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The purpose of this study was to explore whether academic disidentification (i.e., the relation between ASC and GPA), differed based on students’ gender and reported level of parental racial-ethnic socialization and teacher trust. This study was exploratory in nature, as few researchers have examined the relation between parental racial-ethnic socialization and academic outcomes or the relation between teacher trust and academic outcomes. Secondary goals of this study included and examination of (1) the relation between racial socialization and academic outcomes, (2) the relation between teacher trust and academic outcomes, (3) the relation between parenting constructs (i.e., racial socialization and parental warmth) and teacher trust, and (4) the role of parental warmth as a variable that potentially buffers negative child outcomes or enhances positive child outcomes. Participants included 319 African American students (120 males, 199 females) recruited from a large, southwestern, predominantly white university. Results indicated the presence of academic disidentification as unique to upperclassmen males (i.e., the relation between ASC and GPA was significant for females and underclassmen males, but not upperclassmen males). Parental messages of promotion of mistrust were found to significantly moderate the relation between ASC and GPA. Further, in examining the influence of the combination of teacher trust x sex on the relation between ASC and GPA, a significant three-way interaction was present. Teacher trust was also found to be a significant predictor of GPA, with gender significantly moderating this relation. Gender differences were present for teacher trust, but there were not differences between underclassmen and upperclassmen. Racial socialization variables were not found to significantly predict GPA. However, two types of racial socialization (promotion of mistrust and egalitarianism) and parental warmth were found to be significant predictors of teacher trust. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. / text

The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional leadership practices of a statewide sample of Arizona school superintendents. Superintendents' practices in 12 areas were analyzed in relation to the degree of district academic improvement over a three-year period, the relative size of the district, and the gender of the superintendent. Differences in principal-superintendent perceptions were also analyzed to determine the extent of these differences, and their correspondence to the level of academic improvement achieved by districts.Among superintendents that had served in the current district for at least three years, there were significant differences in their reported involvement in 2 of 12 areas. Superintendents in higher-performing districts reported being more involved in planning for instruction and developing principals as instructional leaders.While male and female superintendents reported similar instructional leadership practices, female superintendents reported being more involved in reviewing research and developing instructional policies. Male superintendents reported being more involved in developing principals as instructional leaders.Superintendents in districts of different sizes responded similarly to the survey. The one exception was in the area of supervising instruction, in which superintendents in medium-sized districts reported being less involved.There were significant differences in the views of superintendents' instructional leadership held by principals and superintendents. On the whole, principals perceived superintendents as being less involved in instructional leadership than did superintendents themselves.There were significant differences between the responses of the subjects of this study and Watts' 1992 study. Superintendents in the present study reported being significantly more involved in seven instructional leadership tasks than their 1992 counterparts.The findings from this study may be of use to superintendents as they consider the many responsibilities they face in providing leadership for their districts. These findings may also be of interest to researchers who are concerned with better understanding the instructional leadership role of the school superintendent.

The purpose of this study was to examine (1) the retrospective perception of parent-child relationships as measured by the Roe-Slegelman Parent-Child Relations Questionnaire (PCR) and (2) the individual's level of academic achievement.

Students in different educational institutions, especially on campus, face different challenges that make them not achieve their academic goals and objectives as per their expectations. Several studies have been performed, and various aspects have been found to contribute to the failure of several students not achieving their academic goals, and in the end, drops out of school. Some of the factors that have been found by other studies include student’s involvement in extracurricular activities, peer groups, and lack of adequate resources to sustain them in school and achieve their desired goals. However, in this study, mixed research methodology that is both quantitative and qualitative research is used to collect data regarding the factors affecting student academic achievement. Moreover, from this study or research, some of the findings include the size of the class affects the student academic achievement. The size of the class plays a significant role in the student’s life because the smaller the size of the class the higher the engagement between the students and the teaching staff, therefore, active learning. The school curriculum also affects the academic achievement of the students. Besides, both the administrative and teaching staffs are supportive of academic success. Lastly, the learning culture affects the academic performance of students. All these factors affect the student’s progress towards academic success.

