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The purpose of this study was to determine if any relationship existed between the change in developmental scale scores (DSS) on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) for reading and mathematics, in selected Florida school districts among charter and non-charter public high schools, for grades 9 and 10. This study also investigated if any relationship existed in student achievement based on student demographics (gender, economically disadvantaged, primary home language (ELL) and ethnicity), and examined if there was a difference in professional demographics of faculty (advanced degrees, teachers’ average years of teaching experience, and percent of courses taught by out of field teachers gender), among charter and non-charter public high schools in the state of Florida. School data were analyzed from 234 charter and non-charter public high schools, within 15 districts across the state of Florida, for the years 2007-2009. The findings of this research suggest charter high schools in the state of Florida are not keeping the pace with their traditional public high school counterparts. Over a three year period, charter high schools had significantly lower developmental scale scores on the FCAT, in both reading and mathematics, than non-charter public high schools. The findings also suggest that student demographics, with respect to male gender, economically disadvantaged, and ELL, combined with charter school status, negatively impact student achievement as measured by DSS. The disparity noted with regard to faculty demographics between charter and non-charter public high schools, only touches on some considerable differences between the two school iv types; more information is needed on the variations so parents and students can make informed choices. For future research, replication of this study with an expanded sample size of charter schools and a longer period of time for data collection was recommended. Separate studies are recommended on the differences between charter and non-charter public schools with regard to instructional time, curriculum or grade levels offered, the differences between parent and student perceptions, and the differences between funding and principal background as it relates to student achievement.

This study examined the effects of delay of gratification on academic success, substance abuse, and violent behavior. The participants in this study were chosen from an alternative learning school comprised of middle school students in Florida. The hypothesis for this study is as follows: Delay of gratification is negatively related to substance abuse and violent behavior, and positively related to academic achievement. The analysis of the data was conducted on the primary predictor variable (delay of gratification), alternate predictor variables (substance abuse & violent behavior) and the ultimate outcome variable (academic achievement) of this study. Initial statistical inquiry involved descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, kurtosis and skew) of the aforementioned variables, partial correlations (variable interrelationships), and the formulation of a multiple regression path analysis to investigate the particular paths individually within the proposed theoretical model (Wagner, 1993).

Invasion of exotic species is a global threat to native species, biological diversity, and ecological restoration projects. Pomacea maculata is a macrophyte herbivore often misidentified with one of the world’s most invasive and destructive exotic snail, Pomacea canaliculata, but has a broader geographical distribution and climate tolerance, and greater egg production. This research examines whether the exotic P. maculata and native Pomacea paludosa occupy identical vegetation communities, mechanisms of interference competition, grazing impact differences on Vallisneria americana and to develop an exploratory agent based model. This model uses historical and present data to project how differences between species in life history and grazing patterns can potentially impact South Florida ecosystems. This model examined how P. maculate invasion of South Florida could affect two of the Central Everglades Planning Project’s main environmental restoration goals: function of key vegetative communities and conservation of endangered or threatened species. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This thesis addresses the issue of comfortable and functional living environments to provide seniors with opportunities for "age in place," that is, living in one's own house after retirement. Such living environments enhance seniors' life satisfaction since the majority of seniors prefer to stay in their own houses and live independently. In order to create suitable environments for seniors, professionals need to examine the relationships between seniors' housing behaviors and their living environments. Studying seniors' housing behaviors is particularly timely now as the first generation of baby boomers enters retirement and begins making increasingly large demands for adequate housing. This exigency emphasizes the urgent need for attention and understanding toward seniors' housing behaviors. This thesis investigates two groups of factors- physical abilities and medical conditions - which influence seniors' housing behaviors, examines characteristics of the groups, and compares the influences of the groups on seniors' housing behaviors according to hypotheses that the more problems the elderly have, the more effect these problems will have on adapting or changing housing. The thesis used data collected by Eleanor Palo Stoller, Ph.D. (with the support of a grant from the National Institute on Aging) from subjects who were elderly Finnish American retirees and other European American retirees in Florida. The results supported the assumption that the more functional and health problems the elderly have, the more changes the elderly will make to their houses. The thesis suggests further areas for research and ways to enhance seniors' housing arrangements. / Graduation date: 2005

