A simulation study was conducted to explore the potential of state assessment scores to improve adjustments for nonparticipation (McLaughlin, Gallagher, and Stancavage, 2004). That study found that state assessment scores could potentially be more effective than demographic information in removing the bias related to absences. The present study…

The purpose of this report is to provide performance data on Iowa's adult basic education (ABE) target populations based on the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Employment Competency System Appraisal Form 130 in the areas of reading and mathematics. This report is designed to supplement the data reported in the study titled,…

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the effects of individual and classroom level factors on reported value of mathematics for students (n=557) in grades three, four, and six. Data for this study came from the "Childhood and Beyond" study. Results indicated that the use of computers and computer efficacy were both positively related…

This study investigated the nature of spatial ability, as measured by four instruments based on spatial orientation and visualization, and its relationship to the mathematical performance of elementary school pupils. Participating in the study were 127 elementary school students, 72 boys and 55 girls, ages 10 to 11 years. Spatial ability was…

The student variables associated with scoring above the international mean on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) were studied in a group of U.S. students who took advanced mathematics or advanced mathematics and physics. The total sample was 2,349, with 1,158 females and 1,191 males. Formal parent education level and…

This annual report examines student achievement in U.S. schools, using evidence released in the previous 12 months to investigate the enormous gap between the U.S. and other nations in mathematics achievement and analyze the gap in reading achievement between the nation's best and worst fourth-grade readers. The report also explores the culture of…

Information is provided on the content standards and work to achieve them for mathematics in one Colorado school district and reading and writing in another. The six mathematics content standards of the Weld County school district are outlined for kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12), and performance standards are also described and illustrated…

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) represents a commitment by OECD member countries to monitor the outcomes of educational systems in terms of student achievement within a common international framework. This publication presents the guiding principles of…

This report presents district-by-district achievement data on 57 major city school systems in reading and mathematics. State assessment results were collected from state Web sites, reports, and databases. Data were analyzed by race/ethnicity when reported. Overall, the Great City Schools have made meaningful gains in math scores on state…

An evaluation was conducted to examine the extent to which the District Mathematics Plan (DMP) initiatives of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), California, such as adopting standards-based textbooks and professional development opportunities, have led to improvement in classroom practices and student outcomes. The evaluation…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the relationship between students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) and students with learning disabilities (LD) with regard to academic achievement over time, and examined a limited set of variables hypothesized to be related to academic achievement. The study sample…

This report describes a program for improving students' comprehension of the language of mathematical problems. The targeted population consists of 5th and 6th grade multi-age students and multi-age learners with special needs at a middle school located outside a major city in a Midwestern community. Evidence for the existence of this problem…

During the 1990s, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded a number of large-scale initiatives designed to change the way mathematics and science are taught in schools. These efforts, called Systemic Initiatives, shared a common emphasis on aligning all aspects of the educational system in support of a shared vision of effective mathematics…

The findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are approached from the perspective of mathematics educators and education decision makers at state and local levels. Some key findings are highlighted to show problems and successes in mathematics teaching and…

Beginning in the 1992-93 school year, the North Carolina State Board of Education authorized administration of North Carolina-developed end-of-grade tests aligned with the state's "Standard Course of Study." These state-normed tests were administered to more than 568,000 students in grades 3 through 8 in 1998-99. End-of-course tests were…