<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the academic achievement in reading among students enrolled in single-gender and coeducational classes, as well as the impact of teachers&rsquo; perceptions on the outcome of academic achievement. The study used a mixed-method approach to address this purpose. This study reported quantitative findings from reading scores on the Acuity test for 396 students in grades two through eight, from four elementary and two middle schools within an urban district in Missouri. Acuity scores were examined in several ways: comparison of the means for coeducational and single-gendered classrooms by grade and gender, as well as Chi-Square test of significance and the analysis of variance. The findings of the study varied by grade level for single-gender and coeducation classrooms, but overall there was no significant difference. Using the qualitative method, this study reported findings from 36 teachers that were in six different groups. The researcher divided the teacher participants into six sample groups. Each group consisted of six subjects. Two groups taught single-gendered classes of the same sex. Another two groups taught single-gendered classes of the opposite sex as the instructor, and the last two groups taught coeducational classes. The results of the teacher perceptions indicated that a single-gendered classroom did not necessary alter student behavior. If student behavior was not altered, there was no expectation of positive change in student achievement. The overall findings of this study concluded that there was no significant difference in student achievement between single-gendered and coeducational classrooms in an urban setting. From this study, the researcher recommended that school leaders should cautiously embrace single-gendered classrooms, due to the notion that they do not necessarily fulfill the claims that supports previously made.</p>

<p> Programs and reforms have come and gone in the educational arena with little impact on student performance. The problem at the school of study was the students' perception of their sense of belonging and the sense of the school as a community and the students' academic performance did not show adequate growth. The study took place in a mid-western suburban elementary school serving 440 students kindergarten through fifth grade. </p><p> The significance of the study was to examine the impact of a Goal-Setting Worksheet, along with regular teacher-student conferences, as a strategy to improve the overall school climate and academic achievement as measured by climate survey results, standardized test scores, attendance rates, and office referrals. </p><p> The process allowed teachers and students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade the opportunity to work together to complete the Goal-Setting Worksheet by setting goals, establishing a plan of action, and providing feedback through conferences throughout the goal-setting period. Students assessed their progress and worked with the teachers to determine if the student needed to revisit their goal or establish a new goal. The purpose of this process was to increase the students' perception of their sense of belonging and academic achievement. </p><p> To determine if there was a change in the students' perception of school climate, students took the Caring School Community climate spring survey and the pre and post School Climate survey. Academic performance was measured by comparing scores on the Missouri Assessment Program Communication Arts and Math test and the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test. Survey results and academic scores were compared over a four year period. </p><p> The results were that the implementation of the goal-setting worksheet and teacher-student conferences to school climate did not yield the desired change at the school of study in the areas of overall school climate or academic achievement. However, the understanding of the value of the two has influenced the staff to continue the desire, process, and pursuit to improve the students' perception of the school climate and increase academic performance. Because of the limited timeframe of the study, further investigation of this process is recommended.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of attendance longevity participation in an after school program, attending one and two times or three times weekly for two years, designed to build intentional relationships and support academic success, on urban elementary school students' achievement, attendance, and positive school awards. Independent variable attendance fidelity condition one was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids after school program regularly scheduled after school activities one and two times weekly for two years (<i>n</i> = 9) and independent variable attendance fidelity condition two was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids regularly scheduled after school activities three times weekly for two years (<i>n</i> = 10). Same urban school district control students (<i>n</i> = 11) did not participate in the after school program served as the study control group. The null hypothesis for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average and below average reading scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 2.07, <i>p</i> = .145 was not rejected. Null hypotheses were also not rejected for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range language scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 1.09, <i>p</i> = .350 and between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range math scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 0.38, <i>p</i> = .687. School attendance as measured by total end of the fifth-grade year overall absence totals were not statistically different where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 0.65, <i>p</i> = .530 and school-wide awards and recognition as measured by end of the fifth-grade year overall awards presented totals were also congruent where <i>X</i>²(2, <i>N</i> = 48) = 0.591, <i>p</i> = .744. Findings suggest that even limited student participation in Hope Center for Kids after school program resulted in achievement, attendance, and earned awards consistent with the study's control group students who were not in need of these after school services.</p>

