Although the Texas economy is racing ahead at full speed, state K-12 education has stalled. One major obstacle has been the claim by opponents of school choice in Texas that giving families more education options via education choice policies would harm or even destroy rural district schools. These concerns, even if understandable, are not based…

This study aims to measure the impact of 95 Percent Group's Phonological Awareness Lessons (PA Lessons), an intervention program designed primarily for Tier 2 or 3. The study is a replication of Schechter & Lynch (2023) research conducted in the same medium-sized school district, Val Verde Unified School District, in California during the…

Students in Title 1 school districts continue to fall far behind their peers academically in comparison to neighboring suburban districts. School reform has unsuccessfully attempted to improve test scores by consistently changing reading curriculums and mandating the use of various resources that fail when implemented. Struggling school districts…

The problem addressed in this study was a lack of teacher confidence in implementing culturally responsive practice in early childhood classrooms leading to low academic achievement in minority students. Federal regulations, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), mandate that all students are given the support needed to succeed. PK-12…

Studies have demonstrated significant associations between executive function (EF) and reading ability. Many of these studies have evaluated this association through composite EF skills. In this study, we evaluated the indirect effects of working memory (WM) and cognitive flexibility (CF) in the relation between kindergarten socioeconomic status…

The goal of the continuous improvement process in North Dakota K-12 education is to review and adjust practice to best support student learning. This study considered the continuous improvement services and supports provided by North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), such as providing training and support through regional education…

Background/Context: Kindergarten mathematics instruction is critical for students' future academic success. The nature and quality of this instruction may vary depending on classroom characteristics. However, little empirical work has examined how mathematics instruction in kindergarten might differ based on classroom performance levels. Purpose,…

Recent research has identified interventions that improved achievement for students with low test scores in mathematics. The Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades practice guide, developed by the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) in conjunction with an expert panel, distills this recent research into…

Almost every state in the United States has revamped its principal evaluation policies since 2009, yet we know little about how they are implemented. Based on interviews and document analysis in 21 small- and medium-sized school districts, we found that superintendents' sensemaking shaped their implementation of policy. Drawing on their beliefs…

Concerns continue to exist in public schools nationwide regarding students who are reading below grade level. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to focus on the components of the MTSS Framework as well as the creation, implementation, and monitoring of research-based, tiered interventions. This study evaluates a comprehensive process,…

Research has shown that, although phonics and phonemic awareness predict reading success, a majority of early learners still lack these skills. Research also showed that a majority of preservice teachers (PSTs) in early childhood education teacher (ECTE) may not have gained adequate pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in phonics and phonemic…

It is widely known that students who come from low socio-economic status backgrounds, receive fewer opportunities in their early years of life when compared with those from high socioeconomic status settings. Children from these contexts get lower achievement in reading tests than children from wealthier status. This study intends to contribute to…

This meta-analysis extended the current literature regarding the effects of computer technology (CT) on mathematics achievement, with a particular focus on low-performing students. A total of 45 independent effect sizes extracted from 31 empirical studies based on a total of 2,044 low-performing students in K-12 classrooms were included in this…

This study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the relationship between an internet-based mathematics formative assessment and data from a mathematics summative assessment for primary grade learners (ages 5-7). Results showed a positive relationship between formative assessment data related to the concepts of counting and decomposing…

Elementary students in urban schools tend to report lower reading ability than their suburban counterparts. The general problem is that poor reading ability can have a negative impact on students' performance, but there does not seem to be any clear method for addressing the issue within the urban school environment. The specific problem is that…