Project CIRCLE, a project conducted by the University of Texas Learning Technology Center in collaboration with the Austin Independent School District and the Eanes Independent School District, explored the use of network-based tools to help change teacher practices toward more student-directed and constructivist approaches to learning. Through…

This document, the result of the Youth in Transition longitudinal study, describes procedures, rationale, and major results of an evaluation of American high schools. The purpose of the study was to examine factors that make some schools superior to others. A "good" school is defined as one which has a greater than average desirable impact on its…

The ACT is an educational achievement test that measures the typical content and skills learned from college preparatory curricula. Consequently, the ACT can be used not only to predict college success, but also to provide direct feedback to high school teachers about the effectiveness of their teaching. ACT results also assist teachers in…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) It's Education, Stupid: Greenspan Stresses the Importance of Education to Improving Job Prospects, Incomes, and…

The fifth in a series of studies investigating the educational context and outcomes for high school students with disabilities, this study examined instruction provided in inclusive general education classes in three high schools in urban areas, three in suburban areas, and three in rural areas. Five ninth-grade classes, including biology,…

Project FOCAL Point is a multi-strand project designed to increase female participation in the computing sciences. The project targets two crucial groups: high school computing teachers and female high school students. Features include a two-week teacher workshop, a one-week Computer Camp for Young Women, mini-grant projects and a follow-up…

The Mathematics and Science Partnership Project helped California teachers infuse technology into secondary science and mathematics classrooms. After receiving training in use of the hardware and software, teachers developed project-related goals and redesigned their curricula to incorporate technology. The project created more student-centered…

This article reports the general findings of a survey study designed to extend knowledge about high school teacher attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Specifically, the study examined the extent to which high school teacher attitudes toward inclusion are affected by classroom experience…

This study investigated the methods and effects of introducing a teacher development program aimed at improving student learning across the curriculum at two secondary schools in New Zealand. A particular target was the lowest achieving 30 percent of learners who were identified as "less proficient learners." The teachers were volunteers…

The story of the Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI) of the New York City Schools illuminates the obstacles, incentives, and inventions that can come into play in a large city school system's effort to strengthen its effectiveness for at-risk students. The Board of Education commissioned an external evaluation of the DPI in 13 comprehensive high…

The task of successfully preparing teachers in the United State to effectively work with an ever-increasing culturally and linguistically diverse student body represents a pressing challenge for teacher educators. Unfortunately, much of this practice of equipping prospective teachers for working with learners from different backgrounds revolves…

An experimental Interactive Video Disc (IVD) assessment program, funded partially by the National Science Foundation, was developed to assess science teachers' knowledge of safe management of lab facilities and activities. The IVD program contains two phases: (1) panoramic view of the lab room, including safety equipment and storage of chemicals;…

The purpose of this national sample survey was to collect data on the evolution of political orientations among high school students and on the intergenerational influences upon that process. Two datasets (one involving the responses of 97 principals and one involving the responses of 317 social studies teachers from those same 97 schools) were…

This handbook contains information for high school educators--teachers, curriculum coordinators, counselors, and principals--as they prepare students to take the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE). The first section explains the purpose of the PSAE, gives timelines and test-day schedules, and shows how the PSAE is constructed. The rest…

The seventh in a series of studies investigating the educational context and outcomes for high school students with disabilities (SWDs), this study examined the high school context within which students with and without disabilities must succeed and the supports in place for assisting them. A questionnaire was administered to 70 high school…