Education Commons^™

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Continuous Progress Curriculum On Student Achievement, Jessica Larae Ladner Taylor

Dissertations

There has been an emphasis on educators to improve student achievement, particularly in low socioeconomic schools. The latest research encourages educators to use student data to drive instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if using data to arrange students by academic performance improves academic achievement. A middle school in Mississippi has implemented Continuous Progress Curriculum to group students based on multiple data points. Throughout the school year, data from tests and assignments are analyzed by teachers and administrators. Based on the data, students are moved to the most appropriate performance level that will address the skills and …

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; …

Closing The Achievement Gap: A Study Of Leadership Behaviors Of Principals At Title I Distinguished Schools, Liss Althea Maynard

Dissertations

Education, a fundamental privilege in America, has been deemed the great equalizer that should afford each individual access and opportunity (Hale, 2004). However, research has proven that for many students of color, the American dream is simply a nightmare. Many minority students have lagged behind academically, failing to graduate and failing to become productive, law abiding citizens. A huge educational disparity has evolved and closing the achievement gap has become crucial in today’s educational system. However, despite the many challenges, there are schools across this nation that experience noteworthy achievement for all students including high minority and high poverty schools. …

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 State Fiscal Effort On Student Achievement Measured By Math Scores From The National Assessment Of Education Progress (Naep), Lorena Leeann Kelly

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The current financial state of our nation, in combination with the pressure to meet state accountability testing and a global call for better prepared twenty first century learners, has produced a situation where all levels of government have to make difficult decisions regarding expenditures. In order to ensure that education receives appropriate funding, research is necessary to show a relationship between spending and student achievement. This study examines the effects of sustained increases and decreases in state fiscal effort on student achievement measured by scores from 4th and 8th grade math NAEP scores over an eighteen year period. A quantitative …

The Relationship Of Learner-Centered Beliefs Of Principals And Student Achievement, Camela Bonita Dingle Bell

Education Dissertations and Projects

Educators are focused with efforts to improve student achievement through reform and policies; a majority of the efforts are focused on accountability reform. The learner-centered model focuses on school reform that is organized around the personal domain for systemic reform. How principals work with students is greatly influenced by policy and what they believe about student learning and behavior. This dissertation attempted to establish principal beliefs and their effectiveness on student achievement on the End-of-Grade and End-of-Course test in the state North Carolina.

Survey data was collected and analyzed to determine if, and to what extent, significant differences between learner-centered …

Second-Order Change Leadership Behaviors Of Principals Of Urban Elementary Schools And Student Achievement In 2010, Janet Kearney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus on specific principal leadership behaviors that positively impact student achievement has become more and more pronounced since the inception of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Recently, researchers have begun to focus on a more dramatic type of change as a method for improving student achievement in schools. Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) conducted a meta-analysis of more than 5,000 studies and identified seven leadership behaviors that related to improved student achievement and were viewed as second-order in nature. In many cases, second-order change was needed (a) to accomplish the student achievement improvements necessary to attain …

The Impact Of Teacher Licensure Programs On Minority Student Achievement, Rose S. Duke

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This research examined the impact of teacher licensure routes, particularly those identified as either traditional or alternative on student achievement by comparing Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) end of year scores in math and reading for minority students in grades six through eight during the period from 2005 through 2009. To compare the achievement of students taught by either traditionally or alternatively prepared teachers, the Standards of Learning (SOL) scores were calculated for students and then aggregated for types of teacher preparation. The mean values were compared for statistically significant differences as a function of subject, teacher ethnicity, teacher gender, …

The Relationship Between Louisiana Middle School Parent Perceptions Of School Effectiveness And School Performance Scores, Dana Autman Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of parents of middle school students in Louisiana about the (a) culture; (b) climate; (c) leadership; (d) curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and (e) level of parental and community involvement at the schools that their children attend as it relates to school performance. The instrument used in this study was the Parent Questionnaire developed for the Louisiana Needs Analysis (LANA). Designed by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE), LANA is an internet-based tool provided to assist school administrators in evaluating school performance and planning for improvement.

