The Supplemental Instruction (SI) program of the University of Missouri-Kansas City addresses attrition by providing academic support in courses that are high risk for students. The program contains a number of innovative features, for example: high risk courses are identified instead of high risk students, and everyone in those courses is offered…

Discusses issues to be considered in efforts to determine whether programs are effective for improving education of all middle school students. Details directions effective programs are taking in mathematics, reading, writing and language arts, thinking skills, science, and social studies. Discusses common components of the programs. (BB)

Talents Unlimited (TU) is an educational program based in Mobile, Alabama, and developed under an Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III grant. The program was validated nationally over three years and is now part of the National Diffusion Network. Six areas of talent were identified: productive thinking; forecasting; decision making;…