SPRING 2010 - Edinboro University

SPRING 2010
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL INTERNS
Intern: Edward McMahan Onsite Supervisor: Joyce Lansberry
School District: Union City Area School District
Superintendent: Sandra Myers
The focus project is a three year longitudial study that will focus on answering the following
question, “Do students, who receive additional individualized reading intervention time, make
progress on the DIBELS assessment and PSSA reading assessment by grade five?” Measures
intersected were Student Learning and School Processes. Students’ kindergarten, first and second
grade assessment data from Step by Step Learning executive summaries were analyzed to
determine intervention groups. Further future assessment data from Emetric and PVASS will be
analyzed to determine validity of the findings of this project. Student learning related to specific
DIBELS assessment criterior and school processes of revamping the entire kindergarten through
fifth grade schedule to increase the time for additional reading intervention for students that are
not making benchmark goals will go into effect during the 2010-2011 school year.
Intern: Holly Northrup Onsite Supervisor: Diane Sutton
School District: City of Erie School District
Superintendent: Dr. James Barker
The focus project studies the following question, “Do students in grades 5 and 8 who have data
conversations about their performance on the 4sight assessment and do individual goal setting
show an increase in achievement between the third and fourth administration of the 4sight?”
Multiple measures intersected were student learning by demographics and school processes.
Student assessment data from 4Sight were analyzed. The results suggest that when students have
data conversations with their teachers and goal set for future assessments, the students will
achieve higher scores on their assessment. The findings of this project will be further studied to
develop a plan to coach teachers on how to initiate data conversations and goal setting with their
students.
Intern: Brad Wheeler Onsite Supervisor: John Hansen
School District: General McLane School District
Superintendent: Alan Karns
The focus project studied the following question, does Balanced Literacy have a positive effect
on the reading and writing scores on the PSSA tests for middle school students. Multiple

measures intersected were Student Learning by School Processes by Demographics. The current
5 th graders at Parker Middle School have been taught using Balanced Literacy, while the current
8 th graders have not. The effectiveness of the Balanced Literacy program at the school was
questioned. A study will be conducted to take a first look at the current results of each class on
their PSSA scores. An initial determination will be derived to indicate whether or not the
students at Parker Middle School exhibit higher Reading and Writing scores on the PSSA tests
after they have used Balanced Literacy.
Intern: Matthew Siembida Onsite Supervisor: Dr. James Ruby
School District: Franklin Area School District
Superintendent: Ron Paranick
The focus project studied the following question, does differentiated reading instruction have a
positive effect on the comprehension and level of fluency as assessed by the 4site, PSSA tests,
and DIBELS assessments. The third and forth grade students have received or are receiving
differentiated reading instruction while the fifth and sixth graders have not. The effectiveness of
this program has been questioned year after year by different administrators within the district.
A study will be conducted to inspect the current results on the 4site and DIBELS results for each
grade, as well as random grades from around the district with a comparable demographic.
Intern: Michelle Verga Onsite Supervisor: Darla Posney
School District: Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School
Superintendent: Dr. Joanne Barnett
The focus project studied the following question, “Do 5 th grade students who participate in the
small group, online novel discussions show a higher level of achievement on the 5 th grade PSSA
Reading than students who read the novels asynchronously?” Multiple measures intersected
were Student Learning by School Processes by Demographics. 2009 student assessment data
from eMetric and Study Island were analyzed and compared to Study Island data from 2010 to
predict 2010 PSSA results. The results suggest that students who participate in the online novel
discussions show a higher level of achievement on the 5 th grade PSSA Reading. School
processes will be further studied to develop a plan to require all 5 th grade students to engage in
small group, online novel discussions.

