A university-school district partnership, Schools of Promise (SOP), was formed to improve elementary schools for all children through whole-school reform. This effort focused on the concepts of belonging and inclusion, positioning the needs of marginalized students at the center of the reform through a university-facilitated restructuring of…

The statewide implementation of instructional support teams (ISTs) in Pennsylvania is analyzed in terms of the challenge of bringing team-based problem-solving models to scale. The history of the phase-in of ISTs in more than 1,700 elementary schools is presented, and the salient research conducted on ISTs is reviewed. The results indicate that…

This article presents results of a meta-analysis of 58 studies of mathematics intervention for elementary students with special needs. Studies in preparatory mathematics, basic skills, and problem solving were reviewed. Duration and method of instruction proved important. Direct instruction and self-instruction were more effective than mediated…

This paper describes and validates a model of teaching in early elementary grades that infuses the self-determination skills of problem solving and goal setting into existing curricula and programs. Use of the "Self-Determination Learning Model of Instruction with 5- and 6-year-olds found the model effective in identifying student interests,…

This article describes characteristics of five elementary schools that have been constantly successful in teaching children to read. The schools have widely diverse approaches to reading instruction but share key components of phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, fluency, construction of meaning, vocabulary, spelling, and writing. (Contains…

This article introduces Project PREPARE, a 5-year project to develop a collaborative site of practice and inquiry between two universities, primary and elementary schools in a poor rural town, and the school district. During the collaboration, there were steady improvement in student achievement in reading and mathematics on multiple measures.…

This article describes how the Professional Development School without Walls, a partnership between the Departments of Special Education and Elementary Education at the University of South Florida and two large school districts, was developed; the challenges, needs, and contexts influencing the development and implementation process; and the…

This article describes the Reaching American Indian Special/Elementary Educators (RAISE) program, a community-based native teacher education program located on the Navajo reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. The preservice teacher preparation partnership program is designed for uncertified Navajo special and elementary education preservice students…

A study involving 75 elementary students, 51 with high-incidence disabilities, investigated variables associated with learning in an inquiry-oriented approach to the study of density and buoyancy. Preconceptions, scientific predictions, and academic achievement measures were not predictive of task performance. However, grade level and IQ were…

This study investigated the outcomes of 10 African-American urban elementary students with reading and mathematics difficulties who participated in an after-school program that used peer-mediated academic and social interventions. Results indicated all participants gained in targeted academic skills in math and reading skills. (Contains…

Five English language learners (ELL) teachers and 117 elementary students, including students with disabilities, participated in the Class-Wide Peer Tutoring Learning Management System. Students made considerable progress in mastering the curriculum over periods ranging from 15 to 21 weeks of school and students and teachers were satisfied with…

This article summarizes studies conducted with Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), a program designed to enhance reading comprehension and content-area reading for diverse learners. It describes the stages of CSR development and discusses the role of peer-mediated learning in improving the social and academic outcomes of participating students.…

A study examined the effects of providing the accommodation of reading the mathematics items to 115 fourth-grade students, 38 with learning disabilities, on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Students with learning disabilities benefited from having the mathematics items read to them, although typical students had higher test scores.…

Focus group research methods were used to investigate the alignment of inclusive education with other reform efforts at a targeted urban school with 347 students. Results found the teachers, principals, and the parents shared a commitment to sustaining a school community and breaking down the walls of segregation. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article reports the results of a descriptive analysis of team teaching in two classrooms. The study used formative experiments to conduct summative evaluation procedures. Performance of typical students and students with learning disabilities on curriculum-based assessment measures indicate academic gains in reading and spelling for all…