These summary tables focus on the state-by-state academic achievement of African American, Hispanic American, American Indian, Asian American, and white students. Data are presented on achievement gains by state (4th grade reading scale scores, 1992-1998; 8th grade science and scale scores, 1996-2000; 4th grade math scale scores, 1992-2000; and…

In December 2000, the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) began working with low-performing districts and schools as part of a 5-year research and development effort to create and refine a systemic model for improving student achievement in reading or mathematics. SEDL hypothesized that as districts and schools increase their…

The Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) program is an effort sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that targets large urban school systems with the goal of sustainable implementation of high-quality, standards-based teaching for the purpose of attaining system-wide increases in students' learning of challenging mathematics and science.…

The longitudinal New Zealand project "Competent Children" has two objectives: to describe and analyze variations and changes in children's cognitive, social, communicative and problem-solving competencies from the time they begin school at the age of five; and to determine what impact children's early childhood education experiences,…

The major purpose of this study was to determine if the influences of educational productivity factors on achievement and attitudes are the same for African Americans and other ethnic groups. Using Walberg's Educational Productivity Model as a framework, this study estimated the influence of home environment, quality and quantity of instruction,…

In 1999, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was administered to students in grades 4, 5, 8, and 10 to assess student achievement of the Sunshine State Standards in reading and mathematics as mandated by the Florida legislature. This report informs administrators, legislators, and the general public about the reading and mathematics…

Male student behaviors and student-student interactions were studied in racially integrated activity-centered junior high classrooms. Coded behaviors included: how time was spent by both Black and White students, the number and nature of within-and cross-race interactions, and the relationship between learning behaviors and grades. (Author/PN)

Highlights a National Assessment of Educational Progress study indicating that in the 1970s academic gains in reading by some low achievers was offset by declines in science and math skills of high achievers. Additional results related to reading, science, and mathematics are also highlighted and discussed. (JN)

Task performance of 35 first graders was analyzed in relation to their third-grade reading and arithmetic test scores. The visual-auditory task, requiring the child to select the correct auditory representation of a visually presented consonant-vowel-consonant, accounted for 48 percent of the variance in third-grade reading scores. (Author/PN)

Possible reasons for the underparticipation of gifted girls in science fields are discussed in terms of: disparity in cognitive abilities, personality characteristics, attitudes toward science, differences between in-school and out-of-school learning experiences, gender differences in mathematics preparation, and socialization factors. Suggestions…

Newly developed approaches to assessing the mathematics achievement of applicants to college engineering courses in the United Kingdom are described, focusing on computer administered and scored multiple choice questions (MCQ) as part of the assessment. A review of research suggests that MCQ are particularly useful for initial diagnostic purposes.…

Examines the role of portfolios as an alternative method of mathematics assessment in the primary grades. Defines math portfolios and their use, and proposes ideas on how to evaluate progress in classification, numbers, and spatial relationships. Suggests that use of portfolios focuses on problem solving and reasoning, and places responsibility on…

Used path analysis to examine effects of spatial skill, math anxiety, and math self-confidence as mediators of gender differences in Mathematics Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M) in upper third of college-bound adolescents. Found that mental rotation and math self-confidence indirectly mediated the gender-SAT-M relationship. Most of the mediational…

The eight chapters of this theme issue use quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the nature and nurture of young participants in the mathematics Olympiad from five countries. Parallel studies are presented of winners from China, Taiwan, and the United States, along with descriptions of programs in Japan and Russia. (SLD)

Discusses a method of implementing the computer algebra system DERIVE for diagnosis and remediation of basic difficulties in mathematics. Learning activities for junior high school students were developed, each directed at a different area of difficulty. The basic strategy implemented in these activities is replicating and completing examples.…