To evaluate composition programs based on peer feedback, a study compared the improvement in written composition skills of two sets of eighth grade students in 11 classes at eight Dutch schools. The control group was enrolled in teacher feedback programs, the experimental group was enrolled in peer feedback programs. Students wrote a discursive…

An overview is presented of a third-party evaluation of the North Carolina Career Development Plan, at the end of the third year of a four-year pilot program. Under scrutiny were the Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument (TPAI) and the Principal Performance Appraisal Instrument (PPAI), as well as the appeals process for those delayed for…

The Indicators of Quality Schools is a series of checklists of schoolwide practices or conditions found in schools known to have an effective instructional program. The instrument is designed to help schools identify areas of strength and areas where improvement is needed. The instrument consists of three parts: (1) the environment for learning,…

This paper reviews the literature on the effects of what children do with their time out of school and the impact of various care arrangements. Much of the research has focused on "latchkey children": children who care for themselves. In this paper, a summary of the research findings on the latchkey group is followed by a review of what is known…

A writing assessment study was conducted in the Fort Worth Independent School District (Texas) in the spring of 1986 as part of a larger program evaluation study of the Writing to Read (WTR) Program. WTR is a computer-based instructional system designed to develop the writing and reading skills of kindergarten and first-grade students. Two types…

A small rural elementary school in Bigelow, Arkansas has developed the Levelized Educational Advancement Program (LEAP) to offset diminished financial resources, limited classroom space, and reduction in professional staff. The program provides individualized basic education for 116 students in grades 4, 5, and 6, and provides daily enrichment…

Conditions affecting the financial status of colleges and universities during 1980-1984 were investigated, with a focus on self-help in the form of management practices and strategies. Questionnaires were completed by approximately 370 institutions belonging to the Higher Education Panel. The data were weighted to represent the national population…

Combining and consolidating statistical reports published separately prior to 1983-84, this document presents statistical information on the status of public education in Dade County, Florida, in terms of organization, educational programs and services, achievement, and other outcomes of schooling. Multi-year statistics on student population,…

In fall 1986, the San Diego Community College District initiated a pilot project to develop and offer an honors curriculum. After the first semester, during which 11 courses were offered to 110 students, an evaluation was conducted, consisting of the development of a profile of participants, a survey of students who withdrew from the program, and…

This report summarizes the activities and findings of a focus group study of teachers' perceptions of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools instructional program in reading language arts and the instructional system in mathematics. Two groups were organized to provide information to the school program planners to help them in revising…

The annual performance report of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) for the 1986-87 school year contains the information required by the State Board of Education reconfigured into district-level and campus-level (individual school) information. Data include: the Superintendent's Report for 1986-87, dropout rates, class size above…

This report examines how well Minnesota high school students are doing academically compared with their counterparts in other states. It also looks at curriculum requirements and the time students spend in high school. The report documents: (1) the number, type, and level of courses available to high school students; (2) schedules of instruction;…

School effectiveness programs were evaluated at six urban schools (five elementary and one junior high schools) in Louisiana for the 1986-87 school year. Focus was on providing principals with information to improve their school effectiveness programs for the 1987-88 school year. Subjects were 3,006 students, for whom scores on the California…

Eight language curricula that are widely used in the Netherlands for children up to grade 8 were evaluated. Questions examined were: (1) whether the use of a particular curriculum results in greater achievement in specific language areas; (2) what differences and similarities exist among these curricula; (3) do differences exist in the ways in…

The early intervention strategies of the Wichita (Kansas) Public Schools Education Consolidation and Improvement Act Chapter 1 Prekindergarten Program made a difference in the later academic achievement of participants. The Prekindergarten program serves educationally and developmentally disadvantaged 3- and 4-year olds residing in low-income…