Data from the seven Hawaii community colleges were examined to determine the persistence patterns of students entering the system in Fall 1974, Fall 1975, and Fall 1976 after six semesters. Students were classified as: (1) non-persisters, i.e., those who attended one semester only; (2) moderate persisters, i.e., those who attended two or more…

Retention research and action programs are reviewed, and findings from the 1979 national survey entitled "What Works in Student Retention" (WWISR) are examined. The WWISR survey was designed to identify, analyze, and compile information about campus efforts to improve student retention in higher education. Questionnaires on retention were analyzed…

The need to examine college student attrition as an approach to the expected demographic decline in the 1980s, and case studies that demonstrate retention improvement and successful techniques are considered. Information is presented on the progress of typical freshmen (graduates, transfers, and dropouts) and patterns of interrupting studies.…

Attrition rates at the State University of New York at Oswego are investigated in this paper. In 1975-76 51 percent of the students who entered as freshmen failed to graduate. The major objective of the study was to isolate and describe the differences that exist in the rates and modes of attrition among students who entered the college as…

Findings are presented for each of five surveys conducted by North Harris County College using the Texas Student Information System (TEX-SIS). The report first presents and discusses the results of an educational intent survey, based on responses from approximately 7,395 students registered in credit hour courses during 1977-78. Results of a…

The third in a series of four monographs, this study focuses on Black engineering students at Purdue University who persisted, withdrew, or transferred. A survey of the students was conducted to determine factors that influence retention and attrition of Black American students in engineering. A comparison of the pre-college and college…

The book presents important and innovative aspects of using the work setting as a vehicle for finding workers in psychological/social trouble (an estimated quarter of any work force at any time) and helping them stay on the job. It describes a four-year demonstration project in which a pioneering team of researchers combined the resources of trade…

Describes the recommendations of the Carnegie Report to restructure the schools in ways that could transform teaching into a career worth pursuing and could produce the greatest possible gains for all students. Teachers need a better incentive structure and need to be invested with greater discretion in making professional judgments. (IW)

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community College Count, this issue of Data Notes compares students in the 2002 Achieving the Dream cohort in terms of achievement and persistence over three academic years based on Pell Grant receipt. The results reveal a complicated relationship between Pell Grant receipt and measures of student success.…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) States Showing Some Reading Improvements: Early Grades Raise Scores, but Older Students Continue to Struggle; (2)…

This book highlights the problems that drive many special educators out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, the author provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special educators. This book provides effective ways to: (1)…

Surveys show that 98% of school districts are reporting shortages of special education teachers, and that nearly a quarter of a million new special education teachers will be needed over the next few years. Special education teachers are leaving the field at twice the rate of general education teachers. Why? Special education teachers can quickly…

Preliminary research into the populations of public urban four year higher education institutions indicates that race/ethnicity and Verbal SAT scores may be acting as proxies for immigration status and the use of a home language other than English. There are indications of differences in the behavior of immigrant/ other language students that may…

This report is the summary of key aspects of Tech Prep in Illinois over the five year period of 2001-2005 during which all Tech Prep consortia provided annual data based on federal legislative requirements and state-determined essential elements of successful programs. These annual Tech Prep reports enable local educators to monitor student…

Although graduating from college may be viewed as a rite of passage for better social mobility in our society, first-generation students, whose parents never graduated from college, face unique challenges to achieve educational success in our country. The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate longitudinal educational attainments of…