Current Search: education policy (x)
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Pages
- Title
- Reformation and Renaissance: An Examination of America's Education Reform Movement.
- Creator
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Johnson, Craig, Murray, Barbara, Murray, Kenneth, Doherty, Walter, Holt, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Education reform has grown into a major policy issue at the state and national level in the United States and for that matter around the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the political and social forces supporting, the rationale behind, and the growth and impact of education reform policies in the K-12 public education system of the United States from 2001-2011. Through mixed-methods data analysis a descriptive and analytical picture of education reform was able to be...
Show moreEducation reform has grown into a major policy issue at the state and national level in the United States and for that matter around the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the political and social forces supporting, the rationale behind, and the growth and impact of education reform policies in the K-12 public education system of the United States from 2001-2011. Through mixed-methods data analysis a descriptive and analytical picture of education reform was able to be concluded. The results of the analysis showed that with an increase in education reforms from 2001-2011, legislators, predominantly Republican, created state level education reforms which fell in line with both neoliberal economic (market based policies) and neoconservative political (smaller government and increased individualism) ideals. With a focus on accountability, achievement, and choice, reformers, proliferated in profiles of corporations, PACs and other organizations outside the realm of traditional public education, school systems in the United States continued on similar paths of education reform as other post-industrialized countries that have grown out of an economically globalized world.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005353, ucf:50484
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005353
- Title
- ACADEMIC ACCELERATION IN FLORIDA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: A SURVEY OF ATTITUDES, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES.
- Creator
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Guilbault, Keri, Bozeman, William, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this research was to provide recent descriptive information about acceleration policies and practices in Florida elementary schools. District, school, and personal demographic variables were investigated to determine the extent to which they affected school-based acceleration options provided for students. Also, school district policies were examined to determine which types of research-based acceleration options were more frequently used and what procedures were in place to...
Show moreThe focus of this research was to provide recent descriptive information about acceleration policies and practices in Florida elementary schools. District, school, and personal demographic variables were investigated to determine the extent to which they affected school-based acceleration options provided for students. Also, school district policies were examined to determine which types of research-based acceleration options were more frequently used and what procedures were in place to guide the decision-making process. Results from this study indicated that extant acceleration policies only included grade skipping and limited procedures for referral, screening and decision-making in the schools. The most common types of acceleration offered in Florida elementary schools were subject acceleration in the Language Arts and Mathematics provided outside of the regular classroom, continuous progress, and curriculum compacting. The most frequently selected reason for not accelerating a student listed by both school principals and district administrators of gifted education programs was concern over a studentÂÂ's social and emotional development. No relationship was found to exist between schoolsÂÂ' or principalsÂÂ' personal demographic variables and types of acceleration offered in elementary schools. No relationship was found between elementary school principalsÂÂ' knowledge of gifted learners and the types of acceleration implemented in their schools.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002969, ucf:47988
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002969
- Title
- State Adolescent Reproductive Health Policies and their Impact on Teen Pregnancy Outcomes.
- Creator
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Cawley, Jenna, Fine, Terri, Jewett, Aubrey, Logan, Lisa, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Using multiple regression analysis, this study analyzes the impact of state-level adolescent reproductive health statutes on rates of teenage pregnancy, birth and abortion rates. This study also analyzes the impact that adolescent reproductive health policy outputs have had on teenage pregnancy outcomes between 1992 and 2008, and the disparate impact of policies on minority teens.While some preventive adolescent reproductive health policies are found to impact teen pregnancy outcomes, most...
