This study investigates the influence of Explicit Instruction (EI) on the mathematics achievement of students attending Belmont Middle School (BMS). There is an urgent need for schools to evaluate the instructional strategies they have been adopting to identify whether they have any significant impact on students' mathematics performance. With the…

Project based learning (PBL), a well-known pedagogical approach, is becoming more widely recognized for creating and sustaining student engagement and motivation in 21st-century learning while improving academic achievement. Teachers support this hands-on, collaborative approach and see it as beneficial for students of all learning modalities, but…

Teacher data use is often centered around standardized testing. Such data use that is commonly centered on standardized tests and used during professional development does not necessarily transform teacher practice toward equity and fails to change teacher conceptualizations of students while also perpetuating inequitable practices. Conversely,…

The purpose of this study is to foster socio-emotional learning strategies during standardized assessments season to help students process their feelings of fear, exam anxiety, and academic achievement in urban secondary schools in the Southern region of the United States of America. This qualitative research methodology was conducted as a series…

The study presents insight into the self-efficacy of students scoring below proficiency on their state-mandated assessments when participating in various teaching pedagogies. Self-efficacy is often lacking among students scoring below proficiency due to burnout or a lack of desire to excel from not engaging in academic success (Usher et al.,…

This quantitative research examined the effect of the implementation of project-based learning and assessment on the standardized test scores of high school students. Data were collected through a quantitative approach using standardized test scores for ninth-grade students taking the end-of-course World History and Geography to 1500 A.D. (C.E.)…

The purpose of this quantitative methods study was to determine a relationship between instructional reading strategies and standardized test performance for third-grade students in Phoenix, Arizona, and counties in Arizona school districts. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015…

Federal and state legislations continue to mandate high-stakes testing for American students. Consequences of high-stakes testing include but are not limited to, low teacher efficacy, narrow teaching strategies, lack of student motivation, and the feeling of insecurity in classrooms by the students. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper…

A disconnect exists between the way teacher candidates learn to address the needs of students during teacher training-coursework and the actual teaching expectations in a subject/grade level where students take a standardized exam. Using phenomenological research this study examined novice teachers' perceptions about developing their instruction…

All students are entitled to a well-developed and meaningful education that prepares them to take on challenges and responsibilities in a global and democratic society. However, assessments have created barriers for many students. This study was undertaken in a New York City high school in which end-of-course and Regents assessment is a…

The transition to virtual learning during the pandemic highlighted critical aspects of educational and teacher self-efficacy (TSE). Despite the challenges K-12 students historically faced in digital environments, recent shifts necessitated a deeper exploration of online teacher roles. This study examined the relationship between TSE in virtual…

Standardized testing results in fourth-grade math have shown that students in the United States continually score below students in many other nations, despite funding education at levels well above the global average. The problem addressed in this study was that fourth-grade math students in the United States were not performing as well on…

The United States lags behind other countries in science education outcomes, even though STEM fields contribute to our economic growth and output. The challenge of improving science education and reducing achievement disparities has been especially pervasive in diverse urban centers such as New York City. In that vein, New York City has embarked…

This study examined the lived experiences of New York City educators who are teaching and learning in a high-stakes testing environment to improve students' learning outcomes. The research questions were: (1) What are New York City elementary school educators' experiences teaching in a high-stakes testing environment? (2) What are New York City…

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if and to what extent there was a statistically significant difference in students' Algebra I or Algebra II AzMERIT standardized proficiency rates in non-charter public high schools that implement digital curriculum compared versus those that implement traditional…