This study will determine the degree to which first grade literacy tests predict third grade reading performance in order to judge their value as "early warning systems" for reading skills. Reading skills are fundamental to many academic outcomes, so having an early sense of how students are reading is critical for schools. The first…

A modified extensive reading literacy intervention was examined in this study. The problem was English Learner third and fourth-grade students reading standardized tests scores were low and educators were uncertain as to which type of intervention was best to improve English Learner student oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. This…

The benefits of involvement in early childhood education have been researched from many different perspectives to show how children achieve social, emotional, and academic gains when they participate in a pre-kindergarten program. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to assess how attending a pre-kindergarten program in a…

Beginning learners of English progress through the same stages to acquire language. However, the length of time each student spends at a particular stage may vary greatly. Under the current educational policies, ELL students are expected to participate in the general education curriculum while developing their proficiency in the English language.…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects, if any, of a supplemental phonics curriculum, Saxon Phonics, on the reading achievement of first-grade students in one mountain-west, semirural, school district. The design was casual-comparative and ex post facto, and answered the questions: (1) Do students taught using a…

Almost half of the students who enter kindergarten come to school unprepared. Students who come unprepared for the academic demands of kindergarten are at risk for needing support throughout their education. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the type of prekindergarten program (private, public, or none) attended and…

The relationship between frequent mobility and student achievement is complex. While studies have shown that frequent mobility may have a detrimental effect on student achievement, the suggestion that poverty is an underlying cause for poor academic progress has been proposed (Buerkle & Christenson, 1999; United States GAO Report, 2010). The…

In order to identify students at risk of failing the Tennessee high-stakes achievement test known as the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), early literacy skills are monitored using reading assessments. Common reading assessments are based upon varying theories of reading development and do not reflect the necessary reading…

Over several years, second grade parents have expressed concerns about not understanding the curriculum in the area of phonetic coding. The purpose of this study was to give second grade parents the skills they lacked in understanding phonetic coding so they could better help their children with homework and thus see if a significant difference in…

An increasing number of elementary students in a rural school were promoted to a higher grade without having grade-level reading fluency skills, thereby becoming at risk of not reaching or maintaining their academic grade level reading skills. The purpose of this ex post facto quantitative study involving archival data analysis was to investigate…

This quantitative study investigated a summer school alternative to early grade retention. Prior existing second grade student achievement data was collected for students who were initially retained at the end of their first grade year over a two year period. All students were offered the opportunity to attend a promotional summer school program.…

Educational leadership appropriates significant amounts of money for technology in school budgets. Teachers must decide how to use technology to maximize student learning and make the most efficient use of instructional minutes. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if a relationship existed between the amount of…

The National Reading Panel has highlighted the lack of educational opportunities that underprepared prekindergarten students are likely to experience. Traditionally, girls have outperformed boys in reading achievement. Local school districts are concerned with the increase of prekindergarten students who enter the primary grades deficient in…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a computer-based multimedia software program on the oral reading fluency of at risk second-grade learners. The study determined if a cause-effect relationship existed between one factor, "the independent variable" and a second factor, the dependent variable. A Two-way…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was used to determine the impact of parental participation strategies on reading achievement of students in an elementary setting. The problem is that the identified school fails to implement strategies to increase parental participation, in preparing students for the 21st century. One hundred…