A statewide retention study conducted in fall 1992 revealed significant differences in graduation rates among Virginia Community College System (VCCS) institutions. To determine factors related to student graduation and differences in graduation rates for VCCS colleges, an analysis was undertaken of the characteristics of fall 1989 entering…

The program goal of family literacy is to use early intervention to break the cycle of illiteracy perpetuated by parents' undereducation. This paper describes family literacy as a dropout prevention strategy that should be most heavily concentrated on the prenatal through 8-year-old child; a child ready for school is less likely to become a…

A proposed research project focusing on the role of parents in promoting their children's learning of English as a Second Language is outlined. Specifically, the research would investigate the extent to which parental support and interaction of various kinds will enhance the learning and acquisition of English in low-income Hispanic kindergarten…

The goals of this study of student outcomes were to find ways to better manage enrollments, husband teaching and administrative resources, reduce attrition, and better understand the needs and expectations of students. The study examined data for 2,262 first-time, associate degree-seeking students entering a mid-sized rural college in the…

This is an equity study, focusing on the crowdedness and adequacy of California's public school facilities. Facilities data are from a 1988 state survey and include information about building space, age of facilities, air conditioning, and construction type. The research focuses on two equity principles: horizontal equity and facilities…

High school outcomes were assessed for 123 young adults, originally toddlers in the home-based, low-intensity Mother-Child Home Program (MCHP) and at risk for dropping out of high school because of their parents' low income and education. Participants were recruited for the Pittsfield, MA, replication of the MCHP and randomly selected into program…

Adult participation in education and learning in the United Kingdom was examined through a Gallup survey of a stratified (by region and town size) national sample of 4,673 adults aged 17 years and over from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Interviewers were given quotas for sex by respondents' age, class, and employment status.…

Current research shows that the skills of listening, talking, reading, and writing are learned simultaneously. Children acquire these skills from their experiences of copying adults and interacting with other children. The term "emergent literacy" refers to the combination of the four skills in literacy learning. The whole language…

This guide lays out the pedagogical and theoretical foundations of a culturally inclusive, vertical basic skills curriculum for adults testing at the 0-8 grade levels. Chapter 1 discusses the basis for the development of this curriculum: a sound basic skills adult curriculum is built upon a psychosocial examination of individual learners in…

This book presents demographic data about a variety of U.S. public policies, social problems, and environmental issues. The issues and problems that the statistics illustrate (such as overflowing garbage dumps, homelessness, child poverty, and smog and water pollution) are connected with, and the consequences of, the expanding U.S. population. The…

In response to the change in the provincial economy from natural-resource-based industries to service-oriented industries, Vancouver Community College (VCC) in British Columbia (BC) conducted an environmental scan of the social and economic trends in the college's service region that will most likely affect prospective students' educational and…

A project was conducted to develop a series of culturally relevant family literacy instructional materials (written and videotaped) that could be used with undereducated Native American parents who desire to increase their own knowledge, skills, ability, and self-confidence in order to become more effective teachers of their own children. The…

This paper, commissioned for the development of the national report, "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent," provides historical background on issues in gifted education, together with ideas and practices from the special educational strategies now in use for gifted students. The report focuses on the nature of superior…

This paper examines the language planning efforts of the government of Ecuador and groups representing the indigenous peoples of the country. Government sanctioned policy and practice, as well as the grassroots efforts of the Indian population, both aim to influence language behavior and both have ultimately been directed at social and political…

The primary objective of the Parents as Teachers project was to present a series of workshops to help parents understand the vital role they play in their children's preschool and educational development and help them develop techniques to encourage children to read, participate with their children in various craft and educational activities, and…