A Descriptive Analysis of Enrollment and Achievement among Limited English Proficient Students in New Jersey - This study describes enrollment and achievement trends of limited English proficient (LEP) students in New Jersey public schools between 2002/03 and 2008/09. It documents achievement gaps between LEP and general education students in language arts literacy and math. The achievement gaps in both subjects are wider at higher grades. (Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic, April 2012)...

Progress Lags in High School, Especially for Advanced Achievers: State Test Score Trends Through 2008-09, Part 5 - While high school scores on state English language arts and math tests have risen since 2002 in most states, new data show smaller proportions of states making gains in high school compared with 4th and 8th grades. The data, published in the Center on Education Policy’s new report also show a striking lack of progress and widening gaps at the advanced level in many states. The study also reveals a lack of progress among high school students at the advanced achievement level. (Jennifer McMurrer and Nancy Kober, Center on Education Policy, October 2011)...

Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? State Test Score Trends Through 2008-09, Part 4 - The Center on Education Policy compared achievement trends since 2002 on state reading and mathematics tests for Title I students and for students not participating in Title I. They also examined whether achievement gaps had narrowed between Title I and non-Title I students. Key findings include: (1) Achievement on state reading and math tests have improved; (2) Gaps between Title I and non-Title I students have narrowed more often than widened; (2) When gaps narrowed it was most often because achievement improved at a faster rate for Title I students than non-Title I. (Center on Education Policy, August 2011)...

Closing the Achievement Gap for Economically Disadvantaged Students? - Three key questions are addressed in this analysis: (1) Has student achievement on math and language arts state-administered assessments improved significantly since NCLB, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged families? (2) Has the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students closed since NCLB implementation? (3) Are state trends in student achievement on state assessments confirmed by achievement trends on NAEP assessments? (CCSSO, April 2011)...

Student Achievement at 8th Grade: State Test Score Trends Through 2008-09, Part 3 - This study found that 8th grade students seem to be doing fairly well as gauged by solid progress on state tests, particularly in math, and by comparisons with grade 4 and the high school grade tested in each state for NCLB. At the advanced level of achievement, however, they found a problem of widening achievement gaps in subgroups of students. (Center on Education Policy, April 2011)...

Expanded Measures of School Performance - This report describes promising directions for expanding the set of measures that schools have at their disposal while acknowledging the need for more research on how the availability of such measures affects educational practice and student achievement. (Rand Corporation, April 2011)...

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 2: Slow and Uneven Progress in Narrowing Gaps - After eight years of implementing the No Child Left Behind Act and other school reforms, how much progress have states, school districts and schools made in lifting achievement for students from all backgrounds and closing achievement gaps? The authors of this study felt four main conclusions emerged from this study: (1) Achievement gaps are large and persistent; (2) every major student group has made gains in math and reading tests but gaps have not always narrowed; (3) gaps on student tests have often narrowed since 2002. Gap trends vary based on student group and indicator of achievement examined; (4) at the current rates of progress it would take many years to close most gaps. (Center on Education Policy, December 2010) ...

State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, Part 1: Is the Emphasis on "Proficiency" Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students - Part 1 of the third annual report by the Center on Education Policy describing trends in state test scores since the No Child Left Behind Act took effect. This year's study examines, for the first time, trends at the "basic" and "advanced" levels of performance on state tests to obtain a more complete picture of movement across the entire range of student achievement. (Center on Education Policy, June 2009)...

Reading First: Locally Appreciated, Nationally Troubled - The federal Reading First program is widely credited by state and local officials for lifting student achievement, according to this report. Further, the program’s impact is felt far beyond the participating schools. Similarly, states reported that more than 3,000 non-Reading-First districts participated in state-led Reading First professional development. (Caitlin Scott, Center on Education Policy, October 31, 2007)...

National Assessment of Title I: Final Report - This report presents findings from a review of Title I programs under No Child Left Behind. Volume I focuses on the implementation of Title I provisions, including use of funds, student achievement, state assessments, school choice and teaching quality. Several state and district charts provide useful comparative information. Volume II presents findings from Closing the Reading Gap and includes an evaluation of four widely used reading programs. A summary is also available online. (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, October 2007)...

Choices, Changes and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era - NCLB’s emphasis on reading and math has raised concerns that schools will respond by narrowing the curriculum. This report examines the amount of time spent on core academic subjects and how that allocation of time has changed since NCLB was enacted. The report finds that approximately 62% of districts increased the amount of time spent in elementary schools on reading and or math, while 44% of districts cut time on science, social studies, art and music and physical education. (Jennifer McMurrer, Center on Education Policy, July 2007)...