The shift from the traditional self-contained classroom to the departmentalized classroom structure in upper-elementary classrooms is increasing as the stakes are higher than ever for public schools. Teachers prefer departmentalization but findings as to its benefits for students are mixed. I consider the relationship between classroom structure and student achievement and whether the relationship varies by the subgroup, including race, sex, socio-economic status (SES), student with disability (SWD) status, English language learner (ELL) status, or Gifted High Achieving (GHA) status. Using fourth and fifth grade data from one school district in Florida, I use OLS and logistic regression to examine the relationship between departmentalization and three measures of student achievement based on the Florida Standards Assessment. I find an overall negative relationship between student achievement and classroom structure in fourth-grade, with some variation by student subgroup. The fifth-grade data is not significant and does not indicate that there is a relationship between student achievement and classroom structure.

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Washington. Overall, student achievement trends in Washington showed a mixed picture; trends were generally more positive in reading than in math. Similarly, there were more instances of achievement gaps narrowing in reading than in math. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.].

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Ohio. The major student groups in Ohio showed a clear trend of gains in grade 4 reading at the basic and proficient levels but mostly declines at the advanced level. In grade 4 math, achievement declined across the board for all subgroups at all achievement levels. A clear trend of narrowing gaps was apparent for all major subgroups at most grade levels. (Contains 7 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.].

Through the lens of interdisciplinary and systems perspectives, The Anatomy of Achievement Gaps offers an expert critical analysis of the underachievement problems plaguing the American education system today. By providing a blueprint to meet these challenges, Jaekyung Lee both evaluates and informs American educational policies with a new model of achievement for preschool through college-aged students.

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Vermont. Overall, achievement trends in Vermont have shown a mixed picture in reading and declines in math. There is also a mixed picture on achievement gaps. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.].

The NCO21 research program was undertaken to help the U.S. Army plan for the impact of future demands on the noncommissioned officer (NCO) corps. The performance requirements and associated knowledge, skills, and aptitudes (KSAs) expected of future successful NCOs were used as a basis for developing tools that could be incorporated into an NCO performance management system geared to 21st century job demands. This report documents the design and development of predictor and criterion measures that will be used in a criterion-related validation data collection. The predictor measures include the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), Assessment of Individual Motivation (AIM), and Biographical Information Questionnaire (BIQ), which are operational tests already used in the Army for other purposes. A written Situational Judgment Test (SJT), the Experience and Activities Record (ExAct), Personnel File Form (PFF21), and a semi-structured interview were developed for this project. Two types of rating scale instruments were developed for gathering criterion data. The Observed Performance Rating Scales ask supervisors to rate soldiers on how well they perform in their current jobs. The Expected Future Performance Rating Scales ask supervisors to predict how their soldiers would perform in specific sets of conditions expected to be characteristic of future Army requirements.