the topic teaching phonetics/sounds for visual impairment students ages 3-12 in special eduction program
answer the questions
What topic or issue are you interested in studying for your dissertation
My focus topics are as follows:
Describe the problem related to this issue as you understand it.//Describe the problem related to this topic or issue as you understand it right now.
What are your working research questions? NOTE: Writing research questions is a process that requires revising as you work with instructors and your dissertation committee. Expect to revise more than once!
Working Reference List
Sample one
What topic or issue are you interested in studying for your dissertation
My focus topics are as follows:
Inclusion as it relates to Co Teaching (General Education and Special Education) and the link to academic growth year to year for students.
More restrictive settings for students in Special Education at the elementary level and the impact to a student’s grade level content learning in secondary.
Parent Involvement and student attendance at the secondary level as it relates to academic achievement
18+ programs for vocational training and ability to obtain a job in the workforce over a period of time
Emotional Disturbances and interventions utilized to improve a student’s learning in the classroom.
Describe the problem related to this issue as you understand it.
The problem as I understand it is students aren’t mastering skills in elementary and get moved to more restrictive settings in secondary due to the learning gaps.
As schools have a least restrictive setting for students where they are educated with their peers, what is the relationship between LRE and academic achievement at the elementary level?
What is the relationship between student attendance and parent involvement at the secondary level?
What is the relationship between parent involvement and academic achievement at the secondary level?
What is the relationship between attending an 18+ program and obtaining a sustained job?
Pathways to Transition
Parent Transition Survey
Texas Project First
Transitioning – Team Effort
Students that have a weak academically, how is the specific learning disability and emotional disturbance linked? Which one is primary disability?
What are your working research questions?
NOTE: Writing research questions is a process that requires revising as you work with instructors and your dissertation committee. Expect to revise more than once!
What does CoTeach look like in General Education/Special Education classrooms that support high rigor learning?
What teaching methods have shown positive student academic growth?
What is the classroom style in Co-Teach classrooms?
What feedback do you like from your peers?
In high school, parent involvement decreases which impacts student attendance and student achievement. Identifying ways to improve and reasons why parent involvement decreases is an interest of mine. This is a problem I see at the secondary level which needs to be addressed.
I welcome any feedback related to my interests or ideas that I can take the direction of my ideas in a different way that I haven’t thought of. This information will develop my research.
I hope to gain a deeper understanding for low and high tech devices that can be used in Co-Teach classrooms to support student learning.
I hope to gain an understanding of 18+ programs and vocational training.
What is the relationship between Emotional Disturbance and Specific Learning Disability?
With early intervention, can a student with an Emotional Disturbance learn coping skills early in their school career to minimize academic gaps?
Working Reference List (List below any works from coursework and your own additional scholarly reading that relate to your research. Indicate where you find your scholarly reading.)
Willard, C. (2019). Four key ideas about co teaching in high school classrooms. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 15(2), 81-102.
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/co-teaching-valuable-but-hard-to-get-right/2022/07
Dunlap, G., Flagtevedt, K., Strain, P., & Lee, J. (2018). Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for young
children: A program description and demonstration of implementation in an early
childhood setting. Education and Treatment of Children, 41(2), 233-248.
Hermana, C., Healya, O., & Lydona, S. (2018). An interview-informed synthesized contingency
to inform the treatment of challenging behavior in a young child with autism. Developmental
Neurorehabilitation, 21(3), 202-207.
Demir, K., & Akman Karabeyoglu, Y. (2016). Factors Associated with Absenteeism in High Schools. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (EJER), 62, 55–74. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.14689/ejer.2016.62.4
Fan, X. (2001). Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Achievement: A Growth Modeling Analysis. Journal of Experimental Education, 70(1), 27. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.1080/00220970109599497
Sheldon, S. B. (2007). Improving Student Attendance With School, Family, and Community Partnerships. Journal of Educational Research, 100(5), 267–275. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.3200/JOER.100.5.267-275
deFur. S.H. (1999). Transition Planning: A Team Effort.Transition Summary. January 1999. Retrieved on February 22, 2024 from https://fndusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Transition-Planning-A-Team-Effort.pdf
Illinois Center for Transition and Work. (n.d). Retrieved on February 27, 2024 from https://ictw.illinois.edu/
sample two
What topic or issue are you interested in studying for your dissertation?
