This mixed-methods case study aimed to explore absenteeism and attendance expectations in Caufield, a pseudonym for a New England school district that facilitated an overnight one-to-one technology distribution in response to COVID-19. The sample consisted of one middle school in a four-school district in Connecticut. This research study sought to…

Historically marginalized students, especially urban students attending under-resourced schools, experience lower levels of belongingness than their white peers in suburban, well-resourced schools. Much research highlights that student belongingness increases student outcomes such as on-time graduation, standardized test achievement, and lifetime…

The focus of this study is on understanding the perceptions of middle school mathematics teachers about the implementation of standards-based grading (SBG). The study employs a multiple case design using four Connecticut middle schools where standards-based grading was in the process of being implemented. In each school, three mathematics teachers…

This is a qualitative, descriptive, and multi-case study, in which the researcher investigated the perceptions of middle school teachers who were implementing three-dimensional learning aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) into their instructional practices. The participants were 10 middle school teachers who worked in three…

In the United States the number of English Language Learner students is steadily increasing. Many ELLs speak and understand limited English, resulting in achievement that lags far behind that of their classmates (Thomas, 2015). Recruiting the support of educators who come in contact with ELL students on a daily basis promoted a solution to this…

This case study investigates the intricate landscape of K-8 education in Connecticut, particularly focusing on Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT). Drawing inspiration from theories of cultural intelligence and collaborative learning, the research sought to understand the experiences, perceptions, and practices of K-8 educators concerning CRT,…

The sample of this study consisted of 1,077 eighth grade students and 442 eighth grade teachers from nine states--Alabama, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Carolina during the TIMSS 2011 study. The instrument used to measure student and teacher self-efficacy, student task value, and teacher…

In this age of data based decision making and accountability, parent involvement and data collection are paramount. This study represents a significant contribution to educational research by extending the understanding of home-school communication media with specific regard to daily progress reports. The purpose of this study was to compare…

This study examines the relationship between specific leadership behaviors (i.e. the extent to which principals establish goals and expectations; plan, coordinate and evaluate teaching and the curriculum; and promote and participate in teacher learning) and teachers' self-reported sense of preparedness and self-reported use of practices that align…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore and describe the relationship between middle-level science curriculum structure and student science literacy. Although national and state science curriculum standards are based on an integrated model, there is little quantitative data supporting integration. This study explored the use of…

The purpose for this study was to determine what is the relationship between the degree of trust that the principals of middle schools and high schools invest in each other and the comprehensiveness of their eighth-to-ninth grade transition programs. Data were gathered through the administration of a three-part survey designed to collect…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was proposed by President George W. Bush as a means of closing the achievement gap across the United States. While the President and lawmakers have put this law in place, the affects of the legislation on middle school science education has not been evaluated. Issues of funding, the lack of available resources,…

This study investigated the impact of the "LANGUAGE!" literacy instruction on the reading comprehension and motivation to read of struggling middle school readers compared to that of a balanced literacy instruction. A convenience sample of sixth, seventh and eighth grade students (n = 175) from a small, suburban middle school in…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe one Connecticut middle school's voluntary implementation of a data-driven decision making process in order to improve student academic performance. Data-driven decision making is a component of Connecticut's accountability system to assist schools in meeting the requirements of the No…