Education Commons^™

Understanding Teacher Reported Experiences Of Trauma Professional Development/Training, Mayra Alejandra Gaona

Dissertations

trauma informed education, trauma informed practices, trauma informed schools, trauma professional development

Ethical And Equitable Psychological Assessment Of Black Youth In Chicago Public Schools: A Coaching Model For Cps School Psychologists, Haley Biddanda

School of Education Capstone Projects

This capstone seeks to examine multiple factors that affect Black youth in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) during the psychological evaluation process, and subsequently develops a coaching model for CPS school psychologists to provide more ethical and equitable psychological evaluations for Black youth. An analysis of the system of CPS finds that Black students are more likely to receive special education services and be placed within restrictive settings in special education than their white peers. Despite this, CPS school psychologists receive no training specific to evaluating or working with Black youth. A review of the literature reveals that there are multiple …

Exploring School Psychologists' Perceived Preparedness, Self-Efficacy, And Motivations For Practice In Urban Schools, Kiley Callahan

Dissertations

The fundamental goal of school psychological service delivery is to enhance the learning and mental health of all students, regardless of their school setting. However, there is evidence to suggest that school psychologists' professional needs and experiences may differ based on the context in which they work. The urban school context, in particular, is associated with several challenges that may impact school psychology practice, including the impact of systemic barriers, systematic marginalization of children and families, and limited resources. To better prepare school psychologists to support urban learners, efforts to understand their training needs must be prioritized. Still, the views …

Pediatric Mental Health Hospitalizations And The Return To School: School-Based Provider Perspectives On Commmunication, Collaboration, And Systematic Practices, Lauren Elizabeth Carr

Dissertations

The provision of pediatric mental health services has changed greatly over the last several decades with more children and adolescents requiring intensive mental health treatment. Despite this increase, systemic barriers continue to prevent youth from receiving appropriate treatment following psychiatric hospitalization. An important aspect of this treatment process includes a child’s return to school, one of the most common environments for a child or adolescent outside of their home. For many children, the hospital-to-school transition team may include regular and special education teachers, school psychologists, social workers or therapists, psychiatrists, medical doctors, case managers, and nurses. Because of this, it …

Teacher Perceptions And Experiences With Self-Regulation Strategies In General Education Classrooms, Sofia Flores-Perez

Dissertations

General education teachers are now serving students with both special education needs and regular education students within a general education environment. Inclusionary practices are increasingly becoming common practice. However, teacher prep-programs concentrate on lesson planning and not enough training is emphasized on classroom management or behavior/academic intervention strategies. There is a dearth of qualitative studies gaining teachers perspectives on this phenomenon. This qualitative study will seek to gain insight about teachers' experiences, perspectives, and practices regarding implementation of self-regulation strategies within a general education setting. the research questions will gain insight on what strategies could look like in a general …

Cultural Responsiveness Among Teachers And School Discipline, Sharon K. Perry

Dissertations

The disproportionality in school staff's discipline practices toward racial minority students (Skiba et al., 2011) are linked to higher levels of suspension and expulsion rates. These practices are also connected to various negative outcomes relative to student achievement and even students completing secondary education (Raffaele-Mendez & Knoff, 2003). the public school population has increasingly become more racially and ethnically diverse; however school personnel, both administrators and teaching staff have largely remained homogenous and predominantly White. as a result, some research has indicated that school personnel's level of cultural responsivity (CR) may impact their discipline practices. Examples of this have included …

Job Satisfaction, Burnout, Occupational Intentions, And Stress Coping Styles Among Illinois School Psychologists, Courtney Ratliff

Dissertations

There is a long-standing shortage of school psychologists (Curtis, Hunley, & Grier, 2004; McIntosh, 2004; Fagan, 2004; Castillo, Curtis, & Tan, 2014). a shortage that allows the social, emotional, and academic needs of American school-children to go under served. to understand better the working conditions that may contribute to this shortage, a sample of Illinois school psychologists were surveyed. the aim of this study was fourfold. First, to collect rates of job satisfaction, the experience of burnout, and the five-year occupational intentions of school psychologists. Second, to measure the rates of occupational stress coping styles. Third, to build a model, …

Investigating Exclusionary Discipline: Teachers, Deficit Thinking, And Root Cause Analysis, Kelsie N. Reed

Dissertations

This study sought to examine school-related predictors of exclusionary discipline practices and racial disproportionality in exclusionary discipline via a mixed-methodology approach involving a quantitative analysis of contextual factors, and a qualitative/quantitative examination of the role of teacher perception in contributing to exclusionary discipline patterns. Relying on publicly available school discipline data, Phase I involved a multiple regression analysis of 200 school districts that were purposefully selected within a state in the midst of school discipline reform to examine the impact of district size, student demographics, teacher demographics, and school funding in predicting the most extreme patterns of exclusionary discipline usage. …

