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Descriptors:
Parent Child Relationship; Parent Student Relationship; Advocacy; Parent Role; Acceleration (Education); Student Needs; Educational Improvement; High Achievement; Intervention; Dual Enrollment; Advanced Placement; Mentors; School Entrance Age; Early Admission; Elementary Secondary Education; Gifted

Abstract:
Experience and research repeatedly illustrate the need for and value of parent advocates--as parents know their child best. Parents need to be prepared to take a positive, proactive, and focused role with teachers and administrators in their child's school to find the best programming for their child. Academic acceleration should be considered as a differentiation intervention or strategy set in a solid research foundation that allows for fit, challenge, and the development of student potential throughout the K-12 process. Academic acceleration is an individual, educational intervention that allows a learner to progress through the educational system at a faster rate or younger age than typical learners based on appropriate level of challenge. Many forms of academic acceleration address academic needs, provide academic challenge, and allow students to complete traditional schooling tailored to each child's academic and social and emotional readiness. Grade-based acceleration strategies shorten the number of years a learner remains in the K-12 system before entering a college, university, or other postsecondary training. Subject-based acceleration exposes the learner to advanced content, skills, and understanding before the expected grade level in specific content area or areas. In this article, the author lists and describes some strategies that can be woven together over time to serve the needs of a student and family. Decades of research demonstrate the need for, and benefits of, gifted education strategies and programs. These include the use of acceleration, enrichment, curriculum enhancement, and differentiated curriculum and instruction, which all have been shown to increase the achievement of high-ability learners. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Elementary Secondary Education; Federal Legislation; Reading Achievement; Educational Practices; Accountability; Research Reports; Interviews; Educational Indicators; Guidance Programs; Measurement Objectives; Measurement Techniques; Educational Improvement; Improvement Programs; Benchmarking; Government Role; Change Strategies; Educational Change

Abstract:
The upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides an opportunity to reconsider what factors school performance-reporting systems should include. Critics of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have pointed to the narrowing effects of the law's focus on mathematics and reading achievement, and they have called for efforts to broaden the measures used to rate schools. This report poses and addresses questions regarding expanded measures of school quality to reflect the multiple goals of schooling. The authors convened a panel of five experts on school accountability policies, scanned published research about expanded measures of school performance, conducted ten semistructured phone interviews with staff from local or state education agencies and research institutions, and reviewed the measures employed in each state that publishes its own school ratings in addition to those required under NCLB. After classifying the measures state education agencies use to develop their own school ratings, they then describe categories of measures that research indicates are the most rapidly growing in usage by state and local education agencies. They supplement categories of measures with more detailed examples of localities that have adopted them, examining why they adopted the measures and how the measures are employed. This report describes promising directions for expanding the set of measures that schools have at their disposal while acknowledging the need for more research on how the availability of such measures affects educational practice and student achievement. Each chapter contains footnotes. A bibliography is included. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.) [Financial support for this report was provided by the Sandler Foundation.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
School Restructuring; Elementary Secondary Education; Federal Legislation; Educational Change; Research Reports; Position Papers; Literature Reviews; Government Role; State Federal Aid; Responsibility; Educational Improvement; Educational Policy; Political Influences; Federal Programs; State Programs; Change Strategies; Educational Legislation; Program Effectiveness

Abstract:
U.S. educators and policymakers are concerned about the poor performance of the public schools, particularly schools that serve students from low-income families. Although education is primarily a state function, the federal government also has a longstanding interest in improving education for disadvantaged students, and it targets funding to this group. Federal involvement in states' provision of education has grown since the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965, and the 2002 reauthorization of ESEA, known as No Child Left Behind, represented a significant increase in federal intervention, particularly in terms of school improvement. ESEA could be reauthorized in 2011, and there is much discussion about the most-effective way to balance federal and state responsibilities for improving schools and how best to frame federal policy to promote this goal. This report reviews the literature on the state and federal roles in education, examines the effectiveness of states' ongoing school-improvement efforts, and considers options for framing future federal guidance and support of state school-reform efforts. Three general conclusions stand out: (1) the federal government has multiple policy alternatives from which to choose, and reauthorized ESEA legislation need not merely replicate approaches from the past; (2) the challenge that educators and policymakers face at present involves "developing" rather than replicating successful strategies to improve low-performing schools; (3) states vary tremendously in terms of their strategies and capacity to improve low-performing schools. Consequently, the optimal federal-state relationship would entail flexibility and incorporate a range of policy levers. Each chapter contains footnotes. A bibliography is included. (Contains 1 table.) [This work was prepared for the Sandler Foundation.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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College Environment; Dormitories; Women Scientists; STEM Education; Racial Composition; Student Diversity; Student Attitudes; Females; Undergraduate Students; Socialization; Ethnicity; Student Characteristics; Self Esteem; Predictor Variables; Surveys; Minority Groups; College Faculty; Grades (Scholastic); Parents; Educational Attainment; Mentors; Peer Influence; Stereotypes

Abstract:
This study examined the contributions of campus racial climate perceptions and other college environments to overall sense of belonging among racially diverse women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. The sample included 1,722 women from the 2004 National Study of Living-Learning Programs. Using a conceptual framework that integrated Weidman's (1989) undergraduate socialization model, Astin's (1991) I-E-O model, and Mertens' (2005) transformative research perspective, 29% of the variance in overall sense of belonging was explained. Race/ethnicity, perceptions of the campus racial climate and the residence hall climate, and academic self-confidence emerged as significant predictors. Implications for supporting women in STEM are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Teacher Salaries; Physical Disabilities; Home Schooling; Family Relationship; Peer Influence; Profiles; Decision Making; Religion; Religious Factors; Values; Moral Development; Bullying; Race; Teacher Student Relationship; Socialization; Academic Achievement; Achievement Tests; Surveys; Accountability

Abstract:
The authors conducted a statewide study to determine which factors influenced parents' decision making in electing to homeschool their children rather than send them to public school education in South Dakota. Analysis of data, using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations revealed that the most prevalent reasons for homeschooling in South Dakota were the opportunity for parents to strengthen their relationship with their children, religion, peer pressure, public schools not teaching American values, and not aiding in character development. The major reason why parents homeschooled their children was to strengthen their family relationship. The least prevalent factors were teacher salary, ridicule by peers, physical handicap, not getting along with teachers, and racial reasons. (Contains 14 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Research Design; Educational Change; High Schools; Academic Achievement; Institutional Characteristics; Effective Schools Research; Research Reports; Best Practices; Educational Practices; Educational Improvement; Improvement Programs; Educational Innovation; Change Strategies; Program Descriptions; Case Studies; Achievement Gains; Comparative Analysis; Individualized Education Programs; Literature Reviews; Performance Factors; School Demography; Identification

Abstract:
The National Center on Scaling up Effective Schools (NCSU) is a five-year project working to develop, implement, and test new processes to scale up effective practices in high schools that districts will be able to apply within the context of their own unique goals and circumstances. This report describes the activities and findings of the first year, specifically, from fieldwork conducted in four case study high schools in one of its partner districts, Broward County, Florida. The findings from this fieldwork inform a joint team of researchers, designers, and district educators toward promising practices around which an innovation will be built in the same district in years three, four and five of the Center's work. The report is divided into ten sections. After an introduction, Section II presents eight essential components of effective high schools drawn from a comprehensive review of the high school reform literature (e.g., Dolejs, et al., 2006; Murphy, Elliott, Goldring, & Porter, 2006) and two others that emerged from the analysis of the fieldwork data in Year One. Section III details the research design, describing the sample selection, data, and three-stage approach used to analyze the data. In Section IV, the authors present case summaries of each of the four sites, referred to herein as B101, B102, B103, and B104 to protect confidentiality. In addition to summarizing the practices through which the essential components were manifest in each school, this section includes structural and demographic features that may be important for contextualizing the findings. In Section V, the authors compare higher and lower value-added schools in terms of the ten essential components and identify the bundles of practices that might explain observed differences. Section VI points to practices that the findings suggest cut across various components to support school success, with particular attention to their major finding on personalization for academic and social learning. The authors also conclude with the next steps for the Center. Appended are: (1) Definitions of Subcomponents and Dimensions; (2) NVivo Code List; (3) CLASS-S Findings; and (4) PASL Case Examples. (Contains 6 tables, 7 figures, and 5 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (1457K)

Descriptors:
Talent; Gifted; Public Schools; Home Schooling; Parent Attitudes; Educational Research; Interviews; Identification; Family Role; Parent School Relationship; Mothers; Parent Role

Abstract:
Homeschooling has witnessed a dramatic growth over the past decade. Included in this population are gifted and talented students, yet despite this growth there has been no appreciable increase in the research literature. To better understand the gifted homeschooling family, researchers interviewed 13 parents of homeschooled children their parents identified as being gifted. Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) "parents know best," (b) "isolation," (c) "challenges," and (d) "family roles." Findings reveal that these parents decided to homeschool only after numerous attempts to work in collaboration with the public school and that the mothers bore the primary burden of responsibility for homeschooling in these families. Though the move to homeschooling alleviated many of the issues experienced in public school, it brought a different set of challenges to these families. This exploratory study establishes a better understanding of why parents of gifted children ultimately decide to homeschool. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Early Intervention; Teacher Attitudes; Early Childhood Education; Cultural Pluralism; Action Research; Program Improvement; Educational Improvement; Educational Change; Educational Development; Change Strategies; Integrated Services; Best Practices; Educational Practices

