Research Project

Research Project

Assignment Instructions:

· Review the attached Research Proposal Overview and the Good Example to gain a better understanding of what the final submission will require.

· Construct Chapters 1, 2, and 3, your reference list, and any appendicies for your Signature Project Stage 1 Research Proposal. 
Be sure to review the attached rubric that is aligned with this assignment.  

·
The assignment must be submitted in Microsoft Word; Times New Roman font; 12 pt font size; margins 1” on all sides; double-spaced (be sure to remove any extra spacing that might be added before or below paragraphs).

· The assignment should be written on a graduate level and references used should be cited using appropriate in-text citations and documented in a reference list using 7th ed. APA Style.

· The originality of your work will be evaluated via SafeAssign. Leave time for 
revision and resubmission prior to the deadline in the event your originality score is too high.  You may resubmit the assignment up to three times prior to the deadline.  If your originality score is greater than 25% at the time of the deadline points may be deducted. If your originality score is greater than 50% your submission will not be graded and a zero will be posted.

· PLEASE NOTE — The assignment is rather lengthy, therefore; it is strongly suggested that you do not wait to start this assignment on the day it is due.

Signature Project Stage 1 First Submission Rubric

Writing Components

CATEGORY Unacceptable

(0 points)

Revisions Required

(2.5 points)

Target

(5 points)

Are the focus and purpose clear
and ideas well supported?

Missing thesis; confusion about or
misunderstanding of topic; no sense of
purpose

Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited
sense of purpose; support is provided, but is
not specific; support is only loosely relevant
to the main points

Developed thesis; represents sound
understanding of the assigned topic;
focused support is provided and is sound,
valid, and logical

Is the writing structured well
organized? Is correct
sentence structure and
proper mechanics utilized?

No paragraph structure; or single,
rambling paragraph; or series of isolated
paragraphs; Contains multiple and
serious errors of sentence structure: i.e.,
fragments, run-ons; unable to write
simple sentences; numerous errors in
spelling and capitalization; intrusive
and/or inaccurate punctuation;
communication is hindered

Organization structure is present, but
is confusing or disjointed; weak paragraph
structure; transitions are missing or
inappropriate; Formulaic sentence
patterns or overuse of simple
sentences; errors in sentence structure;
contains several punctuation, spelling,
and/or capitalization errors (up to 6);
errors may or may not interfere with
meaning

Clear organizational structure;
easily followed; includes transitions;
structured format; Effective and
varied sentences; errors (if present) due
to lack of careful proofreading; virtually
free of punctuation, spelling,
capitalization errors (no more than
3); errors do not interfere with
meaning

Are vocabulary and word
usage varied and
appropriate?

Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or subject
specific vocabulary or sophisticated
vocabulary used incorrectly

Proper, but simple vocabulary used;

subject specific vocabulary used
infrequently

Vocabulary is varied, specific and
appropriate; uses subject specific
vocabulary correctly

Is the source requirement
met and is APA format
followed?

Source requirements for the appropriate
level were not met; there are significant
format errors present; multiple (more
than 6) of APA formatting errors; in the
reference list and/or in-text citations

Meets minimum requirements for
degree level: Masters – A minimum of
10 sources were utilized; Fewer than
6 APA format errors are present in the
reference list in-text; citations; header;
headings; page numbers; etc.

Five (5) sources beyond minimum
requires were utilized; there are
virtually no APA format errors present in
either reference list in-text; citations;
header; headings; page numbers; etc.

Is proper evidence and support
of original work provided in
body of the review?

Safe Assign originality report indicates
match percentage of greater than 25
percent

Safe Assign originality report indicates
match percentage of 15 to 25 percent

Safe Assign originality report indicates a
match percentage of less than 15
percent

Content Components

CATEGORY Unacceptable

(0 points)

Revisions Required

(2.5 points)

Target

(5 points)

Source of data is credible, and
data is representative of the
scope requirements for the
advanced degree being sought

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

The source of the data is ambiguous or
lacks credibility; data does not allow for
problem/weakness identification
appropriate for required project scope

The source of the data is clear and
credible; data does not allow for
problem/weakness identification
appropriate for required project scope

The source of the data is clear and
credible; data allows for identification
of an of a classroom, multi-
classroom, school or district level
problem/weakness appropriate to
the required project scope

Signature Project Stage 1 First Submission Rubric

Graphical representation
of compiled data allows
for easy analysis

(CAEP A1.1)

Graphical format does not present the
data in a clear manner; data is only
partially presented

Graphical format(s) is appropriate
and clearly presents all the collected
data

Graphical format(s) is appropriate; clearly
presents all the collected data; highlights
visible patterns or trends

Identified
problem/weakness is
supported by trends or
patterns seen in the data

(InTASC 6, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Problem/weakness is not clearly
identified or does not align with the
trends and patterns identified in the data

Problem/weakness is clearly
identified; aligns with the type of data
collected, but connections between the
trends/patterns in the data are not clearly
described in the narrative

Problem/weakness is clearly identified;
aligns with the type of data collected;
clear connections between the
trends/patterns are drawn in the
narrative

Best practices are identified
and supported by the literature
as viable responses to
weaknesses and problems
represented by the data

(InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEPA1.1)

Best practice(s) are not clearly identified;
literature reviewed does not support the
identified best practice(s) as a viable
option to improve achievement

Best practice(s) are clearly identified;
literature reviewed does not support the
identified best practice(s) as a viable option
to improve achievement

Best practice(s) are clearly identified;
literature reviewed supports the
identified best practices as viable
responses to the problem/weakness
identified

Theories and/or trends are
identified and connected with
best practices in literature

(InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Theory or trend is not identified;
theory/trend identified are not connected
with the best practice(s) via literature

Theory or trend is clearly identified;
literature reviewed does not connect the
identified theory/trend with the identified
best practice

Theory or trend is clearly identified;
literature reviewed connects the
identified theory/trend with all
identified best practices

Proper level of synthesis is
achieved in the literature review

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Summaries were given; are not clear or
fail to make clear connections with best
practice(s) and/or theory/trend(s)
identified as viable responses to
problem/weakness

Summaries are clear and concise;
clear connections with best practice
and/or theory/trend identified as
viable response to problem/weakness
may or may not be present

Synthesis rather than summaries of
content presented in the collection
of sources is present, clear connections
with best practice and/or theory/trend
identified as viable response to
problem/weakness present

Description of plan is clear and
easy to follow

(InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Action plan is not described; description
is not clear; steps in plan are not in a
logical order

Action plan description is provided,
but additional detail may be warranted;
steps in plan are outlined, but
additional steps may be needed, or the
order could be altered for better efficiency

Action plan description is provided, and
sufficient detail is included; steps in
plan are outlined; exhaustive list of
steps and sequence of steps allows
for optimal efficiency and outcome.

Project timeline accounts for all
elements in the plan and
allocates appropriate amounts
of time for each element

(InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Project timeline is missing or incomplete;
time allocation is inadequate or too
extensive for one or more elements
included in the plan

Project timeline is provided; all
elements identified in the plan are
included, but additional elements might
be needed for an improved outcome; timing
and/or time allocation could be improved

Project timeline is provided; all
necessary elements are included for
optimal outcome

Variables are identified and
defined

(CAEP A1.1)

Variables are misidentified Variables are identified correctly, but
with no clear definitions or explanations as
to how they will be measured

Variables are identified correctly, with
clear definitions and explanations as
to how they will be measured

Signature Project Stage 1 First Submission Rubric

Required data needs are
identified and plans for
retrieving and protecting that
data are clear (i.e., methods)

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

Data needs are not identified or do not
align with the problem; data retrieval
plans are missing or inappropriate

Data needs are identified; data
retrieval plans are included, but plans
for protecting the data and/or student
confidentiality are not provided or are
inadequate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval
plans are included; adequate plans for
protecting student confidentiality
and/or data are provided

Description of the sample and
sampling techniques are
provided

(CAEP A1.1)

Detailed descriptions of the participants
are not given and/or sampling technique
is not provided

Brief overview of the sample is given,
and sampling technique may or may
not be included

Full descriptions of the participant
sample, sampling technique and
justifications for both the sample
chosen and the sampling technique
are given

