The effects of parental involvement, focused student preparation, and direct administrative attention on the PSSA math results of selected disaggregated groups

On January 8, 2002 President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 but more importantly shifted the focus of the act around four main beliefs: accountability for student attainment of educational standards, augmented flexibility and local control, a larger role for parents in their child's educational programs, and a greater emphasis on the use of scientifically based instruction. To a great degree each school will be judged as to their attainment of the four main beliefs based on the scores of the state's current assessment system, which in Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA).; The PSSA was first administered in 1992 in an effort to assess school and district curricula in relation to state academic standards. The state began to report individual scores in 1995. Not only are the scores broken down by individual students but also by disaggregated group scores and analysis. The results of the annual assessments in reading and mathematics for children in grades three to eight will be disaggregated for analysis by poverty levels, race, gender, ethnicity, migrant status, disability, and limited English proficiency.; The purpose of this study was to explore the connection between a newly developed PSSA preparation program on the math scores of selected disaggregated groups of eighth grade students. Is there a connection correlating perceived outcomes between parents, students, and teachers' beliefs and do the beliefs align with actual test results?; The research explored the following questions: (1) What are the perceptions of the student confidence in regard to student performance on the eighth grade PSSA math exam according to parents, students, and teachers? (2) What are the perceptions of parent involvement in regard to student performance on the eighth grade PSSA math exam according to parents, students, and teachers? (3) What are the perceptions of teacher involvement in regard to student performance on the eighth grade PSSA math exam according to parents, students, and teachers? (4) Are parent, student, and teacher responses to school performance surveys unrelated or is there agreement between responses? (5) Are parent, student, and teacher responses to the school performance surveys correlated with change in PSSA math scores?; The student sample consisted of three groups of eighth grade students selected based upon their performance at the basic or below basic levels on their fifth grade state assessment. The selected groups included thirteen students who currently have Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), two students who belong to a racial minority, and two students who were identified as eligible for the free and reduced lunch plan. The parents in the study were those parents who had children involved in the study based on the above-mentioned criteria.; The six teachers involved in the study were those teachers that were directly involved through math instruction with the students who participated in the PSSA preparation program. Focused administrative attention was handled through the building principal and the math team.; The preparation program took place once every six-day cycle during the ninth period, which is an extended period at the end of the school day lasting approximately 55 minutes. The rationale for the development of this program was to endeavor to prepare all students in the best possible manner for performance on the 2004 PSSA assessment.