This study examined high school and middle school transition practices from the perspective of special education teacher leaders. Results indicated that the majority of schools offer functional curricula, social skills training, and an array of school-based functional learning opportunities. However, a significant number of schools did not provide…

Problem-based learning (PBL) uses adult-learning theory to structure the instructional process around presentation of a problem. Learning events emulate real-life situations as closely as possible. This paper describes how two middle schools and one high school implemented a structured staff-development approach aimed at teaching teachers how to…

This report provides selected results from the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for South Carolina's public-school students at grades 4 and 8. Since 1992, reading has been assessed in four different years at the state level (at grade 4 in 1992 and 1994, and at both grades 4 and 8 in 1998 and 2002). South Carolina…

Describes a South Carolina middle school's efforts to improve student behavior and decrease suspension rates by using a focus-group approach with underachieving seventh graders with behavior problems. Students participated in daily focus-group experiences in which they learned strategies for changing their behavior and improving study skills.…

The purpose of the South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment (SCCTR) is to provide leadership in identifying, attracting, placing, and retaining well-qualified individuals for the teaching profession in South Carolina. In doing so, SCCTR strives to respond to changing needs for teachers from underrepresented populations, in critical subject…

Describes a collaborative effort in Beaufort County (South Carolina) to provide middle school students with laptop computers. Student and teacher reactions are discussed; examples of language arts projects are described; and a sidebar offers suggestions for funding that include parental contributions, corporate and community sponsorships, and…

Uses space problems of a 15-year-old South Carolina middle school to illustrate the importance of a proper facility-design process. Planning principles such as change of space function, flexibility, accommodation of technology, structural quality, adequate supervision, and proper maintenance should be revisited. Time is a good test of design and…

Physical activity levels in girls decline dramatically during adolescence, most profoundly among minorities. To explore ethnic and racial variation in attitudes toward physical activity, semistructured interviews (n = 80) and physical activity checklists (n = 130) are conducted with African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian middle school girls in…

The primary purpose of the Student Literacy Corps Project is to: (1) improve the literacy skills of approximately 200 educationally disadvantaged children and increase the parents' involvement in their children's literacy development; (2) provide a tutoring experience for approximately 45 undergraduate students and a coaching experience for…

The program planning guide was developed as a special project to help teachers in presenting a 1-year consumer and homemaking education curriculum at the seventh or eighth grade level. The units are presented under four headings: Personal Relationships, Personal Environment, Personal Development, and Personal Health. The units can be taught in any…

Designed for middle school through high school students, this unit contains eight lesson plans that focus on South Carolina state law. The state lessons correspond to lessons in the volume, "Antidote: Civic Responsibility. Drug Avoidance Lessons for Middle School & High School Students." Developed to be presented by educators, law…

This guide shares information about the South Carolina Curriculum Standards with parents. The standards outline state requirements for children's learning, and what students across the state should be able to do in certain subjects. The guide lists seven key reasons for parents to be aware of the new curriculum standards, and then presents a…

The Competency-based Middle School Program (grades 6-8) and the Competency-based Secondary School Project (grades 9-11) were funded by the South Carolina State Department of Education under the Elementary Secondary Education Act Title IV-C. These programs were to provide instruction based on the principles of mastery learning in helping middle…

This study examines components of a middle school program designed to enable at-risk students to complete the 3 years of middle school in 2 years, and it looks at the progress of eight graduates of the program during their first semester in high school in South Carolina. Over-age students who entered sixth grade and displayed potential were…

This guide was developed to assist administrators and teachers in planning and conducting an exploratory program in home economics at the middle-school level. Curriculum content and learning experiences were selected to meet the needs and characteristics of middle-school students. The guide provides a course description, list of course…