Needed resources are identified,
justified, and a leverage plan for
acquiring resources is clear and
supported

(InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Resources are not identified or are
inadequate; no justification for the
resources is provided; unclear how
identified resources might be acquired;
plan for acquiring resources is inadequate
or ill conceived

Resources are identified, but additional
resources may be needed; justification
for the resources is provided, but
leverage plan for acquiring resources is not
clear

Exhaustive list of resources is
identified; justification for the resources
is provided; leverage plan for
acquiring resources is outlined

Justification for how the action
plan will address the identified
problem is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between the action plan
and the identified problem is provided

Connection between the action plan
and the identified problem is
provided

Connection between the action plan and
the identified problem is provided;
justification of that connection is
included

Connection between action plan
and impact on student
achievement is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between action plan
outcome and student achievement is
provided

Connection between action plan
outcome and student achievement is
provided; justification of that
connection may or may not be
included

Connection between action plan outcome
and student achievement is provided;
justification of that connection is included;
limitations or outside interferences
to improved student achievement
are identified

Do appendices include
necessary documentation?

Most items required in the appendices are
not presented in the appendices; the plan
and necessary steps to protect human
subjects in research are not clear

Most required items are presented in the
appendices; items and plan for ethical
practices in protection of human subjects
are weak

All required items are presented in the
appendices; items clearly demonstrate
ethical practices in protection of
human subjects

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 1

The Effects of a Mixed-Ability Classroom on STAR Mathematics Scores

Felisha N. Cleland

University of West Alabama

ED5049621FA1: Tech of Educational Research

Mrs. Annah Rogers, B.A., M.S.

October 4, 2021

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 2

Abstract

Many schools, including Sand Rock High School, track students by ability even before

high school when natural tracking occurs. When this happens, lower-ability students lose the

confidence they need to make progress, and all abilities lose the opportunity to collaborate with

diverse peers. An alternative to this homogenous-ability tracking is to create mixed-ability

classrooms. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of mixed-ability classes on

students of all ability levels. This proposal intends to investigate whether a transition from

homogenous-ability classrooms to mixed-ability classrooms will improve proficiency on the

STAR test in mathematics for 7th-grade students at Sand Rock High School. This project predicts

that this transition from homogenous-ability classrooms to mixed-ability classrooms will

improve student confidence and allow unique learning opportunities such as students being able

to collaborate with diverse peers, which in turn, will increase proficiency levels on

STAR

mathematics scores for these students in 7th grade at Sand Rock High School. Data will be

collected at the beginning of the experiment and then every 9 weeks for an entire school year

with the teachers changing mid-year.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 3

The Effects of a Multi-Ability Classroom on Mathematics Scores

Chapter 1: Research Problem

Introduction

At many schools in the United States, students are tracked or grouped by ability even

before high school. Tracking is the process of grouping students together by ability. According to

data from a 2017-18 National Teacher and Principal Survey, nearly half of middle schools across

the country group students based on ability (Standing et al., 2021). Some schools allow the

teachers do this within a classroom for differentiation purposes, while other schools group entire

classrooms by ability. Entire classes being grouped by ability means that students are labeled by

their perceived ability level as either above average, average, or below average and divided up

into different classes based on these assignments.

At Sand Rock High School, the above-average classes are generally the smallest in

number, whereas the other classes that contain the students that need the most one-on-one from a

teacher have the larger class sizes. This is only one negative from grouping this way. Far too

often, special education students, except for gifted students, get placed in the average or below

average groups. Also, English Language Learner (ELL) students, other minority students, and

low socioeconomic status students, and are too often disproportionately placed in the average or

below average groups (Childhood Education, 2014). This type of grouping is hazardous for all

levels of ability in that each group of students, once tracked, tend to stay with that same group

until graduation, with very limited movement between groups (Harklau, 1994). This deprives all

students of the ability to collaborate with diverse peers. It also puts the lower ability students in a

classroom where the curriculum typically gets watered down due to decreased expectations by

the teacher for that class (Losen, 1999).