Intern: Vivian Demko Onsite Supervisor: Roseria Frey
School District: Saucon Valley School District
Superintendent: Dr. Sandra Fellin
The focus project studied the following question, “What area of achievement is showing greater
growth using Fast ForWord with at-risk students?” Multiple measures intersected were Student
Learning by School Processes. Student assessment data from DIBELS, PVAAS, 4Sight and
Quarterlies were analyzed. The most at-risk students in First Grade have shown growth in
Accuracy; in Second Grade Comprehension; in 3 rd Grade Fluency and Accuracy; in 4 th Grade
Fluency, Accuracy, Quarterlies and 4Sight. At-risk students in First Grade have shown growth
in Phoneme Segmentation Fluency; Third Grade in Quarterlies; 4 th Grade in Quarterlies. School
processes relating to the use of Fast ForWord should be further analyzed after students spend
additional time working with the program.
Intern: Melissa McMullen Onsite Supervisor: Sr. Mark Plescher
School District: Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Superintendent: Sr. Donna Marie Leiden
The focus project will study the following question, “Do students who have near-perfect
attendance records achieve at a higher rate than students with excessive absences and tardiness?”
Multiple measures intersected were student learning with attendance. The reason for the study is
because teachers identified certain students with high absences/tardiness. A study will be
conducted to review scores on Iowa Test of Basic Skills, DIBELS scores and classroom grades.
The study will review reading, mathematics, language arts, and spelling. Preliminary data show
that several students with excessive absences have lower scores than classmates. More study
will be done to determine if this trend is accurate across grade levels, and a plan will be
developed to draw attention to importance of attendance.
Intern: Steven Kray Onsite Supervisor: Steve Candela
School District: Geneva Area City School District
Superintendent: Mary Zappitelli
The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of our after school Standards Based
Instruction Program. Our school district has been working hard to develop a working
relationship with all of our struggling students. The entire learning community is working to help
these students be more successful in the classroom. The data collected during this study will be
presented to our staff and we will show the value and importance of this after school program.
Throughout this study, we monitored students in various sub groups. We analyzed their 2009
OAT scores as well as the data that has been gathered through our Think-Link assessments and

theme tests in reading. The results of this study will hopefully prove the effectiveness of this
program and will help us continue this program in the years to come.
Intern: Brian McCall Onsite Supervisor: Marcia deKramer
School District: Conneaut School District
Superintendent: Wendy Szallay
The focus project studied the following question, “Do third through sixth graders from homes
with one or no biological parent perform lower on the PSSA than students from homes with both
biological parents in the household? Does gender or school transfer have any affect on scores as
well?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by Demographics. Student
assessment data were collected from pervious PSSA Math and Reading scores, PVAAS, and
family structure were noted. Results suggest that students from homes with one or no biological
parent score lower on the PSSA. The results will indicate that these groups need intensive
instruction to ensure achievement on PSSA tests in the future.
Intern: Charletta Zeigler Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Arlene Holtz
School District: West Oak Lane Charter School
Superintendent: Dr. Deberra Peoples-Lee
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students in grade four who use a specific
reading comprehension and test taking strategy demonstrate a higher level of achievement on the
PSSA reading than fourth graders in previous years that have not used a specific strategy?”
Multiple measures intersected were student learning, by school processes, by demographics.
Student assessment data from eMetric and Study Island Benchmark tests were analyzed. The
results suggest that students who use a specific reading comprehension and test taking strategy
show higher achievement on the reading PSSA. School processes and demographics will be
further studied to develop a plan for all students to use the reading strategy.
Intern: Denise Pollard Onsite Supervisor: Marcia deKramer
School District: Conneaut School District
Superintendent: Wendy Szallay
The focus project studied the following question, “Do fifth grade students who are
homogeneously grouped for reading show significant gains in reading achievement?” Multiple
measures intersected were Student Learning by School Processes by Demographics. Student
assessment data were collected from previous PSSA reading scores on PVAAS and fifth grade

4Sight reading data. The results suggest that fifth grade students who are homogeneously
grouped for reading do not show a significantly higher level of achievement. School processes
relating to homogeneous grouping by reading ability will be further examined if this grouping is
to be used again, regardless of grade level, when PSSA reading performance lags.
Intern: Sandra Wilson Onsite Supervisor: Michael Smith
School District: Newport School District
Superintendent: Lori Gallagher/Joe Stroup
The focus project studied the following question, “Do teachers’ perceptions of data affect student
achievement on 4Sight Assessments for students in third, fourth, and fifth grade?” Multiple
measures intersected were Student Learning by School Processes by Demographics by
Perceptions. Student assessment data from 4Sight were analyzed in Performance Tracker. The
results suggest that teachers’ perceptions of data had a positive correlation to student
achievement. School processes relating to data usage will be further analyzed to develop a plan
to have teachers consistently use data to impact school processes and student achievement.
Intern: Kimberly Smith Onsite Supervisor: Michael Smith
School District: Newport School District
Superintendent: Lori Gallagher/Joe Stroup
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students in grades four and five with better
attitudes toward academic reading show higher levels of achievement on fourth and fifth grade
4sights than students with poor attitudes toward academic reading?” Multiple measures
intersected were student learning by student perceptions by demographics. Student assessment
data from 4Sight assessments in reading and the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey were
analyzed. Results indicate that students’ attitudes toward reading are a central factor affecting
reading performance. School processes will be further studied to monitor their attitudinal impact
on fourth and fifth grade students toward reading to improve our reading instruction in these
grade levels.
Intern: Brian Ursone Onsite Supervisor: Steve Piasecki
School District: Garnet Valley School District
Superintendent: Dr. Michael Christian
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who participate in the reading
remediation program show a higher level of achievement on the 5 th grade PSSA Reading than

