This quantitative study was conducted to determine the relationship between participation in a school based tutoring and change in accountability measures on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The research was designed to determine the impact of participation in tutoring for urban middle school students. All students who attended one of the three urban middle schools and participated in the administration of FSA for mathematics or ELA in both the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years were divided into two groups: students who participated in school based tutoring and students who did not participate in school based tutoring. The results from this study unveiled the relationship between participating in school based tutoring and change in accountability measures on state assessments. The relationship of participation in tutoring and change in accountability measures was identified for all students, English learners, and students with disabilities who participated in school based tutoring and those who did not participate in school based tutoring. Lastly, the difference in mean change of accountability measures and participation by delivery model of school based tutoring: computer-based tutoring, small group tutoring, and a mixed mode of computer-based and small group tutoring was assessed. Findings from Pearson Correlations, independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA did not indicate a statistical significance between change on accountability measures and participation in tutoring based on subgroups, delivery model, or grade level assessed. Though this study found no statistical significance, several of the mean changes on accountability measures based on subgroups, tutoring delivery models, or grade level was higher for students who participated in tutoring than for students who did not participate in tutoring. There is still much to be understood about the impacts of tutoring on student achievement.

In order to study the teaching and learning of the theory of evolution and determine levels of acceptance of the theory of evolution among college students studying biology in Central Florida, the Inventory of Student Evolution Acceptance, I-SEA, was administered to over 500 university students enrolled in a biology course during the Fall 2016 term. An analysis of 489 completed surveys demonstrated strong overall acceptance of the theory of evolution (average score = 103 out of 120 total possible). Of all students, 78% fell into the category of very high acceptance of the theory of evolution. Students who reported attending worship services weekly or more scored statistically significantly lower on the I-SEA than students who reported attending worship services less than weekly. The level of previous high school coursework in biology—whether honors, or advanced biology courses were taken-- did not translate into statistically significant differences in acceptance of evolution as measured by the I-SEA. Three subscales contained within the Inventory of Student Evolution Acceptance are designed to measure student acceptance of microevolution, macroevolution, and human evolution. Students demonstrate higher levels of acceptance of microevolution than macroevolution or human evolution. These findings serve to inform educational leaders and science educators regarding students' worldview and how worldview may inform what students accept as true and valid. The I-SEA serves as a useful educational tool to inform instructional decisions in the biology classroom.

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to understand the differences in comparative data across a large urban school district and to examine the continued effects of the PLC model on teacher and leader perception of the model and student achievement as measured by the 2012 and 2014 FCAT 2.0 Reading and Mathematics. The population for this study included all instructional and leadership personnel in schools within the target school district, with a final convenience sample across the two school years of N=5,954. The research questions for this study focused on (a) the change in teacher's perception of teachers from the 2012 to the 2014 school year, (b) the impact, if any, of teacher and leader perception on student performance for the FCAT, (c) the differences between the perceptions of teachers and leaders. This study added to the findings of Ellis (2010), expanding the understanding of the complexities of collaboration among teachers, administrators, collaboration, and students. Conclusions from the quantitative analysis found a statistically significant difference between how teachers perceived the implementation of collaborative time during both the 2012 and 2014 school years. Further analysis concluded that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between continual PLC implementation and student achievement for Grade 3 Reading and Mathematics. Other grade levels did show educationally significant findings for the impact of continual implementation on student achievement, but the results did not meet the criteria for statistical significance. There was not a statistically significant relationship between any other measure and any of the considered standardized test scores. Statistically significant differences were found between the 2012 and 2014 perceptions of teachers and leaders. Recommendations from the quantitative analysis include the importance of having collaborative time for teachers. Furthermore, leaders should focus on maximizing the effectiveness of collaborative time by curtailing the amount of required administrative tasks, thereby allowing teachers to focus on designing instructional interventions and analyzing student data through collaboration. This study is an addition to the current literature demonstrating the general perceptions, and impacts of long term implementation of the PLC model, when paired with Ellis' (2010) study it is clear that teachers need continual work within one collaborative model, modeling of collaborative practices by leadership, and support from school leaders for collaborative time to begin positively impacting student achievement.

