A study examined the integration of computers into the writing practices of a ninth-grade remedial English class in an urban high school in the San Francisco area. Computers and word processors were introduced midway into the school year. The class was observed and recorded daily through the academic year, and all written work collected. Six…

In order to provide high quality training to paraprofessionals employed in state-funded Child Day Care Centers, an innovative instructional program was developed based on the need to offer training in convenient commuting locations and to recruit and train unlicensed paraprofessionals from cultural and linguistic backgrounds similar to those of…

This publication offers a checklist for identifying strengths and weaknesses of school health programs. The instrument can be used by school personnel, community members, or by an outside team of experts. Criteria are expressed in terms of desirable practices, with provisions for judging, on a five-point scale, the extent to which program…

The purpose of this study was to determine what 11th and 12th grade students in social studies classes in Los Angeles County are being taught about what it means to be an employee, i.e., the responsibilities, regulations, problems, rights, and benefits of being a wage or salary earner. Personal interviews, questionnaires, check lists, and tally…

Junior high school home economics students plan and operate a holiday boutique in their school. The organization, operation, and evaluation involved in setting up a simulated business in the classroom is described. (BM)

Examines a dimension of neighboring that need not assume friendship as the role model. When the model assumes only a sense of connectedness as defining neighboring, then the residential correlation, shown in many studies between urbanism and neighboring, disappears. Theories of neighboring, study variables, methods, and analysis are discussed.…

In 1997, California became the first state to conduct large-scale experimentation with single gender public education. This longitudinal study examined the impact of single gender academies in six California districts, focusing on equity implications. Data from observations and interviews with educators, policymakers, and students indicated that…

Many California school districts, in complying with the Class Size Reduction Program, will obtain relocatable classrooms directly from manufacturers who are under no specific guidelines or codes relative to indoor air quality (IAQ). This document, designed to aid school facility managers in minimizing potential IAQ problems, summarizes the indoor…

Many districts are struggling with the problem of administrator retention. Hoffman (2004) identifies some of the reasons for this: (1) Increased accountability expectations; (2) Diminished or static levels of resources to support reform efforts; (3) Greater administrator vulnerability to sanctions; (4) The complex demands of government and the…

After a 16-year absence from the public school classroom, an education professor returned for a semester to teach American history to an eleventh-grade class. He recounts four lessons concerning the need for classroom order, student motivation, teacher efficiency, alternative student grouping arrangements, and student feedback about teaching…

Examined what actually transpires in California's reduced-size classrooms, using systematic classroom observations and teacher and student interviews at four elementary schools. Results indicated that, overall, teachers still used whole-class instruction (though they perceived they used varied instructional strategies). Most learning activities…

Describes the theoretical and procedural underpinnings of mandatory school uniforms on school safety as experienced in one California school district. Findings indicate that uniforms had a positive influence on school behavior, but further research is advised before definitive conclusions can be drawn. (GR)

Imagine a school that offers its students a safe environment, a rigorous college-prep curriculum, high expectations for student responsibility, and individualized attention. In this article, the author describes such a school, but it is not an elite private school for the wealthy. It is the Street Academy in Oakland, California, which serves a…

Most education research has confirmed that small classes yield benefits. Research also has revealed nuances about how and when small classes will work best, where an investment will result in maximum return, and exactly how many students a "small" class should have. The details of these findings can help policymakers strike a practical…

In Spring 2007, the State Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges awarded the Transfer Leadership Center (TLC) study to investigate two-to-four year transfer practices and strategies. As part of the study's qualitative component, research teams from the Center for Student Success of the Research & Planning Group of the…