During the data analysis, Pearson …

Teacher Depth Of Knowledge As A Predictor Of Student Achievement In The Middle Grades, Tracy Henshaw Jackson

Dissertations

Schools strive to hire highly qualified teachers to educate and empower students to become high performers (NCEE, 1983; Erickson, 1995). As a part of this effort, teachers are required to obtain specific skills and certification to meet students’ academic needs. While the intent is recognized, there continues to be a discrepancy between highly qualified teachers in the middle grades and student achievement (The Nations Report Card, 2005; Turner-Bissett, 1999). Therefore, it is imperative to examine teachers’ perceptions and instructional strategies that may influence students’ achievement.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between high-performing …

Examining The Impact Of Leadership Style And School Climate On Student Achievement, Tina Robinson

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether or not leadership style and school climate are significant predictors of student achievement. The target population consisted of elementary and high school teachers from Virginia public schools who had taught under the leadership of their respective current principals for at least 4 years. Nine school divisions were randomly selected from each of the following regions—rural, suburban, and urban—within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Data were collected using two surveys. Bass's (1985) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Form 5X) was used to assess principals' leadership style—transactional, transformational, or laissez-faire—as perceived by teachers. The Organizational …

Elementary Principals' Literacy Practices And Their Relationship To Student Achievement In Reading, Sandra Carper Cox

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Principal behavior is under intense scrutiny, particularly in light of increased demands for higher and higher levels of student achievement. Reading achievement is the measure by which schools as well as principal leadership are judged. This study examined principals' literacy practices and their relationship to student achievement in reading. Measures used for analyses included a researcher-developed survey instrument, the Principal Quality Literacy Practices Survey, and results from the grade five Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) English: Reading test.

Survey data from 109 principals and 160 reading specialists from Southeastern Virginia were utilized. Principals and reading specialists reported that overall principals' …

The Relationship Between Leadership Behaviors, Teacher Collaboration, And Student Achievement, Angela Nix Mchenry

Dissertations

Educational administrators face the unprecedented challenge of increasing student achievement for all students. One response to this challenge has been to increase and improve teacher collaboration. This study analyzed the relationship between elementary principals' leadership behaviors, teacher collaboration, and student achievement. The relationship between the variables of teacher age, years of experience, and years working with the current principal were also analyzed using multiple regression.

A random sample of 161 Mississippi elementary teachers in 15 schools were surveyed, using the researcher-designed questionnaire, Leadership for Collaboration. These responses measured the teachers' perception of their elementary principals' leadership behaviors and the level …

The Relationship Of Principal Leadership Behaviors With School Climate, Teacher Job Satisfaction, And Student Achievement, Maurice Demond Williams

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine how leadership behaviors of principals relate to school climate, teachers' job satisfaction, and student achievement. The relationship of leadership to student achievement was measured by the school levels based on the administration of the 2006-2007 Mississippi Curriculum Test (MCT). Leadership and teacher job satisfaction was determined by Paul Specter's Job Satisfaction Survey, and school climate was indicated by use of the School Climate Inventory (SCI).

Eleven schools in an east Mississippi school district were selected to participate in the research during the spring of 2008. Of the 129 randomly selected participants, 71% …

Elementary School Student Achievement: An Analysis Of School Size And Student Achievement, Natalie Odom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student achievement is the cornerstone of educational intuitions. Having a comprehensive understanding of what factors into having a successful student achievement rate requires the use of previous research and analyzing of historical accounts. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in student achievement when elementary school size was a factor. The analysis of the results offered beneficial information pertaining to Florida's public schools while providing a stepping stone towards future research. The results of this study and subsequent studies can provide information and guidance to decision makers regarding school size relative to student achievement. …

The Influence Of The School Choice Provision, Within The No Child Left Behind Legislation, On The Academic Achievement Of Studen, Lynn Kirkland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110 (U.S. Congress), was passed by Congress in response to perceived failure of the public school system to effectively educate students, particularly disadvantaged students in the United States. The relationship of NCLB school choice to student achievement has not been clearly established. This causal-comparative study examined the following: (a) FCAT mathematics and reading achievement gains of targeted fourth through eighth grade NCLB choice students and a comparison group of eligible non-choosers with matching demographic characteristics; (b) the pre-test academic ability levels of NCLB choice students in fourth grade through …

The Effects Of Teacher Stability On Third Grade Student Achievement As Measured By The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Tests In Reading And Mathematics, Juddson W. Starling

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the effects of teacher stability on student achievement as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests in reading and mathematics for third grade students. The perceptions of third grade teachers and elementary school principals concerning issues with teacher stability were also examined. Accountability for public schools in North Carolina has driven educators to find ways to increase student achievement. Teacher stability is a variable that can be controlled by educators in an attempt to increase student achievement.

