<p> Institutions of higher education are increasingly faced with global forces. Consequently, colleges and universities must internationalize in order to stay relevant when faced with global forces. One means by which post-secondary institutions are internationalizing is by offering students international service-learning experiences. During these experiences, students acquire intercultural competencies and a more in-depth understanding of the educational content delivered throughout their educational career. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the acquisition of intercultural competencies by twelve participants attending the University of Montana and Montana State University. Participants were interviewed, utilizing questions about the understanding of intercultural competencies, the acquisition of said competencies, institutional preparation for and follow-up of international service-learning experiences, and the impact of international service-learning experiences on subsequent coursework. The results of this study show that participants&rsquo; home institutions offered very little preparatory and follow-up intervention. Despite the lack of institutional intervention, participants acquired six intercultural competencies associated with this study and utilized self-guided reflection exercises to make sense of their shared experience after having returned to their home institution, which resulted in a more robust post-experience education. Additionally, participants re-evaluated professional and academic ambitions based on their exposure to social inequities and drastically different gender norms from those of their native cultures. The results of this study have implications for colleges and universities wishing to facilitate international service-learning opportunities for undergraduate students. Despite a lack of institutional interventions, participants were greatly impacted by their international service-learning experience, suggesting that the impacts might be more profound with additional institutional intervention.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto design research study was to determine the impact of a teacher leadership professional development academy on teacher leaders&rsquo; use of the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership behaviors as measured by the Leadership Practices Inventory. </p><p> <b>Methodology</b>. The research was a quantitative ex post facto design. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> The results of the analysis revealed a significant difference in teacher leadership behaviors before and after participation in a transformational leadership professional development academy. </p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> This study responded to the call to provide teachers, administrators, districts, policymakers, and researchers new insights on transformational teacher leadership, which was deemed important to assist and develop teachers to lead or co- lead through this time of great change in education. Understanding the difference in leadership scores before and after participation in a teacher leadership professional development academy could assist teachers, administrators, districts, policymakers, and researchers to develop and set expectations for transformational teacher leadership professional development. </p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> Provide teacher leaders, administrators, superintendents, and pre- service teachers with transformational leadership development on the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. Provide opportunities for 360-degree feedback with the use of the Leadership Practices Inventory in conjunction with the use of the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. </p><p>

<p> The literature on childhood learning has shown that numerous factors lead to student achievement. A student must access personal resources to successfully navigate their educational and social world. This study sought to determine if intervention promotes students&rsquo; social, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation, as well as implications for readiness to learn. The study&rsquo;s sample was comprised of 75 kindergarten students in a general education public school setting that received 90 minutes of intervention weekly in their natural classroom environment. The 10-week intervention consisted of direct instruction within the classroom for 30 minutes twice weekly by the teacher and researcher, with three 10-minute &lsquo;check-in&rsquo; periods throughout the week to provide feedback and reinforcement. Several qualitative and quantitative tools were used to analyze the impact of the intervention, including the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS), teacher surveys, a post-intervention teacher focus group, home program, researcher&rsquo;s observations, and parent reports. The major findings included a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test results following intervention. Consistency and teacher support were reported as contributing factors. Teachers, parents, and students indicated that the researcher&rsquo;s lessons and intermittent reinforcement made a significant impact on the positive outcome of the intervention program. The results showed that students demonstrated the use of tools and terminology related to self-regulation in their school and home environments. Additional analysis suggested that three quantitatively identified &ldquo;at risk&rdquo; students, who consistently participated in the home program, were no longer in the at risk range, following intervention. Based on the Grounded Theory Framework, unique components of an effective self-regulation program emerged to provide implications for practice and further research recommendations. </p><p>

