The study investigated whether significant differences resulted from a bilingual-bicultural reading program as compared to the results of a traditional monolingual reading program. During the third spring semester of a four year bilingual project, 86 third, 84 fifth, and 96 eighth grade bilingual Mexican American students from the same South Texas…

In an experiment conducted under classroom conditions with 8th grade students, the simulation game "Democracy" was shown to be effective at teaching that "log-rolling" is an acceptable part of the legislative process. Two aspects of the game--role identification and game structure--were shown to contribute independently to its effectiveness.…

This study investigated the accuracy and types of interpretations that fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders gave to 24 editorial cartoons in four issue areas and the effect of intelligence on political cartoon interpretation. Numerous misinterpretations and no interpretations indicates assumptions that cartoons are an effective teaching medium…

This study examined the differences in reading and mathematics achievement and the discipline records of eighth grade students who lived with both of their biological parents and those who did not. Participating were 199 eighth grade middle school students in rural Georgia. The 103 students in the traditionally parented group came from their…

This report is the beginning of a series that will examine the performance of the school children of New Jersey relative to the performance of other children in the United States and worldwide. The measure of performance used was the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics examinations and their linked versions of the…

Because many school funding studies are seriously flawed, valid conclusions cannot be reached concerning the effects of school funding in the United States. New evidence from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and two international achievement tests shows that differences among U.S. public school districts (and states) in funding and…

Compared students' identification with school relative to academic achievement and classroom participation among 1,335 White and African American students. Results found that African American and female students had higher levels of identification than did White and male students, respectively, but their positive feelings were not attributable to…

Explores how fifth- and eighth-grade schoolchildren picture the past by asking them to project themselves into historical roles and to illustrate specific historical figures. Results reveal boys and girls differed across task and historical role as well as in their depictions. Discusses what these findings say regarding students' beliefs about…

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment for within-state samples of eighth graders suggest that achievement is inversely related to school and district size indexes and to state-funding share. Higher achieving states have smaller schools and districts and smaller state shares of school expenditures. (SLD)

Examines technology access and use in urban, suburban, and rural schools by using data from the eighth-grade cohort of the 1988 National Educational Longitudinal Survey. Results indicate significant differences in the use of mathematics technology in school settings, and that inequalities in educational opportunity still need to be addressed. (JKP)

Compares Asian and white eighth graders' performance on reading and math test scores and grades. Results indicate that the difference between these two groups can be explained by family background. Whites and Asians differed substantially in their grade performance, suggesting that cultural and behavioral differences may be an important influence.…

This report presents results for the first trial school-district-level science assessment in NAEP at grades 4 and 8. Ten urban public-school districts voluntarily participated: Atlanta City, Austin Independent School District, Boston School District, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, City of Chicago School District 299, Cleveland City School…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest, most comprehensive, and most rigorous international comparison of education ever undertaken. During the 1995 school year, the study tested the mathematics and science knowledge of a half-million students from 41 nations at five different grade levels. In addition to…

A comparison was made of student understandings of marine science and marine resource concepts in two geographically distant but similar sociocultural regions of the United States. The study is based on the nature of ecological events, students' understanding in the context of meaningful learning, and the cultural context in which learning takes…

Two student populations of 13-year-olds in Ontario (Canada) were assessed as part of the 1988 International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP): French- and English-language students. Results confirm findings of differences in mathematics achievement seen earlier in the Second International Mathematics Study. Ontario French-language students…