This research addressed the problem of achievement gaps among elementary schools in Massachusetts. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study was to determine what effect, if any, funding had on elementary school accountability classification, student academic achievement, and per pupil expenditure rates. Equity theory indicated…

Although current education reform models have been in place for over a decade, the number of U.S. public schools identified as underperforming continues to rise. While the federal government has imposed increasingly stringent achievement requirements, practical instruction on improving schools remains inadequate. Learning from principals…

The purpose of this retrospective case study was to examine the implementation of turnaround practices in an underperforming urban elementary school. The research was guided by the overarching question: What are the lessons that can be learned from one turnaround school in Massachusetts, United States that could be shared with other urban…

Urban high schools are in trouble--high dropout rates, low student academic achievement, and graduates who are unprepared for college are just some of the disappointing indicators. However, recent research points to a select number of approaches to improving student outcomes and reforming underperforming schools--from particular ways of creating…

At least 5,000 public schools have failed to meet their academic achievement targets for at least five consecutive years. The underlying causes of such failure are usually a combination of weak leadership, inadequate skill levels among teachers, and insufficient high-quality teaching materials. In 2009, the National Governors Association Center…

The Massachusetts Department of Education's Accountability and Targeted Assistance (ATA) Center maintains and manages the state's School and District Accountability System. Results from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) are used to identify public schools and districts that are likely to require state intervention in order…

Describes three cases where parent counseling helped bring about an increase in personality development and individual achievement proportional to the degree the counseling advice was followed. (AN)

THE PROBLEM WAS TO DETERMINE IF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE SCHOLASTIC ATTAINMENT OF BRIGHT UNDERACHIEVING ADOLESCENTS COULD BE INDUCED BY A SHORT-TERM SMALL GROUP COUNSELING PROCEDURE. MAJOR OBJECTIVES WERE TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH A GROUP OF CAPABLE BUT UNDERACHIEVING ADOLESCENTS CAN IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC STANDING BY EXPOSURE TO A…

Parent counseling of senior high school underachievers is just as effective as counseling at lower educational levels provided the parents' attitudes remain positive. (AN)

A LEARNING DISABILITY PROGRAM WAS INTEGRATED WITH A TOTAL DISTRICT EFFORT TO MEET THE NEED FOR TUTORIAL SERVICES AMONG CHILDREN WITH EXCEPTIONAL DYSFUNCTIONS. THROUGH DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND CONTINUOUS INTERCHANGE OF INFORMATION AMONG THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL, THE RIGHT TEACHERS FOR SPECIFIC PUPIL DIFFICULTIES WERE CHOSEN. CUMULATIVE RECORDS AND…

RESPONSES OF PARENTS TO AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETED AT THE TIME OF THEIR SONS' ADMISSION TO LEICESTER JUNIOR COLLEGE WERE EVALUATED IN TERMS OF FIVE HYPOTHESES CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP OF PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS TO COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENT. PARENTS OF THE GROUP OF ACHIEVERS DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PARENTS OF UNDERACHIEVERS IN…

Parent counseling is an effective method of helping junior high school underachievers attain their full potential, so long as the parents' attitudes towards their children remain positive. (AN)

GUIDANCE PERSONNEL HAVE A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR HELPING STUDENTS IN CULTURALLY DEPRIVED AREAS WHO LAG BEHIND IN SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT. THE PATTERN OF ACADEMIC FAILURE, OFTEN RESULTING IN DROPOUT, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND IN SOME CASES JUVENILE DELINQUENCY SHOULD BE CHANGED. THIS EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM IS BASED ON A LONG HISTORY OF GUIDANCE IN BOSTON PUBLIC…

In this article, I address the present-day political and pedagogical implications of the imposition of one year of English only immersion on limited English proficient (LEP) students. The article also presents a case study of an inner-city community in Massachusetts during the early years -- 1968-1974 -- of transition from English only to…

Whether public and private school choice initiatives usher in widespread enrollment changes or whether they cater to a small niche of students critically depends on the decisions that parents make on behalf of their children. Thus far, participation rates in most programs have proved disappointing. This article focuses on parents' knowledge of and…