their own 4 th grade PSSA reading scores, which did not include remediation?” Multiple measures
intersected were Student Learning by School Processes. Student assessment data from eMetric,
100 Book Challenge, GRADE, classroom assessments, and Kidbiz were analyzed. The results
suggest that students who are included in the 5 th grade remediation show a higher level of
achievement on the 5 th grade PSSA Reading. School processes relating to the language arts
curriculum and student learning will be further studied to develop a plan to have a similar
remediation program incorporated into the curriculum prior to grade 5.
Intern: Andrea Root Onsite Supervisor: Matt Patterson
School District: Corry Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Brian Dougherty
The focus project question studied was, “Do students in grades 3 rd through 5 th , who received
intervention in reading and math throughout the 2008-2009 school year, show a higher level of
achievement on the Scantron and the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment than students
who did not receive intervention during the school year?” Multiple measures of intersections
analyzed were Student Learning by Demographics, School Process, and Perceptions. Scantron,
DRC, and DRA student assessment data was analyzed. The results suggest that students who did
receive interventions showed a moderate level of achievement on the Scantron and PSSA
compared to students who did not receive interventions. School processes related to interventions
will be further analyzed to identify which students would benefit from intervention.
Intern: David Robins Onsite Supervisor: Tony Simone
School District: Anglo American School of Moscow
Superintendent: Drew Alexander, Director
The focus project studied the following question, “Is there a need to revise the currently adopted
standards and benchmarks for mathematics at Grade 4 at Anglo American School (AAS)?”
Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by School Process by Demographics.
Student assessment data from the Fall 2009 administration of the Measures of Academic
Progress (MAP) test at AAS for Grade 5, relative to the Northwest Evaluation Association
(NWEA) normative population, were analyzed. The results suggest that that AAS students
performing within the median range have a higher frequency of sub-RIT performance in the
Algebraic Concepts goal strand. School processes relating to the math curriculum will be further
studied in order to improve student learning and performance in this strand.

Intern: Jonathan Frye Onsite Supervisor: Tamara Clark
School District: Crawford Central School District
Superintendent: Michael Dolecki
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether students in kindergarten and grade 1 whose
parents attended an educational intervention night at Second District Elementary School have a
higher level of reading fluency than students whose parents did not attend. Baseline data will be
found in the DIBELS reading test administered in November for both groups. The data will
suggest that students whose parents attend educational interventions show growth on DIBELS
reading tests over the course of a school year.
Intern: Craig Stage Onsite Supervisor: Dennis Smith
School District: Northern Tioga School District
Superintendent: Dr. Timothy Bowers
The focus project will study the following question, “Have students in 5 th and 6 th grade who
participated in the after school Study Island based reading tutorial shown improved PSSA
reading scores?” Multiple measures intersected were student learning by school processes and
demographics. Data taken from Performance tracker (4sight, PSSA) and Study Island were
analyzed. Initial data indicate that students who voluntarily participated in the after school
programs have increased PSSA reading scores. School processes relating to Study Island and its
use in an after school tutoring program will be further studied to develop a plan to implement in
similar tutorials in the grades 3 and 4 to improve PSSA reading scores.
Intern: Lora Lutz Onsite Supervisor: Patrick McClintock-Comeaux
School District: Mt. Lebanon School District
Superintendent: Dr. Timothy Steinhauer
This focus project will study the following question, “Do fifth graders that participate in small
groups that focus on specific skills in Language Arts improve their Reading RIT on the third
MAP (Measure in Academic Progress) test of the year?” Student assessment data from eMetric,
PVASS, PSSA testing, and previous MAP data were analyzed to create focus groups. The
results suggest that the fifth grade students that participate in small focus groups improve their
Reading RIT scores on the May MAP test. School processes in Reading instruction in third and
fourth grade will be further studied to help identify students that would benefit from small group
instruction and help to develop a plan to create small group instruction possibilities for those
students in third and fourth grade with the goal of raising their Reading RIT scores on the MAP
test.

