Data use is considered a key lever in school improvement processes, but the punitive pressure of high-stakes accountability can influence whether or not data use is enacted in ways which facilitate improvement. School leaders must learn to respond to high-stakes accountability in ways which lead teachers to feel safe, efficacious, and agentic with…

When surveying parents on six types of involvement, the Family Center at Johns Hopkins University found that respondents were uninterested in regular school visits or participation in decision making but eager to help their children at home. In response, two researchers developed TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork), an interactive…

The effect of family involvement in mathematics homework on student achievement was studied (N=74). Different levels of prompting for family involvement were used with three sixth-grade classes of the same instructor. Involvement and achievement were measured. Findings indicate that the prompted groups were more involved; this level did not…

Describes the general education program for a Russian eighth grade student, compared to key elements reported in Lounsbury and Clark's 1990 national study of eighth graders. Russian intermediate students care how they look, like to socialize and discuss politics, and complete several hours of homework. Schools lack interdisciplinary teaming,…

Administered a specially developed instrument, the Homework Attitude and Behavior Inventory (HABIT), to 120 teachers in two middle schools with a clear homework policy and two without. Schools with a well-defined homework policy had teachers who gave, collected, marked, and returned homework significantly more often and believed in the usefulness…

Suggests that middle school literature circles using novels based around a common theme can change the classroom climate to be more supportive toward taking greater academic risks. Notes that students were offered a choice of book, homework pace, and group roles. (RS)

Investigated sixth-grade students' perceptions of parental involvement with homework. Students completed mathematics homework assignments designed to involve parents, then completed surveys examining their experiences. Significant numbers of students believed they did better in school when parents helped with homework, but they had mixed…

An ethnographic study used a multidimensional social perspective on learning and literacy to look at the educational experiences and perspectives of urban young people through an examination of student homework. Subjects, upwards of 40 young people, were drawn from four sites: a sixth-grade classroom at Woodside Elementary School (located in a…

Middle school students (n=86) with learning disabilities or emotional disturbance who participated in Cooperative Homework Teams achieved a higher rate of homework completion and higher percentage correct on homework than controls but did not perform better in mathematics achievement. Significant effects were found for grade level but not for type…

This practicum was designed to improve communication among parents, teachers, and sixth-grade students who were housed in an elementary building due to school crowding. A telephone answering machine allowed students and parents to access information about homework, classwork, and upcoming events during evening hours. Additional parent outreach…

Explains that students in intermediate grades often find the academic demands more difficult and complex. Four factors are identified: ability, quality and quantity of instruction, and motivation. Examines the direct and indirect effects of variables shown to influence academic achievement. Claims that motivation and homework are especially…

The effect of teaching parents of 26 at-risk middle school students to facilitate a home-based self-management program to improve homework performances and academic achievement was investigated. Results indicated overall levels of homework completion and homework quality increased significantly for those students whose parents consistently…

Most children do not come home from school empty-handed, but laden with one or more assignments to be completed at home and returned to school the next day. Research suggests that parental involvement with homework can enable and enhance its positive effect. This study investigated middle-grades students' perceptions about parental involvement…

A study examined the preferences of 211 middle school students (including 17 students with learning or behavior disabilities) for 17 homework adaptations. Lowest ratings were given for teachers giving students different assignments than those given to other students in the class. Preferences were not mediated by learning or behavioral disability.…

The middle school years can be important for developing student attitudes about learning, school, and careers. However, it is often difficult to involve parents in working with middle schools to help adolescents form positive attitudes toward school and science. This exploratory study investigates a method of potentially having all of a teacher's…