The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of middle and high school principals in Virginia regarding high-stakes testing. Perceptions were assessed regarding unintended consequences impacting the principals' role and their alignment with professional and scholarly literature. There were 22 findings emerging from this study. One of the findings revealed that principals perceived the necessity of instructional leadership as opposed to simply acting as school managers. The findings also revealed that middle and high school principals strongly agreed that high-stakes testing resulted in a loss of instructional time and that there has been a narrowing of the curriculum; however there now was a clearer alignment of the written, taught, and tested curriculum. Additionally, the findings revealed that less than 50% of middle and high school principals believed that high-stakes testing had helped close the achievement gap between minority and majority students. One of the most prevalent findings focused on the stress exhibited by students, teachers and administrators, all due to high-stakes testing. One hundred and sixty-six Virginia middle and high school principals participated in this study. An electronic survey instrument was used to rate 31 statements derived from the scholarly literature regarding the unintended consequences and perceptions of high-stakes testing of middle and high school leaders in Virginia. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influenced students of one suburban Louisiana school district to leave school prior to obtaining a diploma. Qualitative methods were used to investigate the reasons that students gave for what influenced them in making their decision to leave school. Additionally, it was the intent of the study to determine if the Louisiana school accountability program had any influence on the students' decisions. Interviews were conducted with 11 students who dropped out of school in the 2003-2004 school year. With-in case and cross-case analyses were performed and themes were developed to illustrate the responses given by the participants during their interview. The data suggest students leave school because they face personal obstacles that they cannot overcome. Additionally, participants of this study cited a lack of alternative schooling and disappointment with the systems as other factors that influenced their decision to drop out of school. Furthermore, participants did not feel that school accountability had an influence on their decision to leave school.

Magister Educationis - MEd / Algebraic graphs are a difficult topic for most secondary school mathematics learners. My experience as a Mathematics teacher in the Further Education and Training Phase (FET) is that learners solve problems involving graphs with difficulty. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to investigate learners’ ways of working with algebraic graphs in high-stakes examinations including their errors and misconceptions in this respect. The investigation carried out to identify learners’ errors and misconceptions is based on the analysis of 444 scripts from the 2012 grade 12 final Mathematics examination. More specifically, the study aimed to investigate the ways learners used to solve questions related to graphs in this examination. The focus of the study was the algebraic graphs tested in Paper 1 of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination with an emphasis on the identification of errors exhibited in the learners’ scripts. The study adopted a qualitative approach using documentary analysis methodology. As data, the study used the scripts of the final grade 12 Mathematics examinations of schools participating in a project for the improvement of Mathematics based at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The analysis of learners’ scripts reveals that learners make many errors when they work with algebraic graphs. These errors that have been found in this investigation were coordinate, intercept, domain and range, asymptote, identification, drawing and function errors. Additional errors which were identified are transformation and inverse errors.

This ethnographic study examines the relationship between teachers’ literacy teaching practices and the pressures created from large-scale reform and high-stakes testing. The participants were staff members at one elementary school that primarily serves Latino students, with a history of low-test scores. Primarily drawing on field notes of classroom observations and meetings as well as interview transcripts, this study demonstrates how testing infiltrated literacy teaching at the school and classroom level. Organizational decisions were made to support test preparation in 3rd-5th grades, but resulted in uneven support for teachers and students in the form of monetary resources and how support staff were used. In terms of bilingual education, informed decisions determined students’ language of instruction and testing, but otherwise received little attention. At the classroom level, test preparation infused daily literacy instruction despite a general consensus among teachers that teaching to the test was against their own beliefs. The subsequent literacy teaching practices resulted in narrow definitions of literacy reduced to disconnected skills in isolation without clear connections to meaningful uses of literacy. The ways in which test preparation affected the classroom life could be seen in the ways teachers organized their class schedules to accommodate test preparation, the specific strategies test-taking strategies they taught, and the use of assessments to track student progress and make instructional decisions. While teaching to the test presented challenges for their beliefs, a minority of teachers found ways to make their practices as theoretically defensible as possible while still supporting students with test preparation, such as through the use of high quality children’s literature. Some teachers also participated in conferences and organizations outside of the school as a way of extending their teaching and the curriculum. The findings from this study expand on what we know about teachers’ response to reform and testing because of their ability to respond with agency in a context that otherwise positions them as less-than-professionals. These teachers offer a heartening example of what we really need—proactive decision makers in the classroom who can navigate the demands of working in a high-stakes testing culture while still promoting quality literacy instruction. / text

Texas has one of the highest populations of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the U.S., with a complex system for their placement, education, and assessment. Spanish speaking, Hispanic ELLs represent a large proportion of this population. The long-term academic achievement of these ELLs identified in elementary is not well known, especially under the policy changes of No Child Left Behind. Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling, this study compares student achievement, as measured by high-stakes testing, of Hispanic ELLs enrolled in Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, and their non-ELL, demographically similar peers. Data will be examined at four time points spanning 3rd-9th grade, to suggest implications of Texas educational policy on student achievement. / text

