<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effects a freshman transition program has on high school success rates. Results could provide the basis for freshman transfer strategies and help academic success following the No Child Left Behind mandate. The research question asked was: Did program complexity have an impact on the success of freshman students, measured by number of failing grades, percentage of discipline referrals assigned, and attendance rates? </p><p> To answer the question, the researcher studied three homogenous high schools in the greater St. Louis area. These three freshman transition programs varied in complexity provided for incoming students. The length of study was over four academic years, from 2009 through 2013. There were three hypothesis studied in order to determine if the complexity of the freshman transition programs had an effect on performance outcomes for incoming students, with regards to attendance, number of discipline referrals and failing grades. A combined statement of the hypotheses is: The attendance rate, discipline referral rate, and grade point averages are different between the most complex (East High School), less complex (South High School), and the least complex (West High School) programs and between the pre-to-post comparisons of the most complex (East High School) program. </p><p> In this study, the data did not support significant changes in the student outcomes of attendance rates, discipline referral rates, nor failing grade rates, for each of the three high schools studied, East, West, and South, despite the varying levels of complexity in the freshman transition program implemented at each school. </p><p> No significant differences were established through use of ANOVA, Chi Square tests for Independence, and z-tests for difference in proportions applied to secondary data generated by the three schools through the years 2009 to 2013.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons high-quality rural veteran educators choose to remain in small, rural district settings and to identify common factors among small rural school districts that have high numbers of highly qualified veteran teachers. The study is relevant to school leaders and school boards within small rural communities seeking to develop policies and encourage strategies to keep high-quality educators from leaving districts. The motivation-hygiene theory of job satisfaction developed by Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman (1993), coupled with Rosenholtz&rsquo;s (1989) 10 essential components for working together were utilized throughout the study to evaluate the motivations of high-quality veteran rural educators. A self-administered survey and telephone interviews were utilized to gather data, which revealed high-quality veteran teachers choose to remain in the small, rural school setting due to intrinsic motivators. It was learned strong support from fellow educators and the community contributed to the desire of rural educators to remain employed within their districts. Data revealed educators were interested in autonomy within the classroom and support from administrators. Research indicated small, rural schools with high numbers of highly qualified veteran teachers have high levels of administrative support. These educators have a sense of belonging within their districts and high levels of job satisfaction. Opportunities for educators to collaborate are readily available and support is given through teacher evaluations. Additionally, these educators feel connections within their school communities, which enable them to better teach the district's students. Lastly, educators voiced school climate played a large role in their decisions to stay in the small, rural setting.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if positive teacher-to-student relationships impacted student academic performance. This case study involved examination of the results of data collected from 43 students who participated in a mentor adoption program initiated with the intent to enhance positive teacher-to-student relationships for the 2013-2014 school year. Archival data of students who participated in the mentor adoption program were compared to data from a stratified group of students who did not participate in the mentor adoption program. Data from English language arts (ELA) and mathematics (MA) Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scale scores, attendance rate, and number of discipline referrals were compiled and analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. The results of the study showed students who participated in the mentor adoption program demonstrated a significant increase in MAP ELA scale scores, increase in MAP MA scale scores, and significant decrease in the number of discipline referrals. Students who did not participate in the mentor adoption program showed significant improvement only in MAP MA scale scores. Perceptual interview data were gathered and analyzed from 10 teachers who participated in the mentor adoption program to determine teacher perceptions and feelings about the program. The results indicated teachers believed the mentor adoption program had value and should be continued in Elementary School A. The analysis of these data showed student academic performance was significantly impacted by the use of a mentor adoption program in Elementary School A.</p>

<p> With teacher evaluations, school ratings, and ultimately school funding being linked more and more to student achievement data, U.S. public schools are searching for new and effective ways to boost academic testing scores. This study examined teachers&rsquo; and administrators&rsquo; experiences with and perceptions of merit pay, with the goal of identifying key program components positively impacting student success. With this information, solid and successful merit pay structures could be implemented in schools across the nation. Professional educators from two Midwest states who were involved in performance pay programs participated in the study through both a survey instrument and personal interviews. Surveys were crafted using the review of related literature, then distributed and collected via SurveyMonkey to educators in selected merit pay schools. Likert scale selections and open response inquiries were utilized to assess educator opinions and experiences. Personal interviews were scheduled and conducted within one Arkansas school district. This district employed an innovative merit pay program for educational stakeholders. Experiences, perceived strengths and weaknesses, and results of the merit pay structure were discussed during the interview sessions. Valuable perceptions regarding merit pay structure and implementation were gained. Three important factors of any successful school motivation program emerged. These three components included development of a purpose driven structure, fair measurement of student growth, and educator empowerment. Further research is recommended to determine varied and effective ways to structure programs to sustainably increase student achievement gains.</p>