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 4

It has also been shown that grouping by ability early on negatively impacts students

psychologically. In a case study of 100 low-ability students in three schools, the students were

asked about their perceptions of their ability to learn. Those students overwhelmingly responded

with emotional words like “shame”, “upset”, and “inferiority” (McGillicuddy & Devine, 2020).

Additionally, many high achieving countries use minimal ability grouping as compared to the

United States.

Statement of the Research Problem

Despite the expansive research that shows the harmful effect on students in lower tracks

and shows no significant advantages for higher-tracked students, homogenous-ability classrooms

continue to be a widely used practice in American schools (Childhood Education, 2014). One

reason for the continued use is the fact that many teachers find that not grouping by ability is

difficult to do (Ambreen & Conteh, 2021). It has also been shown that politically vocal parents

of the would-be higher-tracked students, who are disproportionately likely to be white and well-

educated, stand in opposition to moving away from the status quo of homogeneous ability

grouped classrooms (Childhood Education, 2014). Sand Rock High School is no different in

terms of parents wanting to keep the status quo and keep their students in the higher ability

grouped, nor in the fact that many teachers are fearful of the required work needed to maintain a

successful classroom that is not grouped by ability.

Regardless of the above-mentioned roadblocks to change, data from STAR scores at

Sand Rock High School show that change needs to be made. Proficiency scores on the STAR

test show that the methods used currently at Sand Rock High School are ineffective. Also, as a

teacher at Sand Rock High School, I have seen the negative effects on students who are tracked

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 5

before high school. Lower-ability students lose the confidence they need to make progress, and

all abilities lose the opportunity to collaborate with diverse peers.

Teachers across the country have been making changes to their ability grouping practices

to be able to meet the needs of all learners without grouping them by ability (Spear, 1994). The

purpose of this study is to determine the effect of mixed-ability classes on all students and to

determine if there is a link between mixed-ability classrooms and increased student achievement.

It is hypothesized that students placed in mixed-ability classrooms will outperform students who

are separated by ability.

Data Graphic and Discussion

The following table of data shows proficiency and non-proficiency, as a percentage, in

mathematics at each grade level, 1st grade through 8th grade at Sand Rock High School for the

2020-2021 school year. This data comes directly from STAR reports. The data shows that there

is a noted drop in proficiency percentages in grades who initiate the participation of the

technique of grouping students by ability, i.e., 4th and 7th grades. It is also interesting to note that

beginning in 4th grade, more students are non-proficient than are proficient. Prior to this, the

pattern is reversed. This shows that after tracking begins, proficiency rates drop.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 6

STAR Data (End-Of-Year) FY21

GRADE Students Proficient on

STAR

Student NOT Proficient on

STAR

1st 78 22

2nd 69 31

3rd 63 37

4th 43 57

5th 48 52

6th 55 45

7th 32 68

8th 35 65

Impact on Student Achievement

According to research and personal experience, there are many reasons as to why a

mixed-ability classroom would be preferable to a homogeneous-ability classroom for all students

involved. The main topic of opposition to the previous statement pertains to the high-ability

students in mixed-ability classrooms. Many educators claim that their desire to not have mixed-

ability classrooms is that these high-ability students will not make as much progress as they

would in a classroom of just other high-ability students. Research shows, however, that even

though high-ability students initially perform slightly better in homogenous-ability classrooms,

the effects are temporary and are diminished in subsequent years (Abadzi, 1985).

Many researchers discourage homogeneous-ability grouping since it heavily limits

opportunities for students of all abilities to be able to “enjoy the cognitive and social benefits of

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 7

group work despite sitting in groups for most of the time during their lessons” (Ambreen &

Conteh, 2021). When students are not diversely grouped, they lose the opportunity to have

conversations with peers who likely come from differing backgrounds and may have different

opinions. In a Learner’s Perspective Study in which students from 14 countries were asked to

identify the main event in a lesson from which they learned the most. The most common

response from 13 out of the 14 countries was “something another student said” (Clarke, 2021).

This is an important statement coming from students themselves. This means that without this

interaction between abilities, lower ability students miss having the quality of explanations that

come from their peers. Also, as said in many mathematics classrooms, “If you don’t know it well

enough to explain it, then you don’t really understand it”. This is a skill that the high-ability

students miss as it is unnecessary to try to teach another person how to do a skill or how to

understand a concept if everyone around them is learning as fast as they are.