Show moreUsing multiple regression analysis, this study analyzes the impact of state-level adolescent reproductive health statutes on rates of teenage pregnancy, birth and abortion rates. This study also analyzes the impact that adolescent reproductive health policy outputs have had on teenage pregnancy outcomes between 1992 and 2008, and the disparate impact of policies on minority teens.While some preventive adolescent reproductive health policies are found to impact teen pregnancy outcomes, most research findings pertain to the impact of abortion policy. Restrictions on minors' access to confidential prenatal care are associated with reduced rates of teen abortion while restricting access to contraceptive services is associated with increases in teen abortion. Surprisingly, states with more family planning program spending are found to have been less effective in reducing rates of teen pregnancy and births between 1992 and 2008. Abortion restrictions are found to decrease rates of teen abortion and increase rates of teen birth. Mandated parental involvement in minors' abortions is found to increase rates of teen birth and contributed to a slower rate of decline in teen abortion between 1992 and 2008. This study indicates disparate impact of both preventive adolescent reproductive health policies and restrictive abortion policies. Restrictive abortion statutes were found to have an exceptionally strong positive effect on rates of Black teen birth, with a moderate impact on Hispanic teen birth and no impact on White teen birth.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005586, ucf:50247
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005586
- Title
- THE UNRAVELING OF AMERICA'S EDUCATION SYSTEM.
- Creator
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Wright, Amy, Kiel, Dwight, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This research project takes a critical look at the data that drives educational policies. This research project looks at the data at the national level as well as the regional levels in order to see if the data is functioning differently at the different levels. All data has been collected from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) through reports published by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an independent committee assigned to collect and analyze...
Show moreThis research project takes a critical look at the data that drives educational policies. This research project looks at the data at the national level as well as the regional levels in order to see if the data is functioning differently at the different levels. All data has been collected from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) through reports published by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an independent committee assigned to collect and analyze educational data. The data was collected and then correlations were run between the expenditures per pupil, number of pupils per teacher, standardized test scores, such as average ACT, average SAT, average 8th grade Math and Reading tests, and average 4th grade Math and Reading tests. This research project also included the percentage of minority students in the classroom, a variable whose data has been collected over the years, but it has never been included in any prior analyses. What this research project found is that some of the data, such as the standardized test scores, have a different strength of relationship between variables at the different levels. For example, expenditures per pupil have strength in the relationship between the different standardized test scores at the national level, but once those numbers are broken down by region, the strength in the variables relationship is weakened. This research project also discovered that the make up of the classroom, specifically the percentage of minority students, is a vital factor in the performance of all students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000766, ucf:46556
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000766
- Title
- NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND?: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION POLICY AND STUDENT SUCCESS.
- Creator
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Resmann, Brittany, Kiel , Dwight, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study investigated how education policy influences student success, and if there are linkages between K-12 education policy and higher education. Historically, education has primarily been a function of state and local governments. The role of the federal government drastically changed with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. This thesis focused on the influence of No Child Behind on several indicators of student success in K-12 and postsecondary education. All fifty...
Show moreThis study investigated how education policy influences student success, and if there are linkages between K-12 education policy and higher education. Historically, education has primarily been a function of state and local governments. The role of the federal government drastically changed with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. This thesis focused on the influence of No Child Behind on several indicators of student success in K-12 and postsecondary education. All fifty states were examined in this study. This approach is rather unusual since it is typical to focus on one state or a small group of states. In addition to the state level analyses, macro analyses were also conducted to generate sounder policy prescriptions. This study tested three primary research questions. The first research question tested possible changes in several measures of student success since the implementation of No Child Left Behind. The second research question analyzed the relationship between K-12 education policy and higher education. The third research question addressed the possibility that state education reforms have had an impact on test scores, graduation rates, and college enrollment. Findings showed that K-12 test scores have improved on the national level since the implementation of No Child Left Behind, but there are several states that have witnessed a decline in test scores since legislation was enacted. There was no relationship between the state reforms and the variables that measured student success. Based on the findings, policy prescriptions were generated for both leaders within education and policymakers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002607, ucf:48249
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002607
- Title
- HOME SCHOOL VERSUS OTHER APPLICANTS TO POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS: ADMISSION POLICIES AND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS.
- Creator
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Ashford, Rebecca, Pawlas, George, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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In this study, 94 colleges and universities in Florida were surveyed to determine what their admission policies were for home school applicants. Forty-six colleges responded to the survey. The results of the survey were analyzed to determine if there was a pattern of acceptance based on institution type--public, private, or proprietary. Further, the admission policies were analyzed to determine the extent to which they complied with the National Center for Home Education's (NCHE) recommend...