The purpose of this study was to identify how ongoing science professional development impact students' achievement on standardized assessments. The students' end-of-year assessment and State Science Assessment data were collected from a Central Florida school district. The student data were divided into categories based on teachers' participation in on-going professional development opportunities. The teachers were categorized by the number of types of professional development opportunities they attended. The mean assessment scores of students whose all teachers did or did not participate were calculated, and t-tests were run to find the significance between the means. There was no significance in the difference between the means student scores of the participants and the non-participants in the science professional development opportunities. Two sub group data, 8th-grade free and reduced lunch students whose teacher attended one professional development, and 7th-grade students who scored a Level 3 on FSA mean scores on the science assessments scores were higher with significance in the 2015-16 school year, and were not higher the on the science assessments with significance in the 2014-15 school year.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school district spending on Internet access and student achievement, defined by graduation rates, in the state of Florida. Internet funding received for Internet access from E-rate funding administered by the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) and graduation rates of the 67 school districts in the state of Florida were compared. Further, the data were adjusted for socio-economic status (SES) to determine the relationship between school districts' SES and spending on Internet access. Lastly, school district connectivity and bandwidth were examined to determine whether the ConnectED initiative requirements were related to student achievement and the implementation of school district digital learning programs. E-rate funding and graduation rates were not correlated. Regression and multiple regression analyses demonstrated that Internet spending, bandwidth, and ratio of computers to students did not statistically predict graduation rates during the years of the study.

A limited amount of research was found regarding teacher perceptions of their ability to respond to an active shooter incident. This study was intended to provide relevant information for school leaders to use in their efforts to improve school safety measures. Data was collected in a mixed-methods, explanatory model research study using a survey, the Active Assailant Prevention and Response Survey (AAPRS), and semi-structured interviews. Teachers enrolled in graduate-level education courses at a large university in the southeastern United States made up the study's population. A majority of the sample population agreed that they were confident in the planning protocol (M = 3.22), confident regarding their school's drills and procedures (M = 3.12), and confident in their ability to respond to an active school shooter (M = 3.01). Participants reported less confidence in the following areas: access to crisis management plans, involvement in developing crisis management plans, effectiveness of drills, training for faculty, training for students, and ability to protect students during an attack. Demographic factors such as gender (p > .10), years of teaching experience (p > .10), and presence of security (p > .10) during the school day did not significantly impact teacher perceptions of their ability to respond to an active school shooter. Teachers working in secondary schools with students in grades 6 through 12 had slightly less confidence in their ability to respond than teachers working in elementary school settings, but this difference was not statistically significant (p > .10). Teachers working in schools that conducted fewer than three active shooter drills per year had less confidence in their ability to respond to an active shooter crisis than those whose schools conducted drills more frequently. A Pearson r correlation revealed r (109) = .520, p < .001, demonstrating a strong correlation between perceptions of planning protocol and teacher's perceived ability to respond to an active shooter. There was also a significant correlation, r (109) = .637, p < .001, between participant perceptions of drills and procedures and perceptions of ability to respond. The results from the interviews were consistent with the AAPRS findings and helped illuminate teacher perceptions. Many of those interviewed suggested that a more personalized approach to training that explored specific dynamics of individual classrooms would improve confidence in their ability to respond to an active shooter. The interviews also revealed a need for drills or practice during less structured times of the day, such as lunch or during an assembly, so that teachers and students can feel more prepared. Interview participants revealed a need for first-aid training as well as training for what to do if an attacker infiltrated their classroom. Policymakers and school leaders will be informed through these findings of factors that can help teachers feel more confident in their ability to respond to an active shooter crisis.

The purpose of this study was to explore what, if any, relationship exists between the interpersonal behavior traits held by administrators and the quality of the feedback they provide to teachers. The Interpersonal Behavior Survey (IBS) was used to develop interpersonal behavior profiles for all the school-based administrators from a moderately sized school district who consented to participate in the study. Additionally, the comments submitted as feedback to teachers by the participating administrators were reviewed and scored using a rubric. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine what, if any, relationship exists between the traits measured by the IBS and feedback quality. The IBS is divided into four scales: validity, assertiveness, aggressiveness, and relationship. These groupings were used to formulate the four research questions that guided this study: (1) what, if any, relationship exists between assertiveness traits and feedback quality, (2) what, if any, relationship exists between aggressiveness traits and feedback quality, (3) what, if any, relationship exists between relationship traits and feedback quality, and (4) what, if any, relationship exists between scores above the cut-off for reliability on any of the three validity scales and the quality of feedback given. No significant relationship was found to exist between any of the four IBS scale groupings and feedback quality; however, power analysis showed the lack of significance observed in this study could be due to the size of the population and not a true lack of significance. The study did find a significant relationship between age and years of experience in administration and feedback quality. This study is valuable in that it contributes to the conversation regarding teacher effectiveness ratings, feedback, and sheds light on the role interpersonal behavior traits held by the administrator play in the feedback giving process. This study suggests there is reason to continue exploring the important role conflict avoidance may play in teacher evaluation and teacher effectiveness ratings.