Research Methodology

The experimental research plan involves creating three classes of 7th-grade students at

Sand Rock High School. One class will be selected by random sampling to create the mixed-

ability class. The sample chosen was because the 7th-grade year was shown to have a large

decrease in proficiency levels on the STAR test from the previous year. It was also chosen as the

sample since my position as the math department chair for Sand Rock High School will enable

me to monitor the validity of the experiment without directly affecting it as I do not teach 7th-

grade. The sampling technique is stratified random to ensure the correct proportions of different

ability ranges be included in the mixed-ability class. The mixed-ability class is pulled first from

each ability grouping randomly. Then remaining students will be divided equally down the

middle of performance level on the previous year’s STAR test to ensure two homogeneously

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 8

grouped classes by ability. Each student in 7th-grade will be taught by the same teacher for the

first semester and then transition to a different teacher the second semester. This will help to

ensure that any differences in proficiency from class to class will not be related to a difference in

teacher. The two homogenous classes will be taught as normal while the mixed-ability class will

have the ability to incorporate collaboration activities that are otherwise impossible in a

homogenous-ability classroom. Students in all three classes will be randomly assigned numbers

to protect their identities. Informed consent will be obtained from parents and guardians since the

experiment involves minors.

Summary (of Chapter 1)

The data reflects a problem with proficiency levels on the STAR mathematics test at

Sand Rock High School. This study will focus on the current 7th-grade class at this school. By

creating a mixed-ability instead of a homogenous-ability class, it is expected that students in the

mixed-ability classroom will outperform students in the homogenous-ability classroom. This will

be achieved by incorporating mixed-ability grouping best practices, which will, in turn, increase

the confidence level of lower-ability students. It will also provide valuable collaboration

activities among for ability levels.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

The majority consensus in educational literature suggests that ability grouping is harmful

to students. This is especially true for groups such as ELL students and minorities, that get

disproportionally placed into the low-ability classes. Unfortunately, socioeconomic status is also

a predictor of track assignment in public schools (Epple et al., 2002). In addition, the literature

suggests that regardless of how students are grouped by ability, achievement gaps are evident

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 9

between the tracks (Chmielewski, 2014). This indicates that no matter how homogeneous ability

grouping was attempted, results were the same. Even for high-ability students, it has been shown

to only contribute temporarily to the success of those students. Educational literature about

ability grouping agrees on the wide range of benefits of mixed-ability grouping to include both

psychological, social, and academic advantages.

Best Practices for Increasing Proficiency

The use of best practices in a mixed-ability classroom is vital to maximize the learning

opportunities for all students. It is important for the teacher to transition from teacher-centered to

student-centered instruction (Spear, 1994). Within the student-centered classroom, there are tools

that the teacher can use to provide the proper support to struggling students while challenging the

students who are moving through the task at hand at a quicker pace.

In an article by Doug Clark (2021), he offers several ways to accomplish this. The first is

to have a quick class discussion throughout the task at hand to help provide encouragement and

clarification for students who might be struggling. He also suggests the use of enabling prompts

which are only intended to get students initially on track and are only used for students who

might need them. Additionally, Clark encourages the use of extending prompts for students who

have finished the initial task quickly and need a challenging continuation of the task.

In addition to the above-mentioned tools for differentiation, it will be helpful for teachers

to incorporate peer tutoring and peer explanation into the lessons. Many students learn better

from other students, so this is a very good benefit of having mixed-ability classes. Because of

this, it will also be helpful to provide as much opportunity as possible for students to work

together on a task so that they can talk through their problem-solving ideas with one another. The

diversity of students in a mixed-ability classroom allows for a more enriching group project