Show moreIn this study, 94 colleges and universities in Florida were surveyed to determine what their admission policies were for home school applicants. Forty-six colleges responded to the survey. The results of the survey were analyzed to determine if there was a pattern of acceptance based on institution type--public, private, or proprietary. Further, the admission policies were analyzed to determine the extent to which they complied with the National Center for Home Education's (NCHE) recommend college admission policies for home school applicants. The researcher found that public colleges were more likely to accept home school students than were private colleges. Also, public colleges had less stringent admission requirements for home school students than did private colleges. Further, home school admission policies in place in Florida's public colleges were more likely to comply with the NCHE's recommended admission policies for home school applicants. In addition to reviewing college admission policies for home school students, the standardized test scores and grade point averages of home school and public school students enrolled in a Florida, public community college were compared. The standardized test scores compared were the College Placement Test (CPT) and the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT). The researcher found no difference in the mean grade point averages of home school and public school students enrolled in a Florida, public community college. Also, the researcher found no difference in the mean CPT algebra, CPT reading, or SAT mathematics scores of home school and public school students. There was, however, a significant difference in the CPT writing and SAT verbal scores for these two groups of students. Home school students scored significantly higher than public school students on the CPT writing and the SAT verbal tests.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000601, ucf:46536
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000601
- Title
- EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ADOLESCENT OBESITY AND SEDENTARY PREVALENCE.
- Creator
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McWilliams, Payton C, Valdes, Anna, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This research seeks to determine the relationships between the quality of physical education (PE) programs provided by state departments of education (DOE), obesity rates, and sedentary behaviors described as physical inactivity in adolescents ages 10-17 years old. A modified rubric based on the "Let's Move Active Schools Assessment" was created and used to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the PE programs and physical activity (PA) opportunities provided by websites of the state's...
Show moreThis research seeks to determine the relationships between the quality of physical education (PE) programs provided by state departments of education (DOE), obesity rates, and sedentary behaviors described as physical inactivity in adolescents ages 10-17 years old. A modified rubric based on the "Let's Move Active Schools Assessment" was created and used to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the PE programs and physical activity (PA) opportunities provided by websites of the state's DOE. A total of fourteen states were chosen to be assessed due to having either the highest or lowest obesity or physical inactivity rates. It was believed that the states with the highest obesity prevalence would have the highest inactivity and the lowest quality PE programs, and that those with lowest obesity prevalence would have lowest physical inactivity and high quality PE programs. After assessing the chosen states, no correlation was found between the quality of PE program as determined from the created rubric and the obesity or sedentary behavior rates of the state. The highest grade of all states assessed was 23 out of 27 with the lowest score being 7. The average scores of the states with the highest obesity was greater than the average for those states with the lowest inactivity, indicating that the quality of PE programs as provided by the DOE are not exclusively related to obesity and physical inactivity prevalence. Other determining factors such as nutrition, state funding, local policies, and societal factors may be more involved in the health of children than what is popularly believed. The data show that efforts are being made to decrease obesity throughout schools and the departments of education, however the efficiency of such efforts to increase physical activity and health are low. While states may post plans for PE and create standards for teaching, local levels of education are not required to enforce the policies or teach the curriculum suggested. Including students with special conditions and providing physical activities outside the school building is also lacking although it may seem like measures are being taken to provide such opportunities. More evaluations must be completed to get a stronger understanding of how to fix inadequate physical education and activity programs provided by the states' DOEs. Reviewing each DOE efforts as well as that of the community and individual school districts would help gain insight into where roadblocks reside and how to overcome destructive policies to offer better physical activity and education to children.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFH2000221, ucf:45982
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000221
- Title
- EDUCATION POLICY IN FLORIDA: EXPLAINING COUNTY-LEVEL APPROVAL OF THE 2002 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
- Creator
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Friant, Rachel M., Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety...
