Report on the Condition of Education 2023. NCES 2023-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics;preprimary, elementary, and secondary education;postsecondary education;population characteristics and economic outcomes;and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]

A comparison of student final grades in college algebra based on face-to-face and online course modalities

As community colleges emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic there may be a tendency to rely on technology to facilitate more online coursework. Online education has been a fixture of higher education since the mid-1990s, but there's always been a question as to whether it is effective as traditional, face-to-face coursework. This is especially important in College Algebra, already viewed as a barrier course for many students. If more students take College Algebra online, will the results be as good as students taking the course in a classroom? The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study is to identify the relationship between course modality and final grade percentage, after accounting for instructor and curriculum effects for college algebra courses taught both online and face-to-face.Previous research studied this question, but a consensus about the efficacy of online education was mixed. Some studies found that online students perform worse than face-to-face students in college algebra (Amro, 2014;Amro et al., 2015;Driscoll, 2012). Other studies found no difference between the modalities (Araeipour, 2013;Harrington et al., 2016;Huang, 2016). Research by Burch and Kuo (2010) and Graham and Lazari (2018) discovered online students perform better than face-to-face students. This study considered the question through the lens of Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance, which examines the distance between the learner and instructor, course content, interface, and other learners as a psychological distance rather than a spatial distance. Using one instructor teaching both online and face-to-face courses using the same materials was an attempt to keep transactional distance as a constant, mitigating instructor and curriculum effects that could impact a study comparing modalities. Previous research that accounted for the instructor and course materials found no significant difference in outcomes based on modality. This study looked at final grade percentages in College Algebra courses taught by one instructor with both online and face-to-face sections over the course of the 2017-2018 school year. Data were supplied by a two-year institution located in rural Arkansas. In addition to looking for the relationship between modality and final grade percentages, the study looked for relationships between gender and final grades, a student's age and final grades, as well as an interaction between online students and their age or gender on final grade percentages. Findings indicated there was no significant relationship between the course modality and final grade percentages. Additionally, there was no relationship between gender or age and final grades based on modality. However, one significant relationship the study found was that when women took online algebra, they scored over 15 points lower than men taking online algebra. There was no interaction between a student's age and taking an online college algebra course. Further research should expand on the notion of accounting for Transactional Distance while looking at the relationship between course modality and final grade percentages and expand the study to disciplines outside of college algebra. Finally, research should investigate whether the relationship changed after the COVID-19 pandemic altered perceptions and implementation of online courses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of acceleration in secondary math on all students

Mathematics is a collection of mental practices, attitudes and tools that humans have developed in our quest to understand the world (Singh & Brownwell, 2019). Educators have identified math and reading as the two core subjects that are essential for academic success. Achievement in math is considered to be the one of the most important predictors of economic success (Chazan, 2008). Educational leaders have become increasingly interested in finding the ideal placement for students to gain access to benchmark math curriculum that opens doors for advancement. In a competitive global market, educational and political leaders in the United States have continuously analyzed curriculum and sequencing practices in order to leverage their citizens in a position to be at the leading edge of achievement and contribution to the world's economy. Acceleration is one way, which schools have attempted to gain an advantage (Spielhagen, 2006). Accelerating curriculum often involves compacting concepts and moving through curriculum at a faster pace than previous practices. Acceleration combines elements of tracking (and detracking) and equity into the conversation. Systems thinking is an essential component for school district leaders as they consider the critical initiative of detracking and accelerating all students that must be well planned with a reasonable timeline (Burris, 2008). In an effort to identify effective methods for preparing math students to be future-ready, this study measures the impact of acceleration in 8th grade Algebra 1. Quantitative methods are used to study the impact of acceleration on student test scores and the number of advanced math courses students enroll in prior to graduating from high school. The study also investigates the impact of acceleration on the diversity that exists in school's advanced math courses. Finally, the study will determine how the COVID 19 pandemic altered progress for schools that accelerate all students compared to schools that do not accelerate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Traditional bullying and cyberbullying as main drivers of low mathematics achievement in South African schools: Evidence from TIMSS 2019

