1.   Hispanic fourth graders scored higher than in any state with significant minority populations.

2.   Measuring general self-esteem, for instance, boys from families headed by married couples scored higher than boys from families headed solely by a mother, the researchers say.

3.   Researchers at Harvard found, for example, that kids who are exposed to interesting dinner conversation consistently scored higher on vocabulary and reading tests.

4.   Rubenzer said Dole, like Clinton, scored higher than most former presidents, but only slightly above average.

5.   Somewhat surprisingly, students whose geography teachers had majored or minored in geography scored no higher than those whose teachers had not.

6.   Farris cites a study that found home-schooled students scored higher than public and private school students on two widely used standardized tests.

7.   In fact, leadership skills scored higher all year until July, when issues and leadership ran about even.

8.   Other polls have asked for months whether positions on issues or personal character were more important -- a different question -- and issue positions consistently scored higher than character.