An overview is provided, examining the types of associate degrees that are awarded, the number that are awarded, the students who receive them, and the problems related to associate degree curricula. First, a list is provided of the different types of associate degrees awarded, followed by an enumeration of the vocational and non-vocational…

To help educators quickly grasp demographic information and social and economic issues facing migrant farmworkers, this digest summarizes several recent federal reports. These reports are the National Agricultural Workers Survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in 1997-98; Current Population Survey data, from the Census Bureau; and the…

The escalating cost of higher education is causing many to question the value of continuing education beyond high school. To determine whether higher education is worth the investment, it is useful to examine what is known about the value of higher education and the rates of return on investment to both the individual and society. There is…

The Tests of General Educational Development (GED Tests) are described. Developed in 1942 for military personnel who had not graduated from high school, the GED Tests enabled veterans to qualify for jobs or enter college. More than 10 million persons have earned GED Test diplomas since 1971. There are five parts to the GED Tests: (1) Writing…

This digest uses recent statistics, including Census 2000 data, to synthesize information on Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) children and families. The APIA population is diverse, and APIA groups vary widely in language, religion, beliefs, and health practices. The percentage of foreign born differs widely among APIA groups. The U.S.…

This digest presents an analysis of the workforce participation of Latinos, emphasizing findings by generation. It describes the demographics of native-born and immigrant Latinos and compares labor market outcomes for adult, young adult, and teen workers. The digest also explores the relationship between schooling and labor market participation,…

Research generally points to a negative relationship between school or district size and student achievement. When all else is held equal (particularly community or individual socioeconomic status), comparisons of schools and districts based on differences in enrollment generally favor smaller units. A recent study found that small elementary…

This Digest discusses the increase in the number of immigrant secondary school students who come to the United States with limited education and effective programs for serving this student population. For these students to succeed in school, they must learn to read, write, understand, and speak English, develop academic literacy in English to make…

This digest examines the interdependence of schooling, work, and family in the lives of Mexican American women. Mexican Americans have lower educational achievement than other Hispanic subgroups and the total U.S. population, although females do somewhat better than males. Hispanic students are overrepresented in classes for special education,…

This digest summarizes selected data from the American Indian supplement to the 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Three Indian school types are compared: schools controlled or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA/tribal schools), public schools with 25 percent or more Indian enrollment (high Indian enrollment (HIE) public…

This digest discusses the current educational status of Latino students, using data from "Latinos in Education," a report by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Latino preschoolers are less likely to be enrolled in early childhood education programs than other preschoolers. Latino preschooler…

Achieving equity in the number of American Indian and Alaskan Native students who enter college and subsequently graduate is important to Natives and to the nation as a whole. Based on institutional data and demographic data, state equity scores for enrollment (ESEs) and state equity scores for graduation (ESGs) were computed for seven states with…

This digest addresses factors that may influence college completion and academic success for Hispanic students, particularly Mexican American students, enrolled in community college and four-year institutions. Recent research suggests that institutional practices in high schools have much to do with the low postsecondary participation rates of…

While becoming increasingly important to the economic and social development of the United States, Mexican-Americans still face barriers that hinder their full partnership in U.S. society. This ERIC digest is a summary of the latest available demographic and socioeconomic trends on Mexican-Americans. It discusses the broad implications for…

Although participation of Hispanic-Americans in higher education is growing, the Hispanic share of participation (enrollment and degrees) is still far less than the Hispanic share of the U.S. population. Indeed, the college enrollment rate among Hispanics aged 18-24 declined to 16.2 percent in 1990 from a high of 20.4 percent in 1975. During the…