The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning was at a turning point in August 2006. It had been five years since the corporate foundation had shifted its focus from general-purpose grantmaking to supporting individual and community learning, and its flagship Early Childhood Literacy Initiative--launched in 2003 to raise literacy rates in the communities…

This report constitutes the first part of the project undertaken by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) and AEL, to investigate strategies for the recruitment and retention of teachers in rural schools. The "highly qualified teacher" requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has spotlighted the urgency and…

This study determines the efficiency of a system containing aptitude, achievement, and noncognitive data, and a measure of college performance in predicting the long-range educational-vocational decisions of engineering students. Noncognitive data best predicts between intellectually homogeneous student groupings whereas first-semester grade point…

Teacher conduct is a loaded concept. Teachers in New Jersey are cautioned to study their life styles and the existing teacher conduct regulations to avoid conflict and possible loss of jobs. (DS)

Results of the investigation suggest that the size of the high school or community is related to academic persistence. The degree of incongruence between these social and academic environments (high school vs. college) may require a personal adjustment beyond the capability of some students. (Author)

A study investigated the degree to which organizational incentives kept, in the profession, secondary school teachers who were committed to teaching and whose primary reasons for staying were related to students, curriculum, and classroom procedures. (CJ)

A study of the effects of Swedish student aid reform on individuals born in 1948 shows that the aid has been important for both recruitment and retention, especially for lower socioeconomic strata, and has been the most important source of student financial support. (Author/MSE)

Reviews and discusses results of studies examining reasons why teaching is selected as a profession (as well as degree of commitment among teachers) and advantages and disadvantages of the profession. Reasons for becoming teachers include helping young children. However, stresses associated with teaching often manifest themselves in "teacher…

Investigated attitude differences between Black female secondary students identified as potential dropouts who persisted and earned a diploma and those identified as potential dropouts who did drop out without earning a diploma. Results are provided for attitudes related to teachers, peers, school work, and school in general. (JN)

A study of transcripts of adult students and younger counterparts to examine patterns of credit load, stopping out, and the flow from special student status to matriculant is presented. Results support earlier findings about academic achievement, and presents new evidence that adult students' pace is generally brisker than previously assumed. (MSE)

Determined the relationship between amount of formal coursework in the field of aging and degree of positive attitude demonstrated by professional workers in gerontological settings. Data showed that the more years a person works in the field the stronger the commitment to the aging field. (Author)

A path analytic model is hypothesized and tested to explain the effect of a series of intellective and nonintellective student attributes on high school achievement and college achievement. Patterns of predictability for male and female students are compared. (Author/GK)