Education Commons^™

An Evaluation Of Issues In Rural Missouri K-12 Public School Districts, Jason L. Buckner

Dissertations

This evaluation discusses the commonalities in the issues among rural school districts in Missouri. A survey was sent to 270 school districts in the state of Missouri with 1,000 student enrollment or fewer. Fifty percent of the districts responded. The survey consisted of a questionnaire targeting thirteen different issues and requested that superintendents target the top five issues in their school district. The main issues selected were district funding (84%), student achievement (73%), governmental mandates (61%), socio-economic factors (48%), and technology (47%). Results of this evaluation are tabulated in Chapter 4, based on the following research questions: 1)What are the …

Personality Traits Of Bus Drivers Conducive To Maintaining Good Student Behavior, S. Brent Depee'

Dissertations

School administrators are faced with the responsibility of disciplining students for misconduct on the school bus. Some bus drivers frequently send discipline referrals to the administration, whereas others seldom do. This study attempts to identify certain personality traits of bus drivers that contribute to good student behaviors. Bus drivers from rural Missouri school districts who drove regular school routes were given the Global 5 Personality Trait Test. Building principals from these rural school districts gathered bus discipline referrals for the first semester of the 2008-2009 school year. The research design is quantitative causal-comparative in nature, while the data was collected …

The Star Math Test As A Predictor Of Arkansas Benchmark Test Scores, Patricia Anne Conner

Dissertations

With the failure of the legislative branch to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind law in 2007 and recent reports that more schools than ever are failing to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress, educators are reviewing practices and curriculum. As a result of federal and state laws, it is necessary to identify an accurate predictor of student achievement prior to the administration of the state-mandated test. For this study, student samples were drawn from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade populations of a Northwest Arkansas Middle School. Samples were separated by grade level and ranked according to the grade equivalency on the …

The Impact Of Class Size On Student Achievement, Michelle Dawn Collins

Dissertations

This study detailed the significance of class size on student achievement. The dependent variable represented in this study was AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) cumulative scores of Missouri schools. The dependent variables for this study were class size (student/teacher ratios) of schools in Missouri and socioeconomic status of students in Missouri schools. The intention of this study was to examine the effects of small class assignments, with special attention given to disaggregating the results by economic status, school size, and student achievement scores. Student achievement measures included district's AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) scores for the 2007-2008 school year as reported by …

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status On Academic Performance In Missouri Public Schools, Brent M. Blevins

Dissertations

Understanding the effects of socioeconomic status on academic performance is important in determining effective and valid testing for all Missouri students. Determining the correlation between these two variables is important for all educators to understand, so that all students can achieve to their academic potential. Finding the correlation between academic performance and socioeconomic status can assist educators in determining instructional strategies that best fit each individual student. In this study the researcher analyzed the effects of socioeconomic status on the academic performance by retrieving data on the state mandated Missouri Assessment Program. The researcher analyzed fifty school districts on the …

A Study Of Student Achievement In Missouri School Districts That Maintain A Preschool Program, Rebecca L. Bernard

Dissertations

The availability of pre-kindergarten education has increased over the last few years, but public schools often lack consistency in providing a preschool program. In this quantitative study, the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores of schools that offer an in-district preschool program were compared to those schools that do not offer an in-district preschool program. A Null Hypothesis was proposed: the presence of a preschool facility provided by a school district will not affect scores on standardized achievement tests. The percentage of those students who scored advanced or proficient on the MAP test in the areas of Math or Communication Arts …

A Study Of The Attitudes And Opinions Of Southwest Missouri Educators Regarding The Value And Outcome Of The Performance Based Teacher Evaluation Process, Andy Alan Adams

Dissertations

Never before in the history of education has there been more scrutiny of our public schools. With the increased accountability due to the passage of No Child Left Behind legislation and the pressure to perform adequately in international testing, it is imperative that high quality teachers fill the classrooms of America’s schools. It is paramount that the evaluation process produces qualified teachers to meet the needs of our students. In this descriptive, qualitative study, educators were observed without intervention concerning their attitudes and opinions regarding the evaluation process. While teachers were overwhelmingly in favor of being evaluated, few felt that …

