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<p> Programs and reforms have come and gone in the educational arena with little impact on student performance. The problem at the school of study was the students' perception of their sense of belonging and the sense of the school as a community and the students' academic performance did not show adequate growth. The study took place in a mid-western suburban elementary school serving 440 students kindergarten through fifth grade. </p><p> The significance of the study was to examine the impact of a Goal-Setting Worksheet, along with regular teacher-student conferences, as a strategy to improve the overall school climate and academic achievement as measured by climate survey results, standardized test scores, attendance rates, and office referrals. </p><p> The process allowed teachers and students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade the opportunity to work together to complete the Goal-Setting Worksheet by setting goals, establishing a plan of action, and providing feedback through conferences throughout the goal-setting period. Students assessed their progress and worked with the teachers to determine if the student needed to revisit their goal or establish a new goal. The purpose of this process was to increase the students' perception of their sense of belonging and academic achievement. </p><p> To determine if there was a change in the students' perception of school climate, students took the Caring School Community climate spring survey and the pre and post School Climate survey. Academic performance was measured by comparing scores on the Missouri Assessment Program Communication Arts and Math test and the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test. Survey results and academic scores were compared over a four year period. </p><p> The results were that the implementation of the goal-setting worksheet and teacher-student conferences to school climate did not yield the desired change at the school of study in the areas of overall school climate or academic achievement. However, the understanding of the value of the two has influenced the staff to continue the desire, process, and pursuit to improve the students' perception of the school climate and increase academic performance. Because of the limited timeframe of the study, further investigation of this process is recommended.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of attendance longevity participation in an after school program, attending one and two times or three times weekly for two years, designed to build intentional relationships and support academic success, on urban elementary school students' achievement, attendance, and positive school awards. Independent variable attendance fidelity condition one was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids after school program regularly scheduled after school activities one and two times weekly for two years (<i>n</i> = 9) and independent variable attendance fidelity condition two was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids regularly scheduled after school activities three times weekly for two years (<i>n</i> = 10). Same urban school district control students (<i>n</i> = 11) did not participate in the after school program served as the study control group. The null hypothesis for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average and below average reading scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 2.07, <i>p</i> = .145 was not rejected. Null hypotheses were also not rejected for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range language scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 1.09, <i>p</i> = .350 and between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range math scores where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 0.38, <i>p</i> = .687. School attendance as measured by total end of the fifth-grade year overall absence totals were not statistically different where <i>F</i>(2, 27) = 0.65, <i>p</i> = .530 and school-wide awards and recognition as measured by end of the fifth-grade year overall awards presented totals were also congruent where <i>X</i>²(2, <i>N</i> = 48) = 0.591, <i>p</i> = .744. Findings suggest that even limited student participation in Hope Center for Kids after school program resulted in achievement, attendance, and earned awards consistent with the study's control group students who were not in need of these after school services.</p>

To provide an adequate level of safety at grade crossings, Transport Canada has allocated several millions annually to prevent collisions at grade crossings through the implementation of countermeasures, such as train-actuated warning devices and track devices. Railway companies and provincial agencies have also provided additional support to improve safety at highway-railway grade crossings. One of technical challenges in estimating safety effect of countermeasures at highway-railway grade crossing is an extremely rare occurrence of collisions. Given that the collision process is random with significant variation over time and space, it is hard to judge whether a specific crossing is safe or safer than other crossings solely based on the number of collisions in a given year. Decision makers are also required to make difficult decisions on safety investment accounting for uncertainty in effectiveness of countermeasures. The level of uncertainty is even higher when there is lack of observed collision data before and after the implementation of specific countermeasures. This study proposes a Bayesian data fusion method which overcomes these limitations. In this method, we used previous research findings on the effect of a given countermeasure, which could vary by jurisdictions and operating conditions, to obtain a priori inference on its expected effects. We then used locally calibrated models, which are valid for a specific jurisdiction, to provide better estimates of the countermeasure effects. Within a Bayesian framework, these two sources were integrated to obtain the posterior distribution of the countermeasure effect. The outputs provided not only the expected collision response to a specific countermeasure, but also its variance and corresponding probability distribution for a range of likely values. Some numerical examples using Canadian highway-railway grade crossing data illustrate how the proposed method can be used to predict the effects of prior knowledge and data likelihood on the estimates of countermeasure effects.

