ERIC Number: ED528979
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 114
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1246-0249-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
High-Stakes Tests: Comparative Study Examining the Impact on the Achievement Gap that Causes Minority Students Continued Failure
Taylor-Smith, Carol J.
ProQuest LLC, D.Ed. Dissertation, Capella University
The purpose of this comparative qualitative study examined the impact of the achievement gap on the lack of highly qualified teachers instructing African American students consistently from K-12th grades and its effects on high-stakes testing. In addition, the study examined teacher perceptions that could also be contributing factors of the achievement gap that exists between African American and Caucasian students. The study included two suburban charter high schools in metropolitan New Orleans, LA. School A had a predominantly African American faculty and student population, while School B had a diverse faculty and student population, but the majority of the faculty and student population was Caucasian. The educators from both schools participated on a voluntarily basis. The majority of each faculty participated in the study. The participants were educators, including teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, social workers and school administrators. The instrument that was administered is the Achievement Gap Survey (2007), designed by the School Improvement Network. The instrument consisted of questions that were rated on a Likert-scale, with a few open-ended questions. The data indicated that when African American students are given "highly qualified teachers" to catch up with their Caucasian peers their high-stakes test scores improved, as evidenced on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program high-stakes test given in Louisiana yearly. Between 2007 and 2009, more students moved from the "unsatisfactory" and "approaching basic" categories to "basic," "mastery," and "advanced" categories in mathematics and English Language Arts. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Achievement Gap, African American Students, Educational Assessment, High Stakes Tests, Teacher Effectiveness, Educational Change, Comparative Analysis, Minority Groups, White Students, Social Work, Qualitative Research, Teacher Attitudes, Charter Schools, Suburban Schools, Administrator Attitudes, Counselor Attitudes, Surveys, Likert Scales, Scores, Language Arts, Mathematics Achievement, Academic Failure, Academic Achievement, Paraprofessional Personnel
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Louisiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A