The Forum's 16th annual report on public schooling in Southeastern Wisconsin reveals that spending increased 4% in Southeastern Wisconsin school districts to $2.8 billion last year, although the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) experienced a significantly smaller increase (2.7%). Part of this relatively small increase can be attributed to the…

This research report is a review and analysis of all of the published studies during the past 25+ years (since 1974) in the area of differential validity/prediction and college admission testing. More specifically, this report includes 49 separate studies of differences in validity and/or prediction for different racial/ethnic groups and/or for…

The data presented in this report relate to schools supported by public funds, and include kindergartens, elementary grades, and high schools. Increases are noted in 1924 over 1920 both in numbers and in percentage enrollments. Although the general increase in enrollment in 1924 is about 4.3 per cent over that of 1922, seven States, Delaware,…

Although considerable research examines the impact of grade retention on student academic achievement, various shortcomings exhibited across these studies make it difficult to derive any concrete generalizations about the effectiveness of requiring students to repeat a grade. By utilizing data based on a cohort of all low-achieving elementary…

Closing the digital divide requires much more than buying equipment, it requires increasing the knowledge and skills of teachers using the technology, and access to digital tools in the community. In such a larger system of change, technology can serve as a catalyst for increasing teacher and student learning. The Anaheim City School District…

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), standardized test scores are the indicator used to hold schools and school districts accountable for student achievement. Each state is responsible for constructing an accountability system, attaching consequences--or stakes--for student performance. The theory of action implied by this…

The hearts and minds of the American people have been won over on the issue of segregation. However, the dilemma is that while an overwhelming majority of Americans would cringe at the idea of a racially segregated America, America remains racially segregated and racial equality is more ideal than real. Even though there is almost no legal…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) U.S. Mayors Adopt Alliance's Recommendations on Teacher Induction at Annual Conference; (2) Chicago to Close…

This review of elementary education is planned for those who for a brief time would like to dissociate themselves from the ongoing program, to stand aside and view it analytically, particularly in some of its quantitative elements. There are three major sections; First, a brief statement of some outstanding characteristics of elementary education…

The statistics presented in this chapter were furnished by the State offices of education of the 48 States, by the District of Columbia, and by the 8 outlying parts of the United States. For the most part, these statistics relate to public elementary and secondary schools, although such data as were made available by the States are included in…

Epidemiological estimates indicate that up to 20% of people under the age of 20 present emotional and behavioral disorders serious enough to warrant intervention. At the same time, the current mental health/social services system for children and adolescents has been described as fragmented, inaccessible, duplicative, and often ineffectual. This…

Historically, lack of access to educational opportunities has been a constant and unfortunate reality for many African Americans. As a result of tracking and ability grouping many African American students lack the necessary accoutrement for persistence in the sciences. Some critical factors for the persistence and success of African American…

This book is motivated by the authors' experiences in working with students and their families in urban communities. They are particularly concerned about the urgent imperative to address the endemic educational and societal challenges that pervade the lives of urban students, particularly those who live in poverty, are of minority and immigrant…

The practical knowledge that enables good teaching has emerged over the past decade as an area of critical interest to educational researchers. This article reports on insights gathered during a series of teacher practical knowledge research projects that took place over a 10-year period with more than 40 teacher interns and experienced teachers.…

Using data from a national study spanning 12 years, I examined the effects of several middle-school and high-school variables on completion versus non-completion of the bachelor's degree. All young people in the study had attended college with the purpose of attaining the bachelor's. Several variables had practically significant effects on degree…