A High School Turnaround School Initiative: Effects on Students' Math and Reading Proficiency.

Abstract

A HIGH SCHOOL TURNAROUND SCHOOL INITIATIVE: EFFECTS ON STUDENTS’ MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY by Rene’ Segler Zender Dr. Sherri Strawser, Doctoral Committee Chair Associate Professor of Special Education University of Nevada, Las Vegas Since the middle of the last century, student education in the U.S. public school systems has been deemed inadequate. Critics developed measures in the form of standardized testing to measure student progress in an attempt to help facilitate reforms. In the last thirty years, the federal government has played an increasing role in school reform efforts in the form of laws and unfunded mandates. School districts have attempted to respond to federal pressure by attempting radical changes from replacing all school administration and staff to a complete curriculum overhaul. While school reform efforts have been widely documented by various groups, no actual quantitative studies have been conducted on the dynamics that occur in successful school turnarounds. There is little research concerning specific programs within the context of turnaround schools that contribute to increased student achievement and the small body of research that does exist in more anecdotal accounts. The literature on the turnaround school improvement