A campus violence survey was completed by 189 students, most of whom were in a developmental studies program or an enrichment (honors) program. There was no difference in violent acts based on developmental or enrichment courses taken. Males were more likely to be perpetrators of crimes, especially vandalism. (SLD)

Perceptions of school superintendents and school board members regarding their respective roles in school governance were studied with 175 superintendents and 226 school board members. Significant differences were found in role perceptions of superintendents and school board members; both groups believed they should have more authority relative to…

Research conducted over the past 25 years on the relationship between the funding of education and student achievement is analyzed and synthesized. Once a base level of funding has been provided, judicious spending should be evidenced in improved student achievement, up to an optimum point. Implications for educational spending are discussed. (SLD)

Undergraduate students were asked to rank the oral communication skills identified by S. Wilmington (1992) as necessary for teachers. Responses from 296 students emphasized the importance of message and listening aspects over physical aspects. Findings are compared with those of the administrators in the Wilmington study. (SLD)

Four family process factors (parental expectations, parental interest, parental involvement, and family communication) were assessed for their impact on grades and achievement test scores of 300 students in sixth and seventh grades in a longitudinal study. The most influential was parental expectation of students' capabilities in specific…

Understandings of teacher experience and narrative that could lead to reconceptualizing teacher education are explored. The understanding of experience should be expanded beyond field-based and professional development experience to encompass the totality of a teacher's experience. (SLD)

The study of four community-based organizations (CBOs) participating in the Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention program in New York City illustrates that it is important to distinguish among the characteristics of CBOs when schools think about forming collaboratives with them. CBOs may serve very different purposes for school needs. (SLD)

A sample of 333 8th, 10th, and 12th graders completed a questionnaire measuring their academic motivational orientations through items investigating perceptions of causal attributions and actual causal attributions. Results show a number of gender differences, with girls more likely to attribute failure to lack of ability and lack of effort. (SLD)

A model projecting school enrollment by using births lagged an appropriate number of years and a model using lagged births and the previous year's enrollment were applied to two school grade levels and state and county levels in Kentucky. The model using lagged births and earlier figures provided better predictions. (SLD)

Internal life goals and ego identity statuses of 50 traditional and 49 nontraditional (aged over 25) college students were measured. Internal life goals were similar for both groups, but more nontraditional students had an achieved ego status. Implications for instruction of nontraditional students are discussed. (SLD)

The Southeastern Minority Trainer of Trainers program provides leadership training in three phases to African American community leaders in five southern states. Findings of little leadership change in Phase 1 and Phase 2 survey evaluations for three states were in contrast to results of focus groups at the conclusion of Phase 2 capstone…

The effects of sociometric (based on student choice) and nonsociometric grouping on the social acceptance and small group interaction were studied using data from 102 third graders in five classrooms. Sociometric grouping procedures had a positive effect on social acceptance and did affect the number and types of verbal interactions. (SLD)

Literature on the use of true-false examination questions is reviewed, and it is concluded that such questions can be written to measure the range of cognitive outcomes efficiently. However, except among professional test developers, this does not usually happen. Research does not clarify whether the answer lies in better teacher training or in…

A poll of 1,933 voters in two counties that passed school bonds and two that did not examines voter perceptions toward school bonds. The factors linked to passage were that the number of students was growing, that most students would benefit, and that the dollar amount of the bond issue was reasonable. (SLD)

Over 100 systems have been developed that permit the recording and categorizing of teacher and student behavior. The cognitive processes of practicing teachers' decision making must be studied in order to deduce a common base whereby teaching decisions could be improved. (Author/JKS)