With more than 3 million participants per year, the Advanced Placement (AP) program is one of the most popular programs in the United States for exposing high-achieving high school students to advanced academic content. Sponsored by the College Board, the AP program provides a framework in which high school teachers can teach introductory…

The Learning Academy (TLA) at the University of South Florida is a 30-week transition program for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 18 and 25. The program provides services, supports, and experiential opportunities, with the aim of enhancing skills that will prepare students to succeed in the workplace and…

The research is clear on the importance of student connectedness to school. Adolescents who feel connected to school and perceive the adults there to be caring are more likely to be academically and socially engaged. Middle school is a critical time for students to feel connected to school, but these grade levels present greater challenges to…

Mentoring programs are a well recognized means to quicken students' assimilation and increase retention, but not all mentoring programs are successful. It seems that for a peer student mentoring program to be effective, the program would need mandatory participation on both ends. Perhaps both mentors and mentees could voluntarily enroll in…

This article explores challenges in ensuring effective student transition from school or college to university. It examines the complex liaison needed for students to progress to appropriate courses, settle into university life and succeed as higher education learners. Secondary data (international literature on transition and the formation of…

The type and amount of student interaction with major socializing agents on campus--faculty and their peers--determine the impact of college on students. Much of the research on postsecondary education links the quality of peer interactions directly to student learning outcomes and satisfaction with the college experience, and Alexander Astin went…

The idea of a diagnostic process to identify students likely to benefit from additional support originated from two separate investigations relating to the performance of entry-level mathematics students at the University of South Africa (UNISA). One project explored the relationship between reading skill and mathematical performance. This…

A program dubbed AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) has spread to nearly 600 schools across the country. Its primary mission is to help average achievers do well enough in high school to be accepted into college. A 1994 study found that 94 percent of AVID graduates enrolled in 2-year or 4-year colleges. Sidebars recount the…

In this article, the authors offer three definitions of dyscalculia, then describe the background and initial progress of the Harrow Dyscalculia Project. Their project in Harrow is associated with ongoing research into numeracy and brain development led by Brian Butterworth, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology at UCL. Pupils from Harrow schools…

Putting prospective teachers through standardized interviews regarding their approach to the job might fulfill a sorting function, but it can prove to be time-consuming on both sides. Online applications, though they can be relatively quick and easy, tend to give a school district too little information about the real-world potential of…

A review of research on vocational rehabilitation of the mentally retarded shows that many programs have been successful in placing clients. Evaluation methods are reviewed and vocational training methods in different states are described. Research shows that relevant evaluation, training, and placement can succeed. (JAC)

Critical issues pertaining to career/vocational assessment were identified by the Regional Resource Center West (RRCW) through a review of the literature and interviews conducted with practitioners. Critical issues identified were the goal of the career/vocational assessment; assessment instruments and procedures; examiner expertise; and…

The Vocational Assessment Project for the Deaf tested the vocational interests, skills, and abilities of deaf adults in New Jersey so that accurate recommendations for vocational training and employment could be made. The work samples and psychometric tests, while similar to those used for the adult population at large, were specifically chosen…

The Jail to Job program was developed to prepare soon-to-be released inmates of the Erie County Prison to seek employment and/or vocational/educational training. Forty-five inmates were assessed to determine their educational and ability levels, interests, and values. The inmates attended an 8-week (32-hour) course on the following topics:…

Objectives of the second-year project described in this report were (1) to conduct a series of one-day workshops on job searching skills for at least 400 high school students and recent graduates; (2) to test interested students and match individual abilities and interests with available employment; (3) to contact at least 600 potential employers;…