Standards-based grading, in which grading should be designed to communicate to students their current level of mastery with regards to well-articulated standards, is becoming popular at the K-12 level. As yet, the literature addressing standards-based grading at the university level is scarce. In this paper, I document my attempts to put into…

This paper describes the personal and professional journey taken by one secondary Spanish teacher to implement the Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) for English Learners (ELs) in a rural Florida school district. The teacher's goal was to promote bilingual pride among her ELs and to validate and build their bilingual abilities, which had been frequently…

International assessment data paints a complex picture of the engagement and achievement of New Zealand students in science. New Zealand was second only to Finland in the top achievers group in PISA 2006, but it also has one of the widest spreads in student achievement, particularly in relation to Mori and Pasifika students. Thus, the challenges…

Inspired by Miep Gies's selfless hiding of Anne Frank, a class of urban middle schoolers came up with definitions and characteristics of "ordinary," nonglitzy heroes. One student suggested that the school create its own ordinary hero hall of fame; students then researched possible nominees and held an induction ceremony for those…

Describes a program for recognizing students who make a positive contribution to the school atmosphere. (FL)

Describes the efforts of the Sara Lee Corporation in adopting an urban Chicago high school in order to encourage good grades. Professional football player Willie Gault's role as academic team "captain" is discussed. Program elements such as business education class speakers, peer tutors, scholarships, faculty support programs, and…

A special demonstration project was undertaken to provide technical support to a Pennsylvania program that identifies and honors outstanding adult basic education and literacy (ABLE) students throughout the state. Included among the project's outcomes were the following: (1) publication of a Success Stories booklet titled "Spreading the…