The "U.S. News and World Report" rankings of colleges do not affect institutions equally; the schools impacted most are those that have the most to lose because they benefit from, even rely on, the rankings for prestige and visibility. The magazine relies on the rankings for substantial sales revenues, and has garnered considerable power…

Data show that the genuine progress in securing educational equality in elementary, secondary, and higher education has not been paralleled in adult education. There is a downward trend in adult black enrollment percentages but an upward trend in population percentages. (LBH)

Using the 1995 National Research Council ratings of doctoral programs in 41 fields, a statistical methodology is offered for assessing how measures of program size, faculty seniority, faculty research productivity, and faculty productivity in producing doctoral degrees influenced raters' decisions. Then using data for one field, economics,…

The qualitative differences in the experiences and outcomes of blacks who attend white colleges and blacks who attend black institutions were explored in a national study. The study of 1,600 students enrolled in 16 public universities provides insights for improving the prospects for black participation in higher education. (MLW)

The performance of black students on standardized tests is still significantly below that of their white counterparts. Data on black performance on standardized tests and trends on the factors that affect that performance are examined. The OERI study on Poverty, Achievement and the Distribution of Compensatory Education Services is discussed. (MLW)

The wide variation among the states in the support level on a per-student basis of aid to private institutions by state and local governments is discussed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Total aid, state-by-state statistics, private sector enrollment, and enrollment vs. aid are examined. (MLW)

The federal role in postsecondary education is seen as a complex one, with over 400 separate legislative provisions to influence federal spending for higher education. Virtually every federal agency is said to be involved in some manner. The performance of the Carter administration in higher education is evaluated. (MLW)