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Three "Lab" schools were established in 1994-1995 in Durham, North Carolina public schools solely to provide smaller classes for disadvantaged inner-city students. In addition, smaller class sizes were achieved in two additional elementary schools by "cashing in" teacher aides and other more judicious use of available funds. These two schools were used as a comparison group in a study to determine the effects of smaller class size on achievement; students matched on appropriate test scores from other Durham schools were used as a control group. Focus groups were conducted with staff and parents at the three Lab schools to find out what they thought were optimal class sizes and the advantages of smaller classes for students. Test data used to analyze the relationship between class size and academic performance at all five schools included: (1) assessments from Marie Clay's Observation Survey; (2) the Developmental Reading Assessment; and (3) North Carolina End-of-Grade Test scores. State standards call for class sizes of 23 students for K-2 grades, and 26 for grades 3-5. The average class size for the Lab schools ranged from 14 to 21 for K-2 and from 11 to 22.5 for grades 3-5. The average class size for the comparison schools ranged from 13.9 to 20-3 for K-2 grades, and from 14.3 to 20.3 for grades 3-5. When asked what class size was "just right," responses from school staff ranged from 16-21 students; in contrast parent responses ranged from 10-19. Students in Lab schools had higher test gain scores than students in the comparison and control groups for Kindergarten, and for first and fourth grades. Students in the Lab and comparison groups had higher test gain scores than students in the control groups for Kindergarten and second grade. Alternatively, students in the control group had higher gain scores than those in the Lab and comparison schools for third and fifth grades. These findings suggest that smaller class sizes produce the largest and most consistent test gains among disadvantaged children in the earlier grades (K-2). Multivariate analysis of the data indicated that although test scores varied within and across groups by grade, there was a significant increase in test scores for students in all groups and in all grades. (Contains 17 references.) (HTH)

Students in Durham, North Carolina, who do not perform on grade level in grades 3, 5, and 8 must attend an 18-day summer school. End-of-grade tests in reading and math, given twice, and teacher ratings of achievement level determine who must attend. An end-of-grade test given when the summer session concludes decides whether the student is promoted, unless the student has limited English proficiency, is overage for his peer group, or is promoted at the discretion of a Student Assessment Panel. A study examined 1,300 students eligible for summer school, attempting to identify the characteristics of students who are and are not successful at the end of summer school based on their participation, previous performance level, number of performance requirements, and ethnicity. The goal was to determine which students benefited from such short-term remediation. White students were more likely to be successful than African-American students; those needing to pass both reading and math had 1 chance in 10 of being successful. Those needing only to pass the math test had a much greater chance of promotion than those who had to pass only the reading test. Large numbers of students went from the lowest achievement level to work on grade level in less than 6 weeks. (RKJ)

Standard operating procedures of the Reading Recovery program allow for students to be dropped from the program if they have not met the criterion for success after 20 weeks of participation. This paper follows the actions of over 600 first-grade Reading Recovery students in a medium-sized school district over the course of a complete year of intervention to determine the degree of success for the program. The paper investigates the relationships among student characteristics, program success, and demonstration of success within the context of a larger, district-wide evaluation of first-grade reading. It states that comprehensive data were collected for 610 students who received Reading Recovery for at least some portion of the school year, and that of the 443 students who received the complete Reading Recovery program, 264 (59.6%) were able to successfully transition back to the classroom as readers. It also finds that almost two out of every five students (179 or 40.4%) did not successfully complete the program and were returned to the classroom with insufficient reading skills. According to the paper, it appears that in this district Reading Recovery is successful for only three out of every five students who receive this intensive, 20-week program to develop reading skills. Since Reading Recovery is an expensive, labor-intensive program, the paper suggests that perhaps a less expensive alternative may be more appropriate for some students. (Contains 14 tables of data.) (NKA)

