Educational accountability

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in
how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the
relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non-
Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive
leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study
determined if the relationship between distributed leadership, school culture, and student achievement is moderated by Title I status. This study was significant in the realm of education as it explored distributive leadership, its working definition, and possible relationship to increased student achievement and positive school culture. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was implemented to answer each of the five proposed research questions and five corresponding null hypotheses. A bivariate correlation analysis revealed there was not a relationship between distributive leadership and school culture; distributive leadership and student achievement in a middle school setting. Further, a moderation analysis determined that distributive leadership and school culture, distributive leadership and student achievement were not moderated by Title I status. Additionally, a t-test showed there was not a difference in how leadership was distributed within Title I and Non-Title I schools. A discussion of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for K-12 were explained in detail, followed by suggestions for future research.

In this study a model for the educational administrator
is devised using the iso-cost and iso-quant relationships
of linear programming. A strategy to identify the maximizing
combination of variables to achieve stated goals,
given constraints such as time and money, is presented.
Also included are examples demonstrating the model's use
as an analytical and as a predictive tool in decision
making.

The A+ Plan for Education (A+ Plan), the basis of Florida's school accountability system, was instituted in 1999. Public schools are graded from highest (A) to lowest (F) based on student performance on the statewide assessment, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This study investigated the impact of the school grading policy of the A+ Plan on literacy instructional practices, personnel, and governance procedures between Florida public schools graded A and F. Twenty-six randomly selected schools from 15 school districts agreed to participate. Three groups of participants (N = 136) were associated with the participating schools: (1) Grades 3--10 classroom teachers who taught reading, writing, and/or language arts during the 2001--02 school year; (2) the principal for each school; and (3) the District Director of Curriculum or equivalent position. Teacher participants (n = 107) responded to the Literacy Instructional Practices Survey. This survey collected data concerning the frequency of use of instructional practices related to literacy in six composites: Instructional Groupings, Materials, Decoding Teaching Practices, Comprehension Teaching Practices, Writing Teaching Practices, and Classroom Activities. T-tests were employed to compare the Composite mean scores for the A and F school teacher participants (a = .05). Results revealed no significant differences in the types and frequency of literacy instructional practices between A and F schools. Responses to open-ended questions reported narrowing of curriculum to skills tested by the FCAT and principal expectations to teach to the test. Principal participants (n = 17) and district-level participants (n = 12) completed surveys concerning personnel and school governance practices. Descriptive analyses revealed that 50% of F schools employed Title I literacy teachers compared to 8% of A schools. All principals used informal classroom observation and student achievement on FCAT to evaluate literacy personnel performance. Collaboration among district staff, principals, and teachers concerning school governance decisions was reported. Findings of this study imply that factors other than the types and frequency of literacy instructional practices are affecting a school's grade. Also, high-stakes assessment is impacting curriculum and instruction at A and F schools. Recommendations are made for future research.

This mixed methods study investigates the relationship between fifth-grade teachers' social studies knowledge and beliefs and their relationship to classroom practices. Quantitative data were collected through a beliefs and classroom practices survey and 60-item knowledge test covering the areas of American History, America and the World, Political Philosophy and American Government, and The Market Economy, in order to provide a comprehensive picture of fifth-grade teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and self-reported classroom practices relating to social studies. Additionally, qualitative data were collected through individual and focus group interviews. These data were used to provide an in-depth look that expanded on fifth-grade teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and self-reported classroom practices relating to social studies. The findings of this study indicate that there is a relationship between teachers' beliefs and their self-reported classroom practices in the areas of resources, best practice, time, the Sunshine State Standards, and personal interest. While there were no significant relationships between teachers' knowledge of social studies as a whole and their self-reported classroom practices, there were several significant correlations found in the areas of American History and Political Philosophy and American Government. Further findings indicate that teaching experience and demographic variables, such as age, gender, and education level moderate some of these relationships. Implications and suggestions for further research are offered for elementary education, teacher education, and the field of social studies.

This study investigated performance based accountability in Florida's system of workforce education in Florida's state colleges and school districts. In Florida, workforce education is governed by Florida State Statute (K-20 Education Code Chapter 1004). The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of Florida's performance accountability policy as applied to workforce education. Additionally, it analyzed the impact of performance accountability on performance by the providers of workforce education - state colleges and school districts, and the value for investment achieved by the policy over the time period. The study was guided by three questions: (a) What is the relationship between effectiveness and year? (b) Is the relationship between effectiveness and year moderated by each of the contextual variables? (c) To what extent does each of the contextual variables predict performance and effectiveness? This study utilized a non-experimental quantitative research design and a costeffectiveness analysis framework. The unit of analysis was the providers of workforce education in the State of Florida. This study was framed by the outputs and outcomes the workforce education service providers achieve and the alterable and unalterable variables which might influence the provision of workforce education. Performance was measured through two measures: quantity of outputs, and quality of outcomes. The alterable and unalterable variables included: the type of institution delivering the service, either state college or school district; the delivery model used in each delivery area, either single or dual-delivery; and population characteristics, the percentage of students economically disadvantaged, the percentage of minorities, and the percentage of males. The study used correlation and regression techniques to analyze the longitudinal impact of the performance accountability system.

The purpose of this study was to examine the Computer-Assisted Instructional (CAI) method as an alternative to the Traditional method of instruction for the lowest level of remediation in the content areas of mathematics, reading, and sentence skills, and to specifically determine the comparative effectiveness of these two delivery modes in terms of student success, retention, and costs. The researcher aimed to (a) determine the extent to which ACCUPLACERª mean scores for CAI participants increase based on pre and post measures, (b) investigate the pros and cons fiscally of each method of delivery (CAI vs. Traditional), respectively, (c) examine whether CAI participants are more likely to enroll during the immediately following semester compared to students enrolled in a Traditional course, and (d) investigate the extent to which CAI participants are equally or more likely to complete successfully the course taken during the immediately following semester compared to students enroll ed in a Traditional course. The study consisted of a two-group design (CAI and Traditional), and four dependent variables. All CAI participants (N = 129) were self-selected to participate in the study. A dependent t-test found that CAI participants increased their ACCUPLACER mean scores significantly over time by 22.74 points or 72.6%. A frequency count found that retention rates were slightly higher for the Traditional group (82.3%) in comparison to the CAI group (76.6%), however, chi-square tests did not reveal a statistical significance. Chi-squares found significant increase in success rates for the CAI group as 86% passed their initial course, in comparison to 59.8% of students taught in the Traditional format. CAI participants were found to have greater success (74.1%) in subsequent classes than students taught via the Traditional instructional method (51.9%).

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, 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.

The Migrant Education Program was enacted by Congress in 1966 as an amendment to the Elementary and Second Education Act of 1965. Today Title 1, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provides funding to states and subsequently to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide educational programs and services to children of migratory farm workers. These funds are intended to enable these unique children to have access to state standards-based curriculum and to find success on standards-based assessments. This study examined the LEA utilization of funds awarded to the State of Florida under Title 1, Part C, from AY2007-09, identified the specific activities implemented by LEAs to meet the unique educational needs of the migrant students, and analyzed the impact of total student membership, total migrant entitlement, and concentration of migrant students relative to the total LEA student membership on the utilization of the funding. The study demonstrated that the Federal Office of Migrant Education policies and rules promulgated by the State of Florida channel funding away from educational activities for the students to non-academic expenditures.