Describes the College Board's Pacesetter Program, high school courses developed using principles of ongoing performance testing and portfolios, standards, and curriculum. The model is illustrated in a description of the Voices of Modern Culture language arts course. Argues that this assessment process has systemic validity and is more relevant to…

The Young Scholars Program at The Ohio State University is a 6-year pre-collegiate intervention program designed to prepare academically talented, economically disadvantaged minority students for college education. This study describes the success of this effort to reshape the traditional presentation of agriculture. (Author/DKM)

Describes how some schools are using funding from Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to apply technology in the schools. Reviews specific requirements for allocating funds in targeted assistance and schoolwide program schools. (SLD)

Discusses adequacy and equity in school finance and efficiency in school operation, and recommends ways to improve all three. The ultimate responsibility lies at the state level. State policies and financing mechanisms must hold educators accountable while addressing challenges that are especially great for schools in high-poverty areas or for…

Argues that the purported decline in public education is exaggerated and the accomplishments of public education neglected. Offers favorable evidence on student achievement and minority-majority comparisons, and suggests that recent trends in educational expenditures, class size, and curricular patterns should boost achievement. Addresses…

Provides a history of youthful offenders and society's efforts at rehabilitation and punishment. Traces the development of correctional institutions from their early days in England to the current efforts involving intervention and prevention. Includes photographs, historical and contemporary statistics, and tabular data. (MJP)

Examines the socioeconomic, cultural, and familial factors that influenced 14 working-poor mothers' decisions regarding child care. Summarizes the paths the women followed over a three-year period, including sources that informed their choice of child care, reactions to their care providers, and reasons for withdrawing from the arrangements. (MJP)

Describes an elementary social studies class that studied children of the Great Depression in order to create empathy with people of different eras. The class used journal writing, mural painting, and poetry writing to consider the physical and psychological hardships experienced by Depression-era children. (MJP)

Discusses and expands upon arguments and ideas set forth in Michael Lind's book, "The Next American Nation." Lind questions cherished assumptions of both conservatives and liberals. He supports government activism promoting a high degree of social and economic equality but questions the philosophy and efficacy of racial identity…

The relationship between performance on tests of minimum competency (MCT) required for high school graduation and dropout behavior was studied with 76,664 Florida students. Results indicate that MCT failure increases the likelihood of leaving school only for students doing well academically, but not for minority students or those doing poorly.…

Australian rural communities often suffer from psychological isolation in addition to geographic isolation. Human and social capital are powerful antidotes to psychological isolation and are closely dependent on learning. Rural schools can reverse the negative effects of isolation on educational outcomes if they first work on building human and…

Claims that public education in Mexico is in severe crisis. Indicates the wealthy have opted out of public education and the poor are dropping out. Argues that reforms to address poor quality and inequalities are being sidestepped. Proposes a more inclusive educational approaches to provide quality education for all. (CAJ)

Among approximately 24,600 Hispanic eighth graders surveyed by the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, those from two-parent families had significantly higher academic achievement (standardized test scores) than students from one-parent families. However, this difference disappeared when analyses were controlled for socioeconomic status…

Defines inclusion and the importance of inclusive education. Suggests that reciprocity built on self-empowerment, mutual need, ethics, and rationality builds partnerships for inclusion. Illustrates creating reciprocal partnerships by describing one effort to build a developmentally appropriate classroom. Describes a seven-step exchange model for…

Uses the African American campaign for equality and access to explore the historical origins of high-stakes testing. Explains that instead of promoting equality, as proponents of standardized tests argued, greater reliance on such tests widened the distance between advantaged and disadvantaged African American students, shaping paradoxical…