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This document raises several discussion topics concerning low-income high school students in relation to Pell grants and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. It points out that bright, low-income high school students can perform college-level work either by taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes or by attending classes at a local college. AP classes are costly for the school district because they involve higher salaries for well-educated teachers, have smaller class sizes, and require supplementary teacher-training activities. Additionally, these classes may duplicate those already offered at local colleges. It is suggested that needy high school students be able to access Pell grants to gain college credits. College classes allow students to choose from a wider course curriculum and offer the advantage of reaching more students than can be served by AP classes--all while utilizing an existing educational infrastructure. Sections in this document include the following: (1) Higher Education Opportunities for High School Students; (2) Federal Support for Advanced Placement Programs; (3) Drawbacks of the Federal Advanced Placement Incentive Program [Significantly Higher Costs; Duplication of Effort; Limited Reach of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program]; (4) An Alternative: Pell Grants for Low-Income High school Students [More Options for Students]; and (5) Supplementing, Not Supplanting, Programs for Higher Education. (Contains 30 footnotes.)

This report uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (a nationwide survey that collects data on married and non-married parents at the time of the child's birth) to determine how much marriage could reduce poverty among couples who are not married at the time of birth. To determine the impact of marriage on children's and mothers' poverty, the study estimated what the mothers' poverty rate would be if they remained single, calculated what the poverty rate would be if the mothers and fathers married, then noted differences between poverty rates. The effect of marriage on poverty was calculated according to three scenarios regarding the mother's employment after childbirth (zero annual employment, part-time employment, and full-time employment). Data analysis indicates that marriage would dramatically reduce poverty among non-married mothers who are romantically involved with the fathers at the time of the child's birth. Specifically, if these mothers do not marry but remain single, about 55 percent will be poor. By contrast, if all mothers married their child's father, the poverty rate would fall to less than 17 percent. Thus, on average, marriage would reduce the odds that a mother and a child will live in poverty by more than 70 percent. A technical appendix describes how researchers used the Fragile Families survey and database to simulate the effects of marriage on child poverty. (Contains 15 footnotes.) (SM)

This paper examines whether marriage is effective in reducing child poverty and notes the comparative effects of marriage and maternal education on combatting child poverty. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth indicate that marriage plays a powerful role in lifting children out of poverty. While both marriage and maternal education play a positive role in alleviating child poverty, stable marriage has a far stronger effect than does maternal schooling. Maternal education without marriage is generally ineffective in reducing child poverty. Children raised by never-married mothers are nine times more likely to live in poverty than are children born and raised by two parents in an intact marriage. Marriage has a significant effect on reducing child poverty, even if the marriage does not last throughout the child's entire childhood. Being raised in a married two-parent family for just half of one's childhood reduces poverty as much as adding 4 years to a mother's education. The paper concludes that the most effective public policy to reduce child poverty would encourage young women both to complete high school and enter into a healthy marriage before they have children. (Contains 27 footnotes.)(SM)

This report discusses how the School Choice Scholarships Foundation, a philanthropic, privately funded voucher program, selected students to receive vouchers and reviews the results of a study on vouchers and low-income, African-American students. New York City students were selected to receive the vouchers via a lottery. During the application and eligibility process, students took baseline achievement tests and parents completed questionnaires about their satisfaction with their children's current school, involvement with their children's schooling, and demographic characteristics. These data were used to assess the effectiveness of vouchers in raising student achievement. Results indicated that standardized reading and mathematics test scores for black students who had used their vouchers to attend private schools for 3 years were 9.2 percentile points higher than those of comparable black students who did not attend private schools. Overall test scores for black voucher recipients who attended private schools for at least 3 years were, on average, 7.6 percentile points higher than those of black students who never attended private schools. Parent satisfaction with their children's schools was higher among parents of voucher students. (SM)

