The goal of this research was to fill a gap within the literature based on the organizational structure of elementary schools, departmentalized or non-departmentalized, and science achievement. Overall science achievement was analyzed based on elementary school organizational structure. Data were collected from the 2020-2021 Grade 4 Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) English Language Arts (ELA) and the 2021-2022 Grade 5 Florida Comprehension Assessment Test (FCAT) 2.0 Science. The study sample included 1,275 Grade 5 students from one large urban school district in Central Florida. Student socio-demographic variables, inclusive of English learner status, students with disability status, gender, and socio-economic status, were disaggregated to determine if science student achievement was moderated by socio-demographic variables for different organizational structures. Further, the literature review made the connection between prior reading achievement and science achievement. Therefore, prior student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) was analyzed to determine if there were specific interactions between prior ELA achievement and science achievement based on organizational structure.
To answer the research questions, factorial ANOVAs, Mann Whitney U tests, and multiple regression models were used. Results from factorial ANOVAs and Mann Whitney U analysis found that higher science student achievement scores were found in non-departmentalized organizational structures. Regression models indicated that prior ELA achievement could be used to predict science achievement. The multiple regression analysis found that the integration of knowledge and ideas ELA subscore could predict achievement on the nature of science science subscore and key ideas and details ELA subscore could be used to predict achievement on physical science science subscore.
Results from this research study may be used to make decisions regarding departmentalization in elementary schools to advance science achievement. Mainly, educational leaders may consider that while there is a limited amount of research on organizational structure and science achievement, this study supports the non-departmentalized structure for higher student achievement. Furthermore, educational leaders within schools may ensure that instructional coaches, interventionists, and teachers provide strong instruction and intervention in ELA standards to promote higher achievement in science. Finally, state educational leaders adopting grade level standards and school district educational leaders creating curriculum that may provide opportunities for cross-curricular instruction, in ELA and science, are embedded into the elementary curriculum.
Dr. Marjorie Ceballos, Committee Chair.
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