Evaluating turnaround strategies to increase student academic performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey School District
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The issue of low student academic performance has plagued school districts throughout the nation, particularly those with high percentages of low-income students. Many of these districts have suffered with this problem for a number of decades. Despite a national graduation rate at an all-time high of 86%, districts with poor performance are still struggling to improve even with significant federal and state legislation and the Asbury Park School District in New Jersey is one of them. Some districts have managed to improve their academic performance and act as a model for those that have not. Unfortunately, the strategies employed by successful school districts cannot simply be replicated by failing ones, even when the makeup of these school districts are for the most part, homogenous. The research question this thesis addresses is: What successful turnaround strategies for low-income districts are applicable to Asbury Park School District with regards to increasing student academic performance? ☐ The research question is addressed by an extensive literature review and qualitative analysis on the following items: the impact of federal and state legislation on New Jersey public schools, the composition and performance of Asbury Park School District, a variety of case studies, and a discussion of quantitative and qualitative studies regarding districts with low academic performance. The thesis concludes with three recommendations on specific turnaround strategies, which if employed, have the potential to significantly improve academic performance in Asbury Park School District.
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Keywords
Education, Academic, Performance, School, Turnaround