ABSTRACT This qualitative content analysis study examined different middle school mathematics pathways from a large urban district in Florida to determine possible gaps in the accelerated pathways and differences between the district’s learning targets and Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards. Additionally, the accelerated pathways were compared to the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) 12 Indicators to identify possible missing content necessary to succeed in Algebra I Honors and Geometry Honors. The study aimed to answer three research questions: (1) In what ways do Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards included in the non-accelerated and accelerated pathways for middle school mathematics differ in a large urban school district in Florida? (2) Which of the SREB 12 Indicators are absent from the accelerated pathways in middle school in a large urban school district in Florida? and (3) In what ways do Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards differ from the district’s learning targets in the non-accelerated pathway for middle school mathematics in a large urban school district in Florida? Data collected included the sixth through eighth grade Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for Mathematics and the 2022-2023 learning targets from a large district in Florida. The SREB 12 Content-Specific Readiness Indicators that classify the skills necessary for a student to be successful in Algebra were used as coding tools. Findings suggest that in most of the pathways available for students in middle school, students miss half of the seventh-grade standards, the entire eighth-grade standards, or half of the seventh-grade and the entire eighth-grade standards. The study also found inconsistencies between the district’s learning targets and Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for Mathematics. Likewise, the study suggests that the students who follow three main accelerated pathways (Mixed Pathway One, Mixed Pathway Two, and Doubled-Accelerated Pathway) do not receive all the content needed to succeed in Algebra I and Geometry as recommended by the SREB 12 Indicators. The results from this study can be used to improve or develop a middle school mathematics curriculum that considers the impact of the standards missed during accelerated pathways and provides all students with access to the necessary skills to succeed in Algebra I Honors and Geometry Honors.

Thesis (Ed. D.) -- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2006. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Jan. 31, 2007). Thesis advisor: Vincent A. Anfara. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The study investigated the ability of an extracurricular program to influence environmental responsibility of sixth and seventh graders. The Children's Environmental Attitude and Knowledge Survey (CHEAKS) was evaluated for appropriateness in assessing the worth of this particular environmental education strategy emphasizing water quality fieldwork and technology. CHEAKS is designed with psychometric reliability and validity that may be used in comparing disparate programs. Wilcoxon two sample tests were used to analyze data gathered from two student groups; one participated in an "Enviro-Mentals Club"; the other received no treatment. Analysis showed no significant change in environmental attitudes between groups, but did show significance (p <= 0.05) in environmental knowledge growth. Therefore, the investigated program had marginal success in influencing environmental responsibility.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the common planning time for a team of middle school teachers by comparing the standardized test scores of middle school students selected from two school districts located in North Texas. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) 2 * 4 design was utilized to measure the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) math and reading scale score for 7th grade students from the test administered in spring 2005. The data for this study were compared by the variables of school, gender, and ethnicity. The measuring tool utilized in this study determined the ratio of the amount of variance of the scores for individuals of between-groups as opposed to the amount of variance of within-groups, indicating if there were a statistically significant difference on the scores in any one particular variable compared to the variances of scores for the other variables in this study. The statistical results indicated that there were no statistical significant differences in the scores of students attending a middle school where the teachers received a common planning time. However, there was a noted difference in the percentage ratings on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report published by TEA for the African American students who attended the school with the common planning time. These students had higher scores on the TAKS reading test. The TAKS math scores did not indicate any notable differences.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a significant relationship existed between teacher attrition and student success in middle school reading by conducting a quantitative analysis. Additionally, the inclusion of school demographic characteristics were included in the model to consider previous findings referencing the challenges schools face in attracting and retaining teachers in low performing urban schools with high populations of economically disadvantaged and minority students. In this analysis, the relationship between teacher attrition and student achievement in middle school as measured by the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for reading among middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, as reported on the Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR), were examined. The regression models used to analyze the three research questions addressed in the study include an examination of teacher attrition on campus pass rates, and grade level pass rates for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades as measured by the STAAR Reading assessment. The data utilized in this study were collected from seven North Texas middle schools in a fast growth school district together with their comparable campuses as identified by the Texas Education Agency for the school years 2013-2014 through 2015-2016. The results of the analysis indicate teacher attrition accounts for a significant variance in STAAR Reading pass rates among middle school students. Additionally, the school demographic characteristics defined as percentage economically disadvantaged, percentage English language learners, mobility rates, and percentage white students account for 83.4% of the variance in the average campus pass rates for STAAR Reading when combined.

