In trying to understand the origin of gender differences favoring girls in reading skills, analysts have examined mainly the performance of students who are in the same grade, with samples pooled across socioeconomic status (SES). Using a longitudinal sample in Baltimore, where all students in a randomly selected panel are the same age and are…

Reacts to articles by Alan Kerckhoff, Maureen Hallinan, and Adam Gamoran in the 2001 theme issue of Sociology of Education. Evaluates articles and conclusions presented by these authors and responds to their arguments. Presents a detailed rebuttal to the article by Gamoran and disagrees with Gamoran's conclusions. (CAJ)

Presents the results of a study that tracked the educational progress of a group of first graders from 1982 to 1996. Examines the children's personal qualities, first-grade experiences, and family circumstances as precursors to dropping out in high school. Identifies dropping out as a long-term process of disengagement. (MJP)

This paper represents the preliminary analysis of a longitudinal data set well-suited for the study of educational and occupational attainment processes. The Blau and Duncan basic model is used. (Author/RM)

The study showed little support for the notion that cognitive development in Catholic schools significantly outpaces that in public schools between the sophomore and senior years. In addition, it was found that student background characteristics relate to test performance in similar fashion in public and Catholic schools. (RM)

Because research by Coleman, Hoffer, and Kilgore did not control for differences in achievement levels for students when they entered public and parochial schools, their conclusions are flawed. Reanaylsis of their data show that, when student selection is controlled, there are only slight differences in cognitive and achievement test results. (IS)

Discusses Kilgore's criticism of the authors' contention that there is little reason to think Catholic schools superior in promoting high levels of cognitive performance. After discussing Kilgore's different predictor variables, measurement strategies, and criteria, the authors stand by their conclusion. Indeed, public schools do somewhat better…

Explores practical implications of differences between theory and practice in nonexperimental educational research by comparing conclusions reached in the estimation of a recursive school process model of educational goal formation across several design options. Findings indicated that educators should use caution in uncritical acceptance of…