This research project was designed to determine if the Model Cornerstone Assessment for Performance, Proficient level, published by the National Association for Music Education would be an appropriate tool to use to demonstrate student growth as one element of teacher evaluations, specifically the T-TESS. This study focused on four main research…

The much-needed interest in promoting a healthy lifestyle among school-age students has found a context for development: school gardens. There are numerous studies where using gardens as a teaching-learning context also improves students' performance in the experimental sciences. In this study, we proposed another interest that sets it apart and…

This article discusses the current contradictory policies surrounding the push for phonics instruction in Texas schools. Focusing on this current iteration of the reading wars, this article seeks to help teachers develop a historical context for reading instruction, review existing research on learning to read, and turn that knowledge into…

This qualitative phenomenological research study investigated Texas high school seniors who failed the initial administration of the End of Course (EOC) exams required for graduation but succeeded upon subsequent test administration. The four questions that guided the research explored the experienced regarding the EOC exams by identifying which…

Student state testing, annual teacher evaluation, and A-to-F campus and school district rating are here. And all of these have real policy implications for every school system. With seven thousand students a day dropping out of the public schools in the United States at a rate of one student every 26 seconds, what might be done to help these…

Learning with informational texts doesn't need to be restricted to the recall of information and facts; instead, challenging students to interpret and present their findings in the form of readers theatre performances requires the application of synthesis and analysis skills. This article frames informational texts and readers theatre as…

Classrooms of teachers who participated in Proyecto Bilingüe, a cohort-based master's degree program, used the historical novel, "Sylvia and Aki". The research question was: What spaces for authoring were created when using "Sylvia and Aki" in the figured worlds of bilingual elementary classrooms? The first theme in relation to…

For decades scholars have agreed that the United States is becoming a more racially and ethnically diverse society. It is projected that the U.S. will become a majority-minority nation for the first time in 2043. By 2060, people of color will consist of 57% of the total population. Given this trend, it is hardly surprising that this social…

In the Winter 2013 edition of the "Texas Journal of Literacy Education," we announced that a special task force from the TALE board would be sharing the common ground among the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In that first edition, we…

This one-year exploratory case study attempted to discern which adjustments in culture, physical classroom environment, and instruction were needed to improve reading instruction in ailing K-2 classrooms at Lion Elementary School. A holistic approach was created to diagnose the problem surrounding poor early reading achievement. After proper…

The introduction of No Child Left Behind increased performance expectations for students across the United States and compelled teachers to focus on standardized assessments instead of frequent formative assessments to monitor instruction and promote student learning. Common formative assessments (CFAs) help teachers align curriculum, assessment,…

Secondary school teachers face remarkable challenges when they are asked to incorporate language objectives because the traditional approach to the education of English Language Learners (ELL) separates English language development from content instruction. The underlying assumption is that English language proficiency is a prerequisite for…

This paper is based on an online graduate program for middle school science and mathematics teachers in Texas titled Integration of Science, Mathematics and Reflective Teaching (iSMART). Launching the program for its first cohort in fall 2010, the authors attempted to answer the following two questions in this paper: (a) How do the members of the…

Purpose: To assess how the use of games contributes to students' science learning, interests, and attitudes about science. Methodology: The study sample was middle and high-school students in a large urban school district in 2012. A total of 1191 students participated in the game. The majority of students were Hispanic females of low…

This paper first examines the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 on the academic performance of Latino students in the U.S. Although the purpose behind NCLB is to help improve academic proficiency in the areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics, research demonstrates that there is still an achievement gap between…