For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

Three community colleges--El Paso Community College, Bunker Hill Community College, and Patrick Henry Community College--incorporated technology into the curriculum to support student progress in mathematics through developmental education. Each college took its own path: El Paso developed a self-accelerated emporium-style computer lab, Patrick…

For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

This project assesses the feasibility of creating a voluntary, nationwide data dictionary that can be used to standardize the reporting of postsecondary accountability reporting requirements for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (otherwise known as Perkins IV). Variables, field codes, and programming instructions,…

Dramatic changes in the higher education landscape and the recent recession have intensified the challenges students face in postsecondary enrollment and completion. In response, some states, communities, and institutions have developed "postsecondary opportunity programs (POPs)"--comprehensive college access and success programs…

Developed to share information presented at a Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Regional Exchange (SEDL/RX) conference, this document includes reports and related materials on educational computing applications in southwestern school districts and states. Basic computer terminology is defined, and software evaluation instruments are…

Implementation of the computer program in Eula, Texas, was divided into three stages: (1) focusing on computer literacy; (2) using the computer as a support tool; (3) and using computer assisted instruction to enhance basic skill learning. Results of use of the computer for learning mathematics are presented. (MNS)

Describes the writing experiences of a group of gifted fifth and sixth grade students in the Active Learning Experiences in Resourceful Thinking (ALERT) program in Abilene, Texas. (HTH)

In the midst of national education reform and in line with efforts to describe national standards for school mathematics, Texas is taking an aggressive role in reforming mathematics in the public schools. Ways that Texas schools, the Texas Education Agency, and the State Board of Education are addressing the dramatically changing needs of…

Described is the development and initial assessment of a forgiveable loan program designed to attract qualified students into a teacher education program to prepare for teaching mathematics in middle or high schools. The program was established in 1983 at Austin College by the King Foundation. Five qualified students a year may be awarded a King…

A brief introduction states the purpose of and summarizes the five presentations made at a Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Regional Exchange (SEDL/RX) Project conference and notes that the SEDL/RX publication, "Evaluation of Educational Software: A Guide to Guides," was produced for use as a reference guide by participants…

This paper describes the school-community guidance centers authorized by the Texas legislature in 1981 in an attempt to decrease the incidence of student disruptive behavior and student contacts with the criminal justice system. The variety of services, including academic instruction, counseling, home/school liaison, and follow-up programs, are…

This report summarizes accomplishments of the ESCAPE (Eastern Stream Child Abuse Prevention and Education) Project over its final two years and identifies products developed under its auspices during this period. An introduction describes the project which was initiated in 1982 to establish and reduce the incidence of child maltreatment in the…

The first section of this guide about literacy programs in Texas features background information about literacy, including a definition of literacy; literacy statistics; a fact sheet about literacy in the United States; developmental stages of literacy; Kohl's four stages of literacy; characteristics of successful programs; barriers to and methods…

In 1985, Apple Computer, Inc., and the Houston Independent School District began a project to create a model School of the Future at the F. M. Black Middle School. As described in this guide, the project was designed to demonstrate how microcomputers and related technology can make the process of instruction more efficient and effective. The…