Graduation Term

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Foundations: Educational Administration

Committee Chair

Lydia Kyei-Blankson

Committee Member

Lindsey Hall

Committee Member

John Rugutt

Abstract

We live in a world where preschool and even kindergarten are optional years in schooling, only perpetuating the problem of incoming kindergartener students systemically lacking foundational skills necessary to successfully begin their academic careers. Access to quality preschool is an equity problem that needs to be discussed and researched. Preparing a student to enter kindergarten with the appropriate foundational academic skills does not just set them up for kindergarten success, but also for success in future grade levels. Therefore, a co-design team focused a problem of practice at an elementary school to provide the kindergarten teacher with additional support by using a team-based approach in planning and implementing the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework with fidelity in order to increase kindergarten students’ reading scores.

This mixed-method study included 19 kindergarten students at a Midwest K-5th elementary school where three research questions were examined: 1) What was the effect of the team-based MTSS intervention planning process on the kindergarten students’ MAP reading scores?; 2)What was the effect of the team-based MTSS intervention planning process on the kindergarten students’ FastBridge Early Reading Screener Scores?; 3) What were the co-design team’s perceptions of the team-based MTSS intervention planning process? Utilizing the quantitative measures of the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress MAP) assessment and the FastBridge Early Reading Screener and the qualitative measure of a six-question open-ended educator survey, the co-design team examined growth in kindergarten students’ reading scores and the co-design team’s perception of utilizing the team-based approach to implement the MTSS Framework with fidelity.

Upon the conclusion of the 90-day cycle of inquiry, 84% of the 19 kindergarten students showed an increase on their MAP reading assessment from fall to winter. Additionally, there was an observed growth from 21% of students falling in the “low risk” range on the fall FastBridge Early Reading Screener to 53% of students falling in the “low risk” range in the winter. Lastly, the survey results showed three themes: collaboration, instruction, and time. The three co-design team educators who completed the six-question open-ended survey unanimously recommended the team-based approach to implementing the MTSS Framework with fidelity.

As practical implications in an elementary school are considered, the co-design team wonders what this team-based approach to planning and implementing the MTSS Framework with fidelity could look like when done with multiple teachers. If this intervention proved to be successful with the co-design team for this 90-day cycle of inquiry, could it be expanded to provide the same support to more classroom teachers throughout an elementary school building, resulting in all the more students with improved reading achievement?

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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