Analyzes differences in achievement levels between Sephardi and Ashkenazi grade 6 students and overall achievement levels in 24 Israeli urban elementary schools. Finds that schools with higher levels of between-classroom segregation had larger ethnic achievement gaps. (FMW)

Analyzes the trend toward ranking colleges, and what it means to community colleges. States that the National Center for Public Policy published "Measuring Up 2000" as its first state-by-state report card on higher education, including community colleges. Reports that the study ranks the states according to six key elements: preparation,…

The purpose of this study was to (1) reexamine academic achievement motivation orientations within the context of instrumental music, and (2) examine relations among achievement motivation orientations, self-concept in instrumental music, and attitude to band in relation to teachers' ratings of performance achievement and effort, and students'…

The author, an executive director of Assessment and Accountability for the Poway Unified School District, relates how their school district implemented an assessment program with practical applications to teaching and learning. Rather than being yet another burden on teachers or a local report card on schools, the district's goal was to define…

Evaluates "The Reading Report Card" and application of Reading Proficiency Scale to that report with 1984-85 data on reading ability in adults between ages 21 and 25. Also discusses reading trends in relation to different segments of population and in terms of where decreases and increases in reading ability have occurred between 1974…

High school students' misunderstandings of the conceptual machine of the BASIC programming language were examined using a screening test and structured interviews to determine their understanding of fundamental concepts such as variables, assignments, loops, flow and control, and tracing and debugging. (MBR)

Two factors were investigated: the longitudinal nature of student ratings of instructors and the use of item banks for designing student rating questionnaires, especially for instructor feedback. (Author/MLW)

Results of a study surveying a sample of students from grade 12 (with and without business training) indicated that most high school graduates do not have business skills sufficient to manage their personal business, and that business educators are not providing these skills. Survey questionnaire and statistical tables are appended. (MF)

Demonstrates how information in the cumulative school file is a rich resource for understanding the patterns of achievement and underachievement among gifted students. High and moderative achievers and moderate and extreme underachievers (n=153) were compared on information found in the school file. Results show differences between achievers and…

Discusses plans for a national testing program and its possible effects on social studies. Expresses concern that the proposed plans avoid the issues of how and by whom curricular content is to be developed and how diversity will be accommodated. Includes discussion of the purposes, fairness, and problems inherent in the American Achievement…

A survey of 1,140 eighth grade students showed that regular class students had higher levels of self-concept than did students who were educationally marginal or learning handicapped. African-American students had higher self-concept ratings than did white and Hispanic students. Males had higher ratings than did females on five of seven scales.…

Reports results of the Second International Science Study concerning achievement in physics of U.S. high school students. Makes comparisons between students of 13 other countries and U.S. students, between first- and second-year U.S. physics students, and between U.S. students tested in the mid-1980s and those tested in 1970. (MDH)

This research focuses on the examination of problems related to the national teacher performance appraisal system by the Thai Ministry of Education. It highlights major problems of the current performance appraisal system by delineating the weaknesses and pitfalls of the current appraisal system. The findings indicate problems to three major…

In this article, the authors aim to present and discuss competing accountability approaches, or models, designed to systematically indicate how a school's students are performing academically. Within the framework of the current federally mandated accountability legislation, increased interest in models measuring school performance has caused…

This study was designed to find out if students taught food and nutrition concepts using the lecture method and practical work would perform significantly better than their counterparts taught with the lecture and teacher demonstrations and the lecture method only. The sample comprised 114 Jamaican 10th-graders (56 boys, 58 girls) selected from…