Estimates say that nearly 30 percent of adults in the United States have a criminal record--roughly 65 million individuals. While not all of them have served a jail or prison sentence, they nonetheless face barriers to gainful employment due to the stigma of a record, as well as generally lower levels of education and job training. The overall…

In 2002, the Stark County Preschool through College (P-16) Compact set the goal of achieving an 80% college going rate. Such a goal seemed both audacious and daunting for a community where in 2001 only 17.9% of the adults held a Bachelor's Degree, or higher, and where only 49% of all high school graduates went directly to college. Nine years have…

Low rates of college completion have long been a major deficiency in the performance of American higher education. Over the last decade, the extent and importance of the problem was documented by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in the "Measuring Up" national and state report cards on higher education, and by…

The information in this report is presented to encourage continued conversation regarding preparation for college and remedial or developmental education in Colorado. This report documents action taken and data gathered by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) for academic year 2010 (Summary 2009-Spring 2010) as required by statute to…

Every school day, nearly 7,000 students become dropouts. Annually, that adds up to about 1.2 million students who will not graduate from high school with their peers as scheduled. Lacking a high school diploma, these individuals will be far more likely than graduates to spend their lives periodically unemployed, on government assistance, or…

Increased veteran enrollment in universities warrants the examination of the challenges of students transitioning on campus. In this phenomenological, mixed methods study incorporating reverse culture shock theory and student engagement, four research questions are explored. "Do current Colorado veteran residents obtain degrees at the same…

Although the national graduation rate for African American males is only 47% (Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2010), few studies have explored their experiences in adult basic and literacy education (ABEL) programs. This study draws on prior research to explore the relationship between literacy and identity and its potential for…

High dropout rates and low on-time graduation rates across the United States suggest that for many students proper transitioning is not taking place from middle schools to high schools. This study was designed to examine what measure perceptions and expectations held by students, faculty, and parents dealing with transition from middle school to…

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of principals and Hispanic parents of English language learners about the school experience of their students. Through collecting stories (narrative) of their children's school experiences, I was able to determine that the key perceptions of principals and Hispanic parents focused on their…

Evaluating student achievement in Denver Public Schools (DPS) starts with taking a hard look at where performance stands. In this report, the researchers examine key transition points across the education pipeline, from preschool through college. They gauge student progress--or lack of progress. And they identify challenges. That way, they can…

The "No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001" requires all schools, districts/local education agencies (LEAs) and states to show that students are making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). NCLB requires states to establish targets in the following ways: (1) Annual Proficiency Target; (2) Attendance/Graduation Rates; and (3) Participation…

A few years ago, in "Student Success in College (SSiC)," the authors profiled twenty colleges and universities that were unusually effective in fostering student engagement and success, defined as better-than-predicted scores on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and better-than-predicted graduation rates. These schools are…

The purpose of this article is to identify an issue that impacts individuals and institutions on a seemingly individual basis but collectively affects numerous program participants and their communities. Specifically, this article is about the tension between the need to provide student support service programming with the need to advocate for the…

Although African Americans continue to demonstrate a desire for education, Black male enrollment and completion rates in higher education are dismal when compared to other ethnic groups. Researchers and scholars have noted various theories and philosophies responsible for the academic disengagement of African American men in higher education. This…

An increasingly popular, but underresearched, initiative aimed at reducing high school dropout is raising the compulsory school attendance age. This study used a national data set from academic years 2001-02 to 2005-06 to examine the grade level at which students drop out, rates of dropout over time, and high school completion by state, region of…