This book examines how five schools in New York City have developed "authentic," performance-based assessments of students' learning, and how this work has interacted with and influenced the teaching and learning experiences students encounter in school. Authentic assessment attempts to take the measure of a child's real work over time…

An evaluation was conducted of the first year of a 3-year program designed in New York City to serve the needs of Chinese-speaking intermediate grade students of limited English proficiency. The focus of the program was on improving their achievement in mathematics and science while also improving students' English language proficiency. The…

Children from four elementary schools in Illinois were participants in the implementation of a project intended to improve their self-esteem through adult role-model intervention. The objectives of the project were to demonstrate that: (1) the adults in children's lives play a significant role; (2) an individual's sense of belonging and acceptance…

This study is the second in a series designed to explore the probable consequences of exceeding the prescribed time limits in the administration of standardized achievement tests. This study considered whether the test user could apply norms that accompany the test if departures were made from established time limits, and whether increased testing…

This study examines whether students' constant focus on meeting teacher expectations might cause students to see themselves as producers of products for someone else, rather than as learners. Four researchers asked elementary, middle, high school, and university students to describe their experience of classrooms, listening for patterns that would…

This book shows how teacher research and reform can positively change both teachers and students, making them better readers, writers, and learners. Two elementary schools in Georgia, serving students in a poor area that lacks educational resources, are the focus of the Kings Bridge Road Research Team, a group composed of public school teachers,…

This document examines how a unit on model rockets, designed to be a "hands-on" activity within the "Mission to Mars" curriculum that was implemented in the Nashville (Tennessee) area middle schools, has been used to investigate children's understanding of experimentation. A literature review explores some of the traditional…

The Ohio Fourth-grade Proficiency Tests, which are described in this information guide, are designed to measure a fourth-grade level of literacy and basic competence. Proficiency tests in writing, reading, mathematics, and citizenship were implemented in March 1995, and a science assessment is planned for March 1996. These tests will be…

The effects of portfolio assessment on mathematics students' attitudes about grades, their awareness of their mathematics strengths and weaknesses, and their abilities to set reasonable goals were studied for 12 fifth-grade students given a survey on attitudes about grading near the end of a 10-week term. Students also wrote about their strengths…

This study focuses on the visibility and acceptance of alternative family compositions in public schools. A total of 35 parent/caregivers and 24 teachers from three elementary schools in Vermont were surveyed. A review of school textbooks, curricula, and school contact forms was undertaken to determine the degree to which they represented…

This report presents detailed tabulations of data on school enrollment of the civilian noninstitutional population in October 1993. It also includes a summary time series of data collected since the beginning of the survey in 1946. Data cover enrollment in "regular school" from nursery school through college and professional schools. Data are…

Students from the United States were compared with similar students from South Korea regarding their attitudes toward school, their perceived responsibility for learning, and their perceived relationships with teachers. Data were collected from 305 female and 301 male students in grades 7-12 in Korean middle schools and high schools through the…

This report contains recommendations for providing for the health needs of all school-age children in Missouri through health services in the public schools that are designed to detect problems, reduce absenteeism, and reduce the failure or dropout rate. An implementation plan described in opening sections includes five components: (1)…

This study analyzed the impact of the Developmental Discipline Management System (DD) on teaching effectiveness and student achievement in special needs classrooms. DD was developed as a human centered, systems approach to education. Its core philosophy was to help each child achieve self mastery and mastery of subjects and to help teachers feel…

Fifth graders were taught to use an electronic card catalog to retrieve information and materials for class assignments and leisure reading materials. Groups of 10 or 12 students were seen twice a week for periods lasting up to 30 minutes. At these sessions they were introduced to computer components, proper handling, how to log into a network…