The authors examined the relationships of ACT Aspire test scores and high school course grades, AP test scores, and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test scores, demonstrating criterion-related as well as convergent and discriminant validity evidence. They found that ACT Aspire test scores are strong…

Prevalent models of secondary education in the United States have tended to privilege the acquisition of knowledge of scientific disciplines that is often peripheral to the experiences of students. My Advanced Placement Government classes were no different, and this caused me to wonder whether my classes were meeting the often-stated goal of the…

Educators seek to guide students through appropriate programs and courses that prepare them for future success, in more advanced coursework and in other challenges of life. Some middle schools offer Challenge, or honors, courses for students who have demonstrated high ability. High schools often offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are…

This document presents writing samples that have been annotated to illustrate the criteria required to meet the Common Core State Standards for particular types of writing--argument, informative/explanatory text, and narrative--in a given grade. Each of the samples exhibits at least the level of quality required to meet the Writing standards for…

One of the key requirements of the Common Core State Standards for Reading is that all students must be able to comprehend texts of steadily increasing complexity as they progress through school. By the time they complete the core, students must be able to read and comprehend independently and proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found…

This guide to effective writing strategies is based on three ideas that provide motivation for writing skills development in an advanced placement history class: students learn to write by writing; problem essays are more effective in developing writing skills than topic essays; and writing is a learning tool. Stressing that writing practice is…

Describes a three-week summer institute for high school social studies teachers, held at Rutgers University in 1987, which was intended to prepare teachers for the advanced placement course and examination in political science. Covers institute planning, participant recruitment, institute course content, final evaluation, and follow-up on the…

The high academic quality of advanced placement courses is widely recognized; however, students still have the capacity to improve performance, as shown by an analysis of 1970 test answers. (JB)

The purpose of this study was to attempt to identify those factors that influence a high school student's success on the Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations by examining and comparing the variables contained in the high school records of former AP participants. A total of 248 high school students participated in the research. The criterion for…

Six cases are studied to give some idea of the range of performance assessments in use in the United States. Contrast and comparison are made possible through the study of the following: (1) the South Brunswick (New Jersey) Public Schools Observational Portfolio for kindergarten through grade 12; (2) the Arizona Student Assessment Program (not yet…