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Articles 211 - 240 of 323

Full-Text Articles in Educational Leadership

Examination Of The Fidelity Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Implementation And Its Relationship To Academic And Behavio, Jason Lafrance Jan 2009

Examination Of The Fidelity Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Implementation And Its Relationship To Academic And Behavio, Jason Lafrance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the level of implementation of School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) in the State of Florida. The relationship between the fidelity of implementation of SWPBS as measured by the Benchmarks of Quality tool to academic and behavioral outcomes for middle and elementary schools was then analyzed. The academic outcomes for this study included FCAT Reading and Mathematics subtest scores. The behavioral outcomes were measured using the number of Office Discipline Referrals per 100 students and the number of days for Out of School Suspensions per 100 students. The literature review suggests that …


A Comparison Of Eighth Grade Reading Scores By State And By The Four Census-Defined Regions Identified By Naep, William Gordon Ii Jan 2009

A Comparison Of Eighth Grade Reading Scores By State And By The Four Census-Defined Regions Identified By Naep, William Gordon Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provided information for policymakers and practitioners by comparing performance of eighth grade students in 2007 on state standardized reading assessments and by the four census-defined regions identified by NAEP. NCLB required states to set their own performance standards and to create their own data collection instruments resulting in increased transparency of student performance data and a lack of uniform accountability systems. The inability of educators, policy-makers, and the general public to make state-by-state comparisons in the area of reading was the catalyst for the study. NAEP data were collected from NCES and state performance data were collected from …


Psychological Sense Of Community And Retention: Rethinking The First-Year Experience Of Students In Stem, Melissa Dagley Falls Jan 2009

Psychological Sense Of Community And Retention: Rethinking The First-Year Experience Of Students In Stem, Melissa Dagley Falls

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation looks at the relationship between a STEM learning community's co-curricular activities and students' perceived sense of community (SOC)to determine which activities most influence SOC and, in turn, retention. This investigation shows that SOC can be impacted by a multitude of factors found within the college environment. The most influential of these factors are open acceptance, student academic support services, and residential experiences. Most importantly there were significant differences for African American students participating in the STEM learning community on the measures of SOC, retention, and being on-track in mathematics. Additional data suggested higher levels of being on-track in …


The Impact Of Advanced Placement (Ap) Participation And Success On School-Wide Student Achievement, David Christiansen Jan 2009

The Impact Of Advanced Placement (Ap) Participation And Success On School-Wide Student Achievement, David Christiansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate two research questions concerning: (a) the relationship between the percentage of students within a high school who participated in the Advanced Placement program and the school-wide student achievement of a high school and (b) the relationship between the percentage of students within a high school who successfully performed in the Advanced Placement program and the school-wide student achievement of the high school. It was determined in this study that there was a statistically significant relationship between Advanced Placement (AP) student participation and school-wide student achievement and there was a statistically significant relationship …


The Influence Of The School Choice Provision, Within The No Child Left Behind Legislation, On The Academic Achievement Of Studen, Lynn Kirkland Jan 2009

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 Impact Of Academic Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Performance Of Sophomore Students On The Florida Comprehensive Assessme, Margaret Mcmillen Jan 2009

The Impact Of Academic Vocabulary Instruction On Reading Performance Of Sophomore Students On The Florida Comprehensive Assessme, Margaret Mcmillen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the change in sophomore reading scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test after the implementation of an academic vocabulary program and the change in teacher knowledge and professional practice after a program of staff development in academic vocabulary. The purpose was to determine the impact of the professional development on student reading performance. The study analyzed student data from 2008 and 2009 gathered from the Florida Department of Education, and teacher data collected from a survey used as a pretest/posttest. Variables used in the analysis of student data included demographic subgroups of white, African-American, and Hispanic students …


Academic Acceleration In Florida Elementary Schools: A Survey Of Attitudes, Policies, And Practices, Keri Guilbault Jan 2009

