<p> The impact of poverty on one rural elementary school&rsquo;s student achievement was measured based on formative and summative assessment data. Student assessment data were examined to determine if strong relationships can be linked between students living in poverty and academic achievement. Additionally, parental perceptions were addressed as to whether or not parents are engaged in their child&rsquo;s education, and if so, does this engagement impact student achievement. The topic was chosen for the relevancy of determining students&rsquo; instructional needs and how best to move the elementary in a positive direction academically. The socio-economic levels of families in the area studied are unlikely to change for the better; however, the level of student academic achievement can change for the better. Presently, elementary schools with high poverty rates and high academic achievement do exist, as described in specific detail in this paper. The data from this study indicated some students currently living in poverty are capable of achieving on a high academic level. The data from this study also showed all students who performed below proficiency within the research sample were also living in poverty. This quantitative study involved examination of how students living in poverty and students not living in poverty achieved academically. Details are provided on how schools with high numbers of students living in poverty can be academically successful.</p>

Learning styles may play an important role in how students learn. Three primary types of learning styles are visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Visual learners prefer to see information to process and retain it. Auditory learners prefer to listen to or discuss information and kinesthetic, learners use their bodies and movement to take in knowledge. Students can learn through any modality, but some researchers argue they do so most effectively when their particular learning style is accommodated. Several populations of students that may be labeled as underachievers, possibly due to their preferences not matching the classroom environment. Visual and auditory learners are most frequently catered to within the classroom. Seemingly, students with kinesthetic learning preferences are often not given the chance to move and experience lessons. This prevents them from using their preferred style which allows them to concentrate on the task at hand and keeps them challenged. Experiential learning also allows students to connect classroom content to real-world applications. Educators, including school counselors, have a responsibility to educate students, teachers and parents about learning styles. Counselors can also advocate for students with different learning styles. Diversifying teaching and counseling interventions to accommodate student learning styles will help American schools function more effectively. / text

<p> This study investigated the effectiveness of a new dropout prevention program, Project WALK, which was launched at a low-income high school in Missouri during the 2012-2013 school year. After examining alarming dropout statistics, Washington High School chose 40 students to participate in a new program, Project WALK, which was designed to use graduation coaches to improve at-risk students' performance. The program's six graduation coaches formed relationships with at-risk students, monitored student progress, and consistently communicated with parents, teachers, and school administrators about the at-risk students. The researcher, an administrator at the school, gathered quantitative data to measure the effects of the intervention and qualitative data to measure the perceptions of the students who participated. The quantitative data collected for this study enabled the researcher to assess whether the graduation coach had an effect on each student's attendance, discipline, and number of credits earned during the time of the intervention compared to other years the student was in high school. The researcher considered secondary data in order to compare students' performances before and after the intervention and thus to test for a correlation between a student's being paired with a graduation coach and student outcomes such as attendance, discipline, and number of credits earned. </p><p> In addition to quantitative methods, the use of qualitative methods enabled the researcher to describe and analyze student perceptions of their experiences. Little is known about the perceived experiences of individual students who are considered to be at risk of dropping out of high school. Because qualitative data on this subject have been lacking, the qualitative component of the present study could lend greater insight into the effectiveness of interventions in students' lives. This study looked at 30 males, 10 females, 20 general education students, and 20 special education students. The results of this study indicated that the graduation coaches were beneficial in preventing dropouts, which suggests that the strategy of using graduation coaches is a promising one for serving at-risk students. These findings inform the work of educational specialists, practitioners, and school systems personnel who design interventions to help reduce the dropout rates in schools.</p>

The problem investigated in this exploratory research is that, with the increasing numbers of students with refugee status enrolled in Arizona's schools, there is no information about the preparation school counselors receive in serving populations specific to students who have refugee status. No hypotheses are proposed in this study. Instead, research questions inquire about how school counselors in Arizona perceive the educational experiences and opportunities of refugee youth, the counseling relationship of students with refugee status and school counselors, and school counselors' attitudes toward working with refugee youth in school counseling programs. The results of this study provide insight into the perception of school counselors in Arizona and their need for additional skills or training to work with refugee youth at their schools.

