Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Karen Kamin
Committee Member
Carole Trueman
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
arts delivery model, California Test of Basic Skills, comprehensive arts delivery model, critically low performance, educational format, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, Florida Writes, learning style, magnet schools, mathematics, minority students, performing arts, reading, reading inventories, research-based teacher selection tool, school improvement, student achievement, student learning, Success For All, teacher selection, visual arts, writing
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to change a school’s educational format totally in order to provide a program that enhances student learning. The student population was the most disadvantaged in the district with 85% minority students. The school’s test scores in 1998 put it in the critically low performance range for writing and in jeopardy of a critically low declaration in the areas of both reading and mathematics.
This applied dissertation addressed the use of a comprehensive arts delivery model strengthened by using research-supported methodology and instructional practices and by creating a research-based teacher selection tool. Student achievement data were evidenced by reading inventories, Success For All (Slavin, 1996) grade-level information, and the results from the California Test of Basic Skills, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, and Florida Writes.