The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of peer tutoring on the achievement of freshmen student in remedial mathematics, reading and writing from one community college and one university. The total population for this study is 300 freshmen, 150 freshmen from the community college and 150 freshmen from the university, composition of male (N=42%) and female (N=58%). The instructors will allow the researcher to pre-test selected students on the second day of class (Fall 2006) using the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Form E) for reading, Algebra Skills Test (Test I) for math, and pre-determined writing assignments for writing. After four weeks of peer-tutoring (quasi-experimental group), the researcher will retest the students (post-test) and collect the test score from the posttest and analyze the data to determine the impact of peer tutoring on freshmen student in remedial mathematics, reading and writing. There were two hypothesis tested. The hypothesis revealed that there was no significant difference of t-test results for pretest scores in terms of Reading for Comprehensive and Vocabulary, Math, and English. It indicated that participants grouped by gender had no pretest threat in both the treatment and the control groups. Although the present study offers additional positive results to those studies conducted in the past, it is the recommendation of the researcher that additional studies needs to be undertaken.

This study examined the relationship between teacher absenteeism and teacher characteristics on third through eighth grade achievement as measured by the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 (MCT2) language arts and mathematics assessment. School year 2012-2013 yearly assessment scores for 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in 1 school district in the State of Mississippi were analyzed to determine if teachers’ rate of absenteeism, age, gender, years of teaching experience, degree and certification influenced student academic achievement. This study was guided by 5 research questions and employed 2 research designs. Correlational research was used to answer research question 1, 4 and 5. Question 1 sought to determine the differences in the magnitude of the relationships between teacher absences and student achievement across schools and grade levels. Questions 4 and 5 sought to determine how accurately teachers’ rate of absenteeism, age, gender, years of teaching experience, degree and certification predicted 3rd through 8th grade student achievement in language arts and mathematics. Questions 2 and 3 were answered using a causal-comparative research design to determine the differences in MCT2 scores of students in Grades 3-8 whose teachers missed 5 or fewer days and students whose teacher missed more than 5 days of school. The findings of this study indicated that there was a small relationship between teacher absences and achievement across grade levels and schools. In addition findings indicated that teacher absences did not impact student achievement in language arts; however; findings revealed that teacher absences had a negative impact in student achievement in mathematics. Finally, age, degree and certification were predictors of student achievement in language and mathematics. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.

