Abstract
Purpose. This study had three purposes: (1) to determine to what extent the nine elements found within most standards-based reform models contributed to the academic success of Title I achieving schools located in the Southern Central Valley of California for the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 school years, (2) to describe the ways the schools addressed these nine elements, and (3) to identify three elements perceived as to have contributed the greatest to the schools' academic success. Methodology. A QUAN-QUAL model of mixed-method research was used for this study. The first phase of the study used a quantitative method, while a qualitative method was used in the second phase. A purposive sampling of principals and teachers was used to select the study population. Findings. (1) "Employing Effective Instructional Strategies," (2) "Aligning Curriculum to Standards," and (3) "Engaging in Teacher Collaboration" were perceived to have contributed greatly to the schools' academic success. Descriptions of how the schools addressed the nine elements found within most standards-based reform models revealed several themes relating directly to the educational departments responsible for implementing various approaches. Conclusions. A high correlation between the findings from research question 1 and research question 3 substantiated that (1) "Employing Effective Instructional Strategies," (2) "Analyzing Student Performance Data," and (3) "Engaging in Teacher Collaboration were perceived as having made the greatest contribution to the schools' academic success. Implications for action. Elementary school administrators can identify what elements are in place in their educational programs, determine what elements to implement, and prioritize them according to the specific needs of their students. Recommendations. One recommendation is to replicate this study using the same school population for the next two consecutive school years; another is to survey schools with similar demographics from other regions. A third recommendation is to research the pros and cons of teacher collaboration, because there was conflicting literature on the positive contributions of teacher collaboration.