The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among an individual's social emotional wellbeing, the extent to which a student's level of basic necessities having been met impact school performance and their academic achievement. The study sought to determine the strength of the correlation among the relationship individuals have…

Blended learning models can help teachers leverage the power of technology to customize student learning and differentiate instruction for students at varying achievement levels. Research on the effectiveness of blended learning in K-12 education has largely relied on case studies, and findings suggest differences in achievement outcomes based on…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate whether blended learning increased student achievement in middle schools at a public charter school system. Qualitative data was gathered through classroom observations (N=8), teacher interviews (N=8), and student focus groups (N=6). Quantitative analysis involved a…

Learning for all students is the most fundamental and noble quest of American public schools. As new educational research presents best practice, this seemingly simplistic goal has become a multifaceted and complicated challenge for school districts. Classroom hierarchies based solely on grade point average are disappearing, replaced by an…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlational relationship between classroom grades and standardized test scores for Grade 8 math students. Grading plays a central role in the field of education; this study was significant as it addressed a gap in grading research comparing two current grading methods, and provided an evidence-based…

Mandates to improve curriculum and instruction and incorporate technology in teaching U.S. K-12 students have failed to improve math proficiency as measured by standardized assessments. Still, 40-60% need remedial coursework in college. Past efforts have focused on incorporating specific technologies. The SAMR approach redirects the effort to…

The zero-sum game of education is supported by the implementation standardized testing in a manner that disenfranchises Black students. While assessments are accountability tools for ensuring rigorous teaching and for measuring student learning, the impact of these tests on students' identity needs to be examined. The demands of a knowledge-based…

This study focuses on a problem of practice at George County Middle School, a 6-8 middle school located in central Kentucky. The achievement gap between English Language learners and non-english language learners continues to grow wider as students' progress through their educational career. As a result, English learners are being…

Middle school math students are underperforming on teacher-created assessments and assignments, state assessments, and nationally normed assessments, such as the Measures of Academic Performance (MAP) and the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Only 35.7% of sixth graders in South Carolina scored "meets or exceeds…

aimswebPlus® is an assessment, data management, and reporting system that provides national and local performance and growth norms for the screening and progress monitoring of math and reading skills for all students in kindergarten through 8th grade. aimswebPlus uses two types of measures: (1) "curriculum-based measures" (CBMs)--brief,…

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic closes schools across the nation, education systems are scrambling to meet the needs of schools, families, and 55.1 million students. The economic impacts and trauma of recent events will also have far reaching effects that will likely exacerbate long-standing opportunity gaps. While it is difficult to…

Mandates to improve curriculum and instruction have failed to produce mathematically proficient students, with 40-60% needing remedial coursework in college, despite incorporation of technology. The SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) model redirects technological focus away from specific technologies to how technology is…

In fall 2017, Propel Schools initiated the expansion of one of its schools, Propel Montour. Originally a single K-8 school with two classrooms per grade, Montour added a new high school and expanded into separate elementary and middle schools over four years, adding a classroom to each grade. In this report, the authors used…

This study describes a strengths-based blended personalized learning model, the implementation of the model over a 4-year period, and the results of an impact study focused on measuring its effectiveness. The model includes many commonly-used features of personalized learning, including (a) competency-based progressions, (b) flexible learning…

Linking score scales across different tests is considered speculative and fraught, even at the aggregate level. We introduce and illustrate validation methods for aggregate linkages, using the challenge of linking U.S. school district average test scores across states as a motivating example. We show that aggregate linkages can be validated both…