Urban school achievement levels have always lagged behind suburban and rural school performance scores. Some public schools have even earned the nickname Dropout Factory. The urban student faces a number of complicated familial, social and economic factors which all work to the student's disadvantage. Yet, in isolated instances, an urban school will forge an outstanding achievement, breaking with past performance levels and reaching new levels of academic achievement. Uncovering why some schools thrive and how the achievement can be duplicated is a suitable thesis idea.
The level of parental involvement in a student's scholastic career is a powerful indicator on the likelihood of the student's overall academic success. When parents are more involved, their children are more likely to succeed and thrive in their school careers. In some areas of the country, parental involvement runs high while in other areas, especially in urban centers, parental involvement is chronically absent. Research into why this phenomenon exists and how to change the trend is a valuable thesis idea.
Reading and comprehension levels in American schools had been on the decline for nearly half a decade. At the same time, reading, comprehension and achievement levels of students in India, China, Japan and the Pacific rim had been rising. A valuable research project could investigate this dichotomy and propose school policies that could reverse this trend.
The same trends in reading and comprehension levels exist across math and science fields. The decreasing academic scores correlate to a significant change in academic theory in the 1970s. Investigating cultural and social changes in school policy and the priorities placed on social aspects of the students academic career over and above academic rigors may be included in the factors that facilitated this decline. The thesis student who investigated these trends and devised a documented solution would contribute greatly to the educational world.
When choosing a question or problem to investigate, a thesis candidate should select a question that stirs his passion. Because a thesis requires significant research, the student who picks an area of passion will complete a more thorough study. Students should also select questions that are focused rather than generalized. Students must also devise a study they can complete within the allowed time frame.