This document summarizes the results obtained by the AprenDes project in 2004, the project's first year of implementation. It provides the principal findings on program performance from a baseline in May 2004 to the end of the school year (late October 2004). Progress on a number of project objectives related to decentralized school- and…

The 5-14 Development Programme is a major reform encompassing curriculum, assessment, national testing, and reporting for pupils 5- to 14-years-old in Scotland. Implementation of the program was first monitored between March 1991 and March 1995; this study continued the program evaluation in primary schools from March 1995 to March 1997. Data were…

Discussion and research concerning class size can be traced back at least to the 12th century. An overview of recent research on the subject is provided in this report. The paper, which serves as an introduction to a symposium on class size, examines research that has appeared in the past 20 years, but it concentrates on the results of a…

The Boeing Company contracted with the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory to evaluate its student internship program, part of a "school-to-work" effort modeled after the nationally recognized Tech Prep initiative. The company's involvement in the Tech Prep Program has been implemented in three phases: (1) the initial phase helped…

This report presents an evaluation of the HealthWorks! Kids' Museum, an urban education center designed to help children in grades preK-8 understand and make good choices about healthy living and lifestyle choices. It includes an exhibit floor and interactive classroom areas with a program highlighting how body systems work; a game challenging the…

In Reading Recovery, program-trained teachers provide one-to-one tutoring in 30-minute daily sessions to the lowest 10 to 20% of a first-grade class who have the prerequisite skills for Reading Recovery. Reading Recovery advocates claim that the program brings the lowest performing children up to the average level of their local class by the end…

The environments of most young children present many opportunities for learning. However, preschoolers who have severe motor disorders are frequently unable to explore the world around them. Project Participate addressed the problems presented by the limitations placed on the activities of preschoolers who have severe motor disorders. During the…

The Preschool Teacher Survey was designed to gather information on the experience of preschool teachers in the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) and their perceptions of program effectiveness regarding student cognitive development, school readiness, parent involvement, and stability of classroom enrollment. The 12-item survey was distributed,…

With the passage of the Reading Excellence Act, states and their schools have increasingly emphasized the implementation of research-based literacy interventions, and both parties are eager to know the effectiveness of their efforts. However, the evaluation of the impact of any reform is complicated by the presence of other types of interventions…

A review was conducted to identify improvements in the public postsecondary vocational education system in Florida that could save the state money. The study found that 37 percent of adult vocational education programs were poor performers in fiscal year 1992-93, costing the state approximately $13.1 million while either producing few completers…

This report describes the economics of programs working to reduce crime in Washington State. For a variety of approaches, from prevention programs designed for young children to correctional interventions for juvenile and adult offenders, it systematically analyzes North American research studies from the past 25 years. For this review, the…

The Accelerated Schools Approach is a whole-school reform being implemented in more than 1,000 U.S. elementary and middle schools. The program is characterized by a school structure that sets high expectations for students and teachers, a governance structure with broad teacher participation, and a "powerful learning" approach to…

School-based drug prevention programs target not only the use of illicit drugs such as marijuana but also licit substances such as alcohol and tobacco. These programs thus have the potential of benefiting society not only by reducing the violence and criminal justice costs associated with abuse of alcohol and cigarettes. This opportunity for…

The mentoring of youth by adults has been identified as one of the more promising program approaches to promoting positive youth outcomes. This synthesis examines the role that mentoring plays in helping youth develop a broad array of strengths and capacities related to: (1) education and cognitive attainment; (2) health and safety; (3) social and…

In 2001, the Institute for Education and Social Policy was awarded a grant to evaluate the Cornerstone K-3 national literacy initiative. The evaluation for September 2001 through November 2002 focused on all four Phase I districts (Cleveland, Ohio; Jackson, Mississippi; Talladega, Alabama; Trenton, New Jersey) and two Phase II districts…