This study explored multicultural education at a minority university in the Pacific, the University of Guam. The study represented Phase 2 of a research project that began in 1999 with the goal of further understanding the practice of multicultural pedagogy in higher education. Phase 1 measured the attitudes and perceptions of faculty members toward diversity and multiculturalism, while Phase 2 attempted to narrow the focus to the actual practice of multiculturalism in the classroom and curriculum. Through a survey completed by 65 faculty members (33% of the faculty) and descriptive analysis, a picture emerged of the link between perception and actual practice. It was found that faculty ranked high on their willingness to engage and incorporate multicultural strategies in their teaching. Many often did not feel, however, that they had the skills or knowledge to do so. Many also felt that they were not well equipped to deal with a multicultural environment. While the data suggest that many are willing and open to diversity and multiculturalism, the faculty harbor ethnocentric belief systems. It is argued that what seems like contradiction, is more likely to be the leaking of underlying attitudes and beliefs in an environment influenced by political correctness. (Contains 7 tables and 31 references.) (Author/SLD)

This report analyzes computer usage in the classrooms of teachers who are at least moderately well-prepared in the use of computers for reading instruction. Data from the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) database were used to analyze the influence of computers on academic achievement. The NAEP, which is administered in 4th, 8th, and 12th grade, provides test scores as well as background information on students, their teachers, and their school administrators. This analysis considered the effect of computers in the classroom by analyzing six factors: frequent in-class computer use by trained teachers; race and ethnicity; parents' educational attainment; number of reading materials in the home; free or reduced-price lunch participation; and gender. Results indicate that students with at least weekly computer instruction by well-prepared teachers do not perform any better on the NAEP reading test than do students who have less or no computer instruction. Variables such as race, income, home environment, and parents' college attendance are all significant factors in explaining differences in reading test scores. Girls score slightly higher than boys on the NAEP reading exam in 4th and 8th grade. An appendix presents results of the statistical models. (SM)

This study used data from the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading examination to analyze the effect of class size on academic achievement. The NAEP is administered in 4th, 8th, and 12 grades to measure academic achievement in various fields. Besides providing data on academics, it offers information on student, teacher, and administrator background. This study analyzed six factors: class size; race and ethnicity; parents' educational attainment; number of reading materials in the home; free or reduced price lunch participation; and gender. Results indicate that on average, being in a small class does not increase the likelihood that a student will attain a higher score on the NAEP reading test. Children in the smallest classes do not score higher than students in the largest classes. An appendix presents results of the statistical models. (SM)

This report discusses current research findings on the effects of peers and social interaction on academic achievement, then analyzes current national data, comparing results to the existing academic literature. Data from the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) database on reading were used to test the influences of peer attitudes on academic achievement. The NAEP examines academic achievement in various fields. It is administered to students in 4th, 8th, and 12th grade. Besides providing data on academics, it offers information on student, teacher, and administrator background. This study analyzes six factors: the effect of peers; race and ethnicity; parents' educational attainment; number of reading materials in the home; free or reduced price lunch participation; and gender. Results indicate that the peer effect is a strong influence on academic achievement, particularly in 4th grade. The significance of peer effect wanes by 8th grade. Family background characteristics also have an important influence. Both have effects that are independent from the effects of gender and race/ethnicity. An appendix presents the results of statistical models. (SM)

This paper explored the attitudes of college faculty toward diversity and multiculturalism at the University of Guam, which is characterized by the Department of Education as a minority institution; the faculty, on the other hand, is less diverse (60 percent Caucasian). The research explored the dynamic between the ethnic composition of the student body and the faculty, seeking to determine whether significant differences existed between female and male faculty members; whether there were differences among faculty members of different ethnic backgrounds; and if there was an interaction between gender and ethnicity. A questionnaire mailed to all 205 full-time faculty at the University of Guam (response rate approximately 51 percent) found that females were more cooperative in responding than males. Female faculty were also more interested in issues of diversity and in integrating multicultural perspectives into their teaching than their male cohorts. It was found that minority faculty tended to associate and collaborate in teaching and research with other minority faculty; Caucasian faculty were less inclined to associate or collaborate with other Caucasians and more open to developing relationships with non-Caucasian faculty. The study also noted that amount of teaching experience was negatively correlated with attitudes toward diversity and multiculturalism. (Contains 23 references.) (RH)

