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The report presents general information and statistical data about schools, their staffs and students, as well as administrative staff data concerning Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland (MCPS). The data are generated from existing computer files to reduce the response burden of school personnel; to assure standard definitions, formats, and statistical procedures to generate data uniformly; and to provide a reference for those who need accurate consolidated data to conduct planning and decision-making activities. This sixth annual report is organized as follows: (1) purpose and organization of the report; (2) selected data about the county and the school system; (3) seven summaries of school profiles; (4) administrative area summary profiles; (5) profiles for the county school system administrative offices and departments; and (6) a list of specialized statistical reports about MCPS. (DWH)

The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Educational Accountability (DEA) administered a broad based survey to graduating seniors in MCPS high schools in May 1983. This first annual survey will be the foundation of a proposed longitudinal follow-up of graduates. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the educational program provided to them by MCPS, especially concerning attitudes about their high school courses, teachers, and other staff. Results indicated general satisfaction, but there were some areas which required improvement. The priorities adopted by the Board of Education on September 13, 1983 and students' reports were examined. The priorities included: (1) improvement of student test performance in English, Mathematics, and Science/Technology; (2) teaching and learning higher order intellectual skills; (3) minority student participation in special programs for gifted and talented, higher level academic courses, and extracurricular activities; (4) increasing organizational effectiveness and employee capabilities; and (4) improving students' abilities in independent learning, responsibile citizenry, and effective group membership. Nine appendices present tables of students' ratings of teachers, courses, and preparation in skill areas. (DWH)

This is a preliminary evaluation on the first year (1983-84) implementation of the expanded senior high school level gifted and talented Honors Program in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Maryland. The Honors Program includes Advanced Placement courses, Advanced Level courses, and honors level work in designated MCPS Program of Studies courses. Data were collected from three sources: (1) student and teacher interviews at six high schools; (2) systemwide enrollment and performance data for the first semester; and (3) telephone interview comments from school administrators and guidance counselors. The study revealed findings in four areas: honors policy compliance; description of participating students; satisfaction with the Honors Program; and emerging problems. Findings show that the MCPS Honors program is in place and being implemented according to county guidelines in all areas except foreign language. The curriculum is differentiated and challenging. Honors program students believe they are learning more and better. Recommendations include: (1) continuing effort to encourage Black and Hispanic student participation; (2) adding and subtracting certain Honors Program Courses; (3) improving procedures for students exiting at mid-semester; (4) investigating the advisabiliy of Cluster Classes and independent studies; and (5) providing more training guides and materials. Appendices contain three tables with data on participation in each Honors Program course by race, sex, and grade distributions for these courses. (BS)

The Mark Twain School in Rockville, Maryland serves emotionally disturbed students in Grades 5 through 12 whose severity of emotional problems seriously impairs their successful functioning in regular classes. The Department of Educational Accountability has conducted a study of characteristics of students served in the Mark Twain School and the degree of their academic success in regular schools after completing the Mark Twain program. This study was designed to describe the student population at Mark Twain in recent years; monitor the progress of former students who have been returned to regular schools; and determine which variables best predict the eventual success of these students. This report describes the current Mark Twain program, evaluation issues, and the sample and instrumentation used in the study. Detailed findings of this study are presented graphically. The predictor variables of success determined by the study were discussed. A five page executive summary is included. (DWH)

This study responds to the Board of Education's request that a plan be developed to assess and improve guidance and counseling services in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Maryland. Data collection activities included (1) a review of MCPS policies and regulations, and (2) analysis of data from counselor logs, counselor observations, counselor questionnaires, student questionnaires, teacher questionnaires, parent interviews, principal interviews, and surveys of other school districts' guidance and counseling programs. Chapter 1 defines the guidance and counseling function. Chapter 2 reviews the guidance and counseling function as performed in the elementary schools, the junior high/intermediate/middle schools, the senior high schools, and the supplementary centers. Chapter 3 discusses guidance staffing. Chapter 4 describes program management and monitoring. Chapter 5 contains recommendations for a new management structure for implementing the guidance and counseling program. Chapter 6 provides conclusions and recommendations. The findings indicate that the overall MCPS guidance and counseling program requires some significant modifications in structure and in management. The role of the senior high school counselors needs to be reexamined and, perhaps, reshaped to better meet the needs of students, staff, principals, and parents. (BS)

