This report describes a project to improve achievement among 24 grade 11 basic U.S. history students in a growing, middle class, suburban community in northern Illinois. Students are assigned to basic classes due to reading test scores. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students entered the course with poor attitudes toward school,…

This publication reports findings of an analysis of 1990 United States Bureau of Census data that determined where school teachers send their children to school. Findings indicate that the majority of all parents in the United States sent their children to public schools. As a group, teachers were more likely than the public at large to enroll…

Children's exposure to violence can potentially impede all stages of their development. This bulletin discusses why abused children have difficulty learning and the impact of growing up in violent surroundings and unsafe neighborhoods. It identifies the risk factors of violence, as well as the following key factors that contribute to a child's…

The recent movement to integrate social services into schools to serve at-risk students is hampered by the proliferation of highly specialized human services. Each had different organizational approaches, one bureaucratic and the other communal. A study examined the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools' (CORS) data on 24…

The guide is designed for teachers of adult basic education students with language backgrounds other than English, limited education, and low literacy skills coupled with relatively high oral skills in English. The first chapter outlines common educational, sociocultural, and linguistic characteristics of this target group. The second chapter…

This report is based on background research and a community forum held in September 1990 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and addresses issues related to equal education for American Indians in Minnesota public schools. Minnesota's Native American population is increasing, is younger than non-Indian Minnesotans, and is becoming more urban than rural. The…

An estimated 200,000-800,000 children and adolescents work in the United States as migrant agricultural laborers, either alone or with their families. This digest describes the statutory and economic factors contributing to the presence of children in the fields and the impact of this labor on their health and educational progress. The Fair Labor…

This publication presents five essays by teachers on accountability, particularly the descriptive review format for elementary and secondary education. Following a brief foreword, an opening essay, "Children's Values and Standards: Investigating Sources" (Cecelia Traugh), describes issues of teacher and student values and standards which…

This book presents a collection of essays by education researchers and practitioners about issues of educational equity and excellence. The authors examine the problem of failure in schools and describe the various curricular and structural factors that block access to an equal and quality education for all students. Chapters are entitled: (1)…

Six documents were reviewed and recommendations relevant to the work of the Advisory Committee on Testing in Chapter 1 were summarized. A brief description of a framework for discussing different uses of assessment is followed by specific recommendations from each of the following sources: (1) "Working Paper: Reauthorization of the…

This document summarizes the research on full-day kindergarten. The question of whether full-day scheduling is good for children is addressed. The majority of the research justifies the following conclusions: (1) A developmentally appropriate program focuses on activities that are appropriate for the child's age and involve interaction with…

The Study of Academic Instruction for Disadvantaged Students explored the nature and effects of alternatives to conventional practices in mathematics, reading, and writing instruction in schools that serve high concentrations of children from low-income backgrounds. This report presents what was learned by describing and analyzing instructional…

This document reports the outcomes of a series of meetings held in Florida to provide an overview of modified occupational completion points (MOCPs), to share examples of successful district practices, and to develop plans for implementing MOCPs in the state. Part 1 explains that MOCPs are student performance standards adapted for use with…

Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) of 1994 provides funds for schools with large concentrations of children from low-income families. A fundamental requirement is that children served by Title I funds must be educated according to the same academic standards as all other students. This handbook focuses on methods for developing…

In 1992, a study was conducted at the James Kerney Campus (JKC) of Mercer County Community College in New Jersey to develop a placement guide for noncredit remedial courses. Although the majority of students attending JKC required academic skill remediation before enrolling in regular college courses, a placement guide for non-credit remediation…