Designed to complete a cycle begun in 1946, the 1950 Service-Wide Testing Program examined: the progress and achievement made by American Indian students in various educational situations, and the factors thought to affect their educational development. Tests were administered to all students in grades 8 and 12 enrolled in day, mission, public,…

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 is the third in a continuing cycle of international mathematics and science assessments conducted every four years. TIMSS assesses achievement in countries around the world and collects a rich array of information about the educational contexts for learning mathematics and…

This report documents the process undertaken to produce scales in three cognitive domains: knowing, applying, and reasoning. Included are the final scales showing differences among countries, as well as within countries. TIMSS 2003 is the third and most recently completed round of IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, a very…

This study used data from the base year and first followup year of the National Educational Longitudinal Survey of 1988 (NELS:88) to investigate determinants of achievement in minority versus nonminority students. In the base year, the NELS:88 collected data on eighth graders. Because there were so few American Indians, that group was eliminated…

The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) is the first nationally representative study of eighth grade students in public and private schools. NELS:88, sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics, is designed to provide longitudinal data about critical transitions experienced by young people as they develop, attend…

This study examined emerging educational trends in Minnesota following the implementation of the Minnesota Basic Skills Tests. Data consisted of demographic and test score information for all 8th grade students taking the regular administration of the mathematics and reading Basic Skills Tests from 1996-01. Students' performance in reading appears…

This guidebook has been written to provide direction, guidance and resources for classroom teachers, gifted facilitators, related services staff and administrators so that educators might better serve the gifts of all students. This user-friendly manual is a complement to "Policy 2419: Regulations for the Education of Exceptional…

EXPLORE is an every-student program that assesses the academic progress of eighth graders, helps them explore the wide range of career options, and assists them in developing a high school coursework plan. EXPLORE can function as a stand-alone program or as a point of entry into the American College Testing (ACT) Program's Educational Planning and…

Articles on second language education include: "Foreign Languages in Schools" (Madelyn Holmes), an overview of the benefits of language instruction in elementary and secondary education; "Japanese across the Miles" (Elizabeth Reiken), describing a high school distance learning program in Japanese; "Teaching Spanish as a Community Service" (Rita A.…

Twelve pupils from each of 13 middle school science classes participated in this study. Findings, among others, indicate that two of nine engagement measures (attending and generalizing), together with formal reasoning ability, were related to process skill, achievement, and retention. (JN)

Describes a unit on North American colonization taught in an eighth-grade history class. Profiles the students' knowledge of colonial history before and after the class through in-depth interviews. Discusses current reform movements in social studies instruction and how they relate to this unit. (MJP)

Explores the effects of the attitudes and culture of Israeli-Jewish English-language students on their reading comprehension. Eighth-grade students read stories in Hebrew and English and answered questions both about the stories and their own attitudes. Reveals that culturally familiar texts boost reading comprehension scores. (MJP)

Social and personal concomitants of exceptional academic capability in the context of various educational settings were studied, using 143 fifth-, 118 eighth-, and 93 tenth-grade gifted students. Results provide insights into the students' peer relations, social competence, academic self-concept, and attitudes toward school. (TJH)

Reports on a study of the impact of individual feedback on achievement, attitudes, and behavior in cooperative learning groups on 56 8th-grade students. Finds that individual feedback was more effective than group feedback and that individual feedback resulted in more positive relationships toward others. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the effects of personal characteristics, family involvement, and ability grouping on school participation and commitment. Finds that decreasing levels of school commitment are associated with increasing rates of school crime, misconduct, and nonattendance. (CFR)