This study of the legal services provided for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Maryland has two purposes: (1) to determine the cost-effectiveness and quality of current arrangements; and (2) to present alternative arrangements with estimates of their costs, effectiveness, and acceptability. MCPS budgets significant funds for legal services (more than $377,000 in fiscal year 1983). This study presents 11 alternative legal services arrangements. The two most viable, which include a mix of service providers, are further defined into five configurations with cost estimates for each. Based on a comparative analysis, the following recommendations are made to the Board of Education: (1) an in-house legal services office with two attorneys, a paralegal assistant, and a legal-secretary; (2) continued use of external private legal firms for about 50 percent of the casework; (3) expanded management of the legal services activities by the MCPS Staff attorneys; and (4) continued use of the County Attorney's Office in connection with the risk management/self-insurance program. (BS)

The Montgomery County Public Schools, (MCPS), Maryland, annually surveys its graduating classes to help determine whether MCPS adequately prepares its graduates. This is the first follow-up study of MCPS's 10 special education schools' graduates (class of 1983). It investigates: (1) postsecondary education and employment activities; (2) students' and/or parents' perceptions of program quality; (3) the effectiveness of these programs; and (4) current living arrangements for graduates. Telephone surveys were conducted with 92 (of 179) MCPS graduates, 48 parents, and 36 employers. Findings show that most graduates are either working in relatively low-skilled job categories or attending training institutions. However both parents and graduates at some schools felt MCPS could improve its job training programs. Employers are satisfied with the work of the graduates and rate their job performance very highly. The Appendix contains descriptions of the MCPS special education programs for mental retardation (Concord, Longview, and Stephen Knolls schools), multiple handicaps (Rock Terrance High School), emotional impairment (the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents in Rockville, Bridge School, and Mark Twain School), hearing impaired (Rockville High School) orthopedically and other health impaired (Kennedy High School), and specific learning disability (Walter Johnson, Gaithersburg, and Kennedy High Schools). (BS)

The Department of Career and Vocational Education of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Maryland offers students a variety of services to help develop awareness, explore options, and prepare for career roles. In the spring of 1983, three career components were evaluated by the Department of Educational Accountability: (1) the Executive Internship Program for selected eleventh and twelfth graders, started in the 1970's; (2) the School-Based Internship programs offered in many MCPS high schools since the 1960's; and (3) the Career Education Infusion Process (at the secondary level), which integrates curriculum with career education objectives for grades K-12 and was initiated in 1982. Quantitative survey research methods were used to collect data on the two internship programs from participants, parents, sponsors, guidance counselors, and school coordinators. Semi-structured interviews of teachers, principals and other staff were used for the infusion process program. The study found the two internship programs strong and successful as of May, 1983, however, findings on the Career Education Infusion Process indicated little progress, and many barriers to the implementation process. An addendum contains a rejoinder by the Department of Career and Vocational Education Staff with charts of the career education guidance and instruction components. (BS)

This document is the first volume of a two-volume study that explores the gender and racial/ethnic factors contributing to differential participation and performance in mathematics by elementary and secondary school students in the Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland). This first volume contains an introduction and three major sections. Section I, "Conceptual Framework," comprises the following chapters: (1) "Review of the Literature"; and (2) "Methods." Section II, "Findings Related to Mathematics Participation and Achievement by Gender and Racial/Ethnic Group," comprises the following chapters: (1) "Mathematics Enrollment and Achievement at the High School Level"; and (2) "Progress and Performance in a K-8 Mathematics Curriculum." Section III, "Findings Related to Attitudes and Beliefs About Mathematics by Gender and Racial/Ethnic Group," comprises the following chapters: (1) "Students' Attitudes and Beliefs About Mathematics"; (2) "The Home Environment--Parental Attitudes, Beliefs, Expectations, and Support"; (3) "The School Environment: Teachers', Counselors', and Principals' Attitudes and Expectations Concerning Mathematics for Students"; and (4) "Summary and Recommendations." Statistical data are included on 72 tables and 7 graphs. The appendices include a list of 48 references, lists of mathematics curriculum objectives, copies of the data collection instruments, and the following statistical data: (1) course enrollment, grades, and California Achievement Test performance by gender and racial/ethnic group; (2) responses to student questionnaires; (3) responses to parent questionnaires; and (4) responses to teacher and counselor questionnaires. (FMW)

