The consolidation of rural schools in the United States has been a controversial topic for policy-makers, school administrators, and rural communities since the 1800s. Issues in the consolidation movement have been concerns of efficiency, economics, student achievement, school size, and community identity. Throughout the history of schooling in…

This paper partially fulfills the charge set out by New Business Item (NBI) 18, passed at the 2004 NEA Representative Assembly requiring that NEA conduct an analysis of "weighted student formula" (also known as "student-based budgeting") and how it impacts educational programs in large urban districts. The funding system known as "weighted student…

Alabama's primary competitor in recruiting is in-state rival Auburn University which lures away roughly one in eight of UA's admitted students. Two factors stand above all others in attracting students to UA--academic reputation and social activities reputation. Factors following distantly are a visit to the UA campus, financial assistance and the…

One of a series of monographs on the performance of Chicago public high school students from 1993 to 2000, this publication examines the upward trend of special education enrollment in high schools. This corresponds with a systemwide redesign of high schools in the 1995 implementation of high stakes accountability. It notes that the enrollment of…

This paper addresses the shared mission of the 19 New Mexico branch and independent community colleges for 2001. Their common mission is to improve the life and employability of the citizens by serving as the primary provider of the following postsecondary programs, training, and services: (1) certificates, and technical, vocational, and…

In 1988 the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Commission for Educational Quality produced a separate study of trends in population, education, and employment, looking ahead to the year 2000. The SREB Challenge 2000 goals have been the subject of detailed benchmark reports semi-annually since. This year, there are 12 reports in the…

California policy makers and institutional leaders are making critical policy, programmatic, and budgetary decisions affecting segments of the state's population that lack sufficient levels of formal training and education. These decisions are occurring at a time when five critical trends are converging in the state. These trends are: (1)…

For the first time since the expansion of the choice program to include religious schools in 1998-1999, fewer K4 students are receiving vouchers than in the previous year. This decrease accompanies the first year of implementation of the Milwaukee Public Schools' (MPS) Neighborhood Schools Initiative, which added full-day K4 to 27 MPS neighborhood…

The nation's social and economic future depends on the ability to increase the percentage of students who leave high school ready for college and work. The workplace is changing and demanding a higher level of skills than ever before. Though more and more young adults realize the importance of higher education and aspire to continue their…

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the extent to which undergraduates attend multiple institutions as well as the relationship between multiple institution attendance and persistence, attainment, and time to degree. Students who attended multiple institutions are the population of interest here. Subsets of this population will…

This book traces the development of competitive admission and financial aid policies at a selected group of 16 liberal arts colleges in Ohio and Massachusetts over the period 1955 to 1994. Exploring the way institutional decisions reflect and respond to broad demographic, economic, political, and social forces, the book considers the challenges…

This brief summarizes data from a 1994-95 survey of the states on special education expenditures in the U.S. and analyzes other extant cost data that adjust for inflation and consider rising special education enrollments. The study estimates that the 1995-96 national expenditure for special education was about $32.6 billion (compared to $19.3…

This 1999-2000 report from Cabrillo College (California) contains resource and reference information useful for planning, grant development, marketing, program planning, outreach, Partnership for Excellence, and accreditation self-studies. It offers information and statistics in the areas of governance, instruction, students, faculty, fiscal…

This study evaluates the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) transfer function to private and out-of-state four-year colleges and universities through the tracking of a sample of students. While the majority of transcripts sent by SDCCD are to California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campuses, this study shows…

This digest identifies three major enrollment trends presently affecting community colleges. The three types of students--dual credit, reverse transfer, and job retraining--are likely to continue to increase in number in the near future. Dual-credit, in which secondary school students enroll in courses that receive both high school and college…