Current Search: Education and state -- Florida (x)
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- Title
- Florida middle grades pupil progression policies: their effects on middle school student achievement and retention rates.
- Creator
- Murray, Mary A., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students,...
Show moreFlorida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students, interpretation and implementation have created additional barriers to grade level advancement. As a result, the possibility now exists for more students and especially those already at-risk of failure will be subject to higher retention rates. This may place them further at-risk of poor academic performance and of potentially dropping out of school, an opposite effect of the intent of the bill. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the revised policies on middle school students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683536
- Subject Headings
- Education and state, Educational tests and measurements, Educational accountability, Achievement in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORIDA ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAMS AND MERIT-BASED PAY IN TWO LARGE URBAN BASED SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
- Creator
- Walkinshaw, Nicole Michelle, Mountford, Meredith, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to ascertain insightful knowledge through the analysis of teacher pay across two similar K-12 public school districts that reflect the current evaluation methodology being utilized within the State of Florida. The two districts were selected because they are among the largest public school districts in the nation (Florida Department of Education [FLDOE], 2021a), have comparable student demographics and utilize contrasting weighted merit pay salary schedule...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to ascertain insightful knowledge through the analysis of teacher pay across two similar K-12 public school districts that reflect the current evaluation methodology being utilized within the State of Florida. The two districts were selected because they are among the largest public school districts in the nation (Florida Department of Education [FLDOE], 2021a), have comparable student demographics and utilize contrasting weighted merit pay salary schedule profiles and algorithms which could provide insights into the relationship between accountability and merit-based pay. The Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) student assessments in (English [R%H] and Mathematics [M%H]) as well as the District School Grades (DSGs) were analyzed. The DSGs were commensurate with an approximation to the Value-Added Model (VAM) and Learning Growth Model (LGM) scores. Since the FLDOE does not release individual K-12 public school teacher VAM and LGM scores, the DSGs were the most appropriate comparative score to utilize when comparing these two districts. These are the primary variables utilized by the Florida K-12 Public School Accountability Programs that directly impact merit pay salary schedule placement. Quantitative methods employed statistical tests and analyses that included Independent Samples t-tests, Intercorrelation Matrices, Independent Correlation Contrasts, and Overlapping Dependent Correlation Contrasts between correlations that were calculated in the two K-12 public school districts. The study found that the input variables (R%H, M%H, and DSGs) had no statistically significant differences of the means between districts tested. Each input variable was commensurate over the 7-year study. Yet, there were statistically significant differences of the percentage mean in the output variables in regard to the percentage of K-12 public school teachers rated Highly Effective and Effective between both districts. The study also determined that the remaining input variable of the teacher classroom observation Instructional Practice (IP) score was significantly related to an educator’s placement on annual merit pay-for-performance salary schedules. Both districts utilized the assessment tool iObservation ®. The results of all of the statistical analyses served to call into question the accuracy, legitimacy, and the efficacy of the methodology utilized to incentivize, compensate, and produce more Highly Effective educators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013893
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership--Florida, Education and state, Merit pay
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- PERCEIVED ROLE OF STATE BUSINESS EDUCATION DIRECTOR AND CONSULTANTS AT THE COMMUNITY JUNIOR COLLEGE LEVEL IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
- LUSK, T. JANE S., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose was to determine what services instructors and administrators who work with business education programs at Florida community junior colleges expect or desire from state business education personnel. The study sought to determine how the role of state personnel was perceived by business education instructors and department heads, division directors who supervised them, and occupational deans; whether position held, education, years of teaching/supervisory experience, or age had a...
