Students with disabilities face challenges to academic success that can be exacerbated by the effects of poverty. In this study, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the effects of socio-economic status, social capital, and threats to safety on literacy test scores for students with disabilities. Results of the analysis indicate…

Since the 1920, colleges and universities have leveraged standardized testing as a way to determine worthiness of access to higher education. Nearly 100 years since its first appearance, the use of standardized testing has become commonplace despite the growing evidence of the socioeconomic and racial disparities among test takers. While some high…

Retention of knowledge from school courses has long been a concern of educators and administrators. Bahrick (1979) offered the general sentiment that "much of the information acquired in classrooms is lost soon after final examinations" (p. 297). This negative outcome is exhibited in curriculum that feature course sequences, where…

Reading Recovery is a first-grade literacy intervention program with notable short-term benefits, but there are sustainability studies that highlight inconclusive evidence of its enduring success. It was unclear if formerly enrolled Reading Recovery students continue to have long-term literacy skill retention after exiting the literacy…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the size of a public school district or the amount allocated per-pupil in the state of Texas made a difference in student academic outcomes for special education students. The data evaluated in the study were the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Algebra I score and the Public…

The study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners…

An ever-growing trend in education is the integration of mobile devices in the school setting, especially considering the abundance of research available on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Not surprisingly, a common concern found is the lack of student interest in educational applications. This capstone reports a summary of the research, design, and…

The applied dissertation was designed to investigate the three models of grade span configurations of sixth grade and the effects grade span configuration has on results of the standardized achievement scores of sixth grade students in private, Florida schools. Studies that have been conducted on sixth grade students and grade span configuration…

Saint Edmond's Academy is a small, independent, Catholic school in Wilmington, Delaware. Students in Grades 4 to 7 are falling below their peers in other independent schools on standardized tests in mathematics, specifically the Educational Advisory Company Comprehensive Testing Program assessment. Within the scope of this work, my goal was to…

This study examines the relationship between the use of an iPad in one-to-one environments and reading achievement based on standardized test scores in a middle school setting. This study uses cognitive engagement theory to connect iPad engagement with reading achievement. This study involved 253 middle school students from Milton Middle School in…

This quantitative correlational study was designed to determine if and to what extent there was a relationship between the Arizona Assessment Collaborative (AZAC) district benchmark assessment scores and the Arizona's Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching (AzMERIT) state achievement test scores for reading and math for students…

Within the past two decades, federal and state governments have increased the frequency, number, and importance of standardized tests in elementary and secondary American schools. These tests are characterized by recognition-based frameworks that privilege "best" or "correct" answers, processes, and understandings which remain…

Public school leaders have searched for solutions to disruptive student behavior and its effect on academic concerns. As a result, research-based behavior models such as school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) were used to adjust student behavior with the goal of improving academic achievement; therefore, there is a necessity to understand…

Achieving sufficient proficiency in academic writing is critical in university level setting. It is not surprising hence, that the admission to English speaking universities is usually conditioned not only by a particular total score from Standardized tests of English proficiency, e.g., TOEFL or IELTs but also a specific band score in writing. To…

Meeting standardized test benchmarks is a challenge for elementary school students in Texas. The problem is that some elementary schools do not meet the performance standards of the fourth-grade STAAR state test average. Problem-based learning is a model used in schools to initiate problem-solving skills with a hands-on approach to real-world…