Research has identified evidenced-based practices and programs that are successful for increasing the learning outcomes of students with disabilities which in turn helps narrow the achievement gap between the student subgroup and non-disabled peers. Employing the identified practices has produced inconsistent results and led to a closer…

Students with disabilities are reading at levels lower than their nondisabled peers. Some school districts have incorporated Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to assist in closing the reading achievement gap between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. There is a gap in the literature regarding which PLC-implemented…

The achievement gains of California students with disabilities (SWDs) on the California Standards Test (CST)-English Language Arts have surpassed the achievement gains of students with no reported disabilities in recent years, and so the special education achievement gap seemed to be closing. However, the reported achievement for SWDs has not…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) articulates the goal that all children can learn and are expected to achieve grade level academic proficiency by 2014. Based on theories underlying models of extrinsic motivation, the fundamental assumption and theory of action is that a system of rewards and sanctions will motivate teachers to focus on…

An achievement gap exists in mathematics between elementary school students with and without disabilities. Guided by the conceptual framework of constructivism, this project study addressed issues related to this achievement gap in the area of mathematics, specifically assessing the cause of this gap from the teachers' perspective. The…

Despite a rural Georgia school district's effort to increase the academic performance of all students, the achievement gap persists between general education and special education students. The purpose of the study was to explore what factors hindered coteachers from consistently applying differentiated instruction in elementary inclusion…

It is essential that English language learners (ELLs) are able to effectively receive an education. Recent national data indicates that the achievement gap between English and non-English learners in school is approximately a two grade-level difference (NCES, 2012). The increase of students who are learning English and who have a disability is a…

In the last few decades high-stakes testing has become more political than educational. The Districts within Arizona are bound by the mandates of both AZ LEARNS and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. At the time of this writing, both legislative mandates relied on the Arizona Instrument for Measuring Standards (AIMS) as State Tests for gauging…

The study examined the academic and graduation progression of students with disabilities compared to their non-disabled students in Georgia public high schools. Specifically, the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in math and English and graduation rates were analyzed for their progression since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and determine how special education teachers perceived the effectiveness and impact of NCLB and IDEA on the academic achievement of high school students with disabilities. The purpose of the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA)…

The research literature on computer based (assisted) instruction is mixed. Some researchers say it improves and motivates student achievement. Some researchers say it has no effect on learning. Alarmingly, the data on eighth grade performance in math is low across the United States. In the state of Georgia there are gaps in the performance of…

The current climate for education at the local, state, and federal levels includes an increased reliance on standardized assessment scores. Policy makers accentuate the need to raise standards of curriculum being instructed, accountability for assessment scores, and develop plans to close achievement gaps. Tests are given in grades 3 to 8 in math,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the academic achievement of students with disabilities compared to students without disabilities on standardized assessments. This study collected archival data from urban middle schools in six school districts in the State of Georgia. Data was collected from students in grades six through eight on the…

This research sought to determine if unintended effects of increased accountability standards on graduation rates for students with disabilities existed. Data from one southeastern state were utilized in order to determine if graduation rates were impacted as a result of higher accountability standards. In addition, administrator attitudes on…

Public policy and current educational reforms have challenged schools to close the achievement gap for all students, including those with disabilities as required under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. As schools seek to implement sound instructional practices for students, technology has become a dominant force in schools and society.…