In New York City, a $25 million Annenberg grant was targeted to 100 individual schools to empower their staffs via innovative networks and accountability structures. However, the changes that graced the proposals did not create the desired momentum. Targeting school-level groups cannot in itself lead to systemwide change. Problems arose from…

Evaluates the use of discrimination indexes (or item-total correlation) for examining the reliability of examinations. States this technique has drawbacks and may cause examination validity to be lower. Discusses the idea of discrimination power and why poor students may answer an item correctly. (CMK)

Presents a study that focuses on the problem of underachievement in Hong Kong in which underachievers were compared to high and low achievers in terms of their motivational characteristics. Reports that motivational variables contributed to discrimination among underachievers and high achievers. Includes references. (CMK)

In this introductory article, a response-to-instruction approach to learning disabilities (LD) identification is discussed. An overview of the promise and potential pitfalls of such an approach is provided. Benefits include identification of students based on risk rather than deficit and early identification. Questions concern the integrity of the…

Now that school boards have been replaced by parent advisory councils, there is virtually no local school governance in New Brunswick, Canada. Factors leading to school boards' demise include neglected democratic institutions, failure to understand local boards' needs, less qualified members, boards' failure to protect their special…

A study of 177 low-income children (ages 3-30 months) investigated the relationship among neglect, failure to thrive (FTT), and cognitive functioning. The cognitive performance of children who had been neglected and were FTT was significantly below that of children who had only one of the variables and typical children. (Author/CR)

Tracked five cohorts of first-year students for 6 years to determine how many, by gender and race, were academically suspended, how many of those returned, and of those who returned, how many graduated. Found that a greater percentage of males than females and Black than White students were academically suspended. Minority males were the most…

Examines the gains in single word recognition and oral reading fluency made by low-progress readers after an intensive, systematic skills-based reading program. Reports that the results did not support the hypothesis because both groups of low-progress readers made gains on the reading measures. Includes references. (CMK)

Examined whether measures used to identify children at risk for reading failure are appropriate for children from different language backgrounds. Tasks assessing literacy and phonological skills and language processing at the beginning and end of kindergarten were administered to 40 native English speakers, 59 bilingual children, and 60 children…

Presents a study that focuses on atypical patterns of contextualized learning engagement that are often difficult to interpret because they exhibit varying degrees of conceptual dissonance. Addresses how the question of how dissonance can be interpreted and modeled. Provides an example of an observed interference model of student learning. (CMK)

Research findings indicate that grade retention leads to problems in student self-esteem and raises the dropout level. A transition grade between kindergarten and first grade is also considered harmful to students. Cites changes in different states' retention policies. (MLF)

Assessed causal attributions for losing perceived by high school students (N=150). Subjects responded to questionnaire comprising three categories of activities (sports, academic, social) in which they had not won or achieved desired outcome. Found that adolescent girls indicated significantly more internal attributions and boys more external…

Discusses the self-serving bias effect and its motivational explanation, which suggests individuals minimize other group member's responsibility for success and maximize it for failure. Reports findings of a study, involving 96 undergraduates, that demonstrates only partial self-serving bias. Considers how minimal feedback on attributions…

This article describes three dimensions of attribution (locus of causality, stability, and controllability) and discusses the importance, with regard to athletic performance, of assigning appropriate attributions to success or failure. Guidelines are provided to help students and athletes choose appropriate attributions. (IAH)

Forty elementary-school learning-disabled children completed a design assembly task and a vocabulary task. Results indicated a significant performance (success and failure)-by-maternal involvement (presence and absence) interaction for children's attributional ratings of effort, task difficulty, and luck, and for mothers' attributional ratings of…