Show moreThe purpose was to determine what services instructors and administrators who work with business education programs at Florida community junior colleges expect or desire from state business education personnel. The study sought to determine how the role of state personnel was perceived by business education instructors and department heads, division directors who supervised them, and occupational deans; whether position held, education, years of teaching/supervisory experience, or age had a relationship to perceptions expressed; and whether perceptions would result in profiles for the four groups that would be helpful to state staff. A six-point Likert-type forced choice questionnaire was developed from review of the literature. It contained 10 major task areas and 38 specific tasks directors and consultants agree they should perform. Respondents supplied additional tasks deemed important. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was applied to analyze the data. Conclusions. Background variables resulted in one age, four position, two education, three teaching experience, and four supervisory experience task ratings with significant differences related to perceptions of supervisory task importance. Six tasks were rated unimportant by over 50% of the respondents and five additional tasks as unimportant by three of the four groups. Combined important and extremely important ratings at or above the 50% level of importance resulted in profiles of services considered important by each group. Eleven additional services were listed and rated by respondents. Recommendations. State staff should evaluate services rendered to determine if college personnel consider them important and to learn if adequate services are being provided, should make an effort to provide services that at least 50% of the college personnel consider important, and should disseminate to colleges, universities, and professional groups a listing of services being provided. State staff should encourage college staffs to seek assistance when needed. Those conducting in-service training for colleges should review tasks considered important/unimportant when planning workshops. Teacher education institutions should include in instructional programs information about state services available. Further studies in other states would be helpful to state staffs if multistate profiles could be compiled and refined.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1983
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11830
- Subject Headings
- Higher education and state--Florida--Evaluation, Higher education and state--Florida--Information services
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A cost-effectiveness analysis of two community college baccalaureate programs in Florida: an exploratory study.
- Creator
- Bemmel, Edwin P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this case study was to determine which, if any, alternative in delivering baccalaureate programs in the state of Florida was the most cost-effective one. This exploratory study focused on gaining an understanding of the cost effectiveness of two baccalaureate programs offered at a Florida community college to two like programs at a Florida university using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The researcher interviewed five community college and three State Department of...
Show moreThe purpose of this case study was to determine which, if any, alternative in delivering baccalaureate programs in the state of Florida was the most cost-effective one. This exploratory study focused on gaining an understanding of the cost effectiveness of two baccalaureate programs offered at a Florida community college to two like programs at a Florida university using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The researcher interviewed five community college and three State Department of Education administrators during the Fall of 2007 and analyzed expenditure and effectiveness data from 2003-04 through 2006-07 to determine the cost effectiveness for the programs at each institution. The study revealed that the university and community college programs were equally effective as measured by student graduation and test scores. The community college baccalaureate programs were more cost effective, however, using a formula of per-student state funding combined with student cost. Th e lower per-student funding and student tuition charged resulted in the community college baccalaureate being a less expensive alternative of offering baccalaureate degrees to the state and the students. Using Henry Levin's ingredients model of measuring cost effectiveness, the quantitative analysis of the study revealed that that the university programs were more cost effective in the early years, but the differences diminished over time. Using Levin's model for comparison, the researcher concluded that increased growth in the enrollment of the programs combined with the implementation of effectiveness measures comparable to those of the university would render baccalaureate programs at the community colleges more cost effective., Conclusions based on the formula of state and student cost were based on factual data, while conclusions based on Levin's ingredients model were based on assumptions and estimates using a weighting factor along with an indirect cost rate for Proxim University. The study identified factors other than the cost effectiveness that could make the community college baccalaureate a more attractive alternative and concluded with recommendations for practice, policy, and future research. Differences in state and local laws, or economic, geographical, and environmental differences combined with the nature of this exploratory case study limit the generalizability of the results of this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107803
- Subject Headings
- Education, Higher, Forecasting, Community colleges, Higher education and state
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Comparative Analysis of Required Continuing Education in Florida SB1108 and Teacher Self-Efficacy for Inclusion.
- Creator
- Scruggs, Leigh A., Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
While classroom teachers report alarming rates of unpreparedness, and even unwillingness to include diverse populations in the classroom, our nation is continuing along a trend started in the 1990s to include students with disabilities (SWD) in general education settings. This quasi-experimental research study uncovered the impact of completing the required continuing education course in teaching SWD course mandated by Florida Senate Bill 1108 ([SB1108]; The Florida Senate, 2013b), which...