Academic Acceleration In Florida Elementary Schools: A Survey Of Attitudes, Policies, And Practices, Keri Guilbault

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to provide recent descriptive information about acceleration policies and practices in Florida elementary schools. District, school, and personal demographic variables were investigated to determine the extent to which they affected school-based acceleration options provided for students. Also, school district policies were examined to determine which types of research-based acceleration options were more frequently used and what procedures were in place to guide the decision-making process. Results from this study indicated that extant acceleration policies only included grade skipping and limited procedures for referral, screening and decision-making in the schools. The most common types of …


Evaluation Of Juvenile Justice Education Programs: What The Numbers Say About Juvenile Recidivism, Kevin Egan Jan 2009

Evaluation Of Juvenile Justice Education Programs: What The Numbers Say About Juvenile Recidivism, Kevin Egan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year more than 100,000 juveniles are incarcerated in residential rehabilitative facilities. As part of their course of treatment, educational services are mandated for these incarcerated youth. Programs serving these individuals must provide adequate and appropriate educational programs for these juveniles. With a growing public concern over juvenile delinquency and recidivism, programs are being held accountable for the effectiveness and quality of the programming they offer. In Florida, juvenile justice programs offering educational services are monitored annually by the Juvenile Justice Education Enhancement Program. These programs receive a Quality Assurance (QA) rating as determined by a review team that spends …


Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Florida School Principals Regarding Federal And State Accountability Measures, John Mccullers Jan 2009

Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Florida School Principals Regarding Federal And State Accountability Measures, John Mccullers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how self-efficacy beliefs, a central construct of social cognitive theory, might be used to inform educational leadership and policy decisions related to school accountability measures. A survey of 112 principals in Florida was used to investigate the degree to which principals believed the goals of federal and state school accountability measures (the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Florida School Grades Plan) were actually attainable, and to what degree they believed their leadership actually helped achieve these goals. A large majority (83.8%) of respondents believed the state goals to be attainable, whereas only a …


Elementary School Student Achievement: An Analysis Of School Size And Student Achievement, Natalie Odom Jan 2009

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. …


Post-Implementation Success Factors For Enterprise Resource Planning (Erp) Student Administration Systems In Higher Education In, Linda Sullivan Jan 2009

Post-Implementation Success Factors For Enterprise Resource Planning (Erp) Student Administration Systems In Higher Education In, Linda Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the post-implementation experiences of 6 higher education institutions following the initial implementation of a Student Administration ERP system and explored how these institutions used the post-implementation phase to maximize the benefits from the ERP system. A mixed-method approach consisting of an online survey and qualitative case study was utilized for data collection; within-case and cross-case analyses were performed to generate the research results and findings. The overall post-implementation experiences of the case study institutions were found to be similar in nature, regardless of institution size. Several post-implementation characteristics were also found to be shared in varying …


Leadership Orientations Ofcommunity College Presidents And The Administrators Who Report To Them: A Frame Analysis, Michele Mcardle Jan 2008

Leadership Orientations Ofcommunity College Presidents And The Administrators Who Report To Them: A Frame Analysis, Michele Mcardle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Presidents of Community Colleges and the administrators who reported directly to them were the subjects for this study based on the Four Frame Leadership Theory of Bolman and Deal (1990b). The Leadership Orientation (Self) Survey (LOS) was mailed to 169 community college presidents and administrators in the presidents' direct report teams. The final usable response rate of 69.82% to the survey fell within the acceptable range for education as defined by Boser and Green (1997). In addition, the subjects were asked to write about the most difficult challenge they had faced in their current position and how they handled that …


Case Studies Of Reading Performance Of Male Students And The Single-Sex Classroom, Eric Basilo Jan 2008