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Researchers and educators agree that reading comprehension and interest in reading are strong predictors of future success in academics. I studied the effects of establishing interest for reading (i.e. increased reinforcement value for reading) and reading achievement with 4th grade students. In Experiment I, I tested the correlations between a measure of reinforcement value for reading level (determined by a 20-min, 10s whole interval probe session) and reading achievement tests of 30 fourth-grade students. The reading achievement tests measured passage comprehension, literary comprehension, informational comprehension, and vocabulary. I found significant correlations between reinforcement value for reading and all reading achievement measures. In Experiment II, using a pre- and postintervention design with a multiple probe logic, I tested the effects of establishing a level of interest in reading (CR+ for reading) through a 4-step, peer-collaborative procedure on reading achievement outcomes for 6 fourth grade students. The 4-step procedure included 1) shared reading period, 2) vocabulary task 3) independent reading period, and 4) a comprehension drawing task. The establishment of CR+ for reading in all 6 participants resulted in grade-level increases from 0.8-4.1 in WJ-IV passage comprehension, -0.4- 2.3 in WJ-IV vocabulary, and 0.2-2.3 in Gray Silent Reading Tests (GSRT). In Experiment III, I conducted a component analysis to test the significance of the independent and shared reading component of the 4-step peer-collaborative procedure. Using a simultaneous treatment design with a built-in crossover, I studied the effects a Collaborative Independent Reading Treatment (CIR) and Collaborative Shared Reading Treatment (CSR) on establishing CR+ for Reading and the overall effect it had on reading achievement. The 4-step peer-collaborative procedure was the same except students were either exposed to only shared or independent reading and not the other. Participants were yoked into dyads across treatment conditions and completed intervention with a partner in the same treatment condition. Participants in the CIR treatment met CR+ for reading in 1 phase while participants in the CSR treatment did not meet CR+ for reading in 1 phase. The establishment of CR+ for reading in the CIR treatment group resulted in grade-level increases from 1.2 to 3.4 in the WJ-IV passage comprehension, 0.4 to 4.5 in the WJ-IV vocabulary, and -1.2 to 4.3 in the GSRT. Without the establishment of CR+ for reading in the CSR treatment group, grade-level increases for WJ-IV passage comprehension was -1 to 2.1, WJ-IV vocabulary was -0.9 to 0, and GSRT was -0.3 to 1.5). I conducted a crossover treatment where participants in the CSR treatment group underwent the CIR treatment procedure. All 4 participants acquired CR+ for reading in 1 phase of the intervention and increases were 0.6 to 2.2 for WJ-IV passage comprehension, 0.8 to 4.3 for WJ-IV vocabulary, and -0.5 to 2.7 for GSRT. The CIR treatment procedure was more effective in, not only establishing reinforcement value for reading, but also in increasing reading achievement in a very short amount of time.

In the cultural context of low achievement in Arab Israeli schools, this work-based study describes and evaluates a successful counselling intervention in one Israeli Arab elementary school. The intervention took place over six months and involved twenty activities. A mixed methods approach was adopted to evaluate the intervention. The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods provided an informative evaluation of the perceptions of students, teachers and parents about the effectiveness of the intervention. Students, parents and teachers reported that from their point of view, student behaviour, student/teacher/parent relationships and learning improved during the intervention. This positive analysis of perceptions was qualified by the possibility that other factors that were not analysed might be influential. The lessons learned from the intervention, such as the need for creating a teacher – parent strategic alliance, renouncing the use of aversive control and the adaptation of teaching styles to student learning styles, may prove to be a transformative approach to the education of Arab Israeli students.

Many researchers have completed a range of studies to evaluate the relationship of intrinsic, extrinsic and amotivation, particularly on how it influences on a student's academic achievement. This study expanded on these studies by examining the relationship of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation within the context of lower and upper primary school classrooms. One issue that has received minimal attention is the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and academic achievement in young students. In order to examine this relationship, students completed a motivation questionnaire (Academic Motivation Scale), as well as a Standardised Academic Test (State-wide Government Year 3 & 7 Tests). Correlational analysis identified the relationship between these constructs and was used to examine the connection between students' gender and motivational orientation. It was hypothesised that students operating from the intrinsic motivation perspective, are more likely to be high achievers within their year level. It was furthermore hypothesised that students in the lower year level would show higher levels of intrinsic motivation and as students progressed through primary school intrinsic motivation levels would decline while extrinsic motivation would increase. The results of this research study concluded that high academic achievers operated with high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The study also discovered that there is a decline in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as students progre§s through their primary education.