Intern: John Szolek Onsite Supervisor: Herb Basham
School District: Slippery Rock Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Kathleen Nogay
The focus project examined the following question, “Did participation in an after-school tutoring
program by elementary special education students have a positive impact on achievement
scores?” Multiple measures intersected were student learning by school processes by
demographics. Student achievement data from 4-Sight and OnHand Schools were analyzed.
The data for those special education students who participate in the tutoring program was
compared to achievement data for special education students who do not participate in afterschool
tutoring. The results suggest that the after-school tutoring program is having a positive
impact on student achievement. The tutoring program will be studied further to determine if all
special education students would benefit from participation.
Intern: Katherine Bacher Onsite Supervisor: Connie Godin
School District: Moshannon Valley School District
Superintendent: Cheryl Pataky
The focus project studied the following question, “Does after school tutoring improve lasting
student achievement?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by School
Processes by Demographics. Student assessment data from Sylvan, Dibels, eMetric, PVASS, 4-
Sight and PSSA were analyzed. The results suggest that students who participated in after
school tutoring in elementary school were likely to show some improvement in achievement, but
were still achieving below expectations and grade level. This after school program is to be
reevaluated to determine if there is a more effective way to provide lasting student achievement
and positively impact student success.
Intern: Kim Presta Onsite Supervisor: Jon Colinear
School District: Millcreek Township School District
Superintendent: Dr. Frank Bova
Do Belle Valley fifth grade students who receive Title I support show greater growth on the
Fountas and Pinnell Reading Assessment than students who do not receive Title support?

SECONDARY PRINCIPAL INTERNS
Intern: Nicole Boyce Onsite Supervisor: Doug Wilson
School District: PENNCREST School District
Superintendent: Richard Borchilo
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students in grade 8 who feel as if they
have been bullied show a lower level of achievement on their 7 th grade PSSA Reading and Math
scores?” Multiple measures intersected were student perspectives by school processes by
demographics. Student perspective data was collected through the use of an online survey.
Student assessment data from eMetric and PVAAS was analyzed. The results suggest that
bullying does not have an effect on the regular education students’ PSSA scores, but the effects
of bullying may affect the learning support students’ PSSA achievement level. School processes
relating to the Olweus bullying program, the results from a student survey, and the results of the
2009 PSSA’s will be further studied to develop a plan to help the learning support staff support
their students and their thoughts about bullying.
Intern: Andrea Root Onsite Supervisor: Kelly Cragg
School District: Corry Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Brian Dougherty
The focus project question studied was, “How does student performance on the 11th grade
Scantron test compare with student performance on the 11th grade Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) Reading and Math?” Multiple measures intersected were Student
Learning by Demographics and by School Process. Student assessment data from Scantron and
Data Recognition Corporation were analyzed. The accuracy rate of the students who took the
Scantron test predicted a 64% accuracy rate on how the student would perform on the PSSA.
School processes related to the use of the Scantron test will be further analyzed to develop a plan
on how Scantron can be better utilized to further educate students in the classroom.
Intern: Jennifer Edgar Onsite Supervisor: Bill Rogers
School District: Newburg Public Schools
Superintendent: Paula Radich
The focus project studied the following question, “What factors contribute to the attendance
trends of at-risk students, and what interventions do and could impact their attendance in a
positive manner?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by School Processes by
Demographics. Student assessment data from Pentamation, an anonymous Zoomerang student
survey about attendance were analyzed. The results suggest that, on average, a student’s average

attendance increases by 20% when they transfer from the main high school to our alternative
program. The implementation of a breakfast incentive program has been put into place, and at
the end of the quarter, the data will be analyzed to see if it helped improve attendance.
Demographics and day of the week attendance averages will be analyzed at the end of the quarter
to look for patterns, and a plan to continue increasing ADM will be created based off of the
findings.
Intern: Louis Dalessandro Onsite Supervisor: Raymond Omer
School District: Sharon City School District
Superintendent: John J. Sarandrea
Students with IEPs will be identified. Any IEP subgroups will be identified for the 2007-2008,
2008-2009, and 2009-2010 school years. Data collected from 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 will
assist in predicting the PSSA outcomes for the 2009-2010 school year. A predicted IEP
subgroup for 2009-2010 school year, indicates that the group will fall short of making AYP.
Intern: Daniel Svirbly Onsite Supervisor: Michael Krol
School District: Laurel School District
Superintendent: Dr. Sandra Hennon
This paper outlines the research of how properly developed and delivered remediation programs
effect 11 th grade PSSA mathematics scores. The PSSA mathematics scores of five high schools
with similar student populations and demographics were collected from the PDE website over
the last four years. Each school was also surveyed to collect data describing their remediation
program in terms of who teaches it, how long it lasts, and the materials utilized. A target school
was selected to track the progress of fifteen juniors as they complete three benchmark
assessments periodically through the year, as well as a remediation course. The data was
collected, analyzed, and compared and the findings and implications will be discussed in the
following pages.
Intern: Kenneth Veihdeffer Onsite Supervisor: Kevin Wallace
School District: Clearfield Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Richard Makin
The focus project studied the following question: “Did 10th grade (2009-10) students, identified
in the subgroups "below proficient" and "proficient" show greater improvement on 4Sight tests
after remediation, and exposure to Best Teaching Practices, than they did during the 2008-09

