Using the lens of accountability, the purpose of this investigation is to better understand factors influencing success in student teaching for teacher education candidates. By utilizing existing quantitative data from archival sources from a Midwest university's educator preparation program, this study hopes to develop a predictive model which…

Missouri is struggling with teacher shortages. In its public schools, which serve nearly 900,000 students, shortages have typically been concentrated in urban and rural areas, and in content areas of special education, math, and science. Recently, however, shortages have begun broadly impacting more schools in more parts of the state and more…

Teacher surveys of principal leadership are a common component of school improvement efforts. The usefulness of teacher feedback surveys is dependent on teachers' interpretation of survey items. The current study explores evidence regarding the validity and reliability of teacher surveys for evaluating principals and explores their alignment to…

Considered one of the nation's most comprehensive statewide principal development initiatives, the primary purpose of the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS) is to develop and support effective school leaders. The Region 12 Comprehensive Center's recent evaluation of MLDS examined educators' overall perceptions of MLDS, the extent to…

Developed by the National Writing Project (NWP), the College, Career, and Community Writers Program (C3WP) seeks to improve students' argument writing by building teachers' understanding of and skill in teaching source-based argument writing. The program features intensive professional development, skill-based instructional resources, and…

Current researchers have not been clear on whether or not professional development expenditures, at the school district level, share any possible relationships with student achievement outcomes on state-level summative testing. While there are many articles and numerous research studies on the concept, they are very contradictory in their…

This quantitative study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between former Missouri Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentrators' Technical Skills Assessment (TSA) performance and attaining related placement after high school, specifically analyzing for differences among racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) groups.…

Research suggests that students who participate in formative assessment perform better on measures of academic achievement than students who do not. To raise school and systematic performance, teachers need access to high-quality, rigorous tools designed to provide timely and individualized feedback for student learning. According to a report…

Teachers in American schools have substantial autonomy in grading students in their courses. Music teachers have historically used a plethora of grading criteria that include non-academic and non-achievement data such as participation, attendance, and behavior. This study aims to show how music teachers in the state of Missouri are calculating…

We examined the perceived adequacy and effectiveness of BIO 0475, Advanced Human Dissection, in preparing undergraduate students for the transition into gross anatomy (or equivalent) during their first year of professional school. A 16-item, electronic survey was distributed to course graduates (n=18) that evaluated (1) the importance of BIO 0475…

The focus of this case study approach was to better understand the perceptions of the practicing administrators and their evaluation of science classes. Six practicing principals were asked at least ten questions which led to conversations about their role and comfort level with evaluating science teaching. The administrators varied in their…

Considered one of the nation's most comprehensive statewide principal development initiatives, the primary purpose of the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS) is to develop and support effective school leaders. R12CC employed a mixed-methods design for this evaluation by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to address…

Understandings of teacher expertise in the US have transformed over the past 40 years, arguably being "narrowed" and "numericized" due to high-stakes accountability and neoliberal education reform movements. While this trend has been thoroughly studied under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and Race to the Top regimes, less…

Background/Context: To stimulate national and regional economic growth, policymakers and businesses have expressed great interest in growing the supply of workers with skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). A key link in this pipeline is high school, where learning experience plays a critical role in shaping student's…

In response to rising college tuition and student debt over the past three decades, some institutions, localities, and states have implemented a range of tuition-free promise programs to promote college access and success. Programs vary widely in their design features, including eligibility stipulations and award structure. I explore the growing…