This qualitative case study of 1 teacher and 10 students in an Advanced Placement English class explores the role of computer-mediated feedback in the creation of a classroom learning environment that was supported through hybrid learning experiences. Data sources included classroom observations, online conversations, interviews with 10 high…

In 2002-2003, 1 million students participated in AP by taking at least one exam. Five years later, nearly 1.6 million did--a 50+ percent increase. But is growth all good? Might there be a downside? Are ill prepared students eroding the quality of the program? Perhaps harming the best and brightest? To find out, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute…

We use panel data on Florida high school students to examine race, poverty, and gender disparities in advanced course-taking. While white students are more likely to take advanced courses than black and Hispanic students, these disparities are eliminated when we condition on observable pre-high school characteristics. In fact, black and Hispanic…

Six years after the passage of No Child Left Behind and midway to the nation's goal of having students on grade level or better in reading and math by 2014, more data than ever before has been collected about the academic performance of American students and schools. Information in this brochure charts student demographics, achievement-to-date and…

Presented at the Annual Dream Deferred Conference in Los Angeles, CA in April 2008. This presentation explores the participation and performance of African American students in the SAT and AP programs and use data to inform ways to better support and encourage achievement and college success.

Presented at the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) School Summit in San Antonio, TX in July 2008. This presentation explores the participation and performance of African American students in the SAT and AP programs and use data to inform ways to better support and encourage achievment and college success.

Concurrent enrollment programs provide academic challenges for high school students and also provide a strong foundation for career and technical education programs. The state of Utah is one of the leaders in concurrent enrollments, providing funding for high schools to adopt such programs across the state, and Weber State University in Ogden,…

Borders--places where nations, people, and their cultures come together--are interesting spaces. The meeting may be friendly enough, but borders are by their nature places of "otherness," where those who are moving from one place to another are often conceived of as not belonging. High-ability students in this state of…

In most schools, the rush toward Advanced Placement (AP) courses goes on unabated. In 2006 the number of students taking AP exams increased almost 10 percent over the preceding year, according to the College Board. This is largely because of the growing intensity of the admissions game and the urge on the part of college applicants to seek out…

Can school be structured so that all students are held to high expectations? Can curriculum be designed to find and nurture students with gifted potential from underrepresented populations? Can basic skills be strengthened so that such students can interact, compete, and work with other gifted learners? Young Scholars (YS) is a K-8 model that…

In most schools, the rush toward Advanced Placement (AP) courses goes on unabated. In 2006 the number of students taking AP exams increased almost 10 percent over the preceding year. This is largely because of the growing intensity of the admissions game and the urge on the part of college applicants to seek out every advantage. In applying to…

Each year, Austin Independent School District Department of Research and Evaluation (DRE) staff develop a plan of work to describe the scope of work for the coming year. The plans that make up this document identify programs to be evaluated and services to be provided by DRE staff and provide the blueprints for evaluation that staff will follow…

Published in partnership with WestEd, this significantly updated second edition of the bestselling book contains strategies for helping students in middle school through community college gain the reading independence to master subject area textbooks and other material. Features of this book include: (1) Based on the Reading Apprenticeship…

Public education in Alabama is moving in the right direction and is poised to be a national model for the college and career readiness of its students. Through some of the most challenging financial circumstances, public education in Alabama has continued to show great promise in many areas, including reading, math, and science. The success of…

This study examines nine voluntary working relationships or partnerships between tribal education departments (TEDs) and local education agencies supporting American Indian students. Individual profiles describe how each partnership works, focusing primarily on collaborative activities intended to improve education outcomes for American Indian…