Show moreWhile classroom teachers report alarming rates of unpreparedness, and even unwillingness to include diverse populations in the classroom, our nation is continuing along a trend started in the 1990s to include students with disabilities (SWD) in general education settings. This quasi-experimental research study uncovered the impact of completing the required continuing education course in teaching SWD course mandated by Florida Senate Bill 1108 ([SB1108]; The Florida Senate, 2013b), which amended Florida Statute 1012.585 (3) (e) (Process for Renewal of Professional Certificates, 2017) on perceived teacher ability to implement inclusion practices. An online version of the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale developed by Sharma, Loreman, and Forlin (2012) was utilized, along with demographic and experiential factors for classroom teachers in the study district to examine their self-efficacy toward inclusion. Analysis of the data indicated statistically significant differences in mean TEIP scale scores for exceptional student education (ESE) and general education teachers. Data analyses revealed that almost half of the teachers had a negative view of and did not perceive any benefit from the course. While ESE and general education teachers had similar preparation needs, they also reported areas of concern specific to their subset. Overall, the course did not provide enough continuing education in the areas most needed by the participants. SB1108-mandated course completion was also not found to be an indicator of higher teacher self-efficacy for the majority of teachers. Analysis of the differences in TEIP scale scores found that only elementary school teachers benefited from completing the course, while it had the opposite effect for general education high school teachers and no significant effect for ESE teachers. Differences in TEIP scale scores from demographic and experiential factors accounted for 13% of the variance in the population and was not significant for the ESE teacher subset. One percent or less of the variance was attributed to completion of the required continuing education course. Implications include reviewing the legislation’s effectiveness for teachers in different areas and grade levels, hiring and evaluation decisions based on TEIP scale scores of applicants and employees, and designing more meaningful continuing education courses. Recommendations for state legislatures, school administrators, designers of continuing education courses, and for future research regarding improvement of teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practices are offered.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005956
- Subject Headings
- Continuing education, Students with disabilities--Education--United States, Inclusive education, Education and state--Florida, Professional development for teachers
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The art of leadership: a study of administrative practices in Florida's schools of the arts.
- Creator
- Perry, Kevin Gardner., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify common practices of school-of-the-arts administrators and to determine if these commonalities differ from the practices of effective school leaders in general. A sample of administrators (n=92) completed a 3-part Likert survey based on the 21 attributes identified in the balanced leadership model. Five research questions guided this study which looked for both common and unique leadership challenges facing principals in schools of the arts...
Show moreThe purpose of this exploratory study was to identify common practices of school-of-the-arts administrators and to determine if these commonalities differ from the practices of effective school leaders in general. A sample of administrators (n=92) completed a 3-part Likert survey based on the 21 attributes identified in the balanced leadership model. Five research questions guided this study which looked for both common and unique leadership challenges facing principals in schools of the arts. Prinicpals ranked the practices in order of importance. Although the statistical analyses revealed no significant differences among the variables of instructional levels (elementary, middle, and secondary), gender, or school grade designations, descriptive statistics as well as qualitative data found a number of emergent themes including principal outreach, principal advocacy, focus, flexibility, curriculum, funding challenges, and the commitment to being there(i.e., at the school). Based on the findings, a plus one model was developed illustrating the tensions across organizational management, instructional leadership, and artistic leadership, all of which must function simultaneously in order to lead a successful school of the arts. While only one study, the findings suggest that regular school principals might want to consider incorporating successful school-of-the-arts practices in their own schools.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352282
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership, Educational administration, Arts, Study and teaching, Teacher-principal relationships
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE IMPACT OF FLORIDA SENATE BILL 1720 ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS.
- Creator
- Shand, Olivia Aleida, Shockley, Robert, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Florida Senate Bill 1720 on student performance in Mathematics. Prior to its enactment, placement testing was mandatory in the State of Florida. The results determined if a student was required to enroll in any developmental courses prior to enrolling in college-level Mathematics courses. For many students, particularly those at the State College level, this extended the number of required courses, lengthening the path to...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Florida Senate Bill 1720 on student performance in Mathematics. Prior to its enactment, placement testing was mandatory in the State of Florida. The results determined if a student was required to enroll in any developmental courses prior to enrolling in college-level Mathematics courses. For many students, particularly those at the State College level, this extended the number of required courses, lengthening the path to completion for a volume of students. The results over time proved a costly burden on institutions that serve populations of students not prepared to perform at the college-level, as well as a major obstacle for student degree completion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013344
- Subject Headings
- Education and state--Florida, Mathematics education, Student achievement, Placement testing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE CONSEQUENCES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STATE ACCOUNTABILITY DATA USAGE IN ONE FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT.
- Creator
- Killeen, Mary K., Mountford, Meredith, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
- Abstract/Description
-
The accountability era has produced school grading systems that purport to evaluate school effectiveness yet utilize hegemonic formulas that label low-scoring schools and neighborhoods, depriving them of incentive monies tied to their school grades. This quantitative study analyzed the publicly available data of 106 elementary schools in one large urban district in Florida through the lens of Effective Schools Research. Significant findings revealed that the work of Edmonds (1982) and Lezotte...
