OERI News

OERI Awards Reading Comprehension Grants

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement has awarded eight new grants under the Program for Research on Reading Comprehension. The program's aim is to establish a scientific foundation for educational practice by supporting research on reading comprehension that is likely to produce substantial gains in academic achievement. An announcement of the awardees is available at http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/09-2002/09162002a.html.

Further information on the Program for Research on Reading Comprehension can be found at http://www.ed.gov//offices/OERI/prrc/index.html.

OERI Announces Cognition and Student Learning Awards

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement has awarded eight new grants under the Cognition and Student Learning Research Grant Program to conduct research on basic and higher order thinking skills. The research will evaluate how these skills link to improved student learning and higher academic achievement. A press release announcing the awards and a list of awardees is available at http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/08-2002/08302002.html

Funding Announced for Preschool Curricula Grants

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement has announced seven new grants designed to promote rigorous evaluations of preschool curricula. These evaluations will provide information to support informed choices of classroom curricula for early childhood programs. Recipients of these grants will coordinate with a national evaluation contractor (to be funded separately by OERI) to carry out evaluations of selected preschool curricula. For more information, see http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/07-2002/07252002.html

OERI Awards Contract for What Works Clearinghouse

The Office of Educational Research and Improvement has awarded a 5-year $18.5 million contract for a What Works Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse will assess and report evidence on what works in education in multiple topic areas. It will summarize evidence on the effectiveness of different educational programs, products, and strategies aimed at enhancing important student outcomes. For further information, see http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/whatworks/index.html

Results from the NAEP 2001 Geography Assessment
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/geography/results/

The National Center for Education Statistics has released results from the 2001 geography assessment of the National Assessment for Educational Progress. It shows that scores are up for fourth- and eighth-graders since 1994, while changes for high school seniors are not statistically significant. For more results online, see http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/geography/results/

The Condition of Education 2002 Now Available Online
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002025

The Condition of Education 2002 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The 2002 edition offers 44 indicators in six main areas: (1) enrollment trends and student characteristics at all levels of education;(2) student achievement and the longer term effects of education; (3) student effort and rates of progress through the educational system among different populations; (4) the quality of elementary and secondary education; (5) the context of postsecondary education; (6) and societal support for learning.

To view the online edition of The Condition of Education, select http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002025

Last modified September 27, 2002 (jpw)