This executive summary reports the findings of a study of the mathematics participation and performance of female, Black, and Hispanic students in the Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland), and generalizes its findings to mathematics instruction for all students. Goals of the study were the following: (1) identify at what point in the educational process differences first appear; (2) identify factors in the school, home, and society that contribute to differential mathematics participation; and (3) point out policy implications and suggest alternatives or solutions. The sources of statistical and attitudinal data, and the methods used to select the sample populations are outlined in a fact sheet. Major summary findings include the following: (1) gender differences in participation and performance do not emerge until the last year or two of high school, but differences in attitudes and beliefs about mathematics start much earlier; (2) differences in progress through the elementary mathematics curriculum between Blacks and Hispanics, and Asians and Whites emerge as early as the first and second grade; (3) large differences exist in participation and performance in the secondary mathematics curriculum between Blacks and Hispanics, and Asians and Whites; and (4) the best way for any student to be successful in mathematics is to have succeeded in mathematics in the past, but once a student experiences failure or falls behind grade level, it is more difficult to catch up. Statistical data are included on four tables and three graphs. (FMW)

This report is the fifth in a series of studies on 14 elementary magnet schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. The focus is over a three-year period from 1983 through the 1985-86 school year. Ten of the elementary schools are from the Montgomery Blair High School area and four are in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School area. In addition to providing quality education, these programs are intended to improve the racial balance among schools by attracting and retaining pupils needed for racial balance. First, background and study methods are discussed. The next chapter focuses upon the findings concerning pupil attitudes and social interaction. A chapter is devoted to academic achievement discussion. Finally, parental involvement and satisfaction with the magnet schools are discussed. Appended are: (1) school sample and measures for the nonacademic analyses; (2) technical notes on the academic sample, measures, and analyses; and (3) magnet and nonmagnet school sample for parent interviews. (SI)

The study examined procedures utilized in 28 elementary schools in Montgomery County (Maryland) when a student is found to have academic or behavioral problems that make functioning in the regular classroom difficult. The study examined one part of special education--how the school system initially identifies students for special services. The study reviewed 650 students to determine how many received a handicapped code and which code they received. The investigation monitored a subsample of 302 students to determine what happended when students received a referral to Educational Management Teams (EMT) and School Admissions, Review, and Dismissal (SARD) committees. Results showed that the profile of students seen to be at risk closely matched participation figures for receipt of special education services, with Black students more likely and Asian students less likely to be coded as handicapped compared to majority group students. The most common category was learning disabilities, followed by speech/language impairments. The functions of the EMT and the SARD were poorly differentiated; the EMT was frequently not fulfilling its problem solving function prior to referral for identification of a handicapping condition. Several inconsistencies in diagnostic evaluation and due process practices surfaced. (JDD)

This study investigated possible warning signs in students predicting future trouble with school suspensions. A year-long study of the school histories of 219 secondary students suspended numerous times from the Montgomery County Public Schools examined these students' early school experiences and behavior. Only two percent of students in grades 7-12 were suspended numerous times. Multiple suspendees differed noticeably from nonsuspendees or students suspended only once. Some of the areas of differences included participation in extracurricular activities, placement in special education programs, course grades, and school attendance. The five suspendee types identified are: fighter, student-in-crisis, truant, low achiever, and episodic. Data supported the contention that except for the episodic suspendee, predicting who will become a suspendee is possible. Different levels of success with correcting the misbehavior of suspendees had been experienced depending on the suspendee type. Late and inappropriate interventions contributed to intervention failure. The study's findings justify differentiating the treatment of students with discipline problems. (ABL)

The Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) provide English language instruction to approximately 3,800 students with limited English proficiency. This report represents results of an evaluation of the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)/Bilingual services offered during 1981-82. The first phase focuses on the entry/exit testing process, and was designed to evaluate the individual instruments used for testing as well as the entry/exit testing process in general. The entry assessment battery utilized consisted of three instruments: the Language Assessment Scale (LAS), the Minimum English Competency Test (MEC), and the Entry Teacher Evaluation interview. The exit battery consisted of a parallel form of the MEC, the LAS, and the Exit Teacher Evaluation. Major objectives of the evaluation were to determine: (1) the validity of the MEC as an entry/exit assessment of students' English proficiency; (2) whether parts of the battery are redundant; and (3) the reliability and validity of the overall testing process. It was found that: (1) test scores on the MEC and the nationally validated LAS are similar, suggesting that the MEC is a valid measure of English skills for Hispanic students in MCPS; (2) MEC scores successfully correlate with classroom performance; (3) the time required to administer the LAS is probably not justified, given its redundancy; and (4) regardless of their scores on the MEC, Asian students receive higher scores on the Exit Teacher Evaluation and are often mainstreamed with less proficiency than Hispanics. These findings led to the formulation of several recommendations to improve measurement validity and reliability. (GC)