Show moreThe accountability era has produced school grading systems that purport to evaluate school effectiveness yet utilize hegemonic formulas that label low-scoring schools and neighborhoods, depriving them of incentive monies tied to their school grades. This quantitative study analyzed the publicly available data of 106 elementary schools in one large urban district in Florida through the lens of Effective Schools Research. Significant findings revealed that the work of Edmonds (1982) and Lezotte (1991) supports a growth model when it comes to school-based assessments and outcomes. The schools in the sample earned cumulative incentive rewards over time that were negatively correlated with the schools’ average percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The lower a school’s average percentage of economically disadvantaged students, the higher the school's average grade. This finding held true for the “A”-graded schools with the lowest average economically disadvantaged percentages from 1999 to 2019. This study also found that the schools in the sample with the larger average percentages of economically disadvantaged students would exhibit higher school grades if calculations using only their language arts and math gains were used. These findings have implications for how we might rebuild the assessment of our neighborhood schools and transform the policy structures that contribute to social and educational inequities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014331
- Subject Headings
- Educational evaluation, Elementary schools--Evaluation, Education and state--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FLORIDA’S EXTENDED DAY REQUIREMENT UNDER FLORIDA STATUTE §1011.62.
- Creator
- Washington, Jodi, Bogotch, Ira, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
- Abstract/Description
-
For nearly 60 years, politicians and policymakers have sought to improve the educational outcomes of students across their states and the country through legislated policies and programs. Despite their efforts, little progress has been made in improving the outcomes of the nation’s most vulnerable students. The achievement gap persists, and poverty divides the haves from the have-nots, especially in reading achievement. This study was designed to explore the impact of increasing time...
Show moreFor nearly 60 years, politicians and policymakers have sought to improve the educational outcomes of students across their states and the country through legislated policies and programs. Despite their efforts, little progress has been made in improving the outcomes of the nation’s most vulnerable students. The achievement gap persists, and poverty divides the haves from the have-nots, especially in reading achievement. This study was designed to explore the impact of increasing time allocated for reading instruction on student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA). Additional research questions were also included to determine if other factors impacted student achievement in ELA. The objective of this study was to determine if adding instructional time for any number of years improved student outcomes in reading.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2024
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014543
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership, Education and state--Florida, Academic achievement, Language arts
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The relationship between principal leadership actions and business and social justice cultures in schools.
- Creator
- Reyes-Guerra, Daniel, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study detected and explored the existence of two proposed school cultures, the use of leader actions by principals, and the relationships between them, of a sample of 42 public schools in Southeast Florida. A quantitative non-experimental design was used, guided by eight research questions. One instrument, the BSJQ, was created for the purposes of detecting school normative cultures and another, the SLQ, was refined and used to detect principal leader actions. The existence of Business...
Show moreThis study detected and explored the existence of two proposed school cultures, the use of leader actions by principals, and the relationships between them, of a sample of 42 public schools in Southeast Florida. A quantitative non-experimental design was used, guided by eight research questions. One instrument, the BSJQ, was created for the purposes of detecting school normative cultures and another, the SLQ, was refined and used to detect principal leader actions. The existence of Business and Social Justice cultures was confirmed, and three latent cultures of Standards Performance, Democratic Community and Equity Curriculum were discovered. Of the schools participating, 74% had at least one of these cultures. The use of four leader actions was measured and statistically associated with different detected cultures. Managing/Transforming and Bridging actions were associated with all, Bonding was associated with all except the Equity Curriculum culture, and Bartering was associated only with the Business/Standards Performance culture. The schools' context had limited impact on the relationship between actions and culture., Only higher student poverty increased the principal's use of Managing/Transforming actions in schools with a Democratic Community culture. Four principal demographics - years as principal, years at the school, undergraduate major, and level of graduate study - had a actions and school culture. The study reinforces Pisapia's (2009) theory of strategic leadership, develops new instrumentation to measure cultures associated with social justice and accountability, and provides guidance to principals and those who educate them on leader actions associated with desired school cultures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/215295
- Subject Headings
- Educational leadership, Critical pedagogy, Social justice, Study and teaching, Marginality, Social, School management and organization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Middle Grades (6-8) Reading Teachers’ Beliefs Regarding the State’s Academic Reading Standards, Curriculum Materials, and Instructional Practices.
- Creator
- Dacres, Lascelia Cadienne, Baxley, Traci P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
Teachers’ beliefs about the reading standards as well as curriculum materials used to address the standards affect how teachers implement the standards, which further impacts student learning. In this case study, 26 middle grades (6-8) reading teachers each participated in a 90 minute one-on-one audio-taped interview consisting of 33 openended questions. Analysis was conducted on the teachers’ beliefs regarding the state’s academic reading standards, content materials the teachers used to...
