A study of the relationship between key influencers as motivators to attendance, behavior, engagement, and academic achievement among middle school students in metropolitan Atlanta Georgia, 2014

This study examines middle school students perceptions of the relationship between key influencers on student attendance, student behavior, student engagement, and academic achievement. Three hundred (300) survey participants were used in this mixed methods design, which consisted of an analysis of the independent variables affecting overall student motivation operationalized as Student Attendance, Student Behavior, Student Engagement, and Academic Achievement of eighth grade students. The survey participants were composed of two urban middle schools in a large public school system and a private middle school in the same county. African-American male students were isolated to analyze correlation relationships among variables. Findings of the study indicated that among other outcomes, African-American male students have definite perspectives about teacher quality and the impact of parental involvement. KEY TERMS: Males, Motivation, Attendance, Achievement, Middle, Parents, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Community College Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration and Supervision, Educational Leadership, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Urban Educatio

Teacher Well-Being and Virginia Standards of Learning

The Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) were created by the Virginia Department of Education as a method to assess student learning. The SOLs were implemented in the mid-1990s and were used as end of grade and end of course assessments for grades 3-8 and secondary courses. The SOLs have taken on a foundational role within the Virginia public schools as they now count toward student graduation and teacher evaluation. Virginia now uses a teacher evaluation system that is in large part based upon student performance on the SOL assessments. This evaluation system is in place in all public school divisions in Virginia. This study began as an attempt to understand the potential changes in the mental and physical well-being of teachers as related to the Virginia SOLs. Teachers were asked to complete a brief survey designed to measure their response to various mental and physical stressors. One hundred twenty-one surveys responses were received with 117 completed. The survey data will be used to discuss the possibility of creating a quality program of professional development that will help teachers guide their stress into positive and productive areas. This study revealed that elementary/middle school teachers tended to experience higher rates of insecurity, vulnerability, depression, and coping ability than secondary teachers during SOL test administration. However, it was also determined that elementary/middle school instructors did not experience changes in most aspects of physical well-being during the SOL test administration that are drastically different than their secondary school counterparts. The study indicated elementary teachers experienced a higher rate of heart racing than their secondary colleagues. The means and standard deviations across the areas surveyed were similar and did not vary significantly across surveyed responses except for the areas mentioned above

The relationship between student achievement and other selected variables and teacher engagement, 2017

It was the goal of this study to determine the relationship between student achievement and other selected variable such as principal years of experience, student socioeconomic status, teachers perceptions of administrative support, students perceptions of teacher support, and teacher attendance to teacher engagement. The study also determined if the variables along with teacher engagement were predictors of attrition. Pearson correlations were used to analyze the data that had the greatest significant relationship to teacher engagement. Regression tests were used to determine if the variables were predictors of attrition. The researcher concluded that student achievement, teachers perceptions of principal support, and students perceptions of teachers had the most significant relationship to teacher engagement; student socioeconomic status had a negative relationship with teacher engagement. The researcher found that the selected variables were not significant predictors of teacher attrition. Recommendations were suggested for central office leaders, building level leaders, teachers, and future researchers. KEY TERMS: Teacher Morale, Teacher Motivation, Student Achievement, Teacher Attrition, Job Satisfaction, interpersonal Relationship, Education, Educational Administration and Supervision, Educational Leadership, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching, Urban Educatio

Teaching and instruction: a study exploring contributing factors that impact reading comprehension for english language learners in middle school and strategies for improvement, 2016

The purpose of this mixed methodological study was to explore factors that impact English Language Learners (ELLs) reading comprehension in middle school and strategies for improvement. The independent variables were Oral Language Skills, Reading Motivation, Cultural Relevant Pedagogy, Teacher Instructional Strategies, Students Self-Efficacy in the use of English, Academic Peer Support, and Student Socialization/Involvement; the dependent variable was Reading Comprehension. This study took place at one private school outside the Atlanta Metropolitan area in which 99% of the population are ELLs. The participants included 60 students and 3 teachers of different content backgrounds. The quantitative data collected included a survey of 60 students and students Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) scores were analyzed. Pearson r 2-tailed correlation, descriptive statistics, and a regression test were used to test the significant relationship between variables. The qualitative data collected included interviews of 6 students and classroom observations of teachers lesson plans. To analyze the qualitative data, the researcher interpreted statements from the interviews, classroom observations of teachers lesson plans, and document analyses into themes. The findings of this study revealed that there are significant relationships between the dependent variable, reading comprehension and the independent variables oral language skills, students reading motivation, culturally relevant pedagogy, student socialization/involvement, and students self-efficacy in the use of English having the greatest impact on ELLs reading comprehension. KEY TERMS: reading comprehension, culturally relevant pedagogy, brain based learning, strategies, assessments, English Language Learners, Accessibility, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching, Secondary Education and Teachin

