Education Commons^™

The Retention And Success Of Alternatively Admitted Student Athletes: A Case Study Of The Unlv Athletic Department, Adrienne Ekas-Mueting

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The aim of this exploratory study is to determine why student athletes admitted under University of Nevada, Las Vegas's (UNLV) alterative-admissions policy are successful, specifically by looking at the UNLV Athletic Department's institutional practices. Alternatively admitted athletes are the recipients of these practices. Although there is some research on the predictors of success for college-student athletes, the literature on alternatively admitted student-athlete success is negligible. This appears to be a specialty subgroup of students, and the institutional practices that contribute to their success should be identified and explored.

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate and analyze whether …

The Motivating Language Of Principals: A Sequential Transformative Strategy, William Tobias Holmes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study implemented a Sequential Transformative Mixed Methods design with teachers (as recipients) and principals (to give voice) in the examination of principal talk in two different school accountability contexts (Continuously Improving and Continuously Zigzag) using the conceptual framework of Motivating Language Theory. In phase one, teachers were surveyed using the ML Toolbox. The survey was administered using the Dillman Tailored Design Method, and the return rate was 67.48%. The major findings that emerged were: (a) significant differences in Motivating Language (ML), Direction-Giving Language (DG), Empathetic Language (E), and Communication Competence (CC) variables between the Continuously Improving and Zigzag Clusters; …

The Relationship Between Academic Optimism And Academic Achievement In Middle Schools In Mississippi, Laquanta Murray Nelson

Dissertations

As we constantly seek to increase educational attainment and increase student achievement in the United States, it is critical that we not only look at the effect of research based instructional practices or socioeconomic status on academic achievement, but also at any other factors that may potentially have a positive impact. The current state of education in Mississippi is still behind that of its counterparts, which suggests that providing schools with extra funds and an aligned curriculum alone will not raise student achievement.

According to Beard, Hoy, and Hoy (2009) academic optimism is a factor that influences academic achievement, even …

Efficiency Of Fiscal Expenditures In Nevada Elementary Schools Using Data Envelopment Analysis, Todd Patrick Yocum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For decades educational researchers have attempted to find links between school funding and student achievement. These attempts have generated many contradictory viewpoints and have produced many unanswered questions. Ever increasing accountability on states, districts and schools combined with severe financial strain has made measuring school fiscal efficiency a valuable tool for school leaders looking to get more student achievement with fewer resources.

The methodology for this study was comprised of two phases. Phase I analyzed the per pupil expenditures of Nevada elementary schools over a three-year period and developed descriptive statistics that revealed the expenditure patterns by category. Phase II …

Principal Change Facilitator Style And Student Achievement: A Study Of Schools In The Middle, Steven Keith Stewart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research reflecting the influence of leadership in middle level schools related to improving student achievement is scarce in spite of the pressure placed on schools by federal mandates and policies, such as NCLB, to reach ever-increasing levels of achievement. Although there is extensive literature on leadership and its possible influence on climate and culture, teacher efficacy, vision and goals of schools, and instruction, most of these topics are considered indirectly linked to student achievement. Few, if any, of these studies touch on the specific nature of middle level schools and how principal leadership might influence improved student achievement.

This quantitative …

The Impact Of Homelessness And Remaining In School Of Origin On The Academic Achievement Of Fourth Through Eighth Grade Students In Brevard County Public Schools, Richard Dunkel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of homelessness and the ability of homeless students to remain in their school of origin on the academic achievement of fourth through eighth grade students in Brevard County, Florida. To determine effects of homelessness, homeless students were compared to non-homeless students who qualified for free lunch utilizing developmental scale scores and learning gains from 2011 FCAT Reading and Mathematics. To determine effects of remaining in school of origin, homeless students who changed schools were compared to homeless students who did not change schools utilizing the same assessment data. Independent t-tests and chi-square tests of association …

Strengths Of Secondary School Principals In One Large Florida School District, And Achievement Of Adequate Yearly Progress In 2010-2011, Kelly Noel Paduano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increased accountability has led to increased pressure on administrators to meet AYP. By identifying strengths that are present in successful administrators, superintendents will be better equipped to make well-informed selections and administrators can target specific areas for professional growth. This study used a self-assessment created from the Clifton StrengthsFinder Assessment to analyze the strengths of principals and the commonalities in those strengths based on (a) percentage of adequate yearly progress (AYP) achieved, (b) grade levels served (middle school or high school) and (c) community served (urban or suburban). It is important to note that community served is not meant to …

The Physics Of School Culture: Unleashing Student Voice In The Quest For School Improvement, Henry Elizarraraz Yzaguirre

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to examine the lived experiences of students attending a predominately Latino urban high school in the southwest region of the United States, using interviews, focus groups, and observations to gain an insight on student engagement and disengagement from school. Riverview High School was selected as the prime site for exploring student engagement based mainly on the poor student population of color, low school retention rate, and high suspension rate. Three focus groups were identified of about 6 students each for a total of eighteen 11th grade students. Each focus group was digitally recorded …