Four years ago, the University of Maryland (UM) Board of Regents responded to the national crisis in the college experience--the high incidence of student failure and dropout, the cost of a college degree, and the number of years it was taking to earn one--by contracting with Dr. Carol A. Twigg, president of the National Center for Academic…

One of the greatest challenges that community colleges face in their efforts to increase graduation rates is improving the success of students in their developmental, or remedial, education programs--the courses that students without adequate academic preparation must take before they can enroll in courses for college credit. Emphasizing results…

A common way to control curriculum at the state level has been to implement changes in high school graduation requirements. This paper documents the variation in responses across five diverse high schools in Maryland, as the schools implemented new high school graduation requirements mandated by the State Board of Education. In 1985, the board…

This report examines Maryland's role in setting and measuring higher standards; holding schools, districts, and students accountable for results; strengthening teaching and helping schools and districts build capacity to implement reform; and sustaining public support for standards-based reform. A review team analyzed written documents regarding…