To test whether differences in academic performance exist between public and private schools, this report analyzes the mathematics scores from the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) taken by African American fourth and eighth graders in the District of Columbia's public and private schools. The typical, or average, African American eighth grader in a D.C. Catholic school performs better in math than 72% of his or her public school peers. The gap of 6.5% in fourth grade expands to 8.2% in eighth grade. Taken separately, the statistical effect of Catholic schooling is more important than a family's income or belonging to an intact family. In fact, the impact of Catholic schooling in Washington, D.C. has a greater effect on students than decreasing class size. Two appendixes contain discussions of the results of the statistical models used and a projection model for the mother's education. (SLD)

Educational choice can improve educational achievement and states' bottom lines. Not only do choice programs help students from lower-income families attend schools that they otherwise might not be able to attend, but they can also save money in the process. A record number of state legislatures have considered school choice legislation this year, indicating that such plans are gaining in popularity. (Contains 9 endnotes and 1 table.)

On April 5, 2005, the Georgetown Public Policy Institute released its first of several reports on the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. The 100+ page report describes the characteristics of the initial group of participating students and their families and offers important first-year comparative data. Moreover, the report provides important early evidence that the Washington, D.C., program is on-track for the type of positive results seen in other choice programs. Congress and the Bush Administration should continue to support this program and its statistical evaluation, which is critical to gauge success. The major findings of this first-year evaluation report are summarized in this memo. (Contains 21 notes.)

Contrasts the experiences of most adolescents during social and psychological development with the special challenges faced by those developing an awareness of their homosexuality. Emphasis is placed upon the interplay between societal prejudices and discrimination toward homosexuality and personal development and risk-taking behavior in gay adolescents. Implications for mental health policy and treatment are discussed. (MKA)

Comparisons were made between the use of microfiche materials and conventional printed materials for individualized instruction in two short military courses on aviation and ground maintenance. One group of students in each course used printed instructional materials and microfiche for course achievement tests, while another group used microfiche for instructional materials and tests. In both courses a control group used printed materials and tests exclusively. There were no test score differences among any of the three groups in each course; however, while results indicated that microfiche materials had an initial adverse effect on training time in the first course, this effect decreased rapidly in the second course. Before commitments are made to an extensive use of microfiche materials, it is recommended that their long-term effects be evaluated in a study with sufficient power to assure potential users that real differences in training time as large as those found in this study do not exist. Appendices include a list of course modules, sample learning guides, tables showing cell means for interactions and correlations between attitude and training time, and two student attitude questionnaires with results. (Author/CMV)

In order to provide detailed descriptions of instructors' activities in courses taught by individualized instruction and to identify some of the factors responsible for variations in those activities, records were made of instructor behavior in two computer-managed Navy courses. Within each course, jobs differed considerably in kinds and patterns of activities and total demands on the instructor. Most of the specialized jobs in one course had nominal parallels in the other, but the activities observed in these parallel jobs were quite different. Most instructors spent the major part of their time in brief, relatively routine interactions; complex tutorial interactions were rare. Findings suggest that differences in course design affect demands on the instructor and that systematic tradeoffs have not always been made between such demands and training effectiveness. It is recommended that a single set of student-instructor ratios not be used to compute instructor authorizations for all such courses and that instructor training courses avoid creating unrealistic expectations of actual job performance. Since instructor roles vary so widely, considerable caution should be exercised in selecting a common core curriculum for such courses. (Author/LMM)

A study evaluated the efficiency of job-specific training in military technical areas other than electronics. It sought to determine whether individualized, computer-managed instruction (CMI) can be used to avoid some of the administrative difficulties common to more conventional forms of job-specific training, and it sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of this form of instruction. Individualized, job-specific courses were developed for three organizational-level billets in an A-7E squadron--power plant maintenance technician, structures/hydraulics maintenance technician, and plane captain. The courses were supported by the Navy's CMI system. Students, trained in the job-specific courses, tended to do better than conventionally-trained counterparts on a series of written and performance tests. They were rated about the same by supervisors on the job. Training time for the power plant and structures/hydraulics maintenance technicians were reduced by about one half. For plane captains, the reduction was only about 10 percent. Use of CMI alleviated many administrative difficulties. It was suggested that the initial high cost of material development could be offset in the future by training time reductions. Appendixes include outlines of course content and results of tests and questionnaires. (YLB)

