Nine states and three of the nation's biggest cities have adopted mandates intended to end "social promotion"? promoting students to the next grade level regardless of their academic proficiency. These policies require students in certain grades to reach a minimum benchmark on a standardized test in order to move on to the next grade. Florida,…

Many view central-city schools as bloated, inefficient institutions that pass students through the system regardless of performance. A least-squares analysis of 602 Ohio schools upholds this view. Although inner-city schools depress standardized test scores, more students graduate than expected. Social promotion may be responsible. (27 references)…

This report contains results from a survey of U.S. fourth and eighth grade teachers that examined their teaching philosophies, classroom teaching methods and practices, academic expectations for students, and opinions on other education policy issues. Overall, a majority of teachers described their teaching philosophies as leaning more toward…