Issues related to student, teacher, and school accountability have been at the forefront of current educational policy initiatives. Recently, the state of Massachusetts has become a focal point in debate regarding the efficacy of highstakes accountability models based on an ostensibly large gain at 10th grade. This paper uses an IRT method for…

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between…

High school sophomores participating in the second year of Project Adventure, an educational program expanded to include community service, experiential learning, and a rigorous physical education program, showed improvements in physical abililty and self-concept consistent with improvements shown by students in the program's first year.…

Achieve was asked by the Washington State Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission, Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction, and the Partnership for Learning to conduct a study of the 10th grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The intent of the study was to compare the content, rigor and passing scores on…

Project Adventure, an innovative educational program combining experiential learning in academics with a rigorous physical education curriculum at the high school level, was successful in its first year (1971-72). Project staff attempted to: develop and teach the physical education component; involve students and faculty in experiential dimensions…