Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Education, Secondary Psychology'

The increase in teacher attrition rates within the state of California since 2000 is of concern to the California Department of Education and districts throughout the state because of a myriad of issues created by the loss of qualified teachers. The cost of replacing qualified teachers and recruiting and training new teachers to replace those who have left is a costly challenge. In California, 13% of new high school teachers leave the profession within the first two years of teaching and 22% leave within the first four years, even after successful completion of a teacher support program funded by the state (Reed, Reuben, & Barbour, 2006). Teacher attrition is a growing concern to both the state and the nation.

In this quantitative correlational study, one public high school within San Diego Unified School District served as a sample reviewed for data relating to teacher job satisfaction and elements of educational leadership that work to promote teacher retention. Data were analyzed to formulate a conclusion regarding job satisfaction and the set of predictor variables including the general quality of administrative leadership within a teacher’s educational environment, problem-solving conducted by the leadership in place, professional respect demonstrated for the educator by school leadership, professional development opportunities for teachers, and projected length of employment of the teacher.

A Bonferroni adjustment was performed on the original alpha level (α = .05) to reduce the likelihood of a type I error (false positive interpretation). Due to the application of the Bonferroni correction, the research study presented the finding that job satisfaction was not related teacher job satisfaction. Recommendations include the integration of relevant, focused professional development opportunities for teachers, with the ultimate goal in mind to retain dedicated, quality educators who seek to improve the lives of their students daily.

The purpose of this mixed methodology study was to explore the perceptions of ability grouping and its possible contribution to the achievement gap within the high school. The researcher asserted that course placement criterion, associated with the College Prep, Honors and Advanced placement ability groups, serve as contributing factors towards maintaining an achievement gap between White, Asian, Black and Hispanic students. The study revealed stakeholder perceptions and concerns regarding the methods involved to place students in College Prep, Honors and Advanced Placement courses as a contributing factor towards maintaining the achievement gap that exists within the district. This study focused on the following research questions: (1) What are the specific beliefs, roles, and influences of teachers, administrators, counselors, students, and parents when determining ability level placement in school? (2) What key factors shape teacher's perceptions of students relative to academic achievement and placement? (3) Does a course placement criterion contribute to the achievement gap? The findings were based upon four data sources: focus groups conducted with parents, teachers/counselors, and students; interviews conducted with three district administrators; an on-line survey completed by parents, students, teachers/counselors and administrators; and a review of archival data regarding course enrollment and High School Proficiency Assessment scores over a period of three academic years.

This action research dissertation revealed fifteen findings of which four themes emerged. The themes are: (1) Beliefs, values, and influences of teachers, parents, and students affect ability grouping decisions; (2) A student's perceived work ethic and grades earned in previous classes influence teacher's decisions regarding ability placement; (3) The parent's right to overrule teacher course recommendations and course placement criterion contribute towards the achievement gap; and (4) Course enrollment and standardized test scores demonstrate the existence of an achievement gap in Central Jersey High School.

This qualitative study explores the external protective factors of family, school, and community as perceived by rural students who live in poverty and demonstrate academic resilience. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that were reported by the students and teachers which supported the academic success of these students in a rural school district. By identifying the common variables among academically resilient students, educators identify practices that support or even cultivate resilience in students who are at risk for failure.

Resilience research has revealed both external and internal protective factors that serve to buffer against the effects of risk factors. Specific to academic resilience, individual attributes have been determined to provide significant internal support to students. External protective factors for students related to the family, school, and community have also been identified. By understanding these external protective factors as they are perceived by students, educators may develop policy and practice to support academic resilience.

The study employed multicase methodology using phenomenological interviews. Participants included six students who demonstrated academic resilience. Triangulation of data sources included in-depth, semistructured interviews with six students and a former teacher of each student, verbatim transcription of all interviews, a document review, and personal observations.