Case Studies Of Reading Performance Of Male Students And The Single-Sex Classroom, Eric Basilo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data from standardized test scores shows boys are falling further behind in literacy each year. Thanks to countless hours of research, we can pinpoint some of the causes for this decline. The major challenge educators face is how to keep boys interested in reading while placed in classrooms not necessarily designed to meet their needs. One option being explored is the use of single-sex classrooms. For over 160 years in the United States, public school single-sex classrooms have existed. The thought is that by separating boys and girls for academic classes, certain distractions will be eliminated, the environment can be …


Closing The Achievement Gap For English Language Learners:A Comparison Of Language Arts/Esol And One-Way Developmental Bilingual, Kimberly Marlow Jan 2008

Closing The Achievement Gap For English Language Learners:A Comparison Of Language Arts/Esol And One-Way Developmental Bilingual, Kimberly Marlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only students and English Language Learner students. One study highlighted a 46% gap on the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The present study was designed to investigate 23 middle schools in …


Planning For The Future: Florida Community Colleges' Preparations For The Advent Of High Definition Television, Sharon Wyly Jan 2008

Planning For The Future: Florida Community Colleges' Preparations For The Advent Of High Definition Television, Sharon Wyly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the literature, researchers reported on the problems that post-secondary institutions have had with technology (Birchard, 2001; Green, 2003; Starrett & Rogers, 2003;). Given limited budgets and the need to train faculty and staff, many colleges have struggled to find a way to use technology to enhance, not hinder, pedagogy (Cuban, 2001; Oppenheimer, 2003). This study was conducted to examine the impact of the federally mandated change in the television standard to high definition television (HDTV) on Florida's community colleges. Surveys were sent to the chief technology officers of the 28 community colleges in Florida. Additionally, eight interviews were conducted …


Educational Handheld Video: Examining Shot Composition, Graphic Design, And Their Impact On Learning, Jason Hutchens Jan 2008

Educational Handheld Video: Examining Shot Composition, Graphic Design, And Their Impact On Learning, Jason Hutchens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Formal features of video such as shot composition and graphic design can weigh heavily on the success or failure of educational videos. Many studies have assessed the proper use of these techniques given the psychological expectations that viewers have for video programming (Hawkins et al., 2002; Kenny, 2002; Lang, Zhou, Schwardtz, Bolls, & Potter, 2000; McCain, Chilberg, & Wakshlag, 1977; McCain & Repensky, 1972; Miller, 2005; Morris, 1984; Roe, 1998; Schmitt, Anderson, & Collins, 1999; Sherman & Etling, 1991; Tannenbaum & Fosdick, 1960; Wagner, 1953). This study examined formal features within the context of the newly emerging distribution method of …


The Relationship Between School Culture And Third-Grade Fcat Reading Proficiency In Seminole County Public Elementary Schools, Kelley Novak Jan 2008

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 …


Learning-Centered Professional Staff Development: Examining Institutional And Learner Responsibilities, Julie Corderman Jan 2008

Learning-Centered Professional Staff Development: Examining Institutional And Learner Responsibilities, Julie Corderman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to determine the balance of a collaborative learning relationship between an institution and its employees. A review of the literature examined learning-centered theory to determine the necessary tenets of a learning-centered professional staff development program. In addition, various staff development components were examined to ascertain their role in a learning-centered program. The literature findings guided this research to conduct a study to determine if relationships existed between employees' perception of climate and two variables: (a) employees' locus of control and (b) employees' job satisfaction. Additionally, the three factors were assessed together in a linear …


A Comparative Analysis Of Differences In Resident Satisfaction, Retention, And Cumulative Grade Point Average Between University, Jeffrey Novak Jan 2008

A Comparative Analysis Of Differences In Resident Satisfaction, Retention, And Cumulative Grade Point Average Between University, Jeffrey Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compared students' perceptions and satisfaction as they related to their place of residence. In addition, this study sought to determine if a difference existed between student retention rates from their first year in college to their second year and one's grade point average with respect to one's place of residence within the collegiate setting. As such, the problem this study examined was the overall impact of where a first-time-in-college student lived within the University of Central Florida housing system and how that living environment impacted students' levels of satisfaction, overall retention rates, and cumulative grade point averages. The …


