Volume 3 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Research - Page 27

Journal of K-12 Educational Research 25 Data Collection and Methodology Research Question (RQ1) The researcher examined student reading inventory results in order to investigate the first research question. This data was available through an ad-hoc request to TEA because districts are required to submit reading inventory data to the TEA through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). RQ1 was evaluated by conducting a chi-square test of independence separately for each grade level (K-2). The chi- square statistical test indicated if there was a difference in literacy achievement (dependent variable) between bilingual program models (independent variable) to determine if the observed distribution was significantly different from the expected distribution of literacy scores at an alpha level of p ≤ .05. Research Question (RQ2) The researcher examined third grade STAAR reading results for ELLs in order to answer the question. RQ2 was evaluated by conducting multiple one-way ANOVAs on third grade STAAR Reading scores for the years of 2012- 2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016. For the one-way ANOVA, the dependent variable was student Reading scale score and the independent variable was bilingual program type. 2015 426 439 490 453 2016 376 438 447 505 District 4 2013 1353 1239 1240 1129 2014 1337 1355 1242 1318 2015 1087 1260 1352 1285 2016 1102 1169 1299 1369 District 5 2013 469 476 497 513 2014 391 318 289 522 2015 614 625 546 517 2016 568 647 606 551 District 6 2013 872 264 483 442 2014 761 592 497 497 2015 738 633 572 606 2016 588 742 710 654 District 7 2013 1672 1786 1716 1619 2014 1630 1845 1679 1721 2015 1704 1839 1794 1722 2016 1496 1831 1808 1756 District 8 2013 69 454 397 371 2014 64 466 377 253 2015 33 458 378 236 2016 18 411 369 270 Total 33,771 36, 313 33,490 31,766 Table 2. Summary of Findings by Research Question Table 2 provides an overall summary of the findings according to each hypotheses associated with each research question. Table 2 Summary of Findings by Research Question Research Question 1: How does literacy achievement compare among ELLs in grades K-2 who were participating in transitional/late-exit, transitional/early-exit, dual language/one-way, or dual language/two-way bilingual program models? Hypotheses Findings H1 0 : There is not a relationship between Kindergarten ELL literacy achievement and the type of bilingual program utilized for students. Null hypothesis rejected Chi-square test yielded statistically significant results with p = .000 More ELLs on grade level for Reading in transitional bilingual early exit than expected. H2 0 : There is not a relationship between First Null hypothesis rejected Chi-square test yielded statistically significant results with p = .000