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…

In an effort to assess the effectiveness of its developmental studies program, Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio undertook a study of first-time college students who began their studies at the college in Fall 1991. The study sought to determine the relationship between level of remediation and retention, college-level English or math…

This report summarizes academic assessment data for Las Cruces (New Mexico) Public Schools bilingual students in 1996-97. It has eight sections: (1) results of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills for third, fifth, and eighth grade students; (2) results of the La Prueba tests for grades three, five, and eight; (3) results of the New Mexico High School…

Accountability mandates from accrediting agencies and state government require community colleges to report student graduation and transfer rates. State reporting systems maintained by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) provide one means of computing these measures. MHEC used fall enrollment and degree data to determine graduation and…

The primary purpose of this report is to provide guidelines to school systems and businesses on ways to increase the likelihood that science and math school-business partnerships will be successful in: (1) improving student competence in science and math; (2) increasing student interest in science and mathematics related subjects; (3) increasing…

To understand how assessment, particularly alternative assessment, and practice interactions may differ among schools with different implementation contexts and different school cultures, this project is studying over time a set of schools representing different state and local policy contexts and including different student populations. Research…

Transfer rates from California's community colleges to the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) are reviewed, along with information on the upper-division performance of transfer students, the results of a pilot test of transfer centers at 20 community colleges, possible future trends in transfer, and problems…

This report describes an after-school tutorial program in which fifth- and sixth-grade tutors at Public School 61, situated in the heart of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City, tutor third and fourth graders. The Chance To Succeed Program was developed by assistant principal I. Kushner. It begins in November and ends in June, and runs…

This monograph describes 12 urban middle schools in 5 school systems as they work to apply the characteristics of successful communities to education. In some of these schools, racial segregation has been and continues to be a major feature. The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (New York) has awarded grants of $400,000 each to school systems in:…

An instructional project designed a module on job interview skills for the Introduction to Occupations course, recommended for high school students by the New York State Board of Regents. The target population consisted of 16 students in grades 9-12, in the Carle Place Junior/Senior High School on Long Island. The majority of the subjects were…

In spring 1992, a program was initiated at San Jose City College (SJCC) in California to assist underprepared student entering reading, writing, and math courses below the level of transfer English and math courses. The program entitled Gateway U (GU), included the following components: weekly surveys of students during the first 4 weeks of class…

Variables that influence growth and change in educational outcomes in the last 2 years of high school were studied using data from the High School and Beyond (HSB) study. The HSB study provided a database of thousands of variables for about 30 students from each of 1,000 randomly selected high schools in the United States in their sophomore and…

Educational testing is at a decisive moment, as the issue of standardized testing has become one of the most hotly debated education issues of the decade. The accuracy and relevance of standardized tests have been questioned by many researchers, evidenced in the 20-year report of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. There is general…

This report presents information on the progress that 45 of the largest urban school districts, which comprise the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), have made toward 6 basic educational goals in the form of several indicators. Indicators of progress on the six goals for the year 2000 are as follows: (1) increased achievement (districtwide…

The results of the achievement and enrollment study are reported for six elementary foreign language magnet programs that were implemented as part of the desegregation plan in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to the foundation curriculum, two goals are emphasized: teaching foreign language and exposing students to foreign cultures. Three strands…