The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of special accommodations on standardized achievement test scores of students in a school system in East Tennessee. Scores obtained by special education students who did not receive special accommodations in 1998 and/or 1999 were compared with scores obtained by the same students who did receive special accommodations in subsequent testing. Scores obtained by special education students who did receive special accommodations were compared with scores obtained by special education students who did not receive special accommodations. The population consisted of 448 special education students in grades two through eight in a public school system in Upper East Tennessee. All students who received Special Education services and took the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) achievement test with or without special accommodations in 1998, 1999, 2000, and/or 2001. Ninety-nine percent of students who received special accommodations had the accommodations of read aloud internal test instructions and read aloud internal test items. A quasi-experimental design was used. A t-test for independent means, a t-test for paired samples, and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze data. As evidenced in this study, special education students who received special accommodations did experience significant gain scores in science, social studies, and math in an initial year they received accommodations. There were significant gains in science and social studies in 2000 for students initially receiving special accommodations. There were significant gains in social studies and math in 2001 for students initially receiving special accommodations. While this study did not find that mean math scores increased statistically significantly in 2000, it is of practical importance to mention that mean math scores did increase substantially. It appears that the benefit of accommodations is not continuous. Students in this study who received special accommodations two consecutive years did not experience noteworthy gain in the second year. Some students, in fact, experienced a significant decrease in gain scores for the second year they received special accommodations.

The cultivation of parent involvement in America's public schools is no longer an option. Under the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: No Child Left Behind (Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 2001), it is now a mandate. Moreover, in the current climate of emphasis upon student performance and school accountability, schools need not just the support of parents, but also their full involvement in meaningful partnerships. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a better understanding of the factors that significantly affect the level of parent involvement during the middle-school years. This was accomplished through the use of open-ended interviews with 24 participants in Northeast Tennessee comprised of 4 elementary and 4 middle-school principals along with 16 middle-school parents who were identified by their child's principal as having been highly involved when their child was in elementary school. The findings from this study suggested that the parent and principal perceptions regarding the factors that influence the decline in parent involvement during the middle-school years are often quite different. In general, perceptions of parents and principals that were held in common were those associated with the role of the parent, the positive effects of parent involvement upon student success, and the role of the principal in modeling the encouragement of parent involvement. The finding suggested, however, that there was significant disparity between parent and principal perceptions with regard to how well middle schools encourage parent involvement. Major recommendations included middle schools communicating with feeder elementary schools to identify highly involved parents of rising middle-school students, a system of personally contacting such parents as a means to encourage their continued involvement, and the establishment of a dialogue among parents and educators with regard to developing an action plan based upon best practices.

The purpose of this study was to compare the academic achievement of students through the use of standardized testing to examine the relationship of participation in a computer-based phonics instructional system called Fast ForWord®. The sample included students enrolled in the fifth and sixth grades at four elementary schools in the Grainger County, Tennessee, school system. The comparison group consisted of same-grade peers at the four elementary schools in Grainger County who were not enrolled in the Fast ForWord® program. Students' scores were compared using the 2003 Terra Nova standardized assessment test and using their 2001 and 2002 test scores as a control. Comparisons were made using the reading, language, math, science, and social studies subsections of the Terra Nova. Differences between students who received Fast ForWord® and students who did not receive Fast ForWord® were analyzed. The study examined the variables of gender, school enrollment, socioeconomic status, time of intervention, and ability grouping. These variables were examined with analysis of covariance to determine differences. When differences did exist between groups, posthoc tests were used to determine specific differences between groups. The findings indicated that there were measurable differences in the performance of students who received Fast ForWord® compared to students who did not receive Fast ForWord®. Significant differences were found in reading and language subsections of the Terra Nova test for students who had participated in the Fast ForWord® reading program. The findings from the examination of other variables indicated that gender as well as gender x the intervention (Fast ForWord®) interaction were the same for females and males in their performance on the Terra Nova. The findings from the variable socioeconomic status were determined using system data for free/reduced or paid meals. The study determined that socioeconomic status did not significantly affect scores of students including the socioeconomic status x the intervention interaction. The study did determine differences in students' performance among schools attended. The study found some differences for intervention administration times and among ability groups. Posthoc tests were performed to determine which groups were different.

