Reported here are the results of analyses to describe the patterns of identification and academic and developmental outcomes for children with disabilities, conducted as part of the 2004 National Assessment of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This report provides background context for National…

Despite the proliferation of data about student performance, secondary school educators have had difficulty accessing data on their former students' post-high school employment and earnings in the formal economy. This article describes how one community used state unemployment insurance data, merged with student record data, to investigate the…

To provide a progress report on efforts to increase access to minority students and diversify the teaching and administrative ranks, a study was conducted at San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC), in California, of recent trends in minority student attendance and graduation rates and the ethnic composition of faculty and administrative staff. Results…

This publication presents findings of a study that examined high schools with competency-based graduation systems. Data were obtained from interviews with officials at 29 schools in 17 states. Many of the schools were members of the Coalition of Essential Schools. Four schools are described in detail: Central Park East in New York City, New York;…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Four More Years: Bush to Focus on High Schools During Second Term; (2) Education Funding Still in Limbo: Congress to…

This document is intended to help foreign language teachers prepare students for the exit exam of essential skills required by the Student Accountability Standards enacted by the North Carolina State Board of Education. The North Carolina High School Exit Exam (NCHSEE) focuses on skills across all disciplines K-12 rather than content areas. This…

This bimonthly newsletter provides information about the progress of the Honor States Grant Program, a governor-led effort to improve college- and work-ready graduation rates. This issue explores science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM), a priority for governors as they try to enhance workforce competitiveness in a global…

Students who are well prepared academically and highly motivated tend to do well in college and persist to graduation. But for various reasons--some of which are beyond their control-- many students lack the requisite academic background for college-level work. As a result, most colleges and universities enroll students with a wide range of…

This report describes educational programs and opportunities available to Washington state's high school students, emphasizing changes brought about by the state's education reform. Information came from surveys and interviews with teachers, students, and parents and state and national data. The study examined whether high schools were increasing…

High school students with disabilities who drop out are costly to society. Compared to those who graduate, they are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Consequently, helping students with disabilities graduate has become a prominent national concern. Students with disabilities…

Persistent tension is always present in the differing views about what education should be among parents, students, and the professionals who are responsible for the conduct of educational enterprises. (RC)

This document contains tables and graphs indicating the dropout and student retention rates in the Detroit (Michigan) Public Schools from December 1984 through November 1985. Shown are (1) analysis of educational status (dropout, graduate, transfer, and attendee rates) for the city's high school population; (2) comparative educational status…

High School and Beyond data were used to analyze how local violence affects high school graduation and college attendance. Moderate violence reduced the likelihood of graduation by 5.1 percentage points and college attendance by 6.9 points. More substantial violence raised the dropout rate by 27% and reduced college attendance by 15.9 points.…

Develops an inter-temporal optimization model linking academic achievement reputation, and the pool of student quality available to an institution. Describes empirical study of student-quality dynamics and its relation to the model. Finds that SAT levels of attracted students follow a convergent process as predicted, with graduation rates,…

National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data on 2,754 college attenders and 4,323 nonattenders were analyzed using probit models measuring four college quality categories as well as graduation decisions. Students of all ability levels had higher chances of graduating if the quality level of their college matched their skill level. (SK)