Show moreThis research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety of socioeconomic, demographic and political independent variables are tested. Four independent variables had a statistically significant positive relationship with support for both VPK and CSA: Democratic registration, Hispanic population, higher education, and population density.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFH2000217, ucf:46060
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000217
- Title
- "THE IMPACT OF POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN SECONDARY ONLINE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL".
- Creator
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McPherson, Rhonda, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the...
Show moreFlorida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the organization from 1997-2007. The use of institutional theory as the guiding framework for this study proved to be beneficial and enabled the researcher to conclude which types of policy are the most effective in increasing student success in the secondary online education environment. This study utilized ANOVA and regression analysis to detect whether or not changes in policy at the organizational and federal level have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment. This study reveals that student success at FLVS is consistently decreasing and that the change is statistically significant. Regression analysis found that the policy changes at FLVS in this study explain some of the variance detected in the change in the mean, or GPA, of the school. This study found that both coercive and mimetic policies have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment as identified in the isomorphic mechanisms outlined in institutional theory. This study is important to the field of literature regarding secondary online education in that it opens the discussion regarding types of policy and the potential impact that policy changes have on student success in the secondary online education environment. In addition, this study serves as a framework upon which future studies can be conducted and are recommended in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002423, ucf:47741
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002423
- Title
- Cultural Responsiveness and K-12 English Learners: Exploring Policy and Implementation Fidelity.
- Creator
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Raubaugh, Lauren, Purmensky, Kerry, Grissom, Donita, Nutta, Joyce, Johnson, Jerry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally...
Show moreThis critical policy analysis and collective case study, informed by ethnographic techniques, involved reviews of twelve Florida school district ESOL policies (included within the 2016-2019 District English Language Learner Plans, required of all Florida districts to complete) whose English learner (EL) populations met or exceeded ten percent (10%) of their total enrollment. A priori coding of these policy documents was conducted using nine criteria pulled from the literature on culturally responsive practice (CRP), which served as the theoretical framework for the study. Subsequent observations and practitioner interviews within two schools from the same district were conducted in order to ascertain how practice seemed to align with policy, how these practices differed from site to site despite their location within the same district, and ultimately to assess the efficacy of observed pedagogical and administrative practices within the theoretical framework of CRP. Results were mixed and indicated a lack of consistency across the board in terms of policy, implementation, and culturally responsive practice.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007711, ucf:52443
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007711
- Title
- Teaching Online and Cyberbullying: Examining Higher Education Cyberbullying Policies In The Florida State University System.
- Creator
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Raditch, Joseph, Cox, Thomas, Marshall, Nancy, Preston, Michael, Brown, Tim, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The cyberbullying phenomena has been recorded as affecting students and faculty alike in the K-12 and higher education systems. Cyberbullying in higher education has negative effects to the institution and its stakeholders, including faculty turn over and student suicide. While these responses are highly publicized, the effects of cyberbullying on the online classroom remain relatively untouched by researchers. There are very few resources available to faculty who teach online courses for...
Show moreThe cyberbullying phenomena has been recorded as affecting students and faculty alike in the K-12 and higher education systems. Cyberbullying in higher education has negative effects to the institution and its stakeholders, including faculty turn over and student suicide. While these responses are highly publicized, the effects of cyberbullying on the online classroom remain relatively untouched by researchers. There are very few resources available to faculty who teach online courses for creating strategies to combat cyberbullying in that context. Furthermore, many states, including Florida, defer conduct policies and their enforcement to the individual institution. While there are many aspects of cyberbullying within the online course in higher education that remain unexplored by research, this study seeks to breach the subject by analyzing the policies at Florida public universities. Using document analysis, this study analyzed policies from the 12 state universities capturing the definition of cyberbullying and recommended reporting practices for faculty on cyberbullying from each institution. By framing the results of the analysis through the community of inquiry, this study provides value to faculty seeking to strengthen their online teaching presence through providing clear guidelines established by each Florida institution. It will also provide value to administrators at institutions within the United States who are reviewing their policies addressing online abuse and cyberbullying by identifying to common definitions currently used within public institutions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007853, ucf:52798
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007853
- Title
- An Anthropological Case Study on the Impact of the "No Zero" Homework Policy on Teacher Culture in Two Central Florida Middle Schools.