The use of Behavior Skills Training during ongoing professional development for Special Education educators.
Using Behavior Skills Training for ongoing professional development for special education educators and/or student teachers to provide support in using evidence-based practices in the classroom. In the past few years, my district has introduced 2 new published/peer-reviewed curriculums that have required a lot of professional development and coaching. I am considering looking at student outcomes using those curriculums when teachers have been given systematic support using behavior skills training versus not.
Describe the problem related to this topic or issue as you understand it right now.
There is currently a gap between educational research and its practical application in classroom settings. Special education staff members play a pivotal role in the growth and development of students with diverse learning needs. Educators are often given lists of evidence-based strategies and interventions or may attend a “sit and get” lecture/professional development, but there may be a lack of ongoing training and support to integrate these techniques into their teaching practices.
Because of the unique demands of a special education setting, a specialized approach to ongoing training may help teachers take on the diverse needs of students. The Behavior Skills Training model, which involves instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback may be effective for equipping staff with skills and confidence to apply evidence-based practices.
Ethical leaders in schools should have high expectations for their students and staff while providing the support, professional development, and resources necessary for best practices in teaching and learning. These leaders must also know that their ethical behavior is what directly affects the ethical behavior of staff and students. School leaders must ensure regardless of the student’s abilities, every student is being taught with engaging evidence-based strategies and curriculum and supported to make progress in academic and life skills. While the educational landscape evolves in the 21st century, leaders must stay current with research and best practices for teaching and learning. Leaders must ensure that professional development and ongoing support are provided to staff members so that students can access an equitable education.
Leaders must utilize multiple sources of information to determine the progress and success of their staff members. While schools are required to adhere to external standards and standardized testing, in evaluating students and staff, school leaders should look at data other than test scores (Character Education Partnership, 2010). Leaders can analyze academic performance, student outcomes, progress toward individual student goals, and other data available to make data-informed decisions. Leaders know that data-driven decision-making is key in identifying areas of strength and opportunities for growth and creating planned interventions for improvement.
Ethical leaders should prioritize continuous improvement for both staff and students. They set high standards for staff and students for individual achievement, assess performance and progress regularly, and implement data-driven strategies. School leaders in the 21st century should focus on long-term goals by nurturing teachers, staff, and students’ growth and development over time. Having a “growth mindset” creates a culture of embracing challenges and viewing failures or shortcomings as opportunities for growth (Bass, 1990). These effective leaders use ethical reinforcement strategies to support student and staff growth over the unethical punitive consequences traditionally used. Not only is leading using reinforcement more ethical, but research points to leadership that is supportive, democratic, and reinforcement-based most likely to lead to sustained growth for students and staff (Bass, 1990).
What are your working research questions? NOTE: Writing research questions is a process that requires revising as you work with instructors and your dissertation committee. Expect to revise more than once!
What is the feasibility of implementing behavior skills training on a broader scale? (Across various educational settings and long-term sustainability?)
What are the resources required for implementation and barriers to effectiveness?
What is the impact of professional development/different types of professional development on student outcomes?
What are the differences in implementation fidelity of evidence-based practices between educators who receive BST and those who do not?
How does BST impact knowledge acquisition (including the why) and retention of evidence-based practices among teachers?
How does BST impact confidence levels of teachers?
What are teacher perceptions and experiences regading the use of BST for professional development?
How can capacity be built differently when using BST for coaching and ongoing professional development versus other types of professional development?
Working Reference List (List below any works from coursework and your own additional scholarly reading that relate to your research. Indicate where you find your scholarly reading.)
Bass, Bernard M. (1990). Handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial
applications (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.
