This document presents key educational statistics for Vermont's elementary school through college students, using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and other sources. To indicate how Vermont is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between poor and non-poor students, the report presents NAEP data by family…

This report compares Washington's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how Washington is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American and Latino students and their white,…

This report compares West Virginia's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how West Virginia is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American and Latino students and their…

This report compares Wisconsin's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how Wisconsin is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American and Latino students and their white, middle…

This report compares Wyoming's reading and mathematics performance on the most recent administrations of the state assessment with performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). To indicate how Wyoming is doing in narrowing the academic achievement gap between African American and Latino students and their white, middle…

Describes findings of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), on which eighth-grade U.S. scores were above average in science and below average in mathematics. Concludes that teachers are vital to raising standards by analyzing teaching practices, reforming professional development programs, implementating new teaching…

Presents project designed to teach eighth grade gifted and talented students about geographic themes and locational skills. Describes the lesson plan, applying the 5 fundamental geography themes to learning about 11 African countries. Explains the culminating project: organizing a bike-a-thon ("Ride for Wildlife") that raised $2784.00…

Describes the first administration of the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) to fifth-grade students. Discusses the history of CLAS, types of questions employed, content coverage, methods of scoring, and reporting on tests results. Presents sample questions, student responses, and commentary on student performance. (CFR)

Ideas young students have about their government and the effects of instruction and development on the formation of these ideas were studied for 26 students interviewed 4 times (before and after U.S. history instruction in grades 5 and 8). Why students' conceptions showed more consistency than growth is discussed. (SLD)

Examines relationships between student interests and aptitude in selected academic fields and their success in intensive courses on these subjects. Discusses a two-year study of 33 mathematics students and 32 literature students in the eighth and ninth grades in the Soviet Union. Shows that differentiated, intensive study did not strengthen…

Provides a library media activity designed for social studies and focused on retrieving and comparing bibliographic information from print and nonprint sources. Describes library media skills objectives; curriculum (subject area) objectives; grade levels (7 through 9); print, CDROM and other resources; instructional roles; procedures; evaluation;…

Describes Millersville University's Keystone Project, 1 of 11 Pennsylvania partnerships of school districts and teacher education institutions to create interdisciplinary curriculum projects based on national and state standards. Middle school and university faculty cooperatively planned and implemented the project. Using state and national…

This article reports on the results of a planning grant studying the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on a diverse student population. The treatment was introduced to 1500 eighth grade students in five middle schools selected for their ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity. Students were given pre-, post-, and delayed posttests…

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a revised state-of-the-art drug prevention program, Project ALERT, on risk factors for drug use in mostly rural midwestern schools and communities. Fifty-five middle schools from South Dakota were randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Treatment-group students received 11…

Drawing from a five-site multicase study, this paper examines three middle school students' perspectives on weekly classroom discussions that took place over a 6-month period in order to analyze the dynamics of classroom talk and how discussions can be affected by the teacher's interaction with the students. The three students were members of an…