The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher efficacy and attitudes of elementary and middle school (k-8), general education teachers towards teaching learning disabled, emotionally and behavioral disabled, and significant . . .

Creekside High School is a high-performing public high school where students who are not White or Asian face a racialized school environment. This dissertation examines the school’s initiative to detrack its ninth grade Algebra class. Detracking is th . . .

Using counter-narrative to frame the qualitative methodology, this dissertation shifts the paradigm of educational leadership by situating the experiences of transformative leaders of color as part of the dominant discourse. A theoretical framework dr . . .

The academic achievement for disadvantaged students, students of color, and English language learners has fallen behind the performance levels of white students for decades (Darling Hammond, 2007). By 2014, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act will req . . .

Previously incarcerated youth (PIY) are hyper-marginalized by intersectional patterns of marginalization processes enacted within public institutions, often beginning within schools, yet little is known about their experiences within higher education. . . .

This study explores the cultural dynamics of a school that was created to provide a college preparatory and culturally responsive experience for students of color in an American city. While the school experienced much success in regards to college adm . . .

This study examines the breadth and evolution of Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino Psychology) and identifies its place in educaonal settings. The study articulates Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s deviation from Western psychological discourse, which focuses on . . .

Governments use many institutions and policies in order to maintain social control and conformity within their respective societies. These allegiances, or subsequent penalties, exist to sustain normalized citizenship, law and order, and overall cohesi . . .

In a case study of a northern California urban community college, it was found that 25% of applicants who participated in matriculation did not enroll in courses. This contradiction between completing matriculation but not enrolling in community colle . . .

Low completion rates for developmental mathematics sequences and in gateway mathematics courses prevent a majority of community college students from achieving transfer goals. This explanatory mixed methods case study examined an open-entry, accelerat . . .

This three-part study focused on making the case for developing a teacher pathway program in Salinas, California. The first part of the study evaluated a teacher pathway program located in Southern California and sought to determine effective program . . .

In July of 2013, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) determined that the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) did not meet the eligibility criteria and standards for accreditation and announced that they would terminat . . .

For first-generation students of color, the transition from high school to the community college can be a difficult one. This study explored how high schools and community colleges can work in partnership to improve the transition for first-gen studen . . .

This qualitative collective case study explored the experiences of community college faculty members in the social and behavioral sciences and SLO coordinators at community colleges in California as they engaged in student learning outcomes assessment . . .

The AVID and IB programs are becoming popular reform initiatives for high schools seeking to close the achievement gap and better serve a growing number of underrepresented students. This study seeks to add to the literature on IB and AVID by examinin . . .

Since the power structure that enforces racial oppression has been in place since the founding of this country, and some of the greatest perpetuators of the power structure are unsuspecting white people who do not even realize that they have been indo . . .

Researchers and policy makers have suggested that improvement in school finance systems could enable districts to be more effective in increasing student achievement. Results Based Budgeting (RBB) is the finance system currently used in the Oakland Un . . .

This thesis uses poststructuralism and queer theory as a framework for exploring the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus of the California Teachers Association. It draws upon the author's personal experiences, informal and formal observatio . . .

The purpose of this study was to explore if the Response to Intervention process has a potential to impact equity issues within special education at an elementary school. A case study was conducted at a kindergarten through fifth grade charter school . . .

Focused and sustained professional development for community college faculty is considered a critical component to improving community college student success. Without a coherent and long-term approach to professional development, faculty will be unli . . .

This study examines language policies pertaining to preschool dual language learners in California, and comprehensive practices, inclusive of home language and culture that support effective English language acquisition. The methodology used in this s . . .

This case study examines a spoken word poetry curriculum, two spoken word poets and teachers, and selected samples of youth poetry. The purpose of this study is to investigate how spoken word poetry creates a “third-space” to allow youth to navigate, . . .

Research has shown a limited understanding of the impacts of residential recovery programs on families with young children who have been exposed to addiction, homelessness, and poverty (Einbinder, 2010; Neger & Prinz, 2015; Niccols et. al., 2012). The . . .

As a result of AB705 mandates, which reforms placement practices and reduces developmental pathways in Math and English in an effort to improve educational inequity, the majority of incoming students in California community colleges will now be placed . . .

The purpose of this dissertation was to further support female students success in mathematics as it related to the classroom and beyond. The study documented girls’ experiences and feelings about math learning and contextualized their responses by co . . .

