Noting that only some of the approaches to helping low achievers learn more successfully have been systematically studied to determine their effectiveness, this paper summarizes what research indicates will help low achievers improve performance, and provides a resource list of books and reports with more details on the topic. Following a brief…

Trends in the growth of the immigrant student population over the last 10 years are traced, and issues and challenges that such students present for the member cities of the Great City Schools are highlighted. About 9.5 million immigrants, representing almost 60% of the nation's entire immigrant population, entered the United States in the 1980s,…

This report discusses measures taken in response to Colorado Senate Bill 92-155, which requests institutions of higher education in the state to ensure that students have the opportunity and needed assistance to complete degrees in a reasonable time. The report also examines degree completion times at Colorado colleges and universities, and…

In November 1993, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) surveyed a sample of enrolled credit students to understand retention and attrition at the college. The survey asked students to list briefly things HCCC could change or improve to improve retention and to indicate why students they knew had left HCCC before finishing their program. In order…

Schools, families, communities, and students must come together and share in the responsibilities of implementing effective policies and programs that address the unique needs of rural youth. A recent survey of 152 rural school principals in a northwestern state examined how they defined at-risk and how they, in turn, identified at-risk students…

A study at Barry University (Florida), a private, urban comprehensive university investigated factors in student retention. Demographic data, standardized test scores, and academic performance data were gathered for almost 3,000 students entering the university between fall 1991 and spring 1995. In addition, the students were surveyed on…

A study used Alexander Astin's (1993) Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model to examine persistence at the United States Coast Guard Academy (Connecticut). Because the study was conducted in a controlled social environment, measures of social environmental influence were derived from multiple inputs, including adaptability polls wherein every…

In 1981, the Puente program was established at California's City College of San Francisco to improve the transfer rates of Chicano/Latino students to senior institutions. The program provides a supportive and stimulating environment to help students build confidence in their writing skills and provides extensive counseling and mentoring services.…

This digest reviews reports about the educational experience and expectations of recent immigrants to the United States to dispel some myths about the impact of immigrants on American society and to provide information to consider in attempts to increase the educational attainment of immigrants. In general, immigrant youth and parents have higher…

In fall 1995, Virginia's Mountain Empire Community College conducted a study to determine the reasons behind an unusually high rate of student attrition. Withdrawal forms were reviewed for all students who withdrew from all classes before the end of the semester and telephone surveys were conducted with a representative sample of the students. In…

The City of Austin (Texas) provided funds for a supplementary educational activity to involve at-risk minority high school students in water quality issues. The program encourages at-risk students to remain in school by providing an interesting and authentic activity to use in the development of academic skills. Program activities included testing…

As part of a districtwide follow-up study, California's American River College (ARC) surveyed 2,678 former students from 1993-94 to gather information on student outcomes and characteristics. This report presents findings for the college by academic program. First, a brief discussion of survey methodology is provided, indicating that surveys were…

As part of a districtwide follow-up study, California's Cosumnes River College (CRC) surveyed 1,398 former students from 1993-94 to gather information on student outcomes and characteristics. This report presents findings for the college by academic program. First, a brief discussion of survey methodology is provided, indicating that surveys were…

Using retrieved historical data, the Toronto Board of Education's Research and Assessment Department undertook to examine long-term tracking outcomes of the 1981 cohort of Grade 1 students. These 4,195 students, who had entered the Toronto (Canada) schools in 1981, were followed for over 14 years. Students who followed the traditional schedule of…

This book contains a collection of 33 essays that have appeared in the first 10 issues of "Holistic Education Review." These essays are divided into five themes: Philosophical Foundations; A Global-Ecological Perspective; Rethinking Some Old Problems; New Goals for Education; and Holistic Education in Practice. Some essay titles (along…