Academic achievement--Florida

Improving student performance in America’s chronically underperforming
schools has been a challenge for many decades. Despite various school reforms, little to
no progress has been shown. Schools have continued to fail, and achievement gaps have
widened. The current state of schools has called for a drastic intervention. School
turnaround has emerged as the country’s response to improving persistently-low
performing schools.
This study was designed to determine if the turnaround models outlined in the
federal school improvement grant (SIG) were effective in improving student performance
in low-performing schools in Florida. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of
the transformation and turnaround intervention models on student achievement. This
study also sought to determine if size (school enrollment), socioeconomic status (FRL),
minority enrollment rates (Black and Hispanic), as well as principal gender, race, and
years of experience moderate the relationship between the intervention model used and student achievement. The ultimate objective was to determine if turnaround intervention
models improved student performance in low-performing schools in Florida.
A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was employed to
respond to three research questions and test nine corresponding null hypotheses.
Florida’s 69 SIG Cohort I schools were identified for data collection and analysis. A t
test analysis revealed there was not a significant difference in the performance of the
transformation and turnaround model schools as measured by percent of points earned
towards school grade. Further, chi square analysis revealed there was not a relationship
between the model (transformation or turnaround) and school grade. Additionally,
multiple regression analysis revealed none of the moderator variables were statistically
significant. A discussion of the findings, implications for policy and practice, and
recommendations for turnaround are explained in detailed, followed by suggestions for
future research.

The purpose of this research was to consider the possible
relationships between the academic achievement of homeless
children and their attitudes towards school, their
parents' attitudes toward school, their relationships with
their peers, their relationships with their parents and their
self-esteem. The "subjects" were 42 families living in seven
shelters in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Sixty-nine
children and their parents were interviewed. Three
questionnaires were used to obtain demographic information
and to define the predictor variables. The perceptions
of homeless children and their parents, how these
perceptions relate to each other and the relationships of
these perceptions to school success add to the theoretical
knowledge of the academic achievement of homeless children.

The Florida Public Accountability System and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, FCAT, have been in use since 1996. Since that time, schools have received grades, rewards and sanctions for performance, promotion requirements have changed, and the results of the FCAT are published annually for public scrutiny. With testing required in grades 3 through 11, middle schools (grades 6--8) must test all the students in their schools. A literature review revealed that, although achievement studies, drop out studies, and other data had been analyzed, little research focused on the impact of the FCAT from the perspective of the classroom teacher. This study examines the impact of the Florida Public Accountability System and the FCAT on the middle school classroom from the teacher's perspective. A survey of 130 middle school teachers was conducted in the spring of 2004. The study included closed-ended questions and space for additional comments. The impact was measured based on three variables, the impact on instructional methodologies, the impact on the quality of education and the impact on job satisfaction. Each of these variables was further analyzed to see if the grade of the school in which the teacher works has an effect on their responses to the survey. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted to determine if the subject area which the teacher teaches affected responses to the survey. Results indicate that responses are split on the majority of questions relating to the impact of the FCAT and the Florida Public Accountability System on both the instructional methodologies in classrooms and on the quality of education. These results showing both positive and negative responses between individual teachers indicate a lack of agreement within the teaching profession and create an interesting dynamic for school leaders. The results indicate less disagreement on the effects on job satisfaction with teachers reporting little impact on their own personal job satisfaction however, more impact on staff morale. A school's grade did not appear to influence differences in responses. However, the subject areas that a teacher reported teaching did seem to influence teacher responses. With increasing emphasis on accountability in mind, including Federal No Child Left Behind requirements, further research in this area is recommended.