In the prevailing atmosphere of concern for basic skills development, Houston Community College System (HCCS) faculty and administration perceived the need for a self-evaluation of HCCS's developmental studies programs. The purposes of the resulting study are: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of the institution's developmental studies programs by…

Since the Literacy in Libraries Across America (LILAA) initiative began in 1996, participation in the program's services had fallen short of the amount that research indicates is needed to improve literacy levels substantially. Efforts to improve student persistence and implement service enhancements were therefore initiated in 2000. A study of…

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) program was developed and offered in 3-year pilot projects that were designed to test whether extra funds would encourage more of England's young people from low-income families to participate in full-time education and training, stay on course for the duration of the program, and achieve their…

Many volunteer literacy tutors in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, have not completed their 1-year tutoring commitment. Consequently, an action research project was undertaken to determine the causes of the high tutor turnover and to identify ways of improving the tutor retention rate. All tutors involved in the program from 1998 onward were asked…

This document summarizes higher education data for the state of Maryland. The first table compares Maryland to national averages for educational achievement, enrollments, campus mix, degrees conferred, average undergraduate tuition, state funding, and average faculty salary. Other tables are grouped by category: (1) Students--students needing…

Throughout the post-war period there have been many attempts to reform the UK education system, often with an explicit intention to try and make it more productive. The list of education policy reforms that have been attempted over the last 50 years is quite extensive, and recently the UK (and in particular England and Wales) has introduced many…

Each year, half a million teenagers become mothers in the United States. School-based child care programs are a positive way for educational institutions to encourage young mothers to return to or stay in school, prepare for employment, and acquire accurate information about child development and appropriate parenting practices. Nationwide,…

A study at Arizona State University investigated the relationships between types and amounts of student financial aid, student demographic and academic characteristics, persistence, and degree completion among 472 master's program students over a 4-year period from fall 1985 through summer 1989. Variables found to affect patterns included economic…

Reviewed construct of resilience and adaptation by measuring psychosocial functioning, self-esteem, academic performance, absence or low level of drug use, gang involvement, and delinquent activities among 877 at-risk youths. Found adjustment and low level of antisocial behavior as two latent constructs of resilience and adaptation. (Author/DLH)

A proposed strategy for colleges and universities to increase the academic persistence of minority group students begins with faculty renewal efforts that encourage faculty to question their cultural beliefs, examine how diversity affects teaching and learning, foster more collaborative classroom interactions, maintain high academic expectations,…

A study identified demographic, academic, and social differences between black students entering a predominantly white, urban university as either freshmen (n=63) or transferring to the institution (n=109). Results indicated differences in age, marital status, choice of individuals influential in the student's persistence, and participation in…

Presents findings made by the Campus Retention Committee at Prince George's Community College in Maryland regarding the improvement of student persistence and achievement at the college. Recommends strengthening developmental course work, mathematics education, and student support programs. Includes eight data tables and 17 references. (JDI)

Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic population in the United States. This chapter presents demographic projections for higher education and discusses the role of the transfer function in community colleges. Two notable transfer programs are highlighted. (Contains 1 table.)

This paper considers the case of the Michigan Migrant Head Start program to describe and analyze the labor market conditions and teaching staff characteristics to identify the challenges faced by Migrant Head Start grantees in attracting, hiring, retaining, and training degreed teachers. The emphasis is on describing and analyzing the child care…

The Hofstra University New Teachers' Network offers a multifaceted approach to university-based support for new teachers that also enhances the experience of students in its preservice teacher education program. This model is rooted in relationships that develop during preservice teacher education programs and has been successful at recruiting and…