Degree Date

3-2025

Document Type

Dissertation - Public Access

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Academic Discipline

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Stephanie Shames

Second Advisor

Dr. James Lawson

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the factors that affected the graduation rates of students enrolled in five charter high school dropout prevention programs that utilized the same online accelerated curriculum model. The overarching research question was: what factors affected the graduation rates of students enrolled in dropout prevention programs? A mixed methods design was employed to evaluate extant data on graduation rates and attendance rates surveys and semistructured interviews were completed by administrators and teachers to compare data across the five schools. This approach allowed for a comprehensive analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, providing a holistic view of the factors influencing graduation rates in these dropout prevention programs. Analysis of the data from the surveys and interviews revealed a misalignment between administrators and teachers. The findings suggested that administrators and teachers required professional development in differentiated instruction, instructional strategies for literacy development, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), relationship building, and collaboration to ensure consistent program implementation and promote student success to help students graduate with a high school diploma by the age of twenty-one.

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