The United Nations has identified the COVID-19 pandemic as the largest global disruption of education in history. Collaborative and hands-on learning activities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were particularly challenging to maintain during this period. Future large-scale disruptions of schools are considered likely, leading…

This information memo provides an annotated list of extant surveys used to assess school climate, classroom climate, or teacher effectiveness that are designed for use in middle schools. The purpose is to assist educators to select or design surveys to assess school climate in middle schools, with a particular focus on assessing student engagement…

Six years ago Project Starship MIR, the Russian language "shuttle," launched at Turnagain Elementary, one of the Anchorage School District's 65 elementary schools. The MIR "peace" mission originated with encouragement from the local business community to prepare students for Alaska's future economic, social and political ties…

This study examined the relative efficacy of the Anchorage (Alaska) Pre-Algebra Test and the State of Alaska Benchmark in 2 Math examination as tools used in the process of recommending grade 6 students for grade 7 Pre-Algebra placement. The consequential validity of the tests is explored in the context of class placements and grades earned. The…

Examined the incidence of differential item functioning (DIF) on 3 subtests of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills using test scores for 2,867 Alaskan students, characterized as "Native" or White at fourth and sixth grades or sixth and eighth grades. Effect size differences favoring whites were larger when students of equal English…

This report describes the methods and results of the 1999 Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 1998 School Health Education Profile (SHEP). Each survey is intended to provide a better understanding of health and related programs within school settings. The YRBS asks students to report their behaviors in the six major areas of health…

Describes a pilot project in the state of Alaska and one mathematics teacher's experiences in this project studying and using performance-based assessment techniques and developing a scoring guide for performance-based assessments. (ASK)

This activities booklet focuses on the story of Alaska's state flag. The booklet is for use in teaching middle school students. Each activity contains: background information, a summary and time estimate, Alaska state standards, a step-by-step technique for classroom implementation of the activity, assessment tips, materials and resources needed,…

Asserts that teachers from different cultural backgrounds hold the same perceptions of professionalism. Claims that teachers can have various levels of job satisfaction and still retain a high perception of professionalism. (MM)

This article describes the revised summer school program developed by the Anchorage (AK) School District for students who received poor grades in their core classes or low scores in the Alaska Benchmark Examinations or California Achievement Tests. More than 500 middle school students from the district spent five weeks during the summer honing…

This document is the fifth educational packet in the Alaska Wildlife Week Series. This unit emphasizes forest wildlife, ecology, and conservation and includes: a teacher's guide with information, interdisciplinary activities, games, and worksheets; a wildlife poster; forest wildlife cards with illustrations and text describing over 100 organisms…

This is the Teacher's Guide for six video programs: "Introduction to Ecosystems"; "Tundra"; "Coastal Forest"; "Oceans"; "Impact of Human Habitation"; and "Taiga". The programs are designed to fit into courses for students from grades five through high school in which ecology is taught.…

The wide range of settings for counseling, from large urban schools to remote bush communities, as well as the many multicultural issues found in Alaska, when combined with the changing American society led to the development of this state-wide counseling and guidance plan. The goal of this plan is to provide comprehensive and systematic…

Designed for middle school through high school students, this unit contains eight lesson plans that focus on Alaska state law. The state lessons correspond to lessons in the volume, "Antidote: Civic Responsibility. Drug Avoidance Lessons for Middle School & High School Students." Developed to be presented by educators, law student,…

Systems thinking involves seeing relationships between the parts to the whole within the school improvement effort. After providing the key principles and examples of systems thinking, the article emphasizes the importance of staff development, highlighting experiences at a Wellesley (Massachusetts) middle school and an Alaskan high school. (SM)