school year when they were in 9th grade?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning
with School Processes. Student assessment data from 4Sight were analyzed. The results suggest
that 10th grade students who are exposed to newly implemented remediation methods and Best
Teaching Practices demonstrate a greater gain on 4Sight tests than they did during the 2008-09
school year when they were in 9th grade.
Intern: Sandralee Kozlowski Onsite Supervisor: Stephanie Keebler
School District: Titusville Area School District
Superintendent: Karen Jez
The focus project studied and compared economically disadvantaged (ED) students in 9 th thru
12 th grades academically to non-economically disadvantaged (Non-ED) students and how those
ED students who did well on the PSSA assessment behave or achieve in the classroom?. The
Pennsylvania State System assessment (PSSA) and eMetric data were used. Of all students
who are proficient/advanced on the PSSA, how do they perform/behave in the classroom?
(Intersections: Student Learning with School Processes and Demographics). Hypotheses given
suggest that ED students perform and participate lower than non-ED students. School processes
will be further studied to develop a plan to address the achievement gap and increase student
engagement.
Intern: Dayna Fusco Onsite Supervisor: Michael Cook
School District: Sheffield – Sheffield Lake School District
Superintendent: Dr. Will Folger
The focus project studied the following question, “Are all of the Math Ohio Achievement
Assessment (OAA) grade level power indicators being targeted by teachers and when are they
being introduced through mastery?” Multiple measures intersected were student learning by
school processes and perceptions. Curriculum data from the Ohio Department of Education
(ODE) state level standards, teacher questionnaire/survey, professional learning community
(discussions via Ning web site) and departmental curriculum maps. The results suggest that
teachers are not introducing the correct grade level math standards and following through with
appropriate mastery assessments. Results from teacher questionnaire/survey, discussion groups
and state wide standards will be further studied to develop a plan for the creation of new
departmental curriculum maps.

Intern: Beth Redfield Onsite Supervisor: Christopher McNell
School District:
Superintendent: Dr. Robert Olzak
The focus project studied the following questions: Are all of the New York State Learning
Standards being addressed and implemented within the Big Picture “project based learning
method?’ and How are the tenth grade students meeting requirements and performance
indicators for the Gateway process into eleventh grade? Multiple measures intersected were
student learning by school processes and perceptions and by student demographics. Curriculum
data from the New York State Department of Education and Big Picture learning indicators were
analyzed, along with teacher input from discussions. The results suggest that teachers may not
be implementing all of the standards into the project based learning methods and that some tenth
grade students are not meeting Gateway requirements. Results from statewide standards, NY
State Regents exams, teacher’s discussions, and Big Picture learning indicators will be further
studied to develop a plan to implement the state standards into the project based learning method
across all curricular areas to achieve student success.
Intern: Michelle Morris Onsite Supervisor: Joseph Torok
School District: Reynolds School District
Superintendent: Joseph Neuch
The focus project studied the question, “Does the scheduling of the Music 7 course affect student
scores on standardized mathematics tests?” Multiple measures intersected were Student
Learning by School Processes by Demographics. Student assessment and demographic data
from eMetric, PVASS, and OnHand Schools were analyzed. The results suggest that students,
including those in the economically disadvantaged subgroup, who are scheduled for the course
during the third quarter, during which time the PSSA is administered, have the highest
percentage of scorers in the advanced level and lowest percentage of scorers in the below basic
level of any quarter. Student scores and demographics will be further studied to see if this trend
occurs in other tests and if any effect is sustained.
Intern: Ryan Yates Onsite Supervisor: Thomas Shirey
School District: Highlands School District
Superintendent: Dr. Louis Baldassare
The focus project studied the following question, “Does providing math study skills classes to 9 th
grade students, who scored basic or below basic on the 2009, Grade 8 PSSA Math Assessment,
help students to achieve a grade of 70% or higher in Algebra 1?” Multiple measures intersected
include 2009; Grade 8 PSSA Math scores, student attendance, 4Sites Math Test scores, math

