The focus of this dissertation will be on investigating the impact of middle school mathematics tracking policies, while specifically focusing on a novel idea, called Self-Selection. Self-Selection is an intervention that provides open access to all levels of mathematics classes for students in grades six through eight. Under this program model…

Students classified as English learners (EL) are a protected class of students with core legal rights. There are clear opportunities to strengthen education policies and practices to improve opportunities and outcomes for EL-classified students. This dissertation is comprised of three studies examining key issues in EL education with the goal of…

This study was an investigation of a standardized 8th grade Algebra I placement policy across multiple educational districts. Researchers have documented benefits of students' 8th grade Algebra I education, while others have detailed the consequences of algebra enrollment without necessary prerequisite skills. The purpose of this study was to…

Despite significant regulations regarding the reading proficiency of students in the United States, more than half of students graduating high school are continually reading below proficiency (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). In 2000 the National Reading Panel (NRP) identified phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and…

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a formative evaluation of junior high and high school curriculum reform as part of a state initiated pilot program in a rural school district in southwest Mississippi. The purpose of the program was to address and respond to the 8th-grade technology literacy requirements of the No Child Left Behind…

In California, Algebra I is the 8th grade math content standard. The United States Department of Education found the annual 8th grade General Math California Standards Test to be out of compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 since it assesses 6th and 7th grade math standards and not Algebra I math content. In response to the…

Alternative school settings for students who are identified as "disruptive or dangerous" are playing an increasingly prominent role in the world of public education, yet many gaps in the research literature are abound. This dissertation study is an effort to contribute to an understanding of the students placed in these alternative schools,…