Examined effects of school socioeconomic status, student race/ethnicity, gender, family composition, and school organization on students' sense of belonging. For high SES schools, no statistically significant effects were obtained for the five variables; for low SES schools, statistically significant main effects were obtained for student gender,…

Examined effectiveness of a teacher education program emphasizing skills and knowledge needed in multicultural, multilingual urban middle school settings. Found that candidates were already culturally/linguistically sensitive, and became more so during the program; felt prepared to meet student needs; and still had difficulty envisioning the…

Suggests that much of the research on middle level education is weak, sparse, and inconclusive. Presents critiques of research and an overview of the research findings of several highly-rated middle level programs. Identifies four factors contributing to the problem, specifically: an insufficient number of studies, utilization of weak research…

Explored the professional knowledge that two teams of interdisciplinary teachers exchanged during their daily interactions using observation of team planning meetings, teacher interviews, and teachers' personal reflections. The following five types of mentoring among highly collaborative teachers emerged: collaborative, clerical, professional…

Examined the impact of common planning time (CPT) on middle grade students' self-concepts and both teachers and students' perceptions of their school climate. Results indicated that students receiving instruction from teachers on interdisciplinary teams with CPT had higher self-concepts and both teachers and students had more positive perceptions…

Describes the purposes and missions of the Partnership for Access to Higher Mathematics (PATH) Project. Focuses on the degree to which the projects' goals were achieved in an eighth- grade mathematics program. Provides demographic data and the results of statistical analyses used to determine the effectiveness of the project, and concludes with…

Provides a description of five levels of curriculum integration at the middle level, specifically: departmentalization, reinforcement, complementary or shared units, webbed, and integrated themes. Discusses curriculum integration in relation to preservice and inservice programs, common planning time, team composition, time issues, and…

Analyzed adoptive parents' view of their children's development within an attachment framework. Found six patterns of adoption ranging from secure/stable to insecure to nonattached. These patterns highlight the influence of care prior to adoption on the quality of present adoption placements. (HTH)

Summarizes results of a survey of coordinators of information services on adoption as to the efficacy of current recruiting methods to examine possible ways to reverse the increasing difficulty of finding adoption placements for older children. Recommends ensuring postadoption support, streamlining responses to families requesting information on…

Notes that adoption agencies have developed few specific policies on the issue of lesbian and gay adoption. Provides an overview of key considerations about homosexual adopters, including beliefs and values of agency professionals, the legal and social ramifications of adoption into a relationship not based on marriage, and possible consequences…

Examines the increase in intercountry adoptions, noting issues pertaining to special needs U.S. children overlooked in favor of foreign children, social and economic effects on developing nations, and implications for mental health. Suggests legal and policy changes for the protection and benefit of these adoptees and their families, including…

Notes the complex and emotive nature of surrogate motherhood. Describes a surrogacy arrangement that was apparently based initially on a clear agreement and partnership, but developed into a disputed adoption application when the surrogate mother became dissatisfied with contact arrangements. (HTH)

Explores issues surrounding name changes for adopted children. Examines specific policy and legislation, citing the need for flexibility in such policy for the child's benefit. (HTH)

Summarizes results of a seven-year study examining patterns of growth and change in San Diego Unified School District's Hispanic student population, focusing on predictable patterns of migration, geographic assimilation, and mobility. In 1987-88, Hispanics comprised 21.8% of the district's student population, compared to 31.8% in 1993-94. School…

Successful development and implementation of outcome-based education requires long-range planning and ongoing commitment from all planning partners. District-level planning is essential. A well-designed strategic plan embraces OBE philosophies, premises, and principles and should consist of a district philosophy, vision, and mission and a set of…