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Results from a national survey of teachers are reported for five types of state testing programs, those with: (1) high stakes for districts, schools, or teachers, and students; (2) high stakes for districts, schools, and teachers, and moderate stakes for students; (3) high stakes for districts, schools, and teachers, and low stakes for students; (4) moderate stakes for districts, schools, and teachers, and high stakes for students; and (5) moderate stakes for districts, schools, and teachers, and low stakes for students. Of the 12,000 teachers who received surveys, 4,195 returned responses. At least two themes emerged from these survey data. In several areas, teachers' responses differ significantly when analyzed by the severity of the stakes attached to test results. Pressure on teachers, emphasis on test preparation, time devoted to test content, and views on accountability are such areas. The second theme is that views of elementary, middle, and high school teachers regarding the effects of their state's test differed from each other in areas such as school climate and classroom use of test results. There are also instances in which stakes and grade level combined show interesting patterns in teachers' responses, and areas in which there are no differences. The summary is organized by major areas surveyed, and within each area, findings are presented for stakes levels, grade levels, and stakes combined with grade levels. Five appendixes contain supplemental information and data tables. (Contains 16 figures, 88 tables, and 53 references.) (SLD)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert