Analytic approach for middle school principals in raising KIRIS achievement scores: A case study of at-risk students participating in selected intervention strategies

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact on the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS) of specific school reform initiatives and selected intervention strategies for at-risk students.;The case followed seventh graders over the 1994-95 and 1995-96 school years. Specifically, those students who were categorized as "at-risk," were enrolled as of October 1, 1994, and were present during the 1995 administration of the KIRIS assessment comprised the sample for analysis. Data were collected from individual student and program records and by student survey using the School Reform Effectiveness Survey (SRES). Scores from at-risk students' continuous and accountability assessments were also used for analysis in developing the analytic procedure.;The overall scope of the design and methods used in the study examined which independent variables predict Kentucky middle school students' achievement on the KIRIS assessment model. In addition, independent variables were tested for their predictability of student achievement on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). Accordingly, middle school council members' and principals' abilities to use an analytic approach in identifying variables to raise achievement scores may be enhanced.;The primary findings included: (1) Age was found not to be a significant predictor of student achievement on the KIRIS assessment. (2) Attendance was found to be a significant predictor of student achievement on the KIRIS total battery, science and social studies assessments and the CTBS assessment. (3) Extended School Services was found to be a significant predictor of student achievement on the KIRIS social studies, science, math, reading, total battery assessments and the CTBS assessment. (4) Family Resource and Youth Services Center was found to be a significant predictor of student achievement for the KIRIS social studies assessment. However, the more FRYSC services students received, the lower their KIRIS assessment scores in the content area of social studies. (5) Gender was found to be significant as a predictor of student achievement on the KIRIS reading, writing, and total battery assessments. (6) Students participating in Saturday tutoring scored lower on KIRIS writing, social studies, and total battery assessments than students not participating in Saturday tutoring. (7) Summer camp was not a significant predictor variable for KIRIS achievement in any content area. (8) Parent contacts by the student advisor were not predictive of higher student achievement on the KIRIS assessment. (9) Title I services were not a significant predictor of student achievement on the KIRIS or CTBS assessments.;The research was exploratory in nature as at least only one other study (Lumsden, 1996) had used student-level KIRIS data or examined the impact of services on KIRIS assessment performance. The Lumsden (1996) study, however, did not include data or analysis at the middle school level. Moreover, the study attempted to develop an analytic approach for principals and school councils to use in examining the impact of specific school reform initiatives and selected intervention strategies. The findings of this research are conducive to the development of an analytical model for principals and school councils to use in planning programmatic services designed to improve student achievement on KIRIS assessments.