Kris WatkinsFollow

Date

12-2017

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Rick Bragg

Keywords

Achievement Gap, African American, Block Schedule, Economically Disadvantaged, High Stakes Testing, U.S. History

Disciplines

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Other Education

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation study, which employed a quantitative correlational research design, was to determine if the school-level variables of percentage of African American students, the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, and type of school scheduling significantly influence student performance on the Georgia Milestones U.S. History end-of-course assessments (EOCs) for the school years 2014-15 and 2015-16. The study utilized a sample of 163 high schools located in the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Results from simultaneous linear regression analyses showed that school-level percentage of economically disadvantaged students was significantly associated with school-level Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) U.S. History EOC scores. As the percentage of economically disadvantaged students increased, EOC scores decreased. Results were not however, significant for the relationship between school-level percentage of Black students and EOC scores. Results from simultaneous linear regression analyses as well as one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) showed that traditional scheduling more so than 4 X 4 block and A/B block scheduling and 4 X 4 block in comparison to A/B block scheduling was significantly associated with higher EOC scores. Study findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.

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