Education professionals and policy makers have been working to “close the achievement gap” for some time. Differences in school performance for children from diverse and different family backgrounds have been at the core of past and present social, political, and education reform initiatives and practices. Previous research suggests that student characteristics and social capital (i.e., supportive aspects of social structures and people) predict academic achievement. In the present study, we examined the impact of school demographics, including distributions of exceptional children, and community capital (i.e., financial, human, and social capital in a family) on educational achievement as an opportunity to reframe the perspective on blame and explore the benefits of intentional diversity and integration on the educational advancement for all children. One result showed that community capital was a strong predictor of academic outcomes. We also found that the concentrations of students with academic gifts, behavior problems, or mental retardation and interesting interactions among these variables had differing impacts on academic achievement at the school level.
Relations of students' mobility to school achievement for Grades K-6 in 72 elementary schools serving 39,362 students were strong and negative: for reading – 0.63, language – 0.49, and mathematics – 0.52.
Teachers are concerned about the growing inclusion of students with emotional and behavioral problems in general education classrooms and the increasing level of diversity common in America's schools. Proactive, school-wide approaches are considered best practice in addressing the challenge of maintaining discipline. Unified Discipline is a promising schoolwide intervention designed to support administrators, teachers, and other school personnel in meeting these needs by establishing unified attitudes, expectations, correction procedures, and team roles. This article explains how to implement Unified Discipline as a school-wide approach to managing problem behavior.
Public Law 94–142 will require many SEAs and LEAs to make significant modifications and/or additions in their educational service delivery capabilities and procedures. This paper examines the relationship between two aspects of the law, developing individual educational plans (IEPs) and serving the severely/profoundly handicapped. A model is provided for developing IEPs for the severely/profoundly handicapped which Integrates residential and school activities.
The governance of early childhood education is a public responsibility. The need exists for proactive local policy development and program management and for accountability of programs to the purpose of public policy. Public governance of education should be deliberate in order to assure that desired benefits are arranged for all children and their families. Such governance should also be taken cautiously through consideration of issues about (1) education as a personal social service, (2) the impact of educational structures on individuals and families, and (3) the use of preschool programs as a massive human experiment. Alternative ways to govern the education of young children are explored. A clear advantage appears possible for young children when policy decisions are made by persons close to those who are to receive their benefits.
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