This research proposal is designed for the Montgomery County, Maryland, Public School System with the aim of documenting and analyzing changes that occur when 14 of the 22 high schools in the system switch from a six- to a seven-period schedule. The seven-period time table is being adopted in order to (1) allow students taking full academic loads the opportunity of taking special electives and advanced level courses; (2) reduce students' scheduling conflicts; (3) provide more time for teachers to engage in activities with individual students, while being involved in departmental and team planning; and (4) enable schools with smaller staffs to offer courses comparable in size to schools with larger staffs. The goals of the study include monitoring and analyzing the amount and kinds of additional courses taken by students, effects of the proposed changes in the length of class period on the teachers and students, and the added cost of staffing and transportation to the school system. Also included in the proposal is information on the type of instrument to be used as well as the collection and analysis of the data. (AOS)

The Montgomery County public school system presently provides assistance through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to troubled employees with problems which affect work performance. EAP's mandate is to provide crisis intervention, prereferral evaluation, information, referral, and follow-up services. From its inception to March, 1981, EAP provided services to 943 employees with the following types of problems: job-related problems, substance abuse problems, family problems, and others. The present study was initiated by the Employee Assistance Program to determine the program's impact upon employee clients and the supervisors who had referred employees to EAP. The study's major purposes were to determine: (1) To what extent did EAP enable troubled employees to function more effectively because of program intervention? (2) To what extent did EAP reduce time-consuming activities of supervisors and other personnel related to the problems of troubled employees? (3) To a limited extent, the study also examined selected aspects of EAP's organizational procedures, including intake and referral functions, confidentiality, and recordkeeping procedures. Telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of employees (n=80) representing 21 percent of the population that had used EAP services from the fall of 1979-1981. Findings, limitations and recommendations are discussed. (PN)

Project Basic is a program developed by the Maryland State Department of Education to assure that students attain basic skills in a variety of areas. Two levels of tests are given in grade 7 to monitor progress, and in grades 9 to 12 to determine whether each student has met the state minimum competency level. Students must pass the higher level of the Maryland Functional Reading Test to be eligible to graduate from high school. There are retest requirements until the test is passed. Graduation requirements apply to handicapped students (mainstreamed or in regular classes) on a different schedule. Test security requires several test forms, therefore test scores have been put on a scale that can correct for differences in difficulty. Scale scores transformed to performance-related scores, and estimated percent-correct scores are used to adjust to the different forms. Scores reported for the total test determine graduation eligibility, and scores for each domain determine areas needing further instruction. The results are reported to students, parents and school staff with pass/fail and performance indications. (CM)

The Mark Twain School provides a short term individualized educational program for seriously emotionally disturbed students with learning problems in grades 6 through 12 in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS). During the 1980-81 school year the Department of Educational Accountability, at the request of the Office of Continuum Education and the Mark Twain School, conducted a follow-up evaluation of 121 former Mark Twain students who had returned to regular MCPS programs during 1978-80. This evaluation was conducted for two purposes: (1) to provide data on the success of these former Mark Twain students, and (2) to develop a set of evaluation instruments and/or procedures which could be used in subsequent follow-up efforts. Data were collected via telephone interviews with parents, surveys of administrators, behavior checklists completed by teachers, report cards, and student records. Analysis of the data indicated that many of the former Mark Twain students are performing satisfactorily in their current school with only minimal support in the form of special education services, and some are doing very well. Additionally, current returnees are performing somewhat better in the regular school environment than were earlier cohorts of returnees. A four-page executive summary is included. (PN)

In the fall of 1981, a survey of the Class of 1976 was conducted to gather information about both what the students had done since completing high school and their opinions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their high school program. Generally, courses in all areas were rated as satisfactory or excellent, with music receiving especially high marks and mathematics the lowest marks. Students mentioned study skills as an area in which they felt they needed additional preparation. Ninety-one percent of the students reported that they were currently working, mainly in professional and technical jobs and felt that their high school program helped them to develop appropriate work habits and attitudes toward work. The data show that post-high school work experience generally reflected the course of study undertaken while in high school. Regarding postsecondary education, 73 percent reported having attended a college, trade, business, or vocational school since graduation, and 38 percent reported having completed a post-high school course of study. Counseling services appear to have been a problem; of special concern was the lack of information about financial aid available and the reputation of schools and colleges in the student areas of interest. (PN)

