Although transition of students with disabilities has been part of federal mandates since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 and IDEA amendments of 1997, many students with disabilities continue to leave high school without a functional postsecondary transition plan. The purpose of this qualitative…

America's high schools face the challenge of improving student learning in an ever-changing global world (Marx, 2006). Fueling the need for reform is the urgency of graduating more highly skilled citizens and the demands from federal and state government. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and state legislation make today's high schools more accountable…

Rising remediation rates among college students are leading to increased time for completion of degree, additional costs for students and colleges, and financial aid being used on courses that do not count towards a degree. In response to these issues, in 2007 the state of Illinois passed the College and Career Readiness Act, Public Act 095-0694,…

Dual-enrollment programs, which allow high school students to enroll in college courses and earn college and high school credit simultaneously, are one method to introduce students to the idea of college and to its academic and social demands. The college credits that high school students potentially can earn also tend to be free or low-cost--a…

The reason that the school dropout crisis is now referred to as a "silent epidemic" is because, when we weren't paying attention, the graduation rate in our country slipped to a level that threatens the very health and well-being of our society. Each year, almost one-third of all public high school students--and nearly one-half of all…

This combined report examines the obstacles that Virginia students encounter as they move from high school through college and what colleges and universities might do to facilitate their progress. Part 1 of the report responds to House Joint Resolution No. 211, which asks Virginia's Council of Higher Education to study the transition between high…

This brief provides information to parents of students with disabilities on preparing students for reaching the age of majority and assuming responsibility for their education and life choices. It begins by reviewing regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that give states the authority to elect to transfer educational…

With passage of House Bill 3103 in 2004, the Legislature recognized the challenges facing students as they move from one educational sector to another. The omnibus legislation, which amended and clarified the mission of the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) called on the board to work with the state board of education, the superintendent…