The Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum, and Special Education prepares the school leaders and special education faculty of tomorrow by offering graduate degrees and certificates in over ten specialized areas. Students are encouraged to participate in the pursuit and dissemination of the results of educational research.
Theses/Dissertations from 2025
Ways To Motivate Rural Tennessee Teachers to Use Best Instructional Practices in Elementary Classrooms, Holly Shoulders Anderson
Exploring K-12 Educators Remaining in the Profession in Louisiana Public Schools: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Brittany Benoit
The Impact of Supplemental Resources in Title I Schools on Student Achievement in High School Geometry, Jememia Black
A Study of the Sense of Teaching Self-Efficacy Among Emergency Certified Teachers in a Rural Eastern Oklahoma School District, Matthew J. Brunk
Examining Teacher’s Experience of Using Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Improving Mississippi Academic Assessment Program Reading Scores, Kimberly L. Chambers
Exploring the Elements Contributed by School-level Administrators that Influence Teacher Retention, Summer Craddock
Investigating Student Experiences with Math Anxiety, Wendy Elaine Davis
Examining Perceptions of College Facilitators and Parents on the Influence of Mandated Engagement with School Identification in an Early College High School, Elizabeth Wise Dorris
Building a Collaborative Culture Among a Remote Staff in K-12 Virtual Schools, Jamie L. Droegemeier
Tutoring and Its Impact on Mitigating Covid-19 Reading Learning Loss in a Rural Title I School District For 3rd Grade Students, Julie Nicole Goodin
Effectiveness Of Online Math Interventions on Middle School Student Math Achievement, Joshua Brandon Goodman
A Case Study of Teacher Perceptions on the Impact of Professional Learning Communities on Teacher Efficacy and Collaboration, Patrice McKelvey Green
Examining Teachers’ Perceived Effectiveness of Marzano’s Teaching Strategies for Enhancing Student Engagement in Secondary Level ELA Classes, Casey Chantel Grinder
Exploring The Use of Artificial Intelligence as an Instructional Learning Tool in Middle School Mathematics Classrooms, Maurice Guest Jr
The Role of Learned Helplessness on Academic Baseline Levels in Adult Education Students Enrolling in a High School Equivalency Program, Kippie Barnwell Hartcraft
College and Career Readiness of Students with Autism in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metropolitan Area, James Daniel Hobbs
Qualitative Study of Barriers That Contribute to English Language Learners Academic Underperformance in Middle School Grades 6-8, Marcus Tremayne Holbert
Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Qualitative Study of Educator Perceptions Regarding Its Role and Significance in an Educational Setting, Clyde Eugene Hughley
Teacher Perspectives on The Impact of School-Based Mental Health Services on Academic Performance, Attendance, And Behavior, Carol Ingram
Teacher Perceptions of the Arkansas Rise Initiative Regarding Student Performance and Teacher Training, Susan Hoffman Lawrence
Examining Black Teachers’ Experiences and Perspectives of Community Cultural Wealth Within Their HBCU Teacher Preparation Programs, Deajanae K. McLain
Elementary Educators' Perceptions Regarding the Coaching Model in Urban Schools: A Case Study, Kamile Lilieth McNeil
What Happens When Teachers Explore Choice in Low-Choice Educational Environments? A Holistic Case Study on Classroom Autonomy., Jamie Renee Millican Johnson
A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Candidates in a Teacher Educator Preparation Program at a Predominantly White Institution, Tiffany Nicole Mosley
Examining the Influence of Departmentalization on Elementary Teachers' Efficacy in Teaching Mathematics: A Qualitative Case Study of First Grade and Second-Grade Elementary Teachers, Juasita Sherelle Patterson
Examining teacher efficacy and academic achievement: A qualitative exploration of middle schools in a rural Louisiana school district, Kristin Carriere Percle
Workforce Development Initiatives to Improve the Labor Force in Rural Communities: A Case Study, Danielle K. Pugsley