South African children have a right to equitable education free from harm. Still, news of school bullying incidents continues to grab South African news headlines. Creating a safe environment conducive to learning is vital in learners' mathematics achievement (MA). We investigated the association between bullying and Grade 9 MA in South African schools. We followed a quantitative design with a research paradigm of positivism and a secondary data analysis study design. We analysed TIMSS 2019 data and proposed a model containing 21 constructs;20 independent variables (gender, socio-economic status (SES) and 18 variables about bullying) and one dependent variable (MA). The multi-level analysis showed refusing to talk to learners, insulting their families, making them do things they didn't want to do, sending nasty, hurtful messages or embarrassing photos of them online, physically hurting them, saying mean things about their physical appearance, stealing from them, physical injury to other learners and SES are significant predictors of MA. Learners must be reminded that there are clear regulations in place to penalise bullies. Due to the exponential growth of e-Learning over the past two years as a result of COVID-19, we recommend the incorporation of cyber-safety and cyber-protection techniques into every learner-teacher training. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The impact of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional instruction of middle school students based on performance of Math Map Assessment

The global pandemic was a turning point in education nationally. School closures forced school districts to find the best and most efficient way to continue instruction for their students. As a result, traditional face-to-face instruction was quickly transformed to virtual(online) instruction. This shift in instructional setting has many questioning the effect of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional face to face instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of virtual instruction in comparison to traditional instruction of middle school students based on their performance of Math MAP assessment.The research questions were answered by analyzing the Math MAP scores of students for the winter 2021 MAP administration. The scores were organized by gender, race, socio-economic status, and family structure of students. Each subgroup was further categorized based on the instructional setting of the student. An overall comparison was conducted for each subgroup based on the instructional setting and their overall mean MAP score.The findings of the study indicated that face-to-face instruction was more beneficial academically than virtual instruction when comparing the overall mean MAP scores of the participants Based on the subgroups of the study, students who lived in a two parent home had higher student achievement than the other participants and also white students. In addition to this, students who identified as free lunch status had lower mean scores than those who identified as reduced status.The study proved that student achievement has many factors that may have an impact overtime. The results and findings of this study will provide insight to school leaders to determine if virtual instruction is a viable option in comparison to traditional face-to-face instruction when analyzing Math MAP data to measure student achievement. In addition to this, the findings will offer data to support the most effective instructional option for families.iv. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Keep DRAGging ON: Is solving more problems in DragonBox 12+ associated with higher mathematical performance during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Prior research has shown that game-based learning tools, such as DragonBox 12+, support algebraic understanding and that students' in-game progress positively predicts their later performance. Using data from 253 seventh-graders (12–13 years old) who played DragonBox as a part of technology intervention, we examined (a) the relations between students' progress within DragonBox and their algebraic knowledge and general mathematics achievement, (b) the moderating effects of students' prior performance on these relations and (c) the potential factors associated with students' in-game progress. Among students with higher prior algebraic knowledge, higher in-game progress was related to higher algebraic knowledge after the intervention. Higher in-game progress was also associated with higher end-of-year mathematics achievement, and this association was stronger among students with lower prior mathematics achievement. Students' demographic characteristics, prior knowledge and prior achievement did not significantly predict in-game progress beyond the number of intervention sessions students completed. These findings advance research on how, for whom and in what contexts game-based interventions, such as DragonBox, support mathematical learning and have implications for practice using game-based technologies to supplement instruction. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic DragonBox 12+ may support students' understanding of algebra but the findings are mixed. Students who solve more problems within math games tend to show higher performance after gameplay. Students' engagement with mathematics is often related to their prior math performance. What this paper adds For students with higher prior algebraic knowledge, solving more problems in DragonBox 12+ is related to higher algebraic performance after gameplay. Students who make more in-game progress also have higher mathematics achievement, especially for students with lower prior achievement. Students who spend more time playing DragonBox 12+ make more in-game progress;their demographic, prior knowledge and prior achievement are not related to in-game progress. Implications for practice and/or policy DragonBox 12+ can be beneficial as a supplement to algebra instruction for students with some understanding of algebra. DragonBox 12+ can engage students with mathematics across achievement levels. Dedicating time and encouraging students to play DragonBox 12+ may help them make more in-game progress, and in turn, support math learning. © 2023 The Authors. British Journal of Educational Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Educational Research Association.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement in middle schools

