An in-depth look at academically selective public high schools in America What is the best education for exceptionally able and high-achieving youngsters? Can the United States strengthen its future intellectual leadership, economic vitality, and scientific prowess without sacrificing equal opportunity? There are no easy answers but, as Chester Finn and Jessica Hockett show, for more than 100,000 students each year, the solution is to enroll in an academically selective public high school. Exam Schools is the first-ever close-up look at this small, sometimes controversial, yet crucial segment of American public education. This groundbreaking book discusses how these schools work--and their critical role in nurturing the country's brightest students. The 165 schools identified by Finn and Hockett are located in thirty states, plus the District of Columbia. While some are world renowned, such as Boston Latin and Bronx Science, others are known only in their own communities. The authors survey the schools on issues ranging from admissions and student diversity to teacher selection. They probe sources of political support, curriculum, instructional styles, educational effectiveness, and institutional autonomy. Some of their findings are surprising: Los Angeles, for example, has no "exam schools" while New York City has dozens. Asian-American students are overrepresented—but so are African-American pupils. Culminating with in-depth profiles of eleven exam schools and thoughtful reflection on policy implications, Finn and Hockett ultimately consider whether the country would be better off with more such schools. At a time of keen attention to the faltering education system, Exam Schools sheds positive light on a group of schools that could well provide a transformative roadmap for many of America's children.

In this book the authors discuss academically selective public high schools as a way to give exceptionally able and high achieving youngsters the best education possible, while strengthening the United States' future intellectually leadership, economic vitality, and scientific prowess without sacrificing equal opportunity.

Featuring practice tests and drill questions, this guide's second edition will help students prepare for the entrance exam for three of New York City's elite public high schools.

Written tests to evaluate students were a radical and controversial innovation when American educators began adopting them in the 1800s. Testing quickly became a key factor in the political battles during this period that gave birth to America's modern public school system. William J. Reese offers a richly detailed history of an educational revolution that has so far been only partially told. Single-classroom schools were the norm throughout the United States at the turn of the nineteenth century. Pupils demonstrated their knowledge by rote recitation of lessons and were often assessed according to criteria of behavior and discipline having little to do with academics. Convinced of the inadequacy of this system, the reformer Horace Mann and allies on the Boston School Committee crafted America's first major written exam and administered it as a surprise in local schools in 1845. The embarrassingly poor results became front-page news and led to the first serious consideration of tests as a useful pedagogic tool and objective measure of student achievement. A generation after Mann's experiment, testing had become widespread. Despite critics' ongoing claims that exams narrowed the curriculum, ruined children's health, and turned teachers into automatons, once tests took root in American schools their legitimacy was never seriously challenged. Testing Wars in the Public Schools puts contemporary battles over scholastic standards and benchmarks into perspective by showcasing the historic successes and limitations of the pencil-and-paper exam.

A real-world guide to passing the entrance exam for Catholic high school Catholic High School Entrance Exams For Dummies provides students and their parents with an efficient and effective way to prepare for the HSPT, TACHS, and COOP-the three entrance exams used by Catholic high schools. Included are Six full-length practice tests Test-taking tips from the experts Thorough reviews of each test's format With full sample tests, up-to-date questions, and a comprehensive review of the basics in each category, Catholic High School Entrance Exams For Dummies is a family's ticket to education success.

Your guide to acing the TExEs exam This best-selling handbook is the definitive resource for prospective principals who want to boost student performance and demonstrate outstanding school leadership. Thoroughly updated to address the completely revamped TExES exam, this new edition details: The domains and competencies of successful school leadership The leadership philosophy on which TexES is constructed A sample test and important areas to focus on What to do in the weeks, days, and even the night before the test An extensive list of additional resources to supplement each domain

This is the complete exam prep guide for those seeking NBCSN certification.