Ability grouping, defined as "the practice of organizing classroom groups in a graded school to put together children of a given age and grade who have most nearly the same standing on measures or judgments of learning achievement or capability," is considered in terms of its effect upon students' academic achievement and affective development. It…

The seventh in a series of studies investigating the educational context and outcomes for high school students with disabilities (SWDs), this study examined the high school context within which students with and without disabilities must succeed and the supports in place for assisting them. A questionnaire was administered to 70 high school…

Alum Rock Elementary Union School District had an interest in a middle school program being introduced by Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI) called "History Alive!" Supplementary materials from TCI were already in use in many of the classrooms and several of the district administrators were interested in whether the full middle school…

In this article, the author talks about tutoring and learning. He first discusses the analytical and technical questions about the why, what, when, and how of tutoring. He begins by saying a little bit about why he is involved, interested, and fascinated by the very complex human activity people call tutoring. He argues that tutoring is an…

This study investigated the effects of one rural high school's science course placement practices on Latino/a student success in science, as measured by performance in a required science course and enrollment in subsequent science courses. The high school involved in this study has experienced a rapid increase in language minority students and…

This study compared interaction with a computer vs. observation as learning situations for low and high ability student's learning of spatial visualization and geometric transformations. Thirty-two fifth grade boys took the Differential Aptitude Test, Space Relations Subset (DAT), and then participated in the experiment. Pre-test and post-test…

Schools in 47 high-poverty school districts located mostly along the Atlantic Coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia may have a head start on new requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, thanks to a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Begun in April 2000, the five-year Coastal Rural Systemic…

This issue focuses on practices that can help improve reading instruction and includes two announcements from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL). It begins with a look at study groups, the practice of teachers getting together to focus on instructional practices and student learning. Stacey Joyner, a staff member of SEDL's Texas…

Improving education outcomes is vital for achieving convergence with GDP per capita levels in Western European countries and for reducing income inequality. While some education outcomes are favourable, such as the low secondary-school drop-out rate, others have room for improvement: education achievement is below the OECD average and strongly…

This collection of papers addresses tracking, whether it should be abolished, the movement toward inclusiveness in schools, strategies to meet all students' needs, and the process of untracking. Contents are as follows: "Why Ability Grouping Must End: Achieving Excellence and Equity in American Education" (Jomills Henry Braddock II and Robert E.…

One of a series of social studies units designed to develop the reading and writing skills of low achievers, this student activity book focuses on the theme of technology. The unit can be used for high school classes, individual study in alternative and continuing high schools, and adult education classes. Material is divided into four sections.…

The purpose of multiethnic education is to prepare all students to live harmoniously in a multiethnic society. Multiethnic education pursues these goals by reflecting ethnic diversity in the curriculum, dealing directly with ethnic group similarities and differences, and helping students understand their uniqueness in a pluralistic milieu.…

Many research studies which deal with the teaching of economics at the college level conclude that different teaching methods do not lead to very different results in terms of student achievement. This paper suggests that one reason student achievement may fail to demonstrate the superiority of one teaching method over another is that achievement…

Sampling techniques used in "A Study of the Sustaining Effects of Compensatory Education" are described in detail. The Sustaining Effects Study is a large, multi-faceted study of issues related to the compensatory education of elementary school students. Public elementary schools that include grades between one and six are eligible for…

Innovations, ETS's corporate magazine, provides information on educational assessment for educators, school leaders, researchers and policymakers around the world. This issue on how classroom assessments in five U.S. states and several foreign countries expand educational opportunities for all students. Articles in this issue include: (1) Keeping…