The concerns society has expressed regarding the education of children have prompted educators to relentlessly search for instructional methodologies and organizational designs to maximize student achievement. One instructional organizational design that has surfaced is looping. Looping is the process wherein the teacher remains with the same group of children for a period of two or more years. Looping has been tried at all grade levels with a single teacher or with a team of teachers and with the same students over a period of years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of looping in four schools and to provide a descriptive account. A case study approach was used. Teachers and principals at four elementary schools using looping were interviewed regarding their experience. Data were analyzed using a qualitative approach for emerging themes. These findings indicated that schools implement the looping concept to build relationships, for instructional advantages, extended time and to lessen anxieties. Also, schools implemented the looping concept by doing an indepth study of the concept and by allowing teachers and parents to participate voluntarily. Finally, specific outcomes as a result of the implementation of looping were as follows: parents were knowledgeable about school functions and the overall program of studies; students had a safe haven; and teachers felt that looping gave them more time with their students. / Ed. D.

Esta pesquisa buscou investigar as implicações da progressão continuada e do Sistema de Avaliação do Rendimento Escolar do Estado de São Paulo (SARESP) na avaliação escolar. Procurou-se identificar e analisar eventuais alterações ocorridas na avaliação, induzidas pela implantação dessas medidas. Para tanto, realizou-se investigação de natureza qualitativa, procedendo ao levantamento e análise de pesquisas acadêmicas acerca de ambos os temas, aplicação de questionários e realização de entrevistas com professores coordenadores de escolas de uma Diretoria Regional de Ensino da rede estadual paulista. Concluiu-se que tanto a progressão continuada como o SARESP estão refletindo na avaliação escolar. Identificou-se que a progressão continuada tende a influenciar mais o discurso do que as práticas avaliativas e enfrenta maior resistência do professorado. O SARESP tem assumido, gradualmente, o papel de orientador de práticas escolares, sendo utilizado no planejamento e replanejamento das escolas. Tem repercutido nas práticas avaliativas, induzindo ao fortalecimento de uma concepção de verificação escolar, em detrimento da avaliação formativa, potencializada pela progressão continuada. O dilema causado pela convivência dessas medidas evidencia um confronto entre a lógica da avaliação formativa com práticas tradicionalmente desenvolvidas nas escolas, que tendem a restringir a avaliação à medida de resultados, com fim classificatório. O SARESP, ao servir como referência para organização das práticas escolares e avaliativas, potencializa a tensão entre a avaliação tradicional e a avaliação formativa. Devido à importância que tem adquirido na política educacional, evidenciou-se a tendência em tornar-se, gradativamente, indutor do trabalho escolar. / This research has served the purpose to investigate the implications of continuous progress and Student Performance Appraisal System in the State of São Paulo (SARESP) on school evaluation. We have identified and analyzed alterations on the evaluations which were induced by the implementation of these procedures. Therefore, we proceeded to investigate the qualitative nature of these implications by analyzing data from academic research around both topics; we also applied some questionnaires and interviews with coordinators from schools of a Regional Directory in the local public school system. We have come to the conclusion that both the continuous progress and SARESP affect school evaluation. The continuous progress has a tendency to affect rather the discourses than the evaluative practices and teachers are much more resistant to it. SARESP has gradually taken up the role of a practice guide and it is used for school planning. We can see its effect on evaluative practices invigorating some conception of school assessment to the loss of formative evaluation which has been maximized by continuous progress. The dilemma that has arisen from these two procedures sheds some light on the confrontation between the logic of formative evaluation and traditionally-developed practices at schools which tend to narrow evaluations to mere results in order to achieve classification. SARESP, when it serves as a guide to the organization of school and evaluative practices, maximize the tension between traditional and formative evaluations. Due to its relevance in the educational politics, it is evident that it will gradually become an organizer for school practices.

Esta pesquisa buscou investigar as implicações da progressão continuada e do Sistema de Avaliação do Rendimento Escolar do Estado de São Paulo (SARESP) na avaliação escolar. Procurou-se identificar e analisar eventuais alterações ocorridas na avaliação, induzidas pela implantação dessas medidas. Para tanto, realizou-se investigação de natureza qualitativa, procedendo ao levantamento e análise de pesquisas acadêmicas acerca de ambos os temas, aplicação de questionários e realização de entrevistas com professores coordenadores de escolas de uma Diretoria Regional de Ensino da rede estadual paulista. Concluiu-se que tanto a progressão continuada como o SARESP estão refletindo na avaliação escolar. Identificou-se que a progressão continuada tende a influenciar mais o discurso do que as práticas avaliativas e enfrenta maior resistência do professorado. O SARESP tem assumido, gradualmente, o papel de orientador de práticas escolares, sendo utilizado no planejamento e replanejamento das escolas. Tem repercutido nas práticas avaliativas, induzindo ao fortalecimento de uma concepção de verificação escolar, em detrimento da avaliação formativa, potencializada pela progressão continuada. O dilema causado pela convivência dessas medidas evidencia um confronto entre a lógica da avaliação formativa com práticas tradicionalmente desenvolvidas nas escolas, que tendem a restringir a avaliação à medida de resultados, com fim classificatório. O SARESP, ao servir como referência para organização das práticas escolares e avaliativas, potencializa a tensão entre a avaliação tradicional e a avaliação formativa. Devido à importância que tem adquirido na política educacional, evidenciou-se a tendência em tornar-se, gradativamente, indutor do trabalho escolar. / This research has served the purpose to investigate the implications of continuous progress and Student Performance Appraisal System in the State of São Paulo (SARESP) on school evaluation. We have identified and analyzed alterations on the evaluations which were induced by the implementation of these procedures. Therefore, we proceeded to investigate the qualitative nature of these implications by analyzing data from academic research around both topics; we also applied some questionnaires and interviews with coordinators from schools of a Regional Directory in the local public school system. We have come to the conclusion that both the continuous progress and SARESP affect school evaluation. The continuous progress has a tendency to affect rather the discourses than the evaluative practices and teachers are much more resistant to it. SARESP has gradually taken up the role of a practice guide and it is used for school planning. We can see its effect on evaluative practices invigorating some conception of school assessment to the loss of formative evaluation which has been maximized by continuous progress. The dilemma that has arisen from these two procedures sheds some light on the confrontation between the logic of formative evaluation and traditionally-developed practices at schools which tend to narrow evaluations to mere results in order to achieve classification. SARESP, when it serves as a guide to the organization of school and evaluative practices, maximize the tension between traditional and formative evaluations. Due to its relevance in the educational politics, it is evident that it will gradually become an organizer for school practices.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a school-developed continuous-progress program in mathematics in terms of how well students achieved in arithmetic computation, concepts, and applications. The study also investigated the student's attitude toward arithmetic. Conclusions and Recommendations: 1. All students in grades four through six favored the continuous progress program over the conventional program in terms of arithmetic computation and concepts. Grades four through seven favored the continuous progress program in terms of arithmetic applications. A trend was noted that indicated the program was more effective for lower grade levels. It is recommended that the continuous progress be used with all fourth and fifth grade students and that a longitudinal study be developed for the fourth and fifth grades as they continue the experimental program through the eighth grade. 2. Sex is a doubtful factor in determining the effectiveness of the continuous progress program. A trend did appear in the area of arithmetic computation that indicated sex may be a greater factor in this variable than in the other three variables studied. It is recommended that further study be done concerning the relationship of sex to arithmetic achievement when using a continuous progress concept. 3. The third part of the study failed to reveal any trends in terms of grade level comparisons for any of the three twelve-week intervals. It was noted, however, that the middle twelve-week period produced much less variability (fewer significantly different comparisons) than did the first or last periods. It was also noted that the mean gain in computations scores decreased as the year progressed while the mean gain in application scores increased. This suggested that a study should be designed to investigate the relationship of the learning rate of students to the period of the year the material is being studied.

The purpose of this study was to compare reading and math academic achievement scores of a cohort of students who had experienced mixed-age (two-grade span) and multiage (three-grade span) configurations, in a selected nongraded elementary school located in East Tennessee. Student attitude toward school, gender and socioeconomic status were also analyzed. The causal-comparative quantitative approach, along with convenience sampling, was the foundation for this study. Academic achievement normal curve equivalency (NCE) scores from the TerraNova Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills for the 1997-2000 academic years and survey results from the Attitude Toward School Inventory (Meier, 1973) given in the concluding year (2000) were analyzed using ANOVA, ANCOVA and t-tests to determine which configuration produced better results for students. Statistically significant results (p=. 05) were found indicating that the multiage students performed better in reading achievement during the 1997 and 1998 years (ANOVA). ANCOVA results indicated multiage configuration to be statistically significant in 2000 when controlling for prior reading achievement. ANOVA results proved to be statistically significant in math for the multiage configuration in 1998. NCE mean scores in reading and math were higher, some significantly higher, for all four years 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 for those students in the multiage (three-grade span) configuration. No statistically significant differences were found in configurations regarding attitude toward school, however in all subtest areas the multiage (three-grade span) students mean scores were higher than the mixed-age (two-grade span) students scores. Findings include a stronger case for multiage (three-grade span) configuration when planning a nongraded developmentally appropriate elementary program.

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between Reading/Language achievement gains of students in multi-age classrooms to the Reading/Language achievement gains of their peers in traditional, single-age classrooms. The causal-comparative quantitative approach to exploring cause-and-effect relationships was employed in this study. In this study, the effect of multi-age grouping and single age grouping was analyzed and compared using TCAP Reading/Language raw gain scores. Raw gain scores were used to determine the amount of progress children make from one year to the next regardless of their level of achievement. Findings in this study were mixed. Some significant differences were found in favor of single-age classrooms. However, the calculation of effect size showed no practical significance. Significance was also revealed in favor of males over females in both single-age and multi-age classrooms; although, effect size indicated only a small to moderate practical significance exists. This study provides an overview of the history of American educational structures. It might be helpful for the educational community in evaluating one dimension of the effectiveness of multi-age groupings. Teachers and administrators could benefit from the comparisons made in this study and as a result make better decisions regarding the delivery of instruction and the structuring of school classrooms.