The interaction among ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), mathematics achievement level, and gender on student beliefs about themselves as learners of mathematics was studied through in-depth interviews with high school students. One hundred high school students were interviewed. Half were: (1) African American or White; (2) female or male; (3)…

This document consists of an overview and five papers examining the findings of a comparative analysis of literacy practices in urban and rural Australian communities. The study included case studies of 23 families in 6 communities and documentation of the literacy practices within the 9 schools attended by the children of those families.…

The Des Moines Public School System (Iowa) continually evaluates the process of teaching for learning. As part of this ongoing process, this report provides information to the Board of Directors and the public about the achievement of district students on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), the…

Four studies examined financial and achievement issues in rural Ohio school districts. Based on both county population and location relative to a metropolitan statistical area, schools were assigned to five location categories: rural, semirural, rural/suburban, suburban, and urban. Study 1 examined financial characteristics of the 73 rural Ohio…

This anthology includes research and reviews about social issues and inequalities facing Chicanos and Chicanas and their struggle for equal participation in society. Four sections focus on demography and on economic inequality among beginning and mature workers; the Chicano family and its responses to acculturation and poverty; the Chicano…

As part of a study of school effectiveness, a procedure was developed to select schools for study based on extreme high or extreme low degrees of successfulness in reading. Data for all 775 public elementary schools in Maryland that were active in 1995 were used. Five triads of schools were selected, each triad consisting of two schools that were…

In an effort to ascertain whether being deaf and also being a member of an ethnic minority group engenders dual disadvantages, the educational, labor force participation, occupations, earnings, and socioeconomic status of adults with deafness (n=6430) were compared by race. Comparisons were also done with racial groups in the general population.…

The last two decades have seen an increase in the demand for information about school effectiveness. For this paper, school effectiveness is defined as the value-added effectiveness. Value-added indices measure achievement over and above what would have been expected from attendance at a comparable school. They assess school effectiveness after…

This report details results of the 1995-96 study of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) Preschool Programs, the fifth such evaluation of the state-mandated preschool programs of at-risk 4-year-old children and 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities. Following an executive summary and explanation of the methodology for the evaluation, this…

Education is an important contributor to productivity growth and has a major influence on the standard of living of the U.S. population. Economic productivity depends on human as well as physical capital. This report is the first in a series of indicator reports recommended by the congressionally mandated Special Study Panel on Education…

Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) were used to investigate whether there are differences between single-sex and coeducational Catholic secondary school students in academic and social psychological outcomes, whether any differences especially favor young women in single-sex Catholic secondary schools, and…

This digest presents an overview of the factors that influence the education of immigrant children in New York (New York), concentrating on students' needs, aspirations, and attainment, and the public policy directed at them. Massive numbers of immigrants have come to New York City, and it is estimated that about 320,000 immigrant children…

Designed to provide trend data about critical transitions experienced by students as they leave elementary or middle school and progress through high school and beyond, this study examines the extent of traumatic events experienced by 10th graders of various ethnic backgrounds and family types. In addition, the study demonstrates the importance of…

A preliminary investigation has been made of some claims regarding alternative assessment. Using the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS)--Middle Grades Mathematics Performance Assessment as a platform, the study examined how alternative assessment operates in actual practice. Early findings are presented in the following areas: (1)…

This report presents 1993 data on high school dropout and retention rates, examines high school completion and graduation rates, and discusses new data-collection efforts by the National Center for Education Statistics that have a direct bearing on the issues of high school dropout and graduation rates. The report also draws comparisons between…