This paper considers one challenge from recent emphasis on rigorous research for decision-making in education: the interpretation of non-replicated findings. Under Clinton and Bush, the federal government called for and funded highly rigorous research. The "gold-standard" for research was randomized-control trials (RCTs), which…

This report provides a description of the design for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1994 Trial State Assessment in Reading and gives an overview of the steps involved in the implementation of the program from the planning stages through to the analysis and reporting of data. The report does not provide the results of the…

The Avon Grove School District has a middle school orientation program for incoming elementary students and their parents, which consists of several visits and open houses in the Spring and at the beginning of the Fall term. (SJL)

This eighth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" contains five articles on the organization of a middle school counseling program. "The Counselor and Modern Middle-Level Schools: New Roles in New Schools," by Paul George, examines characteristics of successful schools and considers some new roles for the counselor. "Teacher…

The effects of various gifted programs on the self-concepts and depressive symptoms of 82 gifted and talented fifth- and sixth-grade students were evaluated. Sixth-grade gifted groups (pull-out and self-contained) scored higher on self-concept than did nongifted groups. No effects on depressive symptoms were found. (DB)

The manual introduces the framework of STARS (Striving Together and Reaching Success), a program for serving behaviorally disordered students in grades 1-8. The underlying philosophy is to provide a consistently structured instructional program to promote successful reintegration into a less restrictive educational setting. An overview section…

Focus group interviews were used to gather information from adolescent participants that could be applied to the design of a smoking prevention program. Various students of low socioeconomic status took part in role plays, auctions, and guided discussions to learn about smoking attitudes. (Author/DF)

The Paula Program in music for gifted girls in middle schools, developed by St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, is described. How the program was designed is discussed and activities and materials selected for classroom use are briefly described. (RM)

This digest focuses on foreign language instruction at the middle school level. In general, middle school foreign language programs have received relatively little attention. However, the increased emphasis within the field on longer sequences of instruction, combined with the conversion of junior high schools to middle schools has necessitated a…

Leadership development to meet the need for excellence in teachers and youth is explored. Two examples are given: an award-winning teacher education program for bringing high ability students into teacher education, and a residential summer program designed to identify and develop leadership giftedness in middle school and high school youth.…

This book presents an organizational model for reading program development. Following an overview of the program-planning/needs-assessment design, two sections of the book explain the step-by-step procedures of the model, focusing first on program planning, then on needs assessment. The section on program planning discusses ways of identifying and…

The District of Columbia Public Schools Nature Computer Camp (NCC) is an environmental/computer program which has been operating in the Catoctin Mountain Park (Maryland) since 1983. The camp operates for five one-week sessions serving a total of 406 regular sixth-grade students representing 84 elementary schools with an average of 81 students per…

The School Development Program (SDP), initiated 25 years ago by Dr. James Comer, is described, with focus on the need for knowledge about its child development component and the implications of this lack for program implementation and impact. The SDP program is recognized for its primary focus on child development and human relationships as its…

A frequent concern of language arts teachers is how to provide a quality differentiated program for the highly able readers in their classrooms. In order to implement such a program, one must look first at the uniqueness of the individual school and then explore a variety of organizational patterns that meet the needs of the students. One…