This collection of papers examines the current issues in urban education as suggested by on-site studies of programs in sixteen different cities between 1977 and 1980. An overview of the problems in urban education and their causes is presented in the first paper. The second paper discusses program improvement strategies and several examples of…

Views on sources of stress on college faculty and strategies for its management were obtained at small-group sessions in the 1980 faculty orientation at Prince George's Community College, Maryland. Sixteen faculty groups generated 218 responses expressing sources of job stress, a complete listing of which is appended. The responses were aggregated…

Addressing the need to expand nontraditional opportunities for students in vocational education, this document contains three separate training packages intended for use in inservice and preservice training of vocational teachers, counselors, and administrators. The focus of each package is reflected in each of the following titles: "Approaches to…

This is a final progress report on a two-year project that developed a basic and clerical skills training system for women from AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) households that included the establishment of a company employing former trainees. The following were important components: comprehensive education; a day-care facility;…

California's Employment Training Panel Program (ETP), the largest state-funded customized training program for incumbent workers in the nation, has had a positive impact on the economy of California, and its success has policy implications for other state programs. The impact of ETP on trainees includes the following: they are more attached to the…

In 1989, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Kentucky's education system was unconstitutional and invalidated the entire body of school law. In response, the General Assembly passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 (KERA), a completely new educational system. This report upon the 10th anniversary of KERA's passage documents how key…

Schools continue to face a wide array of issues as they seek to improve student achievement and strengthen the community. While community schools have been identified as an important model for addressing these issues, the challenges to creating and sustaining them cannot be overlooked. They are complex systems that must be established carefully…

Explains how teachers differentiate their teaching practices to support inclusive classrooms. Discusses system of democratic governance, culture of collaboration, commitment to and capacity for professional growth, strong leadership, and concern about equity and the success and well-being of individual students as factors for transforming school…

Nearly one-quarter of students in community colleges leave school during the first year of enrollment for reasons other than transfer or credential completion. Generally, nontraditional community college students drop out within their first year at higher rates than do traditional students. Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue looks at changes in cohort composition. The analysis addresses the changing composition of the Achieving the Dream student cohorts from 2002 to 2005. The data show that at Achieving the Dream colleges, the percentage of Hispanic students increased over the four cohorts…

The fundamental principles underlying the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act of 2001" focus on high standards of learning and instruction with the goal of increasing academic achievement--reading and math in particular--within all identified subgroups in the K-12 population. One of these subgroups is the growing population of English…

The intent of this manual is to provide some templates and direction to schools that are looking for ideas of how to incorporate work experience into their curriculum for youth with disabilities. Hamilton Middle School served as a pilot site for one of the Rural Institute Transition Projects from 2006-2008. The school administration eagerly…

This monograph provides an overview of the characteristics, attributes, and behaviors that define and identify elementary school students who are at risk of not succeeding in mathematics. The monograph is divided into seven sections that report research to support early intervention procedures to prevent problems from developing and suggest…

This 6-year project sought to develop programs to impact student academic success and retention. Three separate programs were developed to serve the learning improvement needs of different constituents and situations. All programs were offered at a large, land-grant research university. The Residential Success Program was designed to provide…

The report of the 25-member National Advisory Council on Rural Development, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, defines rural needs and sets forth strategies for rural development in the 1980's. A review of the decade between 1970 and 1980 discusses rapid economic growth of rural areas, social progress, and changes in public service, and…