Because the Navy's computer-managed instruction (CMI) system has experienced problems with prolonged system response times (RT) and excessive downtime (DT), a survey of Naval personnel was conducted to determine current and near-term CMI system instructional requirements. Questionnaires were sent to instructors, training program coordinators, system management personnel, instructional program developers and evaluators, and computer personnel. Based on information collected, five system upgrade alternatives that would satisfy instructional requirements and cost estimates for these alternatives were developed. It was recommended that the CMI upgrade effort should include adding automated support for group-paced instruction, which should result in a system with no more than 5% DT; a systems analyst should identify precise causes of system malfunctions and provide computer specifications for group-paced instruction; the Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET) should coordinate all CMI computer programs; and training program coordinators should be knowledgeable about CMI reports for their courses. A seven-item bibliography, a sample questionnaire, lists of areas requiring empirical verification and preliminary instructional system specifications, descriptions of general instructional system functions, and a report distribution list are provided. (ESR)

This document discusses issues relating to recent findings from the Congressional Budget Office relating to the cost of a college education. A groundbreaking new study from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) sheds some light on issues of college affordability and accessibility. The January 2004 study, entitled "Private and Public Contributions to Financing College Education," tackles the following questions: (1) What do parents and students actually pay for higher education after utilizing financial aid (public and private) and other subsidies? and (2) Do low-income students pay more, in percentage terms, than their more affluent peers? According to the Congressional Budget Office, current federal and state financial aid programs allow most low-income students to finance their college education. The document also points out that the CBO also concluded that financing is "not a major obstacle to college attendance." It concludes that in light of this CBO report, Congress should resist the urge to simply expand the size of subsidies when reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. Instead, Congress should eliminate fraud from currently enacted student aid programs to help ensure that they are adequately funded.

Three experiments were performed to extend the research using the Subject Matter Trainer (SMT), an early teaching machine. Various training modes were compared. In all three experiments, the subject's task was to learn adjective pairs. Experiment I used the anticipation method. A test slide was shown first with an adjective singled out at the top of the frame and a list of 20 potential response terms at the bottom. An answer slide was then presented with the correct response term underlined. Experiments II and III used a prompting method. Only the answer slides were shown during the learning trials. Four conditions were used in each experiment. In the "3L" condition subjects received three learning trials. In the "5L" condition they received five learning trials. In the "3LT" condition the subjects had alternating series of three learning and two test trials. In the "3LF" condition subjects experienced alternating series of three learning trials and two filler trials consisting of color and cartoon images requiring a rating of color intensity as the subject's response. The experiments varied as to the intertrial time interval and the time separating learning and retention series. In the learning series of each experiment, the "3LT" condition led to better learning than either "3L" or "3LF." The differences were not uniformly significant nor did they match in magnitude the differences reported in an earlier SMT study. No significant differences were found for the retention series. (KB)

The spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation in the terminal Cretaceous of Western Interior North America was a complex mosaic resulting from the interaction of factors including a shifting coastline, tectonic activity, a mild, possibly deteriorating climate, dinosaur herbivory, local facies effects, and a hypothesized bolide impact. In order to achieve sufficient resolution to analyze this vegetational pattern, over 100 megafloral collecting sites were established, yielding approximately 15,000 specimens, in Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleocene strata in the Williston, Powder River, and Bighorn basins in North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. These localities were integrated into a lithostratigraphic framework that is based on detailed local reference sections and constrained by vertebrate and palynomorph biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and sedimentary facies analysis. A regional biostratigraphy based on well located and identified plant megafossils that can be used to address patterns of floral evolution, ecology, and extinction is the goal of this research. Results of the analyses are discussed.