High-stakes testing is used for the purposes of providing results that have important consequences such as certifications, licensing, or credentialing. The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of an exam recently written by flight paramedics for recertification and make recommendations for development of future exams. In 2008, an unexpectedly high failure led to revisions in the exam development process for flight paramedics. Using principles of classical test theory and generalizability theory, I examined the decision consistency and dependability of the examination and found the decision consistency for dichotomous items to be within acceptable limits, yet the dependability was low. Discrimination was strong at the cut-score. An in-depth look into the process used to set the exam, as well as the psychometric properties of the exam and the items have led to recommendations that will contribute to future development of dependable exams in the industry that result in more valid interpretations with respect to paramedic competence. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-06 22:41:41.552

Studies have consistently shown that teachers’ ratings of behavior were predictive of academic difficulties. While research has clearly indicated that behavior has a reciprocal relationship with academic achievement, there is a scarcity of research on the relationship between outcomes on high stakes tests and student behavior. Early identification of children at risk for academic difficulties is vital for successful intervention and remediation. Therefore, this researcher investigated use of a brief behavior screener as a predictor of students at risk for failing a high stakes test. Results from the Behavior Assessment System for Children–Teacher Rating Scale–Child Screener (BASC-TRS-C Screener) provided an assessment of behavior. Georgia’s Criterion Referenced Test – Reading and Math scores provided achievement in reading and math. An analysis of data on 636 second through fifth grade participants revealed a significant inverse relationship between teacher ratings of student behavior and achievement. Thirteen of the fifteen models suggested that teachers’ ratings of behavior indicated with greater accuracy students at risk for academic difficulties than did the model without the behavior ratings. While two models were not significant, they clearly suggested an inverse relationship between behavior and achievement. Logistic Regression analyses suggested that the BASC-TRS-C Screener predicted with 90% accuracy the pass fail classification group associated with the score. The odds ratio suggested that with each point decrease on the BASC-TRS-C Screener score, (in which high scores equal greater behavior concerns) the chances of passing the Criterion Referenced Competency Test reading high stakes test increased by 5%. In the area of math, the odds of passing increased by 6% with each point decrease on the BASC-TRS-C Screener. Other findings suggested that minorities have a significantly greater risk (p < .05) of failing the Criterion Reference Competency Test in the areas of reading, math, or both reading and math than do their same age peers.

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Research suggests that high stakes testing impacts teachers' decisions regarding curriculum and instruction, which, in turn, impacts student learning. Because Virginia administered SOL tests for Computer/Technology, then discontinued them, a study was possible comparing teachers' perceptions and actual student achievement of those taught while the high-stakes tests were in place and those taught after the tests were discontinued. A survey was administered to all elementary and middle school classroom teachers in a midsize urban Virginia school division to determine their perceptions of the effects of high-stakes testing. Cross tabulations were performed based upon: school level; on whether the teacher had taught prior to, or only after, the SOL tests were implemented; and whether the teacher perceived he/she was teaching a high or low percentage of lower socio-economic status (SES) students. In addition to the survey, the 2002 versions of the Virginia Computer/Technology Standards of Learning (C/T SOL) assessments were administered to all 2005 fifth and eighth grade students within the same school division. Statistical comparisons of the means of raw scores from the 2002 fifth (n = 625) and eighth (n = 641) grade groups and the 2005 fifth (n = 583) and eighth (n = 522) grade groups were conducted. Comparisons were also conducted on scores from each test between groups of students who qualified for free and reduced price lunches and those that did not qualify. Finally, statistical comparisons were made between the scaled scores of students who were eighth graders in 2005 (n = 397) and their scaled scores as fifth graders when tested in 2002. The study found a majority of teachers felt high-stakes testing creates pressure and changes the focus of instruction to tested areas at the expense of other activities and non-tested content. When the means of the scores of students who took the C/T SOL tests in 2002 were compared to those from 2005, the scores for the students taught under the high-stakes testing pressure were significantly better than those tested in 2005. Further, this gap in student achievement was more pronounced for lower SES students, suggesting a widening of the "digital divide." 74b769a6-e0db-4582-ac4d-7a2ab1e0118c,"Research surrounding older adults, social support, and emotional well-being are richly researched topics. However, literature is devoid of qualitative studies and research focusing specifically on community centers and older adults' social networks, which are integral for understanding the growing needs of older adults in today's society. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of phenomenology, activity theory, and ecological theory, four in-in-depth interviews were conducted and then coded for themes. The central themes highlighted family connection, connection with others, resiliency, helping others, type of activity, restoring self, community connection, exploration, convenience, and life stages. Suggestions for future research and possible impacts for clinical practice are discussed. / Ed. D.

Does the degree of implementation of the components of the middle-school design relate to high-stakes assessment scores in Grade 8 reading and math? There currently exists a conflict between the advocates of the middle-school components and those who support an abandonment of this philosophy and conceptual model for a more conservative and curriculum centered school structure. The outcome of this study provides valuable data to resolve this debate. Socioeconomic ratios, minority percentages, and student attendance were controlled for as they impact student achievement. The middle-school concept evolved from a desire to create a more appropriate learning environment which would address the unique needs of early adolescents. Student achievement as demonstrated on the math and reading Standards of Learning tests in Virginia schools should validate this belief. The data analysis resulted in no significant difference between the reading and math scores on the Virginia state assessment for eighth-grade students in middle schools and eighth graders in other grade configured schools. The socioeconomic status of the student population of the school was the one factor that did impact the students' academic achievement. Math scores were not impacted to the same degree as the reading scores. While this research provides no concrete support for the expansion of the middle-school program, neither is there support for the assertion that it lacks rigor, and keeps students from achieving academically and therefore should be abandoned. / Ed. D.