This study examined the difference between 2012 CRCT math sores based on principal leadership styles and teacher morale, as well as the relationship between teacher morale and 2012 CRCT math scores at each of the 12 elementary schools within a Northwest Georgia county school district. There is a gap in current research regarding the importance of…

As teachers in Georgia utilize formative assessments to ensure successful performance on the state mandated Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), it is essential that the data they receive from these assessments are accurate. This study examined the correlation between the computer-assisted instructional program, Classworks, and student…

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores of 8th grade students and End of Course Test (EOCT) scores of the same students as 9th graders in the areas of language arts and mathematics to test the theory that a relationship exists between the two tests. The study also examined…

To help teachers improve their efficiency and effectiveness, this dissertation study uses regression analysis to assess two middle Georgia counties' CRCT and Math 1 EOCT data in order to determine the usability of the CRCT to enhance instruction in Math 1. Data were collected from the 2009 and 2010 CRCT administrations and the 2010 and 2011 EOCT…

Georgia law mandates that students who fail the state Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) twice in grades three, five, and eight be retained, unless a committee is convened including a subject-area teacher, an administrator, and the student's parent or guardian. If the committee unanimously decides the student may be successful in the…

To address whether or not modifications in test administration influence item functioning for students with disabilities on a high-stakes statewide problem-solving assessment, a sample of 868 students (with and without disabilities) from 74 Georgia schools were randomly assigned to one of three testing conditions (resource guide, calculator, or…

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine whether differences exist in the mathematics achievement of fifth grade gifted students based on the instructional delivery model used for mathematics instruction, cluster or collaborative, as defined by the Georgia Department of Education. The content area of mathematics, an area…

This study sought to provide a preliminary examination of the relationship between the implementation of Guided Math and student achievement in Title I schools as measured by the percentage of students who met or exceeded the standard for the Georgia Mathematics CRCT. The study examined data from thirty Title I elementary schools in one suburban…

Gaps in achievement test scores continue to exist in students depending upon race, gender, income, and ethnicity according to the Center on Education Policy (CEP), an advocate for public schools. School districts and schools are struggling to close the achievement gap that exists. In the 2010-2011 school years, 34.4% of African American students…

This study examines the effects of two test administration accommodations on the mathematics performance of students within the context of a large-scale statewide assessment. The two test administration accommodations were resource guides and calculators. A stratified random sample of schools was selected to represent the demographic…

The major purpose of this study is to describe a conceptual framework for examining differential item functioning (DIF) and differential person functioning (DPF) as types of model-data misfit within the context of assessing students with disabilities. Specifically, DIF and DPF can be viewed through the lens of residual analyses. Residual analyses…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act, signed into law in January 2002, established a decade of test-driven school reform in an attempt to increase student achievement and reduce the student achievement gap. The state of Georgia created the Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) to align with the guidelines of NCLB. This study examined…

This quantitative study implemented a non-experimental design that was descriptive, ex-post facto, and longitudinal. This study is examining economically disadvantaged students (EDS) with comparison to non-economically disadvantaged students (non-EDS) and their academic performance on Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).…

This general achievement trends profile includes information that the Center on Education Policy (CEP) and the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) obtained from states from fall 2008 through April 2009. Included herein are: (1) Bullet points summarizing key findings about achievement trends in that state at three performance…