This study compared performance of seniors at 21 Montgomery County (Maryland) high schools on the Advanced Placement (AP) Tests. The schools were ranked by the percentage of college-educated adults within the school boundaries, and the ranking was compared to Advanced Placement test results (the average number of students, per 100 seniors, who…

Although performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test Program (ACT) indicates that Wisconsin's students are superior to those of other states, a more thorough assessment reveals that the state does not compare well with its neighbors either on the general level of academic preparedness or in efforts to develop…

The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, a program of the University of North Texas, is a two-year, residential, early-admissions program for high-school juniors gifted in mathematics and science. Students attend university classes, live in a campus residence hall, and receive both a high-school diploma and college credits. (JDD)

Using data on approximately 2,000 students drawn from three talent searches conducted by the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, this study investigated the relationship of possible sex differences in science achievement to sex differences in mathematical reasoning ability. (BS)

This study investigated cognitive style as a screening mechanism for placing students in gifted education programs. Middle school (n=156) and high school students (n=94) were included in this study. Slightly fewer than half of the students had been previously identified as academically gifted, while the remainder were from the regular studies…

A study of 15 gifted high school freshman investigated changes in learning style after a year of schooling in a technology-rich environment dedicated to constructivist learning. Although the results were inconclusive, learning styles were influenced by exposure to technology: computers affected the exploration and presentation of content and…

This study found no differences in content acquisition (as measured by a standardized test) of 167 gifted 10th graders in American Studies classes who received either a problem-based learning approach or traditional instruction. Results did not support the common assumption that curriculum fostering higher order thinking skills inevitably results…

The Student Perceptions of Classroom Quality was administered to 420 high school students. Results found that the constructs measured by the assessment (meaningfulness, challenge, choice, and appeal) were clearly tied to student motivation and learning. Validity and reliability of the test were established. Implications for gifted programming are…

Questions raised by contemporary research on mathematical giftedness were addressed in a longitudinal study based on a random stratified sample of 95,650 tenth graders and a subsample of 497 mathematically gifted boys and 508 mathematically gifted girls from this larger pool. Gender differences and educational outcomes are discussed. (SLD)

A questionnaire concerning weighted grades in high school honors classes was sent to state directors of gifted education. Findings indicated that 86% of respondents reported their states allowed high schools to use weighted grades. Other findings addressed charges of elitism, public support, and identification of non-European-American children.…

Phenomenological interviews conducted with 30 attendees and 15 alumni of Wyoming's High School Institute (HSI), a summer residential program for high ability 15-year olds, identified 2 primary themes relating to the social and emotional needs and experiences of the subjects. Themes included social experiences and awareness of others. Subcategories…

This article describes the structure and operation of three literature seminars offered in the English curriculum at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities. The seminar approach puts the responsibility on the student and fosters creativity, thinking skills, and problem solving. The seminars include:…

Using High School and Beyond data for 14,825 sophomores, the effect of school-average ability on academic outcomes was measured in the sophomore and senior years of high school and 2 years after graduation. Academic self-concept and educational aspirations mediated a negative relationship between school-average ability and academic outcomes. (TJH)

A high school history teacher of gifted students examined difficulties in establishing cooperative groups when members changed frequently. Student interviews and surveys indicated that some students were happy to remain nonparticipants in any group. Participation was less a factor of group makeup than a factor of student opinion about grades.…

A practicum was developed to increase the number and success rate of junior Honors English students--63 students who were 62% Latino and 38% African-American--taking the English Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Test strategies that were designed to allay students' innate fears about tests in general and specifically about English language and…