Using logarithmic and statistical data, this study analyzes teacher quality as a determinant of student performance on standardized tests. The most startling finding: a 1 percent increase in teacher competency, as measured by standardiazed test scores, is accompanied by a 5 percent decline in student failure rate on high school competency…

The determinants of Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are estimated for 1982 in a regression analysis correcting for the proportion of students taking the test. Schooling variables and statewide graduation standards proved insignificant. Demographic variables (family size and education levels) proved significant and help explain SAT score decline in…

This report provides, first, an overview of the external and internal environmental factors affecting planning in California's community colleges; and, second, an examination of the influence of the demographics of the Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD). After an executive summary, introductory material discusses ways in which change can…

This resource book contains demographic data for the eight states of the Mountain Plains Adult Education Association. All information is current (1990-92) and comes from the national census and hundreds of research studies. Chapter I provides a demographic perspective of the nation, describes a holistic view of demographics, and discusses…

A retention taskforce was established at Sinclair Community College (SCC) in Ohio to develop a plan to increase student retention. The 24-member taskforce, representing key areas within the college, worked for 15 months to prepare the plan. The plan was designed to be comprehensive, touching upon all points where the students interact with the…

This report concludes the main portion of MDRC's Project on Devolution and Urban Change, an eight-year effort to chart the course of welfare reform in four big urban counties: Los Angeles, Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Miami-Dade, and Philadelphia. The goal of the study was to find out whether federal welfare reform would lead to meaningful changes in…

Designed to survey the effects of the current probation policy at Shasta College, this report estimates the student loss attributable to the policy and discusses means of identifying potential probationary students. After introducing the probation policy, which requires at least a 2.0 grade point average to avoid academic probation and the…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to develop a profile of students who withdrew from courses between 1982 and 1986 and to compare this profile with the results of a 1979-82 withdrawal study. For the past 4 years, each degree credit student who has officially withdrawn from a course has been asked to complete a survey…

This profile of counties in Oregon covers factors that may predispose youth to grow up at risk of dropping out of high school or not acquiring the skills needed for adult life. The profile presents data on human resources and educational and economic indicators that were collected from state agencies and organizations. For the state as a whole,…

The age at which women marry and bear chldren can influence their health and well-being and that of their chi dren. This fact is at the heart of the analysis contained in this document which was a result of a study of the World Fertility Survey (WFS) and other data pertaining to global demographics. The document is comprised of seven sets of…

The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) was appointed in 2002 and carried out its work under the auspices of the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). NELP's primary goal was to identify interventions, parenting activities, and instructional practices that promote the development of children's early literacy skills. The National Institute…

This two-volume monograph reports the results of the 24th national survey of drug use and related attitudes and beliefs among American high school seniors, the nineteenth such survey of American college students, and the eighth such survey of eighth- and tenth-grade students. The major purpose of this publication is to develop an accurate picture…

In spring 1987, a study was conducted at Monroe Community College (MCC) to determine the factors which influence attrition and retention, with particular focus on the reasons why students who have not graduated fail to return for succeeding semesters. Questionnaires were mailed to 452 former students, requesting information on students' rankings…

A study was conducted to determine whether the two-year college facilities and programs available to residents of Fauquier County in Virginia were adequate to meet their current and future needs. Lord Fairfax Community College and Germanna Community College, which share responsibility for serving this rural county, recently combined their…

The report is intended to provide educators, policy makers, legislators, and funding sources with the latest data on the progress of minorities in higher education. Included is information on high school completion and college participation rates for 18-to-24-year-olds. Data from the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education General…