Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Pedro Hernandez
Committee Member
Paul Borthwick
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
adult education, archival data, community-based centers, Elementary Schools, family literacy, families, Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, Grade 4, lifelong skills, low-achieving students, parental involvement, parent outreach programs, reading achievement, reading instruction, reading mastery, Scholastic Reading Inventory, student achievement, student performance levels, support services, training opportunities
Abstract
At Miami Park Elementary School, 35% of the students in Grade 4 scored at Level III or above on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) reading subtest. To increase the number of students scoring at or above Level III, parental involvement and adult literacy in the area of reading were identified as factors that could impact student achievement as measured by the FCAT. The purposes of this applied dissertation were to review and revise current practices at the school as they pertained to the parent outreach program and to identify and implement successful parental involvement and family literacy activities that enhanced students’ mastery of reading.
Archival data were utilized to determine selected students’ performance levels before and after the intervention. Data concerning the frequency and extent of parental involvement before and after the intervention were also utilized. Solution strategies included (a) a community-based center at the school that offered opportunities for families to learn lifelong skills, (b) a series of experiences designed to provide participants with opportunities to prosper as families and as individuals, (c) revision of current practices related to the parent outreach program, and (d) the allocation of additional resources for use with parents of low-achieving students.
As a result of this applied dissertation intervention, student achievement levels improved as demonstrated by scores on the Scholastic Reading Inventory. The intent of this author, which was to provide parents with optimum learning opportunities by providing the necessary support, resources, and training to help them assist their children in reading, was realized.