Congressional testimony is presented concerning school buildings and their connection to student health, behavior, and learning, including a review of selected empirical studies conducted over the past 30 years showing an explicit relationship between physical characteristics of school buildings and educational outcomes. The factors responsible…

This monograph was created to help colleges and universities throughout the West strengthen their commitment to diversity. Twenty colleges and universities in four states--Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon--participated in the Institute for Ethnic Diversity, with each campus, from large state research institutions to small community…

Public discussion of American education centers on crisis and decline. In response to these sentiments, citizens are fast abandoning all forms of local control over schools. Schools are controlled by increasingly distant experts. Some people think that this new direction is necessary because the schools have failed academically. On the contrary,…

The Bureau of Education has a record of 19,442 public high schools in the United States. Reports were received from 14,827 for the school year 1923-24, of which number 704 are classified as junior high schools, 1,316 as junior-senior high schools, and 181 as three-year senior high schools. This bulletin summarizes and/or explains data relating to:…

The key to the improvement of any courses in the school curriculum is obviously the teacher. In this connection, as regards the high school mathematics curriculum, certain questions arise: Do the teachers need inservice education for the new improved courses? What inservice education programs are now in progress? How are school administrators…

The potential impacts of secondary school overcrowding upon student attitudes, behavior, and academic performance, and student-teacher, administrator interactions comprise the essential content of the paper. A review of current literature is presented. Implications and a discussion of possible alternatives to school overcrowding conclude this…

Describes how community members from Newburgh, New York, successfully battled against a school board proposal that called for expanding the town's high school to an enrollment of over 3,000 students. Rejects the notion that "bigger is better" and criticizes state funding formulas that create large schools by offering higher reimbursement…

Analysis of data from the Schools and Staffing Survey, 1987-88, reveals that compared to metropolitan schools, nonmetropolitan schools are smaller, have fewer teachers with advanced degrees, and offer fewer advanced or remedial classes. However, smaller rural schools often provide smaller classes, more teacher attention, and a less stressful…

Examined self-esteem among 648 high school and college students. High masculinity scores and greater activity participation were significantly related to self-esteem for males and females in large and small schools. For males in small schools, athletic participation was significant predictor of self-esteem. For females in small schools,…

Surveyed students and parents from 122 public elementary schools to examine relations among school characteristics, parent involvement, and parent perceptions. Found that specific characteristics were associated with higher and lower parent participation at the individual level and at the school level. (LPP)

Four high school students and one 1993 graduate interviewed about school shootings identify contributing factors: parent neglect, ignorance of emotional problems among students, peer pressure exerted by cliques, stress caused by pressure to excel, and alienation resulting from large schools and overworked teachers. Prevention measures include…

Natural experiments explored the effects of attending public Philadelphia K-to-8 schools or public middle schools on eighth- and ninth-grade achievement. Found that students attending K-8 schools had higher reading, mathematics, and science achievement than students attending middle schools serving similar communities. Suggested that number of…

A New American High School, David Douglas High School (Portland, Oregon), has a mentor program for freshmen and sophomores, who take career interest inventory tests and research career areas through job shadowing experiences. Juniors and seniors participate in work-based experiences, prepare portfolios, and take personal enrichment courses. All…

Explores how the physical condition and design of school facilities can shape a child's learning experience. Discusses school environments' connection to asthma, heating and ventilation problems, noise problems, full-spectrum lighting, trends in teaching methods requiring different building designs, optimum school size, portable classrooms, and…

A study of the financing of 96 small rural K-8 and K-12 Missouri school districts found that it was more difficult to support small rural high schools than small rural elementary schools. Small K-12 districts could convert to K-8 districts and contract with adjoining districts to instruct their high school students. (TD)