This study compared the potential for child abuse among three ethnic groups, when age, educational attainment, and marital status were controlled for in a sample of ethnically diverse, low-income mothers residing in a large metropolitan area. Participants (n=195) were between 15 and 45 years and were enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children…

This study examined voluntary and involuntary withdrawal rates of students of various racial origins at York University in Ontario (Canada). Data were obtained from three surveys of first-year students conducted in 1993, 1994, and 1995, and involving 1,864 students. Information on Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) marks, first year grade point…

Issues related to assessing school-to-work transitions in the United States were discussed in the context of selected findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), a longitudinal data set characterizing 9,964 of 12,686 of young people who were 14-22 years old when first interviewed in 1979. The first section of the paper…

This study examined the racial dynamics of the undergraduate social system of fraternities and sororities. The study sought to determine: (1) how white student participation in social fraternities and sororities was influenced by racial dynamics, (2) under what conditions students of color were accepted by the dominant peer group, (3) what types…

A study examined the effects of specific literacy-related activities in preschool on subsequent language and literacy-related knowledge. All of the subjects were eligible for Head Start or comparable programs, with half of the classrooms being Head Start classrooms. When the subjects were 3 years old, a total of 63 children were visited in 48…

This study assessed whether or not the American College Test (ACT) is a good predictor of college success for students at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights (Illinois) for students entering as freshmen in the fall semesters of 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. The total population of 477 included 188 males and 289 females. ACT scores, high…

This report examines the decline in the number of medical students choosing generalist or primary care specialties, along with the efficacy of strategies designed to encourage students to choose generalist and primary care training. Based on surveys of college and medical school students, residents, and medical schools, the study focused on: (1)…

In an effort to inform program assessment efforts and provide more accurate indicators of student outcomes, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), in Pennsylvania, conducted a study of student educational objectives. Responses to questions related to goals on the college registration form were analyzed for 9,927 students enrolling in spring…

The Multidimensional Motivation Instrument and the Classroom Environment Scale were used to examine the effects of the variables motivation (achievement motivation, academic self-concept, social self-concept, and emotional self-concept) and the classroom learning environment (involvement, affiliation, teacher support, task orientation, order and…

In 1992, a study was conducted at Golden West College (California) to determine the predictive validity of the Math Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) tests. A total of 1,137 students were tested in-class; 601 took the Algebra Readiness test, 376 took the Elementary Algebra test, and 160 took the Intermediate Algebra test. Two correlation…

This report examines protective factors and the process of resilience as they apply to Black adolescents. The report reviews risk factors at the individual level and at the community level, and reviews the incidence of health- and life-compromising risk outcomes in Black adolescents. It then discusses protective factors and resilience and their…

The Phi Delta Kappa Study of Students At Risk assessed who is at risk, what puts students at risk, what schools are doing to help those students, and how effective these efforts are. Data were provided on at-risk students in 85 U.S. and Canadian communities by teachers who knew each student best and had access to a student's school records. This…

This study investigated the predictive relationship between initial student attitudes, admissions test scores, years of high school math taken, and the student's subsequent achievement in introductory college chemistry. A group of 179 students who began as new freshmen during the same fall semester and took an introductory chemistry course during…

There is mounting evidence that the most significant deficit of new work force entrants is not an "academic skills gap" but rather poor attitudes concerning work. Despite growing recognition of their fundamental link to the quality of the work force, work attitudes have received virtually no detailed discussion in the public policy arena. Research…

Now that the State Board of Education has adopted new regulations requiring all Pennsylvania school districts to develop a strategic plan, it seems useful to describe the role of demographic information in that planning process. This Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies (PEPS) report provides a rationale for considering information regarding…