When new students arrive at either Cranston High School East or Cranston High School West in Cranston, Rhode Island, they quickly learn that they must meet a set of clear expectations to graduate. This system allows everyone--including students, parents, teachers, and administrators--to assess progress and meet individual and schoolwide goals. For…

Waukesha North High School in Wisconsin is perhaps much like most schools in the United States. It was considered by the community to be a good school, one that always generated above-average scores on state assessments, graduation rates, and attendance averages. Its students drew community recognition for their service and for their performances…

Investigation of student participation in campus organizations and student retention, particularly within the community college sector, has long been neglected. This exploratory study investigates the relationships between four student retention measures and student involvement in campus organizations. Chi-square analysis revealed significant…

Graduation patterns were examined for 905 deaf students (1990-1998) at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Students with higher reading and language skills had the best overall graduation percentage. Comparison of recipients of different degrees--bachelor of science (BS) versus fine arts (BFA); associate of applied science (AAS) versus…

Although explanations for why students drop out of high school have drawn considerable attention for many years (often focusing on their deficits or background risks), researchers have recently turned their attention to ways in which school environments, structures, and practices may influence students' successful transition to high school and…

The "Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998" (commonly referred to as "Perkins," "Perkins III," or "the Act" and referred to hereafter as Perkins III) requires, in Sec. 113(c)(3)(C), that the secretary provide the appropriate committees of Congress copies of annual reports received by…

The purpose of this publication is to provide basic descriptive information about the 100 largest school districts (ranked by student membership, that is, the number of students enrolled at the beginning of the school year) for the 2004-05 school year in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Bureau of Indian Education, the…

Five sister reports published by the Friedman Foundation over the past two years have ignored the relevant research literature in asserting that private-school voucher programs can reduce the social costs of dropping out while increasing graduation rates. The reports are state-specific, targeting five different states. But each report follows a…

The "Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 19981" (commonly referred to as "Perkins," "Perkins III," or "the Act" and referred to hereafter as "Perkins III") requires, in Sec. 113(c)(3)(C), that the secretary provide the appropriate committees of Congress copies of annual…

This study attempts to answer the following research question: What are the factors that prevent students from completing high school? The participants in this study included 228 current and recent students from General Educational Development (GED) programs across the state of Texas. In an effort to gain a clearer picture of circumstances faced…

Malawi and Ghana are among the numerous Sub-Saharan Africa countries that have in recent years introduced Free Primary Education (FPE) policy as a means to realizing the 2015 Education for All and Millennium Development Goals international targets. The introduction of FPE policy is, however, a huge challenge for any national government that has…

Increasing the participation of minority groups at public colleges and universities is a longstanding goal of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, as first outlined in its 1983 "Strategic Plan to Ensure Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Connecticut Public Higher Education." The minority groups defined by the plan are:…

"Project 'Graduation Really Achieves Dreams'" ("GRAD") is an initiative for students in economically disadvantaged communities that aims to reduce dropping out and increase rates of college enrollment and graduation by increasing reading and math skills, improving behavior in school, and providing a service safety net. At the…

"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) Senators Introduce Graduation Promise Act: New Legislation Would Target Lowest-Performing High Schools; (2)…

Teacher certification/licensure requirements across the United States are in constant flux. Career and technical education (CTE), with its many subject disciplines, has historically had two pathways to certification/licensure: a traditional degree-based program of courses, field experiences, and exit exams, and an alternative pathway based…