Research data revealed that Mexican Americans have the highest dropout rate of any other Hispanic group. Since Hispanics are becoming the highest minority group in the U.S., the primary purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate what helped third generation low socioeconomic Mexican American A.I.S.D. students successfully graduate from high school. Three former students were selected from three different high schools. The researcher collected data through individual interviews with each participant and with key informants such as parents and school personnel. Issues examined included participant perceptions of factors that kept them in school, the support systems they believed were important, and the challenges they encountered. The overall findings revealed that the three participants had a strong sense of control, positive relationships with peers and school staff, parents who valued education, and strong school support through programs or personnel. Recommendations for educators based on the findings include 1) staff development on building relationships with students and communicating with parents, 2) creation of nurturing and academically rigorous school environments.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education, Faculty of Education, at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / This study examined the effectiveness of student support programmes at a tertiary institution. The aims of the study were:  To determine the students’ perceptions about the existing support programmes.  To determine the students’ satisfactions about the existing support programmes. In accordance with these aims, an investigation of students’ perceptions of different student support programmes was undertaken. The participants were 198 full-time, trained undergraduates assisting in providing/rendering/offering the various student support programmes at different sites/campuses of Walter Sisulu University. Using purposive sampling to select the research respondents, data was collected. A quantitative data analysis was used in order to draw conclusions about the effectiveness and satisfaction of respondents with the existing student support programmes offered at Walter Sisulu University. Research results indicated that:  The objectives of the support programmes are clearly stated and that it is possible to achieve set objectives.  The support programmes contribute to the holistic development of the students.  The majority of the respondents were satisfied with the effectiveness of the support programmes. On the basis of the findings, recommendations for enhancing or contributing to the holistic student support and development were put forward. / Walter Sisulu University

Bangladesh introduced open and distance learning as a means of providing education for people in isolated and remote locations through the establishment of the Bangladesh Open University (BOU). The broad aim of the BOU is to provide flexible and needs-based education to those unable or not wishing to enter conventional educational institutions. The BOU is presently the only university in Bangladesh to provide mass education and also to provide continuing education and professional and technical education to support the existing educational system. The BOU has a mission that encompasses secondary and higher levels of education. BOU operates its programs through a centralised academic and administrative staff, and regional and local offices throughout Bangladesh that organise local tutorials and distribute information and materials. BOU has adult students in all parts of the country, and most of the students live in rural areas. They need support that is appropriate to their local circumstances. Using an interpretive approach, this research examines the support needs of students studying for the Secondary School Certificate and the Bachelor of Education, assesses the effectiveness of current support services and explores alternatives to the current system. The underlying assumption is that support needs to be appropriate to the country’s culture and circumstances, and useful and feasible from the perspectives of students, staff, administrators and senior university officials. To investigate the appropriate support for distance education students, this research was conducted in four sample regions. Two were selected from areas of sparse population where the terrain makes transport difficult and two from areas that are more densely populated and where transport is easier. A questionnaire survey and focus groups were conducted with students, focus groups with local staff and interviews with Regional Directors within the four sample regions. Interviews were also undertaken with central University senior staff to get their perspectives on current and future policies for student support.