<p> A pilot study on the effects of mentoring on ninth-grade at-risk African American males was completed with 25 students. This study was conducted during one calendar school year. The purpose was to use mentoring as an added intervention in support of some struggling students, males in particular, who were at-risk of dropping out of school before graduation. This study was meaningful, because these students were consistently failing, and the school was looking for innovative ways to academically encourage these at-risk students.</p><p> The study was conducted at a ninth grade academy directly linked to the high school, in an urban city. This academy facilitated approximately 426 ninth-grade students. Ninety-nine percent of the students received free and reduced lunch.</p><p> The overall research question was, does volunteer mentoring affect the educational success of ninth-grade at-risk African American male students? The research methodology was qualitative. The researcher used interviews and surveys to examine the students&rsquo; expectations of the mentoring program and the results. The mentoring program took place twice a month with four volunteer mentors. The qualitative data conveyed information on 25 African American ninth-grade male students&rsquo; grades, attendance rates, and number of discipline referrals they received.</p><p> The outcomes revealed that the students, parents, and mentors perceived the pilot study of the mentoring program to help keep the students in school. However, the students and the mentors declared that the program was too short and needed more time during the sessions or more sessions. The students considered the mentors to be someone that they could talk to and look up to. The teachers were supportive of the program as an added intervention and were flexible in allowing the students to participate in the program. In conclusion, data revealed there was not a significant change in the students&rsquo; attendance, behavior, or grades as a result of the mentoring program. However, research disclosed that mentoring at-risk students does affect the educational success of students.</p>

<p> This study examined a possible relationship between grit, growth mindset, and reading scores. The study also examined the influence of grit and growth mindset on closing the achievement gap. Reading was an essential skill all students needed to achieve in order to be successful in school and life. Historically, schools implemented numerous academic interventions to ensure all students were proficient readers and to close achievement gaps in reading, yet the gaps continued to exist. The literature on non-cognitive skills such as grit and growth mindset indicated teaching students these skills would increase academic achievement.</p><p> The study collected teacher frequency of instruction of the concepts of grit and growth mindset along with anecdotal teacher information regarding instruction of the concepts. The information was utilized to determine if a relationship existed between teacher instruction on grit and growth mindset and student grit and growth mindset scores. The results of the study indicated no relationship existed between teacher instruction on grit and growth mindset and student grit and growth mindset scores. However, the study did provide useful information regarding how teachers taught the concepts which possibly explained why no relationship existed and provided insight for improvements in the area of instruction.</p><p> The results of the study also revealed no relationship existed between student grit and growth mindset scores and reading scores. The scope of the study was limited; the researcher recommended additional studies be pursued to investigate the relationship between grit, growth mindset, and reading scores further.</p>

<p> Student retention has been consequential to students through an assortment of disparaging labels derived from the retention process. It served to marginalize the academic status of those students considered for retention through such practices as ability tracking, inferior labeling, and other discriminatory measures, as they moved through their respective academic journeys. And while both research current to the time of this writing and past research continued to be overwhelming in its stance that such policies and procedures were filled with negative unintended consequences, there was still little or no effort to abate such practices (Allensworth, 2004). This research explored whether student retention policies and procedures at the elementary level were addressed and exercised with consistency, practiced with fidelity, and fully understood by all who participated in the retention decision-making process. Furthermore, were those who are tasked with the decision to retain, doing so in a manner that provided each student considered for retention a process of fairness and equity. The researcher examined the impact of absence of systematic retention procedures through the lens of a mixedmethods research study of a large Midwest metropolitan school district. This study utilized two instruments to acquire data for the proposed research questions. The <i> Teacher Retention Belief and Knowledge Questionnaire,</i> used by Witmer, Hoffman, and Nottis (2004), followed by interviews of selected elementary principals and district assistant superintendents. The findings from this research proved inconclusive with regard to responses to intervention strategies, resource availability for retained students, and the employment of then-current research literature and practices as part of the student retention decision-making protocol.</p>

