Date of Conferral

7-15-2024

Date of Award

July 2024

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Heather Caldwell

Abstract

The problem that was addressed through this study was that inconsistency in using a literacy development initiative resulted in no improvement of low literacy scores in April of 2022, as a total of 80.85% of high school students in one learning zone within a Georgia school district scored below literacy proficiency on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine high school teachers’ perceptions of the use of Achieve3000 as a literacy intervention using the conceptual framework of disciplinary literacy. This study's two research questions focused on high school teachers’ perceptions of using Achieve3000 as a literacy intervention and their perceptions of support that high school teachers need to use Achieve3000 more effectively. A basic qualitative design approach was used to help the researcher garner and contextualize teachers’ experiences using the intervention. A sample of 10 core content teachers across eight South Learning Zone high school campuses were interviewed. A self-designed interview protocol was used to engage teachers in a one-on-one semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed from qualitative interviews using open coding and thematic analysis to identify the common themes: little relevance to instruction, low student engagement, lack of understanding, loss of autonomy, lack of effective training, lack of accessible and ongoing support, and lastly lack of understanding of the usefulness and relevance of Achieve3000. In addressing the decline in literacy proficiency scores, the observed Georgia school district and similar districts may work to promote social change by mitigating the continued decline in literacy and improving the implementation of effective interventions while improving students’ success both in and out of the classroom.

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