Findings revealed protective factors of connections, expectations, experiences, and instruction supported school success in rural students living in poverty.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact of parental involvement as minority students access information while preparing for college. Two qualitative questions formed the foundation of this study: 1. How does parental involvement contribute to minority students’ access to TRIO? 2. What roles do minority parents play in their children’s education while they are enrolled in TRIO? Participants of this study were minority parents whose children were enrolled in TRIO. In total, 9 minority parents participated in this study – 67% Hispanic, 22% Pacific-Islanders, and 11% Native-American. To collect data a semi-structured interview was used; interviews were face-to-face and lasting approximately one hour. Three themes emerged from participants’ interview: 1) passive parental involvement; 2) the impact of TRIO, and 3) active parental involvement. Examples and a further explanation of each theme are described in the results chapter of this thesis.

Researchers have associated parent involvement in primary schools with the improvement of grades, attendance, and the decrease of negative social behaviors. Consequently, parent involvement has improved in many primary schools. However, in secondary schools, parent participation continues to be deficient, particularly among Latino and African American communities due to language barriers, low incomes, and lack of social networks. Research is needed on how parent participation affects student achievement in secondary schools with underserved populations. Social capital theory provided the conceptual framework to help determine if parent involvement could create parent-school relationships that would lead to improved student academic and behavioral outcomes in a predominantly minority urban charter high school. The quasi-experimental observational study used program data and pre and post archived student records provided over a 2-year period from a convenience sample of 83 continuously enrolled students. Epstein’s framework was used to categorize types of parent involvement, which constituted the independent variables. T tests and chi-squared analyses were used to test the association between the independent variables and dependent variables. The study found a limited association between GPA and ELA grades and certain types of parent participation activities for students overall, but not for English Language Learners. Attendance was not found to be affected significantly and data were lacking on suspensions and expulsions. The results of this study informs administrators who seek to increase parent involvement in order to improve student achievement and decrease the drop-out rate in high schools serving at risk students.

Critical topics of teaching music continue to undergo philosophical evolution as unique concepts and perspectives are introduced by a variety of experts both in and out of the field. One concern among many is the role of the secondary music educator in the ideal classroom for student learning, part of which is impacted by teacher-student rapport. Teacher-student rapport is defined in this paper by the author as an adaptation of the general definition of rapport by Carey et al. (1986a): the quality of relationship between teacher and student that is characterized by communication and mutual, emotional understanding. The following questions were explored through content analysis of an education practitioner journal as well as literary analysis: how are teacher-student rapport-building strategies informed by the behaviorist, cognitivist, constructivist, and humanist schools of psychology; how can the information garnered from a literary analysis guide the transformation of teacher disposition policy; what are best practice techniques for teachers to build rapport in the secondary instrumental ensemble as implied by the data? It is with the data and discussion of this study that the author hopes to support teachers’ positive rapport-building efforts with students in the secondary instrumental classroom through the avenues of immediate classroom application, and policy transformation.

Data reveals that articles in the Journal of Educational Psychology examining positive rapport-building elements most comprehensively cite principles of the constructivist school, and the top three cited psychologists are Albert Bandura, Abraham Maslow, and Jean Piaget. Recommendations for teacher disposition policy transformation are suggested to help preservice teachers cultivate positive rapport-building practice, and they include standards for promoting socio-cultural investment, positive expression, student discourse recognition, reflective practice, empathy, and effective communication. Examples of potential applications in the secondary instrumental music classroom include, but are not limited to, engaging in students’ referential (Reimer, 2010) connections to rehearsed repertoire and permitting exploration of expressive interpretation of said connections; consistently raising standards of musicianship and community in response to achievement through promotion of reflective processes and demonstrations of exemplary performance; recognizing and utilizing students’ abilities to think critically and abstractly about the expression and artistic merit of class repertoire. Other implications of best practice are refined from Bandura’s (1986) self-efficacy, Maslow’s (1943 & 1971) hierarchy of needs, and Piaget’s (1952) schema and genetic epistemology theories. Finally, potential operations in chamber music are presented in relation to constructivist principles.

