Concerns over the academic success of first-time ninth-grade students transitioning into the high school setting continue to stimulate substantial interest in identifying the various factors that cause the ninth-grade bottleneck.  Extensive research shows that when ninth-grade students transition into the high school setting, students have a difficult time navigating the more academically rigorous, less nurturing, usually larger and anonymous high school setting.  Studies have shown that transition practices to help ninth-grade students are successful in making this transition smoother and more successful for incoming freshmen, thereby leading to more credits and a stronger chance for students to earn a diploma. This dissertation is a replication of a previous Virginia Tech study completed by Henry Johnson titled High School Transition Practices for Ninth Graders: A Descriptive Study of Maryland Public High Schools, but it focuses on public schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The primary data collection method was a survey that was sent to all Virginia principals.  First, results from the survey were analyzed to develop a description of the various transition practices existing in Virginia\'s public high schools in relation to school size, demographics, and community type.  Second, the survey data were analyzed to determine the various perceptions of school officials concerning the effectiveness of reported transition practices.  The data provide a description of the transition practices in Virginia's public schools.  Results from this study give administrators and policymakers an idea of what type of transition practices exist in the various public schools in Virginia as well as the perceived effectiveness of the practices in place. / Ed. D.

This paper is a comparative study of the effectiveness of two methods of teaching a structured introductory art appreciation course for ninth grade students.

This problem involved a study of relationships between vocational preferences and certain selected variables of ninth grade students in a junior high school in a large city school district. The selected variables were intelligence, socio-economic status or parental occupational level, school achievement, participation in school activities, only or non-only child status, parental vocational aspirations for the child, educational level of parent or guardian, and family cohesiveness.

In this paper, I will analyze the production process of my thesis film, The Ninth Step. I will examine all of the various elements of the project, from development, through post-production to determine how effective it is in depicting human drama and conflict. I will employ the notes of unbiased audience members as a key criterion in the measure of this study.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1973. / Title from title page screen, viewed Oct. 13, 2004. Dissertation Committee: Richard A. Salome (chair), Max Rennels, Jack Hobbs, Macon Williams. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-73) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Graduate School of Education, Oral Roberts University, 2008. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-122).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

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The purpose of this project was to design a package to train ninth-grade students in basic interpersonal communication awareness and skills.

The purpose of this study is to determine if a transition program has a greater success rate, as measured by GPA, number of students recycled, attendance, and conduct, than a traditional program of study for over age, first time ninth grade students by the end of first semester of the ninth grade. Some of the typical outcomes during the transition to high school from grade 8 to grade 9 are high failure rates, lack of Algebra I readiness, and poor attendance. These concerns contribute to drop-out rates and the level of competitiveness students will have when facing the workforce. This is a timely issue as we continue to address Standards of Learning (SOL) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the initiatives to rethink our high schools as they attempt to prepare students for the ongoing changes of the economy, workforce, and expectations of colleges and universities. / Ph. D.