The Transition To High School: Freshmen Transition Practices, Teresa J. Mckenzie

Dissertations

The transition to high school is a pivotal time for freshmen. Recognition of the importance of the ninth grade year and establishing freshmen transition programs are critical in addressing the nation’s declining graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices, programs, or interventions used in Missouri to assist freshmen in making a successful transition to high school. For this research, all high school principals across the state were given the opportunity to contribute to the study. There were 183 schools, both public and nonpublic, that responded to the survey. From the data, 60.1% of Missouri high …

Teacher Compensation And The Academic Achievement Of High School Students, Lisa A. May

Dissertations

In this collaborative study, the researchers shared common goals, defined their roles in the review of the literature, and coordinated efforts to thoroughly explore the relationship between teacher salaries and student achievement. Student achievement and teacher salaries obtained from 226 public school districts in Missouri were examined to determine if a significant relationship exists between the two variables. The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and American College Test (ACT) data were collected from the 2006-2007 academic year. This study utilized a linear regression and a t-test as a means of determining statistical significance between MAP index scores and average teacher salaries. …

Teacher Evaluation Practices And Student Achievement, Lucy Kay Lyon

Dissertations

Extensive research has been conducted on improving student academic achievement and techniques to improve student learning. There has been little research that addresses the relationship between student achievement and teacher performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between performance-based teacher evaluation practices and increased student achievement. This study was conducted using the Top Ten Performing School Districts on the Missouri Assessment Program communication arts and mathematics tests and performance-based teacher evaluation systems. A relationship was found to exist between the inclusion of criteria specific to student achievement in the performance-based teacher evaluation program and ranking in …

A Study Of Correlation Between Student Achievement And Reading Instructional Methods, Kelly G. Lowe

Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 forced school districts to become more accountable by requiring all students to read on grade level by the year 2014. In southwest Missouri, school districts are currently using different reading models, instructional time, and staff development in an attempt to reach the goal of NCLB. This study examined different instructional strategies implemented and compared student achievement on the third grade 2007-2008 Missouri Assessment Program communication arts test. Data were collected from 70 participating public, elementary school buildings to determine whether a correlation existed between reading models and instructional strategies implemented and …

The Impact Of Departmentalization On Sixth Grade Achievement On The Missouri Assessment Program, Shawn James Page

Dissertations

In 1950 the Missouri Board of education designed accreditation standards for Missouri schools. In 1990 the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) experienced a major revision that required that all districts be accredited. A school could achieve accreditation by taking part in a five year review cycle designed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESSE). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was signed into law in 2002. The results were sweeping changes to the educational system(DESE 2006). One of those changes was an Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) standard. One of the most notable innovations of traditional junior high schools, first …

The Impact Of Early Childhood Programs On Student Achievement, Kelly Ann Sutherland

Dissertations

The common goal of wanting children to succeed in school is shared by educators, families, and communities. While meeting educational benchmarks, such as achieving at grade level to staying in school, can be linked to school readiness, so can early childhood programs. Early childhood programs such as Parents as Teachers and Pre-k programs, are important interventions to help improve student achievement and success in school. In this study, student samples were drawn from existing data in one rural school district in Missouri. The testing data were from students who began school from the fall of 2004 to the fall of …

Same Gender Classrooms And Student Achievement, Amy L. Viets

Dissertations

Leonard Sax, executive director National Association for Single Sex Public Education (2008) noted, “Same Gender Classrooms have long existed in educational institutions” (p. 1). According to Cable and Spradlin (2008), “The option of single-sex schooling in public schools has emerged once again through federal policies associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001…” (p. 1). The purpose of this study was to determine if Same Gender Classrooms impact state mandated test scores. More than a dozen schools throughout the Midwest implementing Same Gender Classrooms were contacted and interviewed. Test scores from schools implementing Same Gender Classrooms were compared …

Teacher Perceptions Of Electronic Curricula Implementation Within An Elementary And Secondary Lutheran Setting, Bruce Gerard Kintz

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research project was to investigate and understand elementary and secondary Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) school teachers' awareness of and attitudes toward the use of electronic curricula in the classroom. The research question was: Why is there a lack of mainstream LCMS grade schools and high schools asking for or using electronically-delivered curricula? Interpretive inquiry was chosen as the methodology for this research and due to the nature of this researcher's focus on technology in the classroom, an electronic survey was used for gathering data which was effective in terms of cost and time efficiency. The …

Interventions, Perceptions Of Accommodations, And Motivating Factors Impacting The Achievement And Successful Mainstreaming Transition Of English Language Learners, Desiree Atchley