- Creator
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Bolger, Mary, Howard, Rosalyn, Stewart, Martha, Matejowsky, Ty, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top are Federal educational policies that have evoked criticism from teachers and administrators. Both policies extended the federal government's reach into local education by tying federal funds to a school's student growth and teacher effectiveness. With an increasing emphasis on economic mechanisms such as choice and competition, teachers' effectiveness is now determined by standardized and quantifiable measurements. These policies have created a data...
Show moreNo Child Left Behind and Race to the Top are Federal educational policies that have evoked criticism from teachers and administrators. Both policies extended the federal government's reach into local education by tying federal funds to a school's student growth and teacher effectiveness. With an increasing emphasis on economic mechanisms such as choice and competition, teachers' effectiveness is now determined by standardized and quantifiable measurements. These policies have created a data driven and high stakes accountability culture within each school. Teachers are finding themselves in a new balancing act of recording quantifiable yearly progress for all students while trying to work against environmental factors that are out of their control. The rising trend to utilize a (")no zero(") homework policy under these new pressures merits investigation into its role within teacher culture and these current tensions. The recent call for anthropology to re-enter the classroom as a cultural site allows the researcher to provide context to the fluid relationships that often lead to the reproduction of or resistance against dominant ideology. Using the case study method, this ethnography employs the critical theory framework to examine policy impact on teacher culture and gain an understanding for how and why trends such as the (")no zero(") homework become a part of school policy. By looking at a (")school of choice(") and a traditional (")feeder middle school,(") this thesis gives context to how the local trends illuminate larger cultural shifts.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004975, ucf:49596
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004975
- Title
- Fostering college student success: An analysis of the educational outcomes of Florida college students utilizing Relative Caregiver, Road-to-Independence, and Adoption tuition exemptions.
- Creator
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Murray, Lauren, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Preston, Michael, Whiteman, JoAnn, Molina, Olga, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigated the educational outcomes of foster care youth utilizing the Road to Independence, Adopted from DCF, and Relative Caregiver tuition exemptions to pursue enrollment in Florida's state college system during the 2012-2013 academic year. An extensive literature review was conducted to examine the history of foster care, examine a contemporary portrait of the American foster care system, and the adult outcomes of former foster care. Federal and state policies impacting the...
Show moreThis study investigated the educational outcomes of foster care youth utilizing the Road to Independence, Adopted from DCF, and Relative Caregiver tuition exemptions to pursue enrollment in Florida's state college system during the 2012-2013 academic year. An extensive literature review was conducted to examine the history of foster care, examine a contemporary portrait of the American foster care system, and the adult outcomes of former foster care. Federal and state policies impacting the population, campus support initiatives at colleges nationwide and the concept of resilience were also explored. In conjunction with the Florida Department of Education's Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement, the Florida Department of Children and Families provided access to a dataset compiled by the Community College and Technical Center MIS department. This file contained enrollment information for foster care youth utilizing one of three tuition exemptions to fund their education-related expenses. While all personal identifiers were eliminated prior to sharing the file, information within the document included student age, gender, race/ethnicity, academic discipline, and degree being pursued.Results of this study yielded some statistically significant differences across tuition exemption type. After examining relationships between gender and race/ethnicity and tuition exemption type, no statistically significant results were found. However, statistical significance was found after examining the relationships between academic degree being pursued and academic major/discipline and tuition exemption type. Many factors impact the experiences of foster care youth in the college classroom. These should be considered when developing programming, policy, and support services aimed at encouraging their success.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005979, ucf:50769
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005979
- Title
- Moving Beyond Title IX: An Evaluation of the Comprehensiveness and Accessibility of Policies and Procedures for Preventing and Responding to Gender Based Violence.
