In 1998, George Soros and Herb Sturz seized an opportunity to significantly improve children's lives by founding The After-School Corporation (TASC). They believed that increasing the quality and availability of after-school programs, with the ultimate goal of changing public policy, could transform the potential for many New York City kids who…

This Special Report is a summary of the author's original paper, "It's About Time: Extending Learning to Narrow the Achievement Gap." The family income of students is a consistent predictor of academic achievement across the United States, where an achievement gap between the most and least affluent students has long persisted and shows…

As numerous studies from 1906 on have confirmed, children lose ground in learning if they lack opportunities for building skills over the summer. Nonetheless, summer learning loss comes up but rarely in the national discussion of education reform. By the end of summer, students perform on average one month behind where they left off in the spring.…

TIMSS measures trends in mathematics and science achievement at the fourth and eighth grades in participating countries around the world, while also monitoring curricular implementation and identifying promising instructional practices. Conducted on a regular 4-year cycle, TIMSS has assessed mathematics and science in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, and…

This paper presents some of the major issues raised in Education International's preliminary analysis of the overall PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2009 study. Some of these issues are: (1) PISA has serious limitations. The study does not cover the full curriculum, focusing on a narrow set of subject areas, neglecting such…

In June 2010, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Offices (CCSSO) released the Common Core State Standards. The stated aim of the Common Core standards is to define the knowledge and skills students should achieve in order to graduate from high school ready to succeed in a…

This paper reports the effects of program characteristics and faculty activities on students' experiences and, ultimately, the development of students' analytical and group skills. Data come from nationally representative samples of 4,330 seniors, 1,243 faculty members, and 147 engineering program chairs on 39 campuses nationwide. Findings…

This review conducted by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) explores the use of technology to support academic achievement for at risk high school age youth during their out of school time. The task of this literature review was to sort through the many publications, research briefs, and observations in this arena, with a…

A description and evaluation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I-funded programs for the state of Oregon is reviewed in this report. The major categories of information presented in this report are: the relationship of Title I projects to educational priorities of the State Board of Education; attainment of student performance…

This paper describes a holistic milieu approach for underachieving, socially maladjusted students in a junior high school in Mattoon, Illinois. It also reports on the effects of the program on certain academic, affective, and behavioral measures taken on those students. The program, called the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), included five teachers, two…

Describes the Peninsula Academies program developed by the Sequoia (California) Union High School District and 27 local high technology companies to help educationally disadvantaged students break the pattern of low academic achievement, lack of skills, and chronic unemployment. (FL)

Addresses a research project on the achievement of children of Caribbean heritage in Britain. Describes the research on homes and on elucidating the processes of support for schooling by parents in the project. Examines what the parents did to promote their children's achievement. (CMK)

Outlines a parent involvement program that was developed and implemented by speech-language pathologists as part of a comprehensive program to improve academic achievement and literacy by focusing on communication skills. The organization and content of the parent program are explained, and information needed for replication is provided.…

Describes a district/university collaboration to develop and implement critical strategies and conditions for achieving educational excellence and equity for all students. Explores indications that the program is succeeding in the areas of test scores; collaboration among parents, faculty, and administration; and the benefits to the district and…

In 1975 the Virginia Migrant Education Program served migrant children from 21 states, representing different races, cultures, and mores. Two distinct programs were provided to meet the needs of both interstate and home-base migrants. Supportive services included home-school coordinators; counselors; physical, hearing, vision, and dental…