This study analyzed children's generalized perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior in terms of two dimensions, control and affiliation, referring to the degree of teacher leadership/ management and teacher friendliness friendliness/cooperation in the classroom, respectively. An adapted version of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction was…

Using four-wave longitudinal reading and mathematics data (4th to 7th grades) from a large urban school district, growth curve modeling was used as a tool for examining three research questions: Are achievement gaps closing in reading and mathematics? What are the associations between prior-achievement and growth across the reading and mathematics…

Federal legislation has attempted to move career and technical education (CTE) from a segregated component of the high school curriculum to an integrated element that jointly improves both academic and career readiness. However, concerns remain about the ability of CTE to improve academic learning. Using a nationally representative sample of high…

Using data from a 40-year longitudinal study, the authors examined 3 related hypotheses about the effects of grade skipping on future educational and occupational outcomes in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). From a combined sample of 3,467 mathematically precocious students (top 1%), a combination of exact and propensity…

In this study we investigate the conceptions of mathematics bridging courses held by students enrolled in these courses at a major Australian university. We report on the participants' responses to email-interview questions about the mathematics bridging courses to describe a two-dimensional outcome space of variations in awareness about the…

The Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2011) outlines core disciplinary ideas, scientific practices and cross-cutting ideas as dimensions on which to base science education. This study outlines the use of core ecological ideas and two scientific practices as a way to examine the cognitive complexity of released large-scale assessment items…

An abundance of research exists related to student and school factors that influence student achievement; however, due to the increase in value-added assessment models and the number of states that are instituting such models, there is a significant need to investigate school characteristics and programs that promote academic growth as measured…

This study was designed to determine eighth grade teachers' perceptions of the impact, quality, and types of job-embedded professional development activities they have participated in and the relationship to student achievement in language arts, math, or science. The researcher identified school districts with 50% or more of their eighth grade…

Since the United States Congress enacted the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, school districts have been charged with ensuring that all students are proficient in reading and math by 2014. Schools failing to achieve are labeled as failing or needing improvement. This study sought to determine if commercially produced elementary math curricula…

Assessment results of 52 special education students in a charter school in Washington, D.C., were used to compare instruction received in co-teaching models of inclusion and resource classrooms to determine their impact on end-of-year standardized state exams. Statistical analysis showed Grade 3-8 special education students currently receiving…

The achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and their traditional counterparts has continued to be a problem in education. Based on cognitive constructivist theory and enrichment theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between scores on a high-stakes achievement test and participation in a summer…

This dissertation tests a dynamic assessment-based cognitive hierarchy model and attempts to identify mathematical concepts that predict student learning potential on more advanced mathematical concepts using the units from ST Math, a self-paced curriculum, for third, fourth, and fifth grade students. The quantitative analyses compared a…

This dissertation addresses the question of what implications, if any, has implementing NCLB as mandated had on gifted students in one district. The purpose of this study is to determine 1.) How has a district responded to gifted and high-achieving students within the boundaries of post-NCLB curriculum? 2.) How have teachers responded to gifted…

Research studies of extracurricular activities have illustrated specific relationships between participation and certain student characteristics, such as higher grades, higher standardized test scores, higher attendance, fewer discipline issues, and increased positive school perception. Since so much of the previous research on extracurricular…

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) factors, components of an implementation of response to intervention (RTI) and student learning in mathematics at the middle and high school level. This study was designed to answer three questions: Is there a correlation between PLC…