In this article, the authors Sarah A. Anzia and Terry M. Moe, offer a retort to William S. Koski and Elieen L. Horng's argument that their study of seniority-based transfer rules is narrow and that its findings only apply under limited circumstances. The Koski-Horng's study, by contrast, takes a broad frame--so broad that, as detailed in…

Studies have shown that the amount of time students spend engaged in learning tasks is related to learning outcomes. However, schools often offer to the students only a fraction of the time that governments pay for, and schools in lower-income areas often offer less time than governments plan for students. Instructional time ought to be an…

Using one set of standardized tests to determine if a student graduates or is promoted makes students pay for society's failure to provide an equal, quality education; encourages teaching to the test instead of teaching critical thinking skills; and ignores research findings and test publishers' advice that multiple measures are necessary for…

Five causal metaphors running throughout youth employment and education programs are reviewed: (1) the functionalist economic model; (2) the institutional socialization model; (3) a psychosocial view of youth development; (4) the subcultural model; and (5) a self-determined community development vision. (Author/GK)

It is proposed that schools receiving funds under Chapter 1 (Hawkins Stafford Act 1988) be required to spend at least 20 percent of their allocations on staff development. High-quality staff development programs would enable schools to improve instruction all day for all students. Chapter 1 schools would become centers of educational renewal and…

The Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977 (YEDPA) authorized a range of research, evaluation, and demonstration activities to increase understanding of the employment problems of youth and to help determine the most effective policies and programs to address these problems. A major knowledge development objective under YEDPA was…

National equity policy in vocational education misrepresents the compound nature of disadvantage and ignores the concentration of disadvantaged persons in localities. Community-based strategies addressing local conditions can be developed using a model for equity analysis that examines local participation rates, the catchment area, and community…

This interview with Howard Spicker discusses his early leadership in the Head Start programs of the mid-1960s, his establishment of the Indiana University College for Gifted and Talented Youth, and his development of alternative procedures, instrumentation, and programs for gifted students from special populations. His work on Project SPRING is…

The purpose of this paper is to critique Stallings' 1975 evaluation of Project Follow Through (PFT) in order to examine methodological issues inherent in evaluation research. Following a summary of the objectives, methods, and conclusions of Stallings' study, the critique focuses on four elements of research evaluation: internal validity, external…

Discusses the problem of minority overrepresentation in special education and suggests that many academic difficulties may result from deficiencies in students' learning environments. Presents procedures for examining and ruling out such probabilities before beginning a comprehensive evaluation of the learner. Proposes a functional assessment…

Discusses the goal of assessment in developmental writing classes. Stresses the need for instructors to be aware of the impact of their comments on student progress. Asserts that, in developmental classes, students may lack a number of skills, but the instructor needs to emphasize what students can offer and encourage them to move beyond their…

In this interview, Mary M. Frasier, the founder and director of the Torrance Center for Creative Studies, discusses attitudes that create barriers to including disadvantaged or minority students in gifted programs. The need for administrators to be truly committed to finding gifted children from underrepresented groups is stressed. (CR)

Careful design of assessment procedures to be used with disadvantaged students is especially important because these students are likely to have one or more characteristics and/or attitudes that place them at particular risk of dropping out (for example, poor self-concept, fear of failure, low level of aspiration, dependence on peer group…

This report reviews the effectiveness of national evaluation activities undertaken by the United States Office of Education, Office of Evaluation and Dissemination (OED) with regard to Title I compensatory education programs. Three major evaluations undertaken by the OED and technical assistance activities developed by the OED are described and…

Evaluation of large-scale programs is problematical because of inherent bias in assignment of treatment and control groups, resulting in serious regression artifacts even with the use of analysis of covariance designs. Nonuniformity of program implementation across sites and classrooms is also a problem. (Author/GSK)