study skills class walkthroughs, and nine weeks grades. Research suggests that students who are
assigned math study skills class show higher levels of achievement in Algebra 1, ultimately
leading to increased Grade 11 PSSA Math scores. School processes relating to Math study
skills curriculum and scheduling will be further studied to ultimately improve student PSSA
Math scores.
Intern: David Wolfe Onsite Supervisor: Marc Budd
School District: Port Allegany Area School District
Superintendent: Tony Flint
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who participate in the
FastForWord program score higher on weekly AimsWeb reading probes as compared to students
who do not receive the FastForWord intervention? Multiple measures used to determine student
eligibility were the 6 th grade PSSA and 7 th grade 4sight assessments. The results will be analyzed
upon student completion of 9 weeks of the intervention. Successful completion of the
intervention will trigger the planning for a formation of a school wide intervention.
Intern: Leslie Melquist Onsite Supervisor: Joe Yelich
School District: Jamestown Public Schools
Superintendent: Daniel Kathman
The focus project studied the following question, “Do 10 th -12 th grade special education students
with multiple disciplinary infractions within a single year, have a higher failure rate on NYS
Standardized Tests, than special education students who have not had multiple disciplinary
infractions?” (Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning with School Processes and
Demographics.) Student assessment data from PowerSchool and nySTART were analyzed. The
results suggest that 10 th -12 th grade special education students with multiple disciplinary
infractions within a single year, do not have a higher failure rate on NYS Standardized Tests.
School processes relating to NYS Standardized Tests and student demographics will be
examined further to develop a plan to have special education students serve disciplinary time
with certified teachers to increase student achievement.

Intern: Laurie Alberti Onsite Supervisor: Jason Thomson
School District: Franklin Central School District
Superintendent: Gordon Daniels
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who participate in a Pre-K to 3 rd
grade 100 Book Challenge Reading Program show a higher level of achievement on the 4 th grade
New York State ELA tests?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by School
Processes and demographics. Student assessment data from New York State provided to
Broome-Tioga BOCES were analyzed. The results suggest that students who participate in the
100 Book Challenge Reading Program demonstrated a higher level of achievement on the 4 th
grade New York State English Language Arts Tests. School process relating to the reading
curriculum and student demographics will be further studied to develop a plan to have all Pre-K
through 3 rd grade students actively participate in the 100 Book Challenge Reading Program.
Intern: Jennifer Martino Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Tom Butler
School District: Ridgway Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Thomas Butler
The focus project studied the following question, “Do high school teachers who take part in a
Professional Learning Community show a higher understanding of how to incorporate reading
strategies in the content areas? Multiple measures intersected were School Processes and
Perceptions. Both pre-assessment and post-assessment surveys were conducted. The surveys
will exhibit teacher awareness and implementation of reading strategies in the content area
curriculum. The implementation of additional Professional Learning Communities throughout
the High School will be further studied to allow other content area teachers to receive instruction
on implementing reading strategies into their curriculum.
Intern: Jonathon Anderson Onsite Supervisor: Gary K. Elder
School District: Oswayo Valley School District
Superintendent: Robert C. Wicker
The focus project studied the following question, “Does the integration of character curriculum
along with positive reinforcement help increase student achievement when dealing with middle
school students that have high incidences of discipline referrals and low quarterly grade averages
with lower test scores?” The Multiple Measures intersected were Student Processes by School
Learning by Demographics. Student assessment data from eMetric, PVAAS, PSSA, DCR,
teacher grades, and discipline referral records were analyzed. The results suggest a correlation
between lower academic achievement and higher incidences of discipline referrals. School

processes relating to integrating character curriculum and student demographics will be further
studied to develop a plan to reduce discipline referrals and increase student achievement.
Intern: David Swanson Onsite Supervisor: Matthew Pundt
School District: City of Erie School District
Superintendent: Dr. James Barker
The focus project studied the following question, “Are 4sight Math and Reading results an
accurate predictor of PSSA math and reading results for 11 th grade students at an inner city
career and technical school?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by School
Processes by Demographics. Student assessment data from Success for All Foundation and
PSSA scores were analyzed. A sample of students revealed that the predictive value of 4sight
results were 70% accurate. Further analysis will take place to determine the accuracy for the
entire population.
Intern: Toby Marvin Onsite Supervisor:
School District:
Superintendent:

