Major arguments, both pro and con, for applying the "schools of choice" approach to educational improvement in Detroit (Michigan) are described, and the results of a recent public opinion survey are reported. The main argument of proponents of school choice is that it will improve the quality of public education. Opponents of choice do…

Teachers, administrators, volunteers, and students involved in Adult Basic Education/English-as-a-Second-Language (ABE/ESL) programs in Washington were interviewed regarding their perceptions of assessment and their assessment needs. The primary objective of the study was to gather information that could be used in developing an assessment model…

The Career Exploration in Computers Project assisted 146 young people between 18 and 21 who were employed during the summer in the Head Start program. The project introduced and reinforced the concept of career choice and broadened the perspective of those in data processing career tracks. Four populations were served: adults preparing for the…

The Transfer Tracking System at Maryland's Frederick Community College (FCC) is designed to monitor the effectiveness of the college's transfer function by keeping track of student requests for transcripts to be sent to other institutions. Using this system, a study was undertaken at FCC to determine outcomes for the college's transfer function…

The purpose of this study was to assess the need for information about transfer students of both "sending" institutions (schools from which students transfer) and "receiving" institutions (schools to which students transfer) and to assess also the institutions' capacity for and willingness to enter into data-sharing activities.…

This study utilized the flow theory of intrinsic motivation to evaluate the subjective experience of 78 academically talented high school sophomores participating in an 8-day summer research apprenticeship program in materials and nuclear science. The program involved morning lectures on such topics as physics of electromagnetic radiation, energy…

This paper synthesizes current thinking, issues, and practices related to the use of paraprofessionals in the provision of early intervention and preschool services to children with disabilities, birth through 5 years of age, and their families. Information was gathered from 31 state and jurisdiction coordinators of preschool services under Part B…

This paper reports on a survey of day-care agencies to determine their need for library services. The survey was designed to determine: (1) which library services are being used by child care givers; (2) which services are not being used and may have the potential for promotion; (3) whether story time is provided regularly by care givers and what…

The Appalachian Regional Commission/International Business Machine Writing to Read (WTR) program was implemented over a 3-year period in 55 selected rural schools of Appalachia. WTR is a computer-based instructional system designed to develop the writing and reading skills of kindergarten and first-grade students in a lab setting. Project schools…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC), in Palatine, Illinois, to explore WRHC employees' knowledge, perceptions, and interests with regard to the campus's Resources for Women office. This office offers courses, workshops, and services in the areas of career development, writing and speaking, dealing with personal life…

In spring 1993, as part of the program review process at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) in Palatine, Illinois, surveys were sent to former students in the college's Secretarial Science programs who had attended WRHC during the previous five years. Surveys were sent to 102 executive secretaries (ES's), 57 legal secretaries (LS's), 200…

Research has demonstrated that parent involvement has many beneficial effects for students. This action research project designed and implemented a program to raise the academic achievement of second-grade students by increasing parent involvement. The students attended two second-grade classrooms in a west-central Illinois school. The problem of…

A study compared the attitudes of 91 regular teachers, 124 second year pre-service teachers, and 91 gifted program teachers from Finland and the United States toward gifted children and gifted programs. Results indicated significant differences between cultures and among teacher types. American teachers were more favorable toward special services…

Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) of 1994 provides funds for schools with large concentrations of children from low-income families. A fundamental requirement is that children served by Title I funds must be educated according to the same academic standards as all other students. This handbook focuses on methods for developing…

A survey was conducted to evaluate nationally the retention of undergraduates at institutions of higher education. In particular the survey sought to: determine the rates at which full-time students persisted in and completed higher education; identify factors that institutional representatives felt influence students to leave school; and describe…