Throughout the years, United States education reform has sought to target the most disadvantaged students. Nonetheless, during this same period, proficiency rate disparities seem to have emerged among student subgroups. This study was designed to find ways for school districts to begin closing the achievement gaps between student subgroups,…

This study examines the correlation between i-Ready and FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) exam scores to investigate whether high scores in the i-Ready exam are associated with a solid performance in the FSA exam. Correlation coefficients were calculated after scaling the data, revealing strong positive correlations between i-Ready and FSA scores…

The problem is that many public-school educations in various states rely on standardized testing resulting in misguided policies that further affect teaching and learning. This exploratory case study aimed to explore how teachers with 5 to 10 years of teaching experience in the Florida Region describe the influence of standardized testing on…

The nonequivalent-groups anchor-test (NEAT) data-collection design is commonly used in large-scale assessments. Under this design, different test groups take different test forms. Each test form has its own unique items and all test forms share a set of common items. If item response theory (IRT) models are applied to analyze the test data, the…

This study investigated the impact of AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) English General Paper courses on the academic progress of 10th-grade students with disabilities, specifically their performance in Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) scores. The primary objective was to examine the correlation between ninth-grade FSA…

For more than two decades, there has been an increased emphasis on improving academic outcomes for K-12 students across Florida. Such emphasis has resulted in state reform efforts to enhance student academic performance and school accountability. High-stakes testing has been selected as one means for assessing student outcomes and measuring school…

Standardized testing is generally regarded in schools today as the primary way to measure and determine student achievement. Student performance determines the degree to which schools, teachers, and students are identified as being successful. The problem being investigated by this study was that all students are spending too much classroom…

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore at-risk students' experiences and engagement with game-based learning in a Northwest Florida middle school through their shared experiences of the phenomenon. At-risk students are in danger of grade-level retention if they do not close their achievement gaps on standardized…

Prior research in mathematical assessments has indicated varying results of predictive variables and further research has been recommended to support students, parents, teachers, and school administration. The purpose of this research was to determine how well a student's performance on a mathematics domain at the state level may be predicted…

In Florida, civic illiteracy among middle and high school students is a pressing concern despite state initiatives to increase civic competence (Florida House of Representatives, 2019; FLDOE, 2023b; Florida Department of State, 2023). Recent scores on state civics and social studies standardized assessments reveal a disheartening fact--an average…

Students are expected to complete high-stakes standardized tests on computers, but many are disadvantaged due to their lack of technical skills and experience. While students complete a required state practice test, the brief overview of the technology used during testing is often not enough to ensure that students can successfully navigate the…

Florida, from 1971 to 2014 has used the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as a yearly accountability tool throughout the education system in the state (Bureau of K-12 Assessment, 2005). Schools use their own assessments to determine if students are making progress throughout the year. In one school district within Florida, Performance…

The study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners…

The applied dissertation was designed to investigate the three models of grade span configurations of sixth grade and the effects grade span configuration has on results of the standardized achievement scores of sixth grade students in private, Florida schools. Studies that have been conducted on sixth grade students and grade span configuration…

Public school leaders have searched for solutions to disruptive student behavior and its effect on academic concerns. As a result, research-based behavior models such as school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) were used to adjust student behavior with the goal of improving academic achievement; therefore, there is a necessity to understand…