This review describes the conditions for teaching economics in the kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) curriculum in U.S. schools. The first section presents data on course-taking in economics in high schools and state mandates for economics instruction. It discusses the value of the infusion approach to teaching economics either in place of…

In school districts across the nation, diverse student groups, including English Learners and students with disabilities, have been experiencing significant gains in reading performance after using READ 180. This compendium of READ 180 research contains results of 40 studies conducted in a variety of settings, in school districts across the…

In this analysis of 58 empirical studies of high school block scheduling, the authors report findings in and across five groupings. Within groups, data were inconsistent regarding whether teachers' practices changed, but teachers believed that staff development was necessary to teach in a block schedule. Block scheduling appeared to increase…

The California Postsecondary Education Commission periodically conducts studies of university eligibility of public high school graduates. The eligibility rates from these studies are the proportion of high school graduates who qualify for freshman admission to California public universities. Eligibility is based on completion of specific high…

In response to the limitations of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), several states, including California and Connecticut, are moving away from exclusive use of standardized tests and toward more performance-based assessments. In Massachusetts, a committee is working to put SAT scores into context by finding other ways to judge and report school…

This report is the first in a series of reports on teaching and learning in Foundation-supported schools. This report takes a careful look at instruction and students' academic work. In a subset of reforming schools, it examines whether students are exposed to challenging learning opportunities and whether challenging learning opportunities open…

The use of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for predicting academic success has generated tremendous debate about fairness and bias. Despite discrepant observations and arguments, the need for a credible assessment formula remains strong. Although widely used by a large number of American colleges, the SAT and similar tests are not widely used…

This report describes court challenges to high school exit exams for students with disabilities, explores the legal and public policy issues, and discusses implications for educators. Legal challenges include claims brought under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, and under disability statutes, including the…

This study compared the different modes of evaluation at work in Greece's secondary school graduation and university admission process. The goals of the study were (1) to provide background information regarding the contribution of in-school assessment scores and external examination scores to higher education admissions decisions, and (2) to…

In 43 rural Maine communities that pay tuition to send their students to high schools in larger towns, achievement test scores appeared to influence parental school choice but explained only 20% of the variability in enrollment trends. Enrollment trends were not related to school socioeconomic status or expenditure per pupil. Contains 40…

Reviews literature assessing research about the teaching and learning of high school economics. Examines how student learning has been measured using results from the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL). Considers research design and two models for assessing learning and findings. Concludes standardized test scores do not reveal differences among…

This report reviews issues and previous empirical studies surrounding prediction of educational attainment, preparation for college, college aptitude assessment, and prediction of achievement in college for Hispanic students residing in the United States. First, a demographic overview of Hispanics, concentrating on population size, ethnic subgroup…

This paper analyzes Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score declines of two decades--the 1960s and 1970s. The importance of pervasive societal influences is accepted. A variety of data suggests, however, that the increase in school retention rates of poorly prepared students and the resulting heterogeneity of the high school population is a unifying…

In this review of college admission practices, four areas are analyzed: (1) changing patterns of admission standards and practices and factors that have influenced those changes during the past 25 years; (2) importance assigned to high school achievement, test scores, and other criteria in arriving at admission decisions; (3) influence of college…