Studies consistently show associations between school absences and academic achievement. However, questions remain about whether this link depends on the reason for children's absence. Using a sample of the Scottish Longitudinal Study (n = 4,419), we investigated whether the association between school absenteeism and achievement in high-stakes…

Educational provisions enacted at the national level impact states by requiring a priority on improving the academic performance of students. Leaders in educational settings strive to implement changes that will aid in closing achievement gaps and increase academic achievement. In Texas, the academic level of performance on the reading and…

Spatial ability represents our ability to mentally arrange, rotate, and explore objects in multiple dimensions. This ability has been found to be important for engineers and engineering students. Past research has shown that many interventions can be created to boost an individual's spatial ability. In fact, past research has indicated that…

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities and show that the students are making academic progress. This study compares within- and across-years academic growth from kindergarten to 4th grade for students who were ever in special education…

Summer learning studies have been set up to investigate the evolution of initial group differences in academic achievement, for example, between low- and high-socioeconomic status (SES) children. Moreover, this approach has been used to demonstrate the absolute effect of going to school on children's learning. In the present study, we used…

Reviews research by Heyns and by Hayes and Grether that compared what children learned during the school year to what they learned during the summer vacation. Holds that, despite problems with these studies, they further confirm the positive effects of schooling. (GC)

Metropolitan Achievement Tests were administered to students in grades 1, 3, and 5 in the spring and again in the fall to see if their academic skills deteriorated over summer vacation. Results suggest that the assumption of generalized academic losses over the summer is unwarranted. Reasons are discussed. (Author/MT)

A review of 39 studies indicates that achievement-test scores decline over summer vacation. Meta-analysis results from combining the 13 most recent studies indicate that the summer loss equals about one month on a grade-level equivalent scale. Discusses implications for school calendar changes. Contains 68 references. (SLD)

The September-June calendar makes little sense instructionally or academically, as it was designed for the agricultural economy of the early 1800s. This article suggests that year-round education, originally a response to overcrowding, can benefit students' learning process, increase attendance, and reduce vandalism and instructional costs per…

Discusses various year-round education plans, their effect on student achievement and dropout rates, and their advantages and disadvantages. If a year-round schedule is to be successful, all parties, including parents, must be involved in the planning process. An 18-month planning period and clearly defined goals and objectives are essential. (17…

Elementary school students (N=75) with mild disabilities were monitored in reading and math before and after summer vacation and six weeks into the following school year using Curriculum-Based Measurement Probes. Results indicated significant regression following break. By recoupment measurement, students had regained proficiency and performed…

This study describes the major forms of year-round education, evaluates their potential costs and educational benefits (including effects on student academic achievement, learning retention, socialization, and employability), and assesses such programs' feasibility as to legal requirements and effects on school personnel and the larger community.…

Academic achievement gain scores (determined through the administration of standardized achievement tests) and socioeconomic data (determined by means of a confidential survey form) were gathered on 1567 randomly-sampled students in Grades 1-10 in a school representing a cross section of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Previous research suggested…

Using four large existing databases on student performance in the elementary grades, this study involves a task-by-task, year-by-year cross-sectional analysis of six topics in computation. Information about what students eventually learn and when they learn it is provided by the data analysis; information about when skills are introduced and…