The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic study was to discover whether a relationship exists between discipline and spirituality in high school males. This study is important because it will apply traditional reasons for Catholics to send their children to private Catholic schools, to the disciplined curricular rigor and spiritual environment offered at one single-gender, military and college preparatory, Catholic high school. This qualitative, ethnographic study investigated the relationship between discipline and spirituality, and the researcher was a participant-observer. The participants were stakeholders, ranging from 18 to 65 years of age. The following data was used for purposes of triangulation: interviews with students, parents, alumni, teachers (faculty group), and observations of teacher practice; a preference survey of alumni; and a comparative study of randomly selected blind (unnamed) student data, from JROTC and Administration records. These data were collected and analyzed to provide validity and integrity to interpreted qualitative data, and added a quantitative component to the study. The researcher's analysis considered the data collected to identify the themes that emerged, and to find the voice of the stakeholder community. The study revealed 8 broad sub-themes that were paired as follows: (a) choice and culture; (b) brotherhood and camaraderie; (c) acculturation and enjoyment; and (d) Catholic and Mass. From the sub-theme pairs 4 overarching major themes emerged. They were choice, brotherhood, acculturation, and Catholic. These major themes represent the heart of the investigation. The study revealed that a relationship does exist between discipline and spirituality. This study contributes to the academic discussion, regarding single-gender education, and a positive learning environment. This study presents an invitation to future research.

The culture of American education that is largely predicated on acquiring the proverbial golden ticket for entrance to an esteemed college has produced the most anxious, stressed, and sleep-deprived generation ever (Jones & Jones, 2006). As students strive to graduate from high school with perfected profiles that impress and garner admission to these colleges, high school success and educational practices are typically focused on achievement as reflected by test scores, grades, college acceptance results, and scholarship offers (Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg, & Walberg, 2004). As a result, instead of prioritizing process-oriented learning that is associated with a growth mindset, achievement performance measures focus on extrinsic rewards often linked with a fixed mindset such as grades, scores, rankings, and awards (Dweck, 2006). As students pursue accolades and marks of achievement, various aspects of learning are supplanted including risk, struggle, persistence, resilience, and growth, often at the expense of character, values, integrity, and psychological well-being (Guang, Hanchao, & Kaiping, 2016).

The study revealed the relationship between mindset and psychological well-being for a sample of 123 high achieving, college-bound senior students attending private, college-preparatory Christian high schools in Orange County, California. It also reviews the factors related to the college admission process that affects and shapes the life experiences of these students. Quantitative data reveal the relationships and themes related to mindset and psychological well-being and offer insight and strategies that may promote positive, healthier outcomes for college-bound students as well as topics for future research. This study adds to the current body of knowledge related to implicit theories of intelligence, mindset, adolescent psychological well-being, and social emotional learning.

Furthermore, this study is relevant because it reveals the underlying factors related to the emotional needs of today’s adolescents, providing teachers, counselors, and school administrators with important information that may influence vision, goals, policies, and instruction. The results of this study support the need to reevaluate the effects of the college admission process on adolescent mindset and psychological well-being.

This qualitative research focused on the type of support that influenced college enrolled former foster youth's educational decision making from the perspective of the youth.

The research data was collected via participant interviews that were recorded and transcribed. The data was analyzed to identify themes that related to social capital formation and emancipated foster youth's college enrollment.

The research results revealed that foster youth need interventions that will address their decision to decline emancipation services that promote their higher education enrollment. Further exploration within this subject matter is needed to better understand the subject matter and supplement the empirical literature that guides the professionals that provide services to foster youth.

This study sought to fill the gap in the literature concerning gifted students and academic motivation by examining the academic motivation in 126 non-gifted (n = 66) and intellectually gifted (n = 60) middle and high school students. The study used archival data to answer the following questions: What is the relationship between motivational variables, test anxiety, and student GPA for both non-gifted and gifted students? Are there differences in motivation across student group and across gender? And does a unique profile of motivation exist for intellectually gifted students? Study results revealed positive relationships between certain aspects of motivation and academic performance within the non-gifted students and the gifted students. Findings indicated that intellectually gifted middle and high school students tend to be more motivated than their non-gifted peers and experience significantly less test anxiety than their non-gifted peers. Gender differences in motivation were found only within the gifted group on intrinsic goal orientation, with gifted female students reporting more intrinsic goal orientation than their male counterparts. While a unique profile of motivation did not arise for intellectually gifted students, the gifted students were more likely to fall within cluster groups with high motivation, high sense of control over academic outcomes and high perception of their ability to successfully complete academic tasks. These students tended to have a higher GPA and experience very little test anxiety when compared to students with low motivation.