Arkansas High School Teacher Perceptions About Declining Enrollment and Learning Experiences in Advanced Science Courses, Tanya Lynette Ruble
The Influence of Principal Leadership on Collective Teacher Efficacy, Mikaela Marie Schaller
Confederate Inspired Mascots as Cultural Representatives in Public Secondary Schools of the American South: A Case Study, Jessica Seat
The Three Ps: Political Polarization, Perception, and Pedagogy, Tianka Renee Sheard Mitchell
Teachers’ Experiences with the Reduction of Play and Its Impact on Social-Emotional Development and Behavior in the Preschool Setting., Jacqueline Renee Smith
Self-Efficacy of Kindergarten, First, And Second Grade Educators Teaching Students with Behavioral Issues In South Carolina Public Schools, Kathryn Sommer-Gough
Teachers’ Perceptions of Co-Teaching—A Phenomenological Inquiry, Courtney Spann
A Case Study of Special Education Students' Transition into Postsecondary Opportunities, Lacy Stanford
Exploring Science Education Teaching Practices within the Homeschool Community of West Michigan, Amanda Syers
Latino Parent-Daughter Relationships: Educational Motivation and Persistence in High School to Community College Transition, Marlen Vasquez
A Qualitative Study on the Opportunities and Barriers of Female Superintendents in the Northern Region of Missouri, Rondalyn Vaughn
Transition Process Considerations for Collegiate Student-Athlete Sport Retirement, Lindsey Weatherford
Impact of a Dance Education for Secondary School Students, Kimeka T. Williams
Veteran Teachers’ Perceptions of the Factors Contributing to Teachers’ Retention in East Tennessee, Yolanda Williams
Enhancing Student Engagement for African American Students in High School English Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Dominique Leonardo Woodard
Teacher Persistence: A Narrative Study on the Perceptions of Career Oklahoma Teachers, Reggy Yount
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Factors Influencing the Selection and Change of Major for Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, David Allen
The Relationship Between Student Performance on Assigned Mastery Goals and STAAR Performance in K-8 Texas School Students, Agamyrat Altyyev
A Qualitative Study of Early-Career Secondary Teachers' Experiences with Organizational Constraints and Supports as Related to Job Satisfaction, Jaime Lee Arnold
Blended Learning in the Elementary Classroom: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Leslie Barger
The Relationship Between Secondary Stem Students Motivational Perceptions, Engagement, And Academic Achievement, Cecil Kevin Belt
Examination of Health Sciences Students’ Attitudes Towards Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education, Lindsay Blake
Teachers’ And School Leaders’ Perceptions of a Community School Model’s Impact on Student Achievement, Kelsey Brabo
Multitiered Systems of Support and The Achievement Gap in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Mid-Atlantic Region: An Analysis of Teacher Perceptions of Effectiveness, Demarco Ray Brooks
Educator Perceptions of Secondary Students’ Pleasure Reading: Obstacles and Motivation, Andrew Mark Brunner
Exploring Secondary Science Teacher Knowledge, Understanding, Skills, and Training to Support the Teachers' Ability to Infuse World Class Skills in The South Carolina Science Curriculum, Ashlee Penn Buchanan
Perceptions of Academic Letter Grades In K-8 Public Schools Located Inside of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, Corey Eugene Bunch
The Impact of Motivators and Hygienes on The Job Satisfaction and Classroom Efficacy of Community College Facutly in Arkansas, Anthony Burkhammer
Current Students’ Perceived Effectiveness of Early Alert Intervention Strategies at a Public Two-Year College in Arkansas, Catherine Burton
An Examination of the Relational Aspect of Cohesive Co-Teaching Relationships, Debra L. Byers
Teacher, Student Support Staff, And School Leader Perceptions About Utilizing a Block of Time Daily to Meet the Academic, Social-Emotional, And Behavioral Needs of Students, Olivia P. Cammon-Stevenson
Navigating Challenges in Higher Education: Narratives of Undocumented and DACA Recipient Latine Students in Arkansas, Christian Miguel Canizales
