Analysis of student records at a British comprehensive school revealed trends in English as a Second Language and special needs designation among white and Asian pupils. Designation and assignment of bilingual students and a rigid system of ability grouping inhibited their progress and denied them equal educational opportunities. (SK)

Brigham Young University (Utah) has an automated system for evaluating student transfer information, using an established database containing a historical record of courses taken at other schools. A unique feature of the system is that course evaluation and degree audit are completed the day the student is admitted. (Author/MSE)

A National Collegiate Athletic Association study indicates Black athletes (n=835) entering Division I colleges in 1984 and 1985 were half as likely as White athletes (n=2,453) to graduate. Results seem unlikely to resolve the debate over the NCAA's Proposition 48 concerning eligibility standards. (MSE)

Describes the Minnesota Tech Prep Consortia Evaluation System, which collects outcomes data on enrollment, retention, related job placement, higher education, dropouts, and diplomas/degrees awarded. Explains outcome measures, database development, data collection and analysis methods, and remaining challenges. (SK)

Describes two value-added technologies, Virtual Counselor and Wireless Web, which can allow student financial aid offices to improve the information services they offer to students and their families. (EV)

Having data available is so important because it can improve upon our personal perceptions. Admittedly, statistics can sometimes be skewed to tell whatever story their handlers want them to tell, but by and large, high-quality data allow us to step back from personal perceptions and embark on an analysis with an eye toward identifying the root…

Wake County's participation in the statewide pilot of an electronic student information system has created many changes in the district. The new statewide system eventually will store data for all students in North Carolina in one collection of databases that will be accessible from each K-12 classroom, allowing teachers to record student grades…

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) establishes requirements, definitions, and approval criteria for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (Stabilization or SFSF) program. The Secretary may use one or more of these requirements, definitions, and approval criteria in awarding funds under this program in fiscal year (FY) 2010. These requirements,…

Education reforms such as "A Nation at Risk" and "Goals 2000" have come and gone. However, educators can be confident that the goal of student improvement shall not pass if the core mission is student learning. The true mission of learning has prompted educators to ponder the following questions: (1) How should each student to…

This report draws on combined sets of data to examine the relationship between students' academic performance and experiences in high school and how well they did in their initial year in college. Specifically, it looks at students who graduated from a Maryland high school in the 2003-2004 school year who enrolled at a Maryland college or…

This article discusses an intercollegiate sports governing body's scrutiny of fraudulent high school records. Responding to recent news stories about star collegiate athletes with fraudulent or sketchy high school qualifications, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is sharpening its scrutiny of high school programs that are not…

A portfolio is a meaningful collection of student work that tells the story of student achievement or growth. There are two basic reasons for doing portfolios--assessment or instruction. Benefits for using portfolios in instruction include the development of students self-reflection, critical thinking, responsibility for learning, and content area…

Education-agency and school staff are legally and ethically responsible for safeguarding student information. In addition to federal and state laws and regulations, education agencies need policies and procedures to guide their everyday information-maintenance operations. This document provides examples of policies and procedures as well as…

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides students and parents access to their school records and requires that parents and adult students be informed of their rights under the act. FERPA also bars the release of records to third parties without written consent except to school district employees possessing legitimate…

Describes the development of an evaluation system in which the instructor marks statements describing a student's work in a course. The statements are stored in a computer which produces the list on request. Implemented for two years, the system is considered more precise than letter grades and easier than evaluative paragraphs. (JT)