While the seventh and ninth grade Maryland Functional Mathematics Tests (MFMT) appear valid and well constructed, the 65 percent passing rate for Montgomery County Public Schools' ninth grade students raises questions about the 81 percent passing score set for the MFMT. This standard is far stiffer than the 59 percent set for the Maryland Functional Reading Test (MFRT), passed by 96 percent of Montgomery County ninth graders. Additional comparisons to the California Achievement Test (CAT) results support this apparent difference in standards. Reversing cutting scores would create an apparent "reading crisis" and passing mathematics rates would be 90 percent. Passing rates for special education students was low, ranging from 3 to 32 percent for the five different levels. Marked differences in the ninth grade test passing grades of racial and ethnic groups, and disparities with CAT results, may indicate bias in the MFMT. The passing percentages were: Blacks: 34, Hispanic: 42, Whites: 70, and Asians: 77. Analysis of passing rates by school and by math class indicate that with the present cut score, the problem is countywide and largely confined to students taking Math 9A and Algebra I, Part 1A. Nine charts and tables accompany the discussion. (BS)

The purpose of the present study was to reexamine the screening process being used to select students for gifted and talented programs in the Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, and to determine whether problems in screening have been overcome. Specifically, the study was designed to: (1) determine whether the revised screening procedures were being implemented in an appropriate and uniform fashion; (2) assess the extent to which more Black and Hispanic students were included in the screening and being selected for programs in an equitable fashion; and (3) reexamine findings from a 1979-80 study regarding the use of various instruments and procedures. The findings indicate that while some changes consistent with the revised guidelines have taken place in the screening and selection process, serious problems continue to exist; and procedures intended to increase minority participation are having only a slight impact. Further, implementation of the screening process continues to be inconsistent across schools. Comments by the staff of the Gifted and Talented Program, which took issue with some of the findings in this report, are also included. (Author/BW)

This report provides a comparative cost analysis of three different methods of developing final examinations for secondary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland. Based on expenditure reports and interviews with central and school-based staff, cost estimates were developed for three kinds of exams: (1) the county-wide final exam/departmental exam approach mandated by Senior High School Policy; (2) departmental final exams alone; and (3) final exams made by individual teachers. The study found that the Board-mandated approach is by far the most expensive of the three alternatives, costing from 30 to 150 percent more than the other approaches. It should be noted that over 95 percent of the costs which were recorded in this analysis were not incremental or out-of-pocket costs but rather were "opportunity costs" resulting from (1) providing teachers with a half day of release time each semester to work with their colleagues on jointly developed departmental exams, (2) teachers spending additional time developing final exams, and (3) allocating roughly 25 percent of academic subject coordinator time and 1150 equivalent days during the previous summer to the development of uniform countywide exams. (Author/BS)

The Mobile Education Teams (METs) Program of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools instructs limited English proficiency (LEP) adolescents. Funded by a 3-year Title VII grant and implemented in six intermediate and junior high schools beginning in 1984-85, METs provide intensive elementary-level English, reading, and mathematics instruction to seventh through ninth graders. A resource specialist, five teachers, three teacher aides, a counselor, and a parent specialist move from one site to another. This study documents the nature of the instruction provided by the METs during the 1985-86 school year, and presents results of questionnaires on students' personal and school experiences and a teacher checklist concerning students' attendance and discipline patterns. Sixty-eight students, 64 teachers, and 55 parents completed Year 2 questionnaires. As standard tests (namely, the Minimum English Competency test and a criterion-referenced math test) were found to be inadequate, a qualitative design was adopted. Results indicate that METs provide: (1) positive initial school experiences, resulting in a high level of student and parental satisfaction with the program; (2) sensitivity toward special student needs; (3) acculturation to the American educational system; (4) functional math and reading skills as well as survival English skills; and (5) services above and beyond those normally available to LEP students. The original study and sample program materials concerning reading, mathematics, and social studies instruction are appended. (TJH)

The implementation of the elementary magnet school program in Montgomery County (Maryland) from 1983 through 1985 and the racial balance changes experienced in these schools are discussed. Ten elementary schools in Area 1 and four of seven elementary schools in Area 2 operate magnet programs; these 14 schools comprise the study sample. The objectives of the study were to determine: (1) the extent to which magnet programs have been implemented in the schools as planned; (2) whether these programs stimulated increased participation in the programs through voluntary pupil transfers; (3) whether the resulting pupil transfers improved the racial balance of the schools in the magnet school cluster. School visits were conducted to examine program implementation in 1985. Montgomery County Public School's "Statistical Abstracts" provided data on racial balance in the schools. A distinction is made between school minority composition and racial balance--the difference between the school's and the county's overall minority composition. Magnet programs included gifted and talented programs, and areas of concentration in the arts, mathematics and science, computer literacy, and foreign languages. Magnet programs were generally implemented as planned and did generate transfer requests. The racial balance of Area 2 schools improved to within Board of Education guidelines, although the magnet schools cannot be said to be the sole reason. In Area 1, the racial balance stabilized, but remained above the overall minority composition. The current program does have an impact on the racial balance of magnet clusters. Strategies are discussed for increasing the pace of improvement. Overall demographic trends in the county are described. Findings on racial balance and magnet programs are tabulated and analyzed for each area, and the various alternatives are described. (SLD)

This report summarizes the activities and findings of a focus group study of teachers' perceptions of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools instructional program in reading language arts and the instructional system in mathematics. Two groups were organized to provide information to the school program planners to help them in revising and refining the curricula. A total of 33 primary, 31 upper elementary, and 20 J/I/M (junior high/intermediate level/middle school level) teachers participated in the 8 focus groups (43 teachers discussed reading language arts, and 42 discussed the mathematics instructional system, with 4 groups of 8-12 participants discussing each of the areas). Questions addressed by the group concern problems that the curricula may have due to an overly prescriptive orientation, heavy demands on teacher time, and lack of support for teachers in the form of staff training and assistance and materials. Group findings for the two curriculum program cover teachers' perceptions of the overall program, planning, testing, administrative supports, recordkeeping, and collaboration. Copies of the focus group discussion guides and a discussion of the methodology for conducting the focus groups are appended. (TJH)

In the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland the Chapter 1 program is atypical in that the mainstream model is used. Students remain in their classrooms for Chapter 1 instruction, which they receive along with regular instruction. This model is increasingly recognized by other districts as an alternative to the more widely used pull-out approach. A study of the progress of Chapter 1 students was conducted in 1985-86. The group under study were students who had received Chapter 1 in grades K, 1, and 3 in 1979-80. This group was compared to other students in the grade cohort who had not received Chapter 1 services. The findings included the following: (1) most of these students had not needed special education services, those who did needed low levels of service; (2) the performance of the Chapter 1 students on statewide reading and mathematics tests was similar to that of ninth graders throughout the state but lower than that of ninth graders in the district; (3) the target group performed below grade level on criterion-referenced tests; (4) the suspension rate for the Chapter 1 students was over twice that of other students in their cohort; and (5) the Chapter 1 students experienced other problems, in areas such as achievement, speech and language, listening and social or emotional adjustment. Statistical data are provided on tables. (VM)

The report documents activities and findings of the Preschool Evaluation Project which is developing a model for evaluating program provision to handicapped preschoolers and creating a longitudinal data base to track the short- and long-term progress of preschool children receiving special services in Montgomery County, Maryland. During the first year (1983-84) of the data base development phase the project conducted the following data collection activities: testing of 123 handicapped preschoolers with the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI); documentation of type and quantity of service provided; survey of parents regarding degree of satisfaction with their child's special education program. Major findings included the following: (1) with the exception of gross motor skills, Project children exhibited significant improvements in all areas of development beyond that expected by maturation alone; (2) the largest gains were in the areas of personal-social and cognitive skills; (3) children labeled multihandicapped made significant gains in all areas but motor skills; (4) children labeled "articulation disordered" or "language disordered" made gains but not in speech and language areas; (5) parents reported overwhelming satisfaction with their preschool child's program; (6) service providers did not use BDI test results in educational planning or discussions with parents. The body of the report details methodology, results, the parent satisfaction survey, and supplementary BDI validation studies. Appendixes include the parents' evaluation questionnaire, the BDI questionnaire, and additional information about the "value-added analysis" approach employed in the study methodology. (DB)

In response to concerns raised by principals at both the elementary and intermediate levels regarding the amount of instructional time consumed by students taking tests which were not related to day-to-day instruction, a study was conducted of the amount of time spent preparing to give such tests and actually administering them, and the manner in which the test results were being used. The average number of hours spent preparing for and taking these tests ranged from 6.0 hours in Grade 6 to 29.5 hours in Grade 3. These results indicate that the amount of periodic testing is not large and in fact consumes less than 2 percent of the available instruction time. Nonetheless, three areas of concern emerged from the analysis: (1) the status of locally-developed curriculum-related tests, given teacher uncertainty about their usefulness and quality; (2) the misuse of achievement test data by using results to place individual students in particular programs and classes; and (3) questions about the reliability and validity of the measures used, especially at the intermediate level. (BW)

In 1976, the Montgomery County Public Schools began the development of a kindergarten through grade 8 Instructional Program in Reading/Language Arts (IPR/LA) for teaching the English language arts. Goals of the effort were to improve reading and listening comprehension instruction and to improve program consistency across grades, schools, and areas. The first full year of data collection for the reading program was 1982-83. During that year the focus of study centered on descriptive information about the characteristics of reading instruction and problems in the implementation process in the study schools. A sample of 20 elementary schools was selected for the reading study and stratified on the basis of achievement level and length of time the school had been exposed to IPR/LA. Study findings indicated that while some teachers were able to implement the revised curriculum in a number of areas, some serious problems still remained. Further, the program was not implemented for students at all achievement levels. In addition, no consistent criteria were in use system-wide to monitor program implementation. Neither the training nor the materials provided to schools to support the implementation process were perceived as adequate. Finally, the role of the reading teacher appeared to have changed, which created role conflicts for some school-based reading teachers. A technical appendix includes data collection procedures and instruments used in classroom observation. (HOD)

To support a comprehensive look at the problem of increasing minority student achievement in the Montgomery County Schools (Maryland), this report reviews the literature to identify factors affecting minority achievement and to learn from 20 years of programs aimed at low achievers. Section I describes three types of intervention programs: (1) federal/national (Headstart and other early intervention programs, Chapter I and other compensatory approaches, and the privately developed People United to Save Humanity, PUSH-EXCELL program; (2) private school programs; and (3) public school district programs in the District of Columbia, New York City, Austin, and San Diego. Section II reviews the findings on strategy effectiveness at the overall school level (principal leadership, school climate, grade organization, class size, ability grouping, and pullout instruction), the classroom level (time-on-task, curricular variation, direct instruction, teacher feedback, teacher expectations, teaching strategies, student team learning, and mastery learning), and out-of-school (community and parental involvement). Based on these findings Section III recommends further analysis of variables shown to enhance low-achieving students' performance: class size reduction to 15 or less; student team learning and teacher training programs such as Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement (TESA); and mastery learning programs. (BS)

The study examined how 620 children, identified as handicapped while in preschool or kindergarten, had progressed 3 to 9 years later. The study addressed questions of effectiveness of identification procedures, outcomes of early intervention, handicapping condition and placement level, and educational history. Among results were: Identification procedures (in Montgomery County, Maryland) were generally effective in identifying the more seriously impaired children at younger ages; Identification procedures were less effective in identifying black handicapped children or handicapped children of lower socioeconomic status before the age of four; Consistent with the severity of the impairments of preschool-identified children, many still required special education in elementary school; Although fewer of the children identified in kindergarten continued to require special education services (reflecting their milder handicaps), the majority of those still being served required services as intensive or more intensive than those received in kindergarten. The report provides separate chapters on the study methodology and on special education placement and outcomes for children identified at either the preschool level or the kindergarten level. Five appendixes include a comparison of preschool and kindergarten sample characteristics, the derivation of the socioeconomic status variable, the continuum of special education services offered by Montgomery County, definitions of levels of service, and definitions of handicapping conditions. (DB)

To review tuition procedures for nonresident students of Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools, this report evaluates policies and regulations and offers recommendations for improvement. An introductory chapter sets forth the scope of review by the internal audit staff. Review involved analysis of requests for tuition waivers and waiver request files, financial records on tuition collections, pupil enrollment records, and selected student files. The audit staff discussed issues with county officials, interviewed school officials, and reviewed tuition policies in adjacent counties. Findings, conclusions, and recommendations consider the three criteria of residency, guardianship, and student crisis in chapters 3, 4, and 5. In chapter 6, issues are identified in relation to international students' visa status. School procedures that identify nonresident students are enumerated in chapter 7. Chapter 8 describes the collection of nonresident tuition, which highlights the need for modifying program procedures, as illustrated in chapter 9. Additional policy questions outside the audit's scope, but requiring consideration by the superintendent and board of education, are discussed in chapter 10. Chapter 11 summarizes the report's recommendations on policy and administration. Eight appendices present such data tabulations as policy on nonresident tuition payments by location for 1985-86, and international student enrollment. (CJH)

