Date of Award

2026

Type

Dissertation

Major

Doctor of Education

Degree Type

Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership (Curriculum)

Department

Teacher Education

First Advisor

Dr. Jan G. Burcham

Second Advisor

Dr. Parul Acharya

Third Advisor

Dr. Dana Griggs

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact and sustainability of the School Improvement Grant (SIG) Transformation Model and to determine its impact on a low-performing elementary school. The research study used a quantitative research design to investigate the effects of the SIG on student achievement and school annual reporting data across three time periods: pre-intervention (2014-2015), post-intervention (2016-2017), and six years after the grant ended (2022-2023). The research design was appropriate because it allowed the researcher to collect archival data and examine potential differences across time periods. The independent variable was the three time periods, and the dependent variables included students’ English language arts (ELA) and Mathematics Georgia Milestones results, attendance categories, and disciplinary incidents resulting in out-of-school suspension (OSS) across three time periods. Archival categorical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The statistical assumptions were examined to ensure the validity of the results by verifying expected cell counts and confirming the independence of observations. The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in student ELA performance during the grant period (2014-2017); however, the gains were not sustained six years after the grant ended. The mathematics outcomes showed no statistically significant difference and declined over time. The attendance outcomes showed no statistically significant difference during the intervention and worsened six years later. Discipline outcomes remained stable across all three time periods. These findings suggest that although the SIG supported rapid short-term improvements, sustaining improvements required continued support, leadership, stability, and capacity building. The study contributes to the limited research on the short and long-term effectiveness of the SIG. It has implications for educational leaders and policymakers who support underperforming schools or are seeking to implement and sustain reform efforts. These findings highlight the need for sustained support to maintain long-term improvement.

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