This report describes a program for the exploration of block scheduling. The targeted population consists of high school students in a growing, middle-class community, located in a suburban setting of a large mid-western city. The historical background of block scheduling is documented through data gathered using attendance reports, student…

A study involving 3 elementary students (ages 8-10) investigated the treatment effects of choice making with academic assignments. Students at risk for emotional disturbance (ED) in a general education setting participated. These were children who exhibited aggressive behaviors and were judged to be achieving below their grade level by their…

This report presents data from a 1999 survey of sixth graders in the District of Columbia. The survey asked students: (1) where they were; (2) what they were doing; and (3) who they were with the day before, on the hour and on the half hour, between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. The surveys were administered on Wednesday, November 10, because the previous…

This study examined the multivariate relationships between teacher efficacy and task analysis variables as predictors of classroom beliefs about control, focusing on these relationships in preservice teachers. Preservice teachers from a required educational psychology course volunteered to participate in the study. They completed three…

Students attending high school in a large midwestern metropolitan area participated in a program designed to increase their motivation in a geometry class. Evidence of the problem included teachers' observations of off-task student behavior. Also, teachers reported that homework was not being completed as often as desired, and that students who…

This booklet provides graphs, tables, and a summary compiled from data collected in schools using the 1996-1997 PRIDE Questionnaire. The data reflect prevalence and patterns of drug and alcohol abuse, violence, gang activity, and suicide. This report is designed for educators to use within their drug abuse and violence awareness and prevention…

This study investigated the association among select socio-cultural variables and sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors with a diverse population of metropolitan New York community college students. The Sexual Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Test survey instrument was administered to 338 students between the ages of 17 and 26 in their…

Homelessness influences every facet of children's lives, inhibiting their physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral development. Homeless women face such obstacles to healthy pregnancies as chemical abuse, chronic health problems, and lack of prenatal care. Homeless infants are more likely to have low birth weights and are at greater…

This report is the first in a series on Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) in the Newark, New Jersey Public Schools. Project GRAD is an education initiative that combines several proven or promising reforms with the goals of increasing reading and math achievement test scores, improving classroom behavior, reducing dropout rates, and…

This paper presents a history of zero tolerance policies, discusses the breadth and scope of zero tolerance policies in U.S. public schools, examines unintended consequences of zero tolerance policies (especially those conflicting with basic philosophical tenets of the public school system), and makes recommendations for creating and implementing…

The joint Education Department of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, Minnesota, developed a behaviorally oriented framework for assessing teacher candidate dispositions. They created an instrument to use in a behavioral assessment of all applicants to the teacher education program. This assessment involved an interview with…

This action research project sought to incorporate character development education into a kindergarten classroom, with a focus on respect, responsibility, and cooperation. A behavior checklist was used by the teacher and parents to demonstrate the need for character education and to document improvement. Anecdotal records were also kept throughout…

In spite of the impressive gains in the total number of awards earned by minority students, a comparison of the percentage distribution of the major ethnic groups at different points in an academic career shows that not all groups are progressing consistently. This report on the academic outcomes of students in the Florida Community College System…

This report evaluates the performance of the California Academic Volunteer and Mentor Service Program, addressing an assessment of the impact of mentoring on middle school and high school student achievement, attendance, and behavior. The program's goal is to use volunteer mentors to provide support to children at risk of academic failure and…

This book provides K-12 teachers with concrete, step-by-step guidance on how to improve student behavior through positive classroom management. It explains how to take control of the classroom, offering an alternative to threats, rewards, and punishments. The book is divided into an introduction and three sections with seven chapters. The…