In the state of Utah, adult education students often leave their programs before 100 hours of instruction. This can leave students without the necessary academic knowledge, skills, and credentials to move forward with postsecondary education and training or employment opportunities. This phenomenological study examines the key factors of persistence in non-traditional students ages 25 and over in an urban adult education program who continued beyond 100 hours of instruction. Fourteen students were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol to identify factors that caused them to stay in an adult education program. The interviews with students examined dispositional, institutional, situational, and motivational factors through a student involvement lens. Findings of this study indicate that students who persist generally have high degrees of involvement. While students had fears and concerns about engaging with adult education, the personnel and culture of the program helped them overcome their unease. Students also had a growth mindset that created expectations of discomfort and effort. Institutional factors such as allowing students to choose the modality of instruction and schedule, having focused and relevant instruction, feeling seen, being treated with respect, communicating regularly with students, tracking progress, and providing quality instruction all helped students persist in the program. Students were motivated to persist because of family and a personal desire to move forward. As programs intentionally impact the institutional factors identified in this study, students will be more likely to persist in adult education programs long enough to build the knowledge and skills necessary to find personal success and sustainable employment.

The purpose of this study was to record and analyze students' experiences with dropping out of high school within a social capital framework. Discussing the stories of high school dropouts provided valuable information related to the root causes of dropout behaviors in a social capital context. This information can be used to develop programs designed to increase social capital in schools, families, and communities, which can contribute to a decrease in dropout behaviors. This phenomenological study took a narratological research approach that focused on collecting the lived experiences of high school dropouts within a social capital framework. The context of this study was a high school in an urban school division in Southwestern Virginia. The participants were five high school dropouts who speak English as a primary language and were a part of the general education population at the high school. Triangulation of data sources included field notes, interviews with the participants, and archival documents. A three-iteration code mapping procedure was used for data analysis to provide an audit trail. Narrative descriptions of the life histories of each participant were written. The overarching themes resulting from the analysis across the narratives were that none of the students had relationships with members of their families or communities who had the capacity to assist them in their endeavors to complete school; students had the desire to complete school or obtain a GED, but did not have a relationship with any person outside of the school setting who was persistent with encouragement and knowledge; and the students had access to social capital, but did not understand how to use it effectively. Results and conclusions are included in two articles, one written for publication in Sociology of Education, and the other written for publication in Professional School Counseling. / Ph. D.

Abstract "Societal factors of racism and implicit bias are present in the United States' school systems and they result in inequities in achievement outcomes" (Green., 2016, p. 2). The objective of this qualitative study was to discover more about African American males raised by single mothers, and the perceived factors that helped them complete high school. The interview protocol for this study consisted of fourteen questions. Researching the perceived factors that contributed to the academic success of African American male students who came from single parent households may provide the insight needed to create strategies for schools, communities, and families to help African American males from single parent homes achieve high school completion. This study included a purposive sample of African American male alumni from a high school in Southwest Virginia as participants. The research question is, what perceived factors aided African American males from single parent homes completing high school and the role of their immediate family members, networks which may include teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches, mentorship organizations, places of worship, and after-school programs served as the research question. / Doctor of Education / General Audience Abstract The purpose of the study was to identify the factors African American males raised by single mothers attributed to them completing high school at a particular school in Southwest Virginia. Five African American males who completed high school from 2011 to 2021 were interviewed. From the interviews conducted, the researcher found seven themes. The themes were strong relationships with their mothers, relationships are important, mothers involved in schools, exposure to extracurricular activities and programs, extended family support, religion, and self-determination. School administrators, teachers, and school personnel could use the data from this study. Schools should consider incorporating activities to strengthen mother-son relationships, establish mentorship programs, and school personnel should consider organizing internships for the African American males who are being raised by single mothers.

