For almost a century, schools have assigned students to various groups or classes based on their perceived academic ability. Referred to as Tracking, in the United States, and Streaming, in England, this organizational differentiation very often results in unequal access to knowledge and the differential treatment of students. Proponents of…

In large introductory science courses at the postsecondary level, there is significant anecdotal evidence of traditionally underrepresented students disengaging from the lectures, resulting in withdrawals or failures. Because these science courses often fulfill graduation requirements and provide the students with broad introductions to basic…

The Early Warning System is a tool developed by the National High School Center to collect data on indicators including attendance, grade point average, course failures, and credits earned. These indicators have been found to be highly predictive of a student's likelihood of dropping out of high school in large, urban areas. The Early Warning…

Everyone on the tenure track should get tenure. However, not everybody can get tenure everywhere. In fact, one of the main reasons why some educators fail to get tenure is that they are fighting the wrong war on the wrong battlefield, at an institution where they do not quite fit. One can only get tenure if only he or she is realistic in his or…

Presents a conceptual framework of second-chance systems analyzable in terms of several basic parameters (targeted population, declared goals, processes, options for students, evaluation criteria, and implications for the regular system). Uses this framework to analyze an Israeli external high school, the subject of a large-scale study. Includes 3…

The rate of 69 percent failure in 1967 to approximately 18 percent 2-years later relates to the independence and objectivity of the examination system. (IR)

This embedded case study collects and analyzes the perspectives of both youth and adults at one public alternative high school for youth at risk of school failure and aims to investigate the program practices and structures that promote school engagement and connectedness. Informed by bodies of literature from the fields of school engagement,…

This paper presents new empirical evidence on whether failing the high school exit exam increases the chance of exiting from high school "prior to high school completion". More importantly, the author discusses the potentially different impacts of failing the High School Exit Exams (HSEE) on students with limited English proficiency,…

Expanded instructional time has become increasingly popular as a strategy to improve the academic outcomes of low-skilled students, particularly in the 9th grade. We evaluate the efficacy of a double-period algebra policy initiated in the Chicago Public Schools in 2003. This policy required all students with 8th-grade test scores below the…

Some students enter the world of mathematics with a disadvantage. The authors explored the causes for this from a language-processing perspective. They were particularly concerned with students with potential learning disabilities or specific language impairments. They also explored the role of language-mediated instruction in creating an…

Institutional reforms have been proposed to improve the delivery and financing of education. School Based Management (SBM) is one such institutional reform where decision making is transferred to the school level. Funds are transferred directly to the school and parents, along with teachers and the principal, allocate and oversee the use of…

Although exclusionary discipline has been linked to a variety of negative student outcomes, it continues to be utilized by schools. This study investigates two critical variables as they relate to exclusionary discipline: School typology (i.e., urban, rural, suburban) and student ethnicity. Using data from 326 Ohio school districts, a MANCOVA…

In this paper, two teacher educators work to understand their attempts to transform teacher-student relations by altering traditional grading practices. Using actor-network theory, the authors examine the social effects produced across and throughout a school of education when they changed the meaning and significance of grades. Detailed analysis…

English language learners (ELLs) struggle with solving word problems for a number of reasons beyond math procedures or calculation challenges. As a result, ELLs may not only need math support but also reading and linguistic support. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a math comprehension strategy called Dynamic Strategic…

With a solid GPA, numerous extracurricular achievements, and an acceptance letter from an excellent college, it seems that all of your hard work in school has paid off. Now what? What can you expect from college life, and how can you get the most out of it? This book answers these questions to help you excel in college. Deans at America's top…