<p> With an increased focus on global competition, many educators and policymakers relied on international assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to evaluate the ability of their education system to prepare students for the global economy. Students in the United States continued to demonstrate disappointing results on the PISA, which led to an outcry by American educators and policymakers and a call for reform. To lessen the achievement gap between the United States and other countries, experts suggested the importance of identifying the characteristics of high performing countries and adapting effective policies to fit the needs of the United States. </p><p> The current study sought to provide a research-based foundation for school reform in the United States by initially seeking relationships between research-based factors of school working conditions and learning environments (initial teacher education and professional development; teacher appraisal and feedback; school climate; school leadership; and teachers&rsquo; instructional beliefs and pedagogical practices) from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and student achievement. Then, where relationships occurred, the researcher ascertained the extent of differences within those factors between the United States and the top five, middle five, and lowest five performing countries that participated in both the 2012 PISA and 2013 TALIS. </p><p> The analysis of the data revealed several relationships among factors of school working conditions and learning environments and student achievement. The results also indicated several differences within these factors between the United States and the selected countries. Based on these results the researcher offered several recommendations to educators and policymakers in the United States, such as providing teachers with the time and skill to offer each other meaningful feedback, completing further research on the efficacy of utilizing student performance data in evaluation frameworks, allowing teachers more meaningful opportunities to reflect and collaborate in order to foster common beliefs about teaching and learning, and providing additional training to teachers in the United States on the appropriate and effective use of assessment strategies.</p>

<p> The inclusion of college preparation programs promote and forecast academic success in postsecondary studies among individual at-risk, African American urban high school students. Past research has shown ongoing, college acceptance, performance, and graduation gaps between at-risk, African American urban high school students when compared to affluent, Caucasian suburban high school students. The College Summit program is designed to help close this gap. </p><p> The study compared two models of the College Summit Program in one urban school setting. The study evaluated the effect that pre-college preparation activities had on these dependent variables: completion of postsecondary planning activities, end-of-year GPA, awards of individual scholarships, and acceptance at their initial top-three choice colleges. The evaluation focused on two groups of students, College Summit Program students who received academic credit for the program through calculating a student's grade based on percentage and College Summit Advisory students whose grade was determined as either a pass or fail. In addition, the study focused on a third group of students who were not enrolled in the College Summit Program known as the Non-Program Students (NPS). </p><p> This study analyzed the relationship between the independent variables, College Summit Program Graded Model, College Summit Advisory Pass/Fail Model, and the Non-Program Students (NPS) Model and the dependent variables mentioned previously. <i>Z</i>-tests determined if any of the independent variables predicted college-readiness outcomes of at-risk, African American students. <i>Z</i>-tests for difference in means and proportions determined if any differences in measurement of dependent variables were significant. <i> Z</i>-Tests for difference in means determined significant difference when comparing the CSP model to the CSA model for the dependent variables progression towards completion of postsecondary planning milestones, cumulative grade point averages, individual scholarship awards, and acknowledgements of initial top-three top choice colleges. <i>Z</i>-tests for difference in proportions determined significant difference when comparing the CSP model to the CSA model for the dependent variables full completion of postsecondary milestones and acceptance at the student's initial top-three choice colleges when testing the difference in proportions. </p><p> The study found that the graded College Summit Program is more effective when preparing at-risk, African American urban high school students for college. </p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2002. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 169 p.; also includes graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Mary K. Marvel. Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-169).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 115 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-95).

<p> School districts composed of a large number of high-poverty students are generally not found to be high-achieving (Chenoweth &amp; Theokas, 2013). In Missouri, districts are assessed in accordance with the fifth edition of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) which results in an Annual Performance Report (APR) score (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [MODESE], 2014d). School administrators of districts having two consecutive years of APR scores over 95% while having a student population composed of a large number of students receiving free or reduced price meals were recruited for a qualitative study. Interview questions were developed based on the Rosenholtz (1985) paper about effective, high-poverty, inner-city schools. The questions were designed to extract information about the ways in which building leaders decrease teacher isolation, maintain a skilled teaching staff, set and monitor goals, remove non-instructional tasks for teachers, and maintain a collaborative school culture. Upon analyzing interview data, seven common themes emerged: collaboration, relationships, consistency and stability, high expectations, clarifying tasks or objectives, using and analyzing data, and community support. Over 60% of Missouri schools report a 50% or higher free and reduced price meal rate among students (MODESE, 2014j), which leads to additional challenges for educators (Balfanz, 2011; Hagelskamp &amp; DiStasi, 2012; Jensen, 2013). Besides adding to current data about high-achieving, high-poverty districts, this study provides evidence specific to Missouri educators that can be used to inform future practices.</p>

