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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 purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between school building condition and student achievement as measured by their performance on the Standards of Learning (SOL) examinations at the middle school level in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Three major data components were used to complete this study. The first component was the condition of the school buildings. To obtain this information, principals were asked to complete the Commonwealth Assessment of Physical Environment (CAPE) assessment instrument. The second component was the percentage of passing scores from SOL examinations for each middle school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The third component was the socioeconomic status of the students attending the schools as measured by the percentage of students participating in the free and reduced lunch program. Three research questions were used to examine this topic. The first research question examined the differences in the SOL results of students in school buildings rated as standard and substandard. The second research question examined the differences in the SOL results of students in school buildings rated cosmetically as standard and substandard. The third research question examined the differences in the SOL results of students in school buildings rated structurally as standard and substandard. This study found that building condition is related to student achievement. Students performed better in newer or recently renovated buildings than they did in older buildings. The percentage of students passing the Commonwealth of Virginia Standards of Learning Examination at the middle school level was higher in English, mathematics and science in standard buildings than it was in substandard buildings. One of the largest differences in percentage of students passing was in English at 6.10 percentage points. This difference was significant at the .05 level of significance. This is noteworthy because student's ability to read affects all other academic areas. Building age, windows in the instructional area, and overall building condition were positively related to student achievement.Finally the data from this study were compared to the results of earlier studies that examined high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia, finding that these results were consistent with the findings of other studies. / Ph. D.

This study was conducted to determine the significant factors that affected career aspirations for high school seniors in a suburban school. It also analyzed differences in females' and minorities' college plans, diploma type, and changes in career aspirations from 1986 to 1996. The research design was a causal comparative statistical analysis replicating a 1986 study at the same school. In-depth investigations into female and minority aspirations were also expanded in this 1996 study. The population (N = 577) was 81% Caucasian, 9.5% Asian, 4.5% African American, 4% Hispanic and 1% American Indian. A preliminary survey established the ratings of the occupations based on societal prestige. Data on career aspiration, ethnicity, gender, parents' education, grade-point average, diploma type and college plans were collected from the seniors using the Harrington-O'Shea career cluster form and two other surveys. The researcher operationally defined student aspiration levels by assigning the mean occupational rank from the preliminary survey to each student's choice of career. The seniors' aspiration data were analyzed using Chi-square Tests of Association, One-Way Analyses of Variance, Pearson Correlation and Scheffe comparisons. There was a significant correlation between the 1996 seniors' career aspirations and two variables: grade-point average (p=.000) and fathers' education (p=.003). There was a significant relationship between the female seniors' career aspiration and their graduation years, 1986 and 1996 (p=.000); the 1996 females had higher career aspirations. Both the 1996 female and minority seniors achieved significantly higher percentages of Advanced Studies Diplomas with the Governor's seal (p=.000) and significantly higher percentages of aspirations for college (p=.000) than their 1986 peers. Another important finding was that the means of female seniors' career aspirations were just as high as their 1996 male counterparts; this was not true in 1986. Also, the 1996 minority seniors had slightly higher career aspiration means than their Caucasian peers. This study suggests that educators can reflect on what has been done during the last decade to empower females and minorities. It also challenges educators to continue to seek better curriculum and career opportunity programs to overcome the institutional sexism and racism that may interfere with students' aspirations. / Ed. D.