Faculty-designers (educational professionals untrained in instructional design) have emerged as critical components in development of online courses and a need has arisen to ensure that faculty-designers possess appropriate skills and competencies to maintain quality of online courses.

This mixed method study examined the effectiveness of a school-based program that has been integrating trauma-informed education and art therapy for three decades to treat adolescents who have experienced complex trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and toxic stress. To date, no clinical-effectiveness outcomes research or systematic program evaluation had been conducted at Northern California School (pseudonym). This research included 15 former student participants who attended the program over the past 15 years, as well as 28 current and former staff employed over the past 30 years. Research methods include tenets of effectiveness studies, program evaluation, and narrative analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 195 archival clinical files, questionnaires distributed to former students and staff, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The results provide demographic characteristics of each sample; for former student participants, this includes ACE scores describing the prevalence of the 10 major types of childhood trauma, and GSE scores describing present-day level of functioning. Results also provide characteristics of treatment, significant correlates of graduating from the program with a high school diploma, and ratings of process and outcome variables as well as various treatment modalities by former students and staff participants. Dialogical narrative analysis was utilized to analyze qualitative data gathered during the in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and the stories of three former students, four art therapists, and the voice of the researcher are presented in the form of short stories to provide an overview of the experience of art therapy in the voices of former students and staff. This research contributes evidence that art therapy is an impactful and effective component of treatment for adolescents with complex trauma and higher ACE scores, and may create lifelong patterns for these individuals of seeking therapeutic support in times of distress.

The purpose of this study is to assist state, district, and high school educational leadership in understanding the influences of the Idaho high school students’ postsecondary decision-making. The literature review established five categories that influence students’ postsecondary decision-making: postsecondary and career awareness, postsecondary and career admissions process, academic readiness for postsecondary education and careers, postsecondary monetary cost, and social capital influence for postsecondary education. The theoretical framework for the study was the work of Perna’s proposed conceptual model of students’ college choice. Descriptive quantitative research methods were used to survey 566 high school seniors from south western Idaho during their fall 2014 semester. Participants selected social capital influence for postsecondary education as the greatest influence on their college decision-making. Correlations were run to find if any relationship existed between students’ postsecondary plans and income, counseling services, and parental educational level. All three categories demonstrated statistical significance, however, none achieved practical significance. Participant responses pertaining to counseling services indicated that many students were not satisfied or were unsure about the services their school counselor provided.

Online professional development (online PD), the acquisition of new skills and knowledge related to the teaching profession via the Internet, is an emerging field for teachers. This mixed- methods research explored the impact of an online PD program on high school teachers’ self-efficacy levels, classroom instruction, and the role that school culture played on teachers accepting or rejecting the online PD. Within a social cognitive theory lens, this study helped frame teacher attitudes and adult learning in the context of school culture.

Phase 1 of this study used quantitative data from two surveys called PRE and POST, which were taken before and after the online PD program, respectively. Qualitative data were collected in Phase 2, using the International Society for Technology in Education Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT), participants’ journal reflections, and interviews. Findings indicated statistically significant changes in self-efficacy levels for eight of the 21 survey items and minimal changes in technology use during instruction. Furthermore, various aspects of school culture independently affected teachers’ inclination to accept or reject the online PD. Findings supported the concept of designing personalized professional development programs tailored to the individual’s specific learning styles, attitudes, and experiences of school culture.

