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Student achievement in lower SES high schools
Descriptive
TypeOfResource
Text
TitleInfo
(ID = T-1)
Title
Student achievement in lower SES high schools
Identifier
ETD_2747
Identifier
(type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001500001.ETD.000055922
Language
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(type = code)
eng
Genre
(authority = marcgt)
theses
Subject
(ID = SBJ-1)
Name
(authority = LC-NAF)
NamePart
(type = corporate)
United States.No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Subject
(ID = SBJ-2);
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Educational Administration and Supervision
Subject
(ID = SBJ-3);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Academic achievement--New Jersey
Subject
(ID = SBJ-4);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Academic achievement--Testing
Subject
(ID = SBJ-5);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Curriculum planning--New Jersey
Subject
(ID = SBJ-6);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
High school students--Economic conditions
Subject
(ID = SBJ-7);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
High school students--Social conditions
Abstract
(type = abstract)
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 legally mandated that all public school students in grades 3-8 and once in high school attain proficiency in language arts and
mathematics by 2014. While student achievement has increased in elementary and middle schools, little progress has been made at the high school level (USDOE, 2010). Specifically, trends in the nation’s report card show that scores in language arts and
mathematics for 17 year olds have remained nearly unchanged for over thirty –five years. With a growing sense of urgency to meet AYP goals, school leaders, especially those working in lower SES environments need practical strategies for increasing student
achievement based on sound methodological research. One perspective on student achievement suggests that proximal variables (close to the learner) influence student achievement (Wang, Haertal, & Walberg, 1993). The purpose of this study was to
investigate four proximal variables of interest (curriculum quality, non-curricular schoollevel
variables that influence instruction, facility quality, and school safety) that school leaders might manipulate which may positively influence high school student
achievement. Four research questions were developed to examine the relationships between curriculum quality, non-curricular school-level variables that influence instruction, facility quality, and school safety and high school student achievement in language arts literacy and mathematics. A fifth exploratory question was created to possibly find if a predictive model for achievement could be developed based on the predictability or the variables of interest. The unit of analysis was the high school. Seventy-one school
leaders with direct knowledge of the high school provided survey data on curriculum quality and facility quality. The researcher developed measures of average high-school student achievement, school-level instructional quality characteristics, and school safety
from three archived databases. Multiple regression procedures were applied to identify relationships between the predictor variables and student achievement. Curriculum quality strongly predicted high school achievement. Other significant predictors of student achievement included the percentage of highly qualified teachers, and quality of the proximal learning environment as a facilities measure. A minimal
relationship was found between the variables associated with school safety and student
achievement. Deeper analysis suggested possible validity issues within the self-reported New Jersey school safety data. Implications of the findings are discussed.
mathematics by 2014. While student achievement has increased in elementary and middle schools, little progress has been made at the high school level (USDOE, 2010). Specifically, trends in the nation’s report card show that scores in language arts and
mathematics for 17 year olds have remained nearly unchanged for over thirty –five years. With a growing sense of urgency to meet AYP goals, school leaders, especially those working in lower SES environments need practical strategies for increasing student
achievement based on sound methodological research. One perspective on student achievement suggests that proximal variables (close to the learner) influence student achievement (Wang, Haertal, & Walberg, 1993). The purpose of this study was to
investigate four proximal variables of interest (curriculum quality, non-curricular schoollevel
variables that influence instruction, facility quality, and school safety) that school leaders might manipulate which may positively influence high school student
achievement. Four research questions were developed to examine the relationships between curriculum quality, non-curricular school-level variables that influence instruction, facility quality, and school safety and high school student achievement in language arts literacy and mathematics. A fifth exploratory question was created to possibly find if a predictive model for achievement could be developed based on the predictability or the variables of interest. The unit of analysis was the high school. Seventy-one school
leaders with direct knowledge of the high school provided survey data on curriculum quality and facility quality. The researcher developed measures of average high-school student achievement, school-level instructional quality characteristics, and school safety
from three archived databases. Multiple regression procedures were applied to identify relationships between the predictor variables and student achievement. Curriculum quality strongly predicted high school achievement. Other significant predictors of student achievement included the percentage of highly qualified teachers, and quality of the proximal learning environment as a facilities measure. A minimal
relationship was found between the variables associated with school safety and student
achievement. Deeper analysis suggested possible validity issues within the self-reported New Jersey school safety data. Implications of the findings are discussed.
PhysicalDescription
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electronic resource
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xi, 182 p. : ill.
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application/pdf
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Note
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Ed.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references
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by Thomas W. Tramaglini
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Tramaglini
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Thomas W.
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Thomas Tramaglini
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Bliss
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James R
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chair
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Advisory Committee
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James R Bliss
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Mayer
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Matthew J
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Advisory Committee
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Matthew J Mayer
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Tienken
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Christopher H
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outside member
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Advisory Committee
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Christopher H Tienken
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Rutgers University
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degree grantor
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Graduate School of Education
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school
OriginInfo
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2010
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2010-10
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xx
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Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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ETD
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Title
Graduate School of Education Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
(type = local)
rucore10001500001
Identifier
(type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3JH3M0T
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights
RightsDeclaration
(AUTHORITY = GS);
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
RightsHolder
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(type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Tramaglini
GivenName
Thomas
Role
Copyright Holder
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(ID = RE-1);
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Type
Permission or license
DateTime
2010-06-03 15:42:55
AssociatedEntity
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(AUTHORITY = rulib)
Role
Copyright holder
Name
Thomas Tramaglini
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School of Education
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License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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Technical
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ETD
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application/pdf
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application/x-tar
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1126400
Checksum
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Statistical Profile