Student and teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of positive behavioral interventions and supports in a metropolitan Atlanta elementary school, 2017

The goal of this study was to ascertain student and teacher perceptions of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) effectiveness as based on PBIS tiers and other select variables: school discipline, school safety, school climate, student acceptance of PBIS reward system and administrators implementation of PBIS policy. Through a Pearson r correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression test based on survey results, this study revealed which variables have the greatest significance on PBIS effectiveness. Based on the findings, it was concluded that all variables: school discipline, school safety, school climate, student acceptance of PBIS reward system had a significant effect. Qualitative data of this study supported the findings of the strategical results. Also, it is noted that administrators implementation of discipline policy shown to be significant as a result of the qualitative data. Recommendations were suggested for school leaders, district leaders, policy makers and future research. KEY TERMS: PBIS, Discipline, Positive reinforcement, student behavior, Educational Leadership, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Other Educational Administration and Supervision, Urban Educatio

An Unfinished Canvas: Teacher Preparation, Instructional Delivery, and Professional Development in the Arts

Based on surveys, interviews, and secondary data analyses, identifies deficiencies in teacher preparation, instruction, and development in the arts in California, and recommends minimum training requirements and support for professional development

Middle Grades Principal Credentialing: A Vanishing Requirement

Limited research explores how school administrators learn the leadership skills, knowledge, and dispositions that will support young adolescents, particularly how administrators are prepared and credentialed to lead middle grades schools. The purpose of this research was to examine which states offered and/or required administrator credentials specific to middle grades and why states do or do not offer or require such credentialing. Analysis of the data indicates that states are moving away from specific credentialing for middle grades school administrators, with only one state still offering such a credential. Although state credentialing officers indicated the value of a specific middle grades principal credential, the need for flexibility for districts and credential candidates was the overarching reason for eliminating or not having a middle grades administrative credential. Moving away from specific middle grades credentialing has a number of implications for students, schools, preparations programs, and advocates of middle grades education

How factors of school leadership, school culture, and teachers' perceptions influence parental engagement in two titleI urban middle schools: implications for educational leaders, 2018

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify how the select factors of school leadership, school culture and teachers perceptions influence parental engagement in two Title I Urban Middle Schools. This study investigated the strategies and programs that have an impact on parental engagement to determine how these can be used to improve parental engagement in Title I Urban Middle Schools. In order to accomplish the goal of this qualitative study, two Urban Title I Middle Schools from a large school district in the Southeastern United States were selected. This research design provided the opportunity to address the research problem of the factors that influence parental engagement in two Title I Middle Schools. The researcher collected and examined relevant data from teachers surveys, parents surveys, interviews with two middle school principals, a focus group discussion with parents, an analysis of documents, and interviews with parent liaisons at each middle school. The researcher ensured the reliability and validity of the study by utilizing the triangulation method. Reliability and validity are important to any research and are often times considered as the rigor that is necessary for all kinds of research (Merriam, 1995). This triangulation method included open-ended interviews, surveys, a focus group discussion, and document analysis that were instrumental in determining and understanding the experiences, perceptions, and beliefs of those participants involved in the study. The study provided rich and valuable data that were used to address the research problem of the factors that influence parental engagement in Title I Middle Schools. The findings of the study provided an understanding of the factors that affect the level of parental engagement in Title I Middle Schools and also offered insights into understanding how these factors create challenges to parents in becoming more involved. The findings concluded that the leadership style of the principal, teachers perceptions of parental engagement, and school culture do have a substantial influence on parental engagement. The researcher also offers recommendations for state policies, school districts, and local school administrators on how they can create and implement programs to enrich their parental engagement activities. KEY TERMS: Parental engagement, family involvement, school leadership, Education, Educational Administration and Supervision, Educational Leadership, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Urban Educatio

Grade Span Configuration and Academic Performance for Students in Poverty: A Texas Multiyear Analysis

Grade-span configuration refers to the range of grades within a school (Coladarci & Hancock, 2002). The debate over the benefits of one grade span configuration over the other has ensued for decades (Howley, 2002). Specific questions in this debate are (a) Which grade span configuration is most cost effective?; (b) Which grade span configuration yields the best academic achievement?; and (c) Which grade span configuration best meets the social and emotional needs of middle level children? (Howley, 2002)