<p> After the passing of the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004, many schools began to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) model instead of the discrepancy model when identifying students with specific learning disabilities (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). When elementary schools adopted the RtI model, it was shown to be successful with any students who need academic interventions (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). The success at the elementary level has led to middle schools adopting the model with varying success (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2011). In this study, middle schools that have developed an academic RtI program through the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process were compared to non-PLC middle schools that may not provide a systemic process of academic interventions to determine if PLC schools produce higher academic achievement. Academic achievement was determined by students&rsquo; Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) index scores in communication arts for seventh and eighth graders. As a result of the application of a <i>t</i>-test, there was not a significant difference between the scores of PLC schools and the scores of non-PLC schools. Building principals of the middle schools in the PLC group were surveyed to identify the characteristics of the RtI model that were in place. The survey results of the six top-performing PLC schools were analyzed and compared to the entire PLC group to determine what characteristics lead to improved academic achievement. The components of RtI present in the top-performing schools included interventions that were implemented for at least three years, interventions provided a minimum of three days per week, and a maximum of 70 minutes of intervention per week.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how five sixth grade female students navigated the process of project-based learning as they designed and implemented their own project centered on mathematics while using a social justice lens. The theoretical frameworks of Authentic Intellectual Work and Social Justice Mathematics are blended to support a proposed new pedagogy of Project Based Social Justice Mathematics (PB-SJM). </p><p> Five female participants contributed to the findings of this study, all sixth grade students attending a project-based learning, charter middle school called The Academy of Innovation and Creativity. Data collection occurred throughout the entirety of a four-week project-process, including extensive field notes, two interviews per participant, multiple physical artifacts from each participant, and formal presentations by each participant.</p><p> Adapted from Gutstein's (2006) work with 3 C's (Classical, Community, and Critical), four propositions served as the basis for analysis, also known as the four knowledge bases or the Four C's&mdash;Content Knowledge, Community Connections, Critical Inequity, and Change Agency. The major findings of the study centered on the Four C's, specifically producing nine total themes. Within Content Knowledge, three themes emerged, that of a) Learning Targets&mdash;Understanding and Application, b) Complex, Non-Algorithmic Thinking, and c) Humanization of Mathematics. Two themes emerged in Community Connections, that of d) Personalizing Context and e) Experts as Sources. Likewise, two themes emerged within Critical Inequity, specifically f) Developmental Readiness and g) Growing Understanding of Critical. Lastly, Change Agency also produced two themes of h) Belief&mdash;Personal Agency and i) Action&mdash;Voice is Power. Collectively, the Four C's and the nine themes represent the findings of this research study.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to analyze School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) and Behavior Intervention Support Teams (BIST) and their impact on managing student behavior in sample schools in Missouri by using methodological triangulation. Office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) and Safe School Act Violations during the 2012&ndash;2014 school years in the SW-PBS, BIST, and No Model (control group) sample schools were analyzed to determine if there was a significant difference in the numbers of ODRs and Safe School Violations. Teachers from the sample schools were given the opportunity to participate in a survey to gather their perspectives about the impact their school&rsquo;s respective behavior model had on student behavior outcomes. Teachers surveyed reported varied opinions regarding disciplinary models and the benefits these models have on student self-control and helping to reduce student discipline behaviors. While all perceived their models to have a positive impact, there were differences in overall perceptions. Teachers in SW-PBS schools responded more positively about how the SW-PBS model impacted student behaviors. The ODR data were analyzed using a paired t-test, showing no significant difference between the number of ODRs in the models studied. Safe School Act Violations occurred more frequently in schools that had no behavior models than in schools that had implemented BIST or SW-PBS. The BIST schools had the fewest reported incidents.</p>

<p> A majority of the nation&rsquo;s military-connected dependents attend civilian public schools, yet there are pervasive inconsistencies in support programs and policies across schools (De Pedro, Astor, Gilreath, Benbenishty, &amp; Esqueda, 2013). High mobility rates present several challenges to children of military Service members, such as learning gaps, social and emotional difficulties, and challenges forming relationships with peers and school personnel (Astor, Jacobson, &amp; Benbenishty, 2012). This study examined how military-connected adolescents bridged their multiple military and civilian worlds in the school context. The theoretical foundations of the study included the Bridging Multiple Worlds (BMW) (Cooper, 2014) model and Social Network theory. The BMW design investigated military-connected adolescents&rsquo; perceived challenges and strengths of belonging to a military cultural community along with how they accessed resources for overcoming those challenges. Social Capital and Social Network theory situated developmental processes in a socialized context highlighting how interpersonal relationships shape development (Bourdieu, 1986; Daly, Moolenaar, Bolivar, &amp; Burke, 2010). Focus groups revealed participants faced many of the typical challenges facing military-connected youth. They also perceived many of those challenges as having promoted positive developmental outcomes: social skills, resilience, and adaptability. Social networks, friendship networks and support networks, played an important role in overcoming the challenges of navigating their military and civilian worlds. Findings indicated differences in academic outcomes (GPA) between military and civilian participants, as well as between enlisted and officer participants. Findings also indicated different social network patterns between enlisted participants and officer participants. The rich history of military support within the local community and school environment may have influenced how military participants integrated into the whole eighth-grade friendship network. This study sought to fill the research gap by accurately representing the social and educational needs and circumstances of military-connected adolescents in a military-dense civilian middle school and to help educators create highly supportive environments for military-connected adolescents in civilian schools.</p>