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Background: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine for healthcare delivery was uncommon. Medicare restricted routine fee-for-service reimbursements for rural patients, with payments made under restricted circumstances. In response to the pandemic, the Department of HHS amended the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act to remove numerous restrictions on Medicare coverage of telemedicine services. Under this initiative, Medicare beneficiaries from any location could receive care in the comfort of their own homes. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine Medicare beneficiaries' use of telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020-February 2021) in New York State, Florida, California, Texas, West Virginia, and Arkansas, and to compare and evaluate utilization and trends using data from the Medicare Telemedicine Snapshot from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, telemedicine visits across age groups, races/ethnic groups, and geographic locations were evaluated. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were conducted. Results: Rural states (West Virginia, Arkansas) utilized Medicare telemedicine the least with California utilizing the most telehealth services. Those aged 65-74 used telehealth the most across all six states. West Virginia and Arkansas had the highest telehealth usage rates among those 65 and younger. Urban Medicare beneficiaries had significantly higher telehealth usage than their rural counterparts across six states. New York State offered more Medicare telehealth services than Arkansas and West Virginia, but California, Texas, and Florida provided more services. Females had greater utilization rates across all six states. Implications: These disparities create an opportunity for legislators to address how additional training, technology, and technical assistance can provide fairer access to phone and video telemedicine modalities beyond the pandemic. It is recommended that telehealth planning continue to develop to support greater care availability across the board. The regulation exemptions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic helped boost the usage of telehealth services, as did public health and CDC guidelines promotion of virtual visits. Still, more emphasis must be placed on remote areas, age, gender, race, and ethnicity for telehealth services to provide more universal quality care. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The undocumented college student population in the United States reflects a similar pattern of growth relative to the overall population of undocumented individuals (Goo, 2015). While the undocumented population in the U.S. has not recently increased substantially, and in some cases the undocumented population has actually declined (Baker & Rytina, 2012), there is a growing need to address the limited opportunities available to undocumented youth after graduation from college. College students face challenges finding a career path after graduation, they face the phenomenon of underemployment (Abel, Deitz, & Su, 2014) and these challenges become more difficult when a student is undocumented and lacks permanent work authorization to be employed, and face the threat of deportation (Autin et al., 2018). This study aimed to explore the post-graduation experiences of students who went to college while undocumented. Using a conceptual framework that includes Transition Theory (Schlossberg, 1981) and Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), the research design used narrative inquiry to gain a deep understanding of the experiences of these students and their journeys. A review of the literature in this study addressed the following domains of literature, as they relate to undocumented individuals: policy and legislation, demographics of undocumented communities, and a highlight of California-specific factors. This study includes a literature review of the following domains of knowledge: policy and legislation, demographics of undocumented students, a California-specific review, the focus of the study that highlights challenges and barriers for undocumented students, and a conceptual framework that includes Schlossberg's Transition Theory (1981), and Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005). Participants included those who have successfully graduated from the University of California system and are or were undocumented during some or all of their time in college. The narratives of participants guided the inquiry and study findings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

According to Brenan (2021), 77% of Americans are concerned about the morals and values in America. Morality is embedded in the foundation of the United States and its educational system, with ethical dilemmas requiring leaders to be intentional and cognizant (Dahl, 2015; Johnson, 2021; Lickona, 1993; Smith, 2020). The California public educational system requires its leaders to have high moral and ethical acumen (California Legislature, 1998; California School Boards Association, 2007). However, there is currently no mandatory ethical training for superintendents (School of College and Legal Services, 2020), and how a superintendent makes an ethical and moral decision is unknown. Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of eight California Superintendents concerning morals, values, and ethics and their influence on decisions. The study was guided by the theoretical framework of moral development, the four-component model, the basic values theory, and ethical concepts of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. A semi-structured interview was conducted with twenty-three interview questions to aggregate the data to enrich existing research and serve as means of information for the educational system. The coding process revealed fourteen overall findings (strategies, politics, legislation, legal, balancing varying perspectives, conflict resolution, level of influence, communication, branding, and marketing, emotional intelligence, policy lens, constant growth and learning, the impact of decisions, character, community, alignment, and pause and examine) with seven conclusions of (a) the challenges and dilemmas for superintendents being politics, legislation, laws, and the balancing of multiple perspectives; (b and c) an implementation process by which superintendents can incorporate morals, values, and ethics through emotional intelligence and identification; (d and e) societal values do not directly influence superintendents, who are instead influenced by constant growth and learning, while social values directly influence the governance system; (f and g) superintendents are intentional, deliberate, and conscientious decision-makers. Cognizant superintendents are intentional in their leadership and understand their decisions have a significant impact; however, definitive identification of ethical dilemmas was not consistent. Therefore, the study provides recommendations for instituting an annual ethics training policy and for superintendents to engage in a decision quality analysis process when in an ethical dilemma/decision. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This research examined correctional and community college administrators' perceptions of collaboration and the public value impact of a PSCE partnership through a systems thinking conceptual framework. Through interviews, observations, and document reviews, I determined how these perceptions aligned with the public value of a PSCE partnership. This was a basic qualitative study involving six participants from two public agencies. Findings from this study indicate that administrators recognized: * Public Safety Realignment legislation contributed to the viability of a PSCE partnership in a county jail system. * Public safety improvements in the county jail system promoted a jail environment to facilitate the success of a PSCE partnership. * Service coordination with jail in-reach services promoted a continuum of services to enhance the PSCE partnership. * An improved jail culture has contributed to the collaboration by administrators of the PSCE partnership. * Improved interagency communication has contributed to a better understanding of the missions of both partners. * Promoting correctional best practices has contributed to improving the collection of program data of the PSCE partnership. * Recommendations for practice and for future research are provided. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Many U.S. higher education institutions are reaffirming their commitments to public purposes--preparing graduates for civic engagement for the public good and producing knowledge with real-world applications. Developing students for civic engagement for justice in the context of a diverse and inequitable democracy is a complex task. In Article 1, I outline one concrete set of learning outcomes to support such engagement--participation, openness to multiple perspectives, controversy with civility, active thinking, justice-orientation, and structural thinking about racial inequality--that are general enough to be applicable across disciplines and universities, yet specific enough to give universities outcomes for which to strive and tools to measure their success. I name this set of learning outcomes "critical democratic citizenship." In Article 2, I focus on a strategy for fostering such civic engagement: "community-engaged scholarship". Community-engaged scholarship has multiple meanings resulting in ambiguity about which practices higher education professionals should undertake. Previously studied for its impacts on faculty research and institutional change, this article focuses on understanding the pedagogical applications of community-engaged scholarship and suggests a new direction for the field--critical community-engaged scholarship. In Article 3, I outline the results of an in-depth quantitative study at the University of California, Berkeley, in which I examine the impacts of inequality content and community-engaged scholarship on critical democratic citizenship. I find that students in courses with above-average levels of content on how structural inequality is reproduced through laws, policies, and cultural practices, finish their courses better prepared to engage in critical democratic citizenship. Further, students in classes with high levels of inequality content and high levels of community-engaged scholarship are more equipped to: participate civically, engage with a justice-orientation, and think actively about society. By concretely defining "critical democratic citizenship" and associated learning outcomes (Article 1), outlining "community-engaged scholarship" and providing examples of its pedagogical applications (Article 2), and developing statistically valid instruments through structural equation modeling to measure the impact of inequality content and community-engaged scholarship on critical democratic citizenship (Article 3), this mixed-methods dissertation adds to our understanding of how postsecondary institutions can produce knowledge and educate students for the public good. I use citizen and citizenship to mean civic engagement and civically engaged people and not documentation of affiliation with a nation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Purpose: The Los Angeles County Probation Department is currently receives millions of dollars through the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act to fund deputy probation officers (DPOs) on high school campuses who provide services to increase student attendance, decrease student behavioral infractions, and decrease student recidivism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the Los Angeles County School-Based Probation (SBP) Program by high school administrators. The study described the impact of weekly student contacts by DPOs and their role in improving student attendance, academics, and in decreasing discipline referrals. Methodology: The researcher used descriptive and ex post facto research and developed a survey consisting of 19 questions for high school administrators with an assigned DPO in the Los Angeles County SBP Program. The survey elicited high school administrators' responses on a 7-point Likert scale of their perceptions of the SBP program. In addition, the researcher developed 12 interview questions that further discussed the high school administrators' perceptions of the SBP program. Findings: The data indicated an increase in the students' attendance and academic performance and a decrease in discipline referrals and recidivism for students assigned to DPOs in the Los Angeles County SBP Program. A majority of the high school administrators indicated that the program was effective because of their positive working relationship with the DPO, professionalism of the DPO, wraparound services for students, coordination of services by the DPO, increased supervision by the DPO, and visibility of the DPO on campus. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that a majority of the high school administrators believed the Los Angeles County SBP Program is an effective program for students on probation. The high school administrators also believed that the close monitoring by the DPO of students in the SBP program, their working relationship with the DPO, their level of communication with the DPO, and their collaboration with the DPO had a positive impact on the students. Although the SBP program has room for improvement, the overall perception of the high school administrators in the program was that it is an effective program. Replicating this program throughout the state of California will have a major impact on the recidivism rate, attendance, academic performance, and discipline referrals for student placed on probation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This exploratory case study focused on youth and resistance that was aided by the use of technology. The combination of resistance and technology expanded a multidimensional framework and leads to new insight into transformative resistance. This study examined the framework of transformative resistance based on Solorzano and Delgado Bernal's (2001) findings. Specific interest centered on learning how and why youth used MySpace to organize student walkouts in protest of House Resolution 4437 in late March 2006, ultimately amassing 40,000 students in Los Angeles. Another purpose was to create a framework for ways in which educators can meaningfully embrace the combination of pedagogy, technology, and revolution. The case study method, which involved collecting data by document review, MySpace Group pages, and interviews, produced a comprehensive picture of the H.R. 4437 Walkouts. Thematic coding and social network analysis were used to examine the collected data. The study findings showed that a combination of multimodal (face-to-face, text messaging, and MySpace) and multidirectional (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, many-to-many) communications contributed to the success of the H.R. 4437 Walkouts. The sub-themes of speed and strategic use of private and public communication channels also played roles. The combination of these four elements created a decentralized, non-hierarchical network that provided significant strengths, but also indicated some weaknesses in the communication process. An educational framework is proposed that combines pedagogy, technology and revolution. Multidimensional revolutionary pedagogy has been created as a guide for teachers to facilitate student efforts to engage in transformative resistance related to social justice causes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

With passage of The No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, the nation's schools have been under pressure to bring all students to a proficient level as defined by their state. The State of California currently uses a status model accountability system to measure whether a student, school, or district is proficient. Other states such as Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Tennessee are exploring an alternative to the status model by piloting a growth model system to assess whether their students are proficient. This case study of a California school district examined the usability of a growth model within seven middle schools at the teacher-level. The growth model used was a residualized-change score growth model that accounted for the pretest when measuring growth. Additionally, the relationship between sixth and seventh grade mathematics student test scores and eighth grade Algebra I student test scores was explored. Split-half reliability results were strong, thus suggesting the residualized-change score growth model is reliable. Additionally, the data revealed a very strong correlation between teacher-level residualized-change scores with teacher-level CST API and AYP scores. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The present study sought to uncover relationships between the personal characteristics of teachers and their preferences for models of teaching. A purposeful sample included 12 elementary instructors of heterogeneous classes with a cluster of gifted students in urban school districts within Southern California, all of who were participants in a grant awarded to the University of Southern California under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of the U.S. Department of Education (PR #S206A040072). Qualitative interviews provided data that underwent theme-based content analysis. Results of the study provided insight related to three areas: characteristics of teachers of the gifted, teacher preference and use of models of teaching, and relationships between teacher characteristics and pedagogical preference and use. In addition to the presence of twelve characteristics from the original literature on successful teachers of the gifted, two additional traits emerged in the assessment of the participants' traits. Considerable variance in the presence of each studied characteristic was noted as certain traits were consistently present in the participants, while others were exhibited at differing degrees of frequency and intensity. Patterns in teacher pedagogical preference and use were uncovered. Overall teacher enjoyment of models appeared to be related to the ideological features of the model, while use was connected to practical application issues and teacher level of comfort. In addition, teacher's preferred way of thinking and learning appeared to have a large influence on pedagogical preference and use. Seven important connections between specific teacher characteristics and models of teaching were discovered. Many of the relationships were logically supported through an understanding of the trait and the models' theoretical underpinnings, though a few were explained through a consideration of how teachers translate theory into practice. Implications were drawn for teacher recruitment, placement, and education. It is suggested that teacher educators cultivate teacher traits associated with effectiveness for gifted populations, provide educators with strategies to overcome institutional barriers, and finally to systematically teach and support the use of models of teaching in teacher education programs and professional development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

There is growing concern regarding disruptive, aggressive behaviors in schools. This remains a current issue despite school-wide and targeted interventions implemented with students who manifest externalizing behaviors. The literature review yielded several implications. First, teachers generally indicated that they had received inadequate behavioral management training and reported low self-efficacy in working with children who manifest externalizing behaviors. Second, teachers' perceptions of students who exhibit problematic behaviors appeared to influence the quality of student-teacher relationships. Third, student-teacher relationships were identified as a primary mediator in the manifestation of externalizing type behaviors. Based on research findings, the purpose of the current project was to create a handbook specifically for educators who are managing student externalizing behaviors. The handbook provides an overview of externalizing behaviors, special education law, and strategies that educators can utilize to create a positive classroom climate, enhance student-teacher relationships, and reduce the frequency of externalizing type behaviors. The doctoral project report details the field-testing methodology utilized to elicit expert reviewer feedback regarding the accuracy of the handbook content and educator reviewer feedback regarding the practicability (usefulness) of the handbook. Five expert reviewers and 12 educator reviewers, primarily from southern California, participated in the study. Overall, expert reviewers indicated that the content of the handbook was accurate and easy to read. Educator reviewers generally indicated that the information in the handbook was easy to read, useful, and practical. The general consensus across participants was that the handbook was a tool that educators could utilize to maintain a positive classroom environment, engender positive student-teacher relationships, and aid in reducing problematic classroom behaviors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In 2006, the California legislature released $14 million to the schools of California to create school gardens through the California Instructional School Garden Bill (CA Assembly Bill 1535, 2006). This study examined the differences and similarities of school gardens as learning spaces by exploring a fifth grade school standards-based mathematics lesson in both a classroom and school-garden setting. Using the place notions of Gieryn (2000), I constructed a methodology that articulated and then combined the different strands or elements that contribute to space production. The methodology combined both qualitative and quantitative methods to deepen the understanding of place and corroborate the evidence. I asked two research questions: (a) What were the similarities and differences between school gardens and classrooms with respect to instruction? (b) Specifically, did gardens offer opportunities for better academic performance, both generally and with respect to individual students? Evidence indicated that school gardens may afford a higher use of space for lessons and higher bi-directional interactions for participants in those lessons. Data also indicates that school gardens may be more effective for lower achieving rather than higher achieving students. Further research is needed to validate these effects. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Abundant research chronicles the backgrounds and characteristics of community college students assigned to developmental reading. Many are members of underrepresented groups and first in their families to attend college. English may not be their primary language. Developmental students often struggle with learning disabilities. Nontraditional students are also common. In contrast, very little research examines the backgrounds and training of developmental reading instructors. This quantitative study entailed a two-part survey. The first portion gathered demographic information about the 1,795 developmental reading instructors at the 112 California community colleges; the second involved administration of a standardized instrument developed at the University of Tennessee, the Assessment of Reading Instructional Knowledge-Adults (ARIK-A). Six analyses sought to determine the existence of significant differences in performance on the assessment instrument according to educational background, primary level of instruction, employment status, and amount of professional development. Two analyses sought to determine whether sense of collegiality and sense of belonging to a professional learning community within the department could be attributed to employment status. The results of the study point to the significant role played by an instructor's educational background. Other results underscore the need for coherent professional development and for intentional efforts on the part of the institution to promote collective efficacy among the faculty, including a sense of belonging to a professional learning community. Recommendations are proposed regarding the minimum qualifications for hire, professional development, oversight of the trajectory from initial placement to college-level, and the crucial necessity to stay apprised of current legislation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]