Every citizen has the right to be equipped with scientific literacy to understand and make informed decisions within the discipline of science. Educators can utilize core science teaching practices (CSTPs) to develop scientific literacy. In response, this study identified the CSTPs utilized by preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) to develop scientific literacy during their spring 2022 student teaching semester. Furthermore, this study identified contextual constructs that led to the utilization of the CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. The study used a qualitative exploratory case study using semi-structured interviews as the primary data. Surveys and artifacts were used as supporting secondary data. The identification of CSTPs and their contextual constructs were conducted using inductive content analysis. Afterward, the identified CSTPs and their contextual constructs were deconstructed, interpreted, and synthesized through the critical theoretical framework of disciplinary literacy. Relationships, time, school structure, and community were contextual constructs that enabled and disabled PSETs' utilization of CSTPs to develop scientific literacy. The contextual constructs are represented using the Framework to Develop Scientific Literacy (FDSL). The FDSL contain contextual constructs that enabled PSETs to utilize CSTPs through the sharing of power between the PSET and their cooperating teacher, school district, community, or teacher education programs. In …

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of community participation in Pakistani schools in the capitol city of Pakistan. All national education policies developed by the government of Pakistan stress the need for community participation in the schools. School leaders are mandated to develop strategies to involve parents and community members in schools. This research focused on a single case with multiple subunits geographically situated in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the current study, participants were educational leaders at the central office, campus principals, and representatives of parents and community members in the school and college management committees. Qualitative data included one-to-one interviews, focus groups, and collection of available documents related to community participation in Pakistani schools. Findings of the study revealed four goals and outcomes of the community participation in Pakistani schools. These goals are financial support to the schools, advocacy for schools, academic support and feedback, and support in administration. Major challenges faced by community members and parents during participation in schools include lack of information and awareness, role ambiguity and lack of training, financial constraint and unwelcoming behavior of school and central office administration. Data revealed that educational leadership behaviors which impact community engagement include …

Public education in America became a target of reform since the passage of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Some reforms come from court cases, some from presidents wanting to enact change, and others from political events from as far away as Russia. Yet, one concept remains the same: the improvement of educators is needed for supporting student growth and achievement. Getting both special education and general education teachers together to work collaboratively is critical to the growth of teachers and students. A gap in education research exists in the area of including special education teachers in high functioning profession learning communities (PLCs). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that special education teachers have on students and other teachers when special education teachers are included in content-area PLCs. Using a mixed method case study design, quantitative data from an electronic survey and qualitative data from face-to-face interviews and PLC documents were collected and analyzed to answer two research questions. The survey findings revealed that the studied district operates high functioning PLC teams. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews and PLC document analysis showed that special education teachers were included on a regular basis in PLCs in three of …

This narrative inquiry study sought the voices of bilingual teachers through their lived experiences in relation to the success of Hispanic emergent bilinguals in schools. Two research questions guided the study: (1) What practices do bilingual educators consider important in helping Hispanic emergent bilingual students succeed in schools? and (2) How do bilingual teachers negotiate the curriculum and school structures to support Hispanic bilingual students' success in their classrooms? Two theoretical frameworks were used. Constructivism provided the structure for honoring the lived experiences of these teachers and culturally relevant pedagogy provided the lenses of culture, funds of knowledge, and deep sociolinguistic awareness. The use of narrative inquiry as a methodology affirmed the bilingual teachers' voices as important and authoritative sources of knowledge. Semi-structured interviews and classroom observations allowed the participants to engage as storytellers about their history and experiences that contributed to answering the questions. Three resonant reverberations emerged from the analysis: (a) the emerging rhythms of the classroom; (b) the realms of instructional and learning design; and (c) the orientation towards a culturally relevant pedagogy. These major findings revealed that teachers were student-oriented while also being content-oriented. They designed a positive learning environment by tapping into their students' funds …

School accountability has been a focus for state and federal legislators for over 50 years. In 2017, Texas passed House Bill 22 to align their accountability system with the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. This piece of legislation gives every Texas public school a letter grade based on state assessment scores, attendance, and other factors. Schools that received a D or F, or schools that need to improve the scores of certain subpopulations, were identified as in need of targeted support. Further, these schools needed to make immediate changes to improve their state assessment scores and improve their letter grade. This exploratory phenomenological qualitative study explored how six school principals leading schools in need of targeted support made changes to their school's culture and expectations to improve student achievement scores. Data were drawn from six individual school principal interviews and were analyzed using a combination of inductive and deductive coding. Thirteen themes emerged from the data analysis: principal self-efficacy, shared mission and vision, hiring practices, collegial relationships, parents and community support, teacher capacity and efficacy, professional learning communities, expectations of teachers, mentoring and onboarding, campus-level support, parent support, student behavior, and teacher motivation and support. The findings from this …

For students with moderate to severe disabilities, their secondary education, specific to Grades 9 through 12, greatly impacts postsecondary outcomes. Key components of secondary education for this learner population include classroom structures and alternative curricula implementation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine selected secondary programs to determine whether classroom structures and alternative curricula were meeting the postsecondary needs of students with moderate to severe disabilities. One school district was selected for participation in this study. One document, the selected district's special education operating procedures, was used in the document analysis portion of this study. Six parents of students with moderate to severe disabilities and six special education district-level administrators were selected as interview participants. Findings revealed that current secondary programs were not consistently meeting postsecondary needs for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Findings also showed inconsistences with classroom structures and alternative curriculum implementation that would facilitate postsecondary readiness. A need for additional staff training and parent preparation for the transition into postsecondary life with their adult child was discovered. A notable finding was that teacher characteristics played a role in promoting postsecondary success. In summary, all participants had pure intentions to produce desirable postsecondary outcomes for …

The purpose of this study was to examine the intersection of preservice teachers' personal identities as queer individuals with their emerging professional identities as educators. Political and social environments contribute to a separation of these identities, which can further the marginalization of these individuals to the detriment of both their identities as people as well as their professional practice. Guided by a theoretical framework of figured worlds, interviews with students in teacher education programs that identify as queer explore the ways in which unique confluences of contextualizing factors play a role in the lived experiences of these individuals. The study additionally examined the nature of teacher education programs as experienced by these participants in order to discuss the ways in which these programs serve to challenge or reinforce the heteronormativity pervasive in educational spaces.