In this paper, the author questions whether the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) achieves its stated purpose: to raise standards of academic achievement. Deeper understanding, subtlety of thought, creativity, critical thinking, perseverance, leadership and sensibility about self and the world cannot be measured by multiple-choice technology. The…

This paper describes a study that examined the demand for tutoring within a context of heightened credential competition and a growing private-education sector consisting of private schools, charter schools, homeschoolers, and a burgeoning entrepreneurial education industry. The number of private-tutoring businesses is rapidly growing in Canada,…

This paper discusses the low college attainment rates in Maine at all levels of the educational continuum. The percent of Maine adults age 25 and older with associate degrees declined from 6.9% in 1990 to 5.4% in 2000. The percent with bachelors degrees increased slightly from 21.5% in 1995 to 24.1% in 2000, but remains far below the New England…

This paper argues that community college models, especially in developing countries, can be victims of the vocational school fallacy, which holds that that two-year vocational/technical schools that ignore a general education foundation may not be an optimal means for solving worker needs. In addition, globalization has hastened a mirroring of the…

This paper examines the economic impact of Walker Technical Institute (WTI) in Georgia on its local economy. In 1994, the annual report by Georgia's Department of Technical and Adult Education found a 77% increase from 1985 in the number of students participating in classes. State financial support for the Department of Technical and Adult…

States benefit considerably when their stocks of "educational capital" grow. From a workforce and tax revenue standpoint, state rates of return on baccalaureate education are far higher than those associated with any other educational step. Additional benefits attributable to higher education--ranging from enhancements in citizen participation…

A widening skills gap is at the heart of many of the major economic and social challenges the United States faces today. Too many Americans lack the basic skills and educational attainments required by a postindustrial economy. This places severe limits on the American economy to innovate, grow, and compete in the global marketplace. It…

According to the American Society for Training and Development, U.S. companies spend $55-$60 billion annually for company-provided education and training. Of U.S. companies, 70%-80% offer their employees some type of formal training, and 60% offer tuition reimbursement. Even adjusting for inflation, training expenditures by U.S. companies have…

Approximately 15% (7.6 million) of the estimated 50.6 million U.S. citizens who browse the World Wide Web are aged 50 or older, and 30% of adults aged 55-75 own a computer. Although many older adults initially log on to the Internet as a means of connecting with friends and family, they quickly learn that it is also a valuable source of…

A preliminary study explored how Canadian practitioners who are engaged in community economic development (CED) that includes or is specific to women gain new information relevant to their work and how they incorporate that new learning into their daily practice. Interview questions focused on sources of information, learning opportunities and…

This book examines rural African women's educational experiences in Kilome, Kenya, providing testimony on the cultural, historical, social, economic, and political factors that have shaped, and continue to shape, women's educational and economic opportunities there. The author, a Kamba woman who grew up in rural Kenya and received an education in…

This report describes educational programs and opportunities available to Washington state's high school students, emphasizing changes brought about by the state's education reform. Information came from surveys and interviews with teachers, students, and parents and state and national data. The study examined whether high schools were increasing…

This resource book for parents is aimed at helping families take specific actions to properly prepare their children--both academically and financially--for college. Chapter 1 addresses some general questions about college, including: the reasons for attending college; the types of colleges, including community colleges, technical and junior…

High schools have traditionally focused on preparing students for entry-level jobs or for postsecondary education. Recently, federal legislation (e.g., 1990 and 1998 Perkins Acts) has encouraged a more integrated approach for all students, one that maintains college entry as a viable option while also providing a stronger foundation in work skills…

This working paper is a product of a regional study in industrial South Wales of the determinants of participation and non-participation in post-compulsory education and training, with special reference to processes of change in the patterns of these determinants over time and to variations between geographical areas. Discussion begins with an…