- Creator
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Mullins, Alyssa, Jasinski, Jana, Mustaine, Elizabeth, Reckdenwald, Amy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The current study examines the gender based violence policies and programs of large, public universities in Florida. Current literature argues that preventing and responding to gender based violence in institutions of higher education requires comprehensive and ecological techniques at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal level. In recent years, various institutions and agencies have showed increasing administrative commitment to addressing these issues. Futures Without...
Show moreThe current study examines the gender based violence policies and programs of large, public universities in Florida. Current literature argues that preventing and responding to gender based violence in institutions of higher education requires comprehensive and ecological techniques at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal level. In recent years, various institutions and agencies have showed increasing administrative commitment to addressing these issues. Futures Without Violence, formerly named Family Violence Prevention Fund, is a private organization that has established a set of guidelines and recommendations to aid IHEs in their response and prevention of gender based violence, intended to exceed federal regulations, such as Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Act. The current study used the guidelines and recommendations established by Futures Without Violence to perform a content analysis of ten large Florida universities' websites to determine the comprehensiveness and accessibility of each university's gender based violence policies and procedures. Findings indicate various levels of compliance within and among the universities. Thus, the current study outlines the generalized findings among all universities, describes the strengths and weaknesses of each university's policies, and provides recommendations for these institutions as well as future exploration of the feasibility of these guidelines and recommendations in practice.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004895, ucf:49679
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004895
- Title
- Digital Education: The Impact of Change, Acceleration, and Student Achievement Improvement.
- Creator
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Walsh, Sarah, Olan, Elsie, Puig, Enrique, Jeanpierre, Bobby, Damico, Nicole, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The aim is to understand if the implementation plan in place by the public school system is exceeding the expectations of the stakeholders or if it is falling below what is expected. This quantitative research examines the English Language Arts (ELA), Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) scores for the state of Florida with a closer inspection of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) with relation to their digital implementation plan. With an increase in digital technology and amplified emphasis...
Show moreThe aim is to understand if the implementation plan in place by the public school system is exceeding the expectations of the stakeholders or if it is falling below what is expected. This quantitative research examines the English Language Arts (ELA), Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) scores for the state of Florida with a closer inspection of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) with relation to their digital implementation plan. With an increase in digital technology and amplified emphasis on technology-based learning, the objective of this research was to determine what impact students and schools are experiencing in regards to test scores after the first year of implementation. Data reflects a decrease in gains in relation to ELA test scores, specifically within the year of implementation of technology. With the knowledge of this information the conversation needs to be started about what needs to be done to help this from becoming a permanent issue. There needs to be an allotment for adjustments to allow for the inclusion of strategies to assist in the minimizing of the achievement gap.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007740, ucf:52396
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007740
- Title
- ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SOME:THE ROLE OF RACE IN ZERO TOLERANCE EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE.
- Creator
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Bejarano, Meghan, Ford, Jason, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Within the last few decades, zero tolerance policies and exclusionary discipline have become the standard way in which schools manage student behavior. These policies, namely suspension and expulsion have been shown to have negative impacts on the lives of students who are punished with them. Educationally, the removal of students from the classroom hurts their chances of achieving academic success. Furthermore, these policies have been linked with an increase in the presence of law...
Show moreWithin the last few decades, zero tolerance policies and exclusionary discipline have become the standard way in which schools manage student behavior. These policies, namely suspension and expulsion have been shown to have negative impacts on the lives of students who are punished with them. Educationally, the removal of students from the classroom hurts their chances of achieving academic success. Furthermore, these policies have been linked with an increase in the presence of law enforcement on school campuses, which results in the arrest of students, burdening them with expensive and serious legal battles. This research examines whether nonwhite students are more likely to be sanctioned by this form of discipline. A nationally representative sample of middle and high school students is used to estimate four logistic regression models, with exclusionary discipline as the dependent variable and race as the primary independent variable. The analysis shows that nonwhite students are more likely to suspended or expelled than white students - even when student behavior is the same. This research adds to the existing body of research on exclusionary discipline and provides a nationally generalizable study to support the claim the nonwhite students are at an increased risk to be sanctioned by zero tolerance policies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004643, ucf:45276
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004643
- Title
- Staffing Practices of Elementary School Principals for Teachers in Primary Grades and Implications for the PreK-3rd Continuum.
