Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 150-166. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-175).

<p> In contrast the plethora of between-race studies in the extant literature that focus on well-known and documented disparities between White and African American students, this study was conducted to gain direct insight from resilient, African American boys who beat the odds and achieved academically despite being at significant risk for failure due to extended exposure to compounded social and educational disadvantages. The primary foci of this investigation were to broaden understanding of the gender-specific challenges to academic achievement that African American boys encounter in school, understand how they overcome those challenges to succeed academically, and identify school-level enabling characteristics that contribute to their success &ndash; each from their perspective. Using semi-structured interviews with eight African American middle school boys, the findings of this study illustrate how these students accomplished proficient on state assessments in reading and mathematics &ndash; a feat that 85% of their peers did not accomplish nationwide.</p>

abstract: ABSTRACT For more than thirty years the gender gap in science and related careers has been a key concern of researchers, teachers, professional organizations, and policy makers. Despite indicators of progress for women and girls on some measures of achievement, course enrollment patterns, and employment, fewer women than men pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the results of national assessments, the gender gap in science achievement begins to be evident in the middle school years. Gender and school science achievement involve a complex set of factors associated with schools and child/family systems that may include school leadership, institutional practices, curriculum content, teacher training programs, teacher expectations, student interests, parental involvement, and cultural values. This ethnographic case study was designed to explore the context for science education reform and the participation of middle school girls. The study analyzed and compared teaching strategies and female student engagement in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms. The setting was a middle school situated in a district that was well-known for its achievement in reading, math, and technology. Findings from the study indicated that while classroom instruction was predominantly organized around traditional school science, the girls were more disciplined and outperformed the boys. The size of the classrooms, time to prepare for hands-on activities, and obtaining resources were identified as barriers to teaching science in ways that aligned with recent national science reform initiatives. Parents who participated in the study were very supportive of their daughters' academic progress and career goals. A few of the parents suggested that the school's science program include more hands-on activities; instruction designed for the advanced learner; and information related to future careers. Overall the teachers and students perceived their science program to be gender fair. Eighth grade participants who had career goals related to science and engineering, indicated that their science instruction did not provide the rigor they needed to improve their critical skills for advanced placement in high school. Recommendations include the need for professional development on inquiry-based science, equitable student achievement, and diverse perspectives in science education. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

<p> This qualitative single case study explored how general education middle school teachers implement the three tiers of the Multi-Tiered Response to Intervention (MTSS/RTI) model while delivering differentiated core curriculum instruction. The conceptual framework included the differentiated strategies of Fleming and Mills&rsquo; (1992) Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic (VARK) model; Vygotsky&rsquo;s (1978) concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD); and Wood, Bruner, and Ross&rsquo; (1976) concept of scaffolding. The sample group consisted of 11 general education middle school teachers in a single Central Florida school district. The data sources included an online questionnaire, interviews, and one focus group session. The macro-level research question that guided this study was: &ldquo;How do general education middle school teachers implement tier one, tier two, and tier three of the MTSS/RTI model while delivering differentiated core curriculum instruction?&rdquo; The analyzed data produced four themes: (1) tiered intervention strategies, (2) tiered progress monitoring measurements and frequency, (3) tiered documentation of responsiveness to interventions, and (4) tiered delivery of differentiated core curriculum instruction. The findings provide insightful perspective to general education middle school teachers, leading to an increase in the successful implementation of the three tiers of the MTSS/RTI model. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Multi-Tiered Response to Intervention (MTSS/RTI) model and differentiated core curriculum instruction</p><p>

<p> The achievement gap and educational equity have been major concerns in the United States for many years. While many groups are impacted by educational inequities, one population of growing concern is Long-Term English Learners (LTEL). LTELs continue to be &ldquo;stuck&rdquo; at the intermediate level of English proficiency limiting their access to rigorous curriculum. One program developed to specifically address the linguistic and academic needs of middle school LTEL students is AVID Excel. </p><p> This qualitative case study explored the ways in which the implementation of AVID Excel at the middle school level, in a single district, sought to provide linguistic, academic and cultural supports for LTEL students. The study approaches this issue from an implementation perspective, based on the practices and perspectives of the adults who are enacting the program. Utilizing multiple data sources, the results included four key findings: intrinsic motivation, parental support and Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills are strengths the adult participants perceived LTEL students have that help them succeed in school; academic language, navigating American schooling expectations and redesignation are perceived challenges keeping LTEL students from achieving academic success; a combination of specific AVID Excel strategies and external ELD strategies were used to address language acquisition; despite citing parental support as a strength, participants identified family-connections and American school cultural development as LTEL students&rsquo; needs. </p><p> There are implications as to the importance of providing continued explicit focus on English Language Development skills as well as academic language. In addition, ? Implications for further research, policy and practice should focus on the role of culture and promoting teacher&rsquo;s cultural competencies in supporting LTEL students&rsquo; academic success. As well as supporting teachers in implementing the cultural <i>funds of knowledge</i> students (and parents) bring from their homes in order to bridge students&rsquo; <i> culture</i> with the American schooling context and focused language development found in programs like AVID Excel.</p><p>