In 1997 the Board of Education of the Durham (North Carolina) Public Schools passed a policy that required all students performing below grade level on the Eighth Grade Competency Test in either reading or mathematics to attend summer school and demonstrate progress in order to be eligible for promotion to the next grade. This requirement was later extended to fifth grade students as well. Tests were constructed to measure student growth in mathematics during the summer school session. Differences between results on the test taken as a pretest and as a posttest were used as a measure of growth for each student. The average student gained between 3 points (grade 5) and 3.5 points (grade 8) in mathematics during the 15 days of instruction between the pretest and posttest. Over 76% of fifth graders had positive gain scores, and about 70% of eighth graders had positive scores. The proportion of students who demonstrated growth may be attributed, at least in part, to the provision of instructionally relevant diagnostic information to teachers at the beginning of the summer school session as well as to the seriousness with which students faced the summer school experience. Appendixes contain test item specifications and characteristics, a sample principal memo and report, and information on the frequency distribution of student gain scores. (Contains seven tables.) (SLD)

The Durham Public Schools Communities in Schools (CIS) Academy provides a student-centered environment that encourages high-risk students to remain in school and get back on track for graduation. Program operations began in January 1995. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the first semester of operations (the second semester of the 1994-95 school year). Thirty-nine students spent the first semester of the 1994-95 school year at their "sending" school and the second semester of that school year at CIS Academy. The Academy met the following three objectives (out of a total of seven): (1) 90 percent of the students would stay in school; (2) 60 percent of the students would improve their grades; and (3) students would increase their attendance by 5 days. The program fell short of meeting its goals for promoting 80 percent of students to the next grade, linking 80 percent of families with community resources, linking 80 percent of students with a tutor or mentor, and procuring the participation of 75 percent of families in two training conferences or home visits. The incidence of student tardiness increased and the number of suspensions decreased. CIS also had little effect on enabling students to pass the North Carolina high school graduation requirements. It is recommended that CIS work more on preparing students and their home schools for their return to regular education and to provide students with followup support. Fourteen figures and five endnotes are included. (LMI)

Results from the first year of implementation of year-round schools in a school district that educates students from a medium-sized city and the surrounding county are presented to add to the body of knowledge about year-round schools. Two single-track, year-round elementary schools (kindergarten through grade 5) were established in Durham (North Carolina). One school adopted a core knowledge curriculum, while the other chose a more traditional approach. Both were attendance zone schools, rather than magnet schools, but in both cases a majority of parents had to approve the year-round concept and parents were allowed to send their children to other schools. Evaluation data supported the conclusion that the year-round schools had a significant positive effect on the achievement of students. There was also reason to believe that instructional planning at the school level was improved by the need to coordinate assessment and remediation services. Although disadvantaged students did not participate in the enrichment programs and the remediation programs between the sessions to the extent planners had hoped, those students who did receive the inter-session remediation were better prepared to resume their educations after breaks. The schools can be considered an important addition to the learning opportunities in the Durham schools. (Contains eight tables and six references.) (SLD)

This report compares the average annual earnings of teachers to the average annual earnings of college graduates in full-time salaried, nonteaching positions in six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This is the seventh in a series of annual analyses of wage comparability studies. In addition to comparing average earnings, the report represents several other comparisons between teachers and other college-educated workers, e.g., the growth in earnings throughout a career. One purpose of the analysis is to determine amounts teachers need to be paid to make their salaries equivalent to the earnings of college graduates with similar education and work experience in other occupations, e.g., executives, administrators, and managerial supervisors. It is noted in the conclusion that despite the growth of teachers' salaries over the last 7 years in the Southeast and a slower rate of growth for the earnings of other college-educated workers in the region, teachers' salaries are still not competitive enough to ensure the attraction and retention of adequate numbers of qualified teachers. (JD)

Based on data compiled from the U.S. Census Bureau "Current Population Survey" (March 1989), this report compares the average annual earnings of teachers to the average annual earnings of college graduates in full-time, salaried, nonteaching positions in six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In addition to comparing average earnings, the report presents several other comparisons between teachers and other college educated workers, e.g., executives, administrators, and managerial supervisors. One of the comparisons concerns the growth of earnings throughout a career. Individuals considering an occupation are interested in how they will be rewarded for increased experience. Another comparison is made of the distribution of earnings by age for teachers and for other college educated workers. The relationship between low teacher salaries and the dwindling pool of teachers is discussed. This report is the sixth in a series of annual analyses of wage comparability. (JD)

