This study examines trends in Black student achievement and in the Black-White achievement gap over the period 2000 to 2007, employing data from ten states drawn from the NAEP Grade 8 mathematics assessments. Results are obtained for three levels of aggregation: the state, school poverty stratum within the state, and schools within poverty…

In the No Child Left Behind era of high-stakes testing, school administrators are facing their toughest challenge ever. They are being held accountable for the performance of their schools, yet current systems in public education typically fail to provide them with the appropriate tools to manage effectively. Although the classroom is where…

Many teachers in Tennessee believe that the primary causes of low scores on state mandated competency tests are the lack of encouragement at home and social promotion; "too much TV, not enough supervision on the part of parents, poor study habits and lack of motivation and self-discipline" are also cited. (CM)