Abstract:
In this article, the author focuses on diversity and working with families in the early childhood field. She has chosen to look to the potential for improvements in the future. It is impossible to predict the future, but there are strategies that can help ensure that practices in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) continue to improve. Evaluation followed by action often results in positive change. Therefore, the author is proposing five questions that can be used to evaluate, reflect, and take actions to improve educators' practices as the future so relentlessly becomes the present. She stresses that evaluating current services, reflecting on those findings, and making the changes to improve programs and practices require time, energy, and commitment; but it is always worth it. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Talent; Gifted; Academic Achievement; Equal Education; African American Students; Discipline; Males; Educational Change; Social Influences; Urban Areas; Educational Quality; Self Esteem; Educational Strategies; Educational Needs; Early Childhood Education; College Preparation; English; Language Arts; Mentors; Partnerships in Education; Communities of Practice; School Safety; Mental Health; Role; Public Policy; Achievement Gap; Correctional Institutions; Literacy Education; Intellectual Development

Abstract:
In October 2010, the Council of the Great City Schools released a major report on the academic status of African American males, "A Call for Change: The Social and Educational Factors Contributing to the Outcomes of Black Males in Urban Schools." The report was the first phase of the Council's efforts to recommit the energies of the nation's urban public school systems to improving the quality of education for African American males nationwide. In the second phase of the Council's work, it commissioned a series of solution briefs from some of the nation's leading scholars and experts to help us think through an effective set of strategies to address the academic needs of African American males. This e-book is a compilation of those papers. The solutions outlined in each paper focus on both educational and noneducational strategies, such as expectations and self-esteem, early-childhood programs, college and career readiness, gifted and talented education, mathematics instruction, English language arts instruction, partnerships and mentoring, successful learning communities, out-of-school-time learning, health and safety, and the school-to-prison pipeline. This publication contains the following papers: (1) Reading, Writing, and Intellectual Development of African American Male Children and Youth (Alfred W. Tatum); (2) Accelerating the Learning of Underperforming Students in High School Mathematics (Robert P. Moses and Omowale J. Moses); (3) Increasing the Representation of African American Males in Gifted and Talented Programs (James L. Moore III and Lamont A. Flowers); (4) College and Career Readiness: Closing Gaps in Educational and Occupational Achievement for African American Males (Michael Nettles, Robert C. Schwartz, and Haijiang Wang); (5) Early-Childhood Education and Young Black Boys: A National Crisis and Proven Strategies to Address It (Aisha Ray); (6) The Expectations Factor in Black Male Achievement: Creating a Foundation for Educational Equity (Robert L. Green, George White, and Kevin K. Green); (7) Responding to the Challenges Confronting Black and Latino Males: The Role of Public Policy in Countering the "Crisis" and Promoting Success (Pedro A. Noguera); (8) Providing Solutions for Black Male Achievement: Partnerships and Mentoring (George L. Garrow Jr. and Esther B. Kaggwa); (9) Great Schools Are Not an Accident: Standards and Promising Practices for Educating Boys of Color (Ronald Walker, Edward Fergus, and Rhonda Tsoi-AFatt Bryant); (10) Community-Based and Equity-Centered Approaches to African American Male Development (Hal Smith); (11) Mentally Healthy and Safe Schools (Oscar Barbarin); (12) Ensuring Equality in School Discipline Practices and Policies and Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline (Leticia Smith-Evans); and (13) Improving the Academic Achievement of African American Males: A Path Forward for America's Great City Schools (Michael Casserly). Individual papers contain tables, figures, references, notes, footnotes and appendices. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (4246K)

Descriptors:
Learning Readiness; Emotional Development; Child Development; Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Developmental Stages; Developmental Tasks; Parent Education; Parent Role; Parent Counseling; Early Childhood Education

Abstract:
Growth and development are frequently associated with milestones such as walking, talking in sentences, or successful toilet learning. Parents may not be aware that each milestone requires a complex balance of growth, experience, and other factors to occur--much of it without notice. There are a variety of lists of developmental milestones that can be shared with parents, as well as articles and studies citing the importance of nurturing children's social and emotional development. The challenge is in helping parents understand how these developmental milestones translate into their child being ready to learn "and" how they support their individual child's academic success. Following are some tips for working with parents. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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