This two-volume report on the progress of the Instructional Program in Reading/Language Arts (IPR/LA) in the Montgomery County, Maryland schools presents a brief overview of the study design, methodology, findings, recommendations, background data, and statistical analysis tables. Volume I of the report begins with an Executive Summary of the three-year-old program, which was designed to integrate the teaching of skills in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The first chapter describes the conception and implementation of the curriculum, noting that implementation is advancing slowly, and discussing some of the reasons for the delay. Chapter 2 deals with evaluation methods, which included classroom observation, questionnaires and interviews, student reading tests, and attitude surveys. Curriculum implementation is discussed again in chapter 3, and the unavailability of books is identified as an obstacle. Chapter 4 outlines the curriculum's effect on pupils, noting that higher levels of implementation lead to higher reading gains. Volume I of the report concludes with recommendations for accelerating implementation and two appendices that define types of discourse and chart implementation of specific curricular components. The first chapter of Volume II describes the evaluation measures that were used to determine the status of all schools studied and consists of three sections that provide a detailed accounting of the data collection procedures, tables showing how the implementation scores were derived from classroom observations, and a summary of the results of the pupil attitude survey. The second and third chapters summarize analyses of curriculum implementation differences and of the language arts curriculum's effects on pupils and contain sections on correlations between implementation, academic, and reading attitude scores; regression analyses of academic outcomes and reading attitudes outcomes; and an analysis of parent opinions of pupil reading attitudes and activities. (AEW)

Examined were (1) the long-term effectiveness of Head Start; and (2) the success of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) in educating children from low-income families. The first focus of the study compared the performance of Head Start graduates in elementary and secondary schools to that of students who had applied for Head Start but did not attend. The second compared the performance of Head Start graduates with that of other MCPS students. Findings indicated that participation in Head Start had long-term, statistically significant, positive effects for the Head Start students from 1970-71, but most differences were not statistically significant for students participating in 1974-75 and 1978-79. Factors which predicted outcomes in high school for Head Start graduates included mother's education, family income, sex, ethnicity, and achievement in Grades 3 and 5 as measured by performance on standardized tests. Those in the Head Start sample still experienced a large number of problems as they proceeded through elementary and secondary school. Data suggest that the situation for Head Start participants has not substantially improved over time. Family income level appeared to be at least partly responsible for some of the performance differences between racial/ethnic groups in MCPS. Several groups of students, which included males in general, and Black and Hispanic males and Black females in particular, experienced a disproportionate number of problems. Related materials are appended. (RH)

The furniture and equipment inventory system of the Montgomery County Public Schools is examined in this report. Following a summary, comments provided by the Office of the Associate Superintendent for Supportive Services relating to recommendations made in the report are presented. The first chapter provides an introduction, background, program and inventory information, and objectives of review. Chapter 2 focuses on the capitalization policy and policy application. Chapter 3 examines records of new purchases and notes various accounts used. Chapter 4 looks at the physical inventories and verification of records and assets. Chapter 5 examines the management and control of the inventory system, stating the need for further improvements. Chapter 6 highlights efforts made to improve the inventory system, stressing the need for change in various areas. Five appendices include information on (1) scope and methodology of the report; (2) a list of schools included in the report; (3) comparisons of quantity and value of furniture and equipment; (4) selected items of furniture under $75; and (5) excerpts from the Maryland Financial Reporting Manual. Included in the report are 16 tables and 1 exhibit. (WTH)

The centralized warehouse concept as utilized by Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools is examined in this report detailing the operation of the warehouse facility and distribution system. After an executive summary, an addendum detailing comments by the staff of the Office of the Associate Superintendent for Supportive Services conflicting with specific recommendations of the report is presented. Chapter 1 focuses on warehousing and warehouse operations with findings on (1) functions of the warehouse, (2) characteristics of the current facility, (3) layout, (4) procedures, (5) housekeeping, (6) material handling equipment, (7) safety, and (8) security. Implications of the findings include current warehouse practices and future warehouse requirements and improvements. Recommendations conclude the chapter. The second chapter focuses on distribution of supplies and materials, with findings on (1) the division of supply and property management, (2) delivery of warehouse supplies, (3) use of helpers on delivery vans, (4) the Pony delivery, (5) distribution of food service supplies, (6) maintenance, and (7) pupil transportation. Implications of the findings include possible consolidations of various supply and food service deliveries. Recommendations conclude the chapter. Included in the report are 19 exhibits (charts, tables, and illustrations). (WTH)