Career education programs in California's community colleges are a critical component of public higher education in the state. Also known as career technical or vocational programs, career education trains individuals for middle-skill jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up a third of…

Career education programs in California's community colleges are a critical component of public higher education in the state. Also known as career technical or vocational programs, career education trains individuals for middle-skill jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up a third of…

California has great wealth but also one of the highest poverty rates in the nation. The ability of Californians to move up the income ladder often depends on acquiring the education and skills needed for higher-paying jobs. But despite the state's increasingly knowledge-based economy, too few Californians are earning a college degree. This report…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a comprehensive understanding of Latina/o leadership in community colleges through in-depth interviews of current community college executive administrators. The portraits of the subjects offer a blueprint to Latina/os who have similar career aspirations; and more succinctly, provide insight…

The nature of the higher education faculty workforce is radically and fundamentally changing from primarily full-time tenured faculty to non-tenure track faculty. This new faculty majority faces common challenges, including short-term contracts, limited support on campus, and lack of a professional career track. "Embracing Non-Tenure Track…

All theatre programs are not created equal. This qualitative study set out to determine the graduating students' perception of satisfaction and success after attending a four year conservatory theatre program. I conducted two interviews with seven of the twelve graduating seniors. The initial interview was conducted after graduation, and the…

Effective teachers are the most important component in high-quality education systems. Teachers are on the front line of education every day, carrying the responsibility for ensuring students are college- and career-ready upon graduation. As such, teachers also play a pivotal role in California's economic engine and prosperity. The state's current…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether middle-level female administrators in the California Community College System were being mentored to higher-level positions, and whether the retention of leaders in higher-level positions was influenced by mentoring. Specifically, this research study examined the mobility and retention of female…

Educational success among Asian American students has often been misunderstood as an occupational development separate from any experience of racism. However, several theorists have suggested that racial barriers in occupational mobility correlate with educational pursuits. Therefore, this research aims to examine the direct effect of perceived…

This study describes how staff qualifications, decisions on staffing procedures, and professional development opportunities support the recruitment and retention of quality staff members. Four high-functioning programs were identified. Qualitative procedures and instruments were designed to capture staff and parents' academic perspectives about…

Today's long-term jobs crisis is not about the current financial meltdown. It is about an accelerating talent showdown. The basic cause is that unprecedented technological advances are ever more rapidly transforming the world of work. The global economy will be more tech-driven with each passing year. This will continue to raise the U.S. talent…

With the continuing increase in the number of public employees (federal, state, local), the Institute for Local Self Government believes junior colleges could be the primary agent in educating and training recruits. More employees are needed and many of those already so employed need retraining or upgrading. The Institute also feels that such jobs…

California annually experiences significant turnover among its superintendents; 468 out of 1,002 superintendents vacated K-12 superintendent seats in California between 1986 and 1989. Of this number, 92 accepted superintendencies in other districts and 4 became county superintendents. To discover where the other 372 superintendents went,…

A followup study surveyed 79 principals of year-round, multitrack California elementary schools. YRE principal persistence between 1993 and 1998 was lower than that of counterparts in traditional-schedule schools. YRE schools need increased administrative support; their principals need stress management strategies. (Contains 14 references.) (MLH)