This research was conducted to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement in eight middle schools in South Carolina. This study investigated the difference between student achievement pre- and post-school closures and remote (online) learning caused by the CO VID-19 pandemic. With the abrupt closure of schools in March 2020, most South Carolina students were provided instructional packets for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. When schools re-opened for the 2020-2021 school year, teachers provided instruction through multiple methods. Teaching students face-to-face and online may have been difficult for some teachers. Some teachers and students experienced technology challenges in the classroom and at home. Students used in this study elected to continue with online learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. This raised concerns about student achievement in South Carolina schools and the influence of the pandemic on student achievement in future years. Research is needed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement for secondary school students.The study presented research through the Literature Review, examining factors of student achievement, ethnicity, gender, school closures, emergency remote teaching, online learning, and self-regulation in the online learning environment. Given previous evidence that school absence affects student achievement, it is essential to examine how school absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic will further affect student achievement (Kuhfeld et al., 2020). Students cannot achieve academically if they are not attending school regularly. The COVID-19 pandemic posed additional challenges for student instruction in public schools. Access to technology and educational content during remote learning, proved to be a disproportionately greater challenge for students and families from lower socioeconomic statuses (Salvin & Storey, 2019. Researchers have defined self-regulation as the ability to be intrinsically motivated to pursue goals in the face of personal, interpersonal, and situational challenges (Greene, 2017). The independent nature of the remote learning environment may make self-regulation more difficult. Arguably, careful deployment of self-regulation skills is especially critical for successful student achievement (Bol & Gamer, 2011).The study addresses the differences in reading and math student achievement before and after remote learning due to the pandemic. This study used NWEA MAP Growth test scores in reading and math from the 2019-2020 school year (pre-school closure and remote learning) to compare with NWEA MAP Growth reading and math test scores from the 2021-2022 school year (post-school closure and online learning). The sample for this study was 7th grade students located in a rural county in the Southeastern United States, with eight middle schools. The use of students' test scores was quantitative, was reported by a percentage, and was a data set (Schwandt, 2007). This study used a causal-comparative research design. The purpose of this study was to understand if there are significant differences in student achievement due to the educational adjustments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is significant because it may provide relevant data that will allow stakeholders to improve instruction and policies related to student achievement pre- and post-school closures and remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is also significant because it will add new literature and knowledge to the field of education on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on middle school students in the public-school system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of elementary mathematics specialists on the achievement of grade 3-5 students

As student achievement remains a critical discussion among federal policymakers, states, and local school districts, one response involves providing additional classroom support staff. To address deficits in mathematics education, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) urged the use of mathematics specialists (MS) to support teachers and increase student achievement through mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities (Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, 2010;Berry et al., 2009;Campbell & Malkus, 2011;McGatha, 2008). This study targeted all 31 elementary schools in Unity Public Schools (UPS, a pseudonym), an urban school district in Virginia, during the 2018-2019 academic year, the last full year prior to COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic impacting all of education. This causal comparative study examined the difference in students' Virginia SOL mathematics achievement scores based on their grade level (Grades 3-5) and the presence or absence of MSs (full-time, part-time, or none). A two-way ANOVA revealed there was no statistical significance based on grade level alone, F = 1.340, p = .267;however, the data surprisingly uncovered an inverse dose-response showing there was statistical significance in the main effects based on the presence or absence of MSs, F = 34.054, p <= .001;more specifically, those schools with part-time or no MSs present scored higher than those with full-time MSs. These findings indicated that further examination of MSs and their effect of students' mathematics achievement scores are needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Instructional modalities and progress in math grades 4-6 during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study

This explanatory mixed-methods study explored if there was a change in student progress as measured by STAR percentile rank due to the multiple instructional modalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational institutions had to shift to distance learning in March of 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The return to school for the 2020-2021 school year resulted in hybrid and cyber learning modality options. This study measured the impact on student progress due to these changes in instructional modalities. The researcher collected STAR Math data from a Northeastern Pennsylvania school in which students had experienced fourth grade in a traditional learning modality, fifth grade traditionally until the March 2020 COVID-19 interruption, and sixth grade in the cyber and hybrid learning modalities. Additionally, the researcher collected data from historical cohorts of students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 that were not impacted by multiple learning modalities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between learning modalities and the historically traditional learning cohorts. To enhance the data, sixth-grade math teachers that had taught the cohort of students impacted by multiple learning modalities were interviewed. Overall, the findings of this study revealed that multiple learning modalities impacted the pandemic cohort's progress and that face-to-face instruction is best for learning math. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Exploring the Relationship Between Student Engagement and Authentic Learning During COVID-19 : Moderating Role of Lack of Attention via WeChat