Parent involvement has been shown to have positive effects on student achievement and engagement, yet the lack of necessary social and/or cultural capital prevents some parents from being involved. Applying a conceptual framework based on Bourdieu's concepts of social and cultural capital, this study examines the social and cultural capital that one parent advisory group possessed and the influence their involvement had on student engagement at an upper middle class high school. This qualitative study used a semi-structured interview protocol and narrative inquiry approach. Using NVivo software, 15 participants' interviews were coded and analyzed for emergent themes in the areas of social and cultural capital. Twelve themes emerged. Social capital themes included: Group memberships that provided a sense of empowerment and responsibility, social networks that highlighted the importance of the community and knowing the right people, and relationships that were purposeful, caring, supportive, and trusting. Cultural capital themes included: having privileged status, knowing how the system works, setting priorities for action and change, and having high expectations and values. Despite the fact that these parents had an extensive network of social and cultural capital, the findings from this study suggests caring relationships that instill a value in education, and that high expectations might be the most important form of capital parents need to be effectively involved. Implications and recommendations for practice and future research are discussed.

Proficiency in language arts and communication skills is essential to success in the global workforce. Most states assess students in language arts literacy (LAL) through standardized tests that assess a student's ability to read, interpret literature, and write expressively. Although educational reformers strive to improve the foundations that prepare students in literacy, reforms have not fully incorporated the theory of emotional intelligence (EI), which explains a student's ability to use, understand, perceive, and manage their emotions in order to think critically, make decisions, and solve problems. Although it is not known whether EI directly correlates to literacy, emotional skills are an integral part of literacy, linguistics, and overall cognition. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether a correlation existed between EIQ (measured by the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test), and LAL (measured by the High School Proficiency Assessment) in literacy, for secondary students. The multiple regression model included 2 control variables: gender and grade point average. The findings of the primary analysis demonstrated positive correlations between EIQ and LAL scores. Upon further analysis, the relationship between EIQ and LAL remained positively significant in the regression model. Emotional intelligence, and associated improved literacy skills, may positively influence social change by helping secondary students to develop a broader repertoire of skills necessary for communication and problem solving later in life.

For many high school student athletes, there is increased pressure to specialize in one sport, to participate at a high level, and to play year-round (Brenner, 2016). This increased emphasis on sport specialization has led to a proliferation of overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout (Brenner, 2016). Sport specialization significantly contributes to overuse injuries, which account for almost half of all sport injuries (Andrews & Yaeger, 2013). This research was designed to clarify if there are significant differences in the behavioral and academic performance of student athletes who compete in one sport and student athletes who compete in multiple sports. Six high schools in southwest Missouri provided GPAs, hours absent, and days suspended for approximately 1,500 student athletes for the 2015–2016 school year. An ANOVA test was conducted to determine if significant differences existed among one-, two-, and three-or-more sport athletes for each individual area of study. When single-sport athletes were compared to multiple-sport athletes, significant differences were discovered in each area of study including GPAs, hours absent, and days suspended. In all instances of significant difference, multiple-sport athletes demonstrated improved academic and behavioral performance over single-sport athletes. These findings should assist students, coaches, parents, teachers, and administrators in decision-making about student athletics participation.

There is little written about the use of foundational courses in high school science. This study seeks to identify if a foundational course in high school biology improves student outcomes as measured by Biology I EOC exam proficiency scale scores and student growth. Efforts were made to determine differences in cognitive skill areas and affective/conative skill areas as students progress from the foundational course of Greenhouse Biology (GH Bio) to Biology I. Three years of test score data from over 15,000 student participants are evaluated, as well as extant survey data from biology teachers and district student scheduling personnel. Findings from the study indicate GH Bio does make a difference in academic outcomes in students taking the foundational course before taking the Biology I course, and subsequently, the Biology I EOC exam. Findings also show there are cognitive, affective, and conative differences between the GH Bio students and their non-GH Bio peers while in Biology I. The study also seeks to determine why some students are scheduled for GH Bio and others are not. Findings indicate there are variances as to the reasons and intent for scheduling students into GH Bio. Some students who could benefit from the course are not being scheduled into the course.

The purpose for this study was to examine the relationship between adolescent identity development, relevance, and rigor among high school students. The premise under investigation is rooted in the concept of building rigor through relevance. Students who have engaged in personal exploration and commitment to certain ideological and interpersonal issues, specifically personal and occupational identity (Erikson, 1982; Marcia, 2002; Super, 1980) are purported to find increased relevancy in their coursework (Crumpton & Gregory, 2011) and in turn engage in more rigorous studies. This study used a profile of high school seniors to explore the relationship between adolescent identify development, student participation in relevance building activities, and engagement in academic rigor.

