Children's Academic Progress Research Articles

Transform Toxic AYP into a Beneficial Tool

Adequate Yearly Progress is a flawed tool. But, with a few changes, AYP can become the impetus for educational good that its architects originally foresaw. Almost all educational accountability laws are enacted by well-intentioned lawmakers who want what's best for children. Sometimes, however, certain features of these laws actually diminish rather than enhance educational quality. Such is the case with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The very name of NCLB, of course, elicits warm visions of a caring government's assurance that nary one child will be neglected in our public schools. Yet, one of this cleverly labeled law's provisions--namely, its adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirement--now causes serious educational mischief in the nation's schools. NCLB, as most educators know, is the current incarnation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), a landmark federal statute that, for the first time, lobbed substantial federal tax dollars into the nation's public schools. Because the next reauthorization of ESEA will soon be upon us, it's altogether imperative that the AYP flaws in this influential law be remedied. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An Unintended Malignancy In a nutshell, NCLB currently calls on schools to increase the test scores of successive cohorts of students, including several NCLB-designated subgroups. Incorporating an amalgam of federal and state controls, NCLB sets forth the general structure of AYP but allows states to 1) decide what levels of student achievement will be required for a particular state's students to be 2) select the achievement tests to measure students' levels of proficiency, and 3) install state-specific timelines to ensure that all of the state's students will become proficient by the close of the 2013-14 school year. Given state-by-state choices regarding these three key options, it comes as no surprise that state percentages of AYP-failing schools vary considerably. Nonetheless, the NCLB requirement that all students earn proficient-or-above test scores by 2014 is having an adverse impact on schooling. This is because, though states can slightly jiggle their AYP timelines regarding how they'll reach the 2014 goal, they still must satisfy this federal demand for proficient-or-above perfection. Schools that fail to reach their annual AYP targets soon become the recipients of serious sanctions (if those schools receive NCLB dollars) or public embarrassment (if those schools don't receive NCLB dollars). Avoiding those negative consequences has become a primary focus of educators at all levels of public schooling. Many of these failure-avoidance endeavors by educators, unfortunately, have nothing to do with improving education. In truth, the havoc caused by AYP is sufficiently serious that characterizing it as a malignancy really doesn't demand much literary license. Five Changes Any changes to AYP in the reauthorized rendition of ESEA must be politically palatable. For instance, if AYP is eliminated or eviscerated in a new version of ESEA, then the public might interpret this as evidence of educators' lack of concern about children's academic progress. Such perceptions would, almost certainly, doom any versions of a reauthorized ESEA under consideration. I'm convinced, however, that with five changes, AYP can be saved without losing political face. Moreover, AYP can become the impetus for educational good that its architects originally foresaw. RECOMMENDATION #1 Change the language. A new version of ESEA should abandon the current NCLB descriptive labels--basic, proficient, and advanced. Shifting to a new set of fundamentally different achievement descriptors will provide state officials with an opportunity to install more clear and more defensible definitions of student achievement levels. Student's test performances could be described in a three-category system revolving around the grade-level performance of students, namely, below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. …

Using Home Learning Tool Kits to Facilitate Family Involvement

It is a widely held belief that increased family involvement enhances student academic achievement. When considering children with special needs, involvement is not only beneficial; it is often an essential ingredient in a child's success. Families of children with special needs are often limited by time constraints that inhibit school involvement. This leads to the need to extend learning opportunities to families of children with special needs as a means of increasing levels of involvement in their children's education. This article describes a collaborative project between teachers at a local elementary school in North Carolina and members of their Parent-Teacher Association. The Home Learning Tool Kit served as a bridge between home and school, thereby assisting in educating families about their children's academic progress. The project focused on extending learning opportunities to families as a means of increasing their levels of involvement in their children's education.

