Social-emotional competence has received increased attention as being critical to a student's success in the classroom. Social-emotional strengths are multidimensional and include assets such as social competence, self-regulation, empathy, and responsibility; however, previous research has not investigated which of these strengths contribute most to a student's academic success. Additionally, limited research has investigated the use of multiple informants (e.g., parents and teachers) to determine whose perceptions are more predictive of academic achievement in kindergarten students. This study examined the relationship between social-emotional strengths, as rated by parents and teachers on the SEARS (Merrell, 2011), and academic outcomes, using the AIMSweb Tests of Early Literacy (Shinn & Shinn, 2008) and Missing Number Fluency (Clarke & Shinn, 2004b), in kindergarten students (n = 154). A moderate, positive relationship between parent and teacher ratings of social-emotional strengths was obtained. When prior achievement was removed from the regression equation, social competence, as measured by parents, was the only significant predictor of current achievement in early literacy. No social-emotional strength, as rated by parents, was a significant predictor of early math achievement regardless of including or removing prior achievement from the regression equation. Additionally, teacher-rated total strengths were predictive of current achievement in reading, when controlling for prior achievement, and for math, when prior achievement was removed from the equation. Teacher ratings of total strengths were thus found to be more predictive than parent ratings of academic achievement in reading, but not math. Implications of findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

abstract: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has had significant ramifications across public education. Due to reporting mandates, schools and districts are being held publicly accountable for the academic performance and progress of all students. Since implementation of the law, much attention has been focused on the "achievement gap," that is, any differences in performance between groups of students. Students associated with the achievement gap typically come from certain demographics: minorities, low-income families, students with disabilities, and students with limited English proficiency (English Language Learners). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of using curriculum-based measures (CBMs) on math achievement, particularly ELL students. Eight elementary schools in northwestern New Mexico, divided into two groups (control and experimental) of four schools each, used the same state-approved, core math curriculum, were compared using a quasi-experimental research design. In addition to the regular core curricular materials, the experimental schools were provided with weekly CBMs, containing sample questions developed from the state's performance standards. Each weekly CBM included at least one question from each of the five broad math strands: number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data and probability. Fourth (N = 283) and fifth grade (N = 294) students who had continuous enrollment for the duration of the experiment served as subjects. Successive regular administrations of the New Mexico Standards Based Assessment math subtest served as the pre- and posttest measures. Analysis of covariance tests, with the pretest as the covariate, revealed no significant treatment effects for either the fourth or fifth grade students through the use of CBMs as a supplement to the core math curriculum. The significant effects, supported by previous research, were the school and, especially, the teacher for both grades. In this study, the effects of the classroom teacher were of more importance to student achievement than either the school a child attended or what curriculum program or process a given school employed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2011

"Math anxiety is commonly defined as a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with math performance" (Ashcraft, 2002, p. 181). Symptoms of math anxiety are reported by 33% of students by the time they reach the age of 15, possibly contributing to this workforce dilemma (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2013). Many models and perspectives of math anxiety have been established including conceptualizing math anxiety as a function of working memory deficits, sociocultural conditioning, lack of reappraisal, and anxiety as a precursor to escape-maintained behavior. Math anxiety is more common in individuals with certain disabilities, such as developmental dyscalculia and deaf and hard of hearing. Hembree (1990) conducted a meta-analysis of research evaluating intervention effects on math anxiety and its moderators. They reported that cognitive-behavioral interventions were most effective at reducing math anxiety. While definitions of, models examining, and causes and co-occurrences of math anxiety are well examined in current literature, Hembree's (1990) meta- analysis remains the only such investigation for the past 30 years. The purpose of the present study is to conduct an updated meta-analysis based on previous research (Hembree, 1990) but focused on interventions in K-12 school settings. We identified 11 articles between the years of 1990-2020 that met our inclusion criteria. From those articles, we calculated an omnibus effect size, tested homogeneity, evaluated publication bias, explored moderating variables, and assessed methodological rigor. Our Q statistic indicated homogeneity; however, the forest plot and I2 indicated a small amount of heterogeneity. The asymmetric shape of the funnel plot may be indicative of publication bias. The omnibus effect size was g = 0.316. The results of our moderator analysis indicated that math anxiety interventions produce the best results when conducted in targeted small groups. Additionally, three studies were considered methodologically sound. Our findings support the use of school-based interventions to reduce math anxiety, especially when those interventions are implemented as a targeted, small group intervention.

"Math anxiety is commonly defined as a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with math performance" (Ashcraft, 2002, p. 181). Symptoms of math anxiety are reported by 33% of students by the time they reach the age of 15, possibly contributing to this workforce dilemma (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2013). Many models and perspectives of math anxiety have been established including conceptualizing math anxiety as a function of working memory deficits, sociocultural conditioning, lack of reappraisal, and anxiety as a precursor to escape-maintained behavior. Math anxiety is more common in individuals with certain disabilities, such as developmental dyscalculia and deaf and hard of hearing. Hembree (1990) conducted a meta-analysis of research evaluating intervention effects on math anxiety and its moderators. They reported that cognitive-behavioral interventions were most effective at reducing math anxiety. While definitions of, models examining, and causes and co-occurrences of math anxiety are well examined in current literature, Hembree's (1990) meta- analysis remains the only such investigation for the past 30 years. The purpose of the present study is to conduct an updated meta-analysis based on previous research (Hembree, 1990) but focused on interventions in K-12 school settings. We identified 11 articles between the years of 1990-2020 that met our inclusion criteria. From those articles, we calculated an omnibus effect size, tested homogeneity, evaluated publication bias, explored moderating variables, and assessed methodological rigor. Our Q statistic indicated homogeneity; however, the forest plot and I2 indicated a small amount of heterogeneity. The asymmetric shape of the funnel plot may be indicative of publication bias. The omnibus effect size was g = 0.316. The results of our moderator analysis indicated that math anxiety interventions produce the best results when conducted in targeted small groups. Additionally, three studies were considered methodologically sound. Our findings support the use of school-based interventions to reduce math anxiety, especially when those interventions are implemented as a targeted, small group intervention.

In a Northern California elementary school, school personnel were concerned that the math proficiency levels were low for 2011-2014 for low-Social Economic Status, SES, students and math teachers were not using the math professional development strategies provided nor consistently implementing the new math curriculum adopted by the district to support Common Core, CC, state standards. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore teacher perceptions regarding the math instruction related to students' performance. Vygotsky's social development theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The study included interview data from 10 elementary teachers purposefully selected from Grades 2 through 5 who were known to meet the selection criteria of being a math teacher with 2 or more years of experience working with low SES students. Data from interviews, and archival documents were analyzed using inductive analyses and were analytically coded. The results of the analysis showed that the teachers wanted quality professional development that would prepare them to effectively teach math to struggling low-SES students. The identified themes were strategies teachers used to support low-SES students, instructional resources, effectiveness of professional development, and additional factors affecting low-SES students. Thus, the resulting project, Guiding Struggling Math Students Toward Success PD, provides math strategies for working with low-SES students and implementing the new math curriculum. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change by reforming PD opportunities to support teachers' practice and use of modifications during math instruction, ultimately increasing student performance in the elementary campus.

This longitudinal research project explored the relationship between a 1:1 computing initiative and student achievement on the North Carolina End of Grade Reading Comprehension and Math tests in the study school district. The purpose of this research study was to determine if the implementation of a 1:1 computing initiative impacted student performance on standardized tests. This study used secondary, longitudinal data to follow a sample of the district’s 2012-2013 3rd grade students through the 2015-2016 school year. The study used student grade level proficiency on the North Carolina End of Grade Reading Comprehension and Math tests for both the district and state levels. The data revealed that in the 2012-2013 school year the study school district was not significantly below the state mean in student grade level proficiency reading or math. At the end of the four-year study period, the district was not significantly below the state mean in student grade level proficiency in either reading or math, but the district did have significant growth in both subject areas.

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