Education Commons^™

Closing The Gap: The Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement In The Middle School Sector, Brad Boykin, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Summer Pannell, Richard E. Cleveland, Suzanne B. Miller, Mary Josephine Carney

School Leadership Review

School leaders must make decisions and implement strategies to improve a school climate and student achievement, and it benefits them to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and student achievement with its school accountability measure, the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data that was publicly available from CCRPI data for a two year span to examine the relationship between school climate and student achievement statewide in the middle grade sector. Findings revealed that all four …

Mentoring Matters! Designing Mentoring Programs For Misbehaving Black Boys, Tina D. Nelson-Jackson

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Statistics indicate that Black males who continue to experience progressive disciplinary action in school eventually suffer academic failure, which inevitably leads to the school-to-prison pipeline. However, research proves that mentoring programs that are specifically designed for misbehaving Black males can be a viable option for improving behaviors, decreasing disciplinary occurrences, improving grades, and thereby increasing their chances of academic success in the classroom setting.

The Association Of Neighborhood Schools Assignment Plan With Economic, Racial And Academic Outcomes In One North Carolina District, Theodore Kaniuka

Journal of Research Initiatives

When unified status was granted to numerous school districts, school boards developed redistricting plans to implement neighborhood schools. Social justice advocates decried these plans as they reversed over 40 years of progress, as many of these efforts resulted in resegregating schools homogenously grouped by race and wealth. Using piecewise and Difference in Difference regression with publicly facing data, this study assessed the association between neighborhood school attendance plans, school racial and economic balance, and student reading achievement. The results indicate that in one North Carolina school district over 15 years, (a) schools became more racially segregated, and (b) the achievement …

Comparison Of Achievement Differences Based On Years Of Participation In A One-To-One Laptop Program, Anne Petersen-Carnell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine the extent to which a statistically significant difference existed in eighth-grade English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics achievement between groups of students of low socioeconomic status (SES) who participated in a Washington school district’s one-to-one laptop program for 1 year versus 3 years. Siemens’ (2005) connectivism theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. The problem addressed by the study involved the digital divide. According to van Dijk (2006), the digital divide is defined as unequal access to computers and the Internet based on economic status. The research questions asked …

Examining Attention To Leadership When Hiring School Administrators In A High Poverty, Ethnically Diverse School District: A Case Study, Veronica A. Tigert

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to understand the hiring practices of a school district when considering a principal and how the school district attends to leadership within those hiring practices. The central premise of the study was leadership matters and is second to teaching in student achievement. However, the historical record paints a picture of less than adequate attention to effective hiring practices and a limited scope when addressing leadership. A small school district in California was selected to participate in the study. The design incorporated mixed methods to analyze the hiring practices through a survey …

Professional Development For K-6 Teachers, Rebecca S. Monroe

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For over a century, educators and politicians have been working on educational reform for various reasons and with the hope of a plethora of outcomes. Since at least the late twentieth century, educational reform has been undertaken for the purpose of increasing students’ academic achievement. While a shift in focus of teaching to a focus on learning has occurred, we know changes in the classroom and with classroom teaching still needs to occur. One recent incarnation of reform has been focused on the teacher and the professional development they receive.

Currently, the United States spends over 18 billion dollars annually …

Case Study: Principal Knowledge, Principal Practice, And Student Achievement, Maritza Olivarez Braxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A school principal is a critical asset to the success of a campus, teachers, and students. Their role is and will continue to be complex with many responsibilities and challenges. Researchers have implied a disconnect between the level of a principal’s practice to their knowledge in the production of student success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal a deeper understanding of the theory-to practice gap between the professional practices of high school principals and their knowledge. This study attempted to answer the what, how, and why to help establish foundational information for improving and creating ongoing …

Retention Of Novice Teachers, Renna Varano

Culminating Experience Projects

The field of education is a constantly unsettled field with new pedagogical trends, new policies and immense attrition rates at every turn. Upon attempting to study the causes and effects of teacher attrition, it can be deduced that there is no one cause yet one major effect: student achievement. Schools that have lower rates of student achievement typically have difficulty maintaining a highly effective teaching staff. This issue affects any and all types of schools, some more than others. In order to guarantee students a right to an equitable education, school leaders must create supportive mentoring and induction programs for …

A Study Of South Texas English Learners’ Academic Achievement: A Function Of Sense Of Belonging, Acculturation, And Student Perception Of Teacher-Student Relationships, Cynthia B. Olivarez

Theses and Dissertations

This study looks at a group of Hispanic English Learners from a region in deep South Texas that is situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, and how their sense of belonging, acculturation, and their perception of the teacher-student relationship impacts academic achievement on the STAAR End-of-Course state assessments for English I and English II.There are limited studies on this population of students and these independent variables. Results from this study would help educators and school leaders assess student needs to improve student learning and close academic achievement gaps.

School Leadership That Impacts Student Achievement In Blue Ribbon Schools In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Sonya Y. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to determine the leadership actions, behaviors, and practices of effective school leaders in Blue Ribbon Schools in South Texas who resulted in the schools receiving the distinction by the U. S. Department of Education of being a Blue Ribbon School. Data were collected through a series of interviews with principals and teachers from the selected sample of Blue Ribbon Schools in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive coding to determine themes.

Accreditation And Assessment: What You Need To Know!, Frederick Burrack

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

For many academic leaders, preparing for and successfully addressing accreditation expectations can be challenging. In this interactive session, a panel of representatives from multiple disciplines will provide advice and answer questions on how to prepare for and address accreditation expectations. Panel participants will be selected from assessment directors and program directors with successful experience in a variety of accreditation situations. Session participants will be invited to ask questions specific to their academic situations enabling the panel to provide insights toward a successful accreditation experience.

Designing An Evaluation Plan For Hopewell City Public Schools Balanced Calendar, Joy Sheets Blosser, Ellen Elizabeth Burnett, Jeffrey Andrew Elmore, Michael Thomas Smith, Margot Marie Zahner

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS) began the 2021-2022 academic year with an innovative year-round balanced calendar that redistributes the 180 days of instruction and adds six enrichment weeks to increase student engagement, achievement and well-being. The purpose of this capstone project was to support the school system’s need for evaluation to ensure continual improvement and sustainable success.

Using improvement science concepts and tools, the team developed a theory of change and comprehensive evaluation plan of this balanced calendar initiative. The scope of work addressed three primary questions:

1. What are the essential components of a quality comprehensive evaluation plan for the …

   ---

   Go to article

An Analysis Of Florida Educators' Perceptions Of The School Superintendency, Qualifications, Leadership Skills, Longevity, And Student Achievement: A Quantitative Study, Natalie Bruzzese

Theses and Dissertations

High turnover in the role of school superintendent signaled functional disruption, decreased morale and impaired student achievement. The principal researcher sought to explain perceptions among professional Florida K-12 public school educators about key factors related to the role of school superintendent, necessary qualifications, important leadership skills, longevity and its impact on student achievement.

The principal researcher disseminated a 10-question online self-administered survey she developed for the study to a sample of 199 professional Florida K-12 public school educators. Independent demographic variables among sample participants included: gender, current job, highest level of completed education and years of experience as an educator. …

The Relationship Between Student Perceptions Of School Climate Domains And Academic Achievement In Rural Schools, Robbie W. Mason

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine how accurately student achievement in reading could be predicted by student perceptions of certain school climate domains (student support, disciplinary structure, academic expectations, student engagement, and the prevalence of teasing and bullying). Research demonstrated a predictive relationship between school climate domains and student academic achievement. This study applied a quantitative, correlational design to determine the predictive ability of school climate domains on student achievement in reading in rural schools. Rural school outcomes were measured by student responses for each climate domain on the 2018 Virginia School Climate Survey while academic achievement in …

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Student-Teacher Relationship On Student Achievement And Behavior, Sarah James

Dissertations

Researchers have documented the importance and value of the teacher-student relationship for over 20 years. The purpose of my study was to determine if teachers who had a positive and highly effective relationship with their students, as documented with informal and formal observations, also had higher student achievement and a lower discipline referral rate when compared to their non-highly effective peers. The context of this inquiry was kindergarten through eighth grade teachers in one public school district. In my study, I demonstrated both quantitative and qualitative data which matched current research to support teachers who are highly effective with building …

Teachers' Implementation And Application Of Social-Emotional Learning Training In The Classroom, Ricky Pierre