The writer gathered test data from a target school district and analyzed test scores by the number …

The Relationship Between Principals' Leadership Self-Efficacy, Student Achievement And School Performance, Robert Louis Williams

Dissertations

The two major components of school accountability, under the Mississippi Schools Accountability System, are growth expectation and school achievement. Mississippi schools are assigned a school performance classification based upon student achievement and whether schools did not meet, met, or exceeded their growth expectation. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between principals' ratings of self-efficacy, school performance, and school growth status. In addition, this study sought to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between principals' ratings of delegatee performance, school performance and school growth status.

The participants for this …

Middle-Level Leaders Perceptions Of Accountability, Deena Cousar Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of middle-level principals personal and school accountability, their perceptions of beliefs and competencies that influence improvement in student achievement and accomplishment of accountability, and their perceptions regarding the adequacy of professional development and preparation for middle-level principals that affect their ability to improve student achievement and perform their leadership role in an increased accountability environment. This study specifically examined differences in the perceptions of middle-level principals' accountability based on the socioeconomics of the school, the number of years of administrative experience, and previous middle-school teaching experience.

The Relationship Between School Culture And Third-Grade Fcat Reading Proficiency In Seminole County Public Elementary Schools, Kelley Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the relationship between school culture and student achievement. Elementary school teachers (N=574) from 27 schools in suburban Seminole County, Florida completed the School Culture Triage Survey to generate a school culture score. The participating schools were ranked and placed in categories representing the top 33% (N=9), middle 33% (N=9), and bottom 33% (N=9) of the population based on their culture score. School culture data were analyzed and correlated with third grade student achievement data, as measured by the 2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading to determine if there were any relationships between (a) school …

The Impact Of Option-In Longevity Enrollment Patterns On Student Achievement, Behavior, And Engagement Outcomes, Andrew J. Rikli

Student Work

The impact of option-in longevity patterns on student achievement, behavior, and engagement outcomes was evaluated. The seventh-grade pretest compared the seventhgrade posttest gains made by students who were enrolled short-term (n = 46) as they completed their first year in a middle school setting indicated that the exposure to a consistent and equitable educational program continued to result in positive student outcomes. Levels of performance for option-in students were also found to be congruent with the posttest achievement, behavior, and engagement data for students who are residents of the district (n = 46). School choice options and longevity within a …

Perceptions Of High School Principals In A Southeastern Urban School District On Leadership Practices And Parental Involvement, Elizabeth Chattmon Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership practices of high school principals and parental involvement and to examine to what extent those practices differed between principals and how they related to parental involvement. The study revealed major issues surrounding parental involvement such as how principals defined parental involvement, how principals communicated the importance of parental involvement; what parental involvement activities impact student achievement; what common leadership practices influenced parental involvement; and what are some common experiences of high school principals regarding parental involvement. The methodology employed to conduct this qualitative study was face-to-face audio-taped interviews at the …

The Relationship Between Leadership Practices Of Principals And Student Achievement, Serena L. Starcher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study sought to determine if a significant relationship existed between the leadership practices of school principals and student achievement in mathematics and reading. The leadership practices of principals were measured using Kouzes’and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) which measures leadership practices in five distinct areas: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart. Student achievement in reading and mathematics was determined using the percentage of students proficient in reading and mathematics as measured by the state of West Virginia’s standardized exam, the West Virginia Educational Standards Test (WESTEST) for …

The Relationship Between School Culture And Student Achievement In Middle Schools, Karen Vislocky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was developed to produce data about the cultures of selected Florida middle schools. The research was intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on collaboration, collegiality, and self-determination/efficacy as related to student achievement. The focus for this study was provided through three research questions: (a) to determine to what extent middle schools scoring in the top half and the bottom half on the modified version of Wagner and Masden-Copas' School Culture Triage Survey differed on various demographic elements; (b) to determine what differences, if any, existed between the cultures of the selected Florida middle schools and …

The Relationship Between School Learning Climate And Student Achievement, Craig Stanley Olson

All Graduate Projects

Based on the review of the literature and research, the relationship of school learning climate and student achievement is explored. Common ideological, organizational, and leadership factors characteristic of high-achieving, "effective" schools are identified and their relationships examined. Ideological factors identified are: 1) A belief that all students are expected by staff to reach high levels of achievement; 2) A belief that individual and school-wide performance on achievement tests is an appropriate goal and measure of school effectiveness; and 3) A belief that self-concept is an important factor in student achievement. Organizational factors identified are: 1) High degree of trust; 2) …