Although the formal definition of kindergarten readiness includes cognitive and social skills, the prerequisite skills tested during the first 30 days of kindergarten by the State of Florida are the academic benchmarks and competencies from the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) curriculum. Student readiness rates for VPK facilities include…

Despite the surge in efficacy studies, the relative effectiveness of any two math interventions is largely unknown and replications are rare. To ensure that students benefit from high-quality learning experiences, the current conceptual replication of Wang and Woodworth, a randomized control trial, evaluated the relative impacts of two computer…

The strong association of early language skills to later reading ability suggests that supporting the development of these skills in children who enter preschool or kindergarten with below-average language abilities may lead to stronger reading skills. Despite this, few evidence-based supplemental language instructional programs exist for…

School districts seek to increase teacher retention in response to nationwide teacher shortages. The problem is that teachers who have taught for 5 years or less have the highest attrition rates compared to other teachers, with more than 44% of new teachers leaving the profession within the first 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative case study…

Teaching is a stressful profession that requires individuals to balance their time, resources, and emotions. While many districts have plans in place to support the needs of their new teachers, few resources exist for those individuals who have given the most to the profession--veteran teachers. Attrition in education negatively impacts…

Background: Failure to learn early reading skills leads to lower reading comprehension later in elementary school (Double et al., 2019; Paige et al., 2019), which can then lead to poverty, underemployment, and increased likelihood of being incarcerated (World Literacy Foundation, 2018). Early reading skills are best developed in kindergarten…

The role of play in early elementary education (K-2) generates dichotomous opinions, and more research is required to support efficacious pedagogical decision-making. This pilot study explored the effects of pedagogical approaches on Title I kindergarten students' executive function (EF) to test the hypothesis that children, especially those from…

This study examined selected parameters of two newly developed measures called AEPS-3 Ready-Set and Ready-Set Family Assessment of Children's Skills (FACS). Ready-Set is a school readiness measure designed to gather information from teachers or other professionals on children's kindergarten school readiness skills across important developmental…

In most states kindergarten entry assessments (KEA) are employed primarily to inform parents and teachers. KEAs can serve as a key indicator of child development at formal school entry to inform education, but also could serve as a baseline for assessing progress in the early grades. However, their usefulness for this purpose is limited because…

The goal of a Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy is to ensure all students read on grade level by the end of third grade. This document shows why a K-3 reading policy is necessary, discusses evidence and research, and explains the fundamental principles of a comprehensive early literacy policy.

A Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy establishes support and intensive reading interventions for K-3 students to ensure they read on grade level by the end of third grade. The policy also requires third grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade. For students severely below grade level and who do not…

This study evaluates TeacherServer, a generative AI platform for educators, focusing on its effectiveness and usability. Using the Teachers' Acceptance of AI in Education (TAAI) framework, it assesses teachers' perceptions before and after workshops with 148 K-12 teachers from Florida. Results show a notable improvement in teachers' acceptance of…

Teacher burnout can have negative consequences for both the teacher and the school environment. In this study, a quantitative, correlational approach was used to examine teacher burnout in relation to their proficiency in technology-integrated instruction. The study aims to investigate whether there is a connection between a teacher's ability to…

A Comprehensive early literacy policy establishes support and intensive reading interventions for K-3 students to ensure they read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade. The policy also requires 3rd grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to 4th grade. For students severely below grade level and who do not qualify…

Past research has highlighted some differences in how sarcasm is interpreted by different groups of individuals as well as biases in individuals' expectations regarding who is more likely to use it (e.g., occupation, gender). However, examinations of patterns of sarcasm production have been much less frequent. The current research extends past…