Neurobehavioral Morbidity Associated With Disordered Breathing During Sleep in Children: A Comprehensive Review

To comprehensively review research on the association between childhood sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and neurobehavioral functioning. Qualitative and quantitative literature review. N/A. N/A. N/A. The findings of 61 studies of the relationship between childhood SDB and neurobehavioral functioning were critically evaluated and synthesized. There is strong evidence that childhood SDB is associated with deficits in behavior and emotion regulation, scholastic performance, sustained attention, selective attention, and alertness. There is also evidence that SDB has minimal association with a child's typical mood, expressive language skills, visual perception, and working memory. Findings have been insufficient to draw conclusions about intelligence, memory, and some aspects of executive functioning. Mechanisms by which SDB might result in neurobehavioral morbidity are being explored, but clinical symptoms such as chronic snoring remain the best predictors of morbidity. Short-term SDB treatment outcome studies are encouraging, but the long-term outcomes are not known. Failing to treat SDB appears to leave children at risk for long-term neurobehavioral deficits. Childhood SDB is associated with neurobehavioral morbidity. Applying commonly used guidelines for causal inference, even in the absence of a much-needed randomized clinical trial, there is strong evidence of association, consistent findings, and specificity of effect. There is suggestive evidence that this association fits the expected temporal pattern and that SDB is a biologically plausible cause of neurobehavioral deficits. Clinicians should be alert to the coexistence of SDB symptoms and concerns about a child's academic progress, attention, arousal, or behavior or emotion regulation.

Community Contexts for Literacy Development of Latina/o Children

Anthropology & Education QuarterlyVolume 37, Issue 1 p. 42-61 Community Contexts for Literacy Development of Latina/o Children Leslie Reese, Leslie ReeseSearch for more papers by this authorClaude Goldenberg, Claude GoldenbergSearch for more papers by this author Leslie Reese, Leslie ReeseSearch for more papers by this authorClaude Goldenberg, Claude GoldenbergSearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 January 2008 https://doi.org/10.1525/aeq.2006.37.1.42Citations: 10AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume37, Issue1March 2006Pages 42-61 RelatedInformation

Functional analysis and treatment of selective mutism in children.

Abstract Selective mutism refers to a persistent failure to speak in public situations, especially school, where speaking is expected. Researchers have linked selective mutism to social anxiety in many cases. Functional analysis of selective mutism generally involves interviews, questionnaires, behavioral observations, and daily logs. Assessors should look closely for conditions under which selective mutism commonly occurs, especially directives from others, lack of attention from others, high child anxiety, and lack of interpersonal skills. Treatments for selective mutism often involve exposure-based practices and parent- and teacher-based contingency management. Keywords: Mutism; social anxiety; functional assessment; interviews; scales; questionnaires; behavioral observations; treatment; contingency management. Introduction Selective mutism refers to a persistent failure to speak in public situations where speaking is expected, despite speaking in other situations (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Children with selective mutism commonly fail to speak in situations outside their home and especially in places such as school, restaurants, stores, and recreational settings. From a diagnostic perspective, selective mutism must last at least one month. This excludes children who are naturally reticent about speaking during the first month of school. Selective mutism is not diagnosed in cases where a child simply lacks knowledge or comfort with the language that is spoken in the public situation. A child whose parents speak only Spanish, for example, would likely not be diagnosed with selective mutism during his or her first year of school unless the child was already quite familiar with English. Furthermore, selective mutism is not due specifically to difficulties in communication such as stuttering or specifically to a developmental disorder, though these problems may co-occur. Many children with selective mutism do try to communicate in public situations via nonverbal means such as nodding, pointing, mouthing, or writing letters in the air (APA, 2000). Failure to speak in public situations, especially school, can hinder a child's academic progress because teachers are less likely to call upon these children for answers and because many of these children cannot undergo intelligence and other testing (Bergman, Piacentini, & McCracken, 2002). In addition, some of these children are teased or disliked by their peers, which further affects their social-communication development. Speech and language development may be delayed as well (Krysanski, 2003; Kumpulainen, Rasanen, Raaska, & Somppi, 1998). The prevalence of selective mutism is not well known because of the furtive nature of the disorder and lack of literature regarding this population. Prevalence estimates range from 0.2-2.0%, but the actual rate may be higher because many parents attribute the problem to simple shyness that the child will eventually outgrow (Bergman et al., 2002; Kopp & Gillberg, 1997; Kumpulainen et al., 1998). In addition, because many of these children speak freely at home, parents often delay seeking treatment. An overt speech or language problem does not seem evident to them. Initial studies on selective mutism indicated the prevalence of selective mutism to be higher for girls than boys, but recent evidence suggests a more equal gender distribution (Andersson & Thomsen, 1998; Hayden, 1980; Remschmidt, Poller, Herpertz-Dahlmann, Hennighausen, & Gutenbrunner, 2001; Wilkens, 1985). Age of onset for the disorder is typically 3-6 years but the problem is usually not recognized until school entry or later (i.e., age 6-8 years) (Black & Uhde, 1992; Ford et al., 1998). Selective mutism appears to have a variable but sometimes chronic course that can persist for years (Krysanski, 2003). In one study of second-graders with selective mutism, most (53%) had been mute since kindergarten and a substantial portion (18%) had been mute since preschool (Kumpulainen et al. …