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 10

experience. In the end, the most important tools a teacher can incorporate to making a mixed-

ability classroom successful are patience, flexibility, and maintaining high expectations for all

students.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

With the population at Sand Rock High School trending towards more non-

proficient students on the STAR mathematics test than proficient, it will be important to examine

the link between how students are ability-grouped and these proficiency scores. The plan for this

study is to compare the STAR mathematics scores of 7th graders homogeneously grouped by ability

with those heterogeneously grouped by ability. Sand Rock has three groups of 7th graders who are

typically divided up into three groups of ability: above average, average, and below average. This

study will instead create a class of mixed-ability grouped 7th graders, with two other classes who

remain grouped by ability. All students will then be assessed at regular intervals to determine the

link, if any, between grouping practices and proficiency levels on the STAR mathematics test. It

is proposed that the students who are not grouped by ability will outperform the students who are

grouped by ability on the STAR mathematics test. It is also proposed that there will be positive

changes in the students’ social and emotional health. The impact of the results from this study

could affect grouping practices at Sand Rock High School, which will, in turn, benefits student

proficiency levels for all grades at the school.

Population

Sand Rock School is a Pre-Kindergarten through 12th-grade school, however, only 7th

graders at Sand Rock will be participating in this study. This group was chosen as it is the first

grade considered high school at Sand Rock, therefore, they are already in a year of transition

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 11

from middle to high school. This transition year will be taken advantage of since doing the study

in other grades would risk interfering with the education of the students as they are already in a

set routine in the other buildings. This grade was also chosen because the two mathematics

teachers of students at Sand Rock High School are willing participants in the study.

Sample

All seventy-five 7th-grade students will be subdivided into groups of fifteen, separated by

their scores on the previous year’s STAR test. Five students will be randomly selected from each

of the five groups to form the mixed-ability class. The remaining students will be separated into

two equally homogeneous grouped ability classes.

Sample Technique

The sampling technique is stratified random. It is stratified to ensure the correct

proportions of different ability ranges be included in the sample, mixed-ability class. The mixed

ability class is pulled first from each ability grouping randomly. The remaining students will be

divided equally down the middle of performance on the previous year’s STAR test to ensure two

homogeneously grouped classes by ability.

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants

Each student in 7th-grade will be taught by the same teacher for the first semester and

then transition to a different teacher the second semester. The two homogeneous classes will be

taught as normal while in the mixed-ability classes, the teacher will have the ability to

incorporate collaboration activities and best practices that are otherwise impossible in a

homogeneous-ability classroom.

There is expected to be an immediate and positive impact on students who are in the

mixed-ability grouped class. Those students are expected to gain confidence in their math

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 12

abilities and be able to collaborate more effectively with diverse populations, which in turn will

show an increase in proficiency scores on the STAR mathematics test. Positive results from this

study will have the ability to impact practices at Sand Rock to be able to help all other grade

levels of students.

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

Students in all three classes will be randomly assigned numbers to protect their identities.

The project director will be the only person who will have access to the list of students and these

assigned numbers. In addition, although no harm is expected to come from participation in this

study, informed consent will be obtained from parents and guardians as this study does involve

minors.

Variables

The dependent variable in this study is the proficiency percentages of the STAR math

scores of the 7th-grade students at Sand Rock High School participating in this study as this is

what is expected to be affected by the independent variable. The independent variable in this

study is the instruction techniques of mixed-ability grouping that are unavailable in

homogeneously grouped classrooms. More specifically, this would include collaboration

techniques that maximize the learning of all students.

Timeline

Students will be selected for each class prior to the beginning of the school year based on

the previous year’s STAR mathematics scores. They will then be reassessed in the first two

weeks of school to ensure there are no outliers in the grouping of students. Students will not be

moved at that point; any outliers will just be noted in the data. Additionally, all students will be

given the STAR assessment two additional times per semester, at the first nine-week mark and

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 13

then at the end of the semester. The students will be assessed on the same day, except for absent

students. Those students will be assessed on the first day of their return, when possible. Potential

links between class ability grouping and STAR proficiency scores will be determined at the end

of the school year.

Constitutive and Operation Definitions

The STAR mathematics test is an online assessment program that assesses 49 sets of

math skills in 1st through 7th grade and 44 sets of skills in 9th through 12 grades to determine a

student’s overall math achievement. The three classes of students will be assigned the letters A,

B, and C. Class A will consist of the mixed-ability students. Class B will consist of the

homogeneously grouped high-ability students, and Class C will consist of the homogeneously

grouped lower ability students. The teachers will be assigned the numbers 1 and 2. Teacher 1

will be the first-semester teacher, and Teacher 2 will be the second-semester teacher.

Description of Data

The data will come from the STAR mathematics test given to all 7th-grade students. The

test will be given once at the beginning of the school year and then once at the end of each nine

weeks for a total of five assessments. Confirmation or rejection of the hypothesis that the class of

mixed-ability students will outperform either class of homogeneous ability grouped students will

occur only at the end of the year when all data has been obtained. The arrival of the confirmation

or rejection of the hypothesis will be obtained from analyzing the progress of students

individually and by class as a whole.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 14

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

The STAR test is widely used in all fifty states in the United States to gauge the

proficiency levels of students in grades 1-12. It is also one of the main instruments in Response

to Intervention (RTI) placement at Sand Rock School. The STAR assessment will be given to

students on the same day, except for student absences, to limit different extraneous factors from

student to student. Even though the teacher will change at the semester mark, all 7th-grade

students will have the same teacher at the same time to ensure that any differences in proficiency

from class to class are not related to a difference in teacher.

Limitations

Currently, there is a high rate of absenteeism especially due to COVID quarantines. This

could affect individual student achievement. In addition, any potential lack of ability of the

teacher to be able to incorporate sound techniques of mixed-ability classes could also affect

student achievement of the classes. The current teachers of 7th graders at

Sand Rock High School

are willing participants, but if there were any changes to this scenario, it would be important to

ensure that any teacher participating in this study does not have potential biases about mixed

ability grouping that could affect the outcome of the study.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 15

References

Abadzi, H. (1985). Ability grouping effects on academic achievement and self-esteem: Who

performs in the long run as expected? The Journal of Educational Research, 79(1), 36–

40.

Ambreen, S., & Conteh, J. (2021). Children’s interactions in ability-based groups in a primary

classroom. The European Educational Researcher, 4(1), 85–107.

Bui, S., Imberman, S., & Craig, S. (2012). Poor results for high achievers. Education Next, 12(1),

70–76.

Childhood Education. (2014). Reiterates harm from “ability grouping” in school. Childhood

Education, 90(2), 169.

Chmielewski, A. K. (2014). An international comparison of achievement inequality in within-

and between-school tracking systems. American Journal of Education, 120(3), 293–324.

Clarke, D. (2021). Calling a spade a spade: The impact of within class ability grouping on

opportunity to learn mathematics in the primary school. Australian Primary Mathematics

Classroom, 26(1), 3–8.

Epple, D., Newlon, E., & Romano, R. (2002). Ability tracking, school competition, and the

distribution of educational benefits. Journal of Public Economics, 83(1), 1–48.

Harklau, L. (1994). Tracking and linguistic minority students: Consequences of ability grouping

for second language learners. Linguistics and Education, 6(3), 217–244.

Holmes, C. T., & Ahr, T. J. (1994). Effects of ability grouping on academic achievement and

self-concept of African American and White students. The Clearing House: A Journal of

Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 67(5), 294–297.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 16

Losen, D. (1999). Silent segregation in our nation’s schools. Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties

Law Review, 34(2), 517–546.

McGillicuddy, D., & Devine, D. (2020). ‘You feel ashamed that you are not in the higher

group’— Children’s psychosocial response to ability grouping in primary school. British

Educational Research Journal, 46(3), 553–573.

Spear, R. C. (1994). Teacher perceptions of ability grouping practices in middle level schools.

Research in Middle Level Education, 18(1), 117–130.

Standing, K., Lewis, L., & National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). Pre-COVID ability

grouping in U.S. public school classrooms. Data Point. National Center for Education

Statistics. Published.

Sullivan, J. F. (1998). Meeting the individual needs of all learners in the inclusion classroom.

The Justice Professional, 11(1–2), 175–187.