Troup County, Georgia has been afflicted with elevated teen pregnancy and subsequent teen pregnancy rates. As a result, Circle of Care was developed to reduce the subsequent teen pregnancy rate within Troup County. Circle of Care works with pregnant and parenting teens and their families to enhance their quality of life. A case manager provides information, education and support to enable the teens to stay in school, prevent subsequent teen pregnancies, and prevent child abuse and neglect. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Circle of Care by determining if intensity and duration of program participation have an impact on achieving the desired outcomes for program participants. The results of this research suggest that Circle of Care is reducing subsequent teen pregnancies, increasing educational attainment and decreasing child abuse and neglect among program participants.

School leaders at an urban public high school implemented the Check and Connect (C&C) program to improve student engagement outcomes for at-risk students in 2010-2011. No formal program evaluation of C&C had been conducted in the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 school years to show whether the program was effective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between successful school completion and participation in the C&C program. A quantitative, quasi-experimental program evaluation was conducted to determine whether C&C's student-related variables including cohort, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and truancy predicted students' successful school completion. Archival data of students eligible for graduation (N = 668) were analyzed using chi square tests and logistic regression. Results showed that the model, including C&C participation and all student-related variables, was significant in explaining the variance for successful school completion. Follow-up analyses revealed that C&C participation for the 2013 graduation cohort only, females, and low truancy students were significantly more likely to complete school, suggesting a need for further investigation of the program's implementation strategy. An evaluation report was developed with recommendations to evaluate C&C for implementation fidelity and to consider the use of observable indicators to recruit students for C&C participation who may require targeted or intensive interventions for successful school completion. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change by informing stakeholders of C&C's effectiveness, helping leaders make future decisions about how to approach program implementation and evaluation, and increasing successful school completion.

The purpose of this study was to identify the experiences, attitudes, and successes of a group of high achieving African American female students that impact their on-time high school graduation. On-time graduates are described as students who complete high school in four years. High achieving African-American female students completing high school on time identified factors related to family, school, and community as essential in their success. Several underlying factors are within the three themes that studies show can be used as a way to pilot programs, deter drop-outs from leaving school early, and cohesively work in communities across the United States. A qualitative approach was used to analyze a selected group of high achieving African American females' perceptions to their success in high school. The research questions were: 1. What school factors do a group of high achieving African-American female students perceive as attributing to their on-time graduation from high school with honors and advanced diplomas? 2. What family influences do these high achieving females perceive as attributes to graduating on-time with honors and advanced diplomas? 3. What community influences do these high achieving African American females' perceive as contributors to on-time graduation with honors and advanced diplomas? Twenty-four high achieving African American females' from one high school were eligible to participate in the study. Eight students participated in the study, which included open-ended interview questions and a sentence completion questionnaire. All interview questions were centered on the support provided by the school, community, or family. The results of the study showed parents; specifically the mothers of the participants had the greatest impact on the high achieving African American females' performance in high school. The teachers of the high achieving African American female students were supportive and caring. The community recognition that the high achieving African American females received was a motivating factor to varying degrees. The high achieving African American female participants, in the study, all possessed intrinsic motivation and work ethic to be academically successful. / Ed. D.

The research problem focused on the use of collaboration by managers, supervisors, consultants, and professional staff in a department of public education and health to address disparities in on-time high school completion rates. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of individuals in these public sectors on the use of collaboration as a means to improve on-time high school completion rates for African American and Hispanic students. The theoretical foundation and conceptual framework for the study were John Rawls's theory of justice and Amartya Sen's capability approach. The key research question involved how individuals in the public education and health sectors viewed the use of collaboration to address a complex problem of low rate of on-time high school completion for African American and Hispanic students. The research design was a multiple case study. Seven individuals participated from a department of public education and 4 from a department of public health in the same state. Data were collected and analyzed from participant interviews. Themes were identified from categories and specific codes or words that described the content of the participants' responses. A major conclusion was collaboration between a public education department and public health department can be used as a means to improve on-time high school completion rates for African American and Hispanic students. The implications for social change may be to increase the awareness for a public education department and public health department to routinely work in collaboration to improve on-time high school completion rates of minority and other vulnerable students.