Digital Commons Network^™

Standards-Based Grading Within A School District Using Personalized Learning, Dywayne Hinds

Dissertations

This policy advocacy document, as part of my study, focused on my desire to implement a new grading practice within the district. This change will result in moving to a standards-based grading system from a traditional grading system. Although this would be a new practice within the district, many districts throughout the nation are making similar changes. The reason for my policy is associated with the need to measure more accurately student performance and to determine if students have mastered content specific standards within a course of study. Educators must place emphasis on the mastery of content specific standards that …

An Evaluation Of One District's Think Through Math Program And Curriculum Implementation, Dywayne Hinds

Dissertations

Think Through Math is a research based math program. One school district implemented the program to improve student performance on the state standardized assessment. After two years of implementation, 44% of middle school students in the district did not make adequate progress in math as measured by the state assessment. The purpose of my study was to determine the effectiveness of the Think Through Math program used within middle school Intensive Math classes throughout the district. Guided by research on the critical aspects of implementation, my study examined teachers’ perceptions of (a) resources used within the program, (b) the impact …

Kindergarten For Equity: A Policy Advocacy Statement, Amy Houlihan

Dissertations

The urgency to close the achievement gap means it is our moral imperative to provide all children with the opportunities necessary to succeed as early as possible. Knowing the critical timing of a child’s brain development from birth to age five, we cannot afford to wait until a child is six or seven years old to begin developing their academic and social emotional capacity. This policy advocacy document supports a statewide mandate for children to attend kindergarten at age five throughout the state of Illinois. With little need for increased resources to accommodate the mandate, the social, moral and ethical …

Ongoing Professional Learning Opportunities, Christie L. Mcmullen

Dissertations

As an answer to a lack of policy around follow up training between CRS Center Staff and school systems across the country, a policy needs to be created around providing follow up training opportunities nationally. This policy provides a repeatable, consistent model for CRS Center staff members to use with each school implementing CRS across the nation. This paper outlines the policy for allowing teachers to see other teachers implementing CRS strategies in their schools, therefore increasing the use of these strategies in classrooms nationally. This process will be applicable for school districts that works with CRS nationally. This policy …

Effective Implementation Of A Formative Assessment System, Kim Ontiveros

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the Change Leadership Plan was to identify and describe a current issue facing a school district and creating a vision of change to strengthen the issue. With this change plan, the problem is the formative assessment system. The plan advocates for a change to the formative assessment system strengthening student engagement and informing teacher instruction. The changes are examined in several different ways: describing the current situation, conducting research to support change, and designing a vision of what the formative assessment system will look like after the change. The research conducted was done through a survey …

A Collaborative & Systematic Approach To Implementing An Effective Standards-Based Grading And Reporting System: A Change Leadership Plan, Hector Freytas

Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the collaborative efforts between the Standards-Based Grading and Reporting Committee (SBGRC) at Mountain West High School (MWHS) and the Leadership District Team (LDT), which consisted of the following stakeholders: the district superintendent, the chief business officer, the chief financial officer, multiple principals and assistant principals, students, and parents of Mountain West School District (MWSD). These groups researched effective grading and reporting policies and procedures for possible implementation, and worked toward developing a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goal. In addition, a multiyear action plan was cocreated to streamline the process (DuFour, 2006). This …

A Collaborative & Strategic Approach To Improve School Achievement Through The Advocacy Of An Effective Grading, Promotion And Reporting Policy, Hector Freytas

Dissertations

This policy advocacy study examined the current grade and promotion policy on record for Mountain West School District (MWSD) as it relates to mastery of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS), the academic targets identified for students to be successful in colleges and careers. Furthermore, this study recommended changes to the existing policy at MWHS so as to report grades from coursework and those at the end of marking periods as accurately and fairly as possible, with specific skills-based feedback related to the mastery (or lack thereof) of both local and national standards that …

Becoming A Learning System That Maximizes The Modes Of Professional Learning: A Change Leadership Plan In A Middle School Setting, Emily Crement

