Research shows academic literacy is a challenge for students classified as Long-Term English Language Learners (LTELLs). In the pseudonymous Windy Desert School District (WDSD), there are 17,365 students classified as LTELLs. Of these students, the majority are falling short of English academic literacy goals on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) test and 67% do not graduate from high school. This quantitative study examined the predictive relationship between ACCESS English language proficiency subscale scores in the language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing and course semester grades in English 9, English 10, and English 11. This longitudinal study, informed by theorists Cummins and Krashen, followed a cohort of 718 Grade 9 students for 3 years (2012-2015). Of the 718, only 161 participant data sets were valid for the final ordinal logistic regression analysis. ACCESS subscale scores in speaking, listening, reading, and writing comprised the predictor variables and English course semester grades comprised the criterion variables. Results revealed that LTELLs' ACCESS subscale scores in listening, reading, and writing were significant predictors of their English course grades whereas speaking scores were not. For each predictor variable, a 1-unit increase in the predictor decreased the likelihood of receiving a lower grade in the course. Social change can result from the WDSD using ACCESS results to create and implement effective instructional programs that develop LTELLs' proficiency in the language domains found significant in predicting their academic grades, thereby increasing their language proficiency, academic grades, and graduation rates over time.

In 2012, a southeastern state mandated that all school districts employ the response to intervention (RtI) tiered approach model to meet the needs of struggling students. RtI was implemented at the study site; however, secondary teachers were not confident in their abilities to implement RtI. Researchers have found that a teacher's sense of efficacy can impact student academic outcomes. Professional development on implementing RtI was provided for teachers in the study school. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of explicit RtI professional development on the perceived self-efficacy of secondary teachers and their ability to impact student achievement. The study was framed within the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and the associated concept of teacher efficacy. Pre and postintervention data were collected from 51 core subject area teachers using the Teacher Efficacy Scale Survey (short form). An analysis of the data was conducted using paired sample t tests to measure mean differences in efficacy scores. Results of the data analysis demonstrated significant gains in overall efficacy sum scores, personal teaching efficacy scores, and general teaching efficacy scores among the sample of teachers in this study. The results suggested a positive shift in teacher efficacy following the professional development. Recommendations included additional research with larger samples of teachers and the inclusion of a control group. Implications for positive social change include providing research findings to the local administration on the change in teacher efficacy following the RtI professional development. Recommendations are also provided for continued research on RtI, teacher efficacy, and student achievement.

Alternative school settings are success prospects for students at risk of school failure. However, research on the daily experiences of the special educators in alternate school settings tasked with educating the at-risk population, is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was (a) to recognize the perceptions of special educators concerning their preparation to advance the success of SEN students who are at risk of school failure; (b) to determine how to improve special educator preparation programs in alternative school settings. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, focused on student success provided the study's framework. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted to examine special educators' perceptions on preparation and practice for student success. Data were analyzed through block coding, code comparison and thematic searches. The study's results included accounts of special educators' perceptions and challenges related to preparation and practice for student success in alternate school settings. Emergent themes included applying classroom structure and technology, as well as individualized student instruction. Participants cited a need for rich teacher/student relationships to advance student success. Included are inferences regarding the development of teacher/student relationships. Also included are suggestions for educational leaders to consider while preparing preparatory methods for special educators who teach within the alternative school setting such as administrator knowledge of what special educators require to teach in the alternate classroom. This study may lead to social change by providing information on special educator preparation coursework meant to develop student success for the alternative school student population.

The Use of Reflective Practices in Applying Strategies Learned Through Professional Development in Social Studies Instruction. Montra L. Rogers, 2016: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. ERIC Descriptors: Reflective Teaching, Educational Strategies, Professional Development, Theory Practice Relationship, Social Studies. This applied dissertation examined how middle school social studies teachers in a large urban school district in Texas described and documented their process of self-reflection as they integrated instructional strategies learned in professional training into their social studies courses. The study further explored how social studies teachers perceived reflective practice as an element of professional development and how a reflective practice model such as reflective journaling helped middle school teachers document their process of self-reflection as they applied new strategies to their instructional approaches. The researcher explored the teachers’ actions through the concept of organization learning theory, conducted face-to-face interviews, and analyzed documents, observation notes, and journal responses to uncover the processes, practices, and perceptions of middle school social studies teachers. This study’s findings revealed that, to implement strategies learned during professional development training, participants incorporated newly learned practices into their existing practices and routines. These practices or routines included creating resources and sharing and collaborating with peers. In addition, social studies teachers documented their process of integrating the QSSSA (Question, Stem, Signal, Share, Assess) conversation strategy into their instructional approach by planning lessons that facilitated the use of the newly learned strategy, implementing said lesson, and assessing student learning. Finally, the study’s findings confirmed that professional learning experiences that include elements of reflective practices, such as professional learning communities, provided middle school teachers a greater sense of self-efficacy as they worked to integrate the QSSSA conversation strategy into their instructional routines. Furthermore, a reflective practice model such as journaling provided teachers an avenue to consider both their own practice and the individual needs of their students.