Dissertations

This study was inspired by the many English language learners who have overcome the struggles of achieving proficiency in English. The district studied is a small school district with approximately 1850 students. In 1999, there were 148 Hispanic students, and this number has more than doubled in the last nine years. For a school that was basically void of diversity twenty years ago, it is now a school in which almost one-fifth of its population is a second language learner. Currently over seven languages are represented in its population, and those numbers continue to grow. The district has faced many …

Strategic Planning Leadership In Illinois Community Colleges: Who Is Leading The Process?, Tasha S. Williams

Dissertations

Planning is believed to bring stability, growth and reassurance to our lives. Since the recent economic downturn in the U.S. economy, individuals, families, small businesses, and major corporations are all looking to planners to assess every aspect of their financial futures. So, when it comes to our community colleges, the fabric of higher education in America, who is leading the planning process?

The 21st century will continue to unveil new challenges for community colleges. Beset with many challenges such as an austere funding environment, growing diverse student populations, community issues and needs, impending leadership and faculty retirements, globalization, and mounting …

Global Competency In Hospitality Management Programs: A Perfect Recipe For Community Colleges, David Jonathan Beer

Dissertations

Globalization is redefining and transforming interactions between people all over the world. Although nations differ in their level of globalization, it is critical in this day and age that nations foster global competency in their citizens and students. Education is one key area in developing and promoting global competency. For the United States, creation of a dynamic workforce, both domestic and abroad, is imperative if America is going to compete in a global society. Students who have a diverse and knowledgeable view of the world, can communicate in another language, and can exhibit cross-cultural adaptability, will be able to efficiently …

A Study Of Exceptional Mentoring Insights For Adult Education And Emerging Mentors, Laura Lee Larson

Dissertations

The purpose of this critical engagement project was to focus on how mentoring relationships positively impact personal and professional lives -- what I call exceptional mentoring. This was a qualitative study using a narrative inquiry methodology and the theoretical framework of transformational leadership. There were five participants in the study who are known in the industry to be exceptional mentors because of their dedication and passion for caring about others. The research method included one-on-one interviews lasting between two and five hours. The study explored the life stories of these individuals with the intent to learn how people become mentors, …

White Lies: A Critical Race Study Of Power And Privilege, Patricia Jones Brainard

Dissertations

This was a phenomenological study of racial privilege as experienced by White people who have struggled to become more racially aware and socially active in dismantling racism and White privilege. The primary conceptual framework for this study was Critical Race Theory with Transformative Learning theory and Racial Identity Development as additional theoretical lenses. The purpose of this study was to increase our awareness of how White people come to understand their racial privilege and what change in behavior occurs as a result of that increased awareness. Its goal was to promote and influence White adult educators to find explicit ways …

Systemic And Personal Change: A Retrospective Case Study Of Balanced Literacy Implementation As Perceived By Those Involved, Donna J. Anderson

Dissertations

This retrospective critical case study was conducted to learn more about teacher perceptions of deep, systemic change experiences. This study examined the successful implementation of a balanced literacy program at one Title I elementary school several years after completion of the implementation period. Participants were teachers who reflected on their experiences with the balanced literacy initiative implementation and discussed personal change associated with their experiences. Analysis isolated elements of teachers' recollected experience and compared those elements with factors that previous research has associated with successful change. Additionally, this study explored the lasting effects the experience of being a part of …

Middle School Teacher And Parent Perceptions Of Parental Involvement, Brandon Graham

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study research was to examine the perceptions of teachers and parents towards current parental involvement factors in a suburban junior high school located in the Midwest United States. Such perceptions were compiled by means of surveys based on Dr. Joyce Epstein's Framework of the Six Dimensions of Parental Involvement: (a) parenting, (b) communication, (c) volunteering, (d) learning at home, (e) decision-making, (f) and collaborating with the community (Epstein, 1995). The subjects were N=36 seventh and eighth grade teachers, and N=344 parents of students. The descriptive statistical analysis did show a difference between teachers and parents …

Key Challenges Facing Student Athletes And Connections To Their Choice Of Major, Kimberlee J. Henrion

Dissertations

This study examines the reasons student athletes choose their major and the challenges they face creating a successful student identity, and ultimately graduating with degrees of value to them. A survey was created utilizing themes from previous studies, and distributed at one Midwestern Division I university. Questions regarding time management, academic conflicts, health issues, service usage, selection of major, career aspirations, and perceptions of identity, following Arthur Chickering's theory of College Student Development were asked.