President Barack Obama committed hundreds of millions of dollars to the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), yet a few fundamental questions remain unanswered—was the federal program effective? Did student test scores improve? Since the late 19th century, teachers have been paid for their classroom services regardless of how well—or poorly— their students performed. Nearly a century later, advocates of education reform continue to champion teacher compensation policies that link salary to student achievement. Researchers have identified two motivation theories that must be present in order to have a successful incentive pay program: goal theory and expectancy theory. The presence or absence of these theories, have produced mixed results at both the federal and state levels. Although the Florida Department of Education crafted its own statewide incentive pay plan, three public school districts have received multimillion dollar awards via competitive TIF grants. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if any differences in learning gains existed between the 2008 and 2009 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT® ) Math scores among the students of math teachers at one urban Central Florida Title I middle school who participated in TIF when compared to the students of math teachers who did not participate in TIF. The dissertation also analyzed FCAT® Math scores from 2005 through 2009 in one Central Florida school district to determine if any trends existed among the Title I middle schools participating in TIF; if any trends existed iv among the Title I middle schools that did not participate in TIF; and if any trends existed between the two groups when compared to each other. The literature review and results of this study found that learning gains existed among students whose teachers participated in TIF. In fact, at one urban Central Florida middle school, students of math teachers who did not participate in TIF also demonstrated learning gains. In addition, seven of the ten Title I middle schools from the same Central Florida district had increased FCAT® Math scores with the implementation of the TIF grant along with the three Title I middle school that were not eligible to participate. This research suggested that the teacher incentive program implemented in a Central Florida district had a positive impact on learning gains of low-performing students. The results of the independent-samples tests revealed that there was no statistical difference in the math scores based on participation in TIF. Students of the math teachers who participated in TIF demonstrated at least one year‘s academic growth. Likewise, the findings were similar for students of teachers who opted not to participate as learning gains increased in this group as well. As a result of these findings, recommendations for further study include end-of-the-year interviews with TIF-eligible teachers whose students had learning gains, but chose not to participate. Suggestions for additional research include surveying teachers whose students had higher scores in the absence of an incentive program, analyzing the test scores of other subject areas, and researching other school districts in Florida that were awarded the TIF grant.

The subject of water scarcity and the rate of water consumption has become popular topics over the last few decades. It is possible that society may consume or contaminate much of the remaining readily available water if there is not a paradigm shift. This deep rooted concern has prompted investigations to identify alternative water use and treatment methods. Within this report, information is presented from the use of innovative water harvesting and on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS) at Florida’s Showcase Green Envirohome (FSGE.net), while also addressing low impact development (LID) practices. FSGE is a residential home that demonstrates methods that use less water and reduce pollution. Population increases have more than just an effect on the volume of water demanded. Adverse impacts on surface and groundwater quality are partially attributed to current design and operation of OSTDS. Nutrient loading from wastewater treatment systems may be a concern where numerous OSTDS are located within nutrient sensitive environments. Groundwater nitrate concentrations have been shown to exceed drinking water standards by factors of three or greater surrounding soil adsorption systems (Postma et al., 1992, Katz, 2010). As a contribution to efforts to reduce water use and improve water quality, this study investigates the viability and effectiveness of a residential integrated stormwater, graywater, and wastewater treatment system (ISGWTS) installed and operating for over a year at FSGE. ii Within this report is a continuation of results published previously that consisted of preCertificate of Occupancy (pre-CO) data and an optimization model at the Florida’s Showcase Green Envirohome (FSGE) in Indialantic, Florida (Rivera, 2010). This current report contains 12 months of post-CO data, along with data from bench scale models of the on-site septic treatment and disposal system (OSTDS). There are two main objectives of the study. The first objective is to quantify the performance of the passive treatment Bold & GoldTM reactive filter bed (FDOH classified “innovative system”) for nutrient removal. The second objective was to monitor the water quality of the combined graywater/stormwater cistern for non-potable use and assess the components (green roof, gutters, graywater piping). The performance of the passive innovative system is compared to past studies. Also a bench scale model that is constructed at the University of Central Florida (UCF) Stormwater Management Academy Research and Testing Lab (SMART Lab) is operated to provide data for two different retention times. Complex physical, biological, and chemical theories are applied to the analysis of wastewater treatment performance. The data from the OSTDS and stormwater/graywater cistern are assessed using statistical methods. The results of the OSTDS are compared to FDOH regulatory requirements for “Secondary Treatment Standards”, and “Advanced Secondary Treatment Standards” with promising results. The bench scale results verify that both nitrogen and phosphorus removal are occurring within the filter media and most likely the removals are due to iii biological activity as well as physiochemical sorption. The flow into the OSTDS has been reduced with the use of separate gray water system to only 29 gallons per person per day (gpcd). After the FSGE certificate of occupancy and for one year using the Bold & Gold Biosorption Activated Media (BAM), the TSS, BOD5, and CBOD5 are below the required 10 mg/L for the FDOH classified Advanced Secondary Treatment Systems. The effluent for the conventional drain field TSS, BOD5, and CBOD5 are above 10 mg/L (29.6, 35.7, and 29.0 mg/L). The effluent total nitrogen and total phosphorus for the innovative system are 29.7 mg/L and 4.1 mg/L, which are not low enough for the 20 mg/L nitrogen requirements, but are below the 10 mg/L phosphorus requirements. The conventional drain field has an effluent total nitrogen concentration of 70.1 mg/L and an effluent total phosphorus concentration of 10.6 mg/L, which both fail to meet FDOH Advanced Secondary Treatment requirements. The high nitrogen in the effluent can be attributed to high influent concentrations (about 3 times the average at about 150 mg/L). Longer residence times are shown to produce a removal greater than 90%. Also, nitrate average levels were below the 10 mg/L standard. The combined stormwater/graywater cistern is analyzed against irrigation standards. The graywater is filtered and disinfected with ozone to provide safe water for reuse. Nutrient concentrations are measured to compare with regulatory standards. For irrigation standards, salinity in the form of sodium, calcium, and magnesium are measured. Although high sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and electrical conductivity (EC) values were recorded, their adverse iv impact on the vegetation has not been observed. . The only observed effect within the home to date is scale formation in the toilet. The use of potable water in FSGE is reduced to 41 gpcd using the integrated stormwater and graywater system. A minor volume of backup artesian well water was added to the cistern during the one year home occupancy phase. Based on less use of potable water and at the current potable water cost rate, the integrated stormwater and graywater system at FSGE will save the typical homeowner about $215 per year. If irrigation were used more often from the cistern, the cost savings in reduced potable water used for irrigation would increase the savings. The treatment cost for B&G BAM over a 40 year period of time based on a flow of 29 gpcd (as measured at FSGE) and for 4 persons is $2.07 per thousand gallons treated. The yearly cost of treatment is about $87.65. There is a reduction in potable water use estimated at 64% of the sewage flow (or 18.5 gpcd) which equates to about 27 thousand gallons in one year. The current average cost of potable water is $4.40 per thousand gallons. Based on reduced potable water usage, the savings per year are about $118.84. Thus the yearly savings in potable water cost ($118.84) offsets the cost of OSTDS treatment at FSGE for nutrient control ($87.65) using the data collected at FSGE. This comparison does not include the inflation cost of water over time. There is also an environmental preservation intangible cost (not quantifiable from this study) from reduced surface runoff and reduced pollutant discharges.

