Kristin L. Main teaches the Ontario Literacy Course, an alternative course designed to support students who have failed the required standardized test for high school graduation. She sees the purpose of the class as giving students a chance to feel successful and helping them to see the practical value of purposeful communication and integrated…

Achieve has put together a set of materials--"Taking Root: Strategies for Sustaining the College- and Career-Ready Agenda"--that seeks to help states develop and implement strategies to support the sustainability of the college- and career-ready agenda. This sustainability audit was created for states to use to evaluate their own…

The Department of Education is vitally interested in whether the financial incentives provided by the grants affect student behavior. That is, will the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACGs) induce more economically disadvantaged high school students to complete a rigorous high school program and enroll and succeed in postsecondary education? Will…

This paper provides information about New Jersey's High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA). The purpose of the exam is to: (1) Determine prospective high school graduates' mastery of selected content and overview foundation skills in math and literacy; (2) Encourage districts and schools to identify and serve students at risk of academic…

This paper provides information about Mississippi Subject Area Testing Program. The purpose of the exam is to: (1) Determine prospective high school graduates' mastery of the state curriculum; (2) Provide data to state policymakers on student attainment of state education goals to inform education policy decisions; (2) Increase alignment of local…

This paper presents an addendum on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Academic Support Programs for the fiscal year 2006. This addendum supplements the report submitted in January 2006 regarding MCAS academic support programs for students who had not yet passed the grade 10 English language arts and mathematics MCAS tests…

Senate Bill 1908 includes additional criteria for designating school grades for senior high schools with grades 9 through 12 or 10 through 12. Beginning in 2009-10, 50% of the school's grade will be based on the existing FCAT-related factors and the remaining 50% will be based on other factors including graduation rates, participation in…

While education professionals agree that students need to become information- and technology-literate 21st century learners, there is less agreement on the instructional strategies and assessments that will measure the skills students should master. The authors' application to the National School Library Media Program Year (NSLMPY) Award was an…

Given the raised graduation requirement of the proficiency Enhancement Program (PEP) to attain proficiency levels of "2+," "2+," and "2," the importance of target language use has been highly emphasized across language schools at Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). This article discusses some of the challenges associated…

High school students participating in 16 California multiple pathways programs generally graduated at higher rates, met university requirements in greater numbers, performed better on high school exit exams and were more engaged in school and learning. This report summarizes a 2007-2008 study of the ConnectEd Network of Schools, capturing positive…

As technology advances continue to impact K-12 schools, online education options offer alternative choices for both teaching and learning. Library media specialists, long committed to providing physical and intellectual access to instructional materials, have responded to changing needs in this online world. They had previously created a virtual…

This article describes how universities are challenged to beef up study abroad programs in response to the growing need for professionals with a global perspective. Once considered a luxury for affluent White college students, study abroad has been recast in recent years by business, academia and policymakers. Today, they consider it essential to…

This report provides information on the performance of Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students on the North Carolina competency tests. One requirement for a North Carolina high school diploma is to meet the competency standard in reading and mathematics. To demonstrate this competence, a student must achieve performance equivalent to…

The validity of using Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores either as admission to, or graduation from the Brigham Young University library school is questioned. (SJ)