Student Achievement, Personal Achievement Goal Orientations, and Perceptions of Classroom Goal Structures In A Standards-Based Reporting System

The purpose of this study was to analyze student achievement growth and motivational goal orientations in a standards-based reporting environment in a rural SC school district. More specifically, this study sought to determine if student achievement growth is related to the number of years students received standards-based reports in middle school. It also sought to determine if the intent of the district to promote mastery of standards rather than a focus on performance was realized by determining if students had a greater focus toward mastery or performance and if they perceived their classroom as having a greater focus toward mastery or performance. Finally, this study sought to determine if there was a relationship between student achievement growth and their personal goal orientations, perceptions of classroom goal orientations, and understanding and use of standards-based reporting. For this study, four cohorts of students were studied. These cohorts represented the four groups of eighth graders for the following school years: 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010. MAP data were collected on these students, and survey data from the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS) were collected for the last cohort. Results of the study indicated significant differences in the student achievement growth for students based on the number of years they received standards-based reports in middle school. However, the number of years of receipt explained only a small percentage of the variance in student achievement growth. Results also indicated that students had a significantly greater personal goal orientation for mastery rather than for performance in both English and math. In addition, students perceived a significantly greater classroom goal orientation for mastery rather than for performance for both their English and math classrooms. Finally, results indicated there was no relationship between student achievement growth and students\u27 personal goal orientations, perceptions of classroom goal orientations, and understanding and use of standards-based reports