The goal of this research was to examine the effects, if any, the programs available from an Academic Support Services unit of a small, private, liberal arts college might have on the grade point averages of students admitted on probation over two major semesters. The assumption was that the students who utilized the services of the Academic Center for Excellence would demonstrate more increases in GPA than students who did not utilize the services. The literature review of this study found that, although there were many factors and student characteristics that could predict and explain student achievement in course work, GPA was a good predictor and the only real measure of a student's performance. The programs designed to offer support are demonstrated to aid students in improving their academic achievement. The results of this study suggest that GPA is a good predictor of a student's academic achievement and a primary method of assessing student academic achievement. However, there was no apparent impact of the support services unit on the grade point averages of the students admitted on probation. Suggested uses for the study included the development of freshman orientation programs that integrate the student into academic life and a retooling of counseling and advising programs.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology / Fred O. Bradley / The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of student support services on the engagement and satisfaction of undergraduate non-traditional students at Kansas State University. For the purposes of this study, student support services were defined as non-academic departments or offices providing support services to students. The research questions were: (1) How do the experiences of non-traditional students, when utilizing the services of university student support staff, impact their engagement and satisfaction? (2) How do non-traditional students regard their experiences with student support services at Kansas State University? (3) What types of programming do student support services at Kansas State University provide for non-traditional students? (4) What level of involvement with student support service functions do non-traditional students find as enhancing their learning experience? Following the completion of in-depth interviews of 20 non-traditional students, five student support staff members and observation of five student support staff offices, the researcher identified the emergence of six themes related to the engagement and satisfaction of non-traditional students: (1) commitment - student’s perceptions of efforts to engage and satisfy them through a commitment of university resources, (2) expectations - demonstration of investment in the students and validation of their presence on campus by communicating clear expectations, (3) support - provision and utilization of support services that promote student success (4) involvement - perceptions of the relationship between student and support staff and opportunities for academic and social integration, (5) learning - efforts to enhance the learning experiences of non-traditional students, (6) feedback – gathering of suggestions for change and improvement to the non-traditional student experience. These themes captured the experiences of non-traditional students while utilizing student support services. Students who develop or experience a positive connection with a student support staff member or faculty member reported that those experiences leave them feeling engaged in the life of the university and satisfied with their student role. Non-traditional students were confused about what student support services were available and how to utilize them. When students seek the help of support staff, the student often left feeling as though the staff do not understand their needs. Student support service offices did not differentiate between programs specifically for non-traditional and traditionally-aged students. Students could identify student support service staff as connectors as playing the role of; academic advisor, admissions representative, financial aid advisor, housing staff member, faculty member or others who take the opportunity to engage with the student.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / David C. Thompson / Teresa Miller / Providing a safe environment for LGBT students can often prove to be a controversial and difficult task, depending on the community of which the school is a part. School leaders need guidance in order to successfully help all students who are bullied. The resource guide imbedded in this dissertation was developed with guiding principles such as key issues, legal responsibilities, obstacles, and existing programs. This guide is meant to provide school leaders with additional comprehensive resources to help them provide support needed specifically for LGBT students. Only through appropriate knowledge and resources can leaders then support these students who need to be protected under basic student rights. Research, Development, and Validation of Paving the way for LGBT Students in Schools: A Road Map for Educational Leaders was developed using the research and development (R & D) methodology by Gall, Borg, and Gall (2007). The seven steps in the R & D cycle included: (1) research analysis, needs assessment, and proof of concept; (2) product planning and design; (3) preliminary product development; (4) preliminary field testing; (5) product revision; (6) main field testing; and (7) the final product revision (Gall, Borg & Gall, 2007). An analysis of the literature, needs assessment questionnaire, and proof of concept results provided information used to develop a prototype. Preliminary field testers using a rating scale and open-ended questions then evaluated the prototype. Revisions were made to the prototype based on their responses. A main field test was conducted with additional experts and final revisions were made based on feedback. Major conclusions of this study included the following: (1) school leaders need more resources to understand how to provide support for LGBT students in schools; (2) this resource guide for school leaders should include legal information, case studies, and vocabulary used with LGBT students; (3) and the R & D process produced a resource guide school leaders can use to understand their rights and responsibilities concerning LGBT Students. The resource guide‘s information includes: (1) key issues related to providing positive support for LGBT students; (2) legal responsibilities and liabilities related to providing protection for LGBT students; (3) obstacles preventing leaders from addressing the issues; and (4) existing research-based practices and field-tested model programs to help school leaders meet the challenges of support in order to provide a quality of education for these students.

Thesis advisor: Mary E. Walsh / The out-of-school factors that low-income children face can impact their wellbeing and ability to learn (Rothstein, 2010), leading to low academic performance, and, in turn, high levels of stress among their teachers. One of the numerous potential strategies that exist to address this problem is the implementation of systemic student support interventions, which are hypothesized to support teachers in addition to students (Ball & Anderson-Butcher, 2014). Using the City Connects intervention as an example of a comprehensive, systemic student support intervention that has demonstrated positive effects for students, this dissertation study examines the impact of this same intervention on teachers. The study used data obtained from annual surveys administered to all teachers in public schools (across several districts) where the City Connects intervention was implemented. The sample consisted of 656 responses from teachers in Boston Public Schools that were participating in the City Connects intervention during three designated school years (2012-13, 2013-14, and 2015-16). The study implemented a mixed-methods approach that allowed for an in-depth analysis of teachers’ perceptions of support from the City Connects intervention through both quantitative and qualitative data sources. Following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the survey instrument itself, survey data was analyzed using the Validating Quantitative Data Model (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007), in which quantitative findings were confirmed and expanded upon through analysis of data from a small number of open-ended survey questions. The results of this dissertation study support the continued use of systemic student support interventions in schools, as data confirm that teachers in schools with City Connects report being supported by the intervention. These results hold for veteran teachers who have been teaching for over sixteen years and have participated in the City Connects intervention for over ten years. Ultimately, the findings of this dissertation study suggest that, in addition to leading to positive changes in students’ developmental trajectories, student support interventions can improve the experiences of other members of the school community. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Thesis advisor: Mary E. Walsh / Developmental-contextual theory asserts that the contexts in which children develop have the potential to foster or inhibit healthy development (Lerner, 1984; 1995). Given the potential for developmental contexts to promote positive development for at-risk children, systemic student support interventions have been developed to change school contexts into more supportive environments for healthy child development (e.g., BCCOSS, 2010; Communities in Schools, 2010; Dryfoos, 2003). The current study examined the effects of one such student support program, City Connects (formerly Boston Connects). Previous evaluation research has found that City Connects positively impacts multiple factors of child development (BCCCFCP, 2009; BCCOSS, 2010). This study expanded upon the evaluation research to investigate the relationship between the City Connects intervention and specific domains of social development: friendship, bullying, peer victimization, relationship with teacher, and school belonging. Positive social development has been found to foster resilience and promote positive child development in other domains. Thus, this study also examined these domains of social development as the mechanisms through which City Connects is related to student report card grades in math, reading, behavior, and work habits. Within the current study sample of 3rd through 5th grade students in 2007, significant direct relationships between City Connects and domains of social development were not found. Since City Connects did not significantly predict improvements in social development, the mediating hypothesis was not supported. However, follow-up analyses revealed indirect relationships between City Connects and domains of social development, which were mediated by report card grades in reading and work habits. Reading grades significantly mediated the relationships between City Connects and school belonging, peer victimization, and bullying behavior. Work habit grades approached significance as a mediator of the relationships between City Connects and school belonging, relationship with teacher, bullying behavior and peer victimization. The current study underscores the complexity of developmental pathways, and the need for complex, multifaceted student support interventions to help support positive child development for low-income, urban children. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.

