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Distortion, Disparity, And Dubious Data: The Impact Of Accountability On Instructional Practice, Curtis Jack Barnes
Distortion, Disparity, And Dubious Data: The Impact Of Accountability On Instructional Practice, Curtis Jack Barnes
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
This study examined the impact that state and federal accountability systems have had on instructional practice in two large Texas school districts by comparing the performance of students at these schools on individual items from the 2011 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and relating performance to item difficulty and the schools' accountability risk as determined by prior accountability performance. To make this comparison, schools were placed into accountability risk groups based on past performance on the No Child Left Behind Act's (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) accountability instrument. The researcher then calculated the mean differences between average performance …
Professional Learning Communities As A Critical Structure For Ell Schooling, Miguel A. Serrano
Professional Learning Communities As A Critical Structure For Ell Schooling, Miguel A. Serrano
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Nationally, English language learners (ELLs) have underperformed in making the grade on standards set by the U.S. Department of Education. National data indicate that ELLs are performing lower (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). ELLs are likely to perform less well on state assessments and drop-out rates are higher than their English speaking peers (Ballantyne, Sanderman & Levy, 2008). Current school practices lack a comprehensive knowledge base as to how to prepare ELLs to be academically successful. With the advent of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), educators have to demonstrate annual language and academic gains for English Language Learners (ELLs) …