The sustained recruitment and retention of students in STEM majors is a national concern. Although the rate of attrition in these majors is comparable to other majors, the demand for trained scientists to enter the workforce with a baccalaureate degree is high. To enhance retention and support of STEM students from their first year until…

In 2019, the Texas legislature passed a historic education finance bill that included an initiative to add up to 30 days to the school-year calendar. One way districts can do this is to offer a voluntary summer learning program. In 2020, the American Institutes for Research, with support from The Wallace Foundation, launched the six-year Texas…

Amaya Garcia of New America talks with Kappan about grow-your-own programs, in which school districts partner with teacher preparation programs to recruit and prepare community members, often current students or school staff, to teach in local schools. A recent 50-state scan shows that there is a great deal of variety in how these programs are…

Recruitment and retention challenges are once again leading to teacher shortages across the nation. Especially in urban and rural school districts, low salaries and poor working conditions often contribute to the difficulties of recruiting and keeping teachers, as can the challenges of the work itself. As a consequence, in many schools--especially…

State oversight for teacher preparation programs mostly ignores the impact of graduates on the K-12 students they teach, and it gives little attention to where graduates teach or how long they remain in the profession. There is no evidence that current state policies hold programs to high standards in order to produce teachers who can help…

Our current system for holding U.S. teacher education programs accountable doesn't guarantee program quality or serve the needs of schools and students. State oversight for teacher preparation programs mostly ignores the impact of graduates on the K-12 students they teach, and it gives little attention to where graduates teach or how long they…

Alternative programs in special education are often developed in response to chronic personnel shortages. At issue, however, is the quality of alternative programs and their graduates. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a large special education alternative certification program that adheres to both professional…

MENTOR in Education, a school-university partnership based in New York City and designed to acquaint talented minority high school students with careers in teaching, is described. Two innovative school models and their effects on participating students' educational aspirations and career choices are discussed. (MSE)

Reports on information concerning the recruitment of students; job assignments of graduates; allocation of revenues and expenditures; and management reform at Hangzhou University (China). Shows that new students are increasingly coming from senior high schools and that the number of students coming from peasant families is decreasing. Provides…

Provides data showing student recruitment; job assignment of graduates; revenue and expenditure allocations; and management reforms at Beijing University (China). Reports that more new students are coming from senior high schools and that fewer students from peasant families are entering the university. Provides concrete empirical data. (KO)

Excerpts from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Presidents' Commission policy paper on intercollegiate athletics reform address such issues as the college experience of athletes, awarding of student financial aid, eligibility, the effects of competition, recruitment policies, program effects on institutions as well as athletes, and…

This paper describes a list of quality indicators for adult education programs. The list was developed after consideration of background materials and input from four focus groups. The list is divided into two main areas: student outcomes and program process and content. Within each area, the primary indicators (those identified by at least three…

A study was conducted to review the adult basic education (ABE) program in Tennessee in relation to program goals and objectives, classroom situations, student perceptions, and benefits of ABE. The evaluation team members spent 10 months collecting and compiling data relevant to program proposals, observations, special programs,…

This paper addresses developmental education programs as mechanisms for enhancing the survival rates of disadvantaged populations in higher education. Specifically, the paper identifies and discusses the critical dimensions of effective developmental education programs, including recruitment, admissions, diagnosis and prescription, orientation,…

Describes the objectives, design, and implementation of the Lancaster Partnership Program, involving the Lancaster City School District (Pennsylvania), Millersville University, and three local corporations in efforts to increase the participation rate in higher education of Latino and African American high school students. Efforts focused on…