The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how a single intervention focused on civil, respectful conversation across difference might influence marginalized college students’ sense of belonging and privileged college students’ level of cur . . .

Through narrative inquiry, a qualitative study of the lived experiences of six African American female elementary school principals in two urban districts was conducted within the theoretical frameworks of Black feminist and critical race theories. Th . . .

Concepts of sustainability around working, living, natural, and built environments are complex and interdisciplinary. Preparation for post-secondary roles and decision making in college, among careers, and as citizens includes a working knowledge of i . . .

Low persistence rates of underprepared students in developmental education, low participation of minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, and a national imperative to develop a strong STEM workforce indicate the value . . .

Despite a substantial body of research on the effectiveness of distance education at the post-secondary level, little is known about the impact of online course delivery on the achievement gap. In California, the gap between white and Latino post-seco . . .

Proponents of STEM education have highlighted the need for increasing STEM skills among students. To address this need, there have been recommendations to create new STEM-focused schools, a majority of which are to be STEM-focused elementary and middl . . .

This study focuses on teaching experience and practice in post-secondary education - an important and understudied topic. I conducted an in-depth qualitative study of instructor experience in the Metro Academies’ Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs), w . . .

This twelve week-long mixed methods study investigated the effects of heterogeneous grouping and community circles on the achievement and attitude of forty-three 8th grade Math students at a Middle School in the San Francisco Bay Area. The study repor . . .

This study generated theories about characteristics and practices that contribute to and support teacher effectiveness in two high performing, high poverty elementary schools in San Vicente (pseudonym) County, California while identifying outcomes tea . . .

In this thesis, I undertake a critical policy analysis that places educational accountability reform in the United States within a socioeconomic context, and considers its implications for social inequality. In particular, my perspective examines the . . .

This study examined the role of social capital in the Puente Program at a community college known for a preponderance of learning communities supporting greater than expected transfer rates for Latino students. A social capital survey was administered . . .

This case study uses a mix methods approach to investigate several markers of academic success for first-generation college students enrolled in service-learning courses at San Francisco State University (SFSU). Academic success is measured through GP . . .

This purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the socio-academic realities of four under-credited Black male youth who attended a highperforming public high school. I used a phenomenological praxis research design and systemic questioning . . .

Due to globalization and market economy influences, substantive changes have occurred in Chinese education, producing inequalities between migrant and urban students. This study investigates the schooling experiences of migrant students in urban China . . .

As the implementation of comprehensive internationalization becomes more commonplace at US universities, there are growing concerns about how policies and mandates driving internationalization impact existing campus programs. While comprehensive inter . . .

The Purpose of this study was to explore the process of the school to prison pipeline as it manifests at high school sites by examining the structural dynamics of schools and their disciplinary policies in order to suggest ways to counteract the priso . . .

South Korea (hereafter, Korea) has been traditionally regarded as a racially and ethnically homogeneous nation with one spoken language. However, multicultural demographics in the country have recently accelerated as a result of globalization, due to . . .

In the past, reports of African Americans excelling in the realm of higher education have been dismal at best. African Africans have attended college in the past and continue to do so in the present in greater numbers than ever before. This study exam . . .

Reasons to pursue postsecondary education are manifold, particularly for low income and marginalized adults. In addition to generating more options for satisfying employment and increased income, data shows that college educated adults are less likely . . .

This research employed a quasi-experimental, sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods study design to investigate the efficacy of Robert Moses’ Algebra Project. Frequently cited in the literature as an example of a curriculum grounded in culturally rele . . .

There has been much debate over the years on the issue of bilingual education to the extent that it has tested our liberal democracy. Across the country, laws have been passed that have permanently banned bilingual instruction in public schools includ . . .

To identify the social/emotional and academic characteristics of formerly incarcerated Black women (FIBW), a qualitative narrative analysis research study was conducted. Data were drawn from participants’ written responses to writing prompts given ove . . .

In recent years, community colleges have become more challenged to be accredited and not placed on warning for their lack of institutional effectiveness. This mixed methods study looked at one of the measurements of institutional effectiveness- a coll . . .

Students who lack metalinguistic skills to identify morphologically complex words face a greater challenge to achieve reading fluency and construct meaning from texts. There is a growing consensus that knowledge and awareness of word structure could p . . .