<p> Student mobility is &ldquo;students moving from one school to another for reasons other than being promoted to the next school level&rdquo; (Rumberger, 2002, p. 1). In this qualitative study, the researcher detailed how student mobility impacted four rural intermediate elementary schools in two select counties in southwest Missouri. Four principals, four counselors, and four classroom teachers were interviewed to learn how high student mobility impacted these participants, mobile and non-mobile students, and schools overall. There has been ample research on student mobility in the primary grades and in high school, but very little research exists dealing with intermediate elementary students. Many common perceptions among those interviewed arose after data were analyzed. Participants agreed highly mobile students were more likely to struggle academically and socially than stably enrolled peers. In addition, interviewees felt highly mobile student populations presented more difficulties for teachers and administrators to successfully educate all children. The need for more effective enrollment and new student orientation practices surfaced as means to minimize the negative effects of high student mobility in the studied schools. Also, the need for more efficient communication with parents of mobile students was highlighted. Schools in this area must find ways to streamline curriculum and procedures to provide shared mobile students the opportunity to find academic and behavioral success. Conclusions from this study may help school leaders better address the needs presented by a highly mobile student population.</p>

<p> This study focused on the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the use of instructional technology in the classroom. Participants in this study were from three school districts with student populations between 500-1,000 students in the southwest region of Missouri. Students were given a survey to determine a self-assessment of their own abilities to use certain technologies for learning purposes. Their teachers were given a correlated survey; however, teachers were asked to assess their students&rsquo; abilities to use certain technologies for learning purposes. A Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> test was conducted on the results of the surveys to determine if there was a statistical difference between the students&rsquo; and teachers&rsquo; responses. No statistical difference was calculated between students&rsquo; perceptions and teachers&rsquo; perceptions of students&rsquo; abilities to use instructional technology. Further, interviews were conducted with teachers to determine their perceptions of many aspects of the use of instructional technology, including the following: perceptions of teacher training regarding instructional technology, including preservice teacher training and professional development; pedagogical models teachers employ when using instructional technology; and barriers to the effective implementation of instructional technology in their respective classrooms. Findings revealed, overall, teachers think training regarding the use of instructional technology needs to be strengthened at both the preservice level and the professional development level. Further, teachers reported barriers to effective use of technology include a lack of viable equipment. Teachers were generally unfamiliar with pedagogical models regarding instructional technology.</p>

<p> With schools having an ever-increasing interest in reducing acts of violence and reducing the incidence of out-of-school suspension, new interventions are constantly being sought. How the program is implemented can play a significant role in program effectiveness. Durlak (1998) found that many evaluation methods did not consider the implementation process because they were done after the implementation of the program. Whether an evidence-based intervention would have a positive effect depended on closely following the details of the implementation process (Durlak, 1998). This study was motivated by four research questions: (a) Was the process used to implement Positive Behavior Intervention and Support at a suburban high school? (b) Were the seven components for Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program development identified by Colvin addressed? (c) What are the adaptations that need to be made to make Positive Behavior Intervention and Support appropriate for high school students? and (d) Do staff members feel Positive Behavior Intervention and Support is having an impact on discipline at the high school level? The purpose of the study was to (a) Document how Positive Behavior Intervention and Support was implemented in a suburban high school, (b) Explore unique challenges at the high school and how the challenges are met, (c) Document the impact on discipline, school culture, teacher perception and (d) Determine if staff members feel Positive Behavior Intervention and Support is having an impact on discipline. The qualitative method is employed to explore the research questions. Staff members at the suburban high school in the study completed an 18-question survey using an online survey tool. Data were also gathered with six staff members who volunteered to participate in the face-to-face interviews. The online survey tool Survey Monkey was used to gather the data. The findings from the 18 survey questions supported the responses that provided the evidence that implementation processes were followed. The face-to-face interviews allowed the interviewees to share their personal perspectives. The themes that surfaced from the survey questions and the face-to-face interviews were similar. The importance of staff buy-in was a frequent theme that is repeated in the surveys and the interviews. Communication was another common theme. The study highlighted recommendations such as the importance of student involvement at the high school level and student participation of the leadership team for any new initiative that is being implements. Understanding the factors that can influence successful implementation was one of the most important findings of the study.</p>