This cross-sectional study utilized quantitative methods to analyze archival survey, transcript, and performance data on student engagement in relevance, rigor, and identity producing activities (Fink, 2009). A Midwest school district, granting access to archival data, had engaged in extensive research on relevance, rigor, and identity. A review of literature resulted in the emergence of six factors related to college and career readiness. The focus on career exploration, adult guidance and support, career planning, occupational identity status, academic intensity, and performance benchmarks were aligned with the research questions for this study.

Findings of the study revealed students had positive experiences with adult guidance and support and career planning. Students reported parents or guardians and teachers as having a significant influence on their career aspirations, while counselors were viewed in a less significant role. Perceptions of career exploration experiences were reported low, however a lack of workplace experience was found as a key factor in that finding. Students in the study were found to have engaged in overall low levels of academic intensity which was consistent with the literature on academic rigor. A key finding was that adolescent identity status matters in relation to academic rigor and relevance. Exploration of individual passions and interests followed by commitment to an occupational identity was found to be related to engagement in rigor and relevance.

The study provided insight into the relationship between adolescent identity development, relevance, and rigor among high school students. However, additional questions about this relationship emerged during the study. Further research into the role of school counselors as leaders, impact of workplace experience on occupational identity development, exploration of how identity develops over time, analysis of career exploration variables related to identity, and exploration of findings for ACT composite will support more clarity in the arena of college and career readiness.

The majority of American high school students compete in school sponsored athletics (NCES, 2017; NFSH, 2017). Therefore, it is important for students, parents, educators and other pediatric professionals to be aware of the benefits and costs of participation. High schools and their associations are also often put in a position of determining what, if any, academic requirements should exist for athletic eligibility. This paper provides a thorough literature review of more than sixty references related to the benefits, costs, eligibility standards and legal issues associated with high school athletic participation. In addition, to gather and analyze input directly from the classrooms and playing fields, a novel survey on the topic was conducted with more than 130 high school employees at various high schools in Northern California, including teachers, coaches, athletic directors, administrators, psychologists, counselors and other staff. Findings from the literature and survey overwhelmingly support the immediate and long-term academic, occupational, social-emotional and health benefits of high school sports. More controversial, however, is suspending athletic participation for students who do not meet academic requirements. The author explores this issue taking into account the proven benefits of high school sports, procedural and legal concerns, and best practices for students. In particular, the effects are considered by gender, race, English-language status, socio-economic status and students with disabilities. Conclusions and recommendations are provided to assist stakeholders in understanding the role of high school athletics and developing fair and appropriate procedures and interventions for supporting all student-athletes.

As more opportunities abound for students to accelerate their learning during middle and high school, research is limited in the relationship between accelerated learning and the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents. This explanatory correlational research study provided additional empirical evidence of the relationship between accelerated studies, psychosocial adjustment, and the coping strategies adolescents utilize. Participants were 93 eighth to twelfth grade students enrolled in accelerated learning courses in a northwestern state in the United States. Students were administered instruments measuring their perceptions of: stress, life satisfaction, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, suicidal ideation, academic beliefs and task values, school climate, and coping strategies. Correlation coefficients determined relationships between psychosocial adjustment, age, number of accelerated learning program classes, gender and coping variables of students participating in accelerated learning programs. Results suggest that additional research is needed in the exploration of the relationship between a number of accelerated learning program classes adolescents participate in and their psychosocial adjustment. Gender had few significant relationships to other variables and grade level correlated with psychological factors, life satisfaction, motivation, school climate, and grade point average. There were statistically significant, strong to weak correlations amongst psychosocial adjustment variables; and in particular, an intricate association between psychological indicators of possible mental health issues, stress, life satisfaction, school functioning, age, and coping strategies.