Social networking sites (SNSs) such as WeChat or Facebook can facilitate university students in learning, especially during a deadly epidemic period such as COYID-19. Student engagement is a challenging task for educators in internet-enabled technology-enhanced learning platforms. This research attempts to identify the relationship between student engagement and authentic learning during COYID-19 through the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical base. Quantitative data were collected (n = 285) using an online survey technique with the students from a recognized university in China. All six proposed hypotheses, including a moderating and two mediating variables, were found to be supported. The findings indicated that constructs such as affective engagement (AE) and social engagement (SE) are significant predictors of social interaction (SI) that may lead to accomplish authentic learning task (ALTask). Further, lack of attention (LAN) was found to significantly moderate social interaction and authentic learning tasks during COYID-19.

COVID-19 Disruptions: Attainment Gaps and Primary School Responses. Research Report

The study uses data from five assessment points for reading and maths. It focuses on a constant sample of students, all of whom completed a Rising Stars assessment in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also administered three teacher surveys: the first focused on the initial period of lockdown, the second focused on the autumn 2020 term when students returned to face-to-face instruction, the third focused on the second period of school closures from January to March 2021. This descriptive, longitudinal study focuses on primary schools in England. It has three aims: (1) to quantify changes in attainment gaps since the onset of COVID-19: the focus is on gaps between economically disadvantaged pupils and their peers in Years 2 to 6, (2) to describe how teachers and schools responded to the challenges of COVID-19, and (3) to explore associations between school responses to COVID and changes in attainment gaps. [The report was published with FFT and Teacher Tapp.]

Detecting Possible Learning Losses Due to COVID-19 Pandemic: An Application of Curriculum-Based Assessment

When the pandemic COVID -19 led to school closures, many of us had no idea that this disruption would last months and perhaps more than a year. Curriculum-based assessment (CBA) is an assessment process that uses academic knowledge picked directly from the material taught in the classroom. This form of criterion-referenced assessment connects evaluation with instructional programs by informing teachers of student progress and learning challenges. In this study a nationwide exam called Transition to Secondary School Exam TEOG Exam was used as a curriculum based tool since TEOG Exam is also second or third exam for semester. The data showed a one and a half year learning loss in both Turkish and mathematics based on Woesmann's (2016) criteria. The difference in the scores for math exam between 2016 and 2020 was 10.32 points which accounts for half of exam standard deviation. Also, the difference in the scores for Turkish exam 2016 and 2020 was 10.91 points which is also around half of the standard deviation. Additionally, based on gender there was a statistically significant decrease of 12.04 points in the mathematics scores of girls and 8.43 points for boys showing a 15-month learning loss for girls. and a year of learning loss for boys. These results showed that girls had more learning losses due to COVID-19 pandemic. According to the mother's education level, the decrease for mathematics scores were between 9.73 (elementary school degree) and 22.02 points (associate degree). This finding shows that the learning loss in math based on mother educational level is between 15-months and 2.5 years. Similar findings showed up for Turkish scores as well. Turkish scores decreased between 10.43 (elementary school degree) and 22.24 points (associate degree). This finding shows that the learning loss in Turkish based on mother educational level is between 15-months and 2.5 years. These results show that some students did not learn new material after the outbreak and even slipped backwards. Ministry of National Education should take important steps to prevent the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and minimize and resolve the learning losses emphasized in this study.

COVID-19 Restrictions and Its Influence on Students' Mathematics Achievement in Spain

COVID-19 restrictions in schools worldwide constitute an important limitation for peer support among students. The masks, the distance between tables or the established sitting order are new challenges that both students and teachers must face in Spain. The conventional strategies that took place among students prior to the COVID-19 pandemic have been altered. In this study, the mathematics achievement of high-school students prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic is examined. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A total of 368 students from 9th grade (ages 14 to 15) participated in this research. Statistically significant differences were reported when comparing the mathematics achievement of pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 students (t = 22.21, p < 0.01). An overall negative effect size of -2.32 was reported for those students with COVID-19 restrictions. Mathematics achievement scores were 9.90% lower for the group with restrictions. No statistically significant differences were reported when analyzing results by gender or repeating condition. The qualitative information supported the quantitative findings. Alterations in peer support was identified as one of the main factors that could explain this decrease. The main conclusion of this study is that current restrictions due to COVID-19 could be producing an important decrease in students' mathematics achievements.

Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education systems, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics, preprimary, elementary, and secondary education, postsecondary education, population characteristics and economic outcomes, and international comparisons. The "Report on the Condition of Education" 2022 encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The Indicator System for 2022 presents 88 indicators, including the 23 indicators on crime and safety topics, and can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "'The Condition of Education 2022': At a Glance," see ED619873. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2021. NCES 2021-144," see ED612942.]

Development of an Online Learning Management Framework for Vocational Students in Thailand in the New Normal under the COVID-19 Situation

The objective of this article is developing an online learning management model for vocational students in Thailand based on the New Normal lifestyle under the COVID-19 situation. The sample consisted of 400 teachers and students. The results obtained from the research found that the according to the 17 online instructional design experts who assessed the appropriateness of the online learning management framework based on the New Normal lifestyles under the COVID-19 situation for vocational students in Thailand (OLA Framework), the overall assessment results were excellent due to the conceptual framework being consistent with the objectives, processes, and sequential thinking methods. And Comparison of the mean scores of mathematics learning achievement between the experimental group and the control group had mean scores of 75.13 and 75.47, respectively. The students in both groups demonstrated no significant difference in learning achievement at the 0.05 level, indicating that regarding the experiment, students in the online learning group and the traditional classroom learning group demonstrated no difference in learning achievement because the teacher's learning management was consistent with the concept of online learning management in the New Normal lifestyle. The results of the assessment of satisfaction with online learning management were at the highest level because teachers organized learning system according to the conceptual framework, As a result, online learning management meets the learning objectives. The assessment of satisfaction with online learning based on the New Normal lifestyle under the COVID-19 situation among vocational students in Thailand was at the highest level overall.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Learning: A Review of the Evidence

Schools in England have experienced unprecedented disruptions due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. There were two periods during which in-person learning was restricted for the majority of pupils: first for 14 weeks in spring 2020, and then for eight weeks in winter 2021. During these periods of partial closure, many pupils experienced some form of remote learning. Even when schools re-opened fully, significant challenges remained due to high levels of staff and pupil absence. Research shows that COVID-19-related disruptions have worsened educational inequalities: the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has grown since the onset of the pandemic. This report provides a summary of the findings from a range of studies that looked at the impact on learning during this period.

Instructional modalities and progress in math grades 4-6 during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study

This explanatory mixed-methods study explored if there was a change in student progress as measured by STAR percentile rank due to the multiple instructional modalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational institutions had to shift to distance learning in March of 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The return to school for the 2020-2021 school year resulted in hybrid and cyber learning modality options. This study measured the impact on student progress due to these changes in instructional modalities. The researcher collected STAR Math data from a Northeastern Pennsylvania school in which students had experienced fourth grade in a traditional learning modality, fifth grade traditionally until the March 2020 COVID-19 interruption, and sixth grade in the cyber and hybrid learning modalities. Additionally, the researcher collected data from historical cohorts of students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 that were not impacted by multiple learning modalities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between learning modalities and the historically traditional learning cohorts. To enhance the data, sixth-grade math teachers that had taught the cohort of students impacted by multiple learning modalities were interviewed. Overall, the findings of this study revealed that multiple learning modalities impacted the pandemic cohort's progress and that face-to-face instruction is best for learning math. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement in middle schools

