The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational research study was to investigate the extent that Hispanics in grade 11 in a rural high school in Tennessee experienced a sense of belonging and the correlation, if any, between sense of belonging and academic achievement on the state English I and English II standardized tests. I…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the tensions between what secondary teachers think and believe about assessment and the corresponding actions they take in their classrooms. Of particular interest was the development of Teacher Assessment Identity (TAI) and the impact of experience on TAI. Survey data and semi-structured…

Statement of Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to examine the possible relationships between co-curricular scheduling models, student choice of co-curricular courses, and scores on the English Language Arts and mathematics Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) scale for students in sixth, seventh, and eighth…

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to examine the relationship between focused keyboarding instruction and the required standardized assessments mandated by Federal and State authorities. Initial mandates required that the first assessment to be administered online would be the Writing Assessment by year 2014. The assessment given in…

A person-centered approach was used to explore how preschool school readiness profiles predict Grade 3 academic performance among a large (N = 43,044) low-income, ethnically-diverse longitudinal sample of children. Study aims: (a) determine the number and type of preschoolers' school readiness profiles, (b) determine how profile membership relates…

This article contributes to the larger narrative around what makes a mathematics professional development (PD) successful and in what ways. We share a research-based PD model that was implemented in elementary schools in an urban school district for 3 years. The model uses a pseudo lesson study approach and emphasizes standards-based instruction.…

This report is an updated version of analyses undertaken in previous years (Gill and Crawford, 2016; Gill, 2017; Gill, 2018) looking at the impact of the introduction of new accountability measures (Progress 8) on the qualifications and subjects taken by students at the end of Key Stage 4 (KS4). The focus of this report is on changes to the uptake…

High school mathematics achievement is crucial to the success of students as they advance through their education and prepare for careers, but most Georgia high school students are not high-achievers on state mandated mathematics assessments (GaDOE, 2019; Yu & Singh, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the life and…

In many U. S. universities, international students whose second language is English follow one of two admission paths: 1) the traditional admission path, where students apply directly to the university for full admission; or 2) the conditional admission path, where they can apply to the university's intensive English program (IEP) and be granted…

Despite its importance as a core counselling competency, less attention is given to career counselling than to other counselling specialties and it is often dismissed as a non-essential category in the counselling field. Because students' perceptions of career counselling are affected by peer and faculty attitudes it is important to examine the…

Accountability pressures and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics have created complex demands for educators, especially early-career teachers (ECTs). Analyzing longitudinal data, including the social networks of 119 ECTs, we find that ECTs increase their ambitious mathematics instruction when their network members positively interpret…

Background: Spatial skills and mathematical ability have been repeatedly identified as critical for achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Previous studies have identified correlations between spatial skills and mathematical achievement; however, questions remain regarding improvements in non-spatial areas…

This article provides a "thick" understanding of how public school parents understand their decision to opt their children out of standardized tests. In it, Amy Shuffelton draws from qualitative research interviews with Chicago parents to explore how three mothers connected opting out of standardized testing to their broader commitments…

Paulo Freire's influential concept of "banking" education describes an oppressive process that positions teachers as the "depositors" of knowledge into passive student "receptacles." However, according to Freire, teachers also have an "ontological vocation to be more fully human" that can only be achieved…

Teacher-assigned grades provide important information that is used by universities and colleges to make admission decisions and by employers to make hiring decisions. Besides grades, the results of standardized achievement tests are frequently used for student selection and allocation. However, correlations between the two achievement measures are…