<p> This study compares developmental assets, restorative practices, and conflict resolution to determine how each of these approaches to working with students relates to various elements of school counseling and the four major components of school counseling programs contained in The American School Counseling Association&rsquo;s National Model. Existing literature on Developmental Assets, Restorative Practices, and Conflict Resolution was reviewed to examine the logistics of each of the models as well as to explore the benefits and limitations of using these processes to improve student outcomes within the realms of academic, personal, and social development. This thesis provides a platform for explaining how various strategies used within Developmental Assets, Restorative Practices, and Conflict Resolution can enable school guidance counselors to utilize evidenced-based practices in their school counseling programs to better serve the schools and the students with whom they work. </p>

<p> Holistic methods have increased in popularity in the American culture. Interventions such as yoga, aromatherapy, mindfulness and walking therapy have been shown to be beneficial for the treatment of both physical and mental illnesses. However, little research exists regarding the use of holistic interventions in the field of counseling. This phenomenological study explores the experience of counselors who integrate holistic interventions into their practice and seeks to determine the essence of their development of self-efficacy. Co-researchers in this study included eight holistic counselors from rural, suburban and urban areas across the United States. Through semi-structured interviews, the co-researchers revealed the significance of personal experience with holistic methods, the influence of client feedback and the experience of formal and informal training on their development of self-efficacy. The findings of this study prompted recommendations for counselors who desire to integrate holistic methods and for the field of counselor education, including increased training and areas for future research.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the unique sexual and religious identity development of sexual minorities who attend evangelical Christian institutions of higher education. Although research exists on sexual identity development and religious identity development, scant research exists as to how these developmental areas interact in sexual minorities who attend evangelical institutions of higher education. The research questions that were answered in this study included the following: How do sexual minority students at evangelical Christian institutions of higher education develop a sexual identity and make choices about sexual expression? How do sexual minority students at evangelical Christian institutions of higher education develop a religious identity? How do these two developmental areas interact in this population? </p><p> Four individuals who identified as sexual minorities were interviewed for this study. Interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis to understand the lived experiences of the participants. The data analysis led to the following emergent themes: <i>evangelical beliefs/narratives about homosexuality, new understanding of faith, current faith development, the closet, coded language, community, romantic relationships, current meaning of sexual identity, intersectional identities, evangelical college culture, vigilance, advocacy, and academic/artistic expression.</i> These themes highlighted how inextricably linked are sexual and religious identity development in this population. Also highlighted were how the individuals resolved their identity conflict with great difficulty but also as empowered changed agents. Clinical and educational applications of the research were also discussed.</p><p>

Due to the ever growing diversity of school populations in the United States, it becomes increasingly more vital that school counselors are efficient in multicultural counseling. As the significance of effective multicultural counseling competencies increases, so too does the importance of accurately assessing these proficiencies. To assess school counselors' ability to implement multicultural techniques, specific constructs must be developed. The central focus of this research is to develop an instrument which accurately assesses the multicultural counseling competencies of school counselors and conforms to standards set by the American School Counselor Association and the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development. By exploring these standards and investigating qualitative and quantitative data regarding current competencies, school counselors can work more effectively with a diverse student body.

<p> This master&rsquo;s thesis proposed an integrative group counseling intervention utilizing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), attachment theory, and mindfulness for youth who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The proposed group is intended as a Tier 2 support in a trauma-informed multi-tiered system of supports on a school campus; however, the group can be offered in mental health treatment settings. Synopses of the research described the symptomology of trauma, detailing the adverse consequences for youth who have experienced trauma, including the neurobiological impairments, mental health challenges, social limitations, maladaptive behavioral outcomes, harmful academic impact, and negative health outcomes. The literature review substantiated the probable benefits of the use each component of this integrative group counseling intervention to support youth with post-trauma difficulties. The integrative intervention is designed to reduce trauma symptomology, improve attachment patterns, and increase mindfulness in youth who have ACEs. Limitations, implications and recommended future research are discussed.</p><p>

<p> Studies have been conducted on the effects of teacher-student interaction and student achievement. However, there is a need to examine the teacher-student interactions concerning at-risk students specifically the foster youth. This grounded-theory study examines the teacher-student interaction and the effects of social-emotional intelligence on the foster youth through qualitative and quantitative methods using the Foster Student Interaction and Social-Emotional Intelligence survey (FSI&amp;SEI) open-ended questions, interviews, and journals. A Southern California District educates approximately 500 foster students. This high school located in the urban district was chosen because they had the highest number of foster youth. The 15 participants who participated in the study consisted of a site administrator, a counselor, teachers, and foster parents. After collecting, the FSI&amp;SEI seven participants agreed to be interviewed. The overall findings of this study indicate that teacher awareness of who their foster students are, struggles foster students face, and intentional conversations regarding the whole child impact the foster student&rsquo;s social-emotional intelligence as well as their ability to form relationships with teachers.</p><p>