A case study of three Eastern urban schools examined the difficulties inherent to measuring bilingual program success. Results indicate that significant data sources were available, but they were rarely disaggregated in a fashion conducive to showcasing bilingual programs. Teacher involvement in establishing, reviewing, and monitoring assessment…

Examined whether a mathematics placement system accurately predicted success in university mathematics classes for both genders. The placement system used four variables to predict grades a student would receive if placed in various freshman mathematics classes. Found that the multiple predictors added to the gender bias of the Scholastic…

Eighteen schools in the Baltimore City Public School System have developed a successful whole school reform model. The components of the entire whole school reform package (focused professional development with the staffing to support it, a balanced literacy education program, and monitoring of the instructional program) have enabled the schools…

Describes experiences of three second graders taking standardized achievement tests. Maintains that many children lose learning time and confidence over test results that are not adequately explained to parents. Argues that samples of children's work over time better document growth and that young children should be viewed in terms of widely held…

Examines the relationship between National College Entrance Examinations and political centralism in China's higher education, presenting a history of this system and describing its purposes, characteristics, influence on K-12 education, strengths and limitations, and future. Recognizes how this system serves the political needs of commoners and…

Two teacher-researchers present a framework of criteria and strategies to help English-as-Second-Language/bilingual practitioners, counselors, and administrators develop a process for determining how and when to move ESL students into mainstream classes smoothly and successfully. (Author/VWL)

Central to educating young children well is assessing them well--diagnosing, each child's unique talents, skills, and knowledge. Early childhood educators do this in an effort to individualize children's programs, creating tailor-made lesson plans and experiences that fit each child's needs. To do a good job of assessing young children whose home…

The growing demographic diversity of the under-graduate student body in American postsecondary education has been well documented over an extended period of time. One result of this increased diversity is the substantial number of "first-generation" college students from families where neither parent had more than a high-school education. For…

The effects of a voluntary summer reading intervention were assessed in a randomized field trial involving 552 students in 10 schools. In this study, fourth-grade children received eight books to read during their summer vacation and were encouraged by their teachers to practice oral reading at home with a family member and to use comprehension…

At the heart of No Child Left Behind's accountability system is the requirement that states test nearly every public school student in grades 3-8 and in one high school grade in reading and math. The magnitude of NCLB's testing requirements, the law's demanding deadlines, insufficient federal funding, and other factors have produced an undesirable…

Rose and Gallup report on the results of the 38th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitude Toward the Public Schools. This year's survey examined No Child Left Behind and the public's perception of the law, the appropriate role of standardized testing, the achievement gap between white students and black and Hispanic students, the…

This study investigates teachers' assessment practices across teaching levels and content areas, as well as teachers' self-perceived assessment skills as a function of teaching experience and measurement training. Data from 297 teachers on the Assessment Practices Inventory were analyzed in a MANOVA design. As grade level increases, teachers rely…

Using a sample of 522 students at a Lutheran university in the Southwestern United States, researchers examined differences in the predictive strength of high school grades and standardized test scores for student involvement, academic achievement, retention, and satisfaction. Findings indicate that high school grades are stronger predictors of…

This study examined gender differences in students' scientific literacy as measured by OECD-PISA. In particular, we focused on the 2437 students from 140 Hong Kong schools. Hong Kong boys' and girls' science scores did not differ overall. However, boys scored higher than girls at the higher percentiles (75th and above). Moreover, specific test…

The developmental speech problems and the speech problems derived from bilingualism could have some similar characteristics but they need different intervention. So, distinguishing between them is essential. The present, multi-method (methodological triangulation), case study aimed to investigate whether it is possible to identify developmental…