The "Value-Added School Review (VSR)" is an analytical model designed to assist schools in identifying and addressing opportunities for school improvement. The model works best when it is focused purposefully on students and the student learning outcomes as defined in the "Guide to Education". It complements the processes…

The concept of community in higher education is broadly defined yet often exclusively linked with the undergraduate student population. Based on a two-year qualitative study at Oregon State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this article explores the notion of doctoral student community. Community as experienced by science…

This examination of the organizational development model of change as it applies to management development within a complex organization of higher education includes some practical results from applying this model and insights into how to manage a public or private organization. (MBR)

This report for individuals and organizations engaged in literacy outreach activities explores a youth agency-based, social service professional-facilitated strategy for reaching out-of-school youth. Chapter I describes the growing problem of school dropout. Chapter II synthesizes governmental and scholarly studies of youth and schooling,…

Evaluates the hypothesis that boomtowns enter a period of generalized crisis and loss of traditional values/attitudes; considers impact of energy development on residents' involvement in/attachment to their community, and perceived quality of community services. Uses linear and systemic models on data from three intermountain communities…

Measures of school achievement over a 4 year lag period in Virginia's 95 school districts were used to investigate the relationship of investment in education to student achievement since variations in spending among counties would have four years to affect student achievement levels. Because educational output is a function of selected…

Cooperative arrangements between academic institutions and industry are examined, with attention to linkages in high technology research and development (R&D), the commercial application of R&D (technology transfer), and the preparation and continuing development of scientific and engineering personnel. Incentives and barriers to campus/corporate…

This guide draws on case studies to identify lessons for small and midsized firms who wish to improve the quality of their services and facilitate change. Following an introduction, section 2 describes the context in which the research was undertaken after a needs analysis was conducted of small and midsized businesses and service providers, and…

Current educational research efforts are examining rural/urban differences in achievement, appropriateness of rural/urban achievement measures, effects of parents and community on the attainment of rural students, and how well rural students succeed in higher education. To accurately assess the small, rural school's impact on students, rural-urban…

This study was conducted to develop, implement, prototype test, and disseminate a model guidance training program that can be used to prevent the high rate of student dropouts in rural Texas schools. Two school districts, New Caney and Waller, served as demonstration sites for prototype testing. The program was designed by a team of…

This document presents tools and guidelines to help practitioners transform their high schools into institutions facilitating community-connected learning. The approach underpinning the tools and guidelines is based on the following principles: academic rigor and relevance; personalized learning; self-passage to adulthood; and productive learning…