The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2008. Following almost four decades of rapid growth the IBO embarked on a strategic planning exercise in 2004. One outcome is that the IBO seeks to widen access to its Diploma Programme (IBDP), and one avenue being followed is online provision. There have been…

This special issue presents the "Education Week's" annual report on education technology, "Technology Counts." This special issue includes the following articles: (1) Breaking Away from Tradition (Michelle R. Davis); (2) Research Shows Evolving Picture of E-Education (Debra Viadero); (3) Advanced Placement Secures Online Niche (Michelle R. Davis);…

As Internet technology encroached on the public school classroom about a decade ago, Kim Ross, superintendent of the Houston School District in Houston, Minnesota, saw an opportunity. At first, he and his administrative team simply wanted to offer students in the district of 1,300 access to more classes via the web than what a district that size…

More students are taking Advanced Placement tests, but the proportion of tests receiving what is deemed a passing score has dipped, and the mean score is down for the fourth year in a row. Data released here this week by the New York City-based nonprofit organization that owns the AP brand shows that a greater-than-ever proportion of students…

For years, only a handful of the highest achievers graduated from high school with college courses on their transcripts. However, as states strive to blur the line between high school graduation requirements and college expectations, such dual-enrollment courses are quickly becoming part of a broader strategy to help more students become…

If everyone needs an education through two years of college or the equivalent, then the nation has an obligation to provide a far more certain pathway for postsecondary success than it does now. Because so many young people fail to complete the final years of high school, graduate but do not apply to college, or begin postsecondary education only…

Greater numbers of high-school students are taking Advanced Placement (AP) examinations and are faring better on them than in the past, said a report released by the College Board. The board, a nonprofit association, administers 37 AP exams, which allow high-school students to earn college credit or exemption from introductory-level college…

This article seeks to provide an introduction to Extensible Markup Language (XML) by looking at its use in a single source publishing approach to the provision of teaching resources in both hardcopy and online. Using the development of the International Baccalaureate Organisation's online Economics Subject Guide as a practical example, this…

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) has gone through many changes. The AP Program was initiated in the 1950s in response to colleges and public schools that wished to establish and assess college level curricula for academically advanced high school students. From inception, the AP Program has remained focused on and committed to the education of…

Dr. Paul Dosal of the University of South Florida is not impressed with the way most high school students learn about Latin American history. Dosal believes an advanced placement course in the subject will change that. He's the executive director of ENLACE Florida, a statewide network funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, designed to increase the…

Data-driven decision-making, targeted staff development, collaborative leadership, and the sheer will of committed staff members have launched Wheaton High School on a promising trajectory. Located in Montgomery County, Maryland, a predominately affluent area that has more than 20 high schools, Wheaton has always received attention, but…

This article describes the educators mixed reviews regarding the audit system planned by the College Board to scrutinize high school Advanced Placement courses. Teachers of AP courses are required to submit materials to the College Board proving that their course syllabuses meet the program's curricular requirements. It is the most extensive…

With an annual yearly growth rate of 9.3 percent over the last two decades, Advanced Placement courses have become a juggernaut in American high school education. AP courses are routinely perceived as an indicator of educational rigor, and many schools push to enroll low-income or minority students in these courses in the hope of preparing them…

Recounts the inception, philosophy, and successes of Cleveland Ohio's Major Work Program, a course of study founded in 1922 for gifted students. (JW)

Students in Deanna L. Nelson's high school classroom study vocabulary gradually over a period of time. Students begin by collecting words from readings and listing them on a designated whiteboard. They prepare practice quizzes to exchange with peers and engage in frequent vocabulary discussions that emphasize recognition of context clues and other…