Show moreTeachers’ beliefs about the reading standards as well as curriculum materials used to address the standards affect how teachers implement the standards, which further impacts student learning. In this case study, 26 middle grades (6-8) reading teachers each participated in a 90 minute one-on-one audio-taped interview consisting of 33 openended questions. Analysis was conducted on the teachers’ beliefs regarding the state’s academic reading standards, content materials the teachers used to teach reading, the teachers’ self-reported instructional practices, and how the selected teachers understand the relationship between their beliefs and instructional practices. Likewise, content analyses were performed using documents such as lesson plans, classroom assignments, and assessments that were collected from the participants. There were six major findings in this study. The first finding indicated that participants had mix feelings regarding the standards; they were viewed by some teachers as guides and building blocks while others viewed the standards as not being beneficial to have in the classroom. The second finding depicted that participants had mixed experiences of collegial planning; some shared that collegial planning assisted their efforts with understanding the standards while others indicated that collegial planning could be improved. The third finding portrayed that the curriculum materials used to teach reading were both district-given and supplemental. Due to a lack of rigor with the district-given resource, some participants opted to use supplemental resources that better aligned to the expectation of the standards. The fourth finding addressed both teacher and student challenges faced by the participants. Teacher challenges included the fast pace and implementation of the standards while student challenges included lack of motivation and student misbehavior. The fifth finding highlighted how participants viewed the relationship between their beliefs and instructional practices. Participants discussed the impact, or lack thereof, of the implementation of the shifts in the standards. The sixth and final major finding of this study emphasized that professional development was needed to teach the reading standards. As a result of these findings, implications include providing teachers with professional development opportunities that target practical ways on how to implement the shifts of the standards in day-to-day instruction and instructional strategies to enhance student motivation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005964
- Subject Headings
- Reading teachers, Education and state--Florida, Reading--Standards, Middle school education--United States--Standards
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Florida's School Choice Policies and Democracy: Origins and Destinations.
- Creator
- Miller, Adam, Mountford, Meredith L., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
School choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice...
Show moreSchool choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice environment in Florida today. Specifically, this investigation was limited to legislation in Florida between 1997 and 2014 and further limited to charter schools, home schooling, virtual education, and two choice options specific to Florida in which public dollars follow students to private schools, the Tax Credit and McKay Scholarship programs. These particular school choice options were chosen as the focus of this study because they change the where of education outside of tradit ional public schools. Other choice options such as magnet schools, inter-district choice, and intra-district choice simply move students among traditional public schools but keep them enrolled in traditional public schools. Ultimately the study hoped to provide a possible road map for the future of school choice policies in Florida. This study utilized a qualitative methodology utilizing document reviews and interviews. This study found that school choice policies in Florida have continued to expand and evolve over the years to increase the liberty available to families to choose the education of their children. This study also found that the Florida legislature has laid the groundwork for Florida school districts, through a focus on equality, to take advantage of a portfolio management model to increase student achievement. Although a focus on equality led to the enactment of various school choice options, some of these options have moved away from their original intent to financially benefit specific organizations and groups. Finally, as reported by Holme, Frankenberg, Diem, and Welton (2013), Florida's charter school, virtual education, and home education policies have been enacted as race-neutral policies that have no regard for diversity, which could lead to resegregation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004522, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004522
- Subject Headings
- Education and state -- Florida, Educational change -- United States -- Florida, Educational equalization -- United States -- Florida, John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, School choice -- United States -- Florida, School districts -- Florida -- Management
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- English language learners in Florida: a dissertation about a legal and policy study of Florida's Multicultural Educaton Training and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree.
- Creator
- Rodriguez, Maria de L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to...
