The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

The New York Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) studies of public schools continue with this report on course work for gifted students and public middle school students in general. Fourteen ACORN volunteers made 52 visits to 28 schools studied in 1996. Findings from these visits and the review of school system documents…

New studies dispel the fear that high academic standards set up some students to fail or drop out. This research finds that raising academic standards has a positive impact for all students in the following ways: (1) students take more demanding courses, learn more, and score higher on tests; (2) nationwide, dropout rates are falling and high…

As a reflection of the importance attached to successfully educating children whose native language is not English, the U.S. Department of Education's longitudinal study of Chapter 1 assistance, "Prospects," includes a component devoted to the analysis of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Chapter 1, renamed Title 1 in 1994, is…

The Chabot College (California) Student Outcomes Report, fall 1996, is a compilation of data and trends in four major areas of the college's student outcomes: (1) course success and withdrawal; (2) persistence; (3) degree and certificate completion; and (4) transfer. These data provide information on all students, according to their status such as…

Parents as School Partners is a volunteer research initiative of the National Council of Jewish Women and its research institute, called the Center for the Child. This initiative focuses on parent involvement to promote children's school success. This document contains a project overview and six accompanying reports providing a detailed…

This monograph is part of the League for Innovation's learning initiative aimed at assisting community colleges in developing practices, programs, and policies that place learning at the heart of the educational enterprise. It highlights key innovations in the community colleges, distilling key elements from research on learning outcomes, the…

Increasing diversity among student populations and shifts in special education delivery systems have combined to create a tremendous need for interventions that can help children with learning and behavior problems achieve success in the regular classroom. Noting that many of the published, empirically validated interventions are relatively…

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is a national association representing two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico where Hispanic students constitute at least 25% of the total student enrollment. Following a brief introduction and letters from the HACU chair and president, this…

In fiscal year 1989, the Illinois community colleges conducted the first review of the general education component of their baccalaureate/transfer degree programs. This review, to be performed every 5 years, involved an extensive and diverse range of activities, and many colleges had difficulty completing the first review in a year's time. As a…

The 27 papers included in this proceedings report focus on various aspects of institutional effectiveness and student outcomes. The papers are: (1) "Assessment Update: Ends, Means and Results" (Banta); (2) "The Top Ten Issues Facing America's Community Colleges" (Lorenzo and Banach); (3) "Assessing Institutional Effectiveness in Continuing…

The equating of reasonably parallel forms of College Board Achievement Tests in biology, chemistry, mathematics level II, American history and social studies, and French is discussed. Results of the following five equating methods are compared: (1) Tucker; (2) Levine equally reliable; (3) Levine unequally reliable; (4) frequency estimation…

Traditional standardized tests of basic skills are no longer considered meaningful by many leading authorities in educational measurement. Alternative approaches are not yet fully developed, although many efforts are being made. This paper explores the issues surrounding student assessment in the context of existing and evolving state practices,…

Shortcomings in the current student assessment program in Georgia are identified, proposed revisions are described, and additional changes are recommended. Georgia educators have complained that curricula place too much emphasis on basic skills, to the detriment of subjects like science and social studies. Reform legislation in Georgia has…

These three issues of "Research in Developmental Education," examine the demographic characteristics and academic achievement of developmental students. Included are the following: (1) "Demographics and Developmental Education," by Hunter R. Boylan, which examines trends in the developmental student population and their college enrollments;…