While California community colleges are open to all students eligible and able to benefit, most students must demonstrate that they are ready for college-level academic work by passing the college's placement exam once they enroll. Because California does not explicitly define college readiness standards for high school students, the placement…

To evaluate the adequacy and efficiency of preschool education in California, the RAND Corporation has undertaken the California Preschool Study to improve understanding of achievement gaps in the early elementary grades, the adequacy of preschool education currently given, and what efficiencies or additional resources might be brought to bear in…

This study examines the impact of 2 professional learning community (PLC) classroom practices on the English Language Arts achievement of California's most at-risk subgroups between selected higher- and lower-performing elementary schools in a southern California school district. The conclusions from this study agree with the body of research,…

This booklet presents a collection of lessons and support materials for teaching critical and creative thinking developed by participants in the 1989-90 and 1990-91 staff development project of the Bexley, Ohio City schools. Following a list of project participants, an overview of the Instructional Options Program, and a brief review of Calvin…

The 26 articles in this annual on learning disabilities (LD) are organized into the following categories: research articles, educator resources, educational practices, creativity, professional insights, the LD experience of youth and adults, explaining LD to a child, and parents' trials and tribulations. The articles are: "National Institute…

A study determined the effects of Whole Language Immersion, a pedagogy rooted in Whole Language and English as a Second Language on two sections of eleventh-grade students in Sumter County, Alabama, defined as at-risk by the Alabama Exit Examination. For 10 weeks, the control group was taught grammar while the experimental group underwent language…

This study examined the effects of different instructional approaches on male and female, Caucasian preservice teachers' opinions about multicultural education issues at a Mississippi university. Both the treatment group (N=19) and the comparison group (N=32) listened to lectures that focused on multicultural education concepts and the…

Taking a consistent student- and response-centered approach to literature-based teaching in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms, this book is designed for use as a main text in undergraduate and graduate language arts methods courses. The book is firmly grounded in current social constructivist learning theory combined with a…

The office of the presidency and the informal process of electing the president are the themes of this issue of "Art to Zoo," a quarterly journal designed for use with students in grades 4-9. The interdisciplinary activities provided encourage students to consider the powers of the presidency as well as the informal methods that have evolved to…

Based on the premise that children need to be motivated to learn in school to achieve success, this guide is intended for parents who want to help their children realize the benefits of learning and knowledge. The guide offers effective methods for challenging and supporting children at school and throughout their lives, provide insights into how…

Methods are presented for educators in the use of assistive technology to increase the participation of elementary students with severe disabilities in math, science, language arts and spelling, social studies, and reading activities. Over 80 curriculum-based activities using technologies that can be adapted to fit multiple environments and users…

The science of magic is the subject of this book which also examines how to help children experience and describe the world, how to experiment and ask questions about it, and how to make decisions about what is true and what is not. Background information about the relationship between magic and science and the nature of effects and illusions are…

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of the use of portfolios in selected public elementary schools. Participants were asked for demographic information and information about the amount of training they had in portfolio use and the perceived strengths and benefits, weaknesses and barriers they find in portfolio use. A questionnaire…

This unit of study for high-ability language arts students in grades 2-3 uses an inquiry-based approach to investigate literature in an interdisciplinary curriculum. The guiding theme of the unit is the recognition of change as a concept that affects people and their relationships as well as the world around them. The unit provides the vehicle for…

This study sought to determine how retained first grade students function in a whole language classroom after meeting with failure in a traditional first grade setting. Data collection for the five retained students, plus six "at-risk" students, involved naturalistic observation. Reading began from language experience stories that the students…