This report provides an in-depth look at five different programs, all of which currently, or are making efforts to, include a broad range of students. The five Credit-Based Transition Programs (CBTPs) studied are located in five states--California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York and Texas--and included two dual enrollment programs (one with a career…

Using the national data from high school transcript studies conducted from 1982 to 2005, this special analysis addresses the following questions related to students' coursetaking patterns and trends during this period: (1) What do states require and what do schools offer for coursework?; (2) How many course credits do students earn by high school…

In this study, we investigated a variety of Reader effects that may influence the validity of ratings assigned to AP® English Literature and Composition essays. Specifically, we investigated whether Readers exhibit changes in their levels of severity and accuracy, and their use of individual scale categories over time. We refer to changes in these…

In this article, the authors considered the use of the software Knowledge Forum to complete a curriculum-based project with students enrolled in asynchronous, Web-based Advanced Placement courses in Canada and the United States. Knowledge Forum is an online database that promotes written interaction in a social constructivist environment. The…

During the last few years, the development of seamless education systems to promote students' postsecondary success has been discussed by policymakers at the local, state and federal levels as well as reform-minded individuals. Florida, Washington, Iowa, Georgia and California either have statewide integrated systems or are moving quickly toward…

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the feasibility of accounting for student performance in advanced high school coursework through the adjustment of high school grade point average (HSGPA) while separating out variables that are independently considered in the admission process, e.g., SAT/ACT scores, community affluence, type of…

This paper presents the annual report of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) for 2008. Eighteen months ago, the National Math and Science Initiative did not exist. Today NMSI is helping lead the country forward in math and science. In just 18 months, NMSI has rolled out the first round of grants and has implemented programs in 14…

The State of Florida Department of Education provides pre-and-post-graduation data for public high school graduates throughout Florida. These data were used for the present report to produce data sets for all M-DCPS regular high schools and charter high schools graduating students in 2007 and 2008. Summary data for the district are also provided.…

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) "Special Education at a Glance," which includes a copy of the "Guide to Planning and Assessing School-Based Special Education Programs," provides in a single document, information about the special education population at each Montgomery County (Maryland) public school, including…

This monograph examines educational programs for students who are gifted and talented in the visual arts, through a review of the literature on gifted/talented education and art education and examination of programming opportunities. Relevant educational history from 1850 to the present is reviewed. The research review encompasses four national…

This evaluation report examines high school programs for high ability students in Orange County, Florida. The evaluation study used interviews, surveys, and a review of records. It was found that: (1) all high schools have developed a course of study for high ability students, including Advanced Placement, honors, and four magnet programs; (2) all…

In a society characterized by change, people are faced with many opportunities to acquire practical knowledge outside the traditional environment of academic institutions using the same basic evaluation criteria and guarantee the validity and reliability of assessment. A prior learning assessment (PLA) program has the following economic benefits:…

Whether specification of focal group membership based on ethnicity as well as educational opportunity affects differential item functioning (DIF) of test items was studied. Subjects were 4,342 freshmen admitted to a large midwestern university who completed the 40-item Advanced Mathematics Placement Examination in the spring of 1991. There were…

Whether there is a difference in the performance of public school and private school students on the advanced placement (AP) tests of the College Board was studied. The sample was composed of 216 public high schools, 32 Catholic high schools, and 24 other private high schools in Northern California, all of which gave their students at least five…

This curriculum guide to United States Government and Advanced Placement American Government and Politics in Fort Worth schools includes the following materials: a statement of philosophy and broad goals for each content area; objectives organized around broad content goals or strands which define specific expectations for students,…