Behavior problems impact student performance and the overall climate of a school building. Current school codes of conduct and discipline programs do little to improve behavior. Schools need a way to put interventions in place to help students who show behavioral difficulty. These interventions need to be supportive rather than punitive. The res...
The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the predictors of teacher absences between the 2016-19 school years and the impact of teacher absences on student achievement scores at Derry Township School District (DTSD), a school district located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The objectives of the study included: (a) an analysis of the predi...
Academic achievements and regular attendance are considred to be two important indicators of college and career readiness. Students who are economically disadvantaged and do not have regular attendance in school do not achieve at the same rate as their peers (Garcia & Weiss, 2018). Additionally, attendance in middle school is considered a relia...
The focus of this action research project was to gather information regarding instructional success in reading while implementing varying interventions in tiered approaches within a newly implemented Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework in second grade. Two cohort years were utilized for the data analysis to demonstrate movement base...
Schuylkill Valley Middle School did not have a guideline for consistent homework use among the teaching staff, which resulted in irregular homework practices. This irregularity emphasized a need for consistent homework guidelines that all teachers can follow.
The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of homework on students at Schuylk...
This mixed method action research study explored the benefits peer coaching could provide to further establish a cost-effective professional development opportunity that promotes a collaborative culture among early childhood educators. Serving as a pilot, the study was completed to understand educators' interest in an alternate, interactive prof...
Considerable amounts of financial resources and human capital are dedicated to school improvement efforts in the state of Pennsylvania each year. The factors that guide school improvement designation stem from federal education legislation, and include achievement, academic growth, attendance, graduation, EL proficiency, and career readiness. At...
Professional learning communities (PLCs) are in their fifth year of implementation at Avon Grove High School. DuFour et al. (2010) define a professional learning community (PLC) as an “ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students t...
This paper focuses on the darker side of our beloved childhood cartoons as well as current day cartoons and the impact they can produce on the children who watch, in addition to the rationalization of the humor. One big fear that this topic gives off is that children can become desensitized to violent acts and not be able to distinguish what is ... Honors Thesis Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Regeth.
The purpose of this action research study was to determine the impact of implementing a House system in a K-8 rural school over a three-year period to address academic, school climate, and school community concerns. The review of the literature framed the House system as a school climate reform effort in the mold of John Dewey’s social learning ...
The purpose of this project is to incorporate a female voice into the male dominated perspective in Social Studies’ curriculum. A literature review will be done, examining prior research on this topic. I will also look at different pedagogical techniques to integrate biographies, case studies, or readings to a unit of study. I will select a unit... Honors Thesis Advisor: Dr. Laura Tuennerman.
Forbes Road Elementary School embarked on this study in response to their writing curriculum’s failure to improve the quantity and quality of informational writing among its intermediate grade-level students using a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework. A substantive body of research has identified these skills as being essential for academ...
Paraprofessionals perform an essential role in the delivery of special education services to students with disabilities. When paraprofessionals are appropriately trained and retained over time, students receive the high-quality support that is necessary to be successful in the least restrictive environment.
This research project focused on impro...
The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of the newly hired special education teachers and paraprofessionals of the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20's (CIU20) onboarding process, engagement with staff, and preparedness as part of the CIU20 community to develop systems and strategies to increase CIU20 retention rates. Special educa...
According to a report published by ed.gov (2019) there are currently 7,136,00 unfilled jobs in the United States. The gap in available jobs and individuals to fill those jobs has never been greater. A large portion of these unfilled jobs are in the area of skilled trades. Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships are avenues many times used to fil...