O'Shaughnessy Program Review, Natalya Sagalov

Dissertations

Loyola Academy, a Jesuit High School, seeks to create college-bound students through a rigorous curriculum that focuses on academics, faith, and physical fitness. Students who require additional academic support participate in the O'Shaughnessy program, a structured class that focuses on literacy and student skills. in 2015, the O'Shaughnessy program was changed from a four-year program to a two-year program to better prepare students for the independence of college. the purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of this change while focusing on best practices in secondary reading instruction and study skills in a college readiness framework. as Loyola …

What Have We Done? An Analysis Of Student Handbooks Of Public High Schools In A Suburban County In The Wake Of Illinois Senate Bill 100, Melissa Delarosa Moore

Dissertations

This study presents the findings of a content analysis of student handbooks from 23 public high schools in a suburban Illinois county. A checklist was utilized to compare discipline policy information between handbooks published in the school years prior to and following implementation of Illinois Senate Bill 100. The results included 20 of the 23 schools' handbooks demonstrating an increase in their reflection of Senate Bill 100 requirements from the 2015-16 to 2016-17 school years with approximately half of the schools modifying handbook language from pre- to post-implementation years to remove zero-tolerance policies and reflect policies aligned with the Senate …

Parents' Satisfaction In Non-Title-I And Title-I Schools Within The Archdiocese Of Chicago, Alex Hill

Dissertations

Parents' attitudes about their children's schools matter. Their views can shape their children's attitude about school and influence their residential and school enrollment decisions. This paper describes the use of two survey scales, an existing survey, Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey and a survey developed by the research, Parent Survey, to assess parents' level of satisfaction at their child's school. Specifically, one Catholic school that has students who are recipients of Title-I funds and one Catholic school that does not have students who are recipients of Title-I funds were used in this study. The Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey is a Likert scale used …

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With A Teacher Component: Outcomes Examined In A School Setting, Kelly Marie Holmes

Dissertations

Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011; Kronenberg et al., 2010). Fortunately, there are interventions that can ameliorate these problems. In particular, trauma-focused, interventions are effective in reducing trauma related symptomatology and problems among youth (Cary & McMillen, 2012). Trauma exposure among youth is common and can result in long-term social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Finkelhor, Turner, Hamby, & Ormrod, 2011). Additionally, most youth receive mental health services in schools (Green et al., 2013). Fortunately, there are school-based, trauma-focused interventions that have been found to …

Home/School Collaboration And The Development Of A Growth Mindset Within Gifted Students, Lauren A. Carlson

Dissertations

Studies show that curricula related to mindset can have a positive effect on increasing growth mindset in students. Literature also suggests that messages students receive from parents about their skills and hard work can have implications for mindset development. In this project, the researcher explored the knowledge, exposure, and involvement of parents of gifted students in a small suburban K-8 school district with regard to growth mindset instruction. The researcher also explored how teachers can increase home school collaboration in regards to growth mindset concepts. The researcher used a survey questionnaire and a semi-structured interview through a focus group format …

The Mckinney-Vento Act: Moving Beyond Aspirations To More Effective Implementation, Michael Cermak

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to investigate teachers' knowledge of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McK-V; the Act) and their perceptions of how to best meet the needs of the population of homeless students in schools. The literature base has shown that implementation of the Act has been largely inconsistent due to the lack of formal implementing regulations and a lack of awareness on the part of many educators. A professional development presentation was developed for teachers in order to increase their knowledge, and following the use of a pre/post/ delayed post-test survey, ascertain the impact of …

The Real Deal: A Program Evaluation Of A Teen Pregnancy Program, Sejla Dizdarevic

Dissertations

Teen pregnancy rates within the United States continue to be the highest amongst developed countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Real Deal, a teen pregnancy prevention program currently implemented in a high school in a Midwestern state, has a short- and/or long-term impact on students' a) perceptions of taking care of a baby by oneself, b) abstaining from sexual activities, c) delaying pregnancies until obtaining a post-secondary education, and d) delaying pregnancies until after marriage. Furthermore, the study evaluated staff perceptions on a) ease of program implementation and b) adequacy of the content within the …

Socio-Ecological Moderating Factors In The Grit-Academic Achievement Relationship, Keeshawna Brooks

