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This report, written by WestEd's Adam Voight, Gregory Austin, and Thomas Hanson, describes a study that examines what makes successful schools different from other schools. Rather than define success in absolute terms, this study's definition is based on whether or not a school is performing better than predicted given the characteristics of the students it serves. Using data from over 1,700 California public middle and high schools, 40 schools were identified that consistently performed better than predicted on standardized tests of math and English language arts achievement. These schools were labeled "beating-the-odds" (BTO) schools. Some key results: BTO schools had substantially more positive levels of school climate than other schools BTO schools had climate scores at the 82nd percentile, on average, whereas other schools were at the 49th percentile, on average This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that school climate is an important factor for school success, and investigates not only if there is an association between climate and achievement but also if school climate helps understand how a subset of schools is consistently able to beat the odds and perform better than its peers. In addition to the Full Report, a Report Summary and an updated list of California Beating-The-Odds Schools are also available. [For the Full Report, see ED559741.]

This report, written by WestEd's Adam Voight, Gregory Austin, and Thomas Hanson, describes a study that examines what makes successful schools different from other schools. Rather than define success in absolute terms, this study's definition is based on whether or not a school is performing better than predicted given the characteristics of the students it serves. Using data from over 1,700 California public middle and high schools, 40 schools were identified that consistently performed better than predicted on standardized tests of math and English language arts achievement. These schools were labeled "beating-the-odds" (BTO) schools. Some key results: BTO schools had substantially more positive levels of school climate than other schools BTO schools had climate scores at the 82nd percentile, on average, whereas other schools were at the 49th percentile, on average. This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that school climate is an important factor for school success, and investigates not only if there is an association between climate and achievement but also if school climate helps understand how a subset of schools is consistently able to beat the odds and perform better than its peers. In addition to the Full Report, a Report Summary and an updated list of California Beating-The-Odds Schools are also available. Included in the report is the appendix: Beating-the-Odds Schools. [See: the Summary Report at ED559745, and the previous AIR study: "Successful California Schools in the Context of Educational Adequacy" at ED499199.]

Public schools have come under enormous pressure in recent years to demonstrate academic gains and to address deeply rooted disparities among students of different races, ethnic groups, and income levels. Clearly, boosting academic achievement should be a top priority. Less evident, however, is the long-term effect of supporting this goal by diverting attention and funding from programs that have traditionally supported student health and well-being. This study investigated how gains in test scores were related to three types of health-related barriers to student learning: (1) poor physical health indicators, such as lack of exercise and inadequate nutrition; (2) alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (including use at school); and (3) violence, victimization, harassment, and lack of safety at school. Also investigated was how test scores were related to more beneficial influences on student well-being: (1) caring relationships; (2) high expectation messages; and (3) opportunities for participation and contribution. The study was conducted using longitudinal, school-level test-score data, as well as data from the state-sponsored California Healthy Kids Survey (a comprehensive student self-report assessment tool for monitoring the school environment, student health risks, and resilience assets. Also examined was whether or not student health risk and resilience were differentially related to changes in academic performance in low- and high-performing schools. Findings from this study suggest that efforts to improve schools should go beyond the current emphasis on standards and accountability measured by test scores. Policies and practices focusing exclusively on increasing test scores while ignoring the comprehensive health needs of students are almost certain to leave many children, and many schools, behind. These results have important policy implications for schools and stakeholders trying to meet accountability demands for improved academic performance. (Contains 11 figures.)

Legislative mandates in California and at the federal level require written parental consent for surveys of children and youth on: sexual behavior and attitudes; illegal, antisocial and criminal behavior; and psychological problems. Active parental refusal and nonresponse to requests for permission threaten the generalizability of information obtained in large-scale population surveys. The California Student Substance Use Survey, administered biennially since 1985, initiated an active consent policy for the most recent (1995-96) survey. Thirty-eight percent of the intended sample was lost as a result of the consent requirement--6% due to denial of permission and 32% due to failure to return consent forms. School level student data revealed that parental response rates correlated significantly and negatively with measures of poverty (percent on Assistance to Families with Dependent Children and percent on school food programs) and positively with measures of educational advancement (percent of seniors graduating and percent taking college preparatory courses), as well as with percent Asian students. The feasibility of proposed tactics for increasing response rate is explored, and these tactics are dismissed as impractical for large-scale surveys. The tendency of media and interested parties to ignore qualifications by researchers about the generalizability to the intended population of samples based on actual parental consent is noted. (Contains three tables and eight references.) (Author/SLD)

