One of the most famous and sound studies in American Education is the 8 Year Study which led to the oft-repeated comment that the further you departed from conventional high school education the better the results. Five volumes described the study but they are almost impossible to find. Fortunately, the summary in the entire volume I, The Story of the Eight Year Study is now is available online due to the good work by the Maine Association for Middle Level Learning with the cooperation of the University of Maine.
2007 addition: The archives of this majestic study and interviews with participants have just been captured in a wonderful new book: Stories of the Eight-Year Study: Reexamining Secondary Education in America by Craig Kridel and Robert V. Bullough Jr.
