It is well documented that there continues to be a gap between white and nonwhite student achievement. A study develops and tests a measure of white-nonwhite achievement gap reduction. The ultimate purpose is to use the measure as the dependent variable in a qualitative study of what works in reducing the gap. The strategy used in addressing this…

The problem of this study was whether there was greater improvement in cognitive abilities and affective behaviors of disadvantaged black students in an open education program as compared with a traditional education program. Two random samples were drawn from the sixth grade population of a middle school. Ninety students were selected from the…

Participation of 1,715 fourth-grade students in family outing activities was compared across three racial groups and used to predict reading and math achievement. Results indicate participation differed across racial groups, and participants were higher achievers than nonparticipatnts. Specific predictors are discussed. (Author/MT)

The problem presented in this dissertation was to describe and investigate open and traditional classrooms and their effect on black, urban, middle school students' attitudes, creativity, and achievement. Research suggested that specific areas that needed examination were students' attitudes toward school, basic skills, creativity, and…

This study explored the influences of social, psychological, and cultural determinants of underachievement as perceived by 148 intermediate grade African-American students in gifted, above average, or average academic programs. Psychological factors played the greatest role in underachievement or poor achievement motivation. Underachievement…

Effects of sex, ethnicity and their interaction on initial status and year-long change in (1) Language Arts and Social Studies achievement; (2) attitude toward school, and (3) self-rated coping were examined. Subjects included 1657 sixth graders from 51 classes in Austin, Texas. Each class was comprised of a mixture of Anglos, Blacks, and Chicanos…

This study examines influences on the high reading achievement of two low-income, African American fifth graders, both girls, and both of whom lived with their grandmothers. Data came from interviews with the students, their teachers, and their custodial guardians and from observations of the students at school and at home. Results indicated that…

Three field experiments were conducted to evaluate Individual Learning Expectations (ILE), an alternative grading structure that awards points by comparing students' quiz scores with individual pretest "base scores." Findings of the studies are promising; however, results regarding the effectiveness of ILE in motivating students'…

Interviews with 148 African-American fifth- and sixth-grade students (in either gifted, above average, or average academic programs) found that gifted students, regardless of gender, were most supportive of the U.S. achievement ideology, and average students were least supportive. Discrepancies between beliefs about hard work and success and…

Two studies examined middle school students' achievement values by using peer-nomination procedures. Nominations of peers whom participants admired, respected, and wanted to be like were summed to create a values index. The usefulness of peer-nomination procedures as a methodology for studying values and implications for understanding the plight…

Reports research examining the relative effects of parental marital status and socioeconomic status (SES) on the educational achievement of African-American middle-grade students. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 show that at lower SES, African-American students from divorced households scored significantly higher on a…

In the 1982-1983 school year, the Public Education Association, an educational advocacy organization in New York City, undertook an action research project on young adolescents' stress in school. The project was located in one inner-city intermediate school for 4 years and is now following graduates of that school in the city's high schools. As…

The predictive validity of reading attitude, field independence, locus of control, and demographic variables for reading and mathematics achievement was investigated. Expressed Reading Difficulty, field independence, and locus of control all contributed substantially to the regression equation. (Author/CM)

Evaluated the effects of a pilot program designed to improve the attendance and academic skills of African-American students at risk. Results with 15 middle school students show improved attendance, fewer suspensions, and better grades in mathematics, English, science, and history. In addition, most participants were promoted to high school. (SLD)

Students completed surveys, including scale assessing perceptions of home-school dissonance, in fifth grade and again the following year. Contrary to hypothesis, African Americans did not report more dissonance that European Americans. High dissonance students were more angry and self-deprecating, had lower self-esteem, were less hopeful, felt…