This study of 905 academically talented students (ages 12-16) who completed a 1-year course in high school biology, chemistry, or physics in a 3-week summer program found that the fast-paced courses effectively prepared subjects to accelerate in science and that talented students could begin high school sciences earlier than generally allowed.…

Discusses the proposed Advanced Placement (AP) world history curriculum. Argues against beginning the course at 1000 CE, stating that it should begin at the Axial Age (approximately 800 to 200 BCE) or earlier. Offers suggestions for constructing the proposed "Foundations" course introduction around six one-week units. (CMK)

Performance was examined for five cohorts of 1998-2002 Texas public high school graduates through their first year and 1998-2001 cohorts through their fourth year of Texas public higher education. Student performance on college outcomes included (a) first- and fourth-year grade point averages (GPAs), (b) first- and fourth-year credit hours earned,…

The 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education was designed to provide up-to-date information and to identify trends in the areas of teacher background and experience, curriculum and instruction, and the availability and use of instructional resources. A total of 7,752 science and mathematics teachers in schools across the United…

This volume presents the 2007 Yearbook of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA). This year's theme is "At the Tipping Point: Navigating the Course for the Preparation of Educational Administrators." This yearbook contains six parts. Part 1, Invited Chapters, includes the following: (1) President's…

Rockville Centre is a diverse, suburban school district serving approximately 3,500 students. Since 1981, the school has offered the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. The IB diploma, which began in Rockville Centre as a gifted and talented program, is a comprehensive and challenging course of study in all subject areas. In this article,…

This study assessed the ability of high school advanced placement history students to choose the essay topic on which they can get the highest score. A second, equally important, question was whether the score on the chosen topic was more highly related to other indicators of proficiency in history than the score on the unchosen topic. Overall,…

Rigid tracking systems structure inequality and affect students' opportunity to learn. Moreover, students gain from participating in rigorous advanced courses. This case study identified the practices and processes involved in creating a school culture of detracking wherein more students participate in high school advanced courses and experience…

This book is designed to help advanced placement students better understand macroeconomic concepts through various activities. The book contains 6 units with 64 activities, sample multiple-choice questions, sample short essay questions, and sample long essay questions. The units are entitled: (1) "Basic Economic Concepts"; (2) "Measuring Economic…

The use of four periods in the school day, as opposed to six, with each period 90 minutes in length is referred to as 4 X 4 block scheduling. In Virginia, as in many states, there is increasing interest in this kind of scheduling to deliver education that meets the instructional needs of students. In 1995-96, Western Branch High School (WBHS) of…

The hypothesis that the planning activities of classroom teachers correlate with the practices of instructional design professionals is explored within the context of this study. Classroom teachers participated in a survey which requested information regarding their planning routines. The 35-item two part questionnaire that was used as the data…

Findings of a study that examined the situation in which minority students in an advanced arts and sciences high school program received low or failing grades are presented in this paper. Students who had been good students in their home schools received low or failing grades in the mathematics and science program at the Center for the Arts and…

Information on the senior year at Northwestern University, Illinois, and suggestions for providing focus to the last year of undergraduate study are presented, based on a needs assessment conducted by the Curricular Policies Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Department heads and other staff were contacted to obtain a profile of…

This booklet provides a guide to some of the credit-bearing opportunities in place at more than 1,200 United States colleges and universities that recognize learning obtained away from the formal college classroom. The data were compiled from a fall 1984 survey and are presented in two sections. The first provides the programmatic information…

Developed to enhance students' cultural awareness of Africa and the Far East, this guide contains both interdisciplinary and specific content curriculum materials for two course units in Advanced Placement English. These units were designed to (1) communicate the countries' rudimentary geography and history; (2) introduce the value systems,…