The focus of this research was to determine the relationship, if any, between student achievement and the implementation of the Sterling Quality Management System in a southwest Florida school district. A quantitative analysis focused on three sources of data. Two surveys provided by the Florida Sterling Council were used to collect data from school based personnel and student achievement gain scores obtained from the Florida DOE School Accountability Report 2005-2009. In this study, little positive correlation was found between perceived implementation of Sterling practices and student achievement gains. Of a possible score of 5, the total mean implementation score across all groups was found to be 4.14. This meant that the perceived level of Sterling implementation among respondents overall was very high. No significant correlation was found between the total average Sterling implementation mean score and student achievement gains (school points) made between 2005 and 2009. Overall, very few correlations were found to be statistically significant. This suggested the lack of a linear relationship between Sterling implementation and student achievement gains in the schools in the study Following are recommendations for future research. 1. This study could be repeated using a population of multiple school districts in Florida or in different states. 2. This study could be repeated using different measures of student achievement, such as end of course exam results, SAT or ACT scores, or achievement in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs in high schools. iv 3. This study could be repeated with a population of administrators that includes all school principals and assistant principals. 4. This study could be repeated in a school district that has achieved the Sterling Quality award. 5. This study could be repeated to determine a relationship between Sterling Quality and other school effectiveness measures, such as parent involvement, community support, and teacher retention. 6. Determine the relationship if any that the implementation of Sterling Quality practices at the district level has on student achievement.

This study investigated performance based accountability in Florida's system of workforce education in Florida's state colleges and school districts. In Florida, workforce education is governed by Florida State Statute (K-20 Education Code Chapter 1004). The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of Florida's performance accountability policy as applied to workforce education. Additionally, it analyzed the impact of performance accountability on performance by the providers of workforce education - state colleges and school districts, and the value for investment achieved by the policy over the time period. The study was guided by three questions: (a) What is the relationship between effectiveness and year? (b) Is the relationship between effectiveness and year moderated by each of the contextual variables? (c) To what extent does each of the contextual variables predict performance and effectiveness? This study utilized a non-experimental quantitative research design and a costeffectiveness analysis framework. The unit of analysis was the providers of workforce education in the State of Florida. This study was framed by the outputs and outcomes the workforce education service providers achieve and the alterable and unalterable variables which might influence the provision of workforce education. Performance was measured through two measures: quantity of outputs, and quality of outcomes. The alterable and unalterable variables included: the type of institution delivering the service, either state college or school district; the delivery model used in each delivery area, either single or dual-delivery; and population characteristics, the percentage of students economically disadvantaged, the percentage of minorities, and the percentage of males. The study used correlation and regression techniques to analyze the longitudinal impact of the performance accountability system. / by Richard G. Cunningham. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

School choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice environment in Florida today. Specifically, this investigation was limited to legislation in Florida between 1997 and 2014 and further limited to charter schools, home schooling, virtual education, and two choice options specific to Florida in which public dollars follow students to private schools, the Tax Credit and McKay Scholarship programs. These particular school choice options were chosen as the focus of this study because they change the where of education outside of tradit ional public schools. Other choice options such as magnet schools, inter-district choice, and intra-district choice simply move students among traditional public schools but keep them enrolled in traditional public schools. Ultimately the study hoped to provide a possible road map for the future of school choice policies in Florida. This study utilized a qualitative methodology utilizing document reviews and interviews. This study found that school choice policies in Florida have continued to expand and evolve over the years to increase the liberty available to families to choose the education of their children. This study also found that the Florida legislature has laid the groundwork for Florida school districts, through a focus on equality, to take advantage of a portfolio management model to increase student achievement. Although a focus on equality led to the enactment of various school choice options, some of these options have moved away from their original intent to financially benefit specific organizations and groups. Finally, as reported by Holme, Frankenberg, Diem, and Welton (2013), Florida's charter school, virtual education, and home education policies have been enacted as race-neutral policies that have no regard for diversity, which could lead to resegregation. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection