| Educational professionals have noted a relationship between high school students' failure of a core curriculum class and failure to graduate from high school. Using the theoretical framework of constructivism, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine reasons why students fail first-year language arts at a local urban high school with a high dropout rate. The study took place at a local school in a southeastern state. Four language arts teachers, 3 counselors, and 5 administrators were asked in-depth, semi-structured interview questions about their perceptions of why students fail first-year language arts. Interview data were coded for key words and analyzed for common themes. To ensure trustworthiness of the findings for the study, member-checking methods were used. Improving students' experiences in the middle to high school transitional year, giving middle school students a high school experience, and providing on-going communication with parents were thematic findings that emerged from interview data. Instituting initiatives for prospective and incoming students using these recommendations could reduce the failure rate for students in first-year language arts for the school of this study.;Understanding factors about why students fail first-year language arts will help school districts plan instruction for upcoming first-year students. Implications for social change include using the reasons why students fail first-year language arts to adjust programmatic and teaching efforts for all first year high school core subjects that might increase graduation rates; enhance student learning and achievement in high school and in the larger community; and help other schools meet local, state, and federal mandated guidelines regarding high school achievement and graduation. |
