Examines differences between policymakers' assumptions about standardized testing and the ways 36 teachers prepare students for and administer tests in 2 urban school districts. Concludes that standardized tests may be poor measures of instructional improvements in connection with the regular curriculum. (FMW)

Drawing on the evaluation and authority theories of Dornbusch and Scott, this paper examines the relationship between teacher perceptions of the frequency of evaluation activity and their assessments of their effort and effectiveness. Urban, middle school teachers were surveyed. Findings included a positive relationship between evaluation…

This collection of papers examines the hidden risks that teacher researchers may face in action research. There are 12 papers in three parts. Part 1, "School-Based Researchers," includes: (1) "Drafting Ethical Guidelines for Teacher Research in Schools" (Marian M. Mohr); (2) "'Tuesday Night' Revisited: Learning to Survive" (Leslie Turner Minarik);…

All-male black classes may be one way to prevent this population from dropping out of school. Describes experimental classes in a Newark (New Jersey) private elementary school that appeared to have a positive effect on the motivation, self concept, and responsibility of Black male students. (FMW)

A sample of 91 White and 22 minority parent volunteers whose children attended an urban elementary school were administered a revised version of the Dean Alienation Scale. Results indicated that minority parents were more alienated from school than were White parents. (FMW)

This study involving 113 students identified factors (attentiveness, child's level of involvement, and feedback received from the teacher) differentiating children at risk for special education referral from other low achievers and low achievers from mainstreamed special education students and average achievers. Urban/suburban differences were…

This study examined the normative and construct equivalence of the teacher IOWA Conners Rating Scale (IOWA) with 3,998 elementary school children in an urban school district. Risk odds ratios were calculated by gender and ethnicity. Significant racial differences suggested that, although there is construct equivalence across racial groups, there…

This document reports on the qualities of a good urban teacher as perceived by urban early childhood and elementary school teachers in 1988. A review of the educational literature indicates that the characteristics of good teaching reflected the time period in which the teachers lived and were prepared. This study focused on preschool, substitute,…

The voluntary transfer policy that is part of the desegregation plan of the Chicago (Illinois) public schools appears to have negative effects on the "sending" schools that students elect to leave. Fourteen sending schools were selected for study from a population of 105 low-achieving, low-income, predominantly minority neighborhood…

Several years ago, a coalition of Chicago civic groups met to determine the scope of the urban dropout problem and develop strategies for dealing with it. The resulting research program rejected both attrition and survey analysis approaches in favor of direct examination of all student records for three graduating classes (1982, 1983, and 1984)…

This study describes dropout prevention strategies used by social service and school personnel in the Stay-In-School Partnership Project (SSPP), analyzes longitudinal statistical data generated by the 3-year program, and proposes a model for conceptualizing and implementing a dropout prevention program for at-risk minority students. SSPP is a…

The purposes of this study were to examine the importance that elementary principals place upon the terminal value freedom in relation to the development of teachers, and to examine the consistency of elementary principals' decision making along a teacher-supportive to supervisor-supportive continuum. One hundred elementary principals in Ontario…

An after-school program for elementary students, LA's BEST, in Los Angeles (California) that was planned and implemented by local civic, education, and community leaders was evaluated in 1990-91. The program intends to provide a safe environment that fosters students' academic, physical, social, and emotional growth; and promotes future business,…

This paper presents the results of an Achievement Directed Leadership (ADL) field test conducted at eight elementary schools and a middle school in an urban school district in New Jersey during the 1981-82 school year. The stated purpose of the field test was only secondarily to assess student outcomes; its major objective was to help principals…

A study was done to determine whether any community school districts within the purview of New York City Board of Education had been able to integrate the Chancellor's call to action for multicultural education at the Social Action-Decision Making level, which had been designated as the highest level of multicultural curriculum approaches. The…