The purpose of this study was to advance understanding of perceived intellectual and social attainment gains of first-generation, first-year college students participating in First Generation Access Programs at the University of South Florida (USF), a large, public research university in Florida. Understanding the self-reported intellectual and personal/social gains of these students in higher education can lead to higher retention rates, creative strategies that promote academic success, affective cognitive and personal development activities and services that meet the needs of this rapidly growing at-risk student population with their persistence and transition to college. Researchers have sought to examine variables that may help to increase the persistence rates of students by understanding the impact of students enrolled in First Generation Access Programs on first-generation students' academic success, as measured by grade point average. Several studies have indicated that first-generation, first-year college students have pre-collegiate characteristics that impede their intellectual and personal/social growth. In addition, research studies show that First Generation Access Programs are successful in assisting at-risk student populations successful in their transition to and persistence in college. However, there is scarcity of literature that examines the estimates of intellectual and personal/social gains of first-generation, first-year students enrolled in First Generation Access Programs. As such, this study explored the extent to which self-reported intellectual and personal/social gains predict the academic success, as measured by grade point average, for first-generation, first-year college students enrolled in First Generation Access Programs. Theoretical frameworks from higher education were used to provide an understanding of perceived intellectual and personal/social attainment and academic success of first-generation, first-year, students enrolled in First Generation Access Programs for the context of this study. According to Kuh (1995), college impact models from Astin and Tinto and Pusser were studied, as they have been used to assist higher education professionals in understanding "outcomes produced by interactions between students and their institutions' environments..." (p. 126 - 127). In the context of both college impact models, Astin's Inputs-Environment-Outcomes Model (1991) and Tinto and Pusser's Model of Institutional Action for Student Success (2006), results of this study indicated that First Generation Access Programs increase the intellectual and personal/social attainment of first-generation, first-year students. Several statistical analyses were conducted to examine relationships between variables (self-reported intellectual and personal/social gains, gender, and academic success) including multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), simple regression tests, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results of this study were based on the responses of 184 participants. Results indicated that the participants self-reported significant intellectual and personal/social gains. However, findings indicated that there is no statistically significant relationship between self-reported gains and academic success as measured by grade point average, but there is a statistically significant relationship based on gender. One implication for higher education administrators and student affairs professionals is the need to investigate alternative measures for academic success of first-generation, first-year students enrolled in First Generation Access Programs. Grade point average does not seem to accurately measure academic success on perceived intellectual and personal/social gains of this at-risk population. Second, institutions should seek to understand the factors and specific strategies of First Generation Access Programs that increase the cognitive and social growth and development of first-generation, first-year college students so that it may be successfully implemented for first-generation, first-year college students who do not participate in FGAP.

abstract: Inner city high schools today are struggling to create and maintain connections between students' values and schools requirements. Schools attempt to develop ways to help students become a vital part of the school community and provide them with resources to be successful both socially and academically. This study examined how an urban high school in the southwest implemented an academic advisory program to build and maintain the student/school relationship along with hoping to provide the resources to help increase student achievement in core academic programs. Research has identified the importance relationships have on academic achievement and the strong bonds that need to be developed with students and those there to support them. Previous attempts to provide students with the academic support through traditional tutoring in after-school programs have not proven to be successful in providing support students need. These after school tutoring programs have multiple challenges including being voluntary and students having other commitments they are involved with. Incorporating academic advisory programs during the school day is an attempt to overcome these challenges that are experienced with other programs. Using math and English course letter grade distribution comparisons were made to determine if changes in academic achievement occurred after implementation of academic advisory, whether participation in the program for more than one year made a difference on student academic achievement, and finally if academic advisory had any different effect on students that are high, middle, or low achieving. This study could not identify and specific correlation between the academic advisory program and academic achievement. When looking at letter grade distribution data from before implementation and after implementation similar growths and declines are seen with no identifiable trends during the program implementation. Consideration needs to be taken for the limitations identified and the school may want to conduct further review by addressing the limitations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2014