Through the Underrepresented Groups Report, community colleges have an opportunity to report on initiatives and strategies aimed at increasing participation and achievement among individuals with Disabilities, Women, and Minorities. Underrepresented Groups Report production is an important annual statutory responsibility (Public Act 85-283) for…

The focus in education in the past 10 years has been on proficiency tests. Every educator in the country is worried about providing opportunities for our students to pass the proficiency tests. Teachers try lots of things--open-ended questions, multi-step questions, essay questions--all in an attempt to get our students ready for The Test. But…

This study sought to determine whether consistent differences in enrollment and graduation among different racial/ethnic and sex groups occur at different colleges of Engineering in the Florida State University System (SUS). Analyses were limited to the major institutions (UF, FSU, USF, UCF, FAU, FIU) with the addition of FAMU due to a high…

Ninety-six high school students from school districts across Minnesota who received special education services for learning disabilities or mild cognitive impairments agreed to participate in an interview on their participation and accommodation use on Minnesota's Basic Standards tests, minimum competency tests in Mathematics, Reading, and Writing…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of three factors: (1) a reduced student teacher ratio (class size education); (2) a mentorship program and (3) a varied curriculum, via use of the multiple intelligences would successfully improve secondary at risk youths' high school graduation rates. The graduation rate and GED…

MDRC's Opening Doors to Earning Credentials Project and its early reports found that community colleges are the local educational institutions with the greatest potential for helping low-wage workers earn skills and credentials that lead to educational and career advancement. Opening Doors also identified serious obstacles to realizing that…

Using data from the San Diego City School District as a case study, this paper describes how discipline policies and practices put black and Latino students at a disadvantage. It offers examples of effective approaches to addressing dysfunctional classrooms. It focuses on how San Diego's schools provide unequal educational opportunity in the…

This guide is designed to assist Florida teachers helping students achieve the Sunshine State Standards for Special Diploma. To meet the needs of students with disabilities more effectively and to align with the intent of the Sunshine State Standards and the Florida System of School Improvement and Accountability, the Student Performance Standards…

This class action suit by Massachusetts public school students challenges the nature of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam and its use as a graduation requirement. Public school students must pass this high stakes test in order to receive a high school diploma as of 2003. The plaintiffs are public school students in the…

American high schools are increasingly the target of educational reform. Today's high schools are expected to graduate all students with the rigorous academic knowledge and skills necessary to prepare them for college or a career. This report provides a comprehensive look at high school reform based on research and professional literature. It…

This Spring issue of the quarterly newsletter of the Community College League of California contains the following articles: (1) Enrollment Drops; Fees to Blame?; (2) Senate's Grad Proposal Triggers Debate on Mission, Access; (3) Compton Decision has Affected Perceptions of Commission (discussion with Barbara Beno); (4) Dynamic New Architectural…

The most accurate method for tracking high school graduation rates is to provide each student with a single lifetime school identification number that would follow him or her throughout his or her entire school career. Texas has this system in place, but this report demonstrates that the official rates Texas has historically reported dramatically…

This report examines the feasibility of implementing a student unit record system to replace the student-related components that currently are based on aggregate institution-level data collected as part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The feasibility study was initiated by the National Center for Education Statistics…

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a nationwide information system sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). As part of the National Library of Education, ERIC maintains the largest education database in the world. This document consists of 82 ERIC Digests, which are…

The reasons for the phenomenon of guaranteed graduation are considered, as are criticisms of this approach. Guaranteed graduation programs have resulted in part as a result of an attempt to address issues and concerns about the cost of a college education, articulation of coursework, time to degree, and competency. While guarantees are designed to…