Several schools that eschewed the middle school model and remained K-8 discovered anecdotally that their students showed fewer behavioral problems and higher academic achievement than many students enrolled in middle schools. On the basis of studies that verified these observations, school district leaders in Milwaukee, Baltimore, and Philadelphia…

A California elementary school teacher discusses the school-wide transitional bilingual education (TBE) program in her school, the problems associated with it, and her participation in an initiative to promote English language instruction for language minority populations. The institutional context of the TBE program, demographic changes that…

The College Discovery Summer Program (CDSP) is a 6-week program designed to bring students already accepted for admissions to Bronx Community College (BCC) onto campus prior to their first year at BCC. The curriculum component of the CDSP includes intensive courses in mathematics, reading, and writing, while the student development component is a…

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES A 1964-66 PROJECT TO BRING HIGHLY MOTIVATED DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO FULL MATRICULATION AT BROOKLYN COLLEGE. THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM OFFERED STUDENTS IN-DEPTH COUNSELING, ENROLLMENT IN SOME OF THE COLLEGE'S REGULAR COURSES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS CLASSES WERE LIMITED…

This paper applies a standard treatment effects model to determine that participation in Freshman Learning Communities (FLCs) improves academic performance and retention. Not controlling for individual self-selection into FLC participation leads one to incorrectly conclude that the impact is the same across race and gender groups. Accurately…

Asserts that taking Introduction to College Writing, a fundamental writing course at Central Missouri State University, improves student academic achievement by developing their basic writing skills and preparing them for more advanced, general education writing courses. (VWC)

Studied the effects of interdisciplinary teaming versus departmentalization on student achievement in middle schools. Found no significant differences for reading, math, science, and social studies achievement. Results suggest that team teaching merits further investigation as a potential strategy for mediating the student achievement loss…

This study contributes to the field by identifying a broad range of traditional and newer middle grade policies and practices, and determining in California which of these differentiate higher- from lower-performing schools serving similar student populations, with performance measured by the state's standards-based tests. Based on a sample of 303…

In the 2008-09 school year researchers from EdSource and Stanford University conducted a large-scale study of 303 middle grades schools in California. The team surveyed 303 principals, 3,752 English Language Arts (ELA) and math teachers in grades 6-8, and 157 superintendents of the districts and charter management organizations that oversee the…

"Adelante...con Ganas!" (Forward...with Enthusiasm) was a 3-year transitional bilingual program implemented at Burbank Middle School in the Houston Independent School District (Texas). The program consisted of three levels of bilingual instruction, from preliterate through intermediate, in which students were placed following state and…

This combined report examines the obstacles that Virginia students encounter as they move from high school through college and what colleges and universities might do to facilitate their progress. Part 1 of the report responds to House Joint Resolution No. 211, which asks Virginia's Council of Higher Education to study the transition between high…

The summer "bridge" part of the Special Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) at the University of California (UC), Davis, was evaluated with attention to first-year academic performance and retention. STEP, part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), is an orientation and academic program to help low-income and minority students…

Two alternatives to retention in grade for secondary school students were evaluated in Austin (Texas). Both were designed to allow students who are potential retainees (PRs) to receive remediation in one semester. The Transitional Academic Program (TAP) allows PRs to enroll in ninth-grade courses while repeating eighth-grade courses they had…

The Vitalized Transitional Program for Bilingual School Students at George Washington High School in New York City provides instruction in English as a second language, native language arts, and bilingual courses (mathematics, science, social studies, and vocational courses) for Spanish-speaking high school students of limited English proficiency.…

Project KANPE is a bilingual education program designed to help talented/gifted Haitian high school students of limited English proficiency to acquire second language proficiency while developing their academic skills to the fullest and to prepare them for early entry into mainstream honor classes. The program seeks to accomplish this goal by…