The role of data analysis in inclusion processes and practices

This article outlines BPRS funded investigations into my own school's and other establishments' practices and processes within data analysis, needs identification and tracking of children's academic progress. It describes the evaluation of my school's then current practices and policies and the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with my own staff, and assessment coordinators and senior leaders within exemplar schools. As well as outlining the main findings of my research this article assesses the introduction of new models of assessment for my own staff and pupils. This article also highlights how my research developed and the way my research process changed as it continued.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A review for family physicians

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic behavioral disorder characterized by persistent hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention that impairs educational achievement and/or social functioning. Its diagnosis is made by ascertaining whether the child's specific behaviors meet the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-IV-revised criteria. Its etiology is still unclear but recent studies suggest that genetics plays a major role in conferring susceptibility. Comorbidity with psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorder, depression, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder; and with specific learning disability is not uncommon. Although medication works well in most cases of ADHD, optimal treatment requires integrated medical and behavioral treatment. Methylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine are the two drugs being currently prescribed and their efficacy in decreasing the symptoms of ADHD is well documented. Pyschoeducational interventions in school can help increase the successful functioning of affected children and improve their academic performance. Almost half of affected children continue to show significant symptoms of the disorder into adolescence and young adulthood. The family physician can play an important role in detecting this condition early, coordinating its assessment and treatment, counseling the parents and classroom teacher, and monitoring the child's academic and psychosocial progress on a long-term basis.

Using Survey and Focus Group Research to Learn About Parents' Roles in the Community College Choice Process

Parents of the high school class of 2000 students who attended their local community college in fall 2000 responded to a mailed survey and participated in a focus group discussion. The study examined parents' expectations from the college, role in their sons' or daughers' college choice, and observations following their children's first year. Survey findings revealed parents had high academic goals for their children but overestimated academic abilities; they engaged in a variety of college search and choice activities. Focus group research enriched survey findings: Parents expected substantial communication directly from the college about their children's course choices and academic progress. Implications for practice and the value of using multiple research approaches are discussed.

Students' Academic Performance: Academic Effort Is an Intervening Variable

This study was designed to seek explanations for differences in academic performance among junior secondary school pupils in a Ghanaian municipality. A random sample of 600 junior secondary school pupils in form 2 was used for the study. Multiple regression procedures were used to analyse the data. The results of the study showed that in both Mathematics and English Language, mothers' reinforcement of their children's academic progress, fathers' education, and area of residence have indirect effects on children's academic performance. Children's academic effort is an intervening variable. Implications for parents and teachers are discussed (IFE Psychologia (2002) 10(2), 136-148)

Predicting early grade retention: A longitudinal investigation of primary school progress in a sample of rural South African children

One hundred and fifty rural South African children, newly enrolled in Grade 2 in 1994, were retraced in 1998 when they were scheduled to have entered Grade 7. Only 39% of the cohort had progressed smoothly to Grade 7; more than a third (36%) had left their original primary school, and 25% had been retained at least once. The present study investigated factors that were measurable at the start of Grade 2 which proved useful in predicting subsequent retention. Details of children's academic progress from Grade 1 in 1993 through all subsequent years including 1998 were collected. Predictor variables included age at school entry, sex of child, nutritional status, academic achievement in Grade 1, cognitive test status at Grade 2, teacher assessments of children's behaviour, and biographical variables such as caregiver education and household size. Rural children's experience of primary school was relatively disrupted. For those who remained in the same school, a relatively good predictive model for retention was built, with Grade 1 academic achievement as well as caregiver education, and cognitive test scores being important predictors. Results corroborate those of developed world studies, in showing that early academic achievement is a strong predictor of retention. In addition, they highlight the importance of early curriculum mastery--rather than broader cognitive skills--for smooth progression through school.

