This report presents the results of a study conducted during the 1995-1996 school year to evaluate the educational progress of 12th grade students taking advanced biology, chemistry, and physics courses. The study was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in association with the National Assessment of Educational…

This paper presents highlights from the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment, which was given to a national sample representative of all students at grades 4, 8, and 12 and to state samples representative of all students at grade 8 in the 40 participating states and jurisdictions. It begins with questions and…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the nation's only ongoing representative sample survey of student achievement in core subject areas. In 2000, NAEP conducted a national mathematics assessment of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students. State-level results were also collected at the fourth and eighth grades within…

In this lesson plan, students role play members of the Cabinet of the President of the United States. Cabinet members must define and defend their highest priority programs for the coming fiscal year. Students must identify a pressing current issue before their particular Cabinet department and prepare an action plan, with possible alternative…

A 20-item double-Q sort was used to measure differences in perceptions of grades 8, 10, and 12 students (N=215) according to letter grades and sex. Differences in perception according to success were found for both ideal and actual student behavior, while sex differences were not noted. (Author/JN)

Discusses using Utopian and dystopian literature in grade 11 and grade 12 English courses to help replace fright over the world's future with concern and commitment to needed action. (MM)

Suggests that twelfth grade models can encourage certain desirable changes in eighth grade students. (RL)

A discussion of the issues addressed in a conference on the new eleventh and twelfth grade curriculum for Victoria (Australia) focuses on political aspects of curricular and educational change and policy formation. Implications for research on the social context within which educational policy is made are examined. (MSE)

Describes a year-long evaluation procedure in which students accomplish greater involvement in assessing their own learning, beginning with a first-day questionnaire on learning and writing assumptions, continuing with writing workshop experiences, and culminating in a coursework evaluation project and publication. (KEH)

Using a questionnaire of 60 cognitive items, the general knowledge of Canadian students in grades 7, 10, and 12 about the Canadian political process was assessed. Results from the test's administration to 14,051 French and English students indicate that the subjects possess an adequate level of knowledge about Canada. (TJH)

Reports a research project which studied the institutionalization of a secondary school syllabus in New South Wales. Key variables in the process of accepting an innovation as a part of the school curriculum were identified and discussed. Suggests means by which institutionalization of innovations might be facilitated. (KO)

College Now is a collaborative high school-college program in New York to promote college for moderately achieving high school seniors whose grade averages are in the 65-85 range, who are not chronically absent, are not discipline problems, have limited occupational and educational vision, and need to strengthen basic skills. (MSE)

Discusses results of 2 examinations taken by 12th-grade students (n=13,522 for calculus; n=18,031 for statistics) in New Zealand. Males outscored females, significantly in statistics, and private school students outscored state school students. Some differences moderated when mathematics coursework was factored in. (Contains 32 references.)…

Presents data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS: 88) to demonstrate the widespread participation of high school seniors in voluntary community service. Suggests that teachers should build on this interest in community service, and offers hints to help make community and service learning more effective learning…

Data from the Second International Mathematics Study were examined using the course, rather than the country, as the unit of analysis. Findings from Grade 8 and Grade 12 did not support the conclusion that centralized control of curriculum is associated with more consistent and more equitable delivery of curricula. (SLD)