As educators, government officials, and foundations leaders have embraced the agenda of dramatically increasing college success and credential completion, they have come to understand the need for better data on student outcomes to guide the improvement efforts of institutions, systems, and states. The data on degree completion and other final…

The Tomas Rivera Lecture Series has a rich history of showcasing prominent lecturers, dating back to 1985. This year's lecture, the 26th in the series, features two influential and well-respected leaders in higher education, Chancellors Charles B. Reed and Jack Scott. Each brings a different perspective about the issues confronting higher…

The Office of Planning and Institutional Research (OPAIR), at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus was asked to undertake an analysis of student throughput rates as part of a University-wide initiative involving the three campuses. Each Campus was provided with a template and guidelines for reporting the data. The exercise was intended…

Federal law requires Pennsylvania, and all other states, to transition to a new calculation method for determining high school graduation rates. Beginning in 2012, using graduation data from the Classes of 2010 and 2011, the "4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate" calculation will replace the "4-Year Leaver Graduation Rate"…

"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) Economic Boost: New Alliance Report Examines Economic Impact of Reducing the High School Dropout Rate Among Students…

"Perspective" is a monthly e-newsletter presenting news and views from Achieve. This month's issue commences with a report stating how Achieve commissioned a first-of-its-kind national poll of American voters to determine their views on college and career readiness. The results of the survey show that there is overwhelming support for college-and…

This report complies with the requirements established in T.C.A. (Tennessee Code Annotated) Section 49-1-302(a)(10). The act directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to provide a report to the Governor and General Assembly, all public schools, and institutions of higher learning and their respective…

Over the past decade, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland has focused on improving teacher capacity as a strategy to address achievement gaps and promote "college-ready" standards in what has become an "urban suburb" with significant pockets of high-need students. As part of this focus on quality teaching, the…

This study documents the impact of placing graduation coaches as a GEAR UP intervention in urban high schools. The overall goal was improvement of students' academic performance, particularly for students not passing core courses. This longitudinal study began with data collection in feeder middle schools where results indicated improved student…

This study examined teachers' attitudes and beliefs in one over-performing urban/suburban high school of the state-mandated curriculum framework under conditions that I label a continuously uncertain reform effort or a top-down mandated curriculum involving constant mixed-messages as to its content, accountability demands, and future existence.…

The goal of helping all students become college- and career-ready has become a focal point of American education. But most high school accountability systems are lagging behind, failing to recognize college- and career-ready goals. Most high schools are rated on only two measures: graduation rates and student scores on basic skills tests given in…

Gannon University, located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, created a middle level teacher preparation curriculum focused on sustainability. After reviewing the literature about learning, teacher preparation, and barriers to campus greening, the article describes how Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was integrated into the middle level…

Higher education institutions are facing challenges with regard to improving the success and pass rate of students. Mentorship in the life skills programmes should contribute significantly in addressing these issues. A study was undertaken to determine students' perceptions of the life skills programme at the Tshwane University of Technology. The…

For students with emotional disability (ED), school can be a stressful experience marked by disapproval, rejection, isolation, and shame. Staff serving these students in a large school district received Response Ability Pathways (RAP) training. This article summarizes positive impacts on behavior, as well as ongoing challenges in changing school…

Recent changes in public school educational finance in the state of Kansas are shown to have had little positive effect on student educational achievement. A differences structure is used to determine the effect of changes in revenue per student at the district level on changes in measures of student achievement. Measures of achievement employed…