SUPERINTENDENT/SUPERVISOR INTERNS
Intern: Michele Miller Onsite Supervisor: Patrick Kelley
School District: Northwestern School District
Superintendent: Patrick Kelley
The focus project studied the following question, “What variables contribute to an increasing gap
in levels of proficiency on the PSSA Reading among students transitioning from 5th grade in the
elementary school to 6th grade in the middle school?” The intersection of student learning,
utilizing data represented in PVAAS and eMetrics by multiple school processes and
demographics. The results indicate that the demographics are similar in each grade, while the
instruction, assessments, and professional development have varied greatly. A plan was
developed to address the instructional factors contributing to the decline in achievement levels of
6th grade students. In conclusion, additional data and student perceptions for further study were
areas identified for potentially negative effects on student achievement.
Intern: Edward Nientemp Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Marjorie Wallace
School District: Union City Area School District
Superintendent: Sandra Myers
The focus project studied the following question: “Do partnerships between schools and
community based support/social systems assist in decreasing truancy rates and improving student
achievement?” A second question studied is: “Can existing data support the identification of a
specific sub-group that may benefit from extensive therapy to curb the future occurrence of
truancy.” Multiple measures intersected were demographics by school processes by student
learning. Academic achievement reports and school demographic data were used to examine
attendance and student achievement. School district/building data compiled by student support
teams were used to identify specific sub-groups that may benefit from extended or enhanced
outpatient therapy. The data points to success in the reduction of truancy using universal and
targeted interventions in a response to intervention framework and provides implications for
possible intensive individualized interventions for identified students.
Intern: Lindsay Burns Onsite Supervisor: Ron Mancia
School District: Otto Eldred School District
Superintendent: Robert Falk
The focus project studied the following question, “Do 7 th & 8 th grade students who participate in
the reading and math intervention classes show significant gains on the 4-sight assessment, given
4 times a year?” Student assessment data from eMetric, and Success for All were analyzed.

Intersections include Demographics, Teacher Perceptions, School Processes, and Student
Achievement. The results suggest that students who take part in intervention classes show
significant improvement from the baseline 4-sight test. The relationship between 4-sight and
PSSA results will be further analyzed.
Intern: Harold Gabriel Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Namey
School District: Lehman Lake – Lehman School District
Superintendent: James McGovern
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students in 5 th grade show an improvement
in their Academic Achievement with the Success for All Reading Program this school year as
compared to 5 th grade students using Houghton Mifflin Reading Program last year based on
PSSA/4-Sight data?” Multiple measures intersected were student learning by demographics by
perceptions by school processes. Student assessment data was gathered from web tools, 4-Sight
results, e-metric, PVASS and the Success for All Information web site. The results suggest that
the students who are now involved in this program should show higher reading test scores on the
PSSA. School processes will continue through information gathered by the data analysis team,
curriculum review and revision and increased parental involvement for all 5 th grade students to
reach the level of proficient.
Intern: Gary Massaglia Onsite Supervisor: Dr. William Clark
School District: Bald Eagle Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. William Clark
The focus project studied the following question, “What are the performance score trends for
students in grades 3 through 8 on the PSSA exam in reading and math?” The Superintendent and
Assistant Superintendent in the Manheim Central School District have recently been hired and
are unfamiliar with the needs of the students who take the PSSA exams. Since they do not know
what issues they have at this time in the district and need to have a baseline of information from
which to work, I will be focusing on the past two years of PSSA data isolating on the reporting
categories and cohort groups utilizing PVAAS data. With this information they then can begin
to at the issues and design remediation strategies for implementation.

Intern: Christine Holjencin Onsite Supervisor: Clyde D. Moate
School District: Cameron County School District
Superintendent: Clyde D. Moate
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who are enrolled in a remediation
class show greater gains in benchmark assessment scores and in confidence than students in the
same grade level who are not enrolled in a remediation class?” Multiple measures intersected
were School Processes by Student Learning by Perceptions by Demographics. Student
assessment data from 4Sight, eMetric, PVAAS and student surveys were analyzed. The results
suggest that remediation does better prepare the student for benchmark assessments. School
processes relating to language arts, mathematics and science curricula, student learning,
perceptions, and demographics will be further studied to develop a plan to have all students who
are below proficient on benchmark assessments to be scheduled for appropriate remediation.
Intern: Gretchen Troxell Onsite Supervisor: Deborah Ohmacht
School District: Northampton Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Linda Firestone
The focus project studied the following question, “Taking 11 th grade students in the subgroup of
those with IEPs, do their proficiency level on the 4 Sight Math Benchmark Test accurately
predict their proficiency level on their PSSA Math Test?” Multiple measures intersected were
Student Learning by School Process by Demographics. Student assessment data from eMetric,
Performance Tracker and Sapphire were analyzed. The results suggest that IEP students who
participate in the 4 Sight Math Benchmark Test taken throughout high school show an
inconsistent level of performance when compared to their proficiency results on the PSSA Math
Test. School processes relating to the math curriculum and student demographics will be further
studied to develop a plan to produce consistent test results.

