State revenue currently flows to California school districts through so many channels that it is difficult to determine why some districts receive more funding than others. Each revenue program also has its own restrictions on the use of funds, reducing the latitude of school districts to use state funds most effectively. An alternative,…

The purpose of the case study is to describe how one large school district in the United States has expanded their expectations for students based on the perceived need for graduates to compete in an increasingly global job market. The study "summarizes" the processes for establishing districtwide systems to support these expectations. The case…

Presented at the Advanced Placement Annual Conference (APAC) in Las Vegas, July 2007. This presentation explores the demographic and course-taking patterns that have been identified behind what students take AP exams and how to best reach the population of students that are not currently taking AP exams.

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), was first launched in 1997 as a periodic longitudinal study of program performance. This report is the fourth in a series that uses data from the FACES 2006 cohort to describe…

This study examined elements of the climate of middle-grades schools that are associated with schools' effectiveness in terms of the engagement and achievement of their students, with special emphasis on gender equity. Drawn from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988, data on 9,020 eighth graders from 377 middle-grades schools were…

"Snapshot '97," the 10th edition of this publication, provides information about students, student performance, staffing, and the financing of Texas public school districts. This annual summary is a useful source of information for anyone interested in the demographics of Texas schools, the resources available, and the improvements that…

A pilot study addressed the economic issue in vocational education as it relates to the wealth and size of school districts. Examined during the study were nine high schools and nine unit districts that fell into three subgroups based on wealth and enrollment. Data were gathered from public records as well as from school business managers and…

Comparisons between 35 small/rural K-12 Kansas school districts (900 students or fewer) and 642 similar districts nationwide use data gathered during 1982-83. Qualifying Kansas districts (208, enrolling 95,466 students) were identified, to be compared to 4,125 qualifying districts nationwide. A questionnaire mailed to superintendents of 36…

A 1982-83 survey produced data used to compare 17 small/rural K-12 New Mexico school districts (900 students or fewer) with 642 similar districts nationwide. Of New Mexico's 88 school districts, 43 were identified as qualifying (48.9%, enrolling 16,648 students), for comparison to 4,125 similar districts nationwide. A questionnaire mailed to…

This study is an analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) School Questionnaire administered across three grade levels (grades 4, 8, and 12) during the 1987-88 school year. The data obtained from the school questionnaire represent one level of NAEP's data collection activities, in addition to the teacher questionnaires and…

Of 238 small K-12 rural public school districts (enrollments under 900) identified in the Arkansas study, 40 were chosen for use in gathering information to assist educators in understanding and improving education of rural residents. An 80% response rate to the 123-item questionnaire mailed to superintendents provided information on district…

This publication contains the core school, enrollment, and staffing data of the National Catholic Educational Association's historical file. A page of statistical highlights of the current status of Catholic schools is followed by (1) an introductory essay by Frank H. Bredeweg, C.S.B., which briefly describes the growth of American Catholic…

To determine if a relationship can be found between school size and academic achievement, a study examined correlations for 566 New Mexico public schools (grades 5, 8, and 11) from 1978 to 1981. The measure of academic achievement used was the schools' average "total scale score" on the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills. The two…

This paper studies the needs and strengths of rural schools with the intent of improving rural science education. It examines the history of rural schools, and posits a rural-to-urban continuum of characteristics, citing studies that indicate rural schools are more effective in some ways than urban schools. The paper looks at needs of rural/small…

This study documents the innovative utilization of resources in 16 exemplary schools and provides recommendations for staff deployment and school organization. Two introductory chapters place the report in the context of a wider study of which it is part and describe its conceptual framework. The following two chapters review the debate on case…