Education Commons^™

An Examination Of Educator Perspectives On Career And College Pathways For Black, Indigenous, And Students Of Color With Disabilities, Rachel Anne Herrick

Dissertations and Theses

Black, Indigenous, and students of color (BIPOC students) in high school, who are dually experiencing the socially constructed labels of race and disability (BIPOC-SWD), are not provided with equitable access to Career and College Pathway (CCP) programs, which contributes to a lack of preparedness and success within postsecondary settings. Despite school reform policy efforts that incorporate Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) and Career and College Readiness frameworks, BIPOC-SWD perpetually have lower achievement rates, poorer postsecondary outcomes, and are less prepared for careers or college.

Utilizing a Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) lens, this comparative case study was used to examine educator …

Impacts Of Nontraditional Admissions Criteria On The Admittance And Retention Of Academically At-Risk Student Populations, Kristen Marie Winter

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine impacts of non-cognitive measures in the college admissions process on the retention of academically at-risk student populations. Increasing access to higher education is of benefit to individual and society as a whole. Traditional college admissions practices use standardized testing and GPA, which have been criticized for not being the best sole predictor for college preparedness. The use of non-cognitive measures may increase diversity and equity within the college admissions process.

This study considers students admitted to college through an extended admissions process who have completed short essays addressing non-cognitive measures. These students …

The Elementary And Secondary Education Act (Esea) And Its Reauthorization As The Improving America's Schools Act (Iasa) With Its Impact On Funding, Education Policy, And Supporting The Change For Improvement Of Student Achievement, Kaylee Latocha

University Honors Theses

A comparison of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 and the Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA) of 1994 within the time period they were written in, and contextualizing them historically to discuss their failures and successes. This thesis will examine how they were shaped on a national level by politicians and political activists to create a more equitable system so that funding was beneficial to all students. Education policy formed itself to funding and student achievement as achievement was what determined funding.

The Role Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In The Preparation Of Secondary Teacher Candidates For Successful Teaching Of Diverse Learners: A Multiphase Mixed Methods Case Study, Rosalyn Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

The dramatic demographic shift occurring in this country makes it essential that our nation examines its policies, practices, and values as they relate to culturally diverse learners. That this student population remains underserved needs immediate attention. One arena that can become a part of the solution to the underachievement of diverse learners is teacher education and preparation programming.

The purpose of this research study was to give attention to this issue and to understand what an urban teacher education program (UTEP) with an educational equity and social justice mission does to prepare its secondary teacher candidates (STCs) to work successfully …

Immigrant Students And The College Classroom Climate In Higher Education, Becky Appley Boesch

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, the immigrant population in the U.S. has increased dramatically. This increase has caused educational institutions to try to understand this population and their needs in order to aid in their academic success. While this awareness has surfaced in K-12 education, higher education continues, partly because of a lack of research on these students, to render these students and their needs insignificant. While this paper cannot begin to explore all the questions needed to be answered in terms of this population, it can provide an initial glimpse into one important aspect of education for the immigrant, the university …

Interrupting Generational Poverty: Experiences Affecting Successful Completion Of A Bachelor's Degree, Donna Marie Beegle

Dissertations and Theses

The problem addressed in this study can be stated thus: There are extremely limited numbers of students from the lowest economic class graduating from our nation's institutions of higher education. The challenge to institutions of higher education is how to improve access, support, and successful completion of higher education for students experiencing the most extreme poverty barriers.

Weber's (1946) social-class theory was selected to determine the meanings and interpretations of students from poverty backgrounds in regard to their success and perceived barriers to success in completing college. This theoretical construct is based on the idea that collectively held meanings arise …

Effective Middle School Teaching: Factors That Promote And Maintain It, Judith Ann Smith

Dissertations and Theses

The past thirty years has seen the middle school as an organization come of age and with it a renewed emphasis on meeting the needs of the early adolescent student. Although many current studies have addressed middle school issues, one of the most significant was the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development's Turning Points: Preparing Youth for the 21st Century (1989). It claimed that the middle school is the "last best chance" to turn young lives toward a meaningful future and, in order to do so, schools must be staffed with "expert" teachers.

Once one knows what an "expert" teacher is, …

The Influence Of The Transition Plan In Developing Communication Programs, Yuki Tanaka

Dissertations and Theses

The transition of students with moderate to severe handicaps from school to work and adult life has become a principal concern of special education over the last decade. Despite of these attentions, there has been little attention to the need for including plans for the student's communication needs in his or her Transition Plan. Thus, it is important to study the relationship between the inclusion of a student's communication needs in his or her Transition Plan and the effectiveness of communication programs. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the Transition Plan and the effectiveness of …

Extracurricular Activities In Secondary Schools Of Washington County, Oregon, Alan R. Martin

Dissertations and Theses

The objectives of this study were to, (1) review the opinions of contemporary American educators regarding activity programs in our secondary schools; (2) investigate the activity programs currently provided in the junior and senior high schools in Washington County, Oregon; and (3) offer some suggestions based upon this information. The literature in this field, although somewhat limited, except for periodicals, acquainted the reader with the general area and provided a basis for the review and study of the present practices in Washington County.

The data concerning the practices in the schools studied was obtained through a questionnaire which was personally …