Semester of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education
Department
Secondary and Middle Grades Education - Bagwell College of Education
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Megan Adams
Second Advisor
Dr. Michael Dias
Third Advisor
Dr. Preethi Titu
Abstract
Declining content mastery scores in middle grades physical science across the River Valley School District, as reflected in College and Career Ready Performance Index data, have raised concerns about instructional practices and the use of formative assessment. Although formative assessment is widely recognized as a high-impact practice, limited research has examined how middle school physical science teachers’ conceptual knowledge aligns with their instructional planning and classroom practices. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore teachers’ knowledge of formative assessment and the relationship between their stated beliefs and instructional practices. Participants included five eighth-grade physical science teachers in a primary case at one middle school and 10 teachers in a secondary district case. Grounded in social constructivist theory and informed by a formative assessment framework, data were collected through surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and instructional artifacts and analyzed using open, axial, and focused coding. Findings indicated that teachers demonstrated a foundational understanding of formative assessment and generally aligned their beliefs with instructional practices, though variability existed in conceptual precision and documentation of instructional decision-making. Time constraints and curricular pacing pressures influenced implementation. These findings suggest that strengthening assessment literacy and structural supports may enhance formative assessment practices in middle school science classrooms.