Educational Testing Service (ETS) research highlights more similarities than variations in gender differences among student racial/groups, though variations exist in how the differences are manifested. This digest presents highlights from Richard Coley's findings in "Differences in the Gender Gap: Comparisons across Racial/Ethnic Groups in…

National data indicate that many differences remain between Hispanics and non-Hispanics regarding baccalaureate attainment, even though the general status of Hispanics in higher education has improved. Official data on California students suggest that there is no single point in the California educational pipeline that accounts for the entire gap…

Arizona's high school dropout rate is nearly double the national average of 9 percent, with a significant number of its dropouts being students from economically and socially disadvantaged ethnic minority backgrounds. The Arizona Minority Education Policy Analysis Center conducted a series of roundtable discussions with school administrators,…

The Jobs for Florida's Graduates (JFG) program targets high school students and provides services to help these students graduate and to continue their education or find meaningful employment within one year of graduation. School managers and "job specialists" serve as mentors, identify at-risk high school students, and provide them with…

This document reports the levels of skill achievement by Florida students as measured by the High School Competency Test (HSCT) and explains the purpose, reporting, and use of HSCT test results. This test measures the ability of students to apply basic skills in communication and mathematics successfully in everyday life situations. Students in…

This report provides statistical data on retention and graduation patterns of first-time, full-time undergraduates at Maryland's public four-year colleges and universities from 1977 to 1997. Among major findings were: (1) the second-year retention rate of all first-time, full-time undergraduates was 82 percent for the cohort of students entering…

To support states in improving the quality of their Perkins accountability data, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), US Department of Education, invited State Directors of Career-Technical Education to submit requests for individualized technical assistance. In response to a request by the New Mexico Public Education Department…

The colleges and universities of this country have made every effort to adjust their programs to help win the war. They are now fully cognizant of their great responsibility to help with those problems that are to follow the war. Problems in the field of education do not, however, fall into war versus postwar problems. Most of the problems which…

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (Table 153), there are almost as many states that require a minimum of 2 credits of science for graduation (22) as there are those that require 3 credits (21). According to the "2000 High School Transcript Study," between 1990 and 2000, not only did the average number of science credits…

A survey of physician's assistant program directors showed that they expect students to perform a history and physical examination, to establish a working diagnosis for most common problems and often to formulate a management plan. Extensive skills in patient education and counseling were also required. (MSE)

Reform efforts that manipulate time, content, materials, and teacher variables have the best chance of success in a period of fiscal steady state. (Author)

Articulation of secondary curricula and postsecondary studies in the United States and in the United Kingdom are compared. Articulation is seen as more important in the United States, in which secondary curricula are not as closely controlled or as uniform. In addition, progression to higher education is less common in the United Kingdom. (MSE)

Explores particular characteristics that better secondary schools might possess. The exploration is based on five conditions of better schools, all of which support teachers and students in developing effective schools. The author moves the responsibility for school reform from the school to the life and behaviors of the community in which the…

The transition challenges discussed are to ensure that (1) students have access to the full range of curriculum options and learning experiences; (2) high school graduation decisions are based on meaningful indicators of learning; (3) students have access to postsecondary education, employment, and independent living options; (4) student and…

Examines factors at the pre-college and community college level that influence the success of minority students pursuing a baccalaureate degree. Outlines recommendations for improving minority high school graduation rates and community college retention and transfer rates. (FMW)