Dissertations

There has been a recent focus in research on a concept that centers on an individual’s ability to be persistent in the pursuit of their goals. This concept, referred to as grit, is an addition to the conversation about noncognitive measures that show promise to positively affect student academic performance. However, with the salient focus on the individual qualities that contribute to student success, it is important to avoid looking at these student qualities in isolation from the socio-ecological milieu (Ysseldyke, Lekwa, Klingbeil, & Cormier, 2012). Situating individual student qualities within Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological framework can be particularly helpful when seeking …

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of The Social Emotional Needs Of Middle School Students, Vicky Karahalios

Dissertations

Middle school is a critical transition for all school-aged youth. On a personal level they experience rapid changes across several areas of development. Their environment simultaneously adapts as schools’ expectations seem greater and social pressures arise. During this juncture, they are more vulnerable to academic and psychological difficulties. Research findings demonstrate how positive school climates have the ability to moderate the detrimental effects of middle school students’ self-criticism on internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Kuperminc, Leadbeater, & Blatt, 2001). Historically schools have responded to the social emotional challenges students face at an individual level, however these finding points to the importance …

An Examination Of School Psychologists’ Exposure To And Preparedness To Support Transgender Students In Schools, Natalie Meier Meier

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine school psychologists’ professional practice in relation to transgender youth. The frequency with which school psychologists engage in the professional guidelines outlined by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) in their position statement: "Safe Schools for Transgender and Gender Diverse Students" was explored as well as school psychologists’ feelings of preparedness to complete these duties. Results indicate rural practitioners and school psychologists in elementary and middle schools feel the least prepared to implement the NASP best practices for serving transgender students. School psychologists working in non-rural and high school settings with more …

Entre Dos Tierras: Between Two Lands: Stories Of Latinx Immigrant Students In Us Public High Schools, Yahaira Diaz

Dissertations

The election of the 45th president of the United States has increased a sense of anxiety, fear, and xenophobia for many in our country. The divisive campaign and current discussion of policy is demeaning towards LGBT communities, people with disabilities, women, and ethnic minorities, specifically the immigrant population. The nation’s current preoccupation with and much deserved attention towards a comprehensive immigration reform and the continuance of immigration into the United States has impacted the rise of anti-Hispanic hate crimes and xenophobia (Shihadeh & Barranco, 2013; Stacey, Carbone-Lopez, & Rosenfeld, 2011; Yakushko, 2009). Educators report an increase in hostility against immigrants …

Shaping Black Boys: Exploring School Construction Of Masculinity And The Impact On Black Male Scholastic Perceptions Toward Academic Achievement And Schooling, Kisha V. Jenkins

Dissertations

African American boys face unique challenges. They are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than any other racial group (Losen, 2015). Equally disturbing, African American male students are largely suspended for more subjective and ambiguous reasons such as appearing “threatening or disrespectful” (Verdugo, 2007, p. 60). Research on teacher bias in the classroom has indicated that “African American males are generally viewed as possessing characteristics incongruent with academic success (e.g., laziness), valuing athletics over academic accomplishments, and having a propensity toward aggression and violence” (Thomas & Stevenson, 2009, p. 162). These issues experienced by African American males …

Student, Caregiver, And Educator Perspective Of School Discipline Policy And Practice, Tawann J. Jackson

Dissertations

African-American students have historically been disproportionately represented in exclusionary discipline practices in our nation's public schools. Regardless of this fact, research has consistently shown that African-American students do not get into more trouble than students of other races, nor do they commit more severe infractions. Previous studies have explored factors such as student behaviors; low academic achievement; and socioeconomic status as reasons for the high rate of suspensions, yet when controlling for these factors race continues to make a difference in the imbalance of exclusionary discipline practices among African American students. "Implicit racial bias" has been associated as a contributing …

Examining The Impact Of Web-Based Training Modules Among Special Educators And Paraprofessionals Who Support Students With Autism, May Ahn

Dissertations

Although researchers have clearly identified evidence-based ABA practices for children with autism, the research-to-practice gap in implementation continues to exist in schools. This may be due to lack of staff development and knowledge in specific instructional methods (Odom, Collet-Klingenberg, & Hatton, 2010). Moreover, the delivery of training may be a factor in staff development. For example, workshops are one of the most common ways professionals access training (Brock, Huber, Carter, Juarez, & Warren, 2014). However, workshops often have limited impact on implementation of new knowledge. Advances in technology have made online training more accessible for educators as a delivery option. …

An Exploration Of African American Parents' Level Of Trust In Special Education Meetings, Kizin Burton-Fox

