This project’s goal is to promote and improve the mathematical literacy of fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners through the use of a graphic mathematical mediated structure. Current California Common Core data finds fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners significantly behind White and Asian students in mathematics, especially in understanding written word problems. Research supports the assumption that as a tool, a graphic mathematical mediated structure could: 1) foster conceptual understanding; 2) build content terminology; 3) allow students opportunities to justify their solutions; 4) integrate writing in math; and 5) provide a platform for discourse. This innovative pedagogical project specifically focused on how fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners could navigate through a graphic math organizer in order to understand how to add and subtract fractions in word problems. The work presents six teacher models of graphic mathematical mediated structures. Each model provides a fourth-grade word problem related to fractions. Respectively, teacher and student templates, lists of content vocabulary, and suggestions to teach each problem-solving exercise using the graphic mathematical mediated structures that were created and developed are included. Struggling Hispanic/Latino and English learners’ need a pedagogical structure and process to succeed in solving math word problems. Hence, the need for a graphic mathematical mediated structure to diminish the groups’ prevalent mathematical achievement gap and to increase their achievement in mathematics.

Despite the raise in per-pupil expenditures, the achievement gap between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students continues to increase. Education proponents are scrambling to understand the complexities of local school funding. The No Child Left behind deadline stipulated that all students must be proficient in language arts and mathematics by 2014. The constructivist theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Performance data were obtained from the State of New Jersey Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. This quantitative study determined whether a significant relationship exists between the allocation of fiscal resources and students' test scores. Improvement District Survey data were obtained from the New Jersey school district. District test results for Grades 6, 7, and 8 in language arts and mathematics from the 2011-2012 school year were used. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed no significant relationship between the allocation of fiscal resources and student achievement other than a significant relationship (25%) between mathematics achievement and educational media services/school library. The Improvement District Survey results revealed that the New Jersey district is capable of aligning their improvement efforts with the barriers and challenges of teachers. These findings have implications for positive social change for education officials by informing their allocation of fiscal resources. This informed approach will support increased student achievement and will add to the current research of allocation patterns and student performance.

The purpose of this study is to examine through a phenomenological approach the impact of the instructional practices of three African-American female teachers on the learning outcomes in mathematics of third- to fifth-grade African-American males. The research design of this study utilized a qualitative and quantitative phenomenological model to examine a particular group of teachers and their students at a suburban metro Atlanta school district. The researcher conducted data analysis using a variety of statistical testing to examine the relationships between student learning outcomes and gender, race, teacher perceptions and beliefs, teacher expectations, teacher-student interactions, student behavior, differentiated learning, and parental influences for each grade level. The findings from this research show how both internal and external factors can contribute to student learning outcomes as well as how common themes emerged related to pedagogical practices. Moreover, the results of the study indicate that educators must come to terms with the reality of their teaching practices. The study shows how three African-American teachers successfully promoted effective teaching practices that provided an equitable learning environment that impacted both the quality and quantity of teaching and learning for African-American students in their learning outcomes.

The study investigates the role of religious education in the promotion of girls’ educational rights in peri-urban schools in Chingola district, Zambia. Fifteen schools were involved in the study and are all in the outskirts of Chingola town. Data was collected through oral interviews, questionnaires and observations. Questionnaires were given to 260 girls ranging from grade 5 to 9. Five questionnaires were distributed to each class. Besides the school girls, six instructresses were interviewed on cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education. In addition, 15 teachers were also interviewed specifically to identify topics in Religious Education and their relevance in the promotion of self-confidence and self-esteem among girls as well as various teaching methods which promote learner-centredness. The Religious Education curriculum at primary, secondary and college levels of education was evaluated to assess its relevance to the promotion of girls’ education. Furthermore, contributions by some Non-Governmental Organisations and Religious Education towards gender equity in education and the Zambian government policy on gender were highlighted. The findings of the study were in four categories namely: cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education, other problems affecting girl-child education besides cultural norms, freedom to enable girls to make their own constructive decisions, and topics in Religious Education which have the potential to promote self-confidence and self-esteem among the girls. The cultural beliefs and practices highlighted were the initiation ceremonies, early pregnancies and early marriages. The other problems hindering girls’ progress and advancement which came out vividly were long distances from home to school, poverty, boys jeering at girls when they got wrong answers and household chores. Further findings identified topics in Religious Education and their relevance towards the promotion of girls’ educational rights despite the influence of cultural beliefs and practices in the peri-urban schools. Some of the topics were ‘Advantages of having a friend’ taught in grade 1, ‘Growing in responsibility’ taught in grade 2, ‘Bravery and courage’ taught in grade 4, ‘Happiness’ taught in grade 5, ‘Development and co-operation’ taught in grade 6, ‘Marriage and family life’ taught in grade 7, ‘How people make choices’ taught in grade 8, ‘The talents people have’ taught in grade 8, ‘How people develop’ and ‘How religion helps people’ taught in grade 8, ‘Freedom and community’ as well as ‘Ambitions and hopes’ taught in grade 9. In conclusion, the research study has revealed that Religious Education as a subject has the potential to promote the girls’ educational rights and advancement in the peri-urban schools. Other subjects taught like Mathematics, Science and Technology are experimental subjects. They were rigid and cannot be bent while Religious Education leaves room for freedom in making concrete decisions. It deals also with emotions, values, and feelings. Mathematics imposes the facts without query. / Religious Studies / M.A. (Religious studies)

