Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD Dissertation Chair for Dr. Michelle Annette Cloud, PhD Program in Educational Leadership, PVAMU, Member of the Texas A&M University System.

1. Factors Impacting Student Success in Grades 6-8 During School of Choice Transition at Two Middle Schools

4. The Problem

15. Literature Review

16. Diagrammatic format of the Conceptual Framework A graph format of Omrod’s (1999) findings developed from Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory Describing the consequences of behavior can effectively increase appropriate behaviors and decrease inappropriate ones

22. Description of research methods Research Methods: Mixed Methods Study Quantitative Data Descriptive Statistics Causal-Comparative Qualitative Data Interviews

28. Description of research methods (continued) Instrumentation Extant data from the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 Mathematics and Reading TAKS Test will be used to determine if differences exists between the 2005/2006 Mathematics and Reading TAKS scores and the 2006/2007 Mathematics and Reading TAKS scores of transfer students and non-transfer students in grades 6-8.

33. Description of research methods (continued) Qualitative The qualitative data will consist of responses from participants. Counselors will be interviewed and asked questions that correlate with the theoretical framework, which is taken from Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.

35. Description of research methods (continued) Instrumentation Extant data from the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 Mathematics and Reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Test will be used to determine if differences exists between the 2005/2006 Mathematics and Reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills scores and the 2006/2007 Mathematics and Reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills scores of transfer students and non-transfer students in grades 6-8.

42. References Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28 , 117-148. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W.H. Freeman. Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall . Bielick, S, & Chapman, C. (2003). Trends in the use of school choice: 1993-1999 (NCES 2003-031). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Fraenkel, J., & Wallen, N. (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education. 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Isaac, S. & Michael, W. (1997). Handbook in Research and Evaluation for Education and the Behavioral Sciences (3rd ed.) San Diego, CA: EdiTs/Educational and Industrial Testing Services.

43. References Ormrod, J. E. (1999). Human learning (3rd ed) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Public Agenda, 1999). Schneider, M., Teske, P., Marschall, M., Mintrom, M., & Roch, C. (1997). Institutional Arrangements and the Creation of Social Capital: The Effects of Public School Choice. The American Political Science Review, 91 (1), 82-93. Sirkin, R. (2006). Statistics for the social sciences. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 45 Texas Education Agency (2008). Retrieved June 14, 2008, from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/data.html United States Government Accountability Office. (2004). No child left behind act: Education needs to provide additional technical assistance and conduct Implementation studies for school choice provision. (Highlights of GAO-05-7, a report to the Secretary of Education).

44. References Viadero, D. (2007, January). Researchers Examine School Choice Picks. Education Week, 26 (19), 9. Retrieved July 21, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1197232011).