This document summarizes recent research on substance abuse among American Indian youth. The overview provides information on the nature and extent of the problem, use correlates and risk factors, and prevention. A conclusion is that factors that predispose American Indian youth to substance abuse include family disruption and dysfunction, which are often compounded or arise out of socioeconomic tribal problems; prejudice against Indians; and lack of educational opportunities among their parents. Recommendations, which should be adapted to the specific tribe, include: (1) strengthen reservation families; (2) provide available and effective adult alcoholism treatment; (3) enhance cultural programs and activities; (4) utilize extended families; (5) identify at-risk children and retain them in school; (6) implement culturally appropriate school-based prevention programs; (7) expand student support and intervention services; (8) and provide more positive activities for youth. The second section contains abstracts of 40 studies. (LMI)

The stated objectives of this document are: to increase awareness of and clarify the risks facing children of substance abusers (COSAs) through a review of recent empirical research literature; and to examine the prevention and intervention issues involved in providing services to these youth in the schools. The literature review deals mainly with children of alcoholics because of the longer history and greater prevalence of alcoholism in this country and the relative lack of research on children of other drug abusers. The similarities and differences between children affected by parents who use different drugs are clarified as much as possible, particularly as much less is known about the effects of their illicit drug use. The focus is specifically on adolescents. Terminology issues centering on COSAs, Children of Alcoholics (COAs), and Children of Other Drug Abusers (CODAs) are discussed. Specific topics discussed include: (1) prevalence; (2) characteristics and problems of COAs and CODAs; and (3) prevention and intervention, including identification and assessment, labeling, program goals and techniques, parental involvement, and program evaluations. Twenty-seven abstracts of research studies involving COSAs are included. An extensive list of references is included, as well as a selected list of some of the main sources on services for children of substance abusers. (ABL)

This document examines what is known about alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) among adolescent females. The first half of the document discusses the following topics: (1) prevalence and patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among female adolescents; (2) correlates and risk of substance abuse, including age of initiation, appropriateness, coping, dating, decision making factors, educational attainment, family factors, peer pressure, self-concept, sexual behavior, and sexual/physical abuse; (3) prevention and intervention implications, including context of use, differential effects, dissemination of information, educational attachment, family education, peer pressure, resistance skills, risk reduction, self-esteem enhancement, sexual abuse, sexual behavior, stress reduction, drug specific considerations, and targeting high risk populations. The second part of the document presents lengthy, detailed abstracts of recent research studies on these topics which have been published in journals. Approximately 200 references are listed. (ABL)

There is a strong statistical correlation between delinquency activity level and the level of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in adolescents. A strong association between drug use, drug trafficking, and youth gangs has also emerged. However, several important questions concerning the relationship of delinquency, gang membership, and AOD use remain unanswered in the research literature. To address these issues, the first section of the overview summarizes current knowledge about the extent of AOD use among delinquents and the relationship between AOD use and delinquency. Recently, researchers have reached consensus regarding the existence of an underlying deviance factor associated with various deviant or risk-taking behaviors in adolescence. Evidence for this viewpoint derives from three sources: (1) etiological and risk factor research on antisocial behavior, school adjustment, family and peer influences, and intrapersonal risk factors; (2) age prevalence data; and (3) attempts to measure directly the presence of a latent deviance factor. The overview next explores the related question of gang member involvement in delinquency, drug use, and drug trafficking. The final section discusses strategies to reduce the prevalence of drug use and delinquency through prevention and intervention programs. The report also contains tables categorizing research by topics, a research abstracts section, and a bibliography of 159 references. (Author/MLH)

This volume contains summaries of the latest research focusing on the issue of the extent of drug use and abuse among racial and ethnic minorities and the factors influencing it. Taken into consideration are age and sex differences among users, narcotics addiction, socioeconomic influences, cultural factors, racial factors, demographic factors, criminal activity, institutional use, and social impact. Each summary presents the purpose and scope of the research or study, the methods employed, the results obtained, and the author's conclusions. A guide to the summaries gives the racial/ethnic composition of each study's sample and indicates which of the following factors it deals with: (1) multidrug or opiate drug use; (2) epidemiology; (3) sociocultural factors; (4) psychosocial factors; (5) attitudes; (6) crime and laws; and/or (7) treatment. In addition, an index and a complete list of the studies included in this volume are provided. (EB)