<p> This study was designed to examine if a correlation exists between regular school attendance and academic success. As an outcome of concern for educational expectations in American schools, the government of the United States increased accountability for schools through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requiring schools improve student achievement levels in designated core academic areas (Tyre, Feuerborn, &amp; Pierce, 2011). Unlike the findings of Robert Balfanz and Vaughan Byrnes (2012) of Johns Hopkins University, which found most educational agencies do not keep detailed statistics regarding student attendance, Missouri public school districts do have an accountability structure in place. Core Data and Missouri Student Information System (MOSIS) data collection systems are used by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (2014) to monitor attendance among Missouri&rsquo;s school children. Using data collected from Core Data and MOSIS, this study was designed to correlate variables in relation to student performance on Missouri end-of-year standardized tests to the students&rsquo; annual attendance rates within a specific school district. Results were supportive of the research hypotheses; a correlation exists between chronic absenteeism and basic or below basic performance on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) grade-level assessments for students in the sample. These findings were generally consistent with previous research. Recommendations for future research are suggested.</p>

This report provides an overview of some of the emergent current practices in using technology to evaluate learning. It starts by examining terminology associated with learning evaluation in terms of literature related to the subject. Several innovative models and tools in practice are discussed in terms of their application, situations they are best suited to, advantages or disadvantages they might have and theories they are based on. Some of these are easy to apply and more practically implementable, others are indicative of advanced technologies that are likely to come into use in the future. The report concludes with a few possible scenarios regarding the context in which these technologies and methods are to be used and the real world considerations that would concern the stakeholders. / text

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Mediational analysis quantifies proposed causal mechanisms through which treatments act on outcomes. In the presence of clustered data, conventional multiple regression mediational methods break down, requiring the use of hierarchical linear modeling techniques. As an additional consideration, nonlinear relationships in multilevel mediation models require unique specifications that are ignored if modeled linearly. Improper specification of nonlinear relationships can lead to a consistently overestimated mediated effect. This has direct implications for inferences regarding intervention causality and efficacy. The current investigation proposes a nonlinear multilevel mediation model to account for nonlinear relationships in clustered data. A simulation study is proposed to compare the statistical performance of the proposed nonlinear multilevel mediation model with that of conventional methods. / text

The primary intent of this degree paper is to discuss the participation of parents whose children are enrolled in the Atlanta Head Start Program. An attempt has been made to ascertain the extent to which parents are involved in the program. The participation of parents in the Head Start Program is very crucial to the program’s success. This study reveals that parent.participation in the activities of the three centers under study, namely, the Robinson Center, the Grady Homes Center, and the English Avenue Center is marginal and does not live up to the program’s standard of “maximum citizen participation.” On the other hand, the staff members at these centers discharge their respective duties in a manner that encourages maximum parent participation in the program’s activities. However, if the centers could provide transportation to and from the centers for classroom activities or parent meetings, the lack of parent participation could be resolved. The primary source of data for this study was obtained from interviews with the Director of the Head Start Program in the Atlanta metropolitan area, the Directors of the three centers involved in the study, the Parent Involvement Coordinator, as well as interviews with the parents whose children are enrolled in the three Head Start Centers. Also, a wide variety of secondary information, books, periodicals, and unpublished materials was used.

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which student achievement in mathematics is impacted by early language deficiencies and other variables and if it can be improved when controlling these variables. Student achievement in the area of mathematics was identified as an area of problem at Urban Academy Elementary school and the greater Urban Public Schools District (UPS). The researcher wanted to explore specific strategies that could lead to improved student performance in the area of mathematics. The researcher proposed that the possible causal factors that yield an outcome of low student achievement in math were prior language development, socioeconomic status, leadership, teacher methodology, student efficacy/engagement. professional development, and parental involvement The researcher used instrumentation methods to gather information from parents. teachers and students in order to examine if there was a relationship between student achievement in mathematics and the referenced variables: prior language development. socio economic status, leadership, instructional practices, student efficacy, professional development, and parental involvement. A treatment was developed and implemented during the 2008-2009 school year (see Appendix A) based on the perceived impacting variables. The 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test was used as a posttest to determine if the treatment had a significant impact on student achievement. Additionally, a district wide benchmark assessment was administered during the months of September 2008 and February 2009 to monitor student achievement growth prior to the CRCT. The researcher found that there were significant relationships between the dependent variable, student achievement, and leadership, teacher professional development, and the winter benchmark assessment that is administered annually as a predictor of performance on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test. The results suggests that the treatment practices that considered fine-tuning teacher instructional practices by providing professional development gives explanation as to why the treatment was successful. The results substantiate how purposeful professional development for teachers can have an impact on student achievement. It was recommended that planned professional development be arranged and offered to teachers along with a student benchmark assessment that is similar in content, content weights, and item number as the state’s standardized test administered prior to formal testing.