This study examined whether having a Teach For America (TFA) teacher instead of a non-TFA teacher affects the academic performance of high school students. The research described in this report is consistent with What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards with reservations. The following strengths were identified. The estimated effects rely…

This document summarizes the full report, which presents a comprehensive look at girls' educational achievement during the past 35 years, paying special attention to the relationship between girls' and boys' progress. Analyses of results from national standardized tests such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the SAT and…

A teenager's future starts on 9th grade with the safe and welcoming environment, excellent teachers, and challenging instruction provided at this school. Believe it or not, college begins in 9th grade. If parents dream of their son or daughter going to college, they should not put off planning until their junior or senior year in high school--it…

This article presents an adaptation of a position paper written by Da Pidgin Coup, a group of concerned faculty and students in the Department of Second Language Studies (SLS). In fall 1999, the group became concerned about a statement made by the chairman of the Board of Education implicating Pidgin in the poor results of the students of Hawai'i…

The authors examined the academic characteristics of 140 elementary-aged students served under the category of emotional disturbance (ED) from schools that differed in income level, performance on state testing, and suspension rates. School income accounted for a large amount of the variance in the reading and math achievement of students with ED…

High school teacher Suzanne R. Kail and her students uncover the relevance of learning Latin and Greek roots to enhance vocabulary and spelling. Kail reflects on her experience of combining what might be seen as an old-school practice of memorization with promoting higher level thinking skills and anticipates what she will revise for the next…

Background/Context: Though cast in many styles and given different labels, the notion that one can improve schools by improving or changing the social context of learning is a common thread that runs through the arguments of many education reformers and scholars. Indeed, a common assertion in education reform is that one needs to create school…

A hallmark of school library media best practice is for the library media center to be open and accessible to patron use before, during, and after the school day and throughout the entire school year. Anecdotal evidence and informal discussion among school library media specialists indicate that library media facilities are sometimes used for…

Based on their experience of direct work with 16 principals in a midwest state in the USA, collaborative work with the state department of education and the major state-level professional associations and universities in the same state, and other state-level initiatives across the USA, the authors discuss eight critical issues concerning…

High-stakes testing and mandated assessments, which are major outcomes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) contain multiple embedded values that affect the lives of students, their families, teachers, and counselors. A primary embedded value within the NCLB is the privileging of quantitative science over other methods of inquiry and…

The way we define excellence dictates the way we achieve it. The author looks at four models of excellence that operate in schools today. The first looks only at the lowest-performing students, focusing all resources on getting these students to score above "proficient" on standardized tests so that the school will be in compliance with…

Pamela K. Coke observes two high school English teachers who carry out practical assessments that supply them with an understanding of student achievement. The strategies used, such as Socratic seminar, book club meetings, and sticky notes, provide constructive information about what students are able to do and help identify ways such practices…

In recent years, the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has increasingly had a major impact on daily decisions in schools, especially for principals' performance. Depending on the accountability rating, schools are in jeopardy of closing, and principals and teachers are at risk of being fired (McGhee & Nelson, 2005). As a result, it is…

Education policy is characterized by struggles over meanings of key concepts related to schooling, teaching, and learning, especially as these meanings affect practice. In this study, I examine the notion of "accountability" as a floating signifier, analyzing its usage by the proponents of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) and…

Culturally/linguistically diverse and economically disadvantaged students are under-represented in gifted education programs. White middle-class children tend to be afforded the opportunity of gifted education services. This study analyzed Ashe City Schools' journey to implement Project U-STARS-PLUS in order to identify and serve…