Working memory deficits in children with low achievements in the national curriculum at 7 years of age

Close links between children's capacities to store and manipulate information over brief periods have been found with achievements on standardised measures of vocabulary, language comprehension, reading, and mathematics. The study aimed to investigate whether working memory abilities are also associated with attainment levels in the national curriculum assessments at 7 years of age. Eighty-three children aged 6 and 7 years attending local education authority schools participated in the study. Working memory skills were assessed by a test battery designed to tap individual components of Baddeley and Hitch's (1974) working memory model. Children were assigned to normal and low achievement groups on the basis of their performance on national curriculum tasks and tests in the areas of English and mathematics. Children with low levels of curriculum attainment showed marked impairments on measures of central executive function and of visuo-spatial memory in particular. A single cut-off score derived from the test battery successfully identified the majority of the children failing to reach nationally expected levels of attainment. Complex working memory skills are closely linked with children's academic progress within the early years of school. The assessment of working memory skills may offer a valuable method for screening children likely to be at risk of poor scholastic progress.

Baseline Assessment and Progress during the First Three Years at School

An analysis of data involving over 1,000 pupils in 62 classes focused on the progress made during the first 3 years of schooling in England. The pupils started school at the age of 4 and they were assessed on entry to school. They were then assessed 1 year later and again 2 years after that. Building on work reported in an earlier paper this study considered: • The adequacy of the baseline assessment for 4-year-olds in predicting later progress. • The differences between classes in value-added terms. • The long-term impact of being part of a class that made rapid academic progress during the 1st year at school. • Differences between pupils who started school in different terms. • Differences between pupils of different ages. Overall, the analysis supported the view that effective early provision has a positive impact on children's academic progress to the age of 7.

Language, Literacy and Social Justice: The Experiences of Bangladeshi Women in Birmingham, UK

This paper presents a study of the literacy practices and attitudes of Bangladeshi families in Birmingham, UK. In particular, the study focuses on the extent to which the mothers of eighteen six-year-old Bangladeshi children were able to support their children's school-related literacy learning. The paper locates literacy in the context of social justice, and relations of power between majority and minority groups in society. Despite the school's attempts to involve them, the Bangladeshi women were largely excluded from their children's schooling. They did not share the literacy of the school, so they were considered to be 'illiterate'. As they did not possess the linguistic or cultural capital demanded by the school, they were unable to contribute to their children's English literacy learning. The women were committed to their children's English education. At the same time, they reported that they had a clear understanding of how to support their children's Bengali literacy learning. However, the school did not seem to value the mothers' Bengali literacy as a resource. Instead, the women were disempowered by school structures which demanded that they play by the linguistic rules of the dominant-culture school, or put at risk their children's academic progress.

Evaluation of a school re-entry nursing intervention for children with cancer.

A retrospective qualitative design was used to identify and compare the concerns, parents, teachers, and children have regarding school re-entry after a cancer diagnosis and to describe the impact of a school re-entry program on parents', teachers', and children's concerns. Audiotaped, semistructured interviews were obtained from a convenience sample of 10 children with cancer (ages 5 to 13 years), 10 mothers, and nine teachers. All participants were positive about the school re-entry nursing intervention, which is described. Results of content analyses indicate that before the intervention, mothers were concerned about their child's safety and peer teasing; teachers were concerned about their own knowledge and peers' adjustment, and children were concerned with keeping up with school activities. After the intervention, mothers were less concerned about peer teasing but continued to be worried about their child's safety in the school setting and began to have concerns about academic progress and physical stamina; teachers reported increased concerns for the child's safety and academic progress, and a desire to return to normal routines in the classroom: and the children continued to have concerns with maintaining academic and/physical progress. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Evaluation of a school re-entry nursing intervention for children with cancer

