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The purpose of this study was to clarify the construct of academic competence and develop a valid teacher rating instrument to assess this construct. A 95-item pilot scale, the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES), was developed to assess the theoretical components (i.e., academic skills, study skills, academic motivation, interpersonal skills, and academic self-concept) hypothesized to contribute to the construct of academic competence. The ACES was administered to 56 teachers who rated 300 students in Grades 1 through 6. To explore convergent and discriminant validity, 13 teachers completed ratings of social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence (as measured by the Social Skills Rating System; SSRS) for 60 students. In addition, 32 students completed the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), a popular measure of academic achievement. Teacher feedback, item Importance ratings, item-ITBS correlations, and the results of an exploratory factor analysis were used to eliminate 35 items from the pilot scale. The resulting 60-item version of the ACES consists of five related scales: Academic Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Academic Motivation, Participation, and Study Skills. Internal consistency (median a = .95) and test-retest stability (median r= .83) were high for the ACES, and correlational analyses indicated that scores from the ACES are valid indicators of student academic competence. Implications for using the ACES are discussed, and suggestions are offered for research necessary to advance the development of the ACES as a reliable and valid clinical tool.

This paper describes the results of a study that examined the prevalence of the delay of kindergarten entry, also known as academic redshirting. Utilizing a representative sample of Wisconsin school district, the authors examined the school records of more than 8,000 students to depict patterns of school entry, promotion, subsequent special services, and student achievement. Results indicate that approximately 7% of the sample bad delayed school entry and that those children were primarily boys with birthdates immediately before the entrance cutoff. Redshirts and retainees are more likely to receive special education services than their peers who enter and are promoted on time. The achievement of redshirts is comparable to their normally entered peers; whereas retainees perform at lower levels. Although the interpretations of these results depend on the perspective taken on extra-year interventions, they can be read in the context of other literature on extra-year interventions. We suggest next steps for the development of empirical knowledge on redshirting and for evaluating the efficacy of this practice. Given its lack of empirical efficacy, we do not support widespread use of this strategy for increasing readiness.

Background: Deaths from inherited metabolic disorders may remain undiagnosed after postmortem examination and may be classified as sudden infant death syndrome. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) may reveal disorders of fatty acid oxidation in deaths of previously unknown cause. Methods: We obtained filter-paper blood from 7058 infants from United States and Canadian Medical Examiners. Acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles were obtained by MS/MS. Specialized interpretation was used to evaluate profiles for disorders of fatty acid, organic acid, and amino acid metabolism. The analyses of postmortem blood specimens were compared with the analyses of bile specimens, newborn blood specimens, and specimens obtained from older infants at risk for metabolic disorders. Results: Results on 66 specimens suggested diagnoses of metabolic disorders. The most frequently detected disorders were medium-chain and very-long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiencies (23 and 9 cases, respectively), glutaric acidemia type I and II deficiencies (3 and 8 cases, respectively), carnitine palmitoyl transferase type II/translocase deficiencies (6 cases), severe carnitine deficiency (4 cases), isovaleric acidemia/2-methylbutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiencies (4 cases), and long-chain hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/trifunctional protein deficiencies (4 cases). Conclusions: Postmortem metabolic screening can explain deaths in infants and children and provide estimates of the number of infant deaths attributable to inborn errors of metabolism. MS/MS is cost-effective for analysis of postmortem specimens and should be considered for routine use by Medical Examiners and pathologists in unexpected/unknown infant and child death.

This study examined longitudinal predictive relationships between young children's classroom behaviors and their growth in mathematics skills during the primary grades. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort, the authors tested a longitudinal model featuring positive (interpersonal skills and approaches to learning) and negative (internalizing and externalizing) behaviors at kindergarten entry as predictors of growth in mathematics achievement through 3rd grade. Results indicated that negative behaviors demonstrate negligible relationships with early development of mathematics skills. Interpersonal skills demonstrated a small negative relationship with mathematics growth when other positive behaviors were included as predictors in the model. In contrast, approaches to learning (goal-directed behavior, persistence, organization) demonstrated small positive relationships with growth in mathematical skills and may represent a skill domain for educators to consider in designing their instructional practices.

Academic enablers have been defined as attitudes and behaviors that facilitate students' participation in, and benefit from, academic instruction in the classroom (J.C. DiPerna & S.N. Elliott, 2000). The purpose of this article is to provide practitioners with an overview of specific academic enablers (motivation, study skills, engagement, and social skills) and their relationships with academic achievement. In addition, a practical framework is provided for considering academic enablers within assessment and intervention practices in the schools. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 7–17, 2006.

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