One to One technology initiatives are a national trend, but something districts must weigh heavily as they are costly. The purpose of this study is to explore the One to One initiative in a middle school as it relates to student achievement and reducing economic disparity. Bourdieu's Cultural Capital Theory applies to this study as one would…

The purpose of this study was to determine if special education and at-risk students educated exclusively in a school-within-a-school setting showed improved high-stakes standardized reading test scores after learning the strategic instruction model (SIM) inference strategy. This study was focused on four groups of eighth-grade students attending…

Professional Learning Communities (PLC's) are designed to help schools improve student achievement; all decisions are based on the needs of students. PLC's are an effective way to receive professional development (PD), allow for collaboration with fellow teachers, and offer timely intervention to all students. In a district known for PLC…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is a difference in high school students' achievement and retention on standardized tests between students who participate in inquiry-based laboratory activities and those that participate in traditional style laboratory activities. Additionally, student and teacher opinions of…

This qualitative case study examined causes of low graduation rates for young adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students participating in an after-school program and reflect on their perceptions of that program a year after they graduated. The theoretical framework for this study reflected upon an open social system. The research…

Research has found that a solid foundation of early literacy skills is a necessity for later reading and academic success. One such skill that contributes to a strong foundation is phonemic awareness. This study has explained the importance of a phonemic awareness curriculum for kindergarten and first grade special education and at-risk reading…

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine the changes in principal-teacher relationships and school climate over time as witnessed by staff members in elementary level "Turn Around Schools" in Indiana and how these relationships impacted student achievement. School climate and subsequent principal-teacher relationships…

In 2002, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation greatly enhanced the school accountability movement in the US and resulted in pervasive influence, mandating student achievement outcomes in low-income school communities. Of particular challenge has been the NCLB requirement to advance student achievement each year according to designated…

The Full Service Schools (FSS) reform model is an inter-agency collaboration between the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), Choices, Inc., Insights Education Group and the DC Department of Mental Health. This comprehensive school reform model is based in the Response to Intervention paradigm and is designed to mitigate student academic…

Federal legislation has prescribed the increased use of statewide achievement tests as the culmination of a student's knowledge and ability at the end of a grade level; however, schools need to be able to predict those who are at-risk of performing poorly on these high-stakes tests. Three studies served to identify a means of predicting statewide…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference with student achievement at third grade in reading with a traditional public school as compared to a public charter school; both schools were a part of the Southwest Region School Corporation. This quasi-experimental study compared third grade ISTEP+ scale scores in…

The research in the study examined the development and effects of an alternative model of parent/teacher collaboration on behalf of student learning. The setting for the research was IMPACT School, a small independent school serving students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Two primary research questions were addressed: (1) What…

Many students at an urban vocational high school have failed to pass the mathematics section of the New Jersey high school graduation assessment. Students who fail the graduation assessment are in danger of not earning their high school diploma. The purpose of this study was to learn, from the instructors' perspectives, why students were not…

This study provides an in-depth analysis of whether students who take dual enrollment and/or AP classes have higher ACT test scores compared to a group of their peers that did not take dual enrollment or AP courses. The study also identified the demographic characteristics (ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status) of students with a 3.0 or…

The purpose of this project study was to assist school principals in hiring quality teachers by examining existing hiring processes and research-based criteria on teacher practices that influence student achievement. The superintendent in one school district identified a problem of low student achievement and high teacher turnover. The theoretical…