Dissertations

There is a plethora of research to suggest that there are a number of benefits to parent participation in a student's education, including improved education outcomes for students (Cheung & Pomerantz, 2012). However, there has been no real consensus on whether or not African American parents demonstrate appropriate involvement in their children's education since parent participation has typically been defined according to the norms of White middle class culture (Fields-Smith, 2005). Nevertheless, African American students have been found to demonstrate some of the lowest levels of academic achievement compared to their White counterparts, even when socioeconomic factors are taken into …

An Examination Of Multicultural Competence And Racial Colorblindness Among School Psychologists, Sandy D. Flores

Dissertations

The field of school psychology has developed a strong commitment to culturally competent practice. However, there is a lack of literature examining multicultural competence among school psychologists. The present study sought to address this need using a two-pronged approach. First, the study expanded the research base for a self-report multicultural competence scale by administering the measure to a sample of practicing school psychologists. Second, the study investigated the relationship between racial colorblindness and self-perceived multicultural competence among school psychologists by administering an additional racial colorblindness measure. Given that similar fields have identified the negative impact of racial colorblindness on multicultural …

Elementary Principals' Perceptions Of School Psychological Services, Tiffany Marie Voight

Dissertations

There is a growing need for school psychologists to reform and restructure their roles in order to meet the mental health needs of student populations (Adelman & Taylor, 2003). Many school psychologists, district (school psychologists serving multiple schools) and building (school psychologists serving one school) are in favor of changing roles and responsibilities, but are faced with resistance from administrators when advocating for change (Adelman & Taylor, 2003). The purpose of this research study was to investigate elementary principals' perceptions about school psychological services. Survey research was utilized to measure elementary principals' perceptions of school psychological services provided by district …

Childhood Obesity Programming In Schools: A Mixed Method Program Evaluation Of The Cope Healthy Lifestyles Teen Intervention, Lindsay Viellieu

Dissertations

The current study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the COPE Healthy Lifestyles TEEN program with adolescent females within a suburban high school setting. The program assessed changes in Body Mass Index, knowledge and behaviors relating to nutrition and physical activity and self-concept. The study also focused on participants' perspectives on program components and how those components facilitate change. The results of this study indicate the program increased knowledge relating to nutrition and physical activity; behaviors relating to physical activity; and self-concept. Given the on-going nature of the childhood obesity epidemic worldwide and the relationship between mental health and …

Grit In The Classroom, David Anthony Vaughn

Master's Theses

In the United States today, educational opportunity is not equally distributed. Statistical data show a persistent educational achievement gap that disproportionately affects students of color or with a low socioeconomic status. There have been countless efforts to reform this inequality within the American school system; however, many efforts have ignored underlying issues regarding power structures and may instead be rooted in the biased beliefs of dominant culture. Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) Public Charter Schools, in particular, emphasize seven character strengths that are intended to promote success for their students and bring them to and through college. Such traits may …

The Parent Advisory Council For Spanish-Speaking Parents: A Program Evaluation, Alison Alves

Dissertations

English Language Learning (ELL) students comprise the largest growing group within schools in the United States (Arias & Morillo-Campbell, 2008; Kindler, 2002 as in Ochoa & Rhodes, 2005). Such large numbers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students within schools has led governing institutions to mandate efforts be made to establish greater connections to these families (Tellez & Waxman, 2010). One of these mandating documents is the Illinois State Board of Education Administrative Code which pertains to Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) of CLD students. This code states that schools with a TBE program must create a parent advisory committee that …

Collaborative Community Prevention: An Ecological Approach To Mental Health Support For Children In Rural America, Adria Casey Mcpherson

Dissertations

There exists a dearth of research literature devoted to informing mental health practice in rural areas. However, what little research that does exist surrounding children’s mental wellness in rural places describes mental health programs as being smaller, under-served versions of their urban counterparts (National Association for Rural Mental Health, 2001). Mental health collaboration in rural areas is a clear need and an ongoing challenge. This study aims to address these concerns by reviewing relevant theories, analyzing one rural community’s mental health needs, and identifying next steps in mental health service delivery for this community.

Additional research surrounding the mental health …

Exploring The Impact Of Mindfulness On Adolescents: A Mixed Methods Approach, Poonam Desai

Dissertations

As social emotional learning gains greater focus, identifying effective interventions for high-risk students, such as students with Emotional/ Behavioral Disorder (EBD), becomes a priority. Mindfulness, as an intervention, offers a unique set of skills to increase emotional awareness and regulation, while also teaching key social emotional skills (Singh et al, 2007). Mindfulness, or the nonjudgmental observation of one's thoughts, feelings, and emotions, has roots in Buddhist philosophy, but is used secularly in the fields of psychology, medicine, and education (Baer, 2003). In this mixed methods study, the researcher aims to examine the experiences of adolescents who have EBD at an …