A holistic education linked to creativity, innovation, critical thinking and local/global citizenship is increasingly marginalized in the United States as schools continue to struggle with the impact of high-stakes testing regimes. In particular, urban youths' access to an education that furthers their ability to choose lives they have reason to…

A problem that arises when a differential item functioning (DIF) study is done with samples of examinees differing in ability is examined. A test may function differently when the populations from which the items are calibrated are not of equal ability. Since the lower ability examinees get many difficult items incorrect, the spread (standard…

Female tenth graders (n=217) were less likely than male tenth graders (n=219) to identify missing or irrelevant information in algebra problems. Female eleventh graders (n=234) were less likely than male eleventh graders (n=287) to solve problems with irrelevant information. Results indicate sex differences in knowledge of problem structure. (SLD)