In spring 2000, the Southern Regional Education Board, through its Middle Grades Assessment, gathered information from 5,000 eighth-graders and 1,800 middle-grades teachers in 60 schools in 14 states. This brief report describes what that information revealed: a significant difference between the achievement scores of the highest performing 25…

This collection of articles focuses on connections between education policy and teaching and learning practice. The articles place special emphasis on teaching in urban settings and on improving teacher-student interactions in the classroom. The articles--organized around three major themes: (1) race, culture, power, and language; (2) teacher…

This book explores the issues involved in developing standards in higher education, examining the practical issues involved in benchmarking and offering a critical analysis of the problems associated with this developmental tool. The book focuses primarily on experience in the United Kingdom (UK), but looks also at international activity in this…

The New York City Department of Education, like other urban public school systems, is facing the task of reforming many large high schools that have had graduation rates under fifty percent for many years. With new federal sanctions for failing schools under the No Child Left Behind Act, many schools nation-wide that have been prominent…

Suggests that much of the research on middle level education is weak, sparse, and inconclusive. Presents critiques of research and an overview of the research findings of several highly-rated middle level programs. Identifies four factors contributing to the problem, specifically: an insufficient number of studies, utilization of weak research…

Describes a method for assessing schools' performance in relation to socioeconomic indicators of their location. Such indicators include, the percentage of owner-occupied houses, car ownership, unemployment, and overcrowding. Discusses the process of indexing these indicators and their relation to school performance. (MJP)

This case study explored culturally relevant practices in an urban American Indian secondary alternative school and three students' responses to them. The most vital factor contributing to student success was culturally responsive teachers. Other factors were small school size, flexible school formats, and governance structures. Implications for…

A Seattle (Washington) high school has been closing the achievement gap between White and minority group students by promoting a personalized learning environment. This has been accomplished by limiting enrollment, instituting a house plan for freshmen and sophomores, integrating the curriculum, mentoring, providing time for teacher collaboration,…

The National Center for Effective Schools worked to translate knowledge gained from research on effective schools, educational change, and organization development into a professional development program that builds the capacity of teachers, administrators, parents, and community members who are committed to making schools more effective. The…

An empirical test of a method of teacher evaluation by predicting student performance and comparing it with actual outcomes is described. Results from 6,249 urban fifth graders in 103 schools suggest that teachers can be evaluated in this way and that the best and worst teachers can be identified. (SLD)

Discusses analysis of student transcripts at Niagara County Community College, which showed a positive correlation between success in basic skills courses and success in regular college courses. (YKH)

Calls for accountability in America's schools have created increased responsibilities for educational leaders. In this article, we describe and discuss a study of elementary, middle, and high school principals' perceptions of the state-wide educational accountability program in North Carolina. The respondents indicated that the state's…

Inherent in the current school reform movement is an assumption that good schools are effective schools (Cuban, 1998). Effectiveness is usually defined narrowly in terms of academic achievement. Other purposes of schools related to social justice, developing student social skills, student health, or the personal development of students has not…

A main goal of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is to close gaps in test scores between different groups of students while raising achievement for all groups. Of particular concern are the persistent achievement gaps between African American, Latino, and Native American students and their white and Asian counterparts, and between students from…

This year the Center on Education Policy (CEP) analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps…