This book has been written to provide readers with the terms, definitions, and research evidence needed to hold conversations about homework in a constructive manner. It attempts to help readers set effective homework policies, rules, or guidelines, whether for a school district, a school, a classroom, or a family. Its premise is that the key to…

This book is an attempt to describe an ethic of excellence in schools and to share strategies for building and sustaining a school culture predicated on this ethic. It discusses a broad notion of excellence that includes excellence in academics, arts and creativity, and character. It recognizes that schools play a major role in shaping the values…

The U.S. Department of Education's Partnership for Family Involvement in Education encourages individuals, partner organizations, and alliances, whether they are members of the Partnership or not, to develop and implement effective family involvement practices in education. The goals of the Partnership are to increase opportunities for families to…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program to address the academic needs of all students in a heterogeneous classroom. The targeted population consisted of middle school students in a rural western Illinois community. Evidence of academic underachievement was documented by teacher observation, surveys, test scores, and…

Compares academic performance between two groups of students in a statistics course. One group was given homework generated by computer software that provided feedback concerning incorrect answers. The other relied on the textbook without benefit of the feedback. The group using the software performed better on homework and tests. (MJP)

Provides three samples of assessment strategies to be used in conjunction with the "National Standards for Music Education" from the recently published, "Performance for Standards, Grades Pre-K12: Strategies and Benchmarks for Assessing Progress Towards the National Standards." The samples include assessments for grades K-4,…

Includes 17 articles that discuss the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and the role of school library media centers. Highlights include improving student achievement; improving student scores on the MAP; graphic organizers; programs for volunteer student library workers; research process; research skills; reading initiatives; collaborative…

Presents strategies for improving student academic achievement and U.S. school productivity. Among the strategies are the following: making student achievement a priority goal for schools, enhancing and toughening the curriculum, managing all educational resources at the school and classroom levels, providing a variety of system incentives towards…

Describes the planning, facilitation, continuation, and evaluation of Designing Successful Learning, an effective staff development program created to facilitate district restructuring and improve student outcomes. The program focuses teachers' attention on cooperative learning, interdisciplinary instruction, performance assessment, student…

Describes the Hawthorne Elementary School (Houston, Texas) reform efforts that targeted inner-city, low-income student academic improvement. The forceful use of national and local resources to implement teacher-initiated changes and to further a successful site-based school restructuring is presented. (GR)

Describes the results of a study that tracked college algebra students who had previously completed an Academic Assistance mathematics course that facilitated collaborative learning. Only 53% of all students who enrolled in college algebra in fall 1994 earned grades of C or higher, but 95% of students who had previously participated in the…

Examined how interdisciplinary team practices and classroom instructional practices affected student achievement in high poverty middle schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Found that when the combined effects of family poverty level, teaming and common planning time, and duration of teaming were considered, there was a relationship…

A study was conducted to determine: (1) if instruction correlated to the Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) resulted in improved basic skills for participants in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program; and (2) to determine the impact of selected factors on grade-level advancement (pre- versus posttest TABE scores). A literature…

This action research project evaluated a program of activities to increase the engagement of high school students in their learning. The targeted population consisted of freshman, sophomore, and senior students in a middle class community in central Illinois. The lack of student engagement that posed a problem in academic progress was documented…

This report presents 1991-93 findings from 410 Chapter 1 elementary school students and a sample of 150 Chapter 1 high school students concerning the effectiveness of the Chapter 1 Guidance Program. Participating students were generally lacking in respectable academic performance, tended to misbehave, and had a history of poor attendance.…