Results show the majority of the 171 student athlete respondents indicated few conflicts with time management (e.g., they generally have time to complete class work), …

Exploring The Ultimate Role Of Central Office In The Design, Implementation, And Evaluation Of Professional Development: A Comparative Case Study, Sarah Elizabeth Johnson

Dissertations

Much research has been done on the contributions made by teachers and principals to the field of education (Darling-Hammond, 1998; Glickman, 2001; Hirsch, 1993; Marzano, 2003; Muir, 2001). The role of central office workers in these efforts have, however, been given little recognition or discussion. This study has explored the ways in which central office administrators foster underlying systems that support their districts' professional development processes and structures.

Grove (2002) compares the central office role in professional development to the skeleton of the human body, in which the skeleton is integral to the function of the body and provides the …

A Look At The Beginning: Strengths, Weaknesses, And The Support Structures For New Teachers From The Perspectives Of Elementary School Principals, Scott Merkel

Dissertations

This research examined the perceptions of elementary school principals regarding their beliefs of the strengths and weaknesses of new teachers. The overall research goal was to examine ways that principals evaluate new teachers, their beliefs of strengths and weaknesses related to effective instruction and the effectiveness of structures established to support new teachers. Participants for this study came from 12 different school districts, four from each of the defined and identified categories of rural, urban, and suburban districts. As a secondary focus, a comparison was examined between each of these categories.

A phenomenological approach was used to guide this qualitative …

Novanet Online Curricula And The Course Completion Of Alternative High School Students, Margaret Elizabeth Munger

Dissertations

Studies on alternative schools have previously been qualitative in nature and provided information on the characteristics of a quality alternative school. Quantitative research in the area of alternative education has been limited. Previous research involving NovaNET Online Curriculum has centered on credit recovery, remediation and a small amount has been conducted on student use of the system. Currently, many alternative schools are using NovaNET or other online curricula to assist students move towards graduation without the possibility of losing credit due to poor attendance. The system is being marketed as a means for students to earn additional credits and progress …

Counselor Trainees' Perceptions Of Their Personal Growth: A Qualitative Inquiry, Ericka L. Souders

Dissertations

Over the past decade there has been increased discussion in the counselor education literature regarding the personal limitations and/or impairments of counselors that may hinder their abilities to provide competent services. Although counseling ethical codes and standards of practice suggest competent counselors are those who demonstrate both professional and personal skills and counselor educators have explored numerous training methods to promote such development, the concern about impaired counselors remains. There is minimal information in the literature that describes how counselors in training develop personal attitudes, skills, and characteristics that may prevent their impairment and facilitate their competency with their clientele. …

Climate In Catholic Schools: A Comparative Study Of Three Types Of Organizational Structures, Andra Zommers

Dissertations

This study inquired into American Catholic schools' organizational structures and their relationship with school climate through use of the national data from Schools and Staffing Survey 2003-04 by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. The study focused on the statistical assessment of Catholic school teachers' perceptions of climate within three organizational structures. Another aspect of the research was the principals' perception of climate within each of the organizational structures. Last, the study investigated whether teachers' and principals' perceptions of climate differed.

A weighted one-way ANOVA was run to investigate whether the type of Catholic school could …

Making Sense Of Roles And Responsibilities: A Socialization Study Of College And University Music Department Chairs, Jason Robert Werkema

Dissertations

Department chairs have received considerable attention in higher education literature due to the many challenges associated with their mid-level administrative position. Those who accept the department chair position report limited preparation, little or no formal training, increased stress, and overall difficulty functioning in their numerous roles. The troubled experience of many who have served as department chairs was the central problem driving this research.

The music discipline is particularly complex when compared to other academic disciplines because of its unique characteristics and challenges. The purpose of the current study was to understand and describe the process by which music department …

A Qualitative Study Of School Lockdown Procedures And Teachers' Ability To Conduct And Implement Them At The Classroom Level, Bethney Bergh

Dissertations

In response to the well publicized crisis situations that have occurred in the nation's schools, the development and implementation of school safety plans has become a priority of states and school districts across America. One element of these policies is the school lockdown procedure designed for securing a school building. The State of Michigan currently requires that all schools perform a minimum of two lockdown drills each school year.

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of teachers in order create an awareness of how teachers assess their ability to conduct lockdowns effectively, to examine …