A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board

Kenji Hakuta, Chair
Eve M. Bither, Executive Director

September 1998

This publication was prepared under contract to the National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board. Any opinions, findings, or conclusions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or any agency of the United States Government.

Comments about this publication may be directed to:

NERPPB web site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/NERPPB/

National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board

The National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board (NERPPB) is authorized by the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994. The Board was established to work collaboratively with the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) to forge a national consensus with respect to a long-term agenda for educational research, development, dissemination, and the activities of the Office. The Board regularly reviews, evaluates, and publicly comments upon the implementation of its policies by the U.S. Department of Education and the Congress.

From time to time, the Board commissions papers from outstanding scholars and researchers on issues pertaining to educational research and improvement. This publication is one in a series of studies on the federal role in educational research.

Members of the Board are appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. They represent the research community, school-based professional educators, and individuals who are knowledgeable about the educational needs of the United States.

Members

Kenji Hakuta, Chair School of Education Stanford University Stanford, CA Patricia Ann Baltz Teacher Camino Grove Elementary School Arcadia, CA James E. Bottoms Senior Vice President Southern Regional Education Board Atlanta, GA Jomills H. Braddock, II Professor and Chair Department of Sociology University of Miami Miami, FL John T. Bruer President James S. McDonnell Foundation St. Louis, MO Ann B. Clark Principal Vance High School at Governors’ Village Charlotte, NC

Edmund W. Gordon Professor Emeritus Yale University New Haven, CT Sharon L. Kagan Senior Associate Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy Yale University New Haven, CT Robert W. Marley Department of Health and Physical Education Wichita State University Wichita, KS Joyce Muhlestein Utah Center for Families Salt Lake City, UT Alba A. Ortiz Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research College of Education University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Claire L. Pelton The College Board San Jose, CA

Ex Officio Members

• Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education
• Director, Office of Indian Education Programs, U.S. Department of the Interior
• Director of Research, U.S. Department of Defense
• Director of Research and Demonstration, U.S. Department of Labor
• Librarian, Library of Congress
• Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
• Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities
• Director, National Institutes of Health
• Director, National Science Foundation

[Title page]

[Foreword]