2024 Doctoral Capstone Projects

Districts across the nation are grappling with rising costs and staff shortages, leading many to adopt co-teaching models as their primary strategy to meet the needs of students
with disabilities. This shift is driven by legal mandates that fully advocate for the education of students in the "least restrictive environment" possible. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of secondary teachers who utilize co-teaching practices, examining the benefits, challenges, and limitations of this instructional model. Employing a concurrent mixed-methods research design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from secondary teachers currently or previously involved in co-taught
classes within the last school year via an anonymous online survey. Results indicate that while overall perceptions of co-teaching are positive, several concerns and critical factors
influencing its success were identified, including the need for adequate planning time, consistent professional development, and strong administrative support. The conclusions
suggest that addressing these areas is essential for enhancing the efficacy of the coteaching model, ultimately fostering more inclusive and supportive learning environments. Further research recommendations are also discussed.

This Doctoral Capstone Research Project investigated the effectiveness of the AP exam fee reimbursement incentive at Thomas Jefferson High School (TJHS) in the West Jefferson Hills School District. The financial incentive program reimbursed AP students their AP exam fee(s) for each qualifying score of a three or higher. Three years of AP exam results (2018-2020) when no financial incentive was available, was compared to three years of AP exam results (2021-2023) when the reimbursement incentive was offered. Additionally, AP students and parents were surveyed to gather their perspectives of the reimbursement incentive and how it impacted AP exam registration and AP exam preparation. The average number of AP exams administered, the average number of qualifying scores, and the average AP exam pass rate were all higher during the reimbursement incentive years. The survey results indicated that AP exam participation was mostly driven by the opportunity to earn college credit, and the reimbursement incentive was viewed as a secondary bonus. The survey results supported the rise in AP exam performance since a large majority of the participants viewed the financial reimbursement incentive as influential and motivational. The research findings suggest that the AP exam fee reimbursement incentive was an effective strategy to improve AP exam results at TJHS.