Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Pedro Hernandez
Committee Member
Armando Rodriguez
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
accountability, collaborative planning, data-driven decision making, elementary schools, FCAT, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Florida’s High-Quality Education System, Florida’s System of School Improvement and Accountability Act, fourth grade students, James H. Bright Elementary School, language minorities, parent participation, parents as teachers, professional development, reading achievement, reading performance, school improvement, standards, student achievement, treatment interventions
Abstract
Research indicates that the importance of learning to read is critical. An inability to read stands as an enormous barrier to one’s potential knowledge and social participation. Florida’s System of School Improvement and Accountability Act (1999, F.S.) also known as Florida’s High-Quality Education System rates schools in terms of performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Reading is the focal point of this accountability system. In Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), 29 elementary schools have been designated grade category F since the inception of the Florida’s High-Quality Education System. James H. Bright Elementary School was one of the originally designated F elementary schools.
The purpose of this project was to concentrate on improving the reading performance of fourth grade students at James H. Bright Elementary School. The researcher implemented professional development, engaged in collaborative planning, and conducted activities with parents to enhance their knowledge of standards.
An analysis of the data revealed that the reading achievement of the fourth grade students remained at the same level as the comparison group. Although there was no significant difference after the treatment in terms of student achievement, it is important to point out that the parent involvement component was successful in increasing parental participation at the school level. The interventions, founded on sound research, should be carefully evaluated by the school staff and continued for the next school year in order to capitalize on their present accomplishments and improve in those areas that demonstrated decline. This data-driven decision making approach should help the school replicate those efforts that demonstrated success.