Parental involvement is legally mandated requirement in schools across the United States, and prevalent in special education legislation. However, methods for increasing and promoting parent involvement of minority subgroups in low socioeconomic areas are scarce. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and describe Haitian parents’ perceptions of their involvement in a structured parent intervention program and to describe the perceptions of their children’s teachers concerning the parents’ involvement in the program. In this study, the researcher used a descriptive qualitative case study methodology. All participants in the 5-month program implementation were interviewed at three points throughout the program. (pre, mid, and post). Findings of the present study revealed that these parents’ feelings towards parent involvement evolved throughout their participation in the program. Participants went from reported feelings of separation between home and school, to understanding the important role they can play in education. Additionally, as reported by the students’ teachers, the parents’ increased involvement and presence in the school/classroom had a positive impact on their children’s social and academic development. Through their participation in the program, as evidenced through interview responses, parents’ confidence increased as well as their ability to overcome initially identified barriers to involvement including English language acquisition, lack of time, an unclear understanding of special education services, and feeling un-wanted. This study found that parents’ perceptions of their participation were guided by two categories of motivators as identified through coding of interview responses: intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators. Through the program, parents who were intrinsically motivated to be involved in their child’s education embraced the whole program. Those who were extrinsically motivated also became more involved, however, their motivation was more dependent on society and perceived success of their child and their parenting. Perceptions of parent participants concerning their involvement in the program was found to be defined by the American culture in which their children are growing up, but equally in part by their Haitian roots and remaining ties to the island. Through their participation in the program, the parents were able to identify and explore opportunities for involvement, develop relationships with their children’s teachers, better understand the purpose of an IEP, and better themselves as individuals to in turn better the lives of their children.

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the language experience approach (LEA) for teaching reading and writing skills to functionally illiterate high school students who were identified as learning disabled. Twenty-one 9th-grade students ages fifteen to sixteen participated. The students were divided into a control group and an experimental group. The control group was instructed through the use of a commercial reading kit, Reader's Workshop I (1974). The experimental group received instruction using the LEA which uses student written material to generate reading skill activities. To verify effectiveness of the LEA, pre- and posttests of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (1976), or SDRT, brown level, forms A and B and the Sentence Writing Strategy Pretest (1985), or SWSP, were administered to both the control and experimental groups. The results on the subtests of the SDRT indicated no significant gains or losses of reading skill ability for either group. The SWSP though, indicated a significant gain in sentence writing ability of 29 percentage points for the experimental group while the control group lost 11 percentage points. It is therefore evident that the language experience approach can be successful for teaching reading and writing skills to functionally illiterate high school students because it integrates reading and writing rather than providing detached skill instruction.

This study examined exceptional student educators’ (ESE) personal practical theories (PPTs) and how they impact complex decision-making when it comes to students with disabilities and their families. A case study methodology was selected to explore how four ESE teachers and leaders developed their PPTs as well as how they planned, interacted, and reflected upon decisions made during one workweek. The guiding questions of this study were: what are the PPTs of ESE leaders and teachers, what factors influence the development of PPTs, and how do PPTs impact special educators’ work with students with disabilities? To address these questions, four participants were selected based on their role within the district, their experiences working with students with disabilities, and their reputation for being high quality educators. Data were collected using a PPT workbook as well as in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The results of this study included five PPTs for each participant and eight common themes. These themes included: care for students and families, safety of students, administration and teacher professional development, ensuring high expectations for students, personal and professional advocacy, mentoring and collaboration, reflection and problem solving, and problems with inclusion. These results are presented in this dissertation in support of an argument for the need for increased pre-service and in-service for ESE educators, increased professional development for administrators, and increased training for inclusion teachers working with students with disabilities. Engaging in a practice of exploring and refining teacher and leader beliefs and assumptions using the PPT process may increase the reflective practice of teachers and perhaps result in a more appropriate form of evaluation for educators.

Each student receiving special education services in the public school system, roughly 6.4 million students, has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). IDEA dictates that a team of people familiar with the student, including the parents, should create the IEP. Unfortunately, research indicates that many parents believe their participation is not welcome. While only a small percentage of parents may actually be dissatisfied with the IEP process, the cost of dissatisfaction is high, further stretching already limited resources that could be better used in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to investigate parents’ and school personnel’s beliefs about and experiences with collaborative activities that took place prior to the annual IEP or 504 plan meeting. Participant perceptions and suggestions about improving the special education process were also explored. In-depth interviews were conducted with an assistant principal, a self-contained ESE teacher, a resource ESE teacher, a regular education inclusion teacher, and three parents whose children were receiving special education services. All participants were involved in the special education process at the elementary school level. The study’s findings indicated that while school personnel perceive that they are providing opportunities for parents to be involved in a collaborative manner, parents do not perceive that a fully open and transparent collaboration exists. The school made an effort to generate a comfortable environment inviting collaboration during formal meetings; however, parents expressed frustration with the more informal aspects of the special education process including initiation of services. Teachers and parents identified similar concerns and frustrations with the IEP process and suggested similar ideas for improvement. Both school personnel and parents identified scarcity of resources within the school, which seemed to create a barrier to open communication and collaboration. Suggestions for improvement included access to outside support and advocacy groups to increase parent understanding of the special education process and facilitate its process. It is concluded that, ultimately, policy makers should become more involved at the classroom level in order to understand the implications of policy change.

The intent of the review, and the list of programs appended to this paper, is to compile examples of successful programs that may serve as models for those in California who have been charged with the development and implementation of programs that will bring the California Department of Education/Office of Special Education and its local education agencies into substantial compliance with the requirements of IDEA.

This project explores and justifies using the local environment as an effective educational strategy for teachers of special education students.