The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted educational outcomes, including reading achievement in grades 3-5, particularly in schools primarily serving high-poverty communities of color. This study evaluates the 95 Phonics Lesson Library (95 PLL), a targeted phonics intervention program, in a low socio-economic status, ethnically diverse,…

This study, conducted by LXD Research, evaluates the 95 Phonics Lesson Library (95 PLL), a targeted phonics intervention program in a majority low SES, ethnically diverse midwestern school district from 2023-2024. Using a quasi-experimental mixed-method design, this study compares reading outcomes of fourth and fifth graders using 95 PLL with a…

Many initiatives have emphasized the importance of challenging students in text using readability formulas. Almost all formulas employ mean word frequency yet long-standing issues abound. Researchers question using a singular mean with a skewed variable like frequency. They also question the degree to which frequency pinpoints complex words,…

Graphical literacy or graphicacy is a critical component of scientific literacy. Graphs are used to integrate and represent complex sets of information requiring abstraction from perceptual experience. They form essential parts of the Mathematics and Science curriculum across school curricular stages. A key to developing meaningful pedagogic…

Vertical scales are frequently developed using common item nonequivalent group linking. In this design, one can use upper-grade, lower-grade, or mixed-grade common items to estimate the linking constants that underlie the absolute measurement of growth. Using the Rasch model and a dataset from Curriculum Associates' i-Ready Diagnostic in math in…

This dissertation explores the relationship between teacher experience, defined by years of service and grade span, and trust levels in educational leadership and among stakeholders within the school community. Trust is critical in fostering positive educational environments, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring the successful implementation of…

Purpose: Graphotactic regularities are statistical regularities governing orthographic systems that children are sensitive to from the start of their literacy learning. The current study observed changes in children's sensitivity to a set of graphotactic patterns across different grades in elementary school and measured the contribution of skills…

Student absenteeism, which skyrocketed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has negative consequences for student engagement and achievement. This study examines the impact of the High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) Initiative, implemented by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington DC, on reducing absenteeism. The HIT…

The purpose of this study was to investigate if differences in perceived professional self-efficacy were due to various demographic characteristics for educators in a rural East Texas school district. Participants in this study were full-time teachers within the school district. The district consists of 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1…

There are many things new teachers must learn during their first year in order to effectively teach their students. The struggle during this first year causes many new teachers to become frustrated by a seemingly unmanageable workload, feelings that they are not getting the support they need, and feelings of failure that might cause them to…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between writing motivation and performance for students in grades three to five, and whether scores differed based on students' language status, gender, or grade level. Three student language groups were included: (1) emergent bilingual students currently receiving services for English…

This mixed-methods outcomes study investigated the number of in-school and out-of-school suspension reports before and after the implementation of a preventative-based discipline method, classroom circles. The study was guided by five research questions, (1) What is the relationship between the use of classroom circles school-wide and ISS and OSS…