Steps involved in the item analysis and scaling of the 1990 edition of Forms A and B of the Nevada High School Proficiency Examinations (NHSPEs) are described. Pilot tests of Forms A and B of the 47-item reading and 45-item mathematics tests were each administered to random samples of more than 600 eleventh-grade students. A computer program was…

As part of a project on assessing deep understanding of subject matter, a study was conducted to assess students' knowledge of history by focusing on essay writing. Reading a provided text was incorporated into the assessment procedure. Ratings from five high school history teachers were compared with those of four English teachers for 85 essays…

This report examines the demographic and language characteristics and educational aspirations of Asian American and Hispanic American eighth graders and relates that information to their mathematical ability and reading comprehension as measured by an achievement test. Special attention is paid to students who come from homes in which a…

The Mt. Hood Tech Prep Demonstration Project provides technical education to students in grades 9-14 plus opportunities to continue into apprenticeship or four-year college programs. The consortium includes seven Oregon local school districts, Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC), and active business and industry partners. An estimated 1,500 students…

This report summarizes a study conducted during 1993-94 evaluating rural secondary education in Alaska. The six components of the study included: (1) a survey of boarding school graduates concerning how well their educational experience prepared them for college, trade school, and employment; (2) a telephone survey of 800 rural households…

This paper presents the results of eight analyses based upon data from the National Study of Student Learning (NSSL), a 3-year longitudinal research project begun in 1992 to examine the influence of academic and nonacademic experiences on student learning, student attitudes about learning, student cognitive development, and student persistence.…

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) was designed to eliminate and prevent minority group isolation in targeted magnet schools in the Wake County (North Carolina) Public School System; this evaluation report examines factors that relate to achieving the MSAP goals and objectives. Parent survey data were used to determine whether increased…

This publication is a distillation of the most salient, most often repeated observations and recommendations of Maryland teacher-test scorers on their experiences scoring student responses to the Maryland School Performance Assessment (MSPAP) test in 1994. Feedback is organized into perceptions about what would be pertinent to share with other…

Act 619 of the 1984 Louisiana legislative session initiated the State-Funded Program for High-Risk Four-Year-Olds, which is intended to improve the school readiness of preschool students. This document is the program evaluation report for 1990 and 1991. Part 1 of the report is a comprehensive program description which provides information on: (1)…

This book is a collection of research papers and respected philosophical statements on how secondary school students learn science best. Taken together, these papers serve as the basis for the Project on Scope, Sequence, and Coordination of Secondary School Science (SS&C). This book explains where the learning ideas of the SS&C Content…

This study of the educational attainments of students living in poverty was conducted in response to a resolution of the Virginia State Senate. Census counts of persons living below the poverty level, counts of students enrolled in free lunch programs, test scores, and two previous analyses of the achievement of Virginia students were used in the…

Success for All is a comprehensive schoolwide restructuring program that has improved reading achievement, increased attendance, reduced special education referrals and placements, and virtually eliminated within-grade retentions in high-poverty elementary schools serving African American children. It is noted that as Success for All has expanded…

Papers from the 1991 joint Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT)/ Foreign Language Association of North Carolina (FLANC) conference are presented. Because the state of North Carolina is in the forefront of state-mandated foreign language education in the elementary schools (FLES), 4 of the 10 articles in this volume address FLES…

Offering new perspectives on academic advising in community colleges, this book defines developmental academic advising, describes the organization and delivery of advising services, and discusses key components of effective programs. The following 10 chapters are included: (1) "Developmental Academic Advising," by Thaddeus M. Raushi,…

To develop a comprehensive picture of successful Arizona community college transfer students and to determine differences between two-year college transfer, four-year college transfer, and native university students, a study was conducted of the characteristics, goals, and outcomes of students graduating with a baccalaureate degree from four major…