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State planning strategies to implement the Scientific Based Research components of the NCLB Act

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Date Issued:
2005
Summary:
The recent shift toward favoring the scientific paradigm and evidence-based practice has resulted in the comprehensive use of the term Scientific Based Research (SBR) in the No Child Left Behind Act. This shift to economically introduce scientifically based interventions to nationally raise student achievement has taken on greater significance. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among a state's capacity to implement the SBR components, its contextual environment, its implementation strategy and the comprehensiveness of its planned policy implementation. The data for Capacity to implement, Context and Strategy were gathered through a 66-item survey sent to State Program Directors for the Title IA, Comprehensive School Reform, and Reading First programs in each of the fifty states. The response rate was 70%. The data for Comprehensiveness came from content analysis of the SBR components found in federally approved state plans. Correlational analysis and multiple regressions were used to elucidate the nature of the relationships among the variables. The study resulted in three major conclusions. First, based on the assumptions of the evaluative literature, the study expected to find that the presence of certain Capacity, Contextual or Strategic factors would favor higher Comprehensiveness of implementation in state plans. However, this study found that some factors: Horizontal Linkages, Amount of Knowledge, Internal and External Technical Assistance, Partnership and Coordination, and Political Support were less useful than expected in producing a comprehensive state plan. Second, policy makers and implementation planners can allocate resources to the following practically significant factors to plan implementation of federal mandates more efficiently: Cross Functional Linkage, Finances, and Negotiation. They can also minimize efforts to utilize Partnerships, Coordination and Horizontal Linkages which though statistically and practically significant, were negatively related factors. Finally, if extra resources are available, the following strategies, all statistically significant but of low practical significance, can used to support the establishment of effective and efficient planning decisions: the Amount and Knowledge of Personnel; Internal Technical Assistance; Political support; and Technical Assistance from External Agencies. Therefore, careful calculation and prioritization of resources by state planners along these guidelines can be used to optimize implementation planning.
Title: State planning strategies to implement the Scientific Based Research components of the NCLB Act.
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Name(s): Mohammed, Shereeza F.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Pisapia, John, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2005
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 331 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The recent shift toward favoring the scientific paradigm and evidence-based practice has resulted in the comprehensive use of the term Scientific Based Research (SBR) in the No Child Left Behind Act. This shift to economically introduce scientifically based interventions to nationally raise student achievement has taken on greater significance. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among a state's capacity to implement the SBR components, its contextual environment, its implementation strategy and the comprehensiveness of its planned policy implementation. The data for Capacity to implement, Context and Strategy were gathered through a 66-item survey sent to State Program Directors for the Title IA, Comprehensive School Reform, and Reading First programs in each of the fifty states. The response rate was 70%. The data for Comprehensiveness came from content analysis of the SBR components found in federally approved state plans. Correlational analysis and multiple regressions were used to elucidate the nature of the relationships among the variables. The study resulted in three major conclusions. First, based on the assumptions of the evaluative literature, the study expected to find that the presence of certain Capacity, Contextual or Strategic factors would favor higher Comprehensiveness of implementation in state plans. However, this study found that some factors: Horizontal Linkages, Amount of Knowledge, Internal and External Technical Assistance, Partnership and Coordination, and Political Support were less useful than expected in producing a comprehensive state plan. Second, policy makers and implementation planners can allocate resources to the following practically significant factors to plan implementation of federal mandates more efficiently: Cross Functional Linkage, Finances, and Negotiation. They can also minimize efforts to utilize Partnerships, Coordination and Horizontal Linkages which though statistically and practically significant, were negatively related factors. Finally, if extra resources are available, the following strategies, all statistically significant but of low practical significance, can used to support the establishment of effective and efficient planning decisions: the Amount and Knowledge of Personnel; Internal Technical Assistance; Political support; and Technical Assistance from External Agencies. Therefore, careful calculation and prioritization of resources by state planners along these guidelines can be used to optimize implementation planning.
Identifier: 9780542385933 (isbn), 12175 (digitool), FADT12175 (IID), fau:9082 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2005.
College of Education
Subject(s): School improvement programs--United States
United States --No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Federal aid to education--United States
Education--Standards--United States
Education and state--United States
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12175
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.