Education Commons^™

Relationship Between Course-Taking Behavior, Gender, And Mathematics Achievement On The Missouri Assessment Program (Map), Geraldine Dressel Baumgart

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between student course taking, specifically the year of Algebra completion (grade 8, 9, 10, or not completed), and performance on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) mathematics test in grades 8 and 10. Data collected were student scores on the MAP tests, TerraNova tests in Communication Arts and Mathematics, student math grades, and demographic factors of gender and race. The sample of 512 students was taken from one school district in east central Missouri.

The MAP mathematics tests contain 3 item types. Item type was statistically significant with both males and females scoring highest on Multiple …

Nebraska Public School Superintendents' Perceptions Of Nebraska's Assessment/Accountability System's Effect On High Schools, Wanda M. Clark

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine superintendents' perceptions of the Nebraska assessment/accountability reporting system (STARS) as they effect high schools. Data measuring the superintendents' perceptions of the STARS program included how they perceived the STARS program's effect on teachers, instructional practices, students, building principals, and resources. Demographic information was collected to determine if differences existed between subgroups based on the superintendents' district size, superintendents' years of experience, the district's free/reduced lunch percentage, the district's 11th grade portfolio rating on communication, the amount of STARS funding, and the financial support required from the district.

Assessing Students With Disabilities: The Individuals With Disabilities Act Meets No Child Left Behind, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (P.L. 94-142 [20 U.S.C., §1400 et seq.), authorized by Congress in 1975 and reauthorized in 1997 and 2004, guarantees all children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education and guarantees procedural safeguards to assure protection of the rights of these children and their parents. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (PL-107-110 [20 U.S.C. §6301, et seq.], 2001) requires, among other things, that schools be accountable for education results through annual standardized testing and through additional standards that determine a school’s adequate yearly progress (AYP). The 2004 reauthorization of IDEA …

School Council Member Perceptions And Actual Practice Of School Councils In Rural Schools, Thomas Pharis, Randall V. Bass, James L. Pate

The Rural Educator

In a time of growing interest in accountability, sharing school governance with parents, teachers, the community, and business leaders has become a norm. School councils or advisory groups have become a requirement for schools in many states. This research examined school council members’ perceptions of issues addressed by the councils and council effectiveness in rural Georgia. Additionally, this research examined the relationship between council members’ perceptions of school council effectiveness among council member constituent groups and the difference between council members’ perceptions of issues addressed and actual issues addressed. The research identified factors school council members believed to be important …

Education Week’S Report On Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

As schools open their doors for the spring 2005 semester, many legislatures around the nation are meeting to discuss accountability standards, equity and adequacy issues, and the link between money and student performance. While the education issues of 2005 are not unique, in that they have been discussed for years, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) deadline for schools to begin performing at higher standards increases the urgency. In addition to the increased standards, state policymakers are facing difficult legal challenges to their school funding systems. In an attempt to gauge the status of the nation and each state, Education …

An Investigation Of Implementations Of Smaller Learning Communities In Florida High Schools, Todd James Bondurant Sparger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issue of high school reform has received national attention during the first part of the 21st century. One idea brought forth in this restructuring effort has been the desire to create high schools with smaller student populations. However, in an era of tight budgets, where resources are not always available to build more schools, educators have explored the possibility of dividing existing large high schools into smaller units. This restructuring approach has many titles, but is frequently referred to as a Smaller Learning Community (SLC). Since 2000, the federal government has pledged $245 million to schools willing to create …

Accountability In Public Administration Education: Assessing The Martin School, Natalie Schneider

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Accountability is required for programs to maintain accreditation and is essential to the overall success of graduate programs like the Martin School. To show that it is meeting the stated goals, the Martin School has put tracking measures in place to gauge the success of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. These measures include pre and post skills assessments and an alumni survey among others. Analysis of the results is used to determine where goals are being met as well as areas where improvement is possible, and make necessary and appropriate adjustments.

The pre-test is given at orientation and …