The focus of this study was to examine the relationship between principal ethnicity and other chosen demographics (community type of the school, average years of teacher experience, and percent of students qualifying as economically disadvantaged) and student achievement as measured by the Texas Education Agency?s (TEA?s) accountability rating system in predominantly Hispanic public high schools in Texas. The study sought to identify causal factors in relation to campus accountability rating and principal ethnicity in an effort to determine if principal ethnicity had an impact on student achievement in predominantly Hispanic public high schools in Texas. The study examined data obtained from the Texas Education Agency for the 2007-2008 school year. There were 335 schools that met the criteria set forth for the study. The findings of the study stated there was no statistically significant relationship between principal ethnicity and student achievement as measured by the TEA?s accountability system. There were some significant statistical findings in relation to principal ethnicity, accountability rating and indicators of community type of school, years of teacher experience, and percent of students qualifying as economically disadvantaged. Moderate relationships were found between community type and accountability rating and between community type and ethnicity of the principal. There were also significant relationships found between accountability rating and average years of teacher experience as well as principal ethnicity and percent of students qualifying as economically disadvantaged. There was no significant finding between principal ethnicity and average years of teaching experience. There was also no significant finding in relation to accountability rating and percent of students qualifying as economically disadvantaged. The growing number of Hispanic students entering schools is leading to more campuses becoming predominantly Hispanic in student population. The achievement gap between Hispanic students and White students has continued to be an ongoing problem and important issue. The findings of this study show that ethnicity of the principal does not have an impact on student achievement in predominantly Hispanic public high schools in Texas. Hiring administrators should focus on hiring school leaders who possess identified characteristics that lead to improved student achievement.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between the level of implementation of the middle school concept and student achievement. The level of implementation of the middle school concept was determined by the Texas Assessment of Middle Level Schools (TAMLS) which was completed by a random sample of middle school principals from across Texas. Student achievement and selected demographic data were obtained from the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports on the various campuses as published on the Texas Education Agency (TEA, 2003a) website. Student achievement, school size, and demographic variables were investigated using frequency counts, mean scores, standard deviations, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson product–moment correlations across independent variable categories. The independent variable categories were the five criteria and the total score as rated by principals on the TAMLS survey. Major research findings of this study include: 1. Relationships were found between the TAMLS criteria of developmental responsiveness and teacher preparation and professional development with student achievement across all of the research questions examined. 2. Relationships were found between school size, the TAMLS criteria and student achievement. 3. Relationships were found between student ethnicity, the TAMLS criteria, and student achievement. The study results with regard to the relationship between the level of implementation of the middle school concept, taken in its totality, are inconclusive. This finding is supported in a review of the literature. Based on the findings of the study, researcher recommendations include: 1. Middle schools involved in reform efforts to improve student achievement should focus their efforts in the areas of developmental responsiveness and teacher professional development. 2. Principals of large middle schools (n ≥ 801 students) should consider the implementation of the middle school concept as a design strategy when reform efforts are undertaken.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether student achievement and absences are influenced by the home and social factors such as parental education, family make-up, ethnicity, home ownership, retention, free lunch, sex, and grade. The following hypotheses were tested: 1. There was no statistically significant relationship at .05 level between student achievement and each of: grouping, grade, sex, mother's education, father's education, family make-up, ethnicity, free lunch, rehousing, home ownership. 2. There was no statistically significant relationship at the .05 level between student absenteeism and each of: achievement grouping, grade, sex, mother's education, father's education, family make-up, ethnicity, free lunch, rehousing, home ownership. The population consisted of four classes (2, 4th and 2 5th grades) and 40 students randomly drawn from these classes. Twenty males and twenty females were represented, ten whites and thirty minorities out of a population of 75% minorities and 25% white. The instrument used was a schedule constructed to obtain information from school files on each variable as defined. The main results were observed in the correlation matrix where: Achievement was significantly related to grouping, mother's education, father's education, family make-up, free lunch, rehoused, retention, home ownership, hence the null hypotheses for these variables were rejected. Sex and ethnicity were not significantly related to achievement and hence the hull hypotheses for these variables were accepted. Absenteeism were significantly related to achievement, grouping, sex, mother's education, father's education, family make-up, ethnicity, free lunch, rehousing/retention, and home ownership. The null hypotheses were therefore, rejected for these variables. However, the null hypotheses were accepted for absenteeism and grade level, and ethnicity. In a factor analysis of the data achievement and absenteeism were placed in Factor 1 with father's education and mother's education, grouping, free lunch, family make-up, home ownership, and rehousing indicating that all these variables belong to the same family. Hence a change in one result is a change in the others.

Thesis advisor: Laura M. O'Dwyer / The purpose of this study was to inform future policy regarding school leadership practices through examining the relationship between reported decision making at the school level and student achievement. The study utilized a mixed methods design, and examined three main components. The first component involved a qualitative analysis of 14 countries' school leadership polices, as described in country background reports submitted to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The second component used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine the relationship between principal reported school decision making and student achievement in mathematics and reading on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in the same 14 countries. The final component of this study connected the results from the policy analysis to the results of the HLM analysis to determine if there were patterns between a country's policies and the relationship between school-level decision making and student achievement. The study found that out of 14 countries included in the analysis, six countries were identified as having polices that were highly decentralized, three countries had policies that were highly centralized and five countries had policies that were somewhere in between the two extremes. The quantitative results showed that school-level decision making variables were limited in their utility as predictors of student achievement. Finally, an examination of the combined qualitative and quantitative results did not reveal any obvious patterns. However, the findings did highlight the importance of context in examining countries' policies and the relationship between leadership practices in the form of school decision making and student achievement. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation.

