This position paper was written to answer a series of basic questions frequently asked about attrition and retention at Empire State College (ESC), New York. The questions addressed in the report are: (1) What is the attrition rate at ESC? (2) How does ESC's attrition rate compare to other colleges? (3) Who are the leavers? (4) When does attrition…

Systematic investigation of processes involved in needs analysis would improve current knowledge of the procedure and would bring analysts closer to the goal of generalized validity rather than situational validity. This article deals with two phases of the needs assessment process: selecting participants and defining needs and alternatives in…

A senior citizen agency in New York State explored the program development needs of the growing number of older women. Data were collected through telephone surveys of approximately 100 older women randomly selected from lists of present members, former members, and older women who had never been associated with the agency. Respondents were asked…

This paper provides background information from the professional literature related to teacher mentoring programs. It is organized into four sections. The first section, "Mentoring Rationale" discusses the need for new teacher support, the success of mentoring as a useful induction strategy, and benefits to participants. Section two,…

This paper examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of independent living programs and presents strategies for evaluating such programs. Discussed first are issues in evaluating independent living programs. The evolution of independent living services and the mission and goals of independent living are outlined. Described next are…

Three papers discuss the needs, interests, and participation of adults in learning activities. Generally, the papers deal with influences upon the possible demand for lifelong learning in the future. In the first paper K. Patricia Cross synthesizes findings from thirty-one state and national studies concerning the patterns of participation and…

This report summarizes the major literature dealing with the following major issues in adult basic education (ABE): target and demand populations (size, characteristics, and subgroups of the ABE population and the decline in participation); services provided (the purpose of the Adult Education Act, objectives and goals of ABE, problems of…

This guide distills lessons from an extensive body of research into practical advice for policymakers and practitioners concerned with helping hard-to-employ individuals find jobs and succeed in the work force. Part 1 examines the following topics: characteristics of the hard-to-employ; the prevalence of various barriers to employment; and the…