During the transition period from secondary school to university many students experience stress associated with academic concerns and encounter difficulties adjusting to an environment that presents new academic and social demands. First year university students (N=170) attending an Australian university participated in the study. Students' level…

Dropout, migrant, ethnic minority youth attended General Educational Development (GED) programs and/or one of four sociocultural transition programs: Foxfire, computer practicum, employment competency, or peer mentoring. Compared to controls or GED-only groups, transition participants showed significantