Cynthia Martinez-Garcia

Elementary School Campuses and New Teachers A Multiyear Study

In this study, the researchers examined the five most recent years of data (2003-2004 through 2007-2008) from the Academic Excellence Indicator System of the State of Texas regarding new teachers on elementary school campuses. We examined the extent to which differences were present between elementary school campuses with the highest new teacher percentages and elementary school campuses with the lowest new teacher percentages. In every case for all 5 years, elementary school campuses with the highest percentages of new teachers had the highest percentages of minority students, highest percentages of economically disadvantaged students, and highest percentages of at-risk students than did elementary school campuses with the lowest percentages of new teachers. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Differences in Academic Achievement by Grade Span Configuration: A Multiyear Texas Investigation

In this empirical statewide investigation, the degree to which grade span configuration was related to the academic achievement of boys and girls in Texas public schools was addressed. Specifically analyzed were two grade span configurations (i.e., Pre-K/K-Grade 6/7/8 and Grades 6/7Grade 12) and the reading and mathematics performance of Grade 6, 7, and 8 boys and girls for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. Although statistically significant differences were present in only two reading analyses, higher passing rates in reading were present in the elemiddle grade span configuration than in the secondary configuration in all 12 analyses. For the TAKS Mathematics passing rates, 11 of the 12 analyses revealed statistically significant differences, with small to moderate effect sizes.

English Language Learner Boys and Girls Reading and Math Achievement as a Function of Early-Exit and Late-Exit Bilingual Programs: A Multiyear, Statewide Analysis

We examined the reading and math performance of English Language Learner boys and girls in Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 as a function of early-exit or late-exit transitional bilingual education program. Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Reading and Mathematics scores of all English Language Learner boys and girls who were enrolled in either early-exit or late-exit bilingual education programs were analyzed for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 school years. Results were not consistent across reading and math, across the 4 grade levels, and across the 3 school years. On the TAKS Reading test, 5 instances were present in which statistically significant differences were revealed for boys and 11 for girls. On the TAKS Mathematics test, 8 statistically significant results were revealed for boys and 6 for girls. These statistically significant differences were not consistently in favor of either the early-exit or the late-exit bilingual education programs. Moreover, the differences that were present reflected small to trivial effect sizes. As such, neither the early-exit nor the late-exit bilingual education program was demonstrated to be more effective than its counterpart.