Education Commons^™

Reducing Disparites In Act Results According To Racial Identity: An Applied Research Study Into The Weact Program In Tinlake High School, Marcus Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The ACT provides opportunities for students of various socioeconomic backgrounds, racial identities, and family structures. Throughout the nation, there is a disparity that involves Black students scoring less than White students on the test by a margin of five points. The applied mixed methods research aimed to identify elements to help decrease the gap in student scores. The combined efforts of all the elements, tutorials, boot camps, ACT prep classes, and providing ACT resources in daily instruction formed the WeACT program. The students of Tinlake High School were exposed to this pilot program to assist in their ACT growth. …

Traumatic Life Experiences And Their Impact On Factors Pertinent To Leadership Effectiveness In School Principals, Derrick D. Hardaway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many schools across the nation are not making adequate achievement or growth goals from year-to-year. This leads to high principal turnover rates and instability in the learning environment which profoundly impacts student achievement. Currently, most efforts in schools are aimed at raising student achievement, implementing equitable practices, and limiting barriers. While these are critical actions for closing the achievement gap, the principal’s role in this process is vitally important. Therefore, this quantitative study explored how trauma affects factors that are pertinent to leader success in school principals. To determine the impact trauma has on leadership qualities, this study examined the …

Building Teacher Capacity As A Pathway To Equity For First-Grade Spanish-Speaking English Learners: An Applied Research Study, Mary Greenlee Moak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The teaching of English Learners, one of the fastest-growing subgroups in American Public schools, is a task American classroom teachers are ill-equipped to handle. As students from a variety of language backgrounds move from metropolitan areas of the country to more rural locales educational leaders must equip teachers to integrate language acquisition with content instruction. Failure to do so will result in compounding learning gaps among English Learners as the language barrier prevents them from gaining content knowledge. Based in a Mississippi school with a growing population of English Learners comprising over a quarter of the school’s population, this …

The Middle To High School Transition: An Applied Research Study To Improve And Support High School Readiness In High-Poverty Schools, Robert Davis Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The applied research study aimed to improve high school readiness for eighth-grade students transitioning to ninth-grade in high-poverty schools. Middle school educators are struggling to prepare students for ninth-grade without the proper transition support programs. This applied research study's framework was based on improving student performance, preventing academic achievement loss, addressing social-emotional learning, and informing students of operational procedures to prepare them for the high school environment. An action plan was developed and implemented in three phases to address each element of concern intentionally. Phase one consisted of Saturday Academy tutoring to improve student performance in reading and math. Implementation …

Implementation Of The Michael Heggerty Model To Increase Student Achievement Of At-Risk Readers In Kindergarten, Michelle White Nowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study seeks to help at-risk readers improve phonemic awareness in kindergarten at Mayberry Elementary by implementing the Michael Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Model so the students can become successful readers. Using three elements in this study, professional development, teacher PLCs, and data talk meetings with peer teachers in kindergarten throughout the year, the researcher sought to build teacher capacity in the implementation of the Michael Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Model to improve student achievement. Surveys, observations, focus groups, and interviews were used in the study. Additionally, the goal of this study aimed to improve the educator's capacity to address …

An Applied Research On Promoting Proficiency In Fourth-Grade Reading, Deirdre Huntley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied research study was conducted to promote proficiency in fourth-grade reading. There was a need for improvement in fourth-grade reading after receiving data from the school and state assessments. The study examined the implementation of specific reading and vocabulary strategies, student interventions, strengthening of teacher-student relationships, and encouraging student motivation to help students become proficient in understanding what the students were reading. Student diagnostic results and teacher interviews were utilized in this study. The findings revealed students were demonstrating advancement in reading comprehension. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school building was closed in March of 2020 which impacted …

Increasing Reading Achievement: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Implementing An Independent Reading Time At Lester Elementary School, Sherna Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency is an important skill and demonstrated proficiency is required by the Mississippi’s Literacy Based Promotion Act of 2013 for third graders to be promoted to fourth grade. Reading proficiency at third grade also has serious implications for lifelong outcomes. The purpose of this applied research project was to increase reading achievement for the second and third grade students of Lester Elementary, specifically by exploring the effects of increased time spent reading, access and self-selection of books, and motivation to read on reading proficiency. The analysis of pre- and post- STAR data was used to determine if proficiency rates …

Decreasing Discipline Disparities Among African-American Males: An Applied Research Study On The Effects Of Developing Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices Among Teachers And Equipping Students With Added Supports, Reginald Maurice Herrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools and school leaders are charged to provide equitable educational opportunities and ensure the success for all students no matter their scholastic ability giving students access to an education that is culturally responsive. Despite this charge, African-American male students receive exclusionary punishment at disparaging rates which contributes to the widening achievement gap between white and black students. The purpose of this applied research study was to decrease the rate at which African-American males are referred to the office. This study analyzes the implementation of two elements: engaging teachers in a book study on culturally responsive teaching strategies and targeted counseling …

Academic Support Systems And College Readiness For Black Male Student Athletes, Derek Lovell King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High school athletics is a major aspect of today’s educational landscape. Sports generate revenue, galvanize communities, and provide opportunities for widespread exposure. For the black athlete, sports generally represent an opportunity to go to college. With the pressure of academic accountability, increased athletic competitiveness, and the impact of future prospects, high schools have to be innovative in order to optimize the academic experience, particularly for Black male athletes.

The impact of high school academic support systems, particularly their capacity to increase the college readiness of Black male athletes, has not been adequately examined. College GPA, college persistence rate, and college …