Show moreThe increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to provide adequate teacher training and educational programs, thereby improving access to equal opportunity for ELLs. ELLs are also called limited English proficient (LEP) students in other states. This term was changed in Florida because the LEP label brought with it a negative connotation as it referred to proficiency within the learning of English as a limitation rather than as an asset. The study presents a comprehensive review of the MCD and its eleven main components. Through document and content analysis, the study intended to ix determine whether Florida's 67 public school districts comply with the decree and whether policies are in place to implement the court authorized processes. The study begins with an introduction, which includes historical data and Florida demographics that relate to the issue of second language learners. A review of the literature incorporates legal cases and pertinent educational policies that have preceded the decree., The review also examined the major political and educational barriers that English language learners (ELL) encounter in Florida, as well as the research that suggests what programs and practices are required for successful second language learning. From the impact of antiimmigrant sentiments and English-only movements, to the League of United Latin-American Citizens (LULAC) v.FL Board of Education (1990) class action lawsuit, the study investigated the status of ELL programs in the state of Florida and the debates that surrounds them.The study intended to inform fellow educational leaders of these topics so that our work on behalf of K-12 ELLs can be more effective. Recognizing and preparing for the impact that the increasing numbers of ELLs will continue to have in Florida is an integral part of becoming a well-rounded educational leader and facilitates providing the services these students require, deserve, and to which they are entitled. The study also informs policymakers and practitioners of the pending needs and provides a roadmap to improving second language learning programs and practices in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333311
- Subject Headings
- English language, Study and teaching, Foreign speakers, Second language acquisition, Minorities, Education, Language arts, Educational equalization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- "Con respeto": Factors related to the academic performance of Mexican-American fourth graders in selected Florida elementary schools.
- Creator
- Mosley, Mary Lindquist., Florida Atlantic University, Gray, Mary B., Morris, John D.
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to identify how various student, school, and staff predictors related to the academic performance of Mexican American fourth graders in selected schools as evidenced by their scores on the Florida Writes Assessment as well as on norm referenced achievement tests in reading comprehension and math applications. Three null hypotheses were tested to show if there was a correlation between predictors and these criterion variables: writing skills, reading comprehension...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to identify how various student, school, and staff predictors related to the academic performance of Mexican American fourth graders in selected schools as evidenced by their scores on the Florida Writes Assessment as well as on norm referenced achievement tests in reading comprehension and math applications. Three null hypotheses were tested to show if there was a correlation between predictors and these criterion variables: writing skills, reading comprehension, and math applications. A sample of 64 students from two Florida districts and twelve elementary schools was obtained. Data were collected from archival sources within each school district as well as from surveys distributed to English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers. These were then analyzed to determine correlations with Florida Writes and with Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) as well as California Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) subtests in reading comprehension and math applications. The researcher was most interested in determining the relationship between a language arts pull-out program and achievement of ESOL students at a focal school which was in danger of being identified by the Florida Department of Education as "critically low" in academic performance because of low test scores. Correlations of predictor variables including the pull-out program were analyzed to determine statistical significance. Only the third hypothesis--that relating to math applications--was rejected at a probability level of.05. In this case, three predictors were considered significant: number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students, number of Mexican American students, and the pull-out program. Because of small sample size and limited applications, no far reaching conclusions were drawn although further study was suggested because the Mexican American population in Florida is growing, and these students have historically not performed well in school. It was also recommended that the Florida Department of Education reconsider the timeline for ESOL student participation in norm referenced testing in writing and reading because most research shows that it takes at least five to seven years for most students to acquire comprehensible second language skills.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1998
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12557
- Subject Headings
- Mexican American students--Florida, Academic achievement, Educational tests and measurements--United States, Education, Elementary--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Retention in Florida community colleges: a study of the 2005-2008 academic years.
- Creator
- DeLuz, Ancil., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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This study examined the relationship between selected student and institutional characteristics and the retention rates of first-time, degree seeking, full-time and parttime, freshman student cohorts in public community colleges in Florida. Based on data obtained from the Integrated Post-Secondary Data System on selected student and institutional variables for three years beginning fall 2005, 2006 and 2007, retention rates were analyzed for the years beginning fall 2006, 2007 and 2008...
Show moreThis study examined the relationship between selected student and institutional characteristics and the retention rates of first-time, degree seeking, full-time and parttime, freshman student cohorts in public community colleges in Florida. Based on data obtained from the Integrated Post-Secondary Data System on selected student and institutional variables for three years beginning fall 2005, 2006 and 2007, retention rates were analyzed for the years beginning fall 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively. This quantitative non-experimental descriptive study relied on multiple regression to analyze aggregated data on eight predictor variables to determine their impact student retention rates. A moderating variable (institutional size) was used to determine its influence on the relationship between the predictor variables and the criterion variable. The results suggest that gender and age were positively related to student retention rate at the parttime level, academic support expenses were negatively related to student retention rates at the part-time and full-time levels, and institutional size moderated the relationship between certain predictor variables and retention rates at small institutions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3332179
- Subject Headings
- Commuity college students, Achievement in education, College dropouts, Prevention, College attendance, Universities and colleges, Administration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Social Construction Of Teachers and the Teaching Profession Among Florida State Legislators from 1984 to 2015.