This research was conducted to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement in eight middle schools in South Carolina. This study investigated the difference between student achievement pre- and post-school closures and remote (online) learning caused by the CO VID-19 pandemic. With the abrupt closure of schools in March 2020, most South Carolina students were provided instructional packets for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. When schools re-opened for the 2020-2021 school year, teachers provided instruction through multiple methods. Teaching students face-to-face and online may have been difficult for some teachers. Some teachers and students experienced technology challenges in the classroom and at home. Students used in this study elected to continue with online learning for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. This raised concerns about student achievement in South Carolina schools and the influence of the pandemic on student achievement in future years. Research is needed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement for secondary school students.The study presented research through the Literature Review, examining factors of student achievement, ethnicity, gender, school closures, emergency remote teaching, online learning, and self-regulation in the online learning environment. Given previous evidence that school absence affects student achievement, it is essential to examine how school absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic will further affect student achievement (Kuhfeld et al., 2020). Students cannot achieve academically if they are not attending school regularly. The COVID-19 pandemic posed additional challenges for student instruction in public schools. Access to technology and educational content during remote learning, proved to be a disproportionately greater challenge for students and families from lower socioeconomic statuses (Salvin & Storey, 2019. Researchers have defined self-regulation as the ability to be intrinsically motivated to pursue goals in the face of personal, interpersonal, and situational challenges (Greene, 2017). The independent nature of the remote learning environment may make self-regulation more difficult. Arguably, careful deployment of self-regulation skills is especially critical for successful student achievement (Bol & Gamer, 2011).The study addresses the differences in reading and math student achievement before and after remote learning due to the pandemic. This study used NWEA MAP Growth test scores in reading and math from the 2019-2020 school year (pre-school closure and remote learning) to compare with NWEA MAP Growth reading and math test scores from the 2021-2022 school year (post-school closure and online learning). The sample for this study was 7th grade students located in a rural county in the Southeastern United States, with eight middle schools. The use of students' test scores was quantitative, was reported by a percentage, and was a data set (Schwandt, 2007). This study used a causal-comparative research design. The purpose of this study was to understand if there are significant differences in student achievement due to the educational adjustments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is significant because it may provide relevant data that will allow stakeholders to improve instruction and policies related to student achievement pre- and post-school closures and remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is also significant because it will add new literature and knowledge to the field of education on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on middle school students in the public-school system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of acceleration in secondary math on all students

Mathematics is a collection of mental practices, attitudes and tools that humans have developed in our quest to understand the world (Singh & Brownwell, 2019). Educators have identified math and reading as the two core subjects that are essential for academic success. Achievement in math is considered to be the one of the most important predictors of economic success (Chazan, 2008). Educational leaders have become increasingly interested in finding the ideal placement for students to gain access to benchmark math curriculum that opens doors for advancement. In a competitive global market, educational and political leaders in the United States have continuously analyzed curriculum and sequencing practices in order to leverage their citizens in a position to be at the leading edge of achievement and contribution to the world's economy. Acceleration is one way, which schools have attempted to gain an advantage (Spielhagen, 2006). Accelerating curriculum often involves compacting concepts and moving through curriculum at a faster pace than previous practices. Acceleration combines elements of tracking (and detracking) and equity into the conversation. Systems thinking is an essential component for school district leaders as they consider the critical initiative of detracking and accelerating all students that must be well planned with a reasonable timeline (Burris, 2008). In an effort to identify effective methods for preparing math students to be future-ready, this study measures the impact of acceleration in 8th grade Algebra 1. Quantitative methods are used to study the impact of acceleration on student test scores and the number of advanced math courses students enroll in prior to graduating from high school. The study also investigates the impact of acceleration on the diversity that exists in school's advanced math courses. Finally, the study will determine how the COVID 19 pandemic altered progress for schools that accelerate all students compared to schools that do not accelerate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of elementary mathematics specialists on the achievement of grade 3-5 students

As student achievement remains a critical discussion among federal policymakers, states, and local school districts, one response involves providing additional classroom support staff. To address deficits in mathematics education, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) urged the use of mathematics specialists (MS) to support teachers and increase student achievement through mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities (Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, 2010;Berry et al., 2009;Campbell & Malkus, 2011;McGatha, 2008). This study targeted all 31 elementary schools in Unity Public Schools (UPS, a pseudonym), an urban school district in Virginia, during the 2018-2019 academic year, the last full year prior to COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic impacting all of education. This causal comparative study examined the difference in students' Virginia SOL mathematics achievement scores based on their grade level (Grades 3-5) and the presence or absence of MSs (full-time, part-time, or none). A two-way ANOVA revealed there was no statistical significance based on grade level alone, F = 1.340, p = .267;however, the data surprisingly uncovered an inverse dose-response showing there was statistical significance in the main effects based on the presence or absence of MSs, F = 34.054, p <= .001;more specifically, those schools with part-time or no MSs present scored higher than those with full-time MSs. These findings indicated that further examination of MSs and their effect of students' mathematics achievement scores are needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)