The purpose of this applied research study with a program evaluation was to answer fundamental questions about the effectiveness of an extended professional development program. The program sought to promote quality mathematics instruction by increasing teachers' knowledge of and supporting the implementation of effective mathematics teaching…

The goal of this study was to further evaluate the impact of IXL Math on math learning outcomes. Using a quasi-experimental design with matched treatment and control groups, this analysis utilized data from 312 public schools in Mississippi during the 2021-2022 school year. The middle school analysis included 272 schools (136 treatment, 136…

As online education continues to evolve and create new opportunities for educators to deliver quality instruction, universities are challenged with the range of learning management systems (LMSs) that can serve the educational needs of both universities and teachers. This quantitative study examined teaching English to speakers of other languages…

In the village of Pine lies Pine School. While the school has historically been considered a quality school, the proficiency levels in math MAAP assessments have been lower in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade than 6th grade, by a substantial margin. In this action research program evaluation study, a mixed-methods approach was utilized to discern the…

The Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and the Mathematics Design Collaborative (MDC) are strategies designed to improve how teachers teach and students learn. The designs encourage teacher collaboration and creativity and offer flexible frameworks for building lessons in all disciplines. Their purpose is to engage students to read challenging…

Background: During the 2004-2005 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition, initiated a pilot program to distribute free fruit and vegetable snacks to students during the school day. This article describes the first-year implementation of the Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program. Methods: The process…

Many school districts are using research-based strategies to increase student achievement. The "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001 was created and implemented to assist all students becoming proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014. One strategy many school districts implemented includes an after-school program. One school district…

In 2006-2007 a non-profit reading institute initiated a reading reform programme in the United States in which demonstration classrooms were established in 13 of the lowest performing schools in Mississippi, a state recognised for its high rate of poverty and low academic achievement. This qualitative study describes the experiences of 12 highly…

With respect to co-teaching, there is a lack of empirical research at the high school level. Furthermore, few researchers have considered asking high school co-teachers to share their beliefs and perceptions about what makes co-teaching a successful model. To fulfill both the needs of students who are educated in co-taught classrooms and the lofty…

The purpose of this study was to understand what No Child Left Behind (NCLB) meant to teachers in Mississippi and to determine what impact this reform had on reading and language arts classroom instruction for teachers. Qualitative research methods in the form of interview data and classroom observations were used to examine teachers' perceptions…

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life." This popular Chinese proverb is an apt metaphor for the dilemma faced by principals and curriculum coordinators when deciding whether to purchase a scripted commercial reading program. Although a scripted reading program may solve…

The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of reading programs of students who used the Reading Program One, Reading Program Two, and Reading Program Three reading programs and those students who were taught using no basal reading program in North Mississippi. The study also assessed teachers' perceptions of the various reading programs…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of high-stakes tests on teachers' instructional practices. Data were obtained from a survey instrument given to a stratified random sample of Mississippi social studies teachers who teach the same content that is tested on their state's high school graduation examination. An analysis found…

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to explore the impact of a direct reading instruction program, "Reading Mastery (RM)," on literacy performance of students over a five-year period. Initially, 700 students in grades K-3 were randomly selected from six elementary schools to participate in the study; an additional 100…

Spatial abilities are fundamental to human functioning in the physical world. Spatial reasoning allows people to use concepts of shape, features, and relationships in both concrete and abstract ways, to make and use things in the world, to navigate, and to communicate. Surgeons, pilots, architects, engineers, mechanics, builders, farmers, trades…