Previous literature has indicated a lack of information available regarding virtual schooling and how it compares to traditional schooling in terms of the academic achievement of students (Angiello, 2010; Brady, 2012; Dichev, Dicheva, Agre, & Angelova, 2013; Molnar et al., 2019; Molnar, 2021). This study aimed to examine differences among…

This study seeks to share teachers' and principals' voices from middle schools in the Southeastern United States who are attempting to help their students achieve academic success. Obtaining a snapshot of middle schools in the Southeastern United States provides opportunities to recognize trends and identify challenges about the current…

Research has shown that the development of cognitive and social skills in preschool predicts school readiness in kindergarten. However, most longitudinal studies are short-term, tracking children's development only through the early elementary school years. This study aims to investigate the long-term impact of preschool predictors, intelligence,…

Students with disabilities have the right to free and appropriate education, but there are still challenges for students with disabilities. Transition from one level of education to the next can present challenges to students with disabilities, especially from middle to high school. Although this transition time comes with challenges, there may be…

This study assesses the excellence gap by examining those who enroll in advanced, honors, and advanced placement (AP) classes among a low-income and a majority-Latinx population. Prospective longitudinal data come from a diverse, urban sample (N = 32,885) where 82.2% of the students received free or reduced price lunch. We examined numerous…

The purpose of this project was to understand the association between age at kindergarten entry and social-emotional competence across grade levels, including kindergarten, grade 3, and grade 5. While the research indicates that there can be an initial academic advantage for the delayed entrant before grade 3, there is far less research that has…

With the introduction of the 4+4+4 education system in 2012, the school starting age has been reduced to 60 months and branch teachers started to attend classes starting from 5th grade. Therefore, in the current study, there are two aims. Firstly it is aimed to determine the opinions and experiences of science teachers having started to teach the…

Enrollment in eighth-grade algebra doubled from the 1990s to 2012 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2013) as research demonstrated that Algebra I operates as a "gateway" to advanced mathematics courses in high school (Adelman, 2006), and that students who succeed in Algebra I in middle school have more success in mathematics…

English learners have long been defined as faulty linguistic beings, liabilities in a school system that values immediate academic readiness to perform like those in the mainstream. With a need to look at the many other facets that constitute who English learners are and what they are capable of in their academic pursuits, this case study looked…

Racial disparities are evident across Washington's K-12 education system. This report provides an analysis of Washington K-12 education data and reveals that there are consistent opportunity gaps for students of color. The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need to address racial disparities as communities of color have faced disproportionate…

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study designed to measure trends in mathematics and science achievement at grades 4 and 8, as well as to collect information about educational contexts (such as students' schools, teachers, and homes) that may be related to student achievement. TIMSS has…

In this dissertation, I examine how two major social programs in Kentucky--state-funded preK and Family Resource and Youth Service Centers--impact children's outcomes across the state, including racial, ethnic, and economic equity through elementary school. In each chapter, I will analyze how early childhood opportunities relate to outcomes…

The purpose of this study was to investigate exam scores' predicting Transition from Primary to Secondary Education (TEOG) exam scores. The research data were obtained from the records of 1035 students studying at the first term of eighth grade in 2015-2016 academic year in e-school system. The research was on relational screening model. Linear…

The Success Project was a multi-year effort that aimed to better prepare middle grade students for the transition to and success in high school and beyond. Underlying this initiative was a belief that many urban public middle grades students in the United States enter high school without sufficient social supports and academic skills to succeed in…

Every two years, the Washington State Board of Education (SBE) reports on the health of Washington's educational system. Established in 2013 by the Washington State Legislature, the Indicators of Educational System Health create a common framework upon which to evaluate the overall health of the educational system. The Board has two important…