The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used for educational evaluation is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this article, we take up the question of model choice--framed within a policy context--and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular…

Purpose/Objectives: This study investigated the use of electronic and paper-based point-of-service (POS) systems in school nutrition programs (SNPs), including associated challenges and the desired skills and existing training practices for personnel handling such systems. Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on interviews with 25 SNP…

The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used to evaluate schools and teachers is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this paper we take up the question of model choice and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular student growth percentiles (SGPs)…

The United States of America is a large and diverse country; nevertheless, high schools have a lot in common across the nation. In particular, mathematics teaching in American high schools, while not stereotyped, has some accepted norms which would be seen as unusual here in Australia. In order for the Australians to learn from the Americans, as…

EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES WERE SET UP FOR ACADEMICALLY SUPERIOR STUDENTS (INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT 120 AND ABOVE) TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FULL-TIME, SELF-CONTAINED CLASSES AND PART-TIME CLASSES. TWO EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES WERE BEGUN FOR FOURTH THROUGH NINTH GRADE STUDENTS IN EACH PROGRAM, AND WERE COMPARED TO EQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUPS. ACHIEVEMENT…

A study of 127 families and 50 child care facilities in 17 Missouri communities found that criteria for selecting child care were similar for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan parents; parents were more concerned with quality child care and caregiver "warmth" than with practical considerations; but ratings on caregiver warmth did not…

This final report of a research project to design and develop a master plan for vocational education in Missouri's correctional institutions is divided into five sections. Section 1 contains a rationale for the project and a summary of the literature regarding the role of vocational education in American penal institutions. A number of problem…

This paper presents the appendices to the "High-Stakes Testing and Student Achievement: Problems for the No Child Left Behind Act" report. It contains the following appendices: (1) Example of Context for Assessing State-Level Stakes Sheet--Connecticut; (2) Example of Completed Rewards and Sanctions Worksheet--Connecticut; (3) Directions…