EDLD 5397 - Week 3 Assignment, Part 3
Draft Action Research Project Progress Report
Stacy Garner
March 2013
a.
Title – Does the retention
of failing students increase academic performance in future grade
levels?
b.
Needs Assessment – Each year, there
are usually a few students in a school who have not performed at a satisfactory
academic level. If a student does not earn passing grades, then there is a
possibility of retention in their current grade level. In my current school,
both boys and girls have been retained, but there are usually more boys than
girls that fall into this particular area of risk.
c.
Objectives and Vision
of the action research project. (ELCC 1.1) – Based on the needs of our campus and
the growing number of students who are at risk of being retained, I would like
to track students’ academic progress for several years following retention in a
previous grade level. I want to find out if their academic progress remained at
risk or if their performance increased to a satisfactory or passing level.
Students end of year averages following retention will be used to determine if
retention was beneficial or not.
d.
Review of the
Literature and Action Research Strategy – After reviewing an article, “Retention
Revisited: Can Staying Back Move Students Forward?” (Canon, 2011), which
highlighted a few benefits of retention and some negative effects of retention.
The article also addresses a few key factors that are linked to retention
rates. The article sites specific aspects to consider when thinking about
retaining a student and the effects of retention in the short term and long
term.
During the creation and selection of my
action research project, I brainstormed a list of topics which our school could
benefit from. My principal and I discussed the ideas and agreed retention was
an area in which we needed to take a closer look. We knew students we had
students retained each year and we wanted to see how they have been doing since
the retention occurred. We considered many factors and discussed the possible
aspects to address. We decided that I would track several students over the years
following retention to see if their academic performance increased, decreased,
or fluctuated. We were also interested to see if the effects were short term or
long term. In order to track students’ progress, grades would be retrieved from
their permanent record which documents their end of year grades.
e.
Articulate the Vision
(ELCC 1.2) – The
sharing of my research findings would be shared with faculty during a faculty meeting and during a conference
when the possibility of retention is at hand. This information could be
published and shared with the community in the form of an article. I doubt that
it would be beneficial for students to know this information, but it may be
insightful to a parent who is in favor of retaining a student against the
advisement of the teacher or administrator.
f.
Manage the
organization (ELCC 3.1) – Prior to the implementation of this project, I discussed
the necessary information with my principal. I gathered student data for ten
students who had been previously retained. Using end of year grades taken from
the students’ permanent records, academic performance will be tracked for the
years following retention. I would only need the assistance of my principal in
identifying students who had been retained in the past. The office staff will
be able to direct me in locating the permanent records of various students
meeting the criteria of past retention. The ultimate goal in this research project
is to determine if retaining students is beneficial to them.
g.
Manage Operations
(ELCC 3.2) – In
the past, when a student has been in danger of failing, conferences involving
the student, parents, teachers, and principals have occurred. If there is a
true need in retention, then the process is carried out. Effective
communication and procedures are critical anytime a student is involved. The
priority of this research is the academic success of the students. In the event
of conflict, I would base my argument on what previous and current research
dictates. The goal of our school is to provide students with the best education
possible and helping students find success is a shared vision of the faculty
and administration of our school. This shared vision is a basis for my research
project.
h.
Respond to Community
Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2) – The finding during my research project will serve as
a basis for determining the benefits of retaining students regardless of
ability levels or backgrounds. Due to the growing number of students who are
not performing at satisfactory levels, this research may also spark the need
for new or additional strategies for reaching students to help them find
success before they reach the “at-risk” level. There are students with special
needs who may not be performing to their full potential even with various
accommodations in place. It is possible that the need for motivational
strategies could be lacking which may be the additional push that some students
may respond to in order to help them perform at higher levels.