The aim of this study was to identify predictors of student enrollment and successful achievement in 10th grade chemistry courses for a sample drawn from a single academic cohort from a single metropolitan school district in Florida. Predictors included, among others, letter grades for courses completed in academic classes for each independent grade level, sixth through 10th grade, as well as standardized test scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and demographic variables. The predictive models demonstrated that it is possible to identify student attributes that result in either increased or decreased odds of enrollment in chemistry courses. The logistic models identified subsets of students who could potentially be candidates for academic interventions, which may increase the likelihood of enrollment and successful achievement in a 10th grade chemistry course. Predictors in this study included grades achieved for each school year for coursework completed in mathematics, English, history, and science, as well as reported FCAT performance band scores for students from sixth through 10th grade. Demographics, socioeconomic status, special learning services, attendance rates, and number of suspensions are considered. The results demonstrated that female students were more likely to enroll in and pass a chemistry course than their male peers. The results also demonstrated that prior science achievement (followed closely by mathematics achievement) was the strongest predictor of enrollment in—and passing of—a chemistry course. Additional analysis also demonstrated the relative stability of academic GPA per discipline from year to year; cumulative achievement was the best overall indicator of course enrollment and achievement.

This research study investigated the effect of using the think aloud protocol while reading informational text on students' ability to learn from text in a secondary science classroom. The participants in this study were high school students (n=47) in three classes of a mixed-grade Integrated Biology, Chemistry, and Physics course. The study tracked student achievement during a four-week curriculum unit on the theory of evolution and evidence for biological evolution. All students received instruction on using the think aloud protocol, and all students practiced the think aloud protocol when reading short articles related to scientific evidence for evolution. The researcher measured student's ability to read and understand science text by comparing scores from a reading skills pre-assessment and post-assessment from each student. Student surveys were conducted to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the strategy in teaching students to use a literacy strategy while reading science text. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

This study investigated the use of formative assessment to improve three specific data analysis skills within the context of a high school chemistry class: graph interpretation, pattern recognition, and making conclusions based on data. Students need to be able to collect data, analyze that data, and produce accurate scientific explanations (NRC, 2011) if they want to be ready for college and careers after high school. This mixed methods study, performed in a high school chemistry classroom, investigated the impact of the formative assessment process on data analysis skills that require higher order thinking. We hypothesized that the use of evaluative feedback within the formative assessment process would improve specific data analysis skills. The evaluative feedback was given to the one group and withheld from the other for the first part of the study. The treatment group had statistically better data analysis skills after evaluative feedback over the control. While these results are promising, they must be considered preliminary due to a number of limitations involved in this study.

A phenomenological approach was used to identify contributing factors and common trends related teacher attrition by conducting interviews with teachers who decided to exit a North Carolina School District located in Western North Carolina. A qualitative approach allowed the researcher to gain valuable insight into the decision-making process of the 15 research participants. Data collection involved conducting one on one telephone interviews with participants by asking a series of open-ended questions that allowed for probing and follow-up questions. Analysis of researcher notes, evaluation of textual data produced by interviews, and observations allowed the qualitative investigator to identify emerging themes and patterns to answer the research questions. Family, spouse, job opportunity, money, and relocation were identified as contributing factors in the decision-making process of research participants to leave the North Carolina School district. Suggestions for future research include researchers working with school districts to develop an exit interview in the form of a quantitative research design to identify emerging themes and patterns related to teacher attrition. This will allow for the quick collection of data, and researchers will be able to conduct statistical analysis in a timely manner.

The purpose of this project was to develop a questionnaire that could lend insight to physical educations teachers’ perceptions and use of Mosston's Teaching Styles. The researcher designed a pilot study in which he distributed the questionnaire to six teachers from three Santa Barbara District High Schools. Results show that the six teachers were familiar with all Mosston’s Styles. However, citing circumstances such as class time and class sizes, the participants in this study did not use all of Mosston’s Styles. These results may be useful for physical education teacher educators to help them understand teachers’ knowledge of Mosston’s Styles, and what they can do to help teachers by giving them strategies to help use different teaching styles, despite reasons such as limited time and large class sizes.

There is abundant research relating to transition supports and services for students with disabilities as they move out of high school into adulthood; however, relatively little is known about the relationship between the type of special education services they received and their postschool outcomes. Guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Tennessee’s Indicator 14 survey, I sought to better understand the relationship between the type of special education services received in high school and student further schooling or employability after graduation. Data were drawn from Indicator 14 surveys from 2021 and 2024 conducted by a rural school district in Tennessee. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if there is a significant difference in postschool outcomes for students with disabilities who received supports through different service delivery methods in the high school setting. Through the Indicator 14 surveys, students and their parents reflected on what the student had done within the year since graduating from high school. Questions gathered information about work history, postsecondary enrollment, and other related topics. To investigate the relationship between postschool outcomes and student services, information was also assessed about the services that students received as well as their manner of exit from high school (general education diploma, special education diploma, alternate academic diploma, or drop out). Data analysis revealed that students who received consultation services in high school were significantly more likely to attend some type of postsecondary education program. There was no significant relationship between type of service and employability. Diploma or exit type also played a role in student outcomes, as well as the disability category under which they were served. Students who earned a general education diploma were more likely to attend some type of postsecondary education program than their peers who earned a special education diploma or dropped out of school. Similarly, students who were served under the specific learning disability category were more likely than their peers served under all other disability categories to attend some type of postsecondary education program and be employed.