RAPSA Quarterly Journal is an online journal of ideas and research for elementary and secondary educators, administrators, and counselors working with at-risk and struggling learners.   Published by the Reaching At-Promise Students Association, RQJ utilizes research and practice to focus on teaching of all content areas and helping instructors and administrators in their role of improving the quality of education. 

We invite you to submit articles, essays, or reviews, which will focus on current educational practices and inquiries relevant to the at-risk and struggling learner population.  Submissions will explore the connection of research and classroom and/or school site practice.  Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Leadership strategies
• Community building
• Special education
• Technology
• ELL strategies in content areas
• Content area exploration
• Assessment and accountability

Themed Issues:

March, 2008:  Collaboration in the Classroom
Deadline:  February 1, 2008

Does having students work with partners or with small groups have a positive effect on the quality of their learning?  How can teachers establish these class assignments without creating havoc to the learning environment?  Submissions may explore research and practice; benefits and/or disadvantages to utilizing cooperative learning; advice for teachers and administrators on establishing effective partnerships or small groups; effects of cooperative learning on standardized test results.

June, 2008:  Practical Assessment
Deadline:  May 1, 2008

The current buzz word in education is “assessment.”  What strategies do you use to determine how much material your students understand?  Is assessment ongoing throughout a course unit, or is it reserved as a final assignment?  How have you implemented portfolios or rubrics in conjunction with other traditional forms of evaluation?  Submissions may examine research and practice; benefits and/or disadvantages to using a variety of assessment strategies; analysis of these techniques on overall student achievement.

September, 2008:  Differentiated Instruction
Deadline:  August 1, 2008

Teachers want to meet the needs of all their students, whose abilities and interest levels vary.  If not taught appropriately, students may not reach their potential.  For this issue, describe the techniques you use to provide a richer, more meaningful learning experience for your students.  What approaches do you use?  How do you determine specific learning objectives for individual students?  Submissions may explore the idea and practice of differentiation; analysis of student achievement with differentiated instruction; and techniques of the process.

December, 2008:  Reading across the Curriculum
Deadline:  November 1, 2008

Reading lessons have been traditionally part of the language arts curriculum; however, specific reading strategies in other content areas can mean the difference between mastering the material and failing to fully comprehend it.  Submissions for this issue should explain ways in which you have incorporated reading strategies and lessons into your content area and the effects on student achievement.  Articles covering all content areas, including language arts, will be considered.

Click here to review the RAPSA Journal Submission Guidelines