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a part of education to enhance learning by catering to students' personal and social advancement. Unlike many other districts, this local district has pushed for a more unified process to implement SEL in the classrooms. The implementation of SEL varies from one district to another. However, a factor to SEL's successful implementation is adequate training for classroom teachers. Another factor that affects its implementation is the perception with which classroom teachers apply the concepts acquired from the training. The research data highlights the benefits of SEL effectively implemented at the classroom level. Classroom teachers are …

The Impact Of National Board Teacher Certification On School Capacity, Sandra Kaye Michels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ex post facto causal-comparative study is to examine whether a greater number of National Board certified teachers on a school staff has an effect on school-wide standardized assessment outcomes. National Board teacher certification has been examined by researchers as a potential school improvement initiative to address persistent gaps in achievement as measured by state-mandated standardized assessments. The impact of National Board teacher certification on student outcomes has been examined at the individual classroom level and at the statewide level through analysis of scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This study explored the impact …

Do Community Schools Make A Difference? Comparing Community Schools And Noncommunity Schools In Baltimore City, Tiffany Bonds Mason

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Schools are frequently seen as the hubs of the community, providing resources and a gathering place for members of the community. The process of surveying the community in order to identify unique needs within the community, and then intentionally forging partnerships capable of ameliorating the specific needs, are strategies used by community schools to support their students and the communities from which they are drawn. Baltimore City Public Schools has created a community school management system in of their elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of community school management on the success of students …

Did Spending Cuts During The Great Recession Really Cause Student Outcomes To Decline?, Jessica Goldstein, Josh B. Mcgee

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Jackson, Wigger, and Xiong (2020a, JWX) provide evidence that education spending reductions following the Great Recession had widespread negative impacts on student achievement and attainment. This paper describes our process of duplicating JWX and highlights a variety of tests we employ to investigate the nature and robustness of the relationship between school spending reductions and student outcomes. Though per-pupil expenditures undoubtedly shifted downward due to the Great Recession, contrary to JWX, our findings indicate there is not a clear and compelling story about the impact of those reductions on student achievement. Moreover, we find that the relationship between K-12 spending …

Math Achievement Of Low-Socioeconomic Status Students: A Comparative Study Of Public-School Settings, Alexander Ohene Ansah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, falling standards in the American public-school system have elicited public concern and criticism, leading to several public-school reforms. One such reform is the charter-school movement. Charter schools provide a public option for parents in search of an alternative to traditional public schools. At the same time, the achievement gap continues to widen, with students of low socioeconomic status on the losing end. Since the beginning of the charter school movement, research has focused on comparisons in achievement between students in charters and traditional public schools. Results have been mixed.

Focusing on low-SES student populations in Colorado, this …

Instructional Leadership Practices: Teachers Perceptions Of A Rural School Principal In Fiji, Govinda I. Lingam, Narsamma Lingam, Sunil K. Singh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which teachers perceive their principal to be effectively exhibiting an instructional leadership role. Data for the study were collected from teachers (N=24) in a rural secondary school in Fiji using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) developed and advocated by Hallinger (1990). In addition to Likert scale items, the questionnaire included open-ended questions to gain deeper insights into teachers’ ratings of each item. Analyses of the data revealed that ratings for the principal were the highest for communicating school goals to students and protecting instructional time while supervision …

A Quantitative Study Of The Impact Of Leadership On School Culture In A Small Rural School District As Measured By Stakeholder Satisfaction, Hope L. Littlejohn

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study examined the relationship of school leadership on school culture. Given the demands on educational leaders, the goal is to improve student achievement and school culture. The literature review examines the previous study of the history of school leadership, history of school culture, effective school leadership, elements of effective school culture, and public perception as it relates to school culture. The literature review discusses leadership styles and how each one contributes to positive school culture as perceived by various stakeholders to build the case for the current study. The study uses the School Culture Triage Survey by Wagner (2002). …

Center For Teaching And Learning Impact On Adjunct Job Satisfaction: Examining Their Lived Experiences, Winsome S. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adjunct faculty have become a significant part of the collegiate workforce in times of financial constraints; however, they are not supported like their full-time counterparts and have lower career and job satisfaction. Some institutions have responded to the increase in dependence on adjuncts by developing support systems in the form of teaching and learning centers. This phenomenological case study’s purpose was to explore the lived experiences of adjunct faculty using a center for teaching and learning (CTL) and explore the impacts the CTL has on adjunct job satisfaction. A purposive sample of six adjunct faculty, two CTL leaders, and one …