Webel, C., & Dwiggins, A. (2019). Prospective elementary teachers’ experiences with and

perspectives on grouping by ability in mathematics. Mathematics Teacher Education and

Development, 21(2), 4–23.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 17

Appendix A

Consent Form

Consent Form

Felisha Cleland

The University of West Alabama

Research Proposal Title: The Effects of a Mixed-Ability Classroom on STAR Mathematics Scores

1. What is the purpose of the study? The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of mixed-ability classes on all

students.

2. How was I chosen? You were chosen because you are a 7th grader at Sand Rock High School. The 7th grade class was chosen

to participate due to their being a noted drop in proficiency levels in this grade in the past.

3. What will be involved in participating? You will be placed in either a like or mixed ability class of students. Selection for

these groups is random, and you will not be informed as to which group you are in. You will also be given 5 STAR math

assessments throughout the year. These assessments are not due, but this is the data that will be used in this study.

4. Who will know what I say? You will be assigned a random number at the beginning of research. Only Felisha Cleland, the

research director, will be aware of your specific number. That way, anything you say will be associated with your number instead

of your name. Also, any of your STAR scores will only be associated with your number, not your name.

5. What risks and benefits are associated with participation? There will be very little risk to you as you as every effort will

be made to ensure that your education is not hindered by this study. However, it may be found that by your participation in this

study, changes will be made at Sand Rock School to ensure that learning is maximized for all students at Sand Rock.

6. What are my rights as a respondent? You may ask any questions regarding the research, and they will be answered

fully. Your participation in the study is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time.

7. What will be published? Following the completion of this research proposal, I plan to maintain my records for use in future

publications and scholarly presentations. I plan to publish my findings as articles in professional journals, with the ultimate goal

of publishing a book or a chapter in a book.

8. If I want more information, whom can I contact about the study? This study has been approved by the University of West

Alabama’s Internal Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. This board can be contacted through the office of Mrs.

Patricia Pratt. In addition, my research advisor, Mrs. Annah Rogers, can be contacted at arogers@uwa.edu.

__________________________ ___________________________________

Felisha Cleland, Project Director Respondent’s signature, Date

This consent form has all the required information from Federal law.

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 18

Appendix B

Authorization for a Minor to Serve as a Subject in Research

Authorization for a Minor to Serve as a Subject in Research

I authorize the service of _____________________ as a subject in the research investigation entitled: The Effects of

(name of minor)

a Mixed-Ability Classroom on STAR Mathematics Scores.

The nature and general purpose of the research procedure and the known risks have

been explained to me. I understand that _____________________ will be given a preservice

(name of minor)

explanation of the research and that he/she may decline to serve. Further, I understand that he/she may terminate

his/her service in this research at any time he/she so desires.

I understand the known risks are the possibility of reading scores not increasing or being given behavior

modification when it is not needed.

I understand also that it is not possible to identify all potential risks in an experimental procedure, and I

believe that reasonable safeguards have been taken to minimize both the known and the potential but unknown risks.

I agree further to indemnify and hold harmless the University of West Alabama and its agents and

employees from any and all liability, actions, or causes of actions that may accrue to the subject minor as a result of

his/her activities for which this consent is granted.

Witness_____________________________ Signed_____________________________

(parent or guardian)

Date_______________________________

To be retained by researcher

THE EFFECTS OF A MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOM 19

Appendix C

Permission to Conduct Research

Permission to Conduct Research

Felisha Cleland, Teacher

40 Quail Drive

Centre, AL 35960

October 4, 2021

Mr. Ben East, Principal

Sand Rock High School

1950 Sand Rock Ave

Sand Rock, AL 35983

Dear Mr. East,

I would like to conduct a study using the 7th Grade classes of Sand Rock High School. The study

proposes to research the effects of a mixed-ability classroom on STAR mathematics scores. The results

of this study will improve the educational practices of teachers and the school. It will also impact the

mathematical proficiency of the students at Sand Rock School. The study will take place from August 1,

2022 to May 31, 2023. It will be conducted by me, Mrs. Felisha Cleland, a current mathematics teacher.

I feel that this research study is a very worthwhile endeavor for our students and school. Please

review the enclosed information in order to make a decision concerning our school’s ability to conduct

this research. A consent form has been included.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Felisha Cleland

Mathematics Teacher

Sand Rock High School