Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to better understand the instructional strategies of Algebra I teachers and leadership characteristics of administrators among secondary public schools with high and low performance on Algebra I End-of-Course Assessments (ECAs). The impact of poverty on student achievement was also investigated in relation to first-time test taker Algebra 1 ECA passing rates. The study south to determine if schools' free and reduced lunch rates, teacher characteristics, and/or principal characteristics were significant predictors of first-time test taker Algebra 1 ECA passing rates. Whether there were significant differences in implementation of Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock's (2001) research-based instructional strategies and/or prioritization of McREL's (Waters & Grubb, 2004) 21 leadership responsibilities based on school ECA performance levels was also investigated. The data used for these determinations was collected via teacher surveys that were sent to Indiana public high school Algebra 1 teachers and principals and data on 2012-2013 Indiana public high school free and reduced lunch rates and first-time test taker Algebra 1 ECA passing rates. Following a linear regression being run on the school free and reduced lunch rates and first-time test taker Algebra 1 ECA passing rates, it was determined that there was a significant, negative relationship between the two variables. Descriptive statistics were run and analyzed on data from both teacher and principal survey results related to implementation of Marzano et al.'s (2001) instructional strategies (teachers) and McREL's (Waters & Grubb, 2004) leadership responsibilities (principals). Independent samples t-tests were run on the instructional strategies and leadership responsibilities composite scores for high- and low-performing schools. No significant difference was found between high- and low- performing schools for either of those areas. Multiple regressions were run on teacher characteristics and on principal characteristics and Algebra 1 ECA residual scores. For teachers, the characteristics were not found to be significant predictors of the ECA scores. For principals, the characteristics of school locale and principalEducational degree attainment were found to be significant predictors of first-time test taker Algebra 1 ECA residual scores.

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