In this study, perceived parenting styles and parental involvement were examined to determine if they predicted student motivation. The two views of motivation examined included achievement goal theory and self-determination theory. Algebra I students (N = 140) in a Southeast Texas public high school completed self-report surveys. Multivariate…

The application of the principles of intramural athletic competition to stimulate outstanding academic performance is discussed in this paper. The implementation of an academic intramural competition based on student diversity, immediate recognition, fun, and meaningful prizes in a Texas high school is described. The program is based on the tenet…

Part of a series on contemporary school reform and special education, this report discusses how states are building capacity for standards-based reform. An introduction describes seven key areas in which states must build classroom and organizational level capacities, including: (1) teachers' knowledge, skills, and dispositions; (2) students'…

A national survey of 1,289 elementary teachers and focus groups examined effects of state testing programs on instructional practices and implications for gifted students' motivation. Results suggest that testing programs are likely to discourage effective classroom practices and instead lead to teachers engaging in one-size-fits-all practices.…

Describes statewide results on minimum competency testing (MCT) programs newly implemented in Texas, and discusses initial efforts to predict the impact of a specific statewide MCT program on retention and graduation in Houston. Suggests that the new MCT requirements, by discouraging high risk students who previously might have stayed in school,…

Over 900 Texas teachers were surveyed on their perceptions of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), which at the time of the survey was Texas's high-stakes achievement test. The sample included elementary, middle, and high schools within each of four test performance levels: exemplary, recommended, acceptable, and low performing.…

Participatory classroom instruction, including project-based learning, is a teaching approach that can motivate students to learn, build the academic competencies needed to pass the General Educational Development (GED) Test, and instill the strong self-concept and interpersonal skills needed to succeed. Project-based learning actively engages…

Attitudes toward foreign language study of 200 high school students in the Panhandle (northwest) section of Texas were surveyed. In this rural and agricultural area, the percentage of Mexican Americans and Blacks is quite low. Forty-eight percent of the students believed foreign language study was more difficult than other areas, and 57 percent…

Discusses preservation of a historic house in Beaumont, Texas, by the National Endowment for the Arts' Architect-in-Residence program with help from eighth-grade volunteers. Notes attitude changes in one participating student, who had previously been failing mathematics, English, and American history, but received A's after the experience. (MH)

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive and non-cognitive variables that will predict a student's ability to achieve success in the lowest level developmental mathematics course at San Jacinto College. The study examined the ability of cognitive variables (standardized entrance examinations, high school grade point average, and type of…

The perceptions of the school system held by selected 6th grade Chicano students, their parents, selected school personnel, and the power structure (i.e., superintendent, school board members, councilmen, mayor) were examined. Two Texas school districts of equal characteristics and size, with heavy Chicano enrollments were selected. In one, the…

Studies show that afterschool programs improve academic achievement, reduce grade retention and increase student attendance and interest in school. Across the country, afterschool is a key element in strategies to turn around under-performing schools. The superintendent of Philadelphia and the governor of Virginia have used afterschool to turn…

This guide contains activities from the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center programs for children ages 8 to 12 years. The multisensory activities help students improve their observational skills and utilize activity sheets, journals, and hands-on projects to involve them. Children observe, draw, and photograph animals in their natural settings and…

The Llano Grande Center for Research and Development started as an oral history experiment in two of Texas's poorest school districts. Since the 1920s, when this arid region in the southernmost tip of Texas was first transformed into the orchards and farmlands of the "Magic Valley," workers of Mexican descent have worked the land. Over…

A case study examined the nature of parent involvement in five Mexican-origin, migrant families with children who were highly successful students. The families had their home base in different regions of Texas. Each had a child recognized as an exemplary migrant high school graduate, and together the families had more than 40 academically…