Reports on a study of the impact of attending restructured schools on the achievement and engagement of 8,845 eighth graders from public, Catholic, and independent schools. Finds modest, but consistently positive, effects on both achievement and engagement. Also finds that students attending smaller schools demonstrated more academic achievement.…

This is the first of a series of reports providing information and statistics on subjects of interest to educational policymakers and practitioners. Based on a research paper, "Course-Taking Patterns in the 1980s," by Margaret E. Goertz, the report's focus is on what is being studied and how this has changed over time (generally between 1982 and…

Describes the personal development of a private-school teacher involved in course restructuring in U.S. history. Lists and discusses the use of seven themes as the basis for the course. Concludes that history, more than any other subject, is linked to personal identity. (CFR)

Discusses the origin, development, and current status of a history-geography-English integrated curriculum program for eighth-grade students. Summarizes the "pluses" and "minuses" of the approach. Describes classroom activities and student projects in the program. (CFR)

This book examines the realities of educational change from the perspective of reform-minded teachers, focusing on how the professional work of teachers mediates the translation of the new educational orthodoxy into sustained and enhanced levels of student learning. The book charts the perceptions and experiences of 29 teachers in grades 7 and 8…

Describes the first administration of the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) to fifth-grade students. Discusses the history of CLAS, types of questions employed, content coverage, methods of scoring, and reporting on tests results. Presents sample questions, student responses, and commentary on student performance. (CFR)