- Creator
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Albers-Biddle, Laura, Boote, David, Culp, Anne, Levin, Judith, Hayes, Grant, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Principals are considered the educational leaders of their schools and face pressure to improve the quality of education across all levels and disciplines. Principals were interviewed to understand their beliefs, knowledge, and dispositions on staffing teachers in the primary grades. A purposive sample of elementary school principals was drawn from one mid-size suburban district in Florida. Data were analyzed using Bolman and Deal's four-frame organizational theory framework, Cohen's...
Show morePrincipals are considered the educational leaders of their schools and face pressure to improve the quality of education across all levels and disciplines. Principals were interviewed to understand their beliefs, knowledge, and dispositions on staffing teachers in the primary grades. A purposive sample of elementary school principals was drawn from one mid-size suburban district in Florida. Data were analyzed using Bolman and Deal's four-frame organizational theory framework, Cohen's cognitive frame, and Boote's theory of professional discretion.The data strongly suggest that principals do not understand the foundations of early childhood practice. In addition, they do not understand the differences between Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Elementary Education (EE). The principals tend to hire teachers with EE certification as opposed to ECE training. This is partially due to their lack of understanding of ECE and to the perceived advantage of being able to place teachers in a wide range of grade levels. Although all principals stated that primary teaching requires specialized knowledge, most principals consider flexibility to move teachers into the upper grades more important.Three main implications for practice are suggested based on recommendations for advocacy and public education for young children within PreK(-)3rd continuum initiatives. (1) Professional development in ECE should be implemented at the district level for principals to learn and understand the differences in preparation between ECE and EE teacher preparation and to demonstrate the importance of the early years of child development and education. (2) Curriculum enrichment in ECE needs to be added to higher education, graduate teacher leadership programs to demonstrate the importance of the early years of child development and education. (3) The policy for hiring should be centralized at the district level and require teachers with training in ECE for the primary grades. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005294, ucf:50547
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005294
- Title
- Central Florida School Districts' Responses to Hispanic Growth, 1980-2010.
- Creator
-
Hazen, Kendra, Cassanello, Robert, Lester, Connie, Walker, Ezekiel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Since the 1980s, Hispanics have been the fastest growing minority in the United States and have been moving into rural, Southern areas where there have previously not been populations of Hispanics. Studies of these demographic changes have concentrated on how communities impacted by the influx of Hispanics have created or adjusted socioeconomic and political infrastructures to accommodate the linguistic and cultural needs of the Hispanic population. The public-school system is a...
Show moreSince the 1980s, Hispanics have been the fastest growing minority in the United States and have been moving into rural, Southern areas where there have previously not been populations of Hispanics. Studies of these demographic changes have concentrated on how communities impacted by the influx of Hispanics have created or adjusted socioeconomic and political infrastructures to accommodate the linguistic and cultural needs of the Hispanic population. The public-school system is a sociopolitical structure that has affected and has been affected by the increase in Hispanics. Whereas the modern Civil Rights movement had created legal precedence for students' language rights and led to the creation of the federal Bilingual Education Act of 1968, nationalist backlash to this rise in Hispanic immigrants led to the eventual defunding of federal bilingual education programs by the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. This thesis is a policy history of Hispanic growth in the public-school systems in Orange, Lake and Osceola counties in Florida from 1980 to 2010. During that time, the three counties grew and diversified at different rates and made decisions for their English for Speakers of Other Languages programs that correlated with the size of their Hispanic population. This time frame encompasses Osceola's fastest period of growth which led to the creation of the Florida Consent Decree, Florida public schools' framework for remaining compliant with federal and state language policies. Even though federal funds for English acquisition programs replaced funds for bilingual or native language instruction during this time, Hispanic and non-Hispanic teachers, administrators, community or activist groups and parents continued to exert agency in gaining culturally inclusive and linguistically affirming language instruction programs for their children.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007649, ucf:52507
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007649
- Title
- A Comparison of Sixth Grade Student Achievement in Reading and Mathematics at School Transition Year.