To meet the guidelines generated by the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) pressures to raise student achievement have filtered down to and emerged in prekindergarten classrooms. The leadership of state, federal, and local policymakers is critical to the movement for high quality prek for all. The purpose of this study was to examine the scores of prekindergarten students when presented 3 different methods of literacy instruction and to compare the scores according to gender and among 3 age groups. This study found a significant difference in the scores of students when analyzed according to age. The youngest students scored significantly higher than the older students. The results support the literature that young children's brains are more active. There is evidence to support the move to provide high quality prekindergarten for all, which includes Tennessee Governor Phil Bredeson's preK Initiative.

The purpose of this study was to determine if an association exists between reading methodologies and reading achievement as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) for sixth-grade students. The four reading methodology groups were: developmental reading, literature-based reading, Accelerated Reader program, and Accelerated Reader program with vocabulary study. The sample included 236 students in one middle school located in Northeast Tennessee during the 2004-2005 school year. Comparisons were made using TCAP criterion-referenced test reading/language arts scores, TCAP proficiency levels for content, meaning, and vocabulary categories for 2005, and pretest and posttest scores on the student assessment of reading. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicated significant differences in the reading methodology groups. The developmental group performed much lower than the other three groups. The literature-based group performed much higher than the other groups. Even when the analysis of the gain scores showed no statistical difference among groups, the literature-based group had the largest gain. The students in this study exceeded the state's annual goal of scoring 80% proficient or higher. The literature-based group and both Accelerated Reader groups exceeded the goal by achieving 90% on proficiency levels, whereas the developmental group failed to meet the state's goal in content and meaning but met the goal for vocabulary. Overall, the Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Reader with vocabulary groups were similar across all dependent variables.

This thesis sought to lay the foundation for an application for tracking K-12 teacher activities. Its primary contribution is a descriptive model of K-12 activities. The work's starting point, the Faculty Activities System project, is an ETSU initiative that seeks to produce a tool for university-level academic accountabilities management. It was possible to adapt the FAS project's data model for K-12 activities. The resulting model was validated by experts in the field of education and teachers and administrators across Tennessee. A second strategy for model validation, using national and state legislation and expert recommendations, determined that the model did well at capturing teachers' professional growth and contributions to the school and community, but fell short at capturing student improvement, the learning environment, teaching strategies, portfolios, and self-assessment. The data model was realized as a multi-file XML schema, which was tested for well-formedness and validity using a sample data document.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between the academic achievement as measured by ACT English, math, and composite scores of students who took 6 or more credits of weightlifting, 6 or more credits of performing arts, or no elective focus in an East Tennessee high school serving grades 9-12 from the graduating classes of 2010 through 2014. The independent variables were the elective focus groups students took during high school and race and ethnicity. The dependent variables were ACT English, math, and composite scores. A series of one-way analyses of variances (ANOVAs) were performed to examine the differences in the mean ACT scores for the students taking 6 or more credits of weightlifting, 6 or more credits of performing arts, or no elective focus. Significant differences were found between the ACT English, math, and composite scores for students taking 6 or more credits of performing arts and no elective focus and students taking 6 or more credits or weightlifting and no elective focus. There was not a significant difference between the students taking 6 or more credits of weightlifting and 6 or more credits of performing arts. Based upon the findings of the study students taking 6 or more credits of performing arts had significantly higher ACT English, math, and composite scores than students with a weightlifting focus or no elective focus. Two-way analyses of variance were also performed to study the relationships between the academic performance as measured by ACT English, math, and composite scores of White and non-White students. White students performed significantly higher than non-White students on ACT English, math, and composite scores. There was no significant interaction between race and ethnicity and elective focus groups; however, there were significant main effects in race and ethnicity and elective focus groups. There were significant differences in the ACT math and composite scores between the weightlifting and performing arts groups as well as performing arts and no elective focus area. There was not a significant difference between the weightlifting and no elective focus. There were significant differences between all pairs of groups for ACT English. The performing arts focus group scored significantly higher than the other groups on all 3 ACT subtests.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to give an in-depth description of the perceptions of students educated exclusively in rural, unit schools in East Tennessee. Specific areas addressed in the study included: (a) students’ perceptions and descriptions of their perspective schools; (b) feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the schooling experience; (c) relationships formed with students and adults; and (d) feelings of belonging or ownership; (e) students’ perceptions about the quality of education they have received; and (f) students’ comparisons of their school to other secondary schools. The data were gathered through the process of the long interview with open-ended questions with eighteen juniors who had been educated in rural, unit schools in East Tennessee for the entirety of their educational experiences. The intent of the analysis was to utilize the direct quotes of the students whenever possible to present a clear representation of the students’ individual perceptions or “life-world.” The findings of the study indicated some overall commonalities, specifically in students’ satisfaction with their schooling experiences, the strong relationships developed among the unit school family, a sense of belonging at the schools, and feelings of ownership. The students generally perceived that they had received a high quality education, but had recommendations for improvement. The students also perceived their schools as unique, in terms of the closeness, smallness, pride in their schools, the personal environment of the schools, and a family-like nature. The results of this study should prove pertinent in the field of education and particularly to individuals involved in small school research and unit schooling.

