The effectiveness and applicability of student discipline and attendance policies in Massachusetts' public schools are addressed in this report. Following an introduction, the second section presents a review of research and examines seven assumptions about current statewide discipline and attendance practices in light of recent findings.…

This study explored the impact of preschools with a language and literacy focus on the development of early literacy. The aims of the study were to: (1) compare the emergent literacy development of children who attended a preschool with a language and literacy focus with that of a comparable group of children who did not attend such a preschool;…

Summaries of activities and tentative findings of six research projects conducted by the National Center on Effective Secondary Schools are presented in this report. Names of the six projects are: Clearinghouse on Academic Achievement; Noninstructional Influences on Adolescent Engagement and Achievement; The Stratification of Learning…

Americans are solemn about schooling but seldom serious. School reformers routinely announce lofty goals but they seldom offer resources. These goals are counterproductive because expectations are created with little or no possibility of realization. Certainly, nonschool factors are relevant to educational reform, which cannot be properly planned…

The final report describes a Colorado project to evaluate the effectiveness of special education programming based on student outcomes and program quality indicators in 14 secondary schools. Major findings included: special education students, especially students with emotional/behavioral disabilities, had higher absence and out-of-school…

Research on middle-level education and the relationship between grade-span configuration and educational outcomes is reviewed in this paper. Discussions include the evolution and growth of middle schools in the United States, differences between middle and junior high schools, and outcomes of middle-grade organization. Two national trends are…

In contrast to early research (such as Coleman's) that concluded schools could not override influences of the home environment, more current research indicates that schools can make a difference. This paper summarizes those research findings (emphasizing the limitations of the research from the practitioner's perspective) and relates them to new…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: The research summarized here suggests that: Children learn more than academic content from their school experiences, especially how to behave in nonfamily groups. Congruence between the school and community can contribute significantly to a sense of community among both adults and youth, but at some…

This self-assessment guide pinpoints critical elements which a Los Angeles, California, senior high school principal must consider when evaluating how well his or her school is achieving a productive and positive educational environment. The guide is organized into the following parts: (1) a list of the elements critical to an effective senior…

A colloquium on educational reform held in New York brought together leading educators, union representatives, business leaders, and public officials to discuss one of the greatest challenges to the state and the nation: improving America's public schools. As a follow-up to the discussion, this report documents the most pressing reform issues. The…

Achievement in reading and mathematics of students at elementary schools participating in the Columbus (Ohio) 1989 School Improvement Program (SIP) has improved for the seventh year in a row, but achievement of low income students remains below that of other students. The goal of SIP, an effective schools project, is to improve the academic…

This document comprises a progress report on the 1988-89 activities of the Corporate/Community Schools of America (C/CSA), a not-for-profit coalition of business executives, concerned educators, and community leaders working to reform urban public education by setting standards for higher quality and by demonstrating successful instructional…

This document comprises a report of the postgraduation plans of seniors in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and their opinions about their high school education. A sample of 20,131 seniors, (response rate of 77 percent) responded to a three-part, 59-item questionnaire. Findings are arranged in the following order: (1) total group;…

This accreditation self-study report was prepared by Los Angeles Valley College in support of its application for reaffirmation of accreditation. Introductory sections describe methods used in organization for the self-study, describe the college and its demographic make-up, and review responses to previous accreditation team recommendations. The…

This two-part report comprises a description of an urban school improvement project in Michigan and the final evaluation report of the project. The Project for Secondary School Improvement was a 3-year program designed to assist secondary schools in 19 Michigan districts in implementing improvement models based on the research on effective schools…