- Creator
-
Roseboom, Julie, Taylor, Rosemarye, Doherty, Walter, Bai, Haiyan, Beattie, Karen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study contributed information for consideration as school districts determine grade span configuration as part of school design. The problem addressed was the extent to which student achievement may be impacted by the transition from one school to another from fifth to sixth grade in Florida public schools in order to provide data to school policy makers and school district administrators and add to the body of knowledge on the grade level configuration that contributed the most to...
Show moreThis study contributed information for consideration as school districts determine grade span configuration as part of school design. The problem addressed was the extent to which student achievement may be impacted by the transition from one school to another from fifth to sixth grade in Florida public schools in order to provide data to school policy makers and school district administrators and add to the body of knowledge on the grade level configuration that contributed the most to student achievement in sixth grade. This was a causal-comparative study using quantitative data to analyze student scores at the school level for reading and mathematics on the 2014 Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) 2.0 assessment to explore the difference in achievement for sixth grade students with no school transition compared to those who had school transitions during middle school. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to examine if a difference existed in the dependent variables of sixth-grade reading and mathematics achievement as measured by school mean developmental scale scores and the school percentage of students making learning gains on the FCAT 2.0 between schools with sixth grade as the transition year and without sixth grade as the transition year. The analyses were controlled for the covariates of the school percentages of socio-economic status as determined by free and reduced lunch rate, English Learner status, and exceptional student education status. Findings signified that schools with no school transition between fifth and sixth grade in Florida public schools had higher sixth-grade mean scores in reading and mathematics as measured by school mean developmental scale scores and in reading as measured by the percentage of school learning gains. This study offers insight into what grade configuration is more likely to positively impact student achievement during the middle grades and supports students remaining in an elementary setting with fewer transitions during the middle grades to most benefit reading and mathematics achievement. Findings are useful to school boards, superintendents, and school district administrators interested in educational policy development and research on transition especially when restructuring school grade configurations and building new school sites.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006545, ucf:51347
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006545
- Title
- INVESTING IN AN INTERCONNECTED WORKFORCE:GLOBAL EDUCATION REFORM.
- Creator
-
Klug, Amelia, Bryer, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Regardless of culture, socio-economic background, and quality of life, all students deserve the highest quality of education. But the reality is, many education systems around the world do not offer it. Investing in structural reforms in education has the potential to boost economic growth in countries around the world. By learning from different education systems strengths and weaknesses, policy decisions can be made that ensure students are given the opportunity for higher educational...
Show moreRegardless of culture, socio-economic background, and quality of life, all students deserve the highest quality of education. But the reality is, many education systems around the world do not offer it. Investing in structural reforms in education has the potential to boost economic growth in countries around the world. By learning from different education systems strengths and weaknesses, policy decisions can be made that ensure students are given the opportunity for higher educational outcomes. This study analyzes high, middle, and low quality education systems around the world and the infrastructures that lead to educational success or failure. Fifteen education systems are chosen for this study which includes Shanghai-China, Singapore, Japan, Finland, Canada, Portugal, United States, Luxembourg, Spain, Hungary, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, Qatar, and Peru. Each system is analyzed in terms of its teacher quality, curriculum, school system structure, and educational equity. From this study, it appears that there is a high-correlation between four indicators and top-educational success. These four indicators include having a highly selective model for hiring teachers, recruiting teachers from a top-pool of graduates, having a high-level of prestige held for teachers in society, and insuring students of low socio-economic status are given equal educational opportunities for success. Recommendations for a new teacher training and selection model are discussed based on the top four indicators. These recommendations could cause educational gains for both the United States and other systems around the world.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFH0004691, ucf:45247
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004691
