Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Georgia Elementary Agricultural Education (EAE) was formally introduced through the 2018 Senate Bill 330 (SB33); a two-part bill passed with unanimous support in both the House & the Senate. The first part of the bill included the three-component model of school-based agricultural education for high schools and middle schools which includes classroom/laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experience, and leadership development through the National FFA Organization. The second part of SB330 introduced an elementary agricultural education (EAE) pilot program. The three-year pilot program started in the 2019-2020 school year with twenty-five schools; and concluded with thirty-one schools at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. This research includes the pilot program data collected as part of a program evaluation utilized to assist legislators to create the 2022 House Bill 1303. HB1303 removed the pilot program status; allowing elementary agricultural education to become a permanent option for Georgia’s elementary schools. The researcher hypothesized that Milestones mean scores from schools with an elementary agricultural education program would excel over elementary schools not offering elementary agricultural education. Results showed the mean scale score was higher in EAE schools over non-EAE schools in both Title I Schools and non-Title I schools. Statistical analysis of each comparison of mean scale scores showed some significant differences in EAE schools vs non-EAE in Title I schools. As elementary agricultural education grows in Georgia and other states, there is room for other studies into the effects of EAE on other academic assessments, effects of local supplements, specialized facilities and teacher support in elementary agricultural education.

Keywords: agricultural education, elementary agricultural education, three-component model, pilot program, experiential learning, hands-on learning, leadership development, Title I schools

Year manuscript completed

2024

Year degree awarded

2024

Author's Keywords

agricultural education, elementary agricultural education, three-component model, pilot program, experiential learning, hands-on learning, leadership development, Title I schools

Dissertation Committee Chair

Kristie B. Guffey

Committee Member

Alyx Shultz

Committee Member

Donald Gilman

Committee Member

Billy Hughes

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

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