Authentic texts are a long-debated topic in language teaching, and their use, until recently has been almost exclusively relegated to advanced language classrooms. This thesis explores how authentic texts can be used in novice and intermediate languag . . .

Research shows for the past 35 years, disproportionate suspension of black males compared to white males, occurs primarily from disruption, defiance & disrespect (the 3 D’s). Three primary factors were found to contribute to this trend; institutional . . .

Low levels of transition of adult ESL learners from non-credit ESL to credit ESL have caused concern. While the literature has focused on pedagogical and institutional perspectives, there is scant literature that highlights the learner’s perspective o . . .

This paper describes a small-scale mixed methods research study conducted at Chabot College in Hayward, California during the spring 2010 semester on what effects Peer Mentors have on persistence of African American and Chicano/Latino students. Using . . .

This study employs a qualitative self-study design using a teacher research methodology. This is a five-chapter culminating project that examines the role of social-emotional pedagogical strategies used to affect the behavior of elementary and middle . . .

This qualitative study analyzed the facilitators and barriers for 7 highly mobile migrant high school students (HMMHSS) as they follow La Corrida / the farm worker circuit, season after season. HMMHSS are students who migrate from district to district . . .

This dissertation is a qualitative study based on data collected from in-depth interviews with Raza students currently attending Central Coast University (CCU), a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in California. The study examines the role of pre-col . . .

The study examines the impact of the institutional financial aid process on students of color at the California Community Colleges. The institutional financial aid process starts after a student completes the Federal Free Application for Federal Stude . . .

The Serrano decision found the California school funding system unconstitutional as it violated the equal protection clause of the state constitution and discriminated against school districts in low property wealth communities. The basic aid policy, . . .

This study highlights the underrepresentation of women in the K-12 superintendency and explores barriers and facilitators for female educational leaders during their career trajectories. It investigates female leadership behaviors that have been linke . . .

Community college counseling services have long-been recognized as being vital to student success. At the same time, the quality and availability of services has been widely criticized in the research literature, particularly as related to first-gener . . .

The academic experiences of Chinese American high school students are poorly understood and often misrepresented. The purpose of this research was to understand the meanings and consequences of the high school experiences of Chinese American adolescen . . .

The persistent Latino student achievement gap has been shown by the literature to be associated with socio-economic status and race/ethnicity. In attempting to reform schools and increase minority student achievement the federal government has made pa . . .

The study examines the experiences of Southeast Asian (Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Mien) college graduates that have contributed to their academic success in higher education. These four specific communities were selected for the study because they exh . . .

Community colleges are opening their doors to international students, who, like their domestic counterparts, see the community college as a steppingstone to four-year institutions. This study explored the challenges and the contributors to the success . . .

Educational leaders are required to ensure equitable academic outcomes for all students, regardless of social class, race, gender, language, cultural identity, or other factors—including sexual orientation. Though the concept of equitable schooling an . . .

Faculty at some of the best colleges and universities across the country have expressed concerns about the quality of student writing. Such is the case at San Francisco State University (SFSU), which recently revised its writing assessment policy by p . . .

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the critical pedagogy behind four men of color teachers in secondary education in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, class . . .

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of validation experiences on academic outcomes for Oceania community college students, utilizing Rendon’s theory of validation. Quantitative analysis of survey data showed Oceania students at a mi . . .

School districts in California and across the United Sates face similar dilemmas and challenges in relation to the questions of when students should take Algebra I and what the requirements of that course should be. As educators are just beginning to . . .

The purpose of this study is to further the understanding of youth civic culture in America. In using the sociocultural approach to cognitive development as the theoretical framework for this study, discourses on culture, history, and institutions are . . .

In 2013, a contract between Santa Clara County Office of Education and San Francisco State University was agreed upon between parties to complete a research study that examined how school districts approached the implementation of Local Control Accoun . . .

First-generation college students of color are one of the most frequently targeted groups for access and retention programs in higher education. However, literature on the persistence and resistance strategies of this student population remain predomi . . .

This study explores how the legislative goals of AB 288 dual enrollment are understood and externalized by the policy adopters, administrators, and supporters interviewed and what impact these differences in understanding have had on the implementatio . . .

The reason for the proposed study is: Does participation in high school sports impact academic achievement and healthy lifestyles? In order to answer this question I conducted a field study to understand the relationship between athletics and academic . . .