Character Education Partnership. (2010, April). Developing and assessing school culture: A new
level of accountability … www.character.org.
https://srpieperfamilyfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/White-Paper_Develop
ing-and-Assessing-School-Culture_April1-2010.pdf
Use of Behavioral Skills Training with Teachers: A Systematic Review (Journal of Behavioral Education)
Sample three
What topic or issue are you interested in studying for your dissertation
Identify a problem within your work setting
Special education monitoring has always been important to schools, districts, state and federal. “In January 2017, the Obama administration issued new rules—the Equity in IDEA regulations—that states were required to comply with by July 1, 2018.” (NCLD, 2020) This was to address significant disproportionality in special education in schools. “In March 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia required that the regulations take effect immediately.” (NCLD, 2020) The monitoring of special education programs in both traditional and charter schools has changed to assess the significant disproportionality present in schools. The trends in how charter schools address these issues, including public perceptions, are also being examined. Notably, if a school is identified as having significant disproportionality for three consecutive years, they must allocate 15% of their IDEA funds towards staff training.
Describe the problem related to this issue as you understand it.
This research aims to examine the effects of supporting special education oversight initiatives in charter schools, which addresses the special education evaluation requirements set by the state of Ohio. This encompasses indicators of compliance, outcomes, and significant imbalances.“The regulations also establish a standard methodology states must use to determine whether significant disproportionality occurred within the state and in LEAs. In addition, each state must address significant disproportionality by incidence, duration, and type of disciplinary action (including suspensions and expulsions).” (Strassfeld, 2017)
What are your working research questions? NOTE: Writing research questions is a process that requires revising as you work with instructors and your dissertation committee. Expect to revise more than once!
RQ1: Research Plan:
This research aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the special education programs in charter schools. The following is a research plan that outlines the steps to be taken to achieve this goal:
1. Conduct a literature review to gather information on the history and purpose of charter schools’ special education programs.
2. Identify the specific compliance monitoring processes and requirements mandated by the sponsor for charter schools’ special education programs. This will involve reviewing relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines.
3. Collect data on the state special education rankings for the past five years. This will involve gathering information from state education departments and other relevant sources.
4. Analyze the relationship between the sponsor’s compliance monitoring and the charter school’s special education program. This will involve examining how compliance monitoring affects the quality of special education services provided by charter schools.
5. Determine if there is a correlation between compliance monitoring and an increase in state special education rankings. This will involve analyzing the data collected in step 3 and comparing it to the compliance monitoring data collected in step 2.
6. Analyze any potential factors that may have contributed to changes in the school’s special education ranking, such as changes in student demographics or curriculum. This will involve examining whether changes in these factors have any impact on compliance monitoring and special education program outcomes.
7. Draw conclusions based on the findings and present them in a clear and concise essay format, with proper citations and references. This will involve summarizing the results of the analysis and drawing conclusions based on the research findings.
RQ2: What is the relationship between Charter schools’ special education program compliance monitoring from the sponsor? Did the charter school increase their state special education ranking in the past five years?
1. Conduct thorough research on the history and purpose of charter schools’ special education programs.
2. Identify the specific compliance monitoring processes and requirements mandated by the sponsor for charter schools’ special education programs.
3. Collect data on the state special education rankings for the past five years.
4. Analyze the relationship between the sponsor’s compliance monitoring and the charter school’s special education program.
5. Determine if there is a correlation between compliance monitoring and an increase in state special education rankings.
6. Analyze any potential factors that may have contributed to changes in the school’s special education ranking, such as changes in student demographics or curriculum.
7. Draw conclusions based on the findings and present them in a clear and concise essay format, with proper citations and references.
RQ3: What is the perception of Charter schools’ special education programs from the data gathered about how sponsors and the state monitor charter schools’ special education programs?
1. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the concept of charter schools and their special education programs.
2. Research the current regulations and guidelines for charter schools’ special education programs.
3. Explore the data gathered on how sponsors and the state monitor charter schools’ special education programs.
4. Analyze the perceptions and opinions of stakeholders involved in charter schools’ special education programs.
5. Identify any potential shortcomings or successes in these programs.
6. Use reputable sources to gather information and statistics to support your analysis.
Working Reference List (List below any works from coursework and your own additional scholarly reading that relate to your research. Indicate where you find your scholarly reading.)
