In this report the authors continue the examination of high school graduation and post-secondary enrollment in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). They consider students enrolled in the MPCP in either 8th or 9th grade in 2006, and a comparison sample of students enrolled in the Milwaukee Public Schools. They find that, as of September…

This report traces the development of the workplace apprenticeship system and college-based pre-apprenticeship training in Canada's most western province, British Columbia. The Canadian system is mildly distinctive in an international context and within Canada, British Columbia is increasingly distinctive. Federal government influence has been…

What does it mean to be a college graduate? One knows about the time and ever-increasing amount of money that a diploma demands. But when it comes down to what matters--the skills and knowledge acquired--what does a college degree mean? That is the question the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) answers in this book. Inside one will…

With the changing U.S. demographics, higher numbers of diverse, low-income, first-generation students are underprepared for the academic rigors of four-year institutions oftentimes requiring assistance, and remedial and/or developmental coursework in English and mathematics. Without intervention approaches these students are at high risk for…

A summer bridge program for incoming engineering and computer science freshmen has been used at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2007 to 2010. The primary purpose of this program has been to improve the mathematics course placement for incoming students who initially place into a course below Calculus I on the math placement examination.…

Mixed-method evaluation of two iterations of month-long summer enrichment programs for English-learning secondary students investigated impacts on participants' beliefs about school and academic achievement, and on actual course choices, test outcomes, and graduation rates. Students (N = 85) from one ethnically diverse, high-poverty high school in…

This report provides the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving "three key priorities" for Nebraska's postsecondary education system: (1) Increase the number of students who enter postsecondary education in Nebraska; (2) Increase the percentage of students who enroll and…

The focus of this dissertation is on performance indicators--specifically, retention and graduation indicators--that impact allocation of the ever-dwindling public sources of money. Decreasing revenue trends make understanding the performance indicators that are often used to fund postsecondary institutions very important. There is a significant…

The study examined the academic and graduation progression of students with disabilities compared to their non-disabled students in Georgia public high schools. Specifically, the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in math and English and graduation rates were analyzed for their progression since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind…

Students enter colleges and universities with the expectation that they will attain the degree to which they aspire and graduate. Colleges and universities admit students they expect to be successful using research based academic predictors of success. Students who seek a degree from community colleges similarly enter with the expectation that…

A dramatic reversal of gender inequality in education occurred when women reached parity with men in college graduation rates around 1982 and surpassed men since then. While scholars have documented this remarkable turnaround in the gender gap in college completion, few studies have offered explanations for why this reversal occurred or why women…

Each year, nearly 400,000 minority students enroll as freshmen in a four-year college, hoping to realize all of the opportunities that earning a bachelor's degree affords. Many arrive on campus having overcome underfunded high schools, an intimidating college-admissions process, and daunting financial circumstances. Yet despite their persistence…

In the wake of concern about the diversity of cadets/midshipmen selected by the service academies, Congress requested that the Secretary of Defense conduct a comprehensive assessment of the recruiting efforts, admissions policies, graduation rates, and career success rates of entrants and graduates at the United States Military Academy (USMA), the…

The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) at Colorado Springs, and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis provide tuition-free, four-year undergraduate education and prepare entrants to be officers of the U.S. military services. Graduates are commissioned as officers for a…

For the past two years, Lumina Foundation for Education has been calling for the United States to increase higher education attainment rates--the proportion of the population that holds a high-quality postsecondary degree or credential--to 60 percent by the year 2025. This call--Lumina's Big Goal--has been taken up by many others. In February…