Like many other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, children in Slovakia are allocated to different types of schools at an early age based upon their perceived aptitude. Part of the selection process includes an attempt to identify those children who are particularly academic-oriented. Primary and secondary education in Slovakia is divided…

This study examined the extent to which gender issues are incorporated into teacher education programs. Two separate lines of research informed and supported the study. The first related to research on gender issues in the school curriculum and environment, in the disciplines of education and teacher education, and in educational reform movements.…

This study investigated minority race and gender enrollment in secondary and postsecondary vocational programs in comparison with majority race and gender enrollment. The population considered was the entire enrollment of vocational programs and prekindergarten through 12th grades in the State of Florida for the school year 1990-91. The study…

This curriculum unit teaches students about nationalism within the context of Europe and is designed to help better understand the history of Yugoslavia and why Yugoslavia fell apart. The unit focuses on Yugoslavia as a multinational state and how the federation was organized during different historical time periods. There are three lessons in the…

This digest includes several articles relating to perceived gender differences among early adolescents. "Middle School Voices on Gender Identity" (Cynthia Mee) describes a study in which 2,000 middle school students in grades five through eight were interviewed with a 52-item open-ended questionnaire. Three statements from the questionnaire were…

This paper discusses inequities and injustices toward women and advocates remedies through education. Practical suggestions based upon expectations theory and the Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement Test (TESA) program offer teachers ways to reduce discrimination and improve achievement in classrooms, especially for those denied an equal…

Creating a safe, open environment for discussion is a critical first step in examining topics of diversity. Because public schools may be the only social arena in the United States where different social classes, ethnicities, and genders come together on a regular basis, it is important to involve preservice teachers in discussions involving…

This report documents how a family of elementary schools in Wards 11 and 12 of the Toronto Board of Education (Ontario, Canada) have carried out their plans for the antiracist education (ARE) mandated by the school board between 1991-92 and 1994-95. Results, based on a variety of data collection methods, reveal areas of accomplishment and…

Like many states, California has included a literacy screen, the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), in the requirements that aspiring teachers must meet. In a state where demographic data indicate an increasing ethnic diversity among elementary and secondary student populations and an imminent teacher shortage that will be…

In 1989, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a series of roundtable conferences to learn about the civil rights concerns of Asian Americans within their communities. Using information gathered at these conferences as a point of departure, the Commission undertook this study of the wide-ranging civil rights issues facing Asian Americans in the…

A project assessed progress made in eliminating sex bias, stereotyping, and discrimination in vocational education as reported by graduates who had prepared for and entered nontraditional careers. A literature search on sex bias and stereotyping in education was conducted to assist in development of the survey instrument administered to graduates.…

Technical problems with norm-referenced achievement testing that can lead to the erroneous evaluation of schools for Chapter 1 Program improvement is discussed, and an alternative testing model is presented. The history of Chapter 1 testing and evaluation policies is briefly reviewed, and problems with the norm-referenced model are explored. Data…

This paper examines the impact of ethnicity, gender, and social class on young children and discusses the ways in which children can be educated to appreciate and value diversity. It also summarizes the ideas of E. King's "Educating Young Children in a Diverse Society" (1994), highlighting the strategies advocated in the book that encourage…

This conference was designed to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas relevant to how parents, teachers, and other concerned individuals can contribute to the strengthening of the educational support system, and to generate practical information on strategies to improve achievement levels of youth. The first article, titled "Conference…

This paper examines the controversies surrounding the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and its use in college admissions policies. An early section reviews the history and development of the test. Next the essay reviews a series of challenges to the SAT: many argue that the structure of the examination is biased against women and minorities. Others…