Methodology

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Abstract

The over-representation of minority groups in special education is an outgrowth of the use of a discrepancy formula that compared the academic achievement scores of a student with that student's assessed Intelligence Quotient. The unbalanced number of African Americans served in special education programs can also be attributed to the use of less standardized methods of identifying eligibility for such programs. This aim of this study is to explore the role played by a school leader in implementing Response to Intervention to improve the academic performance of African American males in urban school districts. African Americans represent only 16% of elementary and secondary students in the U.S. yet they constitute 21% of total enrollments in special education. Underprivileged Black children are 2.3 times more likely to be singled out by their teacher as suffering from intellectual delays than white children. Minority students, specifically Native Americans, Hispanic and African Americans have higher representation rates in special education programs compared to their counterparts: the European Americans. The study will be a mixed-methods research design employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample data for conducting this research include 75 teachers as well as 4 principals from the middle schools within the District of Columbia Public Schools. The researcher will use the Bailey-Tarver SST/RTI Survey as a research instrument for collecting the desired data for this study.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

The broad objective of the study is to explore the role played by a school leader in implementing Response to Intervention to improve the academic performance of African American males in urban school districts. School leaders are entrusted with intervening when these students' academic performance suffers due to a variety of factors by enrolling them in special educational programs. This research study will focus on establishing the impact levels of schools principals as effective leaders of public schools on influencing the teacher's effectiveness and performance of African American male students. The study will be a mixed-methods research design employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. The most significant reason for adopting mixed research method is that it will help in using both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, which will provide a clearer and complete picture regarding the research problem rather than using a single approach.

Research Approach

A mixed-method research approach will be appropriate for this study. Mixed method research study can be defined as a research method where the researcher employs both qualitative as well as quantitative research approaches in order to collect, analyze, and interpret the findings of the study (Lavrakas, 2008). This combination of two kinds of research approaches is also known as multi-method research approach. In this type of research study the researcher mixes, combines or links the data in a particular manner. According to Saunders et al (2009), “Quantitative data is the numerical data or data that have been quantified. This type of data is analyzed by using statistical methods, which used for prove theory is true or not true, accepted or rejected”. Saunders et al (2009) also stated that “Qualitative data is the ...