The first purpose of this study was to identify significant factors affecting the first benchmark in retaining students in college--the decision to enroll in the first fall semester after orientation. The second purpose was to examine enrollment decisions at the second benchmark--the decision to re-enroll in the second fall semester after freshman…

"Higher Education Counts" is an annual accountability report on Connecticut's state system of higher education. As required under Connecticut General Statutes Section 10a-6a-b, each constituent unit of higher education must submit an accountability report to the Commissioner of Higher Education each year by January 1st. The Commissioner,…

This guide was developed by the New Jersey Department of Education to assist adults working with young children in providing high quality education experiences. Articulating the optimal relationships between and among families, the community, and schools, the guide describes developmentally appropriate teaching practices; identifies expected…

In Arizona and around the country, there is an increased focus on ensuring that children start school ready to learn. Noting that the best way to know if Arizona's children are starting school ready to learn is to track their progress, this booklet details indicators or benchmarks in five categories used to measure the state's progress in school…

In order for learning providers to become learning organizations, their services must be delivered effectively. The Learning PROBE (Promoting Business Excellence) was created for the learning and skills sector and was in use by nearly 100 colleges and work-based learning (WBL) providers by April 2003. PROBE has assisted 3000 organizations across…

This document is intended to show the relationship between Ohio's Standards and Competencies, Equipped for the Future's (EFF's) Standards and Components of Performance, and Ohio's Revised Benchmarks. The document is divided into three parts, with Part 1 covering mathematics instruction, Part 2 covering reading instruction, and Part 3 covering…

Two recent trends in education--increased technology and accountability--are driving efforts to define technology competencies and standards for teachers. The first lists of competencies from these efforts are just now being completed. While some of these competencies are linked to teacher certification and re-certification, others are developed…

This report summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of administering the Physical Education Assessment Report (PEAR) during its pilot year in Austin Independent School District (AISD).

It is time for reform advocates to expand their emphasis on improving instruction and school management to include a comprehensive component for addressing barriers to learning. In doing so, they must pursue this third component with the same level of priority they devote to the other two. That is, such an enabling (or learner support) component…

Presented is the October 2005 forum, titled "Leadership for Change," where superintendents attending the three-day conference in Denver, Colorado, openly discussed the challenges they face, how they are tackling those challenges, and what is ahead for public education. They shared insightful and moving stories about efforts to close the…

Current evidence indicates that the blended course delivery method can reduce costs, improve student academic performance, and improve instructor success in meeting course learning objectives when compared to face-to-face instruction. The present examination of best practices employed the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) (2000) quality…

This report presents seven case studies and discusses the role of continuous quality improvement (CQI) in college classroom effectiveness efforts, particularly specific institutions where sustained CQI programs have affected college classroom practice, their common features, and lingering doubts about CQI. An introduction discusses general…

A study was conducted to determine the status of Internet access and usage in selected rural schools of northeast Alabama, and to contribute to an ongoing database that describes Internet access and usage in rural schools as a benchmark for future study. A 28-item survey of 107 teachers and media specialists in 18 selected rural schools in…

A recent study of work skill competitiveness and overall national competitiveness worldwide revealed that 17 countries are more competitive than Australia. Some countries have a relative resource advantage and will be able to extend access to education and training more effectively than Australia will, and some countries have targeted education…

A team designing a Web-enhanced third-year medical education didactic curriculum based their course planning and evaluation activities on the Institute for Higher Education Policy's (2000) 24 benchmarks for online distance learning. The authors present the team's blueprint for planning and evaluating the Web-enhanced curriculum, which incorporates…