<p> Preparing more students for success in college, career, and civic life is of critical importance, particularly for traditionally underserved students. Improvement science represents promising ideas and practices for how to achieve greater outcomes for students, particularly at scale. In this dissertation, two projects were undertaken related to college, career, and civic readiness, one to reduce chronic absenteeism and the other to increase Cal Grant award rates. Using improvement science methodology, chronic absenteeism was reduced by up to 85% across three schools and Cal Grant award rates increased from 35% to 46% across five high schools. These projects were written up according to guidelines for reporting on improvement projects taken from healthcare. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze evidence of connection between an outperforming nontraditional urban school and minority students&rsquo; high academic achievement. The factors examined were instructional practices, leadership practices and school culture.</p><p> An outperforming nontraditional urban high school was selected based on four criteria: a consecutive graduation rate above the California state average for the last three years, an A-G completion rate above the California state average, a drop-out rate below California state average and a consecutive passing rate for the school&rsquo;s California High School Exit Exam above the California state average for last three years.</p><p> This qualitative study examined organizational practices that narrow the achievement gap at an outperforming nontraditional urban school. Identified in the study are the efforts to address the achievement gap along with the impact the achievement gap had among diverse populations and the solutions to these issues. The study analyzed high school completion rates, various test scores, and A-G course completion to determine outperforming criteria. Data were collected via surveys, staff interviews, document analysis, and classroom and campus observations. The data were triangulated to identify organizational practices that narrow the achievement gap through the lens of instructional practices, leadership practices, and school culture. </p><p> The results of the study addressed the following research questions: (1) what instructional practices exist in outperforming nontraditional schools; (2) what leadership practices exist in outperforming nontraditional urban schools that address the achievement gap; and (3) what is the school culture in outperforming nontraditional urban schools. The study used qualitative methods because the researcher needed to identify ways in which the information was interconnected and the manners in which the three focal points interacted with one another. The study revealed that outperforming nontraditional schools pay special attention to creating a culture that is student centered, where every stakeholder takes into account how any instructional, cultural, and leadership decision will impact the academic outcome of students. In addition, outperforming nontraditional urban schools have sustainable and consistent systems of communication for all stakeholders; a relevant and timely system for offering appropriate professional development for their educators, and a culture that fully supports a career and college ready mentality, where every stake holder has identified themselves as a long-life learner.</p><p>

<p> Report cards and standards-based assessing, grading and reporting continue to be relevant topics of focus for educators. This qualitative study is based on a problem of practice in a school district in northern Illinois that recently implemented standards-based report cards (SBRCs). This study developed while I was a principal of an elementary school during initial implementation of SBRCs. This dissertation expanded from the initial focus on understanding parental perspectives of SBRCs to better understanding the communicative value of SBRCs and professional development that could help parents and teachers. </p><p> The research question that informed this qualitative study is: How do parents perceive the strengths and weaknesses of SBRCs? The parents in this study provided insight about strengths and challenges of SBRCs and explained why different teacher communication during the SBRC process provided them with a more comprehensive understanding of their child&rsquo;s academic performance in school. Effective implementation of SBRCs should maximize comprehensive communication throughout the entire process to enhance parent understanding. Findings from this study can be used by school districts to focus their efforts, knowledge, and professional development on standards-based assessing, grading and reporting that will directly impact the teaching, learning, assessing and communicating in schools.</p><p>

<p> In an age of accountability, schools worked harder than ever to standardize and measure their curriculum, instruction, and assessment to improve student learning. Yet, despite all the efforts made to increase the rigor and the learning of students to compete in the workplaces of the twenty-first century; the gap of career readiness seems to have gotten wider (DeYoung, 1989). The problem is students graduating from high school today in America are not adequately prepared to enter the work force without additional training. This is a serious problem for employers, as well as, a challenge to hire competent employees to compete in a global economy.</p><p> The researchers read books, articles, and journals to identify what skills employers considered employability skills and deemed essential and critical for workplace success. The literature provided foundational knowledge of the types of skills educators deemed essential and important for work readiness. The researchers analyzed which skills employers needed graduates to possess and what was being done in Kansas City area high schools to ensure students graduate ready for employment; in particular, the acquisition of applied skills and academic skills. This was accomplished by surveying high school principals and conducting interviews with district leaders in the Kansas City area. Graduates need more skills, in particular, applied skills to be successful in the workplace and employers need more skilled employees to compete in a domestic and global economy; both entities look to the American high school for the pre-employment training needed to be successful in the 21st century. The research literature was clear: graduates need more applied skills: critical thinking, the ability to collaborate, and communication skills emerged as the most important. To this end it is recommended that: Schools should provide more the rigor and the relevance in the instructional opportunities students experience in school; establish a credible work readiness credential for high school graduates; provide more access to pre-career opportunities for more students to differentiate and customize an educational experience to meet their individual needs; increase career awareness and an individualized plan of study for each student; and adjust diploma requirements for high school graduation to require credits in applied skills.</p><p>

