Describes a successful collaboration between high school and community college faculty that effected a reduced need for first-time college student remedial writing instruction. Discusses Ohio's Early English Composition Assessment Program, the model for collaborative success, and project recommendations. (YKH)

A thematic approach to curriculum enables students to connect topics and supports meaningful inquiry. Presents 4 activities for levels K-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 in which students explore problems of interest to them involving the theme of construction and architecture. Includes reproducible worksheets. (MDH)

This article describes the revised Transdisciplinary Play Based Assessment, a dynamic assessment for children functioning developmentally between infancy and six years that involves the child in play situations, which provide opportunities to assess cognitive, social-emotional, communication and language, and sensorimotor development. Its…

Two groups of twelve dyslexic children and twelve good readers attended a two-week class during the summer following their enrollment in grades 4-6. The topic was the marine environment and focused on the adventures of an orca whale that had lost its family and needed the children's help. The children attended class for three hours each day, 45…

In her first year as superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools, Beverly Hall encountered what she describes as the nearly universal disbelief that poor children of color can achieve high levels of learning. This chapter recounts how she confronted this and other obstacles and challenges as the new leader of the Atlanta Public Schools. Hall is…

Gloria Ladson-Billings explains in her chapter that, in part, the promise of "Brown v. Board of Education" has not been realized because it was premised on black inferiority. She elaborates that "instead of addressing the underlying pathology of the defendant--White supremacy"--the evidence, case, and accordant ruling…

The author of this article challenges a common assumption made by both critics and defenders of standardized-testing technology (or psychometry), namely that standardized tests "measure" something (culture, ability, etc.). It argues that psychometric practice cannot be classified as a form of measurement and instead is best understood as…

This article presents findings from a 4-year study of 13 culturally and linguistically diverse elementary schools implementing comprehensive school reform (CSR) models. The study focused on: (a) the actions at the state and district levels that facilitated or inhibited reform implementation; (b) the adaptability of the various reforms in…

In the state of Florida, several of the principles of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have been enacted earlier than at the federal level. For example, the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) is required for all students through grade 10 and must be passed for promotion to grade 3 and for high school graduation. Schools are graded A through…

A collection of papers addresses a variety of issues regarding the nature and structure of sign language, gesture, and gesture systems. Articles include: "Theoretical Issues Relating Language, Gesture, and Space: An Overview" (Karen Emmorey, Judy S. Reilly); "Real, Surrogate, and Token Space: Grammatical Consequences in ASL American…

This paper examines the present conditions of gifted education, both nationally and in Ohio. It offers an historical perspective including a 200 year timeline of milestones in the areas of gifted education programs, legal authority, personnel preparation, public awareness, and testing and identification. Federal and Ohio State support of gifted…

The most extensive research and development (R&D) into the adult cognitive skills essential for workplace literacy has been conducted by the U.S. military. Military R&D related to workplace literacy has been concentrated in the following areas: formulation of developmental model for literacy in four stages (basic adaptive processes, conscious…

This module is the fourth of 10 in the Essential Communication and Documentation Skills curriculum. It develops listening and speaking, workplace literacy skills identified as being directly related to the job of the direct care worker. The curriculum is designed to improve the competence of New York State Division for Youth direct care staff…

The first volume of this proceedings contains an introduction and the plenary, research forum, working group, and discussion group papers. Papers include: (1) "Resources as a Verb: Recontextualizing Resources in and for School Mathematics" (Jill Adler); (2) "Markets and Standards: The Politics of Education in a Conservative Age" (Michael Apple);…

The second volume of this proceedings contains the first portion of the research reports. Papers include: (1) "Learning Algebraic Strategies Using a Computerized Balance Model" (James Aczel); (2) "Children's Perception of Multiplicative Structure in Diagrams" (Bjornar Alseth); (3) "A Discussion of Different Approaches to Arithmetic Teaching"…