This report presents information on similarities and differences between U.S. high school sophomores as studied at three points in time over the past 22 years, with a focus on cohort demographics, academic programs and performance, extracurricular activities, life values, and educational/occupational aspirations. It provides an update to the…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is currently implementing two comprehensive school reform initiatives, Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) and Making Schools Work (MSW). The purpose of both initiatives is to raise student achievement, and they both rest on the belief that all students can complete a rigorous program of studies at middle…

This study examined how five high-poverty Texas high schools, which had attained notable achievement levels on selected academic indicators, reached their present levels of performance. The schools shared several characteristics: most students were economically disadvantaged; the location was in a large urban district; there was no selective…

This study examines the year-long process in which a teacher and her fourth- and fifth-grade students with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds implemented Book Club, a literature-based instructional program. Data analysis reveals a gradual release of responsibility from the teacher to students in carrying out book conversations. Five…

This newsletter summarizes the admissions and transfer experiences of approximately 7,000 students surveyed in the spring of 2005 who left a British Columbia (BC) college, university college, or institute program to continue their studies in another program at the same institution or at another BC public institution. In some instances, these…

A growing body of studies into the job of teaching has described it as an overwhelmingly demanding task due to its very nature. This demanding job requires, among many others, a careful consideration of the issue of what the candidate owners think of the department of primary teacher education. This study, undertaken when a group of pre-service…

The participation of women in graduate studies and mathematics-related careers remains a social and economic problem in the United States. Part of a larger study to understand this lack of participation, here we present preliminary findings of girls who are high achievers in middle grades mathematics. This interpretive study documents girls'…

The U.S. Department of Education 2004 National High School Summit took place December 2-3, 2004, in Washington, D.C. Nearly 1000 individuals participated-educators, policymakers, business leaders, and government officials. The event built on the work the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) had done with states over the prior year and…

This study sought to identify the academic, personal, and social expectations of incoming college freshmen and examine the effects of orientation programming on modifying unrealistic expectations held by some students. A total of 201 paid-deposit incoming freshmen at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, completed a 30-item survey questionnaire mailed…

The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) in Texas attempts to improve schooling for students in at-risk situations. Rather than lowering expectations for these learners, the ASP attempts to accelerate progress by maximizing their talent development. The accelerated schools movement in Texas spread rapidly, but few actual data have been collected…

School staff can use information on risk factors to identify student needs and assess the ability of the school to address these needs. It is also important to identify protective factors that promote successful development or buffer risk factors that might otherwise compromise development. Three key factors that have been identified as fostering…

This book tells the story of a year in one middle school teacher's class full of lively young adolescents, highlighting exemplary ways of learning and types of schooling. This alternative model of education shows how a strong, supportive community is essential in helping students reach their highest potential. The book includes: specific projects…

This brief paper reports on a study of the practices at four high schools selected for how closely they aligned with criteria and indicators illustrative of authentic and inclusive learning for all students. A table presents profiles of the four schools in terms of setting, students, and practices. Classroom observations, interviews, surveys, and…

This study describes the shifts in thinking and practice made by teachers in primary grades in their first year of implementing an elementary school mathematics reform curriculum. All teachers were observed during professional development sessions and submitted written reflections. A sample of those teachers was interviewed and observed teaching…

A survey was conducted of 55 regular classroom teachers who referred students to special education in three Connecticut school systems to determine their predictions of the results of psycho-educational assessment and their perceptions of the instructional relevance of standardized psychological and educational test results. The findings of this…