Recent literature casts unfavorable light upon the middle school as the most appropriate grade configuration in which to effectively educate young adolescents. The current criticism of middle schools may be fueled, in part, by "A Nation at Risk," the "No Child Left Behind Act," and a growing subsequent emphasis on…

The purpose for this research study was to introduce and develop supplementary English material for SAT vocabulary instruction by providing memory-enhancing strategies for students with and without disabilities. Five inclusive English classrooms were assigned treatments in a within-subjects crossover design where all students received both…

The purpose of this research was to study a sociocognitive "student/parent/peer authoring community" called Traveling Books (TBks) in kindergarten and second grade in a public elementary school setting. TBks are teacher-made vehicles for involving parents in peer-based literacy environments. The study was based on Epstein's theory that…

On September 2, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education announced the winners of the $350 million Race to the Top Comprehensive Assessment Systems Competition: the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SMARTER). In his announcement, Secretary of Education Arne…

This case study explored multiple teachers' instructional strategies in several eleventh grade Language Arts classrooms in one successful Midwest school. A "successful" Midwest school was defined as having attained AYP at least three consecutive years. The study focused on the specific instructional strategies and activities used when…

The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers have sponsored the development of common K-12 education standards in math and English/language arts--a project known as the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)--in an effort to improve college readiness for the nation's students and replace the patchwork…

Austin Independent School District used more than $31 million federal Title I, Part A funds in the 2009-2010 school year to support almost 45,000 students at 71 Title I schools. This report summarizes compliance and service data.

This report shows the longitudinal TAKS passing rates by subject area for AISD's English language learner students over time (2005-2006 to 2008-2009).

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a self-monitoring procedure on increasing attending to task and academic accuracy in two elementary students with autism in their self-contained classroom. A multiple baseline across participants in two academic subject areas was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Both…

Art educators have a unique opportunity to develop and strengthen a cross-curricular foundation in literacy through art education. Enrolled in a content area reading course, pre-service teachers in art education at one, large southeastern university discovered that using language skills as a lens sharpened their observations of student performance…

We show how coauthor, Delainia Haug, and her students use Web 2.0 technologies in educational and empowering ways. We offer an account of Delainia's purposes for her curriculum, along with units of study and students' responses to this curriculum. We argue that the curriculum, which focused on media analysis and production, engaged students--many…

Writing, for adolescents who live in an age of digital communication, has taken on new importance and plays a prominent role in the way they socialize, share information, and structure communication. New literacies expand the literacy realm by considering the skills needed to function using media other than the printed page. Internet resources can…

This study included four preservice interns at a Midwestern university in the United States who were learning to facilitate interactive discussions in English language arts. The authors investigated how the interns' perceptions of their self-selected audience influenced what they noticed, talked about, and learned as they constructed a video case…

This set of lessons is designed to be carried out in all of the subject-area classes. Science lessons are expanded and taught in social studies, math, and language arts classes. This highlights the far-reaching impact that science has on other worldviews. To complete this objective, you and your team of teachers must work together using the…

CSI-USC continues to make sense of what the California statewide data system provides. This fourth annual report gauges multiple measures of academic and financial performance, probing well beyond mere test scores. Ratings in familiar green, yellow, and red cover four areas: financial resources and investment, school quality, student performance…