In Israel, secondary curriculum differentiation (more diverse course offerings) was related to greater course-taking diversity, student selection of higher-level courses, higher average achievement, and greater equality of achievement. In the United States, which does not have Israel's high-stakes examination system, diverse course offerings were…

The relationship between intrinsic motivation for school learning and school achievement was investigated. An intrinsic motivation inventory was developed to test the hypotheses that intrinsic motivation is differentiated into specific subject areas for school learning; and for specific subjects is positively, significantly, and differentially…

There is no more pressing problem in education today, writes the author, than closing the achievement gap between low-income urban schools and more advantaged predominantly suburban schools. A study by the Center for Education Research & Policy at MassINC (CERP), identifies some of the characteristics of higher-performing urban high schools in…

A growing number of states are taking steps to transform three largely disconnected levels of public education--preschool, K-12, and postsecondary--into a more coherent, integrated system called P-16. P-16 is based on the concept of a seamless continuum of public education stretching from preschool to grade 16, culminating in a baccalaureate…

This study reports the results of 3 years of implementation of a Partnership Academy, a restructuring model for at-risk high school students at J. Sterling Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois. Based on the California model, the partnership academy is distinguished by four features: a multi-year, school-within-a-school structure from 10th…

This study examines changes in the entrance and success rates of Native students in Alaska colleges from 1963 to 1972, a time when special college recruitment and assistance programs were being developed. Information is based on the college records of those Natives who entered college for the first time at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks…

Until the nation's educational-research base improves, American students will never learn as much as they might and American schools will never be as good as they can be. Those are the conclusions of this white paper, a report of 5 years of analysis and ongoing discussion with parents, teachers, administrators, and researchers by the National…

Integration of academic and vocational curricula is missing from most American classrooms because integration that is rigorous, authentic, and sustained is much more difficult than most advocates imagine. The difficulty arises because teachers must do the following: keep integration sharply focused on clear, well-defined educational objectives;…

Data from the High School and Beyond Study (National Center for Education Statistics) are used to examine the post-school outmigration of students from rural areas in connection with student coursework and curriculum program enrollment (school level). Results show a connection between outmigration and high academic achievement and the schools'…

This handbook provides guidelines for enhancing the use of time in secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical classes. It is intended to guide teachers, administrators, supervisors, inservice coordinators, and teacher educators through conducting time-use analysis. It is part of BASICS, a package of integrated materials developed to assist…

Based on the theory that higher education in America has been on the decline since 1953, the decadence and hopes for renewal in higher learning are examined. The following afflictions are cited as cause for the decline: (1) a purposelessness or loss of the objects of wisdom and virtue; (2) intellectual disorder: all integration and order of…

Discusses the influence of the number of liberal arts courses and course stratification upon community college transfer rate, indicating that colleges with below-average liberal arts ratios had disproportionately low transfer rates. Suggests that precollegiate, freshman, and sophomore stratifications, including remedial education programs, in the…

This report contains data from "The Condition of Education 1996" on issues that are central to the process of work preparation: course-taking patterns among high school and postsecondary students, student experience as it relates to preparation for entry into the labor force, and adult involvement in education and training while employed. Some of…

Criticisms have been directed at the quality of professionals entering the teaching field, with the implication that higher quality students pursue degrees other than education and that the academically less talented gravitate toward the teaching profession. To test this idea, a study was conducted to determine if significant differences exist in…

A study was conducted to: (1) determine if differences exist in socioeconomic background, academic ability, and curriculum with regard to basic communication skills achievement of high school seniors; and (2) gather baseline information about the level of achievement expected of seniors. The study compared basic communication skills scores…