This volume contains a collection of chapters written by individuals in the fields of general and special education on multicultural education and students with exceptionalities. Chapters include: (1) "Multicultural Education: Powerful Tool for Educating Learners with Exceptionalities" (Festus E. Obiakor); (2) "Educating the African-American…

This report presents data from surveys of teachers, students, and principals on issues such as teaching quality and methods, school environment, expectations, attitudes, and job satisfaction. High-quality teaching is associated with students' having more positive attitudes about learning, school, and their futures. It is also related to…

The 97 bilingual education program enhancement projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs in fiscal 1995 are analyzed for their demographic characteristics, goals and objectives, instructional characteristics, parent and family services, professional development, personnel…

Comprehensive school reform calls for a "whole-school" and coordinated approach to improve schools. The strategy differs from piecemeal and fragmented efforts that also in the past have seemed only to lead to short-lived changes. To stimulate whole-school reform across the country, Congress appropriated funds in FY1998 for the U.S.…

This report summarizes evaluation results for AISD's Summer Opportunity to Accelerate Reading (SOAR) program during summer 2001.

This report summarizes the 2000-2001 program evaluation results of AISD's AVID program, a program designed to help underachieving students with academic potential prepare for entrance into colleges and universities.

This report summarizes evaluation results from AISD's federally-funded Title I program activities during 2000-2001.

Summer Opportunity to Accelerate Reading (SOAR) 2002 was AISD's summer reading program serving 2,251 students completing kindergarten through grade 2 in June 2002. Among students with valid reading scores, 86% made reading gains during the program.

Forty Hispanic junior high school girls (Los Angeles) divided into target and comparison subsamples were matched with target and comparison teacher subsamples. Target girls' behavior differed significantly in target and comparison teacher classrooms. Students indicated teachers behaved differently towards target versus comparison girls; teachers…

This synthesis of research in academic engagement addresses studies in several academic areas. A general relationship of teacher performance and student engagement in learning tasks is noted. Cites studies indicating a relationship between degree of engagement and achievement and suggests numerous research questions for science education…

Twenty-four studies are reviewed for home-based reinforcement of school behavior as a method for motivating behavioral change. It is noted that the technique has been used successfully with children in group homes and in special classes, and with entire mainstreamed and special classrooms. (MH)

Describes an undergraduate class activity where students write a letter of substance (thoughtful argument supported by facts) to someone they feel has a direct impact on the environment. Future assignments include replicating this process on e-mail. Includes a brief discussion of environmentally related Web sites. (MJP)

Reports a study that examined 16 educational reform networks that are used as alternative forms of teacher and school development. The results identified five shared organizational themes and five shared tensions. This paper describes educational reform networks, discusses essential elements, examines the themes and tensions, and suggests…

Using National Educational Longitudinal Study data for 1988, 1990, and 1992, this study assessed the effects of six effective schools variables on student achievement level. Regression analysis of the data indicated that the most important effective schools characteristics are an achievement-oriented school culture, principal's autonomy in hiring…

Outlines three lesson plans designed to increase students' knowledge of candidates, public policy issues, and social responsibility as well as develop problem-solving skills. Different sets of activities address the issues of politicians vs. leaders; the relationship among politics, power, and conflict; identifying and prioritizing issues in an…