Due to House Bill (HB) 3, passed by the 86th Legislature, Texas public independent school districts are mandated to assess early childhood students using a universal screener. This bill focuses on forming high-quality educational programs and improving reading success in pre-kindergarten through third grade. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) State…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the effects of a tutorial program on first-grade children's reading skills and their tutors' (also preservice teachers) knowledge of reading instruction. Participants consisted of a group of 30 first-grade children served in the program and a control group of 30 children. Literacy…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of experienced STEM teachers regarding STEM preparedness and implementation at a South Texas elementary school for grades kindergarten-five (K-5). This qualitative study used a phenomenological framework. The site for this study was a South Texas elementary school currently…

Purpose: In this validation study, we examined the factor structure of the mediated learning observation (MLO) used during the teaching phase of dynamic assessment. As an indicator of validity, we evaluated whether the MLO factor structure was consistent across children with and without developmental language disorder (DLD). Method: Two hundred…

We present findings across three randomized trials of "Descubriendo la Lectura" (DLL), an intervention designed to improve literacy skills of Spanish-speaking first graders struggling with reading. DLL is a one-to-one Spanish-language literacy program lasting 12-20 weeks offered to a school's lowest performing emerging bilingual first…

Lorenzo De Zavala is a low-income school in West Dallas, Texas, and a part of the large Dallas Independent School District. Reading achievement has been low and stagnant over the past few years at this campus due low reading levels in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Additionally, there is a lack of adequate teacher development and…

This convergent mixed methods study examined six principals' literacy leadership practices and student literacy achievement in first grade. This study utilized TPRI data from the 2018-2019 school year and qualitative data from principal interviews from the same school year. Participants in this study included 354 first grade students and six…

Kindergarten and first-grade students who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have additional learning needs impeding the learning of self and others. The purpose of the qualitative study was to investigate: (a) the successes, challenges, barriers, and needs of teachers working with students who have ADHD;…

This study employed a discourse analysis methodology to compare Korean bilingual students in first and third grades by examining different functions and forms of translanguaging in Korean heritage language classrooms in the U.S. By identifying linguistic functions and forms of each translanguaging occurrence, the study presents that the bilingual…

This exploratory study builds upon extant reading development studies by identifying discrete groups based on reading comprehension trajectories across first grade. The main goal of this study was to enhance the field's understanding of early reading comprehension development and its underlying subcomponent skills, with the intent of better…

Teachers are essential in ensuring children and society are aware of neurodiversity by actively incorporating inclusive children's literature into their classroom activities to promote understanding and acceptance of neurodiverse individuals. Integrating such literature may enhance children's awareness and acceptance of neurodiverse individuals.…

In recent years, the number of English learners (ELs) in U.S. public schools has rapidly grown, with Hispanic children accounting for more than half of Texas public school students, including pre-kindergarten and early childhood education. ELs continue to demonstrate lower reading achievement in comparison to their native English-speaking peers.…

Current models of education are less effective at developing the skills needed for individuals to thrive in this Information Age and beyond. One way to adapt education for current times is through what the authors call Active Playful Learning (APL), a pedagogical framework that is evidence-based, practical, and uniquely co-designed with scientists…

In 2019, declines in reading achievement across Texas motivated changes for teacher recertification, which required 60-hour professional development in the science of teaching reading (STR). The problem this study addressed was the challenges K-Grade 3 reading teachers encountered when implementing the recently adopted Reading Academy content at a…

The purpose of this study was to determine the Leader in Me's effectiveness as an influence on academic achievement in reading and mathematics for elementary students in a school district in Central Texas. The Reading and Mathematics State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores of 748 first-graders provided data to determine if…