Education Commons^™

Gifted And Unserved: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Promise Scholar Program On Reducing The Racial Segregation Of Gifted Education, Reby Helland

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

There is a crisis in gifted education across our nation. Gifted programs are disproportionally identifying and servicing middle-class White students while systematically ignoring minority students. The Promise Scholar Program was developed by the Kent School District as a method to tackle the underrepresentation of minority students in their gifted education program. This elementary talent development model places promising minority students into gifted classrooms, exposing the participants to advanced and accelerated curriculum. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of this program as way to increase the identification of minority students for gifted education. Through the analysis and comparison of student …

Utilizing Assessment Resources To Support Classroom Instruction In Mathematics, Jennifer A. Judkins

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Mathematics teachers in the state of Washington have the responsibility of helping students develop the knowledge and skills included in the Mathematics K-12 Learning Standards (also known as the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics) and measured by the Smarter Balanced summative assessments in mathematics. A great need existed for teachers to have additional support to help students learn the standards and be prepared to demonstrate their knowledge on the Smarter Balanced assessments as well as more working knowledge of how to utilize the supports provided within the system of Smarter Balanced. Mathematics educators in the state of Washington were …

Building On Community: A Community-Built Pipeline Of Community College-Educated Secondary Mathematics Teachers Of Color, Maria J. Gross

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The race/ethnic gap between secondary mathematics teachers and their students is widening as more students of color enroll in public schools. Community colleges serve local and diverse populations. Historical focus was on elementary education, but, nationally, community college students prepare for careers in secondary mathematics education. Despite Washington State’s strong community college network, few defined secondary mathematics teacher pathways exist. Washington State community colleges’ role in preparing secondary mathematics teachers of color is emerging but is not sufficient to overcome the secondary mathematics teacher shortage and race/ethnic gap.

The purpose of this case study was to understand the role community …

Surviving Or Thriving: Educator Change Following School-Based Trauma, Mona M. Johnson

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Situated in the Pacific Northwest, this qualitative study explored coping, change, and systemic support experienced by thirteen K-12 educators following a school-based trauma. It is based on a theoretical framework of posttraumatic growth, the systematic study of how individuals are changed by traumatic encounters in positive ways. Study participants witnessed school shootings, physical assaults, or accidents resulting in injury or death and were responsible to care for the life and death needs of others.

Research questions guiding this study: (1) How do educators cope following school-based trauma? (2) How do educators change following school-based trauma? (3) What systemic supports are …