<p> The dissertation aims to explore a solution to address the cultural and racial gap between the teaching force and the student population in California. Homegrown teachers are teachers who return to their community where they were born and educated. Addressing the equity issues faced in public schools begins with exploring the benefits of teachers of color in the classroom. </p><p> This action research study followed five homegrown first-generation Latina teachers through a 3-month process of mentoring first-generation Latina sixth-graders who hope of entering the teaching profession in the future. The study was guided by critical pedagogy, a mentoring framework, the critical mentoring strategy in addition to social capital theory. </p><p> This dissertation documented the voices of the participants as they developed their mentoring relationship in the early intervention teacher pipeline. The challenges and experiences were documented through observations, researcher&rsquo;s reflection, semistructured interviews, and a focus group. </p><p> The study revealed that, with appropriate preparation, students of color are more likely to choose a teaching career and return to their community to become homegrown teachers. The emerging themes of the study were that (a) culture and language shaped the mentoring relationship, (b) homegrown teachers were essential to mentoring students of color, (c) for Latinos, education was a family journey, (d) socializing students of color into career aspirations, (e) acculturation into the teaching profession&mdash;learning to become a teacher, and (f) time and gender were the major constraints; redefining future mentoring relationships. </p><p> This action research revealed the many benefits for teachers and students to develop critical mentoring relationships.</p><p>

<p> Urban middle school students experience poor self-efficacy and poor attitudes toward school climates after being retained. Previous research has indicated that grade-level retention in primary and secondary education might cause long-term achievement gaps, school failure, and high school dropout rates. However, current research has yet to examine relationships between archival data retrieved on retained middle school students&rsquo; achievement outcomes and perceptions of school climate. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to assess the relationships between retained middle school students&rsquo; self-efficacy as measured by the School Climate Survey and their performance outcomes as measured by PowerSchool^&reg;. Bandura&rsquo;s theory of self-efficacy maintains that an individual must have the belief, motivation, determination, and drive to persevere when challenged. The archival data were collected from 1 northeastern urban middle school in the United States representing underachieving participants (<i>N</i> = 45) enrolled in the Postive Academic and Behavioral Support Program during the academic school years of 2017 and 2018. Population groups of female and male students ranged in age between 11&ndash;14 years old. A repeated measure design analyzed the same participants over a 6-month period by measuring archival data on achievement outcomes from GPAs, attendance, and demographics (sex and age). Results showed significant increases in GPAs and significant increases in males&rsquo; positive perceptions of school over the school years of 2017 and 2018. The results of this study can be used to promote positive social change for education professionals working in urban school districts providing support services to at-risk students facing school failure.</p><p>

<p> Technology in the classroom is becoming an additional part of the school day in many classrooms amongst the United States. 21st century skills surround us through schools, future careers, and communication. The goal of this study is to determine the advantages and disadvantages of one-to-one technology in the classroom. In addition, the experiences students go through while using a device is important. The findings of this study were based on one sixth grade classroom in a suburban community through observations, surveys, and interviews.</p><p>

<p> While research studies have revealed an association between students&rsquo; attitudes toward mathematics and achievement in mathematics, divergent results shift the research focus to the construct of attitudes and from a normative approach to a qualitative approach. This mixed-methods multiple-case phenomenological study captured the real-time classroom origins of eight attitude profiles through the use of the experiencing sampling method (ESM). A total of 75 students, representing one low-, one middle-, and one high-performing middle school in New Hampshire, participated in the ESM study and 11 students were interviewed. A total of 477 random classroom moments were captured and 3988 students&rsquo; statements were coded. Quantitative results revealed differences in the distributions of attitude profiles across performance levels and the proportion of students within certain attitude profiles. Results suggest that students&rsquo; attitudes change over time, and the distribution of the number of attitude changes does not differ across performance levels. Eight themes emerged from a holistic coding process, and a systematic coding process resulted in detailed descriptions of the eight attitude profiles. Students tended to exhibit positive self-perceptions as learners toward mathematics and their perceived competence was linked to the success they experienced. Test and quizzes dominated classroom activities among all four attitude profiles with a negative emotional dimension. The analysis revealed differences in classroom activities and their impacts on the various profiles, including the use of technology, real-world connections, quizzes and tests, homework, working problems, and students&rsquo; perceptions of their teachers, the enjoyment of mathematics, and the difficulty of the material.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this comparative study was to examine the relationship between student achievement and social-emotional well-being in three different school configurations for at-risk sixth grade students. This study sought to apply the stage-environment fit theory to investigate the effect of mismatched school environments on young adolescents when developmental changes occur. The mixed methods research measured academic and behavioral success and school connectedness using surveys and focus group interviews. The sample was made of 109 sixth grade students who qualified as at-risk in three northwest states. Results indicated alternative schools deliver supports that meet the academic and developmental needs of young adolescents by providing personalized and structured learning in a smaller environment.In addition, elementary schools were also found to have positive effects on academics through their use of effective teaching methodologies due to structured lessons and small ability groups. </p><p> A student&rsquo;s sense of connectedness was paramount in the findings of meeting the social-emotional needs of this marginalized population. Quantitative and qualitative results supported the elementary and alternative schools&rsquo; ability to provide students with a culture of care and support afforded through active engagement and personalized connections. Alternative students were found to have deeper conversations and stronger connections to their teachers resulting in statistically significant results according to teacher relationships from the survey and focus interviews. Alternative schools found a decrease in discipline and absenteeism as compared to at-risk students in elementary and middle schools. The behavioral results from the alternative configuration found the implementation of a sound positive behavioral intervention program was the factor that separated the alternative school program from the elementary and middle school configurations. </p><p> In light of prior findings of school configurations in relation to student success, this study supports small communities with smaller populations, lower teacher to student ratios, caring teachers who build relationships, and individualized multisensory teaching practices. These pedagogies increased student achievement and sense of connectedness to meet young adolescents&rsquo; developmental needs could reduce this vulnerable population&rsquo;s disposition of dropping out of school.</p><p>