent achievement gap between African American and Caucasian middle school students. Despite numerous reforms, the gap continues to show African American middle school students performing lower in reading. The purpose of this mixed methods study, framed in the theoretical perspective of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, was to examine teachers' expectations and the relationship between those expectations and the educational outcomes of African American middle school children. Data were collected to identify pedagogical practices, examine teacher expectations, and determine the relationship between those expectations and student Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores. Nineteen middle school teachers volunteered to take the Regalla Adaptive Teachers' Expectation Survey, which quantified teachers' expectations for student achievement using items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (5 = strongly agree with high expectation statement). Pedagogy was examined through 12 classroom observations and archival data provided CRCT scores for 650 African American students. Based on survey results, the mean score for teacher expectations was 4.47 out of 5.00. Observations established that 8 out of 12 teachers were rated proficient in terms of instructional plans. Correlation analysis determined a significant and direct relationship between teachers' expectation scores and middle school students' scores on the CRCT (p < .05). The results highlight the importance of teacher expectations for student achievement. The implications for social change include using the findings at the local site to communicate to teachers the importance of having high expectations for all students to improve the achievement levels of all middle school students and close the achievement gap.

In 1 urban Tennessee school, students in Grades 3 through 5 had not met adequate yearly progress in reading for the past 5 years. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of current district-recommended teaching practice in reading. The research questions related to current instructional strategies, teaching practices, challenges, and perceptions of current instructional strategies and changes needed to improve students' reading achievement. This study was grounded in the constructivist theoretical framework of Vygotsky. Twelve educators from Grades 3 through 5 and a reading specialist participated in this study. The data were collected from interviews, minutes from professional learning community meetings, and the district guidelines for instruction. Data analysis included open coding to determine common patterns and development of common themes. Findings indicated that teachers described the district learning strategies and guidelines as aligned with the reading curriculum map, and they saw the reading specialist as a valuable resource. Teachers specified that although they were trained in district-recommended strategies, they needed more professional development and support to implement the reading strategies effectively. Teachers wanted job-embedded professional development (PD) to help them develop expertise in implementing effective reading instruction to increase student achievement. To address this, a professional learning community PD project was created. Participation in the PD project may help teachers to implement reading instruction using research-based strategies in accord with district guidelines to improve student reading achievement.

The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was utilized to identify how much time 25 ESL educators spent on 5 types of instructional practices. The Survey of Instructional Practices for ESL/ELD Teachers for Grades K-12 was used to collect data. A 1-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences between the amounts of time ESL teachers spent on the 5 instructional practices. The greatest time was spent on individualized instructional activities and a variety of educational tasks. Less time was spent on small group activities, and the least amount of time was spent on inquiry-based activities and technology activities. Findings supported the creation of a professional development for ESL teachers at the local site focusing on (a) best instructional practices for teaching ESL students, (b) professional learning community network of support, and (c) resources to support educators in their lesson planning of instructional activities. The study findings and culminating project may positively affect social change by improving ESL instruction at the local site and ultimately decreasing the disparity in achievement between ELL and non-ELL students.

This project study addressed the low rate of general education teachers volunteering to coteach inclusion classes at a large urban high school in southeastern Georgia. This low volunteer rate caused administrators at this school to assign general education teachers, who did not opt in, to coteach inclusion classes. Teachers' efficacy was negatively impacted when they were required to teach classes that they did not volunteer to teach. The model of cooperative teaching advanced by Bauwens, Hourcade, and Friend's work served as the conceptual framework for this intrinsic case study. The purpose of the study was to examine how general education teachers described coteaching inclusion classes, and how they demonstrated effectiveness of cotaught classes. Qualitative data consisted of personal interviews with and classroom observations of 10 general education teachers, as well as lesson plans received from 2 of the participants. The typological analysis revealed that general education teachers perceived a need for training regarding coteaching, increased use of coteaching models in the classroom, development of coteaching partnerships, and administrative support. Based on the results of this study, a coteaching professional development was created that focuses on coteaching methods, strategies, and models for general education teachers involved in coteaching. The recommended professional development may contribute to positive social change by improving teachers' coteaching performance and increasing teachers' efficacy to impact the academic environment of students in cotaught inclusion classes.

Current research and declining test scores indicate that changes in educational practice are required for successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). Using a constructivist change theory framework, this grounded theory study explored the experiences 6 purposefully selected, experienced teachers at an Upstate New York school district had related to the implementation of the CCSSM. The research question investigated the experiences that educators had related to implementing the CCSSM and the accompanying New York State mathematics modules. Observation notes, interview transcripts, and teachers' journals were collected and analysed simultaneously through coding, constant comparison, theoretical sampling, and memoing. The core concern that emerged was the lack of alignment between the standards and the curriculum being used to teach them. This lack of alignment was related to oversized and repetitive lessons, as well as the de-emphasis on teaching the mathematical practice standards that are a large part of CCSSM. These factors caused teachers to invest large amounts of time re-writing curriculum. Findings suggest that administrator-supported adaptive professional development is required to strategically address experienced educator needs while allowing for educator autonomy in curriculum design. The project, an adaptive professional development plan, will support experienced educators as they enact modifications to curriculum in order to address the changes in teacher practice and student learning that are needed to align instruction with CCSSM . This project can be used on a wider scale and can contribute to the knowledge base of implementation models for educators to enact the changes in instruction necessary to improve student mastery of the CCSSM.

