Early Interventions and Student Achievement

• Main Author: Hillman, Alana S.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Lindenwood University 2014
• Subjects: Educational evaluation|Elementary education|Special education; Terranova
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3619165

Educating children is a costly endeavor; however, when children with special needs enter kindergarten unprepared emotionally, socially, or academically, the increased costs and support systems have to be absorbed by the schools and communities. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference between the academic achievement of students participating in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) compared to students without ECSE services with DIAL-3 scores ranked in the 20th percentile or below. Achievement scores for second and third graders in one urban school district were utilized to compare the scores of ECSE and non-ECSE students. The sample included the TerraNova and Performance Series assessment scaled scores of 30 ECSE students and 30 non-ECSE students for a total of 60 students from academic years 2008 to 2012 from the participating school district. A stratified sampling was utilized within the two groups of students' assessment scores. Standard calculations included means, standard deviations, and a t-test. When comparing the second grade achievement scores, ECSE students had statistically significant gains on the overall scaled scores than the non-ECSE students. When comparing the third grade Performance Series reading, language arts, and math scaled scores of the ECSE students to the non-ECSE students, the ECSE students had statistically higher achievement scaled scores compared to the non-ECSE students. When comparing the third grade Performance Series reading and language arts standard item pool scores of the ECSE students to the non-ECSE students, the ECSE students had statistically higher achievement standard item pool compared to the non-ECSE students. The Performance Series standard item pool scores were not statistically significant between the two groups.