Date of Conferral
2011
Date of Award
2012
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Marlene Munn-Joseph
Abstract
Previous research demonstrates that a rigorous instructional environment positively impacts student achievement. Literature also documents that differential access to advanced curriculum is influenced by early development of core reading skills. A problem exists with enrollment patterns in the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) courses within a moderately sized school district where disproportionately low numbers of minority students enroll in AP courses. The district implemented the SpringBoard curriculum as a systemic intervention to address the need for more equitable enrollment within advanced courses; however, little empirical evidence exists to assess the efficacy of the program. Guided by evaluation theory, a summative program evaluation investigated to what extent standardized FCAT reading scores, AP participation rates, and AP performance scores increased over the 4 year implementation period of the SpringBoard curriculum when matched to a historical comparison group. Archival pre/post intervention data for 5,059 students were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA to test for a significant interaction between the intervention and minority status on student performance criteria. Results indicated significant intervention effects and group X minority status interactions for FCAT reading scores and AP participation. It was concluded that SpringBoard program goals were largely substantiated through this program evaluation. The study positively impacts social change through empirically validating programs designed to increase academic achievement and college participation among minority students.
