This paper examines research on the individual needs of gifted children, with a special focus on underachieving gifted students, and provides results of a study of students in a 10-week after-school enrichment program in Queensland, Australia. Over 300 gifted children (ages 5-8) attended the program, and five case studies are provided using…

This report explores the situation of at-risk students in small and rural schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, and compares this information to the at-risk student situation nationwide. In order to explore both the complexity and the degree of risk of dropping out in rural school settings, research questions were posed…

This report summarizes the major results of a youth risk behavior survey administered to 1,549 students (grades 9-12) in 14 New Mexico schools identified as predominantly "Native American." The purpose of this report is to stimulate useful discussions into ways to increase informed support for effective, school-based comprehensive health…

This digest summarizes research in the affective and social realms that overwhelmingly affirms the superiority of small schools. Findings on the affective and social effects of school size are extensive and highly consistent, while the research base on outcomes of schools-within-a-school arrangements is smaller and less conclusive. While many…

The "Talk It Out" approach is presented for use by elementary school teachers. Talk It Out employs the techniques of conflict resolution, mediation, and negotiation in order to resolve problems that occur in most classrooms, such as teasing, put-downs, pushing, hitting, cheating, gossiping and refusing to share. Readers are provided classroom…

A study in two countries investigated college students' conceptions of "academic literacy," defined as the system of information exchange or mastery of the elements of such a system. Subjects were nine students, four at Ohio State University, a long-established "mega-university," and five at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, a small, newly-established…

One of the challenges facing school systems is creating an effective student handbook of current school policies. This report reviews the literature concerning federal and state statutes, district policies, and the professional literature concerning the implementation of a school wide discipline policy and plan that can be codified in a handbook.…

The objective of this study of teachers located in the Northwestern United States was to examine their reasons for considering leaving the teaching ranks. The research analyzed teacher perceptions in order to achieve a clearer understanding of the realities of the work place and how they affect a teacher's decision to leave. The findings reported…

The differences in California Achievement Test (CAT) scores from 1990 to 1991 in seventh graders, currently enrolled in Albritton Junior High School in the Fort Bragg Schools, of deployed and nondeployed fathers were analyzed. CAT percentile scores from 1990 and 1991 (1991 being the year of "Desert Storm") were obtained in reading, math…

This report presents the final evaluation of the MegaSkills School Program pilot adoption at Maupin Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1994-95. The MegaSkills programs are designed to help students develop skills and attitudes related to school success, confidence, motivation, effort, responsibility, initiative, caring, teamwork, common…

A study was undertaken at Johnson County Community College (JCCC), in Kansas, to determine the experiences of students who transferred from JCCC to four-year institutions between summer 1993 and spring 1995. A sample of transfer students was obtained from responses to postcards sent to former students and records obtained from regional…

Every year, accidents claim the lives of thousands of children and many thousands more are injured. A need exists for schools to teach children the important components of safe behavior and safe conditions; safety instruction in the elementary schools cannot be left to chance. The inclusion of safety education across all elementary levels and…

This preliminary report examined the impact of W. Glasser's Reality Therapy techniques on teacher attitudes and the behavior of emotionally disturbed elementary and middle school students. A summary of Glasser's Control Theory and his recent revisions pertaining to Reality Therapy techniques is included as well as a review of the outcome…

This study investigated the practice teaching experiences of Bachelor of Education (Design and Technology) students at the University of Newcastle (Australia) to determine what they saw as successful and unsuccessful events. Eleven second-year students at the University of Newcastle were asked to write about one successful and one unsuccessful…

For the past 2 years, a pilot program to reduce student absenteeism has been implemented in a medium-sized city participating in the New Futures Initiative. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the outcomes of the Chronic Absenteeism Pilot (CAP) project. The New Futures Initiative engaged in interagency efforts to provide…