This research update begins with a review of research on adolescent drug use and its prevention. The research reviewed illustrates the complexity of the problem and of the many variables that may affect outcome. The review suggests that a social influences approach to drug prevention that focuses on preventing the initiation of use by reducing the influence of peer pressure will have limited effectiveness by itself, especially with alcohol. It suggests that more attention must be given to problem users and to reducing underlying behavioral problems, and that prevention efforts must begin earlier than junior high school. It notes that prevention efforts effective for one drug may not be effective for another and that prevention of alcohol drinking among adolescents poses a whole set of different problems from tobacco or illicit drug use. Finally, the research reviewed suggests that school-based programs rooted in psychosocial principles can be successful, and that credible information dissemination can have a positive impact. Broader action on the community level is urged. Following the review are abstracts of 12 studies, all published in 1988, which deal with the evaluation of curricula and school-based drug prevention programs, correlates and consequences of adolescent drug use, or surveys of attitudes and perceptions concerning drug use. Abstracts are arranged alphabetically by the first author's last name. Studies abstracted appear in boldface type in the review section of the report. References to other documents cited in the review follow the abstracts. (NB)

The field of drug and alcohol abuse prevention is still in its infancy, but has come a long way since the first prevention approach was adopted in the late 1960's. Despite the weaknesses of past curricula and the problems still to be addressed, prevention curricula are becoming more effective as time goes on. There is much that has been learned from prevention failures, as well as from a few successful prevention programs. Programs that increase drug knowledge are quite easy to develop, programs changing attitudes toward drug use are more difficult, and programs changing drug- and alcohol-related behaviors are quite rare. Yet many of the ineffective approaches are still being utilized in today's school-based curricula. If further advancements towards reducing the use of alcohol and drug abuse problems are to be made, focus needs to be on approaches that lead to positive behavior change. Hopefully, the nation will continue to place the problems of alcohol and drug abuse by our youth in the forefront of issues, providing the support needed to continue making progress in the area of educational research and curriculum development. (ABL)

This quarterly publication is prepared by the Western Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities, and summarizes recent research on adolescent drug abuse and its prevention. This issue abstracts and reviews the implications of new research dealing with substance abuse among minority youth, specifically Native Americans. The goal is to help bridge the communications gap between researchers, practitioners, and the general population by disseminating research in an accessible manner and providing an introductory overview. The overview of the abstracted documents discusses minority youth as an at-risk population. The research uniformly demonstrates that substance abuse is widely prevalent among Native American adolescents and even younger children. Alcohol is by far the most widely abused drug among all age groups, with marijuana the next most popular substance for abuse. It is evident that drug prevention programs developed for mainstream youth have had little impact on minorities and that any prevention efforts must overcome several cultural and socioeconomic barriers. Various cultural factors have been studied as being important in increasing the possibility of substance abuse among American Indians. The overview calls for education and intervention programs, suggesting that work be directed toward reducing the number of factors that put Indian youth at risk. The overview is followed by 20 abstracts of published research from 1985 to 1988 arranged alphabetically by author. The document also contains 112 references. (TES)

This report discusses the substance use patterns and problems of Asian Americans adults and youth relative to other ethnic groups (primarily Whites). In addition, it summarizes the main explanations that have been offered for ethnic differences in use, and offers possible conclusions that may be drawn concerning prevention for Asian-American young people. The following sections are included: (1) "Nature and Extent of Use"; (2) "Substance-Related Problems"; (3) "Correlates of Use"; (4) "Prevention"; and (5) "Summary and Conclusions." Within each section, adults, youth, and use of various drugs are considered separately. The following findings, derived mostly from research in California and Hawaii, are presented: (1) Asian Americans drink less than Whites and have lower levels of drug use; (2) they have a relatively large percentage of abstainers; (3) most drinking is done by males but at moderate levels; (4) considerable variations in drinking patterns and drug use exist among different Asian groups; (5) Asian Americans suffer less from substance-related problems than do other ethnic groups; and (6) the evidence regarding the relative influence of sociocultural factors and physiological factors in keeping alcohol use low among Asians is inconclusive. Abstracts of 19 documents about substance abuse among Asians are included. A list of 94 references is included. (JS)