Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Second Advisor
Richard Casey
Committee Members
Annette Hux
Abstract
This study examined vertical curriculum alignment in rural education settings and its impact on student achievement. Rural school districts in Missouri often lack cohesive curricula, leading to students’ lower performance on standardized tests compared to suburban areas. This situation hinders students' postsecondary readiness and sustains achievement gaps, especially affecting underserved rural populations. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine whether a relationship exists between vertically aligned math curricula and student achievement in rural public schools. The study was guided by vertical curriculum alignment theory, which stresses a systematic content progression across grades, and critical theory, which highlights funding inequities that worsen disparities. Participants included 129 Missouri public school districts, with surveys sent to 6th and 7th-grade math teachers through Qualtrics to evaluate math curriculum alignment using seven criteria from established models. Districts were classified as either aligned or not, and as rural or suburban, based on enrollment and demographics. Publicly available 2024 Missouri Assessment Program math scores for proficient and advanced levels served as measures of achievement. Two research questions addressed performance differences: one comparing the students scores in aligned versus non-aligned districts, and the other comparing students’ scores in rural versus suburban districts. Data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance. Results indicated a statistically significant difference between curriculum aligned districts and non-aligned districts in students’ mathematics achievement. Suburban districts also outperformed rural ones, with aligned and suburban groups showing more consistent score distributions. School districts should prioritize curriculum alignment to enhance equity and student outcomes in rural areas. Future research should employ longitudinal designs (tracking changes over time) and mixed methods to better understand cause-and-effect relationships across different subjects and regions.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Palmer, Jordan, "Vertically Aligned Curriculum in the Rural Education Setting and Its Effect on Student Achievement" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1134.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1134
