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 2026
College Preparedness: Exploring Faculty Perceptions of First-Year Students’ Literacy Skills Transitioning from High School, Shanell Glass Bailey
Educating With Chronic Health Conditions During and After a Pandemic: A Narrative Study of Experiences, Job-Related Stressors, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Coping Strategies Among Black Female Educators, Shawnee Stanfield Blake
If It Doesn't Hurt You Aren't Working Hard Enough: An Examination of Coach Experience in High School Debate, Rosie Valdez Block
Exclusionary Discipline’s Impact on Minority and Low Social Status Student Achievement, Ulanda Latreace Branch
Investigating The Challenges That Black Female Superintendents Face While Navigating Local School Boards, Eric Dailey
Teacher Perceptions on Optimizing Instructional Practices for English as a Second Language Instruction, Molly Elizabeth Davis
Impact Of Expanded Core Curriculum on College and Job Placement for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Susan Drake
Perceptions Of Mentoring Relationships and Novice Teacher Self-Efficacy and Attrition, Renee Dunwoody
Examining The Influence of Job Demands and Resources on the Psychological Well-Being of Arkansas Teachers, Amy C. Erstine
Through Their Eyes: Understanding And Enhancing Retention Among Special Education Teachers of Color, Barry L. Fargo
Understanding Principal Perspectives on What Professional Learning Supports Sustained School Improvements: A Qualitative Case Study, Kristen Hope Fondren
Exploring The Barriers That Preclude Black Males from Pursuing Careers in Education, Marco Darnell French
The Impact of Underrepresentation of Male African American Teachers on African American Students’ (K-12) Classroom Learning, Carenzo George
Lived Experiences of Competency-Based Grading: Implementation in the Secondary Public School Setting, Andrew Robbins Gillespie
An Analysis of How Educators’ Attitudes Toward Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Impact Assessment Scores of Students with Learning Disabilities, Felicia Baty Goings
Minding The Gap – Exploring Predictors of Retention and Success for Minority Students in Online Classes at a PBI, Erin Kathleen Gordon
The Impact of Alternative Education Campuses of Choice on a District’s Graduation Rate, Joshua Paul Gossett
K-3 Southern, Rural, Public-School Teachers’ Perspectives on Literacy Post Covid, Venesia Dreon Griffin Brown
The Implementation of Restorative Practices Through the Don’t Suspend Me! Professional Development, Bethanie Hale
Practices That Impact the Reading Performance of Elementary Special Education Inclusion Students, Lynette Hampton
Perceptions of Trauma-Informed Trained Campus Leadership, Shelly Hardin
Mississippi Teachers' Perspective of Professional Learning Supports and Their Effects on Student Learning Outcomes When Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials, Mandy Michael Johnson
Examining The Influence of Cultural Sameness or Difference of Principals and Teachers on Students Perceived Connectedness, Asmaa Fahmy Kabel
The Educational Leadership Trajectories of Black Gay Males: A Narrative Inquiry, Abidemi Omowale Kayode
Change Management in Higher Education: The Role of Non-Academic Staff in the Change Process., Scott Robert Kuttenkuler
The Role of Athletic Department Staff and the Effects on Student-Athlete Persistence, MaKenzie Brooke McGaha
Online Student Perspectives of Impactful Feedback, Kathleen McNichols Irvin
The Impact of Academic Advising Models on Undergraduate Student Performance: A Multiple Regression Analysis, Kayla Meaders
Preparation Of Novice Teachers in Special Education, Shayna Miles
African American Genealogists and Family Historians: Perceptions, Motivations, And Learning Experiences, Vernita A. Morgan
A Phenomenological Study of the Factors Influencing Novice Special Education Teachers’ Career Decisions, Angela L. Norris
Vertically Aligned Curriculum in the Rural Education Setting and Its Effect on Student Achievement, Jordan Palmer
Urban Teachers’ Perceptions of the Influence of Their Alternate Route Certification Programs on Their Retention, Jenifer Phillips
The Impact of Applying for a Post-Secondary Opportunity When Coming from a Low Socioeconomic Status, David Marlow Price
An Exploration of the Relationship Between Resilience and Self-Perceived Leadership Effectiveness in Academic Leaders in Higher Education, Jessica Ann Richards
Understanding Educational Burnout: An Analysis of the Perceptions Of K-5 Elementary Teachers, Melody Sebastian
Teacher Perceptions of the Motivational and Influential Strategies of Their Principals, and that Effect on Teacher Retention, Carl Henry Semler
A Phenomenological Inquiry into Kindergarten Teacher Perceptions of Literacy Skills, Angela Shelton
Analysis Of Inclusive Practices Using a Co-Teaching Model on English Learners with Disabilities, Shawna Shields
A Qualitative Exploration of the Factors Influencing the Academic Experiences of African American Division I Collegiate Athletes in Mississippi, Deshannon Smith
Educator Perceptions of the Impact of the Avid Program on Minority Students’ School Achievement, Genia Smith
Exploring Teachers' Perceptions of the Influence of Social Emotional Competencies on Virtual Students' Academic Success, Melanie Cheyanne Spence
Relationship Between High School Science Olympiad Participation and Declaration of a College STEM Major, Gregory Lee Spiegel
Why Black Teachers Decide to Stay: A Phenomenological Study to Understand Retention of Black Teachers in the Suburban School Setting, Chere Swearingen
The Influence of Leadership Styles on Teacher Motivation and School Climate in Urban Schools from Three South-Central Region States, Jennifer L. Thomas
Examining The Influence of Principals’ Perceived Authentic Leadership and Teachers’ Psychological Capital on Teachers’ Burnout Syndrome and Turnover Intentions in Catalan Schools, Eduardo Torrecillas Sanchez
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Principal Experiences and Persistence in Title I Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade Central Texas Schools, Lisa Islas Walls
Teacher Retention in West Tennessee: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Valeria Louise Walters
A Case Study of Why Mid-Career Teachers Stay in Education, Rachael E. Wilcox
Examining The Influence of Principals’ Transformational Leadership in Promoting Conducive School Culture and Secondary ESL Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Chanda Yvonne Williams
Integration Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies in High School Science Classes, Pamela Chanell Williams
Planning and Implementing a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Program: A Case Study, Allison Nicole Young
Factors Affecting Teacher Satisfaction at Two School Districts in North Carolina Post Covid-19 Pandemic, Thomas Young
Theses/Dissertations from 2025
Ways To Motivate Rural Tennessee Teachers to Use Best Instructional Practices in Elementary Classrooms, Holly Shoulders Anderson
The Effects of Technology on Engagement Among Stem-Based Students at Historically Black Colleges or Universities, Matthew Evan Bellinger
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
Overcoming Traumatic Barriers to Maximize the Potential of College Students Facing Mental Health Challenges, Ashley Blanche
How Does R.I.S.E. Arkansas Address the Reading Needs of Students in the Delta Region of Arkansas Public Schools?, Kristy Brasfield
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
Identification Of Leadership and Managerial Roles Used by School Superintendents to Manage Rural School Districts, Bruce Allen Gillham
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
Athletic Coaches’ Perspective: The Intersection of Female Collegiate Athletic Involvement, Emotional Health, And Academic Performance, Kimba P. Jackson
Examining The Influences of Principals' Authentic Leadership Practices on Positive Classroom Learning Climate, Students’ Social and Emotional Learning, And Student Behavior, Craig Wesley Johnson
K-6 Teacher Perspectives Regarding Pre-Covid-19 Digital Competencies Professional Development and Teaching During the Pandemic, Melissa Kay King
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
Case Managers as a Compass: A Strategy for Influencing First-Generation College Student Success, James Riley
Exploring Novice Teachers’ Perceptions of a Core Competency Within A Beginning Teacher Assistance Program: A Phenomenological Study, Alayna Roller
Arkansas High School Teacher Perceptions About Declining Enrollment and Learning Experiences in Advanced Science Courses, Tanya Lynette Ruble
