Date of Award

Summer 7-2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Terry Reid

Second Advisor

Dr. Sherry DeVore

Third Advisor

Dr. Dale Slagle

Abstract

The passage of the NCLB Act in 2002 and the Individuals with Disability Education and Improvement Act of 2004, mandated more accountability for student achievement. Students with disabilities were expected to progress through the curriculum and show gains in academic achievement at the same rate as other students. Therefore, schools were forced to look at their special education programs and make changes in instructional methods. One of the programs funded under NCLB was Reading First which was to ensure that all students would be able to read by the end of third grade. Reading First focused on helping those students who were struggling and provided intervention periods for students who were not performing at expected levels. This study focused on whether Reading First affected the achievement of students with disabilities on the communication arts portion of the Missouri Assessment Program test. The study analyzed data from twelve separate schools, six Reading First districts and six non-Reading First districts. The students with disabilities did not achieve at higher levels than those not participating in the Reading First instruction and the number of years involved in the program did not make a significant difference in their levels on the MAP test either.

Rights

Copyright 2009

Share

COinS