New data from the most recent State of the State Survey (SOSS) reveal that public enthusiasm for charter schools has cooled in the past five years. A majority of survey respondents expressed support for charter schools in 2003, as they did in 1998. Since 1998, however, support for charter schools has declined in Michigan, while opposition to…

This report compares young adult admissions to admissions of youths aged 12 to 17, who accounted for 8 percent of Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) admissions in 2004. The report further breaks down the young adult admissions into two subgroups: those aged 18 to 21 (9 percent of all admissions); and those aged 22 to 25 (12 percent of all…

Charter schools are public schools that have been provided significant release from the rules and regulations that govern traditional public schools and that are held accountable by a chartering authority. The ultimate hope of charter school advocates is that charter schools will be able to cut through red tape, offer innovative educational…

National Board Certification represents one of the most significant reform efforts in the area of teacher quality in the last two decades. Since the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified its first round of teachers in 1995, approximately 24,000 teachers have become certified at a cost to the country of well over $200…

During the 1990s, employment rates rose significantly for less-educated women but not less-educated men. This paper examines the situation of men age 18-24 who either lack a high school diploma or have no education beyond high school and are not institutionalized. It uses Current Population Survey employment figures to compare employment and…

The consequences of not graduating from high school are increasingly serious for both individuals and society as a whole. As a result, state and federal accountability systems now require reporting of more detailed graduation and dropout data. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires states to report disaggregated…

The purpose of this study was to conduct a critical analysis of (1) the disparities between the SAT scores of Black and White students, and Hispanic and White students, for 2004 and 2005 and (2) what those disparities suggest about the effectiveness of the State of Virginia "SOL" program and the Federal "No Child Left Behind"…

While most urban school districts face rapid turnover in leadership and limited results, Boston has won national attention for its stability and success. The purpose of the study is to inform the leadership transition that will occur as Payzant's superintendency comes to a close in June 2006. This study examines Boston's accomplishments and…

This report, part of a series that offers population and housing data collected by Census 2000, presents data on the educational attainment of people over age 25 years in the United States, describing education distributions for the country, including regions, states, counties, and places with populations of 100,000 or more. Overall, U.S.…

This report presents statistics on the demographic, social, and economic status of the civilian, noninstitutionalized black population in the United States, based on the March 1999 Current Population Survey. Overall, Blacks continue to be concentrated in the south. The black population is younger than the non-Hispanic white population. Fewer black…

This study examined ethnic community perceptions of the Austin Independent School District (AISD). It investigated citizens' assessments of the quality of public education, ethnic tensions in the schools, and the equality of resource distribution among the schools. It also examined variations in perceptions of the AISD by ethnic group. Data…

In spring 2001, close to 500,000 Arizona students in grades 1 through 9 took the Stanford Achievement Test. This study focuses on reading in the earliest grades and mathematics in the middle grades. Arizona schools have been making progress in reading, lifting students from the lowest achievement levels to higher levels. However, 25% of students…

To understand the achievement gap between Black and White students, test performance on Delaware statewide assessments was studied. The study focused on Black-White test score gaps in reading, mathematics, and writing across grades 3, 5, 8, and 10 by achievement level, item format, and gender within each racial/ethnic group over time. The…

This book offers a tested method for utilizing groups in the English classroom. It uses theory and ethnography to document why groups succeed and how to remedy them when they are failing. Five chapters focus on: (1) "Group Work Matters" (e.g., how to make groups worth it, the need for groups, and the process of finding communication);…

A lack of access to educational opportunities has been a reality for African American students. As a result, America's schools are facing a national dilemma. African American students are significantly underrepresented in advanced mathematics courses. One of the most segregated places in American society is the mathematics classroom. African…