ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions. ***************************************************************************** Folk interested in this issue might want to read the original press release from EdSource <http://www.edsource.org/pre_rel_hrp05.cfm> or the Executive Summary of the report http://www.edsource.org/pdf/SimStu05ExecSumm.pdf Although they did not seem to contain anything that directly contradicts the LA Times article, they give a very different overall impression. I think the most interesting point that was glossed over in the LA Times article is that the sample of schools was drawn from K-5 schools in the 25th to 35th percentile band of the state’s 2003–04 School Characteristics Index (a composite index made up of many student demographic factors and a few school characteristics.) So the conclusions may well prove useful for California K-5 schools in the 25th to 35th percentile band, but they should not be applied to U.S. schools in general, California schools, or even all California K-5 schools. >>------------------------------------------------------------------ >>From the October 26th issue of the LA Times >> >>Parents' Involvement Not Key to Student Progress, Study Finds >>Report on standardized testing in lower-income schools disputes >>conventional wisdom. >> *********************************************************************** More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org. To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to [log in to unmask]