Historically, there are persistent diploma gaps permeating between general education students and students with disabilities. In comparison to their peers, there are fewer youth with disabilities graduating from high school with regular diplomas. Regular diploma attainment is of critical importance because this credential is viable to postsecondary outcomes such as higher education and meaningful employment. An analysis of graduation outcomes in Virginia from 2010-2013 revealed that 19 of 132 school divisions met or exceeded statewide performance expectations for youth with disabilities. In alignment with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2010, the Virginia Department of Education monitors and reports Indicator 1: Percent of youth with Individualized Education Programs graduating from high school with a regular diploma using the adjusted four-year cohort graduation rate. Indicator 1 is among four secondary education and transition data indicators that are federally monitored, collected, and analyzed to determine progress or lack of progress. The purpose of this study was to identify the policies and practices that special education directors perceived as contributing to meeting the state graduation performance measures for youth with disabilities in 10 Virginia school divisions during the 2010-2013 school terms. A three-round Delphi method was employed to seek consensus from a panel of Special Education Directors whose divisions are consistently meeting Indicator 1 performance measures. Investigated were their perceptions of best practices and strategies that are paramount in graduating students with disabilities with a regular diploma or higher. Panelists identified 70% or greater agreement on the importance of six (60%) strategies contributing to regular diploma attainment for this population of students. These statements of practice were determined to be of considerable importance (rated as critically effective or somewhat effective), and in rank order were: 1) providing targeted interventions such as remediation, tutoring, and credit recovery options; 2) conveying high expectations; 3) tracking and monitoring; 4) IEP development with emphasis on Transition, student family participation, exploring continuum options, accommodations and modifications, assessment, and diploma status; 5) promoting learning, attendance, and a positive school environment; and 6) policies that support all students. Further, a theme emerged as it relates to implementation on four of the six statements of practice on which consensus was reached in the final Delphi round. The data provided evidence that student engagement, parental involvement, and building positive relationships with an adult are important factors in support of the identified strategies toward graduating these youth with a regular/standard diploma. Implications for practice were recommended for school and division leaders, and state policymakers. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to determine the relationship between the number of classroom observations and teacher VAM scores and (b) to identify the relationship between the types of feedback provided to teachers and student achievement outcomes as measured by VAM scores. De-identified data for the sample set of teachers in a large urban school district was gathered for the 2013-2014 year from iObservation by administrators observing teachers using the domains of the Marzano instructional model. The number of observations were compared to VAM scores to determine if teachers with a greater number of observations received higher VAM ratings. The comments recorded and submitted as feedback were also reviewed. Data were analyzed to identify relationships between the types of feedback provided to teachers and student achievement outcomes as measured by VAM scores. No significant relationship existed between VAM scores and number of observations or percentage of comments for teachers at any grade level. In addition, no significant relationship existed between predominant feedback for teachers and VAM scores. The information in this study was valuable for understanding the relationships that exist among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains to drive conversations with teachers regarding rigorous instruction. Observations and feedback should be a tool for improvement of instruction, but the data confirmed this process continues to be compliance based with inflated scores that do not match the level of performance of students. Changing this is strongly linked to the provision of feedback associated with improving instruction and holding teachers accountable in meeting the standards outlined in the feedback. Observers are in need of professional development on how to provide effective feedback in the areas of instruction that will make the biggest impact on student achievement. Continuing to put time and effort into implementing and monitoring evaluation systems without further training and emphasis on feedback will result in the same lack of impact on student achievement outcomes and may even undermine the role of observers in providing support to teachers.