- Creator
- Crespo, Janny, Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
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Public officials at the state level currently are called upon to create, evaluate, and implement policies that assess the effectiveness of teacher performance and hold teachers accountable for student achievement. Therefore, understanding the social construction of the teaching profession among those public officials is crucial to understanding the impact of the policy agenda on the work of teachers as well as being essential to exercising influence on the policy process itself. This study...
Show morePublic officials at the state level currently are called upon to create, evaluate, and implement policies that assess the effectiveness of teacher performance and hold teachers accountable for student achievement. Therefore, understanding the social construction of the teaching profession among those public officials is crucial to understanding the impact of the policy agenda on the work of teachers as well as being essential to exercising influence on the policy process itself. This study was an analysis of legislation regarding teacher accountability in an effort to provide insight into how the Florida State Legislature socially constructs the teaching profession. This study used a qualitative methodology to place teachers, as a group, in Schneider and Ingram’s (1993) typology of target populations and made use of historical analysis to trace the changes that have occurred in the social construction of teachers during the period from 1984-2015. In doing so, it found teachers are negatively constructed with a positive power component, correspondingly labeled contenders, on Schneider and Ingram’s typology. Ultimately, the effect of the pressures placed upon teachers has been to create projections of ongoing teacher shortages and to discourage potential candidates from pursuing the profession.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005928
- Subject Headings
- Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Education and state--Florida., Social constructionism., Teachers--Florida., Florida. Legislature
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Impact of Voluntary Remediation on Gateway Course Success and Minority and Low-Income Students in Florida Colleges.
- Creator
- Pain, Karen D., Floyd, Deborah L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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The primary purpose of the study was to explore the potential impact of voluntary remediation on success in ENC1101 and MAT1033 (gateway courses) and on minority or low-income students in Florida. The study was prompted in 2013 when the Florida Senate exempted most students entering the Florida College System from placement testing or developmental education regardless of their skill level. A quantitative design compared the gateway course success of 10,703 exempt students in 2014 and 2015 to...
Show moreThe primary purpose of the study was to explore the potential impact of voluntary remediation on success in ENC1101 and MAT1033 (gateway courses) and on minority or low-income students in Florida. The study was prompted in 2013 when the Florida Senate exempted most students entering the Florida College System from placement testing or developmental education regardless of their skill level. A quantitative design compared the gateway course success of 10,703 exempt students in 2014 and 2015 to the success of 8,644 students who would have been exempt had the law been in effect when they completed their gateway courses in 2012 and 2013. Data were collected from three FCS institutions. Using Astin and Astin's 1992 Input-Environment-Outcome model (Astin & Astin, 1992), independent variables included demographics, such as race and Pell grant eligibility, and prior academic performance, as well as enrollment status and remedial course decisions and perf ormance. The study found the policy to have a statistically significant (α = .05) negative effect on student success in the gateway courses. The voluntary remediation policy that was in part enacted to improve college completion rates threatens to have the opposite effect. The results show that fewer proportions of students were successful (grade of C or higher) in both courses once remediation became voluntary (12.8% decrease for English; 19.3% decrease in math). The study revealed a need for further research to investigate the degree of this impact on minority and low-income students. The results also suggested a need for more research to learn which students are likely to benefit, or not, by taking a remedial course. Of the students in the study who voluntarily took a placement test and scored below credit level, 11.3% chose remediation before taking ENC1101 and 24.5% chose remediation before taking MAT1033. Of those students, most who earned an A or B in the remedial course were successful in the credit courses; most who did not earn at least a B in the remedial course were unsuccessful at the credit level. Results were significant (α = .05), and effect sizes were moderate (.344 for English; .430 for math).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004531, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004531
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- United States -- Florida, Developmental studies programs -- United States -- Florida, Educational attainment -- United States -- Florida, Remedial teaching, School failure -- Prevention, Universities and colleges -- Florida -- Administration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- IS IT WORKING? NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING POLICIES IN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION.
