Compared the retention of academic skills of elementary students in traditional and alternative calendar schools over the summer months using curriculum-based measurement. Students completed mathematics, spelling, written expression, and reading probes in the spring and fall. Results indicated that retention of academic skills in the different…

Investigated the relationship between teacher-rated student engagement and academic outcomes for at-risk Latino American students (both foreign-born and U.S.-born). Data from teachers' ratings of students, student grade point averages (GPAs), and records of 248 7th-10th graders attending alternative schools indicated that engagement was a…

The incorporation of play experiences into the school curriculum is discussed in relation to the political nature of curriculum decision making and the use of play as a curriculum strategy. (JN)

Evaluative intervention research studies in pretend play are investigations that examine the potential of imaginative play in young children to demonstrate a relationship between play and cognitive, social, and emotional growth. A review of the research indicates that children who engage in imaginative play yield higher test scores than those in…

Sex education should be designed and delivered in ways that are suited to the diverse needs, views, and beliefs of the community. Different philosophies and approaches for sex education are discussed, and options for conducting community-based programs are presented which would permit families to choose among alternative approaches. (PP)

Summarized are three studies which used the Barclay Classroom Climate Inventory to measure the psychological and social-affective impact of six different classroom settings and a specific mainstreaming procedure on 240 educable mentally retarded and learning disabled pupils. Implications for mainstreaming and placement decisions are drawn. (SJL)

The Career Intern Program is an alternative school for dropouts and potential dropouts, which enables these students to complete high school, improve their basic skills, and acquire occupational knowledge. This report briefly describes the program and its students, presents 1975 evaluation results, and lists critical features necessary for…

Investigated the cumulative effects of alternative certification (AC) on the public school teaching force and the comparative characteristics of teachers certified traditionally and alternatively. Data from the 1993-94 national Schools and Staffing Survey indicated that AC had mixed results in terms of fulfilling its promises, with some of the…

Using the Revised Behavioral Checklist, teachers rated at-risk adolescents from an urban alternative school. Researchers compared these students to normal and severely emotionally disturbed (SED) children in order to develop a definition of at-risk students. Results indicated that at-risk students differed significantly from normal children,…