Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
John Reynolds
Committee Member
Patricia Grimes
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
accountability, assessment data, classroom instruction, diagnostic assessment, educational improvement, elementary schools, FCAT, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, formative assessment, new teacher support, professional development, remediation, reteaching, school grades, staff development, standardized testing, student achievement, student grouping, student progress monitoring, struggling students, target skills, teacher accountability, teacher effectiveness, testing, instructional intervention
Abstract
The purpose of this applied dissertation was to increase student achievement on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) through formative assessments, tracking student progress, and targeting instruction to deficit areas important for standardized tests and to use this data to group students for reteaching. The school had maintained the school grade of C for 2 consecutive years but had not been able to raise the school grade to a B. By increasing student achievement, the school grade would also improve. This study was also designed to provide support to new teachers to identify, diagnose, and provide remediation for failing students.
Strategies were developed to increase accountability of teachers and students. Formative tests were developed at the school site and administered to students in Grades 3 through 6 five times prior to the FCAT. Student progress was tracked, and teachers directed instruction to target required skills. Additionally, a support program for new teachers was developed to improve teacher effectiveness.
An analysis of the data revealed that the use of formative FCAT parallel testing was critical in assisting teachers to identify struggling students, target classroom instruction, and provide remediation. It was determined that an effective staff development program for new teachers resulted in an increase in teacher effectiveness. As a result of the applied dissertation interventions, student achievement increased and the school grade was raised from a C to a B.