Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a relatively recent entrant into the U.S. early education landscape, combining features of public pre-K and regular kindergarten. We provide the first estimates of the impact of Michigan's TK program on 3rd grade test scores. Using an augmented regression discontinuity design, we find that TK improves 3rd grade…

This three-article dissertation study investigated technology integration in elementary reading instruction that aims to improve students' reading skills by seeking to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) examine the general effects of digital tools used in elementary classrooms for improving students' reading achievements; (2) measure…

Students with intellectual disability (ID) have been participating in statewide general and alternate reading assessments during the past two decades. However, these students' reading performance on statewide assessments over time has not been adequately examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students with ID's…

American Samoa, a U.S. territory, has grappled with low reading scores similar to other mainland schools. As a result, different reading interventions were implemented over the years. The problem studied was that despite using Achieve 3000 as a reading intervention for students in the local high school in American Samoa, reading scores had…

Motivation to read is crucial to improving reading skill. While there is extensive research examining reading motivation among elementary students, with respect to adolescents, research is limited. Employing a person-centered approach can aid in developing a better understanding of adolescent reading motivation and would help address possible…

Although writing instruction can positively impact reading for students across grades and levels of literacy, the extent to which these findings generalize to young students with literacy difficulties is unclear due to the dynamic nature of reading-writing relations. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of writing…

The purpose of this study was to compare virtual school students' learning outcomes with traditional school students' learning outcomes in Texas. The research design was a quantitative study using a retrospective causal-comparative design. The researcher used archival state assessment data to compare the learning outcomes of K-12 virtual school…

The problem is that fourth-grade students in the United States are not meeting reading proficiency benchmarks. Phonemic awareness is a strong predictor of reading success; however, few studies have investigated its effectiveness for intermediate elementary students who are at risk or struggling readers. The purpose of this quantitative…

Teachers' expectations of student capabilities can meaningfully affect future achievement. However, the consistency of teachers' expectations over time and their differential impact by student gender and ethnicity have not been thoroughly investigated in the context of students' reading achievement. The current study investigates the longitudinal…

There have been minimal studies on tutoring programs that pair elementary students with teenage tutors (Jacob et al., 2016). Innovative tutoring programs are important as student reading achievement has declined since the onset of COVID-19 and school systems face instructional staff shortages. Through the lens of Self Determination Theory, this…

Aurelius School District used Curriculum Associates' i-Ready program, which was philosophically aligned to the science of reading and included i-Ready Diagnostic, i-Ready Instruction, and Teacher Toolbox, to improve Cole Middle School students' reading achievement. Because of the high monetary cost of i-Ready, the school district was considering…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Every Child Succeeds Act of 2015 have significantly emphasized student academic outcomes in recent years. As a result, school districts are seeking strategies to increase student achievement and incorporate required standards and goals. Reducing scheduled physical activity time that students in…

Reading disabilities have a profound impact on the academic performance and achievement of children. Although oculomotor pattern abnormalities during reading in children with dyslexia are well known, those in individuals with attention deficit and hyperactive disorders (ADHD) -- who also frequently exhibit a reading impairment -- remain largely…

The current research used the Proficient Academic Reader (PAR) framework to explore whether reading strategies, task awareness, and motivation predicted college students' literacy skills over and above foundational skills (e.g., decoding, vocabulary). Specifically, the current research investigated the unique contribution of the PAR constructs to…

Teacher feedback has been acknowledged as an important facilitator for students' learning performance. However, teachers' feedback efforts are not always found to pay off, especially in the context of Confucian-heritage countries. Scholars are seeking answers from student agencies during feedback-taking. The current study aimed to examine the role…