Date of Award

Fall 11-22-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Lolita A. Tabron

Second Advisor

Erin Anderson

Third Advisor

Debra Mixon Mitchell

Fourth Advisor

Kristina A. Hesbol

Fifth Advisor

Duan Zhang

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

College writing readiness, Historically responsive literacy

Abstract

College and career readiness is a topic that has become central to high schools around the United States (Kolluri & Tierney, 2020). College readiness standards from Common Core have been adopted by 41 states as of 2024 (education commission of the states, 2024); yet, across the United States, students are graduating high school unprepared for college writing expectations (Crank et al., 2019; Duncheon & Munoz, 2019; Duncheon & Tierney, 2014; Fanetti et al., 2010; Juzwik et al., 2006; Kolluri & Tierney, 2019; Kurlaender et al., 2019; Scott-Hicks, 2021; Wahleithner, 2020). College writing readiness is an understudied area of college readiness. The years of writing being assumed under reading in federal mandates and the remediation rates for college writing show that students need support to reach college writing readiness. The purpose of this single-site case study was to understand how two high schools in one Mid-Atlantic school district cultivate college and career-ready writers using a theme-reader program, and to what extent the theme-reader program can facilitate development of historically responsive literacy skills, identity, skills, intellect, and criticality. Data were collected from four teachers, two administrators, year-long syllabi, and quarterly course outlines. Findings indicate that individual mastery of specific writing skills are the foundation for creating college and career ready writers; and equity and inclusion must be prevalent in the curriculum. Further, this study offers research, practice, and policy recommendations to support high school students achieving college and career writing readiness.

Copyright Date

11-2024

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Johanna Cloud Reefe

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

138 pgs

File Size

855 KB

Download

Available for download on Thursday, January 21, 2027



Share

COinS