Date of Award
8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education Systems Improvement Science
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Edwin Bonney
Committee Member
Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford
Committee Member
Dr. Phillip Grant
Committee Member
Dr. Allen Fain
Abstract
This Dissertation in Practice explores the implementation of a co-teaching model in Algebra 1 classrooms at Green High School, part of the Excellent School District. The study was conducted due to the persistent underperformance among students with disabilities (SWD) on the Algebra 1 End of Course test, which led to the school’s designation as an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) site by the South Carolina Department of Education. Developed using the principles of improvement science, the study utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle as a framework to guide and evaluate change.
The change idea centered on embedding co-teaching in two Algebra 1 classrooms during the spring semester of 2025, pairing general education and special education teachers with scheduled common planning and targeted professional development. Teachers received tiered support throughout the implementation phase, and consistent process measures such as classroom observations, collaborative planning, and feedback to assess fidelity to the intervention.
The intervention showed positive early signs of impact. Teacher confidence increased as a result of professional development designed to introduce the co-teacher model, common planning fostered stronger relationships and shared ownership of instruction, and student engagement improved in classrooms where teaching responsibilities were equally shared. Despite these gains, barriers such as limited planning time, content expertise disparities, and challenges balancing instructional voices were noted.
Findings reflect a successful first PDSA cycle and provide hope that further implementation and improvements could result better gains for SWD, even across content areas. The collaboratively developed theory of improvement largely held true in practice, particularly the role of professional learning and co-planning as key drivers of change. The results align with existing research emphasizing the complexity of high school co-teaching (Friend et al., 2010) and highlight the importance of relational dynamics in instructional partnerships.
Although the scope was limited to two classrooms over one semester, the study provides actionable insights for implementing the model across additional schools and even the entire district in the future. Recommendations include extending co-teaching support to additional content areas, building coaching capacity, and reinforcing teacher preparation through hands-on instructional modeling. This work contributes to broader conversations about inclusive instruction, teacher collaboration, and the practical application of improvement science to address equity gaps in secondary education.
Recommended Citation
Oxendine, Josh T., "Exploring the Impact of Co-teaching on High School Math Achievement for Students with Disabilities" (2025). All Dissertations. 4032.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4032