Examining The Influence of a Mariachi Program on Hispanic Students’ Cultural Identity and Schooling Perceptions, Martin Cantu
Teacher Perceptions of Reading and Mathematics Achievement Gaps Among Elementary Students Resulting from The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kayla Lynn Caprio
Examining The Influences of Professional Learning Communities and The Data-Driven Decision-Making Process on Elementary Teachers’ Instructional Practices, Arrica Chandler
Understanding Teacher Perceptions of Intentionally Nurturing Students' Social and Emotional Competencies in the General Education Classroom, Chelsea Austin Clark
The Role of Parental Engagement in Closing the Achievement Gap, Samuel Maurice Coleman
Private, Public, and Head Start Prekindergarten Programs and Their Effect on Kindergarten Readiness Scores, Brianna Brasseaux Comeaux
Disproportionality In Discipline and Academic Achievement of African American Students In South Carolina School Districts, Joyce Haigler Conyers
Changing The Culture of Secondary School Mathematics: What Are the Effects of Interventions on Student Attitudes, Beliefs, And Motivation?, Meagan Coronado
Professional Development Considerations: Social Studies Standards Which Diverge from a Singular Cultural Script, Jacqueline D. Costales
Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness for Instruction During and After Collaborative Planning, Alicia Daniels
High School Reimagined: Student, Teacher, Parent, Administrator Perceptions of One High School’s Experience with the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Lawrence J. Eberlin, Jr.
Building A College-Going Culture for Middle School Eighth Grade Students in A Historically Low Number College-Bound Area, Silvia Elizondo
Novice Teacher Retention and The Partnership School Model, Pamela Mangrum Everitt
Teacher Perceptions of The Boundless Learning Professional Development on Instruction in A Co-Taught Class, Debbie Fleming
Differing Outcomes: A Qualitative Study on the Experience of Required College Admission Testing among Graduates at an Urban Charter School in Oklahoma, Stephen-Scott Frazier
School Leader Experiences of Entrepreneurial Education Accessibility in Rural High Schools in Arkansas: Phenomenological, LaTeasha Gaither-Davis
Examining the Influence of Student Autonomy, Competence, and Student-Teacher Relatedness on Student Performance on High-Stakes Tests, Jennifer Gaston
Exploring Teachers' Participation in A Literacy-Focused Professional Learning Community, Kerri Gentry
Transforming Arkansas Schools: Leadership Practices to Promote the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities, Amanda K. Goddard
African American Male Overidentification in Special Education Services: Teacher Perspectives on The Referral Process, Amanda Gray
The Impact of Family Education on Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood, Amanda Leann Green
Did School Reform Initiatives in the United States Support Multicultural Teaching Practices in a K-12 School Setting?, Shereen Holmes
The Examination of Hindering Factors of 2-Year Community College Students’ Vertical Transfer to 4-Year Colleges, Rahime-Malik Howard
Perspectives of Novice Teachers to Prepare For and Work Equitably With Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Marilyn Hunt
The Influence of Accommodations on Academic Achievement for Middle School Students with Dyslexia in a Private School Setting, Kendra McVay Johns
Impact of Implementing a Growth Mindset Intervention on Academically At-Risk Students, Rebecca Anne Kaste
Test Optional Admissions: A Case Study on Access and Persistence for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education, Lori M. Kemmet
Examining Secondary Mentor Teacher Experiences in a Midwestern Novice Teacher Induction Program, John Phillip Liberto
Factors That Influence Third-Grade Reading Performance on The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), Angela Monette Long
Investigation Into the Influences of Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Intelligence on Students’ Public-School Experiences, Rania Maalouf
The Impact of Smartphones on Middle School Students, Michael C. MacKenize