- Creator
- Capp, James, Sapat, Alka, Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
- Abstract/Description
-
Public higher education increasingly relies on performance-based funding (PBF) policies to enhance accountability. These policies attempt to steer institutions towards successful outcomes via performance indicators, such as graduation rates. Nationally, PBF policies continue to grow in popularity despite limited evidence that they are effective (Hillman, Tandberg, and Gross, 2014). Motivated by the apparent conflict between the widespread adoption of PBF policies and the lack of evidence that...
Show morePublic higher education increasingly relies on performance-based funding (PBF) policies to enhance accountability. These policies attempt to steer institutions towards successful outcomes via performance indicators, such as graduation rates. Nationally, PBF policies continue to grow in popularity despite limited evidence that they are effective (Hillman, Tandberg, and Gross, 2014). Motivated by the apparent conflict between the widespread adoption of PBF policies and the lack of evidence that they actually improve outcomes in higher education, this dissertation investigates the perceived impacts of PBF policies. Florida’s public university system serves as the setting for the study due to its uniquely punitive PBF policy design and the model’s non-standardized performance indicators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013290
- Subject Headings
- Higher education and state, Public universities and colleges--Florida--Administration, State universities and colleges--Florida--Finance, Performance-based funding
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining Student Level Variables as Predictors for On- Time High School Cohort Graduation.
- Creator
- McMahon, Brian M., Sembiante, Sabrina, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
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Recent literature on high school graduation and drop out have shifted the focus from identifying causes of drop out to identifying students who are at risk of dropping out. The Early Warning Systems (EWS) used to identify students seek to use existing data to predict which students have a greater risk of dropping out of school so that schools can intervene early enough to reengage students. Despite widespread attention to individual indicators, there is no defined system of indicators proven...
Show moreRecent literature on high school graduation and drop out have shifted the focus from identifying causes of drop out to identifying students who are at risk of dropping out. The Early Warning Systems (EWS) used to identify students seek to use existing data to predict which students have a greater risk of dropping out of school so that schools can intervene early enough to reengage students. Despite widespread attention to individual indicators, there is no defined system of indicators proven to be generalizable across grade levels, specifically at the elementary grade levels. Drawing on the tenets of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, the purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine to what extent the State of Florida’s EWS model can predict on-time cohort graduation in grades 3-8. Using a retrospective longitudinal sample, this study first established that Allensworth and Easton’s (2005) grade 9 on-track indicator was predictive of dropout, finding that 92.2% of students who were on-track in grade 9 graduated on time. Using this grade 9 indicator as a proxy for graduation, this study then examined the effectiveness of the Florida EWS at predicting on-track status. Through this a priori link to graduation, this study was able to shed light on predictive indicators in the elementary and middle school years without the temporal distance between the predictor grade levels and graduation typically associated with longitudinal studies of this nature. The findings that the Florida EWS successfully predicted 71.6% of future on- and off-track status confirms its use as a predictive indicator of students at risk of not graduating. The academic, behavioral, and engagement indicators found in both Allensworth & Easton’s (2005) grade 9 on-track indicator and the Florida EWS were found to successfully capture the molar activities of students within the school ecological system and were successful at providing an indication of a student’s development in terms of being on track to graduate on time from high school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005958
- Subject Headings
- Graduation (School), High school dropouts--Prevention, Education and state--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Is there a relationship between academic achievement and school climate at the elementary, middle, or high school grade level?.
- Creator
- Doyal, Thomas Stacy., College of Education, Department of Teaching and Learning
- Abstract/Description
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Researchers have determined that many factors, including school climate, may be contributing to the lack of academic achievement of many of our students. In an effort to better understand this issue, this study tested for possible relationships between the school climate of multiple schools in Palm Beach County, Florida, and their students' academic achievement. Separate analyses were done at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For the purpose of this study, academic achievement ...
Show moreResearchers have determined that many factors, including school climate, may be contributing to the lack of academic achievement of many of our students. In an effort to better understand this issue, this study tested for possible relationships between the school climate of multiple schools in Palm Beach County, Florida, and their students' academic achievement. Separate analyses were done at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For the purpose of this study, academic achievement (criterion variable) was measure by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Math and Reading sections. School climate (predictor variable) was measured by the school district's yearly climate survey. In order to test the study's hypotheses, a linear multiple regression model using SPSS software was run to measure for any relationship between the criterion and predictor variables at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The relationships of individual predictors with the criterion were tested with correlations and the model including all seven predictors was tested with multiple regressions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/221943
- Subject Headings
- School improvement programs, Academic achievement, Educational equalization, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Educational tests and measurements
- Format
- Document (PDF)