Over the past fifty years, cheating among high school students increased substantially and affected the morale of students (Simha, Armstrong, & Albert, 2012). According to a nationally representative survey of 36,000 U.S. adolescents, some 60% of high school students confessed to cheating on a test during the previous school year, and that the behavior among these students had spiked over the past 50 years (Murdock, Beauchamp, & Hinton, 2008). Armenian high school students agree that cheating is morally wrong; however, their actions do not reflect this belief (Bowers, 1964; McCabe & Trevino, 1996; Semerci, 2006). The study aims to address gaps in the literature by using Kohlberg’s (1958) theory of moral development (as cited in Hannah, Lester, & Lester, 2005) to examine how academic dishonesty, such as cheating, is associated with the moral development level of Armenian private high school students in Southern California, and the extent to which, if at all, this relationship is moderated by the degree of students’ performance orientation. No prior research is known to have been done with this specific cultural group in a high school setting.

Although school dropout rate remains a significant social and economic concern to our nation and has generated considerable research, little attention by scholars has examined the phenomena of re-engagement in effective school context and its developmental influences on at-risk students expectancy for success and task-value towards graduation. Given the multifaceted interactions of school context and the complex developmental needs of at-risk students, there were dual purposes for this three-phase, two-method qualitative study that addressed the literature concerns.

The first purpose was to explore and identify policies, programs, and practices perceived as being most effective in re-engaging at-risk students behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively, at ten Model Continuation High Schools in California. Phases one and two collected data on the Model Continuation High Schools (MCHS) to address this purpose.

In phase one, an inductive document review of the ten MCHS applications including four statement letters was conducted and results identified eleven policies, ten programs, and eleven practices that were effective in re-engaging at-risk students behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively. In phase two, the phenomenological ten-step analysis of semi-structured administrator interviews revealed eight re-engaging implementation strategies perceived to be effective with at-risk students.

The second purpose was to build upon Eccles' Expectancy-Value Theoretical Framework by gaining insight on effective school context that supported at-risk students' developmentally appropriate expectancy for success and task-value beliefs towards graduation. Phase three conducted a deductive content analysis of eight theoretical based components on the combine data collected in phases one and two to address this second purpose. Results revealed that principles of Eccles’ Expectancy-Value Model were evident in all identified policies, programs, and practices of the ten MCHS.

Model Continuation High Schools are exemplary sites with effective school context that have much to share with other continuation high schools looking for successful re-engaging approaches for at-risk students. The research provided results suggesting that MCHS had significant policies, programs, practices and implementation strategies that transform disengaged at-risk students into graduates by developing students' expectancy for success belief and task-value belief towards graduation. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

This dissertation examined the educational outcomes of high school English learner (EL) students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) to evaluate theories that explain their educational resilience. School system data and survey results from 165 high school ELs were analyzed to determine the degree to which ELs' homeland schooling had influenced their academic outcomes in the U.S. Educational outcomes included English proficiency attainment and gains as well as scores on standardized tests of algebra, biology, and English language arts. Limited formal schooling (LFS) was operationalized with three indicators for students on arrival in the U.S.: (1) gaps in years of schooling relative to grade, (2) low self-reported first language schooling, and (3) beginner-level English proficiency. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to estimate the relationships between the LFS indicators and the educational outcomes as well as the degree to which school-based protective factors and personal risk factors had influenced the relationships. Protective factors included perceived pedagogical caring, social integration with non-immigrant peers, ESOL classes, out-of-school help, and extra-curricular activities. Risk factors included high social distance, past traumatic experiences, a lack of authoritative parental support, separations from loved ones, and hours spent working in employment. This study also examined the role students' academic self-concept played in mediating and moderating the influence of protective and risk factors in the resiliency process. The findings showed that SLIFE had lower achievement on the standardized tests, but that it was largely due to having lower English proficiency at the time of the test. Lower English proficiency at the time of the test was mainly attributed to arriving with lower English proficiency and lower first language literacy. ESOL classes appeared to help students acquire English faster. After controlling for differences in English proficiency, students' perceptions of social distance appeared to predict their academic achievement on standardized tests better than their academic self-concept and the other protective or risk factors. This study contributes to our understanding of risk and resilience among SLIFE and may help inform interventions to support them better.