A Historical Analysis Of Teacher Preparation Program Contentbeginning With Teacher Normal Colleges In 1839 Throughschool Distric, Julie Helton Jan 2008

A Historical Analysis Of Teacher Preparation Program Contentbeginning With Teacher Normal Colleges In 1839 Throughschool Distric, Julie Helton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher preparation program content throughout American history in order to determine trends in programs of study, specifically including coursework in education foundations, teaching methods involving the behavioral sciences, and subject area content. These categories were selected because their content is responsible for teachers' working knowledge of their subject area, as well as student learning, behavior management and motivation. The study also examined documented teacher knowledge voids: student behavior management, time management, organization, dealing with parents, motivating students, and meeting individual students' needs to determine which aspects of teacher education could improve teachers' …


The Academic Achievement Of African-American Students In Orange County Public High Schools, Athena Adams Jan 2008

The Academic Achievement Of African-American Students In Orange County Public High Schools, Athena Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to determine the disparity between the academic achievement of African American students and the academic achievement of white American students in the state of Florida, and more specifically, in five high schools in Orange County Public Schools. The term "African American" included all students who self-identified as that race upon enrollment into an Orange County public school. The study included male and female African American students from different socio-economic levels. The term "differences in academic achievement" is most commonly referred to as "achievement gap." Additionally, this study sought to determine the relationship, if any, in the …


An Analysis Of Accreditation Processes, Quality Control Criteria, Historical Events, And Student Performance, Robert Burris Jan 2008

An Analysis Of Accreditation Processes, Quality Control Criteria, Historical Events, And Student Performance, Robert Burris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent student performance has been influenced by historical events, legislative mandates, and accreditation processes. This study consists of comparing the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation processes with those of the Association of Christian Schools International. In completing this qualitative study, the following procedures were implemented: Related research was used to provide a background of the role that historical events, legislation, and accreditation processes have on student performance; data were collected to establish time line shifts in an historical perspective. The data collected included assessment, accountability, high school drop …


An Investigation Into Unitary Status And The Overrepresentation Of Black Students In School Discipline As Measured By Out-Of-Sch, Robin Dehlinger Jan 2008

An Investigation Into Unitary Status And The Overrepresentation Of Black Students In School Discipline As Measured By Out-Of-Sch, Robin Dehlinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While many school districts in the state of Florida have achieved unitary status and are no longer under court jurisdiction, evidence that school districts continue to practice discipline policies that result in the disproportionate suspension of Black students can be found. Despite decades of desegregation, Black students continue to experience the devastating consequences of suspension and expulsion from school. The overrepresentation of Black students in the administration of school discipline is a serious concern for school districts. This study investigated if the attainment of unitary status resulted in equity in school discipline for Black students. Additionally, the study investigated the …


Service Quality In Academic Libraries: An Analysis Of Libqual+„¢ Scores And Institutional Characteristics, Kathleen Miller Jan 2008

Service Quality In Academic Libraries: An Analysis Of Libqual+„¢ Scores And Institutional Characteristics, Kathleen Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study considered the problem of assessing quality in academic libraries. The research question that framed the investigation asked whether service quality scores from the LibQUAL+ instrument were related to the following college or university characteristics: institutional type, enrollment level, or the level of investment made in libraries. Data regarding Carnegie classification, FTE enrollment, and library expenditures were collected for 159 college and university libraries that participated in LibQUAL+ during 2006. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and regression analyses were calculated and the Bonferroni adjustment was applied to significance levels to compensate for errors caused by repeated calculations using the …


Music Standards Implementation And The Relationship To Fourth Grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores From 2004 To 20, Neal Phillips Jan 2008

