A small rural high school initiated an 8-period day to offer students the increased number of credits required for graduation. Elective offerings, elective enrollments, and participation in extracurricular activities increased. Teachers and students liked shorter classes, grades improved, dropout rates declined, and teacher-pupil ratios dropped in…

Ontario's colleges are eager to partner with the Government of Ontario to expand college capacity by at least 10 percent and double the number of apprentices over the next five years. Assuming that Government will continue to fund enrolment growth, colleges are fully prepared to improve access to applied education and increase enrolment levels.…

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2003), in 2002-03, the number of students with disabilities between the ages of 6 and 21 who were served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 5,946,202. About 80% of students with disabilities were educated in general education and resource room settings. In contrast, only…

"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) Senate Committee Provides $3.2 Billion Increase for Education Programs: Final Budget Not Expected Until After…

This report describes the effects of Project Graduation Really Achieves Dreams (GRAD) on student progress at three high schools in Houston (the initiative's original site) and at high schools in two other school districts (Columbus, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia). MDRC--a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization--conducted a third-party…

The colleges in the Illinois Community College System submit detailed credit student records twice during each fiscal year. This year's report is based on fiscal year 2005 enrollments and completions. Comparative information is supplied from four previous fiscal years (2001-2004). Detailed tables comparing fiscal year 2004 and fiscal year 2005…

This report addresses two sets of questions related to Ohio's high school to college transition. Chapter One: How many Ohioans go to college and where do they go?; Chapter Two: Are Ohio's recent high school graduates ready for college and do they succeed? Seven primary observations are contained in this report: (1) From fall 1996 to fall 2004, the…

In 1992, a collaboration of educational reform organizations, the New York City Board of Education, a teachers' union, and private funders created a model of urban high school reform that was practitioner-driven. Two failing high schools, one in Manhattan and one in the Bronx, were phased out while 11 new, small autonomous high schools were…

These guides describe the New York State testing program and other performance measures for elementary and secondary school students and provide answers to frequently asked questions about these assessments. The New York State School Report Card is composed of "An Overview of Academic Performance" and "A Comprehensive Information…

Colleges and universities can increase the number of students who graduate by making a number of small, strategic changes in institutional policies and practices. Some schools have done this by focusing on effective educational practices and empowering faculty, staff and students to work together in new, productive ways. Others have improved the…

Department chairs are in a position to help shape a culture where student learning is the central focus of faculty, staff, and students (Gmelch & Schuh, 2004). They hire, socialize, and evaluate faculty members' performance, guide curriculum development, and maintain the quality of academic programs. At the same time, department chairs typically…

The process of accreditation review in the U.S. serves two primary functions: quality assurance and continual improvement. The experienced educators who voluntarily serve on accreditation teams apply common standards of quality that serve students and meet public accountability expectations and offer suggestions and recommendations for…

This report describes the best practices described by national experts, some of the actions that are currently being taken by Colorado institutions of higher education and recommendations for improving programs to retain and graduate minority and low-income students. Over the course of the taskforce's meetings, it became clear that Colorado's…

A study compared graduation and licensure examination pass rates of Mexican American nursing students who spoke English as a second language and students who spoke English as a first language. Mexican American students were surveyed or interviewed concerning the effect on graduation and licensure examination pass rates of English as a second…

This study examined factors associated with Hispanic students' high dropout rates, considering not only demographic factors but also the role of family background, early school experiences, and social influences in the high Hispanic student dropout rate. Data came from students in the High School and Beyond (HS&B) longitudinal study of the…