Dissertations

This paper follows a program evaluation conducted at Hamlin Middle School. It begins with the premise that the Modes of Professional Learning function somewhat independently of each other and therefore, Hamlin Middle School fails to function of a learning system. The goal of the research is to establish a set of structures that leverages each of the four modes to their greatest advantage. The methodology is mixed method, utilizing quantitative results from the Illinois 5Essential Survey and qualitative data gathered during focus groups that convened to discuss the survey data. Results suggested that a) a culture of compliance negatively impacts …

Policy Advocacy: Standards For Professional Learning, Emily Crement

Dissertations

This paper advocates for a district level policy the Standards for Professional Learning as a way of defining what high quality professional learning should look like. The Standards for Professional Learning represent a compilation of decades of research on what characterizes effective professional learning. Since improvements in professional learning will lead to large scale school improvement, this paper concludes that the Standards be used to define effective professional learning. Presented in this paper is an analysis of need from the educational, economic, political, social and ethical perspectives. An argument in favor of adopting the standards is presented, and a counterargument …

Teachers' Perceptions On Professional Learning: A Mixed Method Program Evaluation In A Middle School Setting, Emily Crement

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was evaluate the program of teacher professional learning at Hamlin Middle School to guide formative improvement, therefore maximizing the potential of increasing teacher effectiveness and results. By facilitating evaluative thinking among teachers on the topic of teacher professional learning, the goal was to change how teachers conceptualize teacher professional learning. The discussion of professional learning was based on the Modes of Learning Framework (HarvardX, 2014), which organizes learning along two continua: hierarchical-distributed and individual-collective. Methodology included a survey on teachers’ perceptions on the modes of learning, and focus group discussions in which participants interpreted survey …

A Collaborative & Strategic Approach To Improve School Achievement Through Effective Attendance/Truancy Policies And Procedures, Hector Freytas

Dissertations

The purpose of this program evaluation was to review the current attendance/truancy policies and procedures of Mountain West High School (MWHS), identify gaps and concerns, analyze data, and make actionable recommendations that would foster improvement in academic achievement through attendance efforts. A growing body of research indicates that missing 10% or more of the school places students at risk of failing general education courses, having low grade point averages (GPA), and performing poorly on standardized testing in relation to peers with “good” attendance (i.e., 95% average daily attendance [ADA] or better). In addition, students who miss this much school time …

Improving Teacher Evaluation Through Enhanced Support For Teachers And School Based Administrators, Dywayne Hinds

Dissertations

It is no secret that school accountability is a common theme heard in discourse among governmental and local officials. This theme reaches across educational institutions throughout the Nation. Parents, policymakers, and educators are calling for and demanding educational reform to improve the quality of instruction taking place within schools. Improving student achievement scores on standardized tests is the driving force behind the demand for educational reform. Consequently, education reform efforts must focus on teacher quality and improved student performance.

The relationship between the evaluation ratings of classroom teachers and student achievement is an ongoing topic of leaders in and outside …

What Legally Prescribed Functions Tell Us: Role Differences Between Adult And Juvenile Probation Officers, Moana Hafoka, Youngki Woo, Ming-Li Hsieh, Jacqueline Van Wormer, Mary K. Stohr, Craig Hemmens

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The authors' current study, which is built on prior attempts to explore legally prescribed probation functions across 50 states and the District of Columbia, examines the statutorily prescribed duties of adult and juvenile probation officers in the past 10 years. Analyses of role shifts and the complementarities and differences that exist in the statutes are also explored.

Book Reviews-Monographic Musings, Regina Gong

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Developing A Partnership In Teacher Preparation Program Between Colleges, Universities And School Districts: A Policy Advocacy Document, Leah Gauthier

Dissertations

Teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Many are unprepared for the rigors of the job, and others become overwhelmed with new initiatives. This problem is due in part to school districts in Illinois not currently being a part of the teacher preparation accreditation process for colleges and universities. This policy advocates for creating that partnership. The findings indicate that doing so will build expertise for the new teachers and help them stay in the classrooms. This, in turn, will help improve student achievement.