Evaluation conducted during the 1975-76 school year of the Experience-Based Career Education (EBCE) program at Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) is reported, focusing on the evaluation findings of the EBCE demonstration project in Tigard, Oregon called Community Experiences for Career Education, (CE)2, and the five NWREL EBCE pilot sites and separate EBCE materials. (EBCE is a comprehensive, individualized career education program that integrates basic skills, life skills, and career development through work and learning experiences in the community.) This report contains a description of the program as it operated in its fourth year and the evaluation results for students who have participated in (CE)2 during the past year and those who have completed two years of program participation. Staff interview results related to the demonstration site's role in EBCE training and demonstration are also reported. The evaluation of the efforts to implement EBCE in NWREL pilot sites and participant outcome results are summarized. Summary and discussion of findings related to the use of separate EBCE packets and the EBCE handbooks are included. Appendixes contain the tabulated responses to various questionnaires and the narrative reports of the demonstration site and second-year pilot site. (TA)

Project HAPPIER (Health Awareness Patterns Preventing Illnesses and Encouraging Responsibility) is assembling a consortium of representatives from departments of education in Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts, Georgia, Texas, Washington, Florida, California, and Puerto Rico to develop curriculum units for migrant children for teaching health information. The report summarizes results of a survey administered to samples of migrant health center staffs and consortium members and 40 state directors of migrant education to determine entry level knowledge of participating audiences to ensure that curriculum units will meet needs of migrant health staff, migrant education staff, and migrant parents. Respondents indicated migrant "wellness" and disease prevention should be a coordinated effort, led by migrant health projects and migrant education programs. Barriers to adequate health care are cost and inaccessibility, coupled with migrant life styles and lack of information. Since the family is seen as highly influential, any materials development should include materials for parents. The greatest needs for materials are in the areas of nutrition, human growth and development, disease control, and dental health. A knowledge of migrant designed to be integrated with existing curricula. A project overview and a list of objectives are provided in both English and Spanish. The appendices, which form the bulk of the document, include survey forms, comments, and item by item responses. (Author/NEC)

The computerized database of Project MERLIN (Migrant Education Resource List Information Network) contains information about people, programs, and written materials, and a survey was designed to determine whether MERLIN's listing of scopes and topics was appropriate for classifying the database's content. The survey was distributed to MERLIN's consortium members (16 state departments of education and 3 national clearinghouses with migrant interests) and others knowledgeable about migrant health and/or education. Twenty-five respondents completed the survey (11 consortium members; 14 others). Respondents were asked to rate each of the 12 chosen scopes and each of the topics within each scope on a 5-point scale ranging from definitely change to definitely not change. Based on the responses, the following scopes were identified as needing major revision: Administration, Cultural Studies, Dropout Prevention, Educational Programs, Parent and Community Involvement, and Special Education. Career Education, English as a Second Language, Bilingual Education, Health and Human Services, Identification and Recruitment, and Vocational Education were the scopes identified as needing minor revision. The Migrant Student Record Transfer System scope did not need any changes. It was suggested that the ERIC thesaurus be used as the basis for the categorization and retrieval system, replacing the current scopes and topics. (PM)

As part of Project HAPPIER (Health Awareness Patterns Preventing Illnesses and Encouraging Responsibility), a survey was conducted among teachers and other migrant personnel in Illinois to assess the current health needs of migrants. The availability of educational materials was also investigated in the survey in order to ensure that a proposed health resources guide would meet the needs of migrant health and education staffs and migrant parents. Respondents indicated that migrant "wellness" and disease prevention should be a coordinated effort, led by migrant health projects and migrant education programs. The major barrier to adequate health care was high cost, compounded by the migrant environment and life style and lack of information. Teachers, outreach workers, and nurses were seen as the most influential in promoting good health practices and also were the major health providers. Dental health, nutrition, fitness, and substance abuse were the most important instructional areas. Parents' health values and beliefs, their present health knowledge, and an awareness of the barriers to good health habits were essential to the teaching process. Materials should be designed to be integrated with existing curriculum. Dental health materials were needed most. These results were similar to the results of a national study, also conducted by Project HAPPIER, using a similar survey form. Appendices contain the 6-page survey form, data tables, and respondents' comments. (JHZ)