The aim of the research is to establish the potentIal of au approach to formative evaluation which utilizes and develops the skills of teachers. This 'teacher evaluator' approach depends on teachers planning, directing, controlling and carrying out evaluations. A detailed case study of the practice as it developed in one LEA over a three year period was undertaken. The research contributes to the debate about educational evaluation practice in five areas: It advances theory of educational particular reference to the UK. -It identifies an approach which enhances the professionalism of teachers. -Through the publication of a detailed case study it promotes the development of theory from the reality of practice. -It provides the ground work for forging new links between professional educational evaluators and the teaching profession. -It defines an approach to evaluation which has the potential to provide timely, relevant, and effective, formative evaluation. The teacher evaluator approach to evaluation can be seen as a natural extension of the developing research tradition in the UK which was stimulated by the work of Stenhouse. In the UK, partvcularly since Stenhouse published hiS seminal work in 1975, there have been a number of developments in educational evaluation practices particularly in the area of qualitative evaluation through action-research and school self-evaluation. It is the contention of this thesis that the teacher-evaluator approach fills a gap in this developing teacher-researcher tradition - that of LEA-wide project evaluation by teachers. Through careful examination of the evidence collected, the significance of thls development in the teacher~based research tradition, was analysed and subsequently confirmed. An approach such as this, which hands over the power of evaluation to teachers, is especially relevant in the light of current demands for accountability in education. However, the success and effectiveness of the approach was found to be affected by a variety of issues. These issues are covered in detail in the text and relate to three key areas: the framework established for the evaluation which depends on the local context; the role and responsibilities of the teacher-evaluators; the methodology and practices adopted. It is conSidered that this approach prOVides the framework for a new model of educational evaluation which combines the strengths of professional external evaluation with the knowledge and expertise of teachers, and which provides long term benefits for the LEA. ThiS case study is presented as a contribution to the development of an educational research tradition which Stenhouse identifies as essential to the improvement of education. Publication of this research may further stimulate work in thiS area and thus contribute to the advancement of theories relating to teacher-led evaluation.

<p> The Montessori method is a comprehensive, child-centered, developmentalist philosophy of education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in Rome, Italy, in the early 1900s. The Montessori method differs from traditional approaches to education, and has had limited exposure in the U.S. until the last 20 years. Despite this growth, little research data exists on the effectiveness of the method or of parent understanding the method. This research project attempted to determine parent understanding of the Montessori method of education at three Montessori schools in Massachusetts that educate children from toddlers to grade 8.</p><p> The objective of the research was to design, implement, and analyze a survey that measured parent understanding of the Montessori principles and classroom practices. The survey was developed using the Montessori principles as the foundation. The goal was to determine both the extent of parent understanding of the Montessori principles and parent perception of how these principles are carried out in the Montessori classroom.</p><p> Parents and guardians were asked a total of 10 questions, 7 of which were five-point Likert scales. The quantitative questions specifically addressed the six Montessori principles and were designed to test parents&rsquo; overall understanding of each principle. Responses ranged from a principle being not at all important to very important. The qualitative portion of the survey instrument utilized three open-ended, self-completed questions designed to reveal a range of parent perceptions about Montessori education and classroom practices.</p><p> The surveys revealed that parent values and thinking do line up with some aspects of the Montessori method and philosophy. The surveys also revealed that parents seem to value classroom practices contrary to the founding principles. What parents value and what parents think about regarding concepts such as goal setting, achievement, competition with peers, and teachers preparing and presenting lessons is in direct contrast with some of the Montessori founding principles and intentions.</p><p> If Montessori schools wish to remain viable, they will need to reconcile the Montessori principles with conflicting parent values and, further, determine how to better align their principles with parent views and desires for their children.</p>