An Evaluation Of Full-Day Kindergarten Programming, Amy Houlihan

Dissertations

The purpose of this program evaluation document is to provide a rationale and structure for implementing full-day kindergarten. The persistence of the achievement gap in the United States requires considerable and deliberate action to narrow and eliminate the gap over time. With the evolving educational landscape and the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, early education, including systematically designed and implemented full-day kindergarten are one way to afford children the opportunity to begin their education on pace to succeed. This program evaluation examines the differences between half-day kindergarten and full-day kindergarten programs including data analysis from the first year …

An Evaluation Of One School District's Ged Instructional And Assessment Program Following The Revised Ged 2014 Test, Marc Hutek

Dissertations

In 2014 the GED^® test was reintroduced for the fifth time in its history. Despite aligning its adult education program content to the Common Core State Standards, one school district still found exceptionally low initial success rates by students. By obtaining quantitative and qualitative data on behalf of the districts’ stakeholders within the GED^® program, this study has identified the overall effective aspects of the program and areas that can be improved to enhance student success. It has created a foundation for the development of a change project for continual program growth and improved performance. In constructing change …

Utilizing Formative Assessments To Inform Teacher Instruction And Student Engagement, Kim Ontiveros

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this program evaluation was to gain a clear understanding of how formative assessments impact teacher instruction and engage students. I used a survey with the teachers and data taken from their math formative assessments and NWEA MAP testing results on the mathematical concepts such as: Operations and Alegebraic Thinking, Numbers and Operations, Measurement and Data and Geometry. There were gaps identified with the formative assessments, teacher reflection with instruction and the absence of student engagement throughout the process. I found that teachers were not always using formative assessments to reteach concepts or adapt their instruction. Additionally, …

Redesigned Adult Learning To Create An Environment Of Deep Understanding Of The Danielson Framework For Teaching And The Shifts Required To Lead Students To Excellence, Caletha White

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Using Wagner’s (2006) change leadership model to assess culture, context, condition and competencies of a small suburban school district to create a change plan for value-added teacher evaluation is the central idea to this study. The four arenas of change together allow for a systematic analysis of teaching and learning. This research study represents the current state of the school district with gaps in the connectedness of opportunities for building competency toward enhancing teacher quality as measured by the Danielson Framework for Teaching and value added NWEA MAP achievement outcomes. Ninety-six percent of the teachers are rated effective while …

Homework Practices That Need A Change, Kim Ontiveros

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this change policy is to bring to light an issue that is facing schools, teachers and students nationwide. Homework plagues students and families every night throughout the school year. It impedes on their family time, creates frustration for students and parents, all the while not producing the sense of achievement most people would think. Kohn (2012), Parker (2014), and Shumaker (2016) support the idea the elementary students do not sustain achievement or measurable learning because of homework. A change in district policy would allow for more flexibility in the process, procedures and learning that should take …

Advocacy For Compliance With Existing Policy In Social Emotional Learning, Emilie Correa

Dissertations

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards were adopted by the state of Illinois in 2004. Local SEL policy was adopted by District 1234 in 2010. This policy advocacy work presents how findings from a district’s SEL Audit helped a team of administrators identify areas for growth and advocate for compliance of existing state and local SEL policy. This work documents how a district went from no SEL programming, to the creation of an SEL Task Force, the powering of SEL standards, and the planning for systemic implementation of SEL. According to research (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011), students who …

An Evaluation Of Avid As A Supplemental Education Program At The Middle School Level, Lori Bradner

Dissertations

This is a study of AVID as a supplemental education program at the middle school level that includes a quantitative evaluation of the academic efficacy of AVID utilizing anonymized, longitudinal student achievement data. The second section is a qualitative evaluation of the AVID program at one middle school within a district to determine the perceived efficacy of the AVID program among stakeholders using surveys and interviews. This also includes a discussion of the necessary change in leadership determined by the evaluation portions of this project. The third portion outlines a policy change essential for satisfactory outcome as defined by AVID …

Addressing The Need For Systemic Implementation Of Social Emotional Learning, Emilie Correa

Dissertations

Two alarming trends are on the rise in schools, the rise of school violence and school shootings, and our nation’s hyper-focus on academics and standardized test scores. I argue that schools have a societal responsibility as stewards of the public to prepare students academically, socially, and emotionally to ensure well-being in school, life, and work in the 21st Century. I will also argue that not teaching social emotional learning (SEL) in schools is a disservice to our students, our school culture, and our community at large. This change leadership plan illustrates the “As Is” (Wagner et al., 2006) of a …

