The Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory (CFSEI-2) was administered to 7 groups of children: 84 White Catholic school students from a New Orleans suburb, 78 White rural public school students from Virginia, 62 Hispanic Migrant student from Florida, 90 Aboriginal and White students from an isolated Canadian community, 199 African American students attending an inner city school, 60 Hispanic and White international students from Venezuela, and 61 Innuit students from isolated community in Labrador. The four elder groups also wrote three words to describe themselves (the Adjective Generation Technique [AGT]). Significant differences in responding between groups were found on all CFSEI-2 scales and for AGT favorability means. Although several possible reasons for these results are discussed, we conclude that the CFSEI-2 is not culture-free. Recommendations are: change the title of the test to avoid misrepresentation, limit test usage to elementary school children, develop an adolescent version with age appropriate language, and construct local norms before using the CFSEI-2 to make decisions about a child's self-esteem. To determine relevance of scores, a team of professionals and lay persons should review items from this or any test given to children who may be different from the normative or standardization group.

This study examined 299 Louisiana teachers from three school districts regarding their perceptions of the value provided by specific types of professional development (PD) including professional learning communities (PLC), demonstration lessons, and in-service as well as graduate hours in reading/literacy on implementation (frequency of use), familiarity, usefulness, and recommendation of content literacy strategies. Data analyses included the Kruskal-Wallis test, the Friedman test, and correlation matrices. Results indicate that type of in-service had a significant effect on teacher perceived values of PD with demonstration lessons (DL) having the highest and in-service the least value. The largest number of significant correlations were found among graduate hours in reading/literacy and the variables of familiarity with strategies, usefulness of strategies, and frequency of use of strategies. Significant correlations were also found among DL hours and both recommendation of strategies and frequency of use of strategies and between PLC hours and frequency of use of strategies. PD delivered on a weekly basis demonstrated the most value while the one-shot effort had the least value. In sum, this study demonstrated the most effective PD format actually involved university graduate courses followed by school district-initiated demonstration lessons with a pattern of weekly delivery.

This study provides insight into the effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction (SI) at a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), particularly with Hispanic students. The United States Department of Education (2010) defines an HSI as having a 25% or greater full-time, Hispanic student enrollment and 50% or more of all students are eligible for need-based financial aid. It is essential for many Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) that have a high percentage of Hispanic populations to find ways where they will support and retain a growing number of minority degree-seeking students. One of the biggest challenges for HSIs is not only increasing retention, but additionally supporting the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) courses at these institutions. The study contributes to the existing research that shows that SI is an effective student success intervention in improving academic success and course retention among Hispanic students in STEM related courses. The results showed a significant difference in academic success and course completion among Hispanic students at an HSI with SI participation in Chemistry and Physics courses.

In Texas, there are different ways teachers can attain certification. Thus, teachers are entering the classroom through various certification routes with varying levels of training as the traditional and alternative programs differ in their requirements. Classroom management can determine the success or failure of teachers and students. The research involved in this study attempted to determine whether university-certified teachers differ from alternatively certified teachers in the area of classroom management as determined by referrals, while controlling for level of education, years of teaching experience, age, race, and gender at both middle and high school levels. The population for this study was the middle and high school teachers in one rural south central Texas school district. Data were collected from the school district's personnel database as well as from the campus-level administrators. Hierarchical regressions were used to test null hypotheses and recommendations were suggested.

Despite a healthy production of teachers, teacher attrition is a significant concern facing school administrators across the state of Texas. This study sought to determine the extent to which questions on the Exit and Principal Surveys reflect three sets of standards which guide educator preparation in Texas: Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Standards for Teacher Educators, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Educator Preparation Program Curriculum Standards, and Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) Exam Standards. This analysis provides important information about the validity of survey questions as a measure of standards compliance for educator preparation in Texas and also sought to determine if there is a difference between teacher candidates’ Exit Survey evaluation of preparation and principals’ Principal Survey evaluation of first-year teachers’ preparation. Findings indicated a clear disconnect. Recommendations are provided as contributions for future discussion on much needed educator preparation program standards reform.