Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Maria G. Mendez

Keywords

across content area, alignment, curriculum development, education, educational tests & measurements, primary benchmark, reading literacy standards, secondary benchmark system

Abstract

This applied dissertation was designed to provide insight into aligning secondary benchmarks in a high school curriculum across content areas to prevent students from failing reading in a South Florida high school. Few studies have investigated the effects of the alignment of secondary benchmarks across content areas. The study focuses on a case study design for data collection to reveal its analysis. The researcher utilizes content analyses and a panel of experts in the field of education to review the protocol and review the assessments, using open-ended interview protocol procedures on more than 13 teachers. The teachers’ positions can be found within the administration, reading department, and content areas teachers of instruction in mathematics, science, English/language arts, physical education, and business education to investigate changes in instructional alignment with secondary standards. The data analysis revealed nine themes that enhanced the researcher’s understanding of specific details that will ensure methods to improve students’ needs. This qualitative research study provided an awareness to adequately support useful provision to educate students on different levels of reading. This increases their knowledge acquisition, which brings awareness to their utilization of secondary benchmark standards. The research concluded that teacher training included, professional development day among participants that were congruent with the themes revealed within the data analysis. The instructional alignment between reading teachers and content area teachers indicates that alignment in Grades 9 to 12 will increase if the alignment of standards is supported and if the implications for developing a better curriculum design is discussed.

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