Music Standards Implementation And The Relationship To Fourth Grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores From 2004 To 20, Neal Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the possible relationships among the perceived implementation levels of elementary music standards and Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores for fourth graders in reading, mathematics, and writing for the years 2004, 2005, and 2006. Survey data for the study were obtained from 32 school district music supervisors from large, medium, and small districts who returned fully or partially completed questionnaires. The study was focused on the relationships, if any, between a school district's mean scale scores in reading, mathematics, and writing from 2004 to 2006 in grade 4 and (a) elementary music standards implementation, (b) the average …


An Investigation Into The Use Of Retention As An Intervention Strategy For Struggling Students As Measured By Student Success On, Maria Katz Jan 2008

An Investigation Into The Use Of Retention As An Intervention Strategy For Struggling Students As Measured By Student Success On, Maria Katz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retention of students having academic difficulties continues to be a very popular intervention, even though many studies suggest that retention of students does not improve their academic success or their social and emotional attitude towards school. This study was based on an analysis of 10,875 Seminole County students that had been retained at least one time in their educational career. The study used 2006-2007 FCAT Reading and Math scores to determine the success of their retentions. Students were grouped by the categories of gender, age, race, grade retained, ESE status, ELL status and SES and their success evaluated. The study …


An Investigation To Determine The Perceptions Of Resilience In Educational And Business Leadership Personnel In Central Florida, Craig Domeck Jan 2008

An Investigation To Determine The Perceptions Of Resilience In Educational And Business Leadership Personnel In Central Florida, Craig Domeck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership is a challenging task. Vibrant enduring leadership over time is a greater challenge. Cultivating "leaders that lasts" is the desire of this study. The purpose of this research was to determine the resiliency of leaders in Central Florida. Additionally, this study examined the resilience of educational leaders in Central Florida along with leaders from the business community. The analysis and comparison of the results revealed beneficial information regarding the factors that are substantial in resilient leaders and how these factors might be further cultivated. Educational leaders were randomly selected from school administrators in the Central Florida region, as well …


Strengths And Talents Of Potential Administrators In Orange County Public Schools, Florida, Arthur Anderson Jan 2008

Strengths And Talents Of Potential Administrators In Orange County Public Schools, Florida, Arthur Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increased demands on principals and a shortage of qualified, acceptable candidates, school districts that have to replace principals are in a difficult position. These factors, combined with the importance that the principal role has in relation to student achievement, make the identification of potential administrators and the hiring process for new administrators a top priority for all school districts. This study answered the following two major questions; a) what characteristics or talents, as identified by the StrengthsFinder profile, did Orange County Public School principals in 2007 look for in identifying potential school administrators and b) what differences, if …


An Analysis Of Florida Public Community College Foundations' Performance Measures From 2002-2004, Karen Sanders Jan 2008

An Analysis Of Florida Public Community College Foundations' Performance Measures From 2002-2004, Karen Sanders

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to examine the performance of Florida public community college foundations from 2002-2004 using performance ratios. The findings from this study may assist community college foundation leaders to better understand the performance of their own organizations, compare this performance to other similar organizations, establish relative performance standards, and influence the strategic initiatives to improve an existing foundation. This study was designed to research the financial performance measurement ratios for the 28 public community college foundations in Florida. Ex post facto data that were publicly available were utilized to acquire the information needed for the statistical …


Retaining Qualified Teachers Through School-Based Induction: A Study Of Elementary Schools In Two Public School Districts In Flo, Junella Handley Jan 2007

Retaining Qualified Teachers Through School-Based Induction: A Study Of Elementary Schools In Two Public School Districts In Flo, Junella Handley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher induction strategies and effectiveness at the school level, specifically focusing on how the principal designed and implemented induction activities. It also investigated if the following factors influenced teacher retention: (a) number of instructional staff members, (b) number of first-year teachers, (c) number of second-year teachers, (d) number of third-year teachers, (e) principal's gender, (f) principal's age, (g) principal's highest degree earned, (h) principal's total years in education, (i) principal's years in an instructional position, (j) principal's administrative experience, (k) year the school opened, (l) student enrollment, and (m) free and reduced …