Instructional leadership is an important aspect of student achievement and the overall success of schools. Principals, as instructional leaders, need continual reflection on their competency. Job-embedded professional development (JEPD) for teachers is implemented and monitored by instructional leaders. The purpose of this case study was to examine the perceived instructional leadership development of two principals at two schools where JEPD was used. Weber's model of instructional leadership guided the research questions on how the implementation of JEPD affected the principals' instructional leadership growth and development. Data collection occurred through interviews, observations during principal-led JEPD sessions, and document review after which information was coded, and themes were identified resulting in thick, rich descriptions of the experiences of principals. The findings of this study suggested that participants' growth in leadership development was unfocused and unmeasured. The study supports positive social change by providing professional development to promote and measure instructional leadership development of principals as they implement a system of JEPD for the teachers of their respective schools. Principals, teachers, and ultimately students will benefit from focused leadership development.

Creating meaningful and effective professional development (PD) programs for K-12 teachers is an ongoing challenge. The problem is exacerbated when PD models are implemented without fully aligning PD resources and plans with the training needs of teachers and the organization. The guiding question sought to understand the experiences of teachers at an online charter school about the implementation of PD as a means for improving student outcomes. The purpose of the study was to find ways to enhance PD in order to improve student outcomes at the school. The conceptual framework for this study is interwoven through the constructs of student-centered learning, adult learning theory, transformational learning, self-directed learning, and emotional intelligence (EI). A qualitative case study was used in an appreciative inquiry approach that included a document review, written response survey, a positive assessment of EI skills, and focus group interview with 5 teacher participants. The EI data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to create an average EI profile for the group, and qualitative data were analyzed using inductive and comparative techniques. The results indicated that the teachers desired more focused PD that aligns to organizational goals, is collaborative, and includes support from leadership. Results informed the design of a workshop for school administrators focused on designing a PD implementation plan. This study promotes positive social change by increasing understanding of teachers' professional learning experiences and proposes a research-derived PD planning and implementation cycle in order to increase student achievement at the school.

In spite of a 2009 memorandum from senior Air Force leaders calling for civilian employees to participate in nonresident Professional Military Education (PME) courses, employees' PME completion rates have remained low. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of nonresident PME held by 12 employees at an installation with a nonresident PME completion rate of less than 3% in 2013. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior guided the 5 main questions that asked participants to describe their familiarity with nonresident PME course content, availability, and structure; as well as their perceptions of organizational support for PME course participation, their capacity to complete PME courses, the role of nonresident PME in their leadership development, and the importance of PME completion for attaining their career goals. The data were manually coded and organized according to the emergent themes and subthemes. None of the participants identified any external barriers to nonresident PME completion, but factors such as supervisor support, prior participation in enlisted PME, personal interest in PME course content, and inconsistent hiring practices influenced participants' perceptions of nonresident PME for their professional development and career progression. The findings and prior research suggest the Air Force should educate PME eligible civilians regarding the benefits of nonresident PME, conduct focus groups to discover employees' specific learning needs, and assist supervisors in establishing effective mentoring relationships. These actions have the potential to enhance employee motivation, to align employee development with organizational goals and objectives, and to increase supervisor-subordinate collaboration.

Limited data connect teacher training in arts integration (AI) to evidence that students benefit from arts integrated instruction. As teachers are challenged to facilitate instruction for a wide continuum of learning needs, and students are challenged to demonstrate learning through high-stakes testing, more data are needed on how teachers learn and transfer AI strategies to classroom practice. Teachers (N = 38) from five elementary schools learned multi-modal AI strategies via the Intensive Development through the Arts (IDEA) model. Interview data in this concurrent mixed methods study illustrated the IDEA experience as a positive influence on (a) the learning environment, (b) teacher practice, and (c) addressing student diversities. Classroom observations, with the use of an observation rubric, documented the transfer of AI strategies to classroom practice. A Likert-type survey assessed teacher beliefs of self-efficacy in the practice of AI strategies. Findings revealed that sustained collaboration with artist/educators and student modeling were significant components of the IDEA model, and that Acting Right (c) provided the foundation necessary for successfully implementing AI strategies. Results indicated no significant correlations between IDEA level, years teaching experience, and teacher beliefs of self-efficacy. The significance of this study is the connection of teacher AI training to teacher practice, and effective teacher practice to increased student achievement.

Studies suggest that many promising new teachers who experience isolation do not reach their full potential and may leave the teaching profession prematurely. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the experience of isolation among new teachers and the potential for teacher attrition in an urban school district in the northeastern U.S. Grounded in constructivist theory, the phenomenological research design examined in-depth interview data collected from 8 new public elementary school teachers with three or less years experience. A coding procedure began by extracting key phrases and statements from the raw data and reduced information into categories and themes based on frequency and alignment to the research focus. An analysis of the thematic data revealed several shared factors regarding mentoring and isolation including consensus that mentoring was instrumental in reducing feelings of isolation, that isolation is experienced in different ways and to varying degrees, and that new teachers have a strong desire to remain in the profession, but might leave their current assignment due to feelings of isolation. It was concluded that new teachers participating in the study found that mentoring and a strong belief in the importance of education helped them feel less isolated and more connected to their learning community. Recommendations for action included implementing quality induction programs for new teachers, requiring participation in these programs for at least two years, and providing better peer mentoring experiences for new teachers. These recommendations have the potential to create a more positive experience for new teachers. This study has implications for positive social change in new teacher training which involves mentors, school leaders, peer coaches, and communities of teachers working together to meet the needs of today's new teachers.