Invasive species are detrimental to native biotas worldwide. Recently, Florida was invaded by a freshwater snail (Pomacea canaliculata) native to Argentina. This snail is a serious pest of rice crops in Asia, but little is known about its interactions within Florida ecosystems. Possible competitive exclusion of the native congener (P. paludosa) is a concern because it is the almost exclusive prey of the federally endangered Everglades snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis). My research consisted of three parts. First, to identify possible methods to control P. canaliculata in the egg stage, I experimentally evaluated the effects of photoperiod, substrate availability, and food type and availability on hatching success and hatchling survival. None of these factors significantly affected hatching or survival, suggesting that P. canaliculata could invade many water bodies. Second, I used a randomized block design to assess the separate and combined effects of population density and food availability on growth and spawning of P. canaliculata. Food availability but not density significantly affected growth; snails fed less food grew less, but neither factor affected spawning. Third, I used a replacement series design to assess competition between P. canaliculata and P. paludosa under food limitation. For both species, snails fed less grew significantly less, and snails exposed to greater congener densities spawned less than when exposed to conspecifics only. While my results predict that P. paludosa should exclude P. canaliculata, previous literature and current invasions suggest that the exotic snail may co-exist with its North American congener.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of participation in single-gender classrooms on student performance on the reading and mathematics developmental scale scores (DSS) of third, fourth, and fifth grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The FCAT is a standardized test that is administered to all grade 3 through grade 10 public school students in the state of Florida and has been used to assess students‟ achievement in reading and mathematics. Students in grades 4, 8, and 10 have also been assessed in science and writing. This study was concerned only with FCAT reading and mathematics scores. The elementary school whose standardized test scores were utilized in this study was comprised of working class families. The standardized test scores were generated by third, fourth, and fifth grade students who were enrolled in (a) single-gender all boys‟ classes, (b) single-gender all girls‟ classes, and (c) mixed-gender or traditional classes that contained both boys and girls. The analysis of data presented in this study was inconclusive with respect to the advantage of the single-gender educational setting over the mixed-gender educational setting. The analysis of the data produced the following results. During the school years 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009, there were 80 opportunities for a given class type to achieve the highest reading DSS mean, reading DSS median, mathematics DSS mean, or mathematics DSS median. The single-gender boys‟ class achieved the highest DSS 44 times (55%), the mixed-gender classes achieved the highest iv DSS 29 times (36%), and the single-gender girls‟ class achieved the highest DSS 7 times (9%).

This study examined the practices of Title I elementary school principals in the state of Florida for the school year 2009 - 2010. Elementary school principals in six Florida school districts responded to a survey to determine the extent of implementation of instructional and organizational practices identified by research to improve instruction and learning. The practices (sub-constructs) examined were identified as curriculum, instruction, assessment, educational agenda (vision, mission, beliefs, goals), leadership for school improvement, community building, and culture of continuous improvement. The results of this study indicated that participating Florida Title I principals believed that they were implementing effective instructional and organizational practices in their schools. Despite this belief, all but two of the schools represented in the results failed to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for school year 2009-2010. The analysis of the responses indicated a negative, but not statistically significant, correlation between self-reported scores and AYP percentage points earned. These results warrant further study to determine if the reported indicators can be verified by observation or other personnel. Within the limits of this study, the negative correlation suggested that school principals should examine their practices related to instructional and organizational effectiveness for fidelity and stakeholder buy-in. Principals must not only believe that these practices are evident, they must verify them through constant monitoring and quantitative measures.