This study addressed the problem of insufficient information concerning the economic and professional impact of educational leadership program graduates. In Florida, there is often times a delay in obtaining an administrative appointment after graduating from an educational leadership program. The delay in appointments causes difficulty with tracking careers and economic impact. The research questions were: 1. What is the economic impact of activities, projects, and research performed by 1992 to 2012 graduates while enrolled in the educational leadership program? 2. How many educational leadership program graduates from 1992 to 2012 were appointed or elected to superintendent positions, senior staff or superintendent's cabinet, or school district level director positions (using the 2012-2013 school district student enrollment size rankings)? 3. How many educational leadership program graduates from 1992 to 2012 were appointed to principal or assistant principal positions in the selected school districts (using the 2012-2013 school district student enrollment size rankings)? 4. What are the Florida School Grade trends among educational leadership program graduates from 1992 to 2012 of a large urban research university in Florida who were school principals? This study utilized descriptive statistics and was designed to analyze program performance outcomes delivered by graduates of a large urban research university's educational leadership program (1992-2012) and their responses to a survey. The value of activities, projects, and research completed while enrolled in the educational leadership graduate program was determined to arrive at economic impact. Graduates were matched with administrative positions including K-12 superintendent, senior staff or superintendent's cabinet, school district level directors, public school principal or assistant principal. In addition, Florida school grades for those graduates that held principal positions in a specific geographical area during the 1998-2012 period were identified. Measures of central tendency and descriptive statistics were conducted, as appropriate, for each of the four research questions. Research findings indicated there were data to support that while enrolled in the educational leadership graduate program, economic impact was provided to school districts. Furthermore, graduates who were identified as principals in K-12 public schools had student outcomes that outperformed the state average as indicated by school grades. The data trend of meeting high expectations determined by student achievement results increased each year as evidenced by a greater number of schools earning "A" grades. Recommendations made for future research were for universities to create and maintain a university database and survey graduates to gather data. The data would be used to align the preparation program curricular and instructional practices with the professional experiences needed to prepare leaders to be position ready. Additionally, universities must continuously communicate with graduates in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the preparation program, measure economic impact and capture career paths. This would be performed through a longitudinal study.

In this study, the researcher compared student achievement in Florida charter schools by investigating differences in those managed by for profit and not-for-profit entities in all 530 charter schools that reported results on the 2016 Florida Standards Assessments in Grades 4, 8, and 10 in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Using a two-way analysis of covariance, this investigation found statistically significant achievement differences only in 10th-grade ELA when using poverty as a moderator variable and eighth-grade mathematics using both school cohort size and poverty as moderator variables. Also, the covariates of percentage of minority students, percentage of disabled students, and percentage of English language learners accounted for some of the variance in achievement results. These findings are similar to the extant literature where prior similar studies found mixed results between traditional public schools and charter schools and between not-for-profit and for-profit charter schools. Questions are raised by this research regarding the public funding of for-profit or proprietary charter schools if they do not routinely achieve superior results to traditional public schools. Implications for future research both building on this study and investigating other aspects of charter school performance include conducting similar studies on a recurring basis to better evaluate charter school performance, closer study on the role the covariates (minority status, disability status, and English language learner status) has on charter school student achievement, and a comparison of Florida's charter schools with Florida's traditional public schools.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and describe the nature and extent of the relationships, if any, that existed between a Community Partnership Schools™ (CPS) model community school and the outcomes of graduation and attendance rates at one public high school in Florida. An evaluation study utilizing an interrupted time series (ITS) design addressed this problem by identifying and describing the relationship between the CPS model and the key outcome measures using visual analysis and descriptive statistics. Graduation and attendance rates for seven years before the CPS model was introduced (2003-2010) and seven years after the CPS model was introduced (2010-2017) at the CPS school were compared to the graduation and attendance rates for the same time frames of five other matched comparison high schools that had not implemented a CPS model community school. Findings of this study, though mixed, suggest the Community Partnership Schools™ model may have provided a positive environment for improvement in key measures at the targeted CPS high school. Though no definitive conclusions were reached, this study alongside other evaluations of the Community Partnership Schools™ model may be helpful in informing decision makers regarding the potential positive influence of the CPS model on such measures as graduation and attendance rates.