This quantitative causal-comparative study investigated the growth performance scores of English learners in grades three through five in reading, mathematics, and science in four English language educational programs: English as Second Language (ESL), Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE), Dual-Language Immersion (DLI), and No Services. I used…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities (PLCs) and students' achievement. A survey was emailed via Qualtrics to elementary principals throughout the Minnesota Elementary Principals' Association's (MESPA) central, northern, northeast, west,…

The current study examined the impact of experiencing either a guided play or direct instruction learning environment on causal learning, curiosity, and divergent thinking. Forty-three children (age 4- to 6-years) participated in an online experiment in which they completed a causal learning task in either guided play or direct instruction…

Motivation is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that is crucial for students' engagement and achievement. It is well known that motivation, especially mathematics motivation, declines over time, often starting in middle childhood. This dissertation is a collection of three studies that examine the trends and patterns of motivation within and across…

The problem this study addressed was whether an intervention, grounded in Reading Recovery strategies, was as effective when used with struggling readers in small groups as it is in 1:1 instruction. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the differences in student performance between students who received small group…

The purpose of the current study was to use a conceptual model to identify possible causal mechanisms at play in the phrase drill (PD) intervention. The study was carried out by isolating and investigating modeling and sentence repetition, which are two specific instructional components that are typically used in PD, by creating instructional…

Preparing students to be college or career ready in the 21st Century starts with the foundational skills they acquire in elementary school. Elementary school principals must work to ensure that, not only do they have a belief in their own abilities to provide this foundation, but that their school improvement efforts are reflected in the results…

Inspiring and motivating students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education continues to be an important educational focus in the United States. Robotics programs are one strategy developed to accomplish this goal. This causal comparative study focused on investigating whether a causal relationship exists between…

Concern about the academic and social well-being of public education in the United States has been at the forefront of education reform. Increased class sizes, amended curriculum standards, and accountability standards have guided the way toward ways to reduce class sizes to meet the demands put upon educators. This study investigated the…

The number of English language learners (ELLs) within the school system in one Western U.S. state continues to rise; writing scores of ELLs lag well behind those of their English speaking peers. The purpose of this ex post facto quantitative causal comparative study was to examine the writing achievement of fourth grade ELLs instructed within a…

This study explored the relationship between ethnic identity, emotional empathy, multicultural sensitivity and dimensions of burnout among schoolteachers working with students from diverse ethnic groups. Based on the self-stereotyping principles and tendencies for ingroup favoritism of social identity approaches, it was hypothesized that…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between school-based organizational structures that support teachers' development of Personalized Education Plans (PEPs) and their quality as written for third through fifth grade students in each of two Title I schools. A causal comparative design was implemented. Teachers' responses…