The twin challenges of aging demographics in the United States and the need for higher levels of education to compete in the new technology-based economy is creating a socioeconomic paradox (Friedman, 2005). As the Baby Boomer generation retires, those replacing them are increasingly a non-White population. This demographic shift is inevitable and…

The problem targeted by this study is the widening imbalance between admissions and graduation rates occurring at many long-standing institutions of higher education. This study applied the theory of disruptive innovation to gain insight into the policies, procedures, beliefs, and perspectives of how a single college that was established in the…

The Maine Community College System is providing the letter presented in this report in accordance with 20-A MRSA §10013. This law requires the Maine Community College System, University of Maine System (UMS), and Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) provide the following information about first-generation college students by January 15th of each year: (1)…

Kansas ranks 10th in the nation on an average of 15 indicators of student success, but has been improving much slower than most states. Since 2008, total funding per pupil in Kansas has increased less than half as much as the U.S. average, and less than one-quarter as much as the top achieving states. "There is growing evidence that as Kansas…

In the class of 2013, a record number of students earned bachelor's degrees in physics: 7,363. This is more than double the number of students doing so only 14 years earlier. Over the same time period, the total number of bachelor's degrees awarded in all disciplines was up also, but only by about 40%. The graph shows the number of…

A Capital Commitment is the five-year strategic plan that sets ambitious targets for the future of DC Public Schools (DCPS) Since the launch of this plan in School Year 2012-13, students across the city are doing better than ever in reading and math, more students are graduating on time, students are enjoying school, and enrollment has reached a…

In 1960, over 60 % of bachelor degrees were awarded to men. However, the rate of women's college completion has steadily risen and, by 2004, women received nearly 60 % of bachelor degrees. Drawing on the theoretical contributions of James Coleman, this paper examines the ability of social capital to explain observed differences in college…

To address conceptual and methodological shortcomings in the extant literature on student mobility, this study employs event history modeling to describe and explain how state policy levers, specifically state grant aid, relates to mobility and baccalaureate degree completion. We find that state grant aid reduces mobility, but less so than…

The purpose of this document is to recommend data visualization practices that will help education agencies communicate data meaning in visual formats that are accessible, accurate, and actionable for a wide range of education stakeholders. Although this resource is designed for staff in education agencies, many of the visualization principles…

This study analyses trends in co-operative education (co-op) participation for graduates with a college certificate or diploma or a university bachelor's degree from 1986 to 2010 in Canada, based on data from the National Graduates Survey (NGS). Changes in co-op participation rates over time are examined, along with differences by field of study.…

Financial instability is a common fiscal burden for many community college students and can serve as primary barrier to educational success (Quaye & Harper, 2015). Although traditional financial aid is structured to assist students in financing college expenses, many low-income students often face financial emergencies beyond the scope of…

As they begin taking classes, most incoming adult learners express a strong desire to complete a degree, but many also harbor concerns and attitudes that reduce their motivation and put them at risk for attrition. This report explores a wide range of these noncognitive, motivational attributes that influence completion. The study is based on a…

State Compensatory Education (SCE) is a supplemental program designed to eliminate disparities in (a) student performance on assessment instruments administered under chapter 39 of the Texas EducationCode (1995, amended 2013), and (b) the rates of high school completion between students who are at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by…

Though counseling is one commonly pursued intervention to improve college enrollment and completion for disadvantaged students, there is relatively little causal evidence on its efficacy. We use a regression discontinuity design to study the impact of intensive college counseling provided by a Massachusetts program to college-seeking, low-income…

Understanding reasons for drop-out, factors contributing to student satisfaction and strategies for enhancing student retention is fundamental to the success of online (language) courses. This study examines drop-out rates, student satisfaction, retention rates and attainment in fully online elementary-level courses for Dutch as a second language…