A retrospective qualitative design was used to identify and compare the concerns parents, teachers, and children have regarding school re-entry after a cancer diagnosis and to describe the impact of a school re-entry program on parents', teachers', and children's concerns. Audiotaped, semistructured interviews were obtained from a convenience sample of 10 children with cancer (ages 5 to 13 years), 10 mothers, and nine teachers. All participants were positive about the school re-entry nursing intervention, which is described. Results of content analyses indicate that before the intervention, mothers were concerned about their child's safety and peer teasing; teachers were concerned about their own knowledge and peers' adjustment, and children were concerned with keeping up with school activities. After the intervention, mothers were less concerned about peer teasing but continued to be worried about their child's safety in the school setting and began to have concerns about academic progress and physical stamina; teachers reported increased concerns for the child's safety and academic progress, and a desire to return to normal routines in the classroom; and the children continued to have concerns with maintaining academic and physical progress. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Causes of Educational Failure among Elementary School Students in Brunei Darussalam as Perceived by Mathematics and Science Teachers

This study investigated causes of school failure among elementary school students in Brunei Darussalam. Fifty-two specialist mathematics and science teachers were involved in the investigation using a questionnaire. The student factor identified to be the most important was related to students' poor command of the English language. Lack of interest in learning was another important influencing factor in students' failure. Parental factors perceived to be the most important were lack of supervision of their children's activities at home and reluctance to make school visits to see teachers about their children's academic progress. The influence of teacher factors on educational failure was perceived to be less important.

Bridging the Gap Between Home and School With Voice-Mail Technology

ABSTRACT Home–school relations are a growing concern for both teachers and parents. Time constraints sometimes prevent the timely, helpful contacts that enhance the mutual home and school awareness of children's academic and personal progress, and as children grow older, the connection between school and home becomes more difficult, although equally important to maintain. Two studies were conducted that explored the satisfaction of both parents and teachers with their accessibility to each other. Further, an intervention was monitored in which a voice–mail telephone system was used as an alternative vehicle for communication between parents and teachers. Findings showed an enhancement at the upper elementary level in both quality and quantity of teacher–parent communication.

Recognition and crisis management of asthma in schools

Under-reporting of asthma and inappropriate management at school can hamper a child's academic progress. The aim of this study was to assess asthma reporting and crisis management, following implementation of a Primary School Asthma Programme. The intervention covered 12 primary schools with 5093 students in an area of high unemployment with a large proportion of the community from a non-English background. The programme included School Asthma First Aid Kits, training workshops for school staff and individual Crisis Management Plans for students with asthma. Registration of students with asthma at school increased from 6.2% before the intervention in 1989 to 12.7% in 1992. School Asthma Crisis Plans were completed appropriately by the child's doctor and parents and returned by 68% of the students with asthma. Teachers' asthma knowledge and confidence with the management of acute asthma at school improved following asthma education workshops. It was concluded that asthma reporting and acute crisis management of asthma at school can be achieved by a programme undertaken by school medical services.

Working with Families

Research indicates that when educators involve them in the educational process, parents can be instrumental in promoting their children's academic and social progress. Most strategies and programs to solicit parental involvement have been designed to serve families who are English speaking, have sufficient economic resources, and possess cultural perspectives that allow them to feel comfortable with and participate in the special education decision-making process. However, demographic data indicate that schools are serving, and will continue to serve, a growing number of students and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds who may not respond to traditional methods for establishing family/school partnerships. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the cultural, linguistic, and economic factors educators should consider in designing services that are relevant to the unique needs of families of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional children. Additionally, strategies for involving these families in educational programs are suggested.

Parental Satisfaction with Integrated Class Placements of Special Education and General Education Students

Parents' satisfaction with their children's academic and social progress is an important consideration for schools planning to increase the number of classrooms offering fully integrated programs for special education students. The survey reported here compared satisfaction ratings from parents of special education students and parents of general education students whose children were placed in integrated elementary classrooms. Both groups of parents rated their initial response and their satisfaction 6 months after placement. Parents whose children had been in resource rooms in previous years rated their satisfaction with the fully integrated classroom compared to the more restrictive earlier placement.