This article examines a school district's Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program using perceived self-efficacy in academic achievement and self-regulated learning, GPA and attendance as indicators of program effectiveness. Results suggest that AVID participation was positively and significantly correlated with attendance in the…

In-school suspension programs can be viable, beneficial tools if they give equal attention to rehabilitation and to order and control. If considered as merely administrative conveniences and strictly disciplinary innovations, they will probably provide no educational benefits. (Author/IRT)

Educational travel does more for students than merely show them the sights. It has the larger purpose of sensitizing them to other cultures by helping them to understand background of what they see. Mental growth and attitudinal change will be the result of a well-conceived and well-constructed travel itinerary. (Editor)

Physical education contributes to the physical, mental, and emotional health of young people. Administrators must recognize these contributions and ensure an effective program by evaluating and retraining teachers to keep abreast of the recent knowledge explosion in physical education. (CJH)

Outlines a three-step process to justify the existence of the guidance program, including writing a job description, logging daily duties, and evaluating the program. (Author/WD)

Although the author offers no handy formula to determine program effectiveness, she does present an extensive list of statements that can help the school administrator plan program improvement with his music teachers. (Editor)

Author feels that the success of an educational innovation should not be judged on whether it fulfills its promise 100 percent, but on whether it moves education closer to its goal. (Editor)

Staff development is the key to middle school effectiveness, and this article lists characteristics of an effective staff development program, examples of activities and topics, and questions for program evaluation. (DCS)

Urges accurate assessment of program implementation and the determination of student performance in areas not measured by achievement tests. Offers indicators of hard-to-measure levels of achievement in teachers and students, as they have been developed in the Johnson City, New York, Public Schools' mastery learning approach. (JW)

The development and implementation of a Professional Development School (PDS)--sponsored summer program for at-risk secondary students is described. Literature related to PDSs and summer programs is followed by a presentation of data findings and analysis. Attendance and grade point average data gathered on the 17 participating rising ninth…

As population demographics in the United States continue to shift and issues of educational reform are being considered, the promotion of academic success for all children is an ongoing agenda for educators, citizens, and politicians. To provide high-quality education for students from low socioeconomic households and diverse cultural backgrounds,…

School personnel and university researchers can cooperate more effectively if research is linked to classroom outcomes. Collaborative research benefits schools, universities, and communities by aiding decisions about programs and resource allocations. (JW)

An Ohio high school staff's action-research project examined effects of a recently implemented block-scheduling arrangement on student achievement, behavior, and student-teacher relations. Results support other research: students earned higher grade point averages, more students attained the honor roll, disciplinary referrals were reduced,…

The authors review compensatory education programs, summarize studies of their effectiveness, and conclude that such programs can be effective--although they must be accompanied by increased opportunity in the society as a whole. (JM)

Little is known about the feasibility and rapidity with which the academic learning of students who enter high school multiple years behind grade level can be accelerated. This study uses multiple regression analyses of standardized test and survey data from high-poverty high schools in two large urban districts to evaluate initial effects of the…