Many undergraduate architecture programs have experienced high attrition levels, dating back to the 1940s (McClure, 1948). Despite this longstanding nature, many architecture faculty consider it an indicator of the quality of the program, not a problem to fix (Wiencke, 1994). However, the recession in 2008 had far-reaching effects, greatly…

This report describes the School Turnaround AmeriCorps Initiative and the program's impact on students at Reagan High School and Travis High School during the 2015-2016 school year.

To measure the impact of fine arts instruction in HISD [Houston Independent School District] , the study compared the STAAR [State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness] performance, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes of fine arts students enrolled in Fine Arts Magnet schools (treatment group) with students enrolled in non-Fine Arts Magnet…

The purpose of this study was to employ value-added methodology to determine which placement setting offered the ninth grade 2009 special education high school cohort the most academic growth as measured on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). This particular cohort was selected because it was the most recent cohort for which 3…

In this paper, the author asks the question, "Can Boys Succeed Later in Life if They Can't Read as Well as Girls?" He notes troubling statistics that illustrate lower performance of boys compared to girls, including performance on state reading tests, and graduation rates from both high school and college. He says that the good news is that the…

Before school counselors can carry out the duties and responsibilities outlined as part of a comprehensive school counseling program, they must know which students they are responsible for helping. The topic of assigning students to school counselors has only recently been seen in the educational research arena in a study by Akos, Schuldt, and…

School leaders must determine the most efficient and effective means of complying with national, state, and local policies. Administrators determine methods to meet the needs of all stakeholders. School leaders in Oklahoma selected school improvement techniques to assist with improving student performance. This causal-comparative study addressed…

Previous research has demonstrated a correlation between student demographic factors and standardized test scores in Florida. The researcher examined the impact teacher beliefs and instructional practices had on students' performance on Florida Comprehensive Reading Assessment Test in 10th grade. Teachers at four schools with a majority of at-risk…

As teacher educators, we continue to focus on tutoring experiences as ways to help tutors connect coursework to practice. This study presents a preservice tutoring program designed to provide a field-based experience where the tutors would be able to (a) learn about literacy instruction, (b) use a multitude of assessment data rather than…

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact block scheduling has on (a) student academic achievement, discipline, and attendance, and (b) administrator, teacher, and student perceptions. The study compared 2005-2010 data from a high school utilizing the A/B block schedule and a high school under a traditional schedule, in one suburban…

This study is a comparative analysis investigating student achievement, attendance rates, grade point average and credit earned by at-risk students attending an alternative high school of choice, at-risk students attending a traditional high school and at-risk students attending a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement Campus within the same…

At the request of Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT), Mathematica is developing value-added models (VAMs) that aim to estimate the contributions of individual teachers, teams of teachers, and schools to the achievement growth of their students. The analyses described in this report are intended as an…

The Maine Department of Education wanted to use longitudinal data from its data system to better understand whether and how student and school characteristics are associated with student performance on the state-mandated Maine High School Assessment (MHSA). It was particularly interested in understanding the factors associated with changes in test…

The Maine Department of Education wanted to use longitudinal data from its data system to better understand whether and how student and school characteristics are associated with student performance on the state-mandated Maine High School Assessment (MHSA). It was particularly interested in understanding the factors associated with changes in test…

While structural reform has certainly inspired change in Boston's public schools, its true value is best measured by examining the impact those changes have had on students. Seen through the lens of student performance over the past five years there is ample suggestion that these structural changes have been more than just window dressing--they…