Emotional Wellness And Learning, Emilie Correa

Dissertations

“Education has two great goals: to help students become smart, and to help them become good” (Lickona & Davidson, n.d., p. 15). This program evaluation is an evaluation of the Emotional wellness (EW) program in District 1234 (pseudonym). Through this program evaluation, one can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the original program goals, framework, and effectiveness, based on district-wide culture and climate surveys. The primary research questions for this program evaluation are to determine if the emotional wellness program (EWP) is being implemented with fidelity, and how the EWP is impacting stakeholders in D1234. This program evaluation serves …

Perceptions Of Important Personal And Leadership Characteristics For Newly Hired Principals To Be Successful School Leaders: Views Of School Superintendents, William C. Rolón

Education Doctoral

Research has shown that a strong relationship prevails between principals’ leadership characteristics, student engagement, teacher efficacy, and parental involvement toward responding to the demands of school accountability (Maxwell, Huggins, and Scheurich, 2010). Superintendents across the country are reporting the increasing difficulty of getting adept administrators (Cruzeiro and Boone, 2009). Superintendents who are primarily the ones responsible for the hiring of principals must be able to identify and assess the principal applicants as to their suitability and effectiveness as an administrator to meet the accountability and performance demands (Estes, 2011). This study sought to identify superintendents’ perceptions of the important personal …

Roadblocks To The Implementation Of Problem-Oriented Policing In Montevideo, Federico Del Castillo

Student Theses

In the broad context of Uruguay’s police reform, the Ministry of Interior is implementing a pilot Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) program in Montevideo since late 2012. This research examined the obstacles confronted by the program throughout its implementation. Using a grounded theory approach, qualitative data was collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with members of the Uruguay National Police (UNP) of different ranks. Findings were analyzed based on the following categories: a) contextual factors; b) theoretical and practical inaccuracies; c) characteristics, skills and actions of project managers; d) resistance and motivational issues; e) resources; f) external support and cooperation. Consistent with research …

Enterprise Social Media Use And Impact On Performance: The Role Of Workplace Integration And Positive Emotions, Murad Moqbel, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah

Information Systems Faculty Publications

Organizations struggle to find ways to improve employees’ performance. To date, little research has empirically examined the relationship between enterprise social media use and knowledge workers’ performance. Using social capital theory and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions as our theoretical framework, we investigate the relationship between enterprise social media use and knowledge workers’ performance. We tested our research model by collecting data from employees working for a large information technology firm in the Midwestern United States and analyzing the data using a structural equation modeling approach. The results suggest that enterprise social media use can increase workplace integration, which …

An Examination Of Leadership Styles Among Virtual School Administrators, Stephanie Young

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In this study, the researcher examined self-perceived school leadership styles of school administrators within the virtual school setting. Through this study, the researcher identified virtual school leaders and the leadership styles associated with their work. Participants in this study were employed at K12, Inc. representing virtual schools that were operating with a full-time state sponsored staff at that time. The 26 participants in this study represented a 35% response rate, which was the main limitation in this study. The research instrument used in the study was the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) with an added demographic survey. The dependent variable was …

Faculty Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Impact Of Professional Development For Teaching, Research, And Service, Claudia Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Participants in this research consisted of tenured 56.9% (n = 95) and tenure-track 41.1% (n = 69) faculty members who taught in different departments in the colleges of Health Affairs, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Education and P-16 Integration. The …

Ever Decreasing Budgets (?): How Mid-Level Student Affairs Directors Manage Perceived Resource Cuts, Steven P. Zeeh

Dissertations

This multiple case study examined how 15 mid-level student affairs directors responded to real or perceived institutional funding decreases. This is an important topic because mid-level student affairs directors have little budget training or expertise, and few researchers have investigated how they make financial decisions when experiencing decreasing resources. This study is significant because it provides insight for current and future student affairs directors on how to be financially pro-active. The method I chose to determine if directors received budget cuts was through unit level budget analysis, and I attempted to understand how they responded to perceived or real decreases …