<p> Turnover in intercollegiate athletics leadership often results in an interim director of athletics appointment, which is a quick solution to fill a gap in leadership until a permanent successor can be named. Not only is interim leadership a convenient option for the institution, it can also provide an individual the opportunity to serve in a senior leadership position that may otherwise be difficult to obtain. Although there are many advantages to serving as an interim director of athletics, those who serve in the role are also faced with a number of challenges that have implications to the individual and institution during the temporary appointment. </p><p> This dissertation captured the experiences of interim National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) directors of athletics. Through the use of qualitative interviews, the dissertation explored and described the perceived benefits, challenges, and institutional support experienced by fifteen participants who had served and completed their appointment as an interim NCAA director of athletics. Bridges&rsquo; (2004) Transition Theory Model, and the Human Resource Frame of Bolman and Deal&rsquo;s (2013) Organizational Reframing Model provided the conceptual framework to analyze the data of this study. </p><p> The study found that participants experienced change that triggered their transition into the interim director of athletics role causing them to let go of an old identity with which they were familiar. Participants also experienced varying degrees of unfamiliarity as they adapted to new job tasks, experienced increased workloads, and managed new and old relationships. Ultimately, participants experienced acceptance of their role as interim by building the confidence and skills needed to be successful before they transitioned out of the interim director of athletics position into their next role. </p><p> Recommendations for policy include the need to develop NCAA and institutional guidelines to provide a go to guide in how to efficiently and effectively support an interim director of athletics. Practice recommendations include the implementation of procedures that encourage professional learning and growth opportunities. Finally, future research should examine employment trends and provide different perspectives on the experiences of interim NCAA directors of athletics, such as gender and race differences, family dynamics, and staff perception.</p>

<p>Every year, tens of thousands of students transition from middle to high school or from one high school to another. Most of these student transitions are moving from one traditional school to another. This study sought to explore the experience of high school students as they transitioned to their new, very non-traditional, full-time virtual school. This study first profiles eight high school students that transitioned to their current full-time virtual high school during the 2016-2017 school year. Next, it summarizes their thoughts on what school-based practices helped them during their transition. Finally, it presents their recommendations for their school to make the transition easier for future students. This qualitative, phenomenological study utilized semi-structured interviews to gather data on their rich lived experience of transitioning into a full-time virtual school. The 8 full-time virtual high school students were selected because they entered a full-time virtual high school for the first time during the 2016-2017 school year and were willing to share their experiences. The interview questions were designed and validated to elicit sincere, authentic recollections of their experiences transitioning from their old school to their new one. One-on-one, personal interviews were conducted and recorded virtually using Adobe Connect and were coded and analyzed using Atlas.ti qualitative analysis software. This study resulted in four conclusions. First, students participated in orientation, but it was inadequate for the needs of student transitioning into a virtual setting due to the lack of social interaction. Second, communication between full-time virtual schools and its students is vital for transitioning virtual students. Thirdly, school personnel are an important factor in a student's transition from a traditional high school setting to a full-time virtual one. Fourth, parent/guardians need to be engaged more while their student transitions to their new school. In summary, this study might help full-time virtual schools design transitional programs that meet the needs of this unique group of students.

<p> This study explores the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions (PBIS) in an alternative school located in a large, urban, inner-city school district. It focused on determining the consistency of the implementation with the culture and climate of the staff and the school and the reduction of office discipline referrals and suspensions. </p><p> PBIS provides an operational framework for providing a system for improving student behavior outcomes to ensure that all students have access to the most effective implemented instructional and behavioral practices. Across the country, thousands of schools are implementing PBIS as a way to improve school culture, safety and climate. Sugai and Horner (2006), the architects of the PBIS framework, claimed that the framework consisted of four integral elements: </p><p> 1. Data for decision-making </p><p> 2. Measurable outcomes supported and evaluated by data </p><p> 3. Practices with evidence that these outcomes are achievable </p><p> 4. Systems that efficiently and effectively support implementation of these practices </p><p> The results of this mixed-methods study determined that there was a reduction in the number of office discipline referrals since the implementation of PBIS, and the culture and climate of the staff perceptions increased. However, PBIS is relatively new to this particular school in addition to the school district. It is still too early to determine the long-term effects of the implementation. </p><p>