Ann Arbor schools seem to have decided to focus on two goals: embracing computer technology and closing the achievement gap between white and non-white students. These two goals have come together in the "Scarlett Emphasis" program that has placed laptop computers in the hands of all students. Having the lowest scores on standardized…

This study investigated the relationships between psychosocial factors and self-esteem for 1,672 Taiwanese senior high school students (779 boys, 893 girls). Students from Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, completed a Chinese version of the Secondary Student Questionnaire (SSQ), which measures self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stereotyped thinking,…

This study examined an approach for assessing and intervening with academic concerns that is conceptually derived from the distinction between skill deficits and performance deficits. A class-wide assessment was used to describe the students' functioning in the context of their peers and to help select a target concern for intervention. An…

This article presents initial findings of a case study focusing on data use in five low-performing urban high schools undergoing comprehensive schoolwide reform. The case study investigates: (a) the ways in which disaggregated data can be used to examine progress and guide improvement in the process of restructuring urban, low-performing high…

Many adults today consider the hours after school to be an opportunity for students to squeeze in a little more help with schoolwork. For most children, though, that final bell rings freedom. The last thing they want is more school, and faced with an after-school program that looks like an extension of their school day, they'll opt out.…

Examines educational conditions and resources, institutional characteristics, and political factors contributing to the shaping of states' educational accountability policies. Analysis of data from a variety of sources indicates that the main predictors of states' accountability policies are National Assessment of Educational Progress performance…

The Maryland legislature's success in blocking a state takeover of low-performing schools in Baltimore under the No Child Left Behind Act raises the prospect of political resistance in other states that might attempt such intervention. While no other state has yet invoked the federal law to take control of a school, the experience in Maryland…

The objective of the present studies was to evaluate the self-regulatory properties of strong "oughts" as they relate to the academic achievement of elementary school students. Across three studies with typical elementary school students and students with learning problems, results indicated that strong oughts: (a) were associated with avoidance…

Educators have at their disposal a large and substantive library of literature that defines and describes the attributes of highly effective leaders. Ashforth (1994) and Blase and Blase (2002) point out that, although volumes have been written about effective leadership, there has been surprisingly little discussion and research dedicated to…

A high-achieving district discovers some have been left behind, but teachers find a new way of working that helps more students succeed.

Recognizing the glaring discrepancies in outcomes for many poor and minority children, the New York State Regents hosted an Education Summit in November 2005 with the theme of Closing the Achievement Gap. Leaders in business, government and education were in attendance and rallied to more thoroughly understand the achievement gap and produce…

This paper will describe results concerning the impact of the PD on the three primary study outcomes: teacher knowledge of rational number topics, teacher instructional practices, and student achievement in rational number topics. All analyses are completed. However, the results cannot be shared at this time because the report is currently under…

Two schools in Idaho received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement improvement efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) Jefferson Middle School; and (2) Lakeside Elementary School. The experiences of this non-recipient school is…

Two schools in Michigan received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement their improvement efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) Phoenix Elementary-Middle School; and (2) Arthur Hill High School. The experiences of these…

This quantitative study was designed to investigate if there was differences among the following groups: (1) school size, (2) class size, (3) ethnicity, (4) gender, and (5) a teacher's years of experience with respect to fifth grade TAKS math and reading scores when controlling for low socio-economic status for 1404 students at elementary campuses…