Intern: Jeff Matty Onsite Supervisor: Gary Hamilton
School District: Ringgold School District
Superintendent: Gary Hamilton
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who spend additional
instructional time in math due to modified block scheduling improve their scores on the PSSA
Math tests at the middle school level?” Multiple measures intersected were Student Learning by
School Processes by Demographics. Student assessment data from eMetric, PVASS, and 4sight
tests were analyzed. The results provide information that students improved their PSSA scores
in Math during their middle school attendance. The advantages and disadvantages of modified
block scheduling at all grades and subjects will be further studied and district plan
implementation discussed. Student demographics, State standards, and curriculum adjustments
will be examined.
Intern: Marilyn Walters Onsite Supervisor: Wendy Szallay
School District: Conneaut School District
Superintendent: Wendy Szallay
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who are instructed in leveled
groups, according to DIBLES (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessed
benchmarks (Intensive, Strategic, Benchmark) score higher over a period of 1.5 years on
DIBLES assessments than students who are instructed heterogeneously?” Multiple measures
intersected were Student Learning by School Processes by Demographics. Student assessment
data from DIBLES were analyzed on students from School A (N=50) and School B (N=65)
during Kindergarten and the first half of first grade. The results suggest that students who are
instructed heterogeneously by classroom score higher on DIBLES assessments. School
processes relating to reading instruction will be further studied to develop a plan for reading
instruction.

Intern: Sherry Cowburn Onsite Supervisor: Richard Toner
School District: Coudersport Area School District
Superintendent: Richard Toner
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students in grades 3 through 5 who receive
ninety minutes of Language Arts instruction and thirty minutes of intensive tutoring scaffolded
from standardized test results studied in data teaming meetings, show higher levels of student
achievement than students who have not received targeted instruction and tutoring?” Multiple
measures intersected; School Processes by Student Learning by Demographics. PVAAS, PSSA,
4-Sight, and DIBELS data were analyzed. The findings conclude that defined times for
Language Arts instruction and intervention and data teaming using standardized assessment
results have impacted positively the outcome of the PSSA and 4-Sight scores. Further study
includes; core program fidelity, refined flexible grouping/differentiation, and data based
decisions leading to individualized explicit instruction.
Intern: Matthew Sottolano Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Timothy Bowers
School District: Northern Tioga School District
Superintendent: Dr. Timothy Bowers
The focus project studied the following question, “Do students who are assigned to math tutoring
in 7 th and 8 th grade show growth/improvement on the 7 th and 8 th grade math PSSA.” Multiple
measures intersected include 2008 6 th grade PSSA math scores, 2009 7 th grade PSSA math
scores, 2008 7 th grade PSSA math scores, 2009 8 th grade PSSA math scores and student
assessment data from PVASS were analyzed. The results suggest that students who participate in
math tutoring in the 7 th and 8 th grade show growth on their 7 th and 8 th grade math PSSA tests.
School processes relating to math tutoring will be further studied to develop a plan to provide
tutoring at other grade levels to improve overall PSSA math Scores.
Intern: Dr. Jill Earman Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Deborah Clawson
School District: Indiana Area School District
Superintendent: Dr. Deborah Clawson
The question guiding this focus project was: “Do students in grades four through six who
participate in the PSSA Parent Partnership program improve their PSSA scores and perceive that

they are more prepared for the PSSA than students who do not participate?” The intersection of
student learning data (PSSA scores from eMetric), school process data (participation in the
program), and perception data (student surveys) provide a complete picture of the impact of the
PSSA Parent Partnership on student achievement and perceptions. The author supports the best
practices of using a standards-based curriculum and formative assessment as the foundation for
an educational program, but the findings of this study support the use of test preparation
programs that involve parents as well.
Intern: Caron Anthony-Higley Onsite Supervisor: Jan Feleppa
School District: Northwest Tri-County IU5
Superintendent: Dr. Marjorie Wallace, Executive Director
The focus project studied the following question, “Does a direct communication program
implemented in an MDS (Multiple Disabilities Support) classroom improve expressive
communication in nonverbal students?” Multiple measures intersected were teachers’ pre- and
post-perceptions of expressive language in nonverbal students and pre- and post-assessment of
students’ expressive language skills. The results suggest that MDS students who participate in a
direct communication program improve their expressive language skills. A comparison of
student PASA reading scores from 2009 to 2010 will determine if the direct communication
program impacted student achievement in reading.
Intern: Dr. Melanie Kerber Onsite Supervisor: Dr. Fran Serenka
School District: Sto Rox School District
Superintendent: Dr. Fran Serenka
This focus project will answer the question, “Are eleventh grade students who score at basic or
below basic on the 8 th grade PSSA test in a low functioning district with a high rate of poverty,
special education and diversity helped by an infusion of supports including reading and math lab,
PSSA Coach materials, standards aligned curriculum, end of season blitz reviews and
unconditional support raise test scores at the end of their junior year?” Results will be
interpreted from data on the 4Sight, attendance and discipline monitoring, grades, teacher
reports, student survey, student interview and classroom observations to assess engagement and a
review of past PSSA scores. Results will be used as one of multiple tools to drive instruction.