This report summarizes characteristics of students with disabilities in the National Education Longitudinal Study (nels:88), which conducted a base-year survey in 1988 of all U.S. public and private schools containing eighth grades, followed up at 2-year intervals in 1990, 1992, and 1994. Among general observations are the following: (1) students identified in nels:88 as disabled tended to have greater difficulties in school and realized fewer positive outcomes of schooling; (2) relatively small percentages of students with disabilities as identified by nels:88 perceived themselves or were identified by school officials as having received special education services during high school; and (3) teachers in nels:88 were perceptive judges of which students were failing to perform well in the classroom, but linking the identification of disability status to classroom performance may blur the distinction between students with disabilities and students at risk. After an introductory chapter, individual chapters address the following issues concerning students with disabilities: disability identification, students' background characteristics, school experiences, and educational outcomes. A concluding chapter lists characteristics of populations identified as disabled by both parents and teachers and only by teachers, not by parents. Four appendices list nels:88 indicators of disability, nels:88 disability estimates based on alternative disability definitions, and research/technical notes. (Contains 12 references.) (Db).

The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) is the third in a series of longitudinal studies sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics. The NELS:88 is being conducted in several waves, beginning with a base year experience of approximately 25,000 eighth graders. This report profiles the family characteristics and the level of involvement reported by the parents of 1988 eighth graders, using the base year survey and dropout data from the first follow-up. About 93 percent of the parents of the first year sample were interviewed to provide information about home life and family experiences. The parent component is not, however, a representative sample of eighth graders' parents. Their inclusion is linked to the student participants. This study examined child-directed involvement, including activities such as parent-child discussions and school-directed involvement such as parent-teacher association membership and volunteering in the school. There was some indication that parent involvement was related to whether or not students scored below the basic level in reading or mathematics proficiency, but there was a strong relationship between parent involvement and whether or not a student dropped out of school between the 8th and 10th grades. There are 26 tables and 18 figures presenting study findings. (SLD)

How do we effectively teach children from homes in which a language other than English is spoken? In Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children, a committee of experts focuses on this central question, striving toward the construction of a strong and credible knowledge base to inform the activities of those who educate children as well as those who fund and conduct research. The book reviews a broad range of studies--from basic ones on language, literacy, and learning to others in educational settings. The committee proposes a research agenda that responds to issues of policy and practice yet maintains scientific integrity. This comprehensive volume provides perspective on the history of bilingual education in the United States; summarizes relevant research on development of a second language, literacy, and content knowledge; reviews past evaluation studies; explores what we know about effective schools and classrooms for these children; examines research on the education of teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse students; critically reviews the system for the collection of education statistics as it relates to this student population; and recommends changes in the infrastructure that supports research on these students.

This report examines the demographic and language characteristics and educational aspirations of Asian American and Hispanic American eighth graders and relates that information to their mathematical ability and reading comprehension as measured by an achievement test. Special attention is paid to students who come from homes in which a non-English language is spoken. The report uses information selected from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). The NELS:88 administered questionnaires and tests to a national sample of 25,000 eighth grade students in over 1,000 public and private schools in spring 1988. A second data collection was conducted in spring 1990. Of the 1,505 Asian American students evaluated, 73 percent were reported as language minorities (LMs), while 77 percent of the 3,129 Hispanic American students evaluated were LMs. Of the LM students, 66 percent of the Asian Americans had high English proficiency as compared to 64 percent of the LM Hispanic Americans. Both Asian American and Hispanic American groups had 4 percent of LM students showing low English proficiency. Overall, the study found many similarities between the two groups. However, differences are apparent when data are divided along language proficiency, mathematics achievement, aspiration, and other measures. Statistical data are provided in 33 tables and 44 graphs. Appendices present selected survey questions, technical notes and methodology, and 109 standard error tables. (JB)