This dissertation sought to illuminate some of the critical tensions the California Community Colleges face as they are building higher education partnerships with prisons and jails. This study employed queer methodologies (Sheldon, 2010; Browne & Nas . . .

The purpose of this qualitative study was to research how social reproduction perpetuates and replicates the status quo in the community college classroom, especially as perceived by first-generation students. The study investigated two questions: How . . .

Latino/as represent the majority of students enrolled in K-12 education in California, yet they attend schools where the teaching population and curriculum choices do not reflect their culture. This study uses ethnographic methods to explore the exper . . .

This study of the ways in which social science teachers in low, middle and high SES high schools use technology in their teaching demonstrated that the digital divide is alive and well in the San Francisco Bay Area. A qualitative research design with . . .

This study highlights the under-representation of women in educational leadership. It explores the specific issue of supervision as an important function of management that facilitates women’s career advancement, and promotes gender equity. The very n . . .

Within suburban schools, the educational experiences of Black and Latinx students are racialized because achievement is defined as the appropriate domain of White or Asian students. Classifying the academic success of a Black and Latinx student as unu . . .

For many students, transfer from a community college is an important step in the journey to earning a bachelor’s degree. Unfortunately, research on the experiences of transfer students in their four-year institutions is limited. The purpose of this st . . .

Disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes between Black and Latino students and their White peers are well-documented and have been reported continuously since the government-issued Coleman Report was published in 1966 (Coleman, 1966; Darl . . .

American schooling has been a site for reproducing the remnants of a history of Western conquest over the East. This is a form of neocolonialism that reproduces itself through the minds, hearts, and souls of marginalized people through institutional a . . .

Athletic participation in community college athletics has been shown to promote academic success. However, these benefits are not shared across all athlete subgroups. Although male Pacific Islanders student-athletes consistently perform at the bottom . . .

Teachers need support with on-going professional learning to effectively address Spanish-speaking biliterate students’ strengths and language needs. They also need to build capacity in learning new standards and in implementing policy. This study util . . .

The research has a social justice agenda that confronts the reality of inequality while seeking to empower Latino students through a search for what led to students’ transformational experiences. This research revealed the stories of four Latino male . . .

Efforts to improve student outcomes for Chican@/Latin@ students in community colleges have focused on fixing perceived student problems with little attention and accountability directed specifically towards the institutions and the educators who teach . . .

This dissertation explores strategies used by successful Black early childhood education students completing coursework toward degree attainment at San Francisco State University. Minimum ECE teacher qualifications are gradually changing to require fo . . .

This study investigates the influences of the medical and social models of disability in mass media. Specifically, the study dissects comic book representations of difference in context of American cultural attitudes. Five comic book anthologies publi . . .

Community college students begin their higher education studies with the goal of completing an associate’s degree, a certificate, transferring, or improving/obtaining employment skills. Students do not begin higher education thinking they will depart . . .

Student support services, such as academic advising, promote college student retention and increased graduation rates. As educational institutions continue to face budgetary uncertainties, academic advising services are facing cuts that threaten their . . .

This dissertation consists of three linked papers that examine and amplify teachers’ voice during Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation. Using the framework of narrative inquiry, the first paper explores my own sense of agency and voice ov . . .

Mindfulness is a contemplative practice and mode of awareness that has been shown to promote adaptive psychological skills and provide therapeutic benefit. There is currently a burgeoning movement to incorporate mindfulness in diverse educational sett . . .

This study set out to understand how the federal work-study (FWS) program currently plays a role at San Francisco State University (SFSU) in supporting college students, particularly students of color, toward college completion and in their career dec . . .

Students with Pacific Islander (PI) heritage have among the lowest bachelor attainment rates with four-year degrees at only 15%. This study seeks to identify the strengths of Pacific Islanders (PI) by examining their experiences at Asian American and . . .

The growth and popularity of undergraduate asynchronous online courses within the California State University (CSU) system including at San Francisco State University (SF State) has provided students with more opportunities for learning. However, rese . . .

This phenomenological study explored the growing concerns, meanings, and implications of no confidence vote sanctions against presidents in California’s community colleges. Using in-depth interviews, this study attempted to contribute in-depth knowled . . .

This study consists of a comprehensive analysis of Afrocentricity and African Centered Education and the value and viability of these paradigms as alternatives to the current Eurocentric educational system in the United States. It will seek to critica . . .