Celestin, L. D. (2017). Elementary Special Education Teacher Perceptions of Inclusion in a Charter School (Order No. 10281719). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1902249978). http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/elementary-special-education-teacher-perceptions/docview/1902249978/se-2
Garton, D. (2019). Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities: A Comparison of Charter Schools and Traditional Public-School Districts in North Texas (Order No. 22583196). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2295596402). http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/charter-schools-students-with-disabilities/docview/2295596402/se-2
Granderson, K. N. (2021). A Longitudinal Study of the Academic Achievement of Students Receiving Special Education Services at Charter Schools within One Charter Management Organization (Order No. 28866324). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2632997343). http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/longitudinal-study-academic-achievement-students/docview/2632997343/se-2
National Center for Learning Disabilities (2020). Significant Disproportionality in Special Education: Current Trends and Actions for Impact. National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).
Rhim, L., Kothari, s, & Lancet, s. (2020). How Students with Disabilities are faring in Charter Schools. Kappan.
Rose, A. L. (2017). Administrators’ Perceptions of Compliance Monitoring for Continuous Improvement Outcomes and Influences on Special Education Programming (Order No. 10831883). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2041056808). http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/administrators-perceptions-compliance-monitoring/docview/2041056808/se-2
Setren, E. (2021). Targeted vs. General Education Investments. The Journal of Human Resources, 56(4).
Smith, B. K. (2022). Representation of Students with Disabilities in Charter Schools Compared to Traditional Public Schools (Order No. 29209168). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2662017961). http://cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/representation-students-with-disabilities-charter/docview/2662017961/se-2
Strassfeld, N. M. (2017). The Future of Idea: Monitoring Disproportionate Representation of Minority Students in Special Education and Intentional Discrimination Claims. Case Western Reserve Law Review, 67(4), 1121–1151.
Dieterich, C. A., Kucharczyk, S., & Brady, K. P. (2019). Clarifying FAPE under the IDEA Post-Endrew F.: Legal and Practical Guidelines for School Administrative Personnel. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 32(2), 72–85. https://searchebscohostcom.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,cpid&custid=s8419239&db=eric&AN=EJ1274867&site=ehost-live.
In the Journal of Special Education Leadership, the authors analyze the Endrew F. decision and offer guidelines to school administrators to be complying. The article discusses the new Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) standards to provide students with disabilities to make appropriate progress in school. The authors discuss the requirement of a special education program creating ambitious goals that are individually created for each student with disabilities and provides the opportunity to meet challenging objectives.
Dillon, S., Armstrong, E., Goudy, L., Reynolds, H., & Scurry, S. (2021). Improving Special Education Service Delivery Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children, 54(1), 36–43. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.1177/00400599211029671
The article from TEACHING Exceptional Children identifies the need for collaboration with the special education teachers and general education teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities. As the research shows, student outcomes are improved when teachers are in a positive collaborative practice. This helps the student with disabilities be successful in school through the IEP process, meeting, and throughout the year with progress monitoring.
Goran, L., Harkins Monaco, E. A., Yell, M. L., Shriner, J., & Bateman, D. (2020). Pursuing Academic and Functional Advancement: Goals, Services, and Measuring Progress. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(5), 333–343. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.1177/0040059920919924
The article in the Teaching exceptional Children, discusses the need for appropriate present levels for students IEP goals, SDI, and measuring student progress. The article discusses the all the areas of an IEP that need to be addressed with the team to create a meaningful IEP, and legally defensible IEP.
Harmon, S., Street, M., Bateman, D., & Yell, M. L. (2020). Developing Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Statements for IEPs. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(5), 320–332. https://doi-org.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/10.1177/0040059920914260
This article discusses the present levels of performance statement should summarize all aspects of the student to identify the strengths and needs of the student. The present level of performance for the student is one of the most important parts of the IEP because it is the reason why the goal is being developed and the SDI and accommodations come from the creation of the IEP goal.