The topic of ability level grouping of students for instructional purposes is one of the most studied areas of research in educational literature. However, because of the inconclusive findings in the literature, no clear answer to the question of whether homogeneous or heterogeneous grouping is in the best educational interest of students has been established. Middle level administrators play a particularly important role in the debate concerning the use of ability grouping in individual schools because the pattern for future educational tracks of students is established at the middle level. An exploration of the factors that affect the decision making processes of middle school principals concerning whether to implement homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping was deemed to be important in lending understanding to practitioners in the field faced with the responsibility of implementation of middle school programming. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the factors that influence middle level principals in the east Tennessee region when deciding to implement homogeneous or heterogeneous grouping of students in their schools. Data were collected through a series of audio taped interviews and transcribed for inductive analysis. Themes that emerged from the data analysis of the open-ended interviews were deducted into findings presented within the context of reviewed literature. The impact of student achievement, standardized test accountability, social factors that affect students, the perceptions of teachers and parents, programming for special education and gifted students, the impact of educational research, and the personal philosophies of the research participants concerning homogeneous versus heterogeneous instruction emerged as influential themes that affected principals' decisions to implement ability level grouping. Specific recommendations for educational practice included the implementation of ability grouping at the middle level exclusively in the areas of mathematics, language, and reading, flexible scheduling that allows for movement of students between groups, and changing the yearly assignment of teachers to a specific ability group for instruction. The need for additional quantitative and qualitative research was also suggested.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between home environment and school readiness of children entering kindergarten in a rural East Tennessee county. Family and home environment variables included family income, family structure, parents' education, participation in literacy activities, availability of home learning tools, and amount of children's television viewing. A self-reported parent survey was used to gather information about the family environment; the Brigance K Screen was used to determine entering kindergartner's readiness for school. Three hundred and thirty eight children and parents participated. An initial analysis of data incorporated simple descriptive statistics in the form of frequency tables. To examine the relationships between the dependent variable (Brigance scores) and independent variables (family characteristics/environment), Kendall's tau-b and Cramer's V were used. Independent sample t-tests and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) analyzed differences in Brigance scores between groups. Finally, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis determined if kindergarten readiness could be predicted by specific variables: socioeconomic status, literary resources, and literacy activities. The analysis of relationships in this study indicated that family income was more closely related to success on the Brigance K Screen than any other variable; next in importance were the levels of fathers' education and mothers' education. Significant positive correlations also indicated the value of parents reading to their children, educational outings, availability of educational tools--specifically, a home computer, family structure, mealtime conversation, and the number of children's books in the home. A significant negative correlation was found between the duration of television viewing and Brigance scores; increased television viewing time was significantly related to lower test scores. ANOVAs and t-tests indicated significant differences in total Brigance scores of prekindergarten students from different socioeconomic status groups based on family structure, family income, and parents' education levels. Children from two-parent homes scored significantly higher than those from other family situations as did children from higher income homes. In addition, parents' education level was reflected in the Brigance scores; more educated parents had children who scored higher than children with less educated parents. The multiple regression analysis reinforced the statistical significance and magnitude of the relationship between socioeconomic factors and school readiness, but literacy resources and literacy activities also accounted for variance in the scores.