Since 1995, the Buck Institute has partnered with university economists and expert teachers to create the Problem Based Economics curriculum. The curriculum was developed to respond to NCEE (National Council on Economic Education) standards, and it is supported by professional development for teachers. This study examines whether the Problem Based…

More than ever, students need to engage with mathematics concepts, think quantitatively and analytically, and communicate using mathematics. All these skills are central to a young person's preparedness to tackle problems that arise at work and in life beyond the classroom. But the reality is that many students are not familiar with basic…

The recent special report, "Indiana's Vision of Response to Intervention" issued by the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) was the first of a three-part series aimed to build a fundamental understanding of a Response-to-Intervention (RTI) framework in Indiana's schools to aid in the prevention and intervention of both…

This is the second and final report summarizing findings from an impact evaluation of a violence prevention intervention for middle schools. This report provides findings from the second and third years of the 3-year intervention. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) contracted with RTI International and its subcontractors, Pacific Institute for…

This study examines whether the Problem Based Economics curriculum developed by the Buck Institute for Education improves grade 12 students' content knowledge as measured by the Test of Economic Literacy, a test refined by the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) over decades. Students' problem-solving skills in economics were also…

Using the schools to achieve racial balance, eliminate poverty, fight drug abuse, prevent pregnancy, and reduce youth suicide is too large a task. Teachers and principals should address educational issues, not unmet social needs. To improve the educational performance of the schools, the quality of life for youth must first be improved. (MSE)

The curriculum conference is a specific, practical strategy for deliberative curriculum problem solving at the district or national level. This article explains the deliberation method and its two important characteristics, argumentation and interaction. An analysis of all three decision-making processes in one such conference showed that…

Design and results of an investigation attempting to analyze and improve children's solution processes in elementary addition and subtraction problems are described. As background for the study, a conceptual model was developed based on previous research. One dimension of the model relates to the characteristics of the tasks (numerical versus word…

The East San Gabriel Valley (California) School to Career Partnership encompassing the eastern sections of Los Angeles County and serving an ethnically diverse population, uses design-based learning (DBL) to teach academic and career skills to at-risk students in small groups. Key features of DBL classroom activities include the following: (1)…

This report presents results from four 1999 Urban Systemic Initiative (USI) school district surveys. The Survey of Enacted Curriculum is the study component of a grant from the National Science Foundation to examine how reform works in USI districts. The study explores the impact of USI programs on student achievement and the learning…

The Workplace Training Project began as a partnership between Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, and four area businesses. Their primary objective was to develop worksite-specific, learner-centered, competency-based workplace curricula in topics such as the following: basic math, fractions and measurement in the workplace, survival math for…