Clarity Precedes Competence: The Impact Of A Revised Classroom Teacher Evaluation Instrument On Teaching And Learning, Kyra Schafte

Dissertations

This study is a program evaluation to determine the impact of evaluators’ use of the revised Classroom Teacher Evaluation Instrument on instructional practice in a mid-sized, public school district serving approximately 43,000 Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth-grade students. The primary research question explored in this program evaluation is what theory of action for the evaluation system will establish reliable effectiveness measures to gauge teacher quality in the school district under study. Employing a mixed-methods approach, with data gathered from a principal survey, focus group transcriptions, and instructional practice and student achievement data, this study informed and improved current practices surrounding observation and …

The Effect Of Principal Leadership On Student Achievement: A Multivariate Meta-Analysis, Huang Wu

Dissertations

Principal leadership has been widely considered as a significant factor for school improvement and student learning. However, there are discrepancies among previous findings and controversies on both the magnitude and nature of the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement. The purpose of this study is to further the understanding of whether and how principal leadership influences student achievement.

This study is a systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of 42 empirical studies about principal leadership’s effects on student achievement, generated during the period between 2000 and 2020 in the United States. There were three parts for the analyses: (a) a …

An Exploratory Study Of Parent Involvement In Church Schools In Tonga, Matthew B. Pope

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of research about parent involvement and family engagement indicates a positive relationship between parent involvement and student achievement. However, parent involvement as a useful strategy in education in developing countries is not well known, let alone researched. Until the current study no research has been published specifically about the types and frequency of family engagement in Tonga. This means there is no frame of reference for teachers, administrators and parents in Tonga to evaluate the applicability of existing family engagement research which has been predominantly conducted in developed countries, to schools in Tonga. This research is a descriptive, …

Combating Chronic Absenteeism In Rural Maine Elementary Schools, Joanne Dupuy

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

This quantitative study was designed to determine if there is a correlation between chronic absenteeism and student achievement and if increased teacher communication with positive messages around attendance would affect the rate of chronic absenteeism in rural elementary schools. Four schools were analyzed looking at attendance and achievement data while implementing a new attendance protocol that increased teacher communication and the spread of positive messaging in regards to attendance. Findings indicate there is evidence that those students who were chronically absent struggled academically to meet local and state benchmarks. Preliminary findings also indicate that the implementation of the new attendance …

Developing The Personal Leadership Resources Of The Ontario Leadership Framework For Principals And Vice Principals, Deborah R. Thompson

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

In the Lakeside School District, the overall goal of the strategic plan is student achievement. Despite efforts to meet this goal through initiatives, resources, and pedagogical practice in classrooms, student achievement in Lakeside is stagnant. Given that effective school leadership can have a significant impact on student learning, this Organizational Improvement Plan suggests changing professional learning to support leadership development for school principals and vice principals, as a way of improving student achievement.

Effective school leadership is predicated on the ability to enact leadership practices that support learning. To enact these practices, school leaders must first have foundational leadership skills, …

The Influence Of Superintendent Longevity And Continuity On Student Achievement And Faculty Mobility, Craig M. Hutcheson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In New Jersey public schools, one constant measure of academic success is defined by the outcomes on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of the relationship between the school district superintendent and resulting PARCC scores, while also examining the strength of the relationship between the superintendent and the teacher mobility rate of each school district.

The conceptual framework for this study was based on theories and research by the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning’s (McREL) School District Leadership That Works; The Effects of Superintendent …

The Relationship Between Co-Teaching Partnerships And Student Achievement, Tikki N. Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to legislative mandates schools are required to educate SWDs in the least restrictive environment alongside SWODs, which lead to the rise of co-teaching. However, enhancing the quality of co-teaching partnerships to impact student achievement poses a challenge for many school leaders due to the absence of quantitative data involving the impact of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the qualities of co-teaching partnerships in grades six through eight as measured by The Colorado Assessment of Co-teaching (CO-ACT), and student growth percentiles from Spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS) data in middle …