Students with disabilities have a disproportionately higher rate of dropout compared to typical peers. This study was intended to investigate the predictive factors of dropout for youth with disabilities. Specifically, this study examines how disability classification and demographics impact dropout rates for youth with disabilities. Participants in this study were all students in a large urban school district who were identified with a disability (as defined as having a IEP) in grades 9-12 (N=1439). As most variables were categorical, nonparametric analyses were used, including cross-tabulations and contingency table analyses. In addition, a binary logistic regression model was used to isolate the variables associated with dropout. Findings suggest that youth with serious emotional disability (SED) have a high risk of dropout compared to students who fall under other disability categories. Additionally, students who did not qualify for free and reduced lunch and students who were never retained (repeated a grade) were more at risk for dropout. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.

This generic qualitative research study examined the impact that non-counseling duties have on school counselors’ professional identity. The 10 participants were tenured school counselors who worked in a suburban county in a mid-Atlantic state. This generic qualitative study explored how school counselors can perceive non-counseling duties and how those duties may be redefined by integrating clinical components to align them with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Generic qualitative methodology structures the study for a greater understanding of a phenomenon, school counselors’ perceptions of their professional identity and does non-counseling duties impact those perceptions. Semi-structured interviews revealed the participants’ perceptions towards their roles as school counselors, non-counseling duties, their own professional identities, and their ability to change their perception of non-counseling duties to align with the ASCA National Model. Thematic analysis of the data revealed themes that addressed how those participants perceived non-counseling duties and their perceptions of their professional identity. This study indicates there was a direct effect on professional identity due to the assignment of non-counseling duties and the perception of the school counselors of those duties. The participating school counselors spoke of a positive perception of their school counseling role, which focused on how they performed their job. They perceived non-counseling duties to be an interference to performing their role as a school counselor. In addition to their perceptions to non-counseling duties, the school counselors that participated struggled to describe their perceptions of their professional identity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how well one technique of a classroom management program, the 9 Essential Skills of the Love and Logic Classroom (Fay & Fay, 2002a), fulfilled its claims to reduce teacher stress, decrease student argumentation, and improve teacher-student relationships at the high school level. Faculty members of a rural high school in upstate South Carolina completed pre- and post-study surveys, attended a training seminar, and implemented one technique, the enforceable statement, with students in their existing classes during April and May 2013. Weekly support sessions gave participants opportunities to ask questions and share successes and concerns. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental study examined the perceptions of the participating high school faculty members to determine if they perceived significant changes in teacher stress, student argumentation, and teacher-student relationships pre- to post-implementation of the treatment. The overall quantitative findings indicated statistically significant differences, while the qualitative narratives provided conclusive evidence that the claims of the Love and Logic Institute are valid as they apply to the implementation of the enforceable statement. The participants further indicated that they found the enforceable statement an effective and positive technique for classroom management. The study was limited to the selected high school and to one Love and Logic classroom management technique. This study contributes to the literature by adding research on the Love and Logic approach at the high school level. The researcher recommends continued training and implementation of the enforceable statement at the selected school and in other high school settings.

Abstract Over 40 years of research, three categories of instructional practices are consistently shown to enhance student achievement, including (a) Evidence-based (EB) Strategy Instruction, (b) Feedback, and (c) Formative Assessment. It was the hypothesis of this study that Grade 9 Algebra 1 classrooms do not routinely use these EB practices to enhance their instruction. Data was collected from 12 Algebra 1 classrooms utilizing a researcher developed systematic observation tool featuring highly effective instructional practices from the 2001 Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack and 2009 Hattie meta-analyses. Study results suggested that the frequency of EB instructional practices varied remarkably among teachers. However, the preponderance of teaching time was spent in two forms of practice with little time devoted to other EB strategies and informal formative assessment practices often lacked variety and depth. Last, the frequency or type of EB instructional practices used did not differ between classes designed for students with average math skills compared to classes designed for lower skilled students. Recommended methods for increasing the widespread use of highly effective EB instructional practices included: (a) system-wide improvements in pre-service teacher training in highly effective instructional practices, (b) more effective on-the-job professional development and implementation practices, and (c) the use of structured professional learning communities focused on improving pedagogy.