Thesis advisor: Eric Dearing / Longitudinal structural equation models of parent educational involvement (PEI) and student mathematics and literacy achievement were examined for 1364 students, followed from 54 months through 8th grade. Path analyses revealed evidence of bi directionality between PEI and achievement and moderation by economic risk. Specifically, two pathways of association were analyzed: parent socialization and child evocative effects. Parent socialization pathways confirmed the positive association of PEI with both math and literacy achievement -increased parent involvement was significantly associated with increased achievement across development. No evidence of child evocative pathways was found for the full sample. Additionally, economic risk was found to moderate pathways of parent socialization between PEI and achievement. Parent socialization pathways suggested involvement was most strongly and positively associated with high achievement for children with greatest levels of economic risk across childhood. These results underscore the argument that parent educational involvement should be an important goal of practice and policy aimed at closing the achievement gap between lower and higher income children. Indeed, PEI does matter more for some children than others. National policies and school procedures should be geared towards promoting PEI early among the low income parents of underperforming children, for these children not only have the most to gain from having their parents engaged in their education, but also have the most to lose. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.

Student mobility is an issue for high poverty schools in the shadow of increased rigor and accountability for student performance. Whereas mobility is not a sole cause for poor achievement, it is a contributing factor for students in poverty who are already considered to be at risk of low achievement. Student mobility creates a hardship for schools and districts and hampers attempts to properly monitor the progress of students. This quantitative study examined the differences between mobile and nonmobile 4th grade students from 4 high poverty schools in a Northeast Tennessee school district. Research before and after the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) was explored. A two-way contingency analysis was used to determine if differences exist between mobile and nonmobile students on reading and math achievements tests. Additionally, the frequency of mobility and mobile and nonmobile among 3 ethnic groups were explored to determine the effects of mobility on achievement. The analyses suggested that no significant relationship exists between the independent variables. This quantitative study examined the differences between mobile and nonmobile fourth grade students from four high poverty schools in a Northeast Tennessee school district. Research before and after the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) was explored. A two way contingency analysis was used to determine if differences exist between mobile and nonmobile students on reading and math achievements tests. Additionally, the frequency of mobility and mobile and nonmobile among three ethnic groups were explored to determine the effects of mobility on achievement. The analyses suggested that no significant relationship exists between the independent variables.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the students to computer ratio and 6th grade student achievement in Math and Reading during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years as compared by socioeconomic status at each of 562 schools in Tennessee. The independent variables in the study were the ratio of students to computer (low/middle/high), the change in ratio of students to computer from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015, and socioeconomic status (low/non-low). The dependent variables in the study were 6th grade mean Reading scores for 2014-2015, 6th grade mean Reading gain scores from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015, 6th grade mean Math scores for 2014-2015, and 6th grade mean Math gain scores from 2013-2014 to 2014-2015. There was not a significant difference between the mean TCAP scores in Reading and Math and low, middle, or high technology schools. There was no correlation between the changes in ratios and TCAP Reading and Math scores. There was no significant difference between low, middle, and high technology schools as compared by their low or non-low SES. There was no significant difference in TCAP Reading or Math scores for low, middle, or high technology schools as compared by their low or non-low SES. There was no significant difference in the change in TCAP Reading and Math scores as compared by low, middle, or high technology and their low or non-low SES. There was no significant difference in TCAP Reading and Math achievement scores as compared by low, middle, or high technology in low SES schools. There was no significant difference in TCAP Reading and Math achievement scores as compared by low, middle, or high technology in non-low SES schools.

This thesis reports on the modification, validation and application of a classroom learning environment questionnaire. This thesis is distinctive in that parents' perceptions were utilised in conjunction with students' perceptions in investigating science classroom learning environments among Grade 4 and 5 students in South Florida. The What is Happening in this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire was modified for young students and their parents. Data from samples of students and parents were analysed to check the reliability and validity of the modified questionnaires and to examine similarities and differences between parents' and students' perceptions of the learning environment. Associations between parents' and students' perceptions of the science learning environment and student outcomes (attitude and achievement) were also investigated in this study. Parents and students were interviewed to check further the validity and reliability of questionnaires and to enhance the richness of the quantitative findings. Interviews with parents and students, along with classroom observations, offered some insights into the quantitative findings. Data analyses supported the WIHIC's factorial validity, internal consistency reliability and ability to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. Both students and parents preferred a more positive classroom environment than the one perceived to be actually present, but effect sizes for actual-preferred differences were larger for parents than for students. / Associations were found between some learning environment dimensions (especially Task Orientation) and student outcomes (especially attitudes). Qualitative methods suggest that students and parents were generally satisfied with the classroom environment but that students would prefer more investigation while parents would prefer more teacher support. The study provides a pioneering look at how parents and students perceive the science learning environment and opens the way for further learning environment studies involving parents and students.