The purpose of this review is to provide insight to urban educators and policy makers about measures that can be taken to improve teacher retention in urban schools. An to establish context for current educational discourse regarding issues of teacher . . .

This study focuses on California’s controversial “double dose” intervention program mandated for schools placed in Program Improvement. Meant to accelerate student achievement, the “double dose” intervention program presents an unique opportunity to s . . .

This comparative case study utilized oral histories to illuminate the life stories of three Black men who grew up impacted by the crack epidemic and the attendant traumas. The goal of the study was to better understand how they navigated education and . . .

This qualitative study explores pedagogical practices and student responses in three community college learning communities targeting African American students. Using classroom observations, instructor and student interviews, and student focus groups, . . .

This mixed methods dissertation explores the application of critical media literacy pedagogy in higher education. A review of the scholarly literature found that there are five hypothesized outcomes of a critical media literacy education: student enga . . .

The central focus of this study explores the transition of students with learning disabilities from high school to community college. Although students with learning disabilities are entitled to transition services as highlighted in ADA, OCR, and IDEA . . .

California community colleges make higher education accessible for all; however, nearly half its students fail to achieve their goal of degree completion. Based upon the recommendations of the Student Success Task Force, the California legislature pas . . .

One way districts and schools improve the academic achievement of students is to increase teacher quality — a key contributor a student’s academic success (Darling- Hammond, 2000; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2005). This quantitative study employed logis . . .

All Latin@ students do not learn the same. The socioeconomic factors which impact the personal, cultural, civic, and academic development of Latin@ students varies significantly based upon the geographic region, the local community dynamic, and their . . .

The aim of this thesis is to critique how the perception of the culture of social institutions (i.e. public education) has led to failure of pure democracy as conceptualized in Western experience due to groundless focus on individual accountability fo . . .

This qualitative case study followed one school’s journey through a professional development series based on the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. The study focused on the transformation of fourteen teachers in a small urban elementary school wh . . .

The purpose of this study was to examine power relations in the community college classroom utilizing Freire’s theory of co-construction and Foucault’s theory of power. Through practitioner research, qualitative data suggested that faculty have power . . .

Issues of race, privilege, and cultural diversity in education have turned to the field of neuroscience for insights on how to disrupt pernicious and persistent racial disparities in student outcome data. This mixed methods study examined the impact o . . .

Consistently low levels of study abroad participation by students of color have fueled extensive anecdotal advice literature and a few empirical studies that examined perceived barriers to access. Literature that explores the experiences of students o . . .

Student success is often predicated upon what happens in the classroom. Traditional methods of education have historically denied students of color equal access to quality educational experiences that value their culture and knowledge. Additionally, s . . .

In 2005 the California legislature amended The Master Plan for Higher Education by passing Senate Bill 724 authorizing the California State University (CSU) system to offer education doctorate degrees (Ed.D.). The purpose was to prepare future leaders . . .

With the growing desire to revitalize the middle class, gentrification has taken an all time high in urban areas. While the general rhetoric around gentrification emphasizes rebuilding poor, urban communities and the racial and socioeconomic mixing of . . .

While more women lead community colleges than ever before, males hold more than 70% of top leadership positions. Despite decades of scholarship and emerging concepts of leadership, the masculine model of leadership persists. Using social role theory a . . .

This case study explored the viability of using a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol within a novice teacher induction program to facilitate dialogue about equity in a diversifying suburban school setting. The study included two research q . . .

This study critically examines the historical discourse surrounding postsecondary remediation policy in the United States. As opposed to considering remediation as an objective ahistorical remedy for students who lack basic English and math skills, th . . .

Districts are challenged with providing quality educational services as evidenced by the persistent gaps in learning among poor students and students of color. Changing conditions, such as changes in district size, affects the capacity of school distr . . .

This qualitative study explores how African American students make sense of the various language practices they must utilize across various contexts. The psychological juggling of these different language practices can potentially influence academic o . . .

This study evaluates the effectiveness of continuation education high school investments at an urban Bay Area school district using cultural responsive practices. Soliciting perspectives of administrative stakeholders, data was collected to determine . . .

Early childhood educational (ECE) leaders are faced with real and persistent challenges around the equity and mclusiveness of preschool disciplinary practices. During early development, the implications of decisions to include or exclude early learner . . .

This action research study chronicled the process of community college L2 composition teachers as they worked together in a professional learning community (PLC) to identify student learning challenges and develop pedagogical strategies and techniques . . .

A plethora of dropout-prevention interventions exist, many as standalone programs and some as ecological approaches that wield many programs at once. The effectiveness of these programs are widely variable. While there is some knowledge of which inter . . .

This study sought to determine the impact of structural reform in the developmental English sequence at a California community college. This multiple methods case study examined changes in student success and in faculty pedagogy. Analysis was framed b . . .

The inability of California Community Colleges to produce equitable outcomes for Latina/o and African American students, and provide a successful pathway to higher education, is an educational problem. Although research shows many factors influence st . . .

This dissertation explores the facilitators and barriers for African American students who transferred from a Northern California community college district to a four-year institution. The study examines the particular importance of counseling and int . . .

The purpose of this case study was to assess whether the Heuristic Model of Employability when paired with career-related programming, services and work-based learning activities produced equitable employment outcomes for Sonoma State University alumn . . .

This study examines the early childhood workforce’s experiences in higher education, focusing on African-American and Latina staff who hold an Associate’s degree or less. The study examines a pilot program aimed to support the transfer of these studen . . .

This embedded mixed-method case study focused on the academic and social outcomes of participants in the Metro Academy program. A fairly new program at San Francisco State University, Metro focuses on increasing the retention and persistence rates for . . .

Many students struggle with structuring their writing in composing expository texts. This dissertation examined the scaffolding strategies inherent in the Thinking Maps program to see if students’ compositions were more organized if they used a Thinki . . .

This study focuses on Youth of Color in the Bay Area neighborhoods of East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park who attended the Ravenswood City School District (RCSD), as they transition to and through Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD). This is . . .

Since the establishment of the first public charter school in 1991, the number of public charters has grown to more than 6,400 schools serving over 2.5 million students in the U.S. As their numbers continue to grow, charters are becoming responsible f . . .

This empirical case study focused on the impact of the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) resolution AS-2818, “Support of International Experiences and Global Perspectives in CSU Education,” on campus internationalization. This . . .

Despite the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects equal employment opportunity for all, and other California legislation to increase faculty diversity, the disparity between the demographics of California’s community college student population and . . .

This exploratory qualitative study examines the student services practices and experiences of African American students in three community colleges. The study addresses important issues of college retention, transfer, and integration of support servic . . .

This phenomenological study uses critical race theory to explore counterstories of four firstgeneration college (FGC) students of color who attend selective universities. In a postaffirmative action context in California, institutional focus on studen . . .

Narrowing the achievement gap between Latino and African American students and their White and Asian peers is the moral imperative of every district and school administrator. If this; moral imperative is to be realized, administrators must combine a d . . .

Nixon's War on Drugs served to bring the body of the individual under the increasing scrutiny of the state (Derrida, 1980; Zakaria, 2012) and since the 1970’s, the state and education have engaged a comprehensive system of social and educational surve . . .

Matriculation of foster care youth in four-year colleges and universities has been abysmal bordering on the side of not existing at all. Research has evidenced that foster care youth are often left out of the dialogue of post-secondary education. Many . . .

By using auto-ethnography and extended case study to frame the qualitative methodology, this dissertation examines the philosophy and practices of the Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP). Derived from Tintiangco-Cubales’ (2010) Critical Leadership Pr . . .

For many first-generation college students the opportunity to participate in education abroad is an important part of college success, achievement, and growth. However, the opportunity may feel unattainable for some. This dissertation examined intervi . . .

This is a study that examines the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method of leading writing groups. The methodology for this study includes a naturalistic inquiry approach to examining experiences, reviewing literature and interviewing practitioners a . . .

While the gains in Latin@ college-going rates are promising, they trail behind all other ethnic groups in the number who have earned college degrees. In California, only 11 percent o f Latin@ adults 25 years and older have earned a bachelor’s degree, . . .

I certify that I have read The Effects o f the Model Minority Theory on Chinese Americans and Southeast Asians by Amy Lieu, and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements . . .

This study was conducted to develop a deeper understanding of the role afterschool programs play in supporting science identity development for low-income Latino youth in California’s central valley. With over 4,000 afterschool programs operating in C . . .

This study focused on community based organizations leading community colleges in workforce development partnerships to train unemployed and underemployed adults. These collaborations operate where community based organizations deliver case management . . .