This dissertation examines the connection between the English Language Arts Professional Learning Community, data analysis, and research-based instructional strategies to improve students reading levels, as measured by the Pennsylvania Literature Keystone Exam at an Urban High School. It is a mixed-method study. Data were collected from 9th -12th…

This quantitative quasi-experimental study was completed to identify the impact the Success for All: Reading Edge (SFA) program had on student achievement at a Title I middle school. To improve literacy and student achievement in schools, scripted reading programs were created. With the popularity of these programs, research needs to be completed…

Reading consists of many interconnected skills. Research recommends that beginning readers focus on a set of basic skills, specifically referred to as the "foundational skills" (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices [NGACBP], Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO], 2010). Essential to forming the base for…

The evolving educational landscape of our students' needs post-Covid has highlighted that student response to intervention must be of concern to all educators. Our student population has experienced an event that is like no other in our shared educational histories and our response to the aftermath of this event and how we assist students who are…

Summer reading is correlated with improved reading scores and a decrease in summer learning loss. This educational leadership portfolio (ELP) was designed to address summer learning loss as a way to improve reading achievement for elementary students in the Phoenixville Area School District (PASD) in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. More specifically,…

As federal mandates continue to emphasize the use of standardized tests, academic research is needed to determine if reading intervention programs are helping to close the achievement gap between struggling readers and their grade level peers. Although previous research indicated that reading intervention can be an effective tool for increasing…

The benefits of involvement in early childhood education have been researched from many different perspectives to show how children achieve social, emotional, and academic gains when they participate in a pre-kindergarten program. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to assess how attending a pre-kindergarten program in a…

Beginning learners of English progress through the same stages to acquire language. However, the length of time each student spends at a particular stage may vary greatly. Under the current educational policies, ELL students are expected to participate in the general education curriculum while developing their proficiency in the English language.…

The existence of an achievement gap in the academic performance among various subgroups of students is a well-documented phenomenon in American public education (Blackford & Khojasteh, 2013; "Education Week," 2004; Hayes & Grether, 1969; Hernandez, 2011; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015). This is certainly the…

Acting out behaviors is a hindrance to learning across the country. The school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) model is a behaviorally-based systems approach to addressing problem behaviors in our school today. The problem this study is designed to address is the issue that student misbehaviors and disruptions cause a loss of valuable…

Students who have the ability of working through text, while at the same time comprehending what they read, increase the likelihood of school success and lifelong learning (Johnson, 2006). In primary grades, teachers understand that students are learning how to read and in intermediate grades, students are reading to learn new knowledge about a…

Class size and student achievement have been debated for decades. The vast amount of research on this topic is either conflicting or inconclusive. There are large and small scale studies that support both sides of this dilemma (Achilles, Nye, Boyd-Zaharias, Fulton, & Cain, 1994; Glass & Smith, 1979; Slavin, 1989). Class size reduction is a…

Achievement of adequate yearly progress (AYP) is crucial for all students due to the increased rigor of Common Core Standards and Keystone graduation requirements. Logically then, programs that can help students achieve AYP should be implemented to their fullest potential. This study investigated whether the Reading Apprenticeship (RA) framework…

Poor early literacy skills can impact a child significantly, limiting school achievement and success throughout the life span. Difficulties are also associated with numerous social problems. Students exhibiting prereading skill deficits often fall even further behind their classmates in later elementary years (Cusumanzo, 2007; Deno, 1989;…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effect of prekindergarten attendance on boys' and girls' standardized reading achievement scores in third and fifth grade. The thrust for more emphasis on increased information regarding the impact that prekindergarten has on standardized test results, both short-term and long-term, is…