Explores the attrition rate of instrumental music students between the initial grade level of instruction and grade seven. Compares retention rates between those programs that housed grades five and six in the same building and those that housed them in separate buildings. Considers implications of these findings. (MJP)

Describes the history and current issues of curriculum, instruction, and evaluation in elementary social studies. Emphasizes teaching for understanding and higher-order applications. Concludes that higher-order goals of social studies instruction are comparable to those in other subjects. (BB)

This Statistics in Brief analyzes parents' reports of school practices to provide information to families, using data from the 2003 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey and the 1996 Parent and Family Involvement in Education and Civic Involvement Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program. Parent reports of school…

This report is the nation's sixth look at how its major city school systems are performing on the state assessments devised to boost standards, measure progress, provide opportunity, and ensure accountability for results. Data are presented on 66 city school systems from 38 states and the District of Columbia. The statistics are presented…

In the fall of 2006, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Unified Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that called for a third-party research firm to analyze resource use across the Los Angeles school system. Education Resource Strategies (ERS) was chosen to conduct this analysis. The study was…

In spring 1988, the Johns Hopkins Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools (CREMS) conducted a national survey of principals in 2,400 public middle grade schools that include grade 7. Using the 1988 survey date, this document presents an overview of educational approaches and practices in schools that serve early adolescents. Topics…

Opinions of middle school students, called "transescents," were studied in an effort to provide feedback to adminstrators, parents, and teachers involved in program development in a school district with a K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade level configuration. Participants were 200 students from a school district in east central Michigan. A…

The study reported in this paper quantitatively integrated the recent research findings on ability grouping in order to generalize about these effects on student achievement and student self-concept. Meta-analysis was used to statistically integrate the empirical data. The relationships among various experimental variables including grade level,…

Survey data from 3,698 teachers in 600 schools in Maryland are used to explore the determinants of teachers' use of parent involvement strategies. Two questions are addressed: (1) How much do elementary school teachers organize their teaching practice to facilitate parent involvement in home learning activities? and (2) Which factors in the…

PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION FOR ALL CHILDREN AND TO IMPROVE ETHNIC INTEGRATION OF THE SCHOOLS WERE PRESENTED. INCLUDED WERE PROPOSALS FOR NEW SCHOOL LOCATIONS, FLEXIBLE STUDENT TRANSFER POLICIES, ZONING PLANS, ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL INITIATIVE, AND HUMAN RELATIONS PROGRAMS TO BE CONDUCTED FOR PUPILS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY.…

SCHOOL SIZE AND ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS WERE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED TO BE BASIC INFLUENCES AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN 11 SOUTHERN STATES. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS FOR THE 1962-63 SCHOOL YEAR ON FILE IN STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION IN EACH OF THE 11 STATES. DATA AREAS UTILIZED WERE (1) EXTENT OF…

This study attempts to determine the effect of sequential language programs on motivating students to remain enrolled in their programs. Two language programs in the State of Utah are compared in these areas: (1) philosophy of articulation, (2) sequence of courses, (3) textbooks used, (4) registration procedures, (5) statement of FLES program, (6)…

A description of a bilingual education program at the elementary school level spanning five years since its inception is presented in this report. The home-school language switch from English to French made by control and experimental classes involved total immersion in the French-taught curriculum. While focusing on the educational objectives of…

Reasons favoring the maintenance of foreign language requirements in public schools and colleges are developed in this essay in terms of international understanding and practical application of the second language. Five goals and accomplishments of current programs are examined in an attempt to determine whether recent linguistic methods produce…

The underlying theory of comprehensive achievement monitoring is applied and illustrated in this German 1 language instruction guide. This computer-oriented approach to individualizing instruction and to student evaluation monitors progress in every basic idea and skill in the language course. Materials used in this course include advice to…