Children enter elementary school with widely different skill levels in core subjects. Whether because of differences in aptitude or in preparedness, these initial skill differences often translate into systematic disparities in achievement over time. How can teachers reduce these disparities? Three possibilities are to offer basic skills training,…

This book derives from a series of sessions in which a study group of elementary teachers and their principals discussed children's mathematical work in relation to alternative assessment. The purposes of this book to describe the next tier of work for teachers in alternative assessment and how that work can be applied to elementary mathematics:…

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) mathematics scores of ninth graders (N=113) who had received music lessons were compared according to whether the students were given private lessons. Comparisons were also made between students whose lessons were on the keyboard and students whose lessons involved something other than the keyboard. Students who…

Reports a re-analysis of mathematics achievement data on 28,274 elementary students in twelve countries. Results corroborate recent studies of productive factors in academic learning. Among directly alterable variables, the amount and quality of instruction, including homework, most strongly influence achievement. (Author/JDH)

Developing the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Advanced 2008 Assessment Frameworks was a collaborative venture involving mathematics and physics experts from around the world. The document contains two frameworks for implementing TIMSS Advanced 2008--one for advanced mathematics and one for physics. It also contains…

This report discusses the direction of achievement in American schools and uncovers the policies and practices influencing the direction of student achievement to find out if the American public is getting the full story on student learning. The report consists of three parts, the first of which reports on the United States's educational…

A study was undertaken to develop a better understanding of the students enrolled in intermediate algebra (Mathematics 108) at Boise State University, Idaho, and to uncover variables that predicted success in that course. Predictor variables were divided into preenrollment variables and course variables. Examining data for students enrolled in…

Reports a preliminary study of possible differences in the performance in mathematics between American Indian Pueblo and Anglos. Sample evaluated consisted of 65 Pueblos and 59 Anglos that excluded highest and lowest scores on Form B of the College Qualification Tests from Fall 1977 to Spring 1981 at the University of New Mexico. (ERB)

Describes features of excellent mathematics department in California high school serving multiethnic, low-income students. Explores reasons why these low-income students outperform students from wealthier school districts on independently designed mathematics tests, but have significantly lower SAT-9 mathematics scores than students in other high…

Assessed the relationship between instructional practices and mathematics achievement for a national sample of 13-year-olds from Chinese Taipei from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study 1999. Found numerous significant relationships between mathematics achievement and classroom teaching practices related to introducing new…

Describes the development of a mathematics profile to assess students in terms of intended outcomes. Ideas incorporated into the profile include determining what counts as progress; justifying the curriculum in terms of expected outcome rather than teaching specific curricula; and basing judgments about the success of the system, school, and…

Examines the reading and mathematics growth of 180 children over four points, spanning 2nd and 3rd grades. Results reveal that the mathematics difficulty-only (MD) group grew at a faster rate in mathematics than did the mathematics difficulty-reading difficulty (MD-RD) group. In reading, the reading difficulty-only and MD-RD groups grew at about…

Used data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to look at student, classroom, and school factors influencing mathematics achievement in Australia and the United States. Found that classroom differences account for about one-third of the variation in student achievement in the United States and over one-quarter in…

Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and other measures of achievement show that the achievement of Danish students is below the international TIMSS average when considered by age, but above the TIMSS average when considered by grade. Discusses results in the context of the later entrance to school in Denmark…

Assessed effects of the choice of achievement standards on mathematics performance among 201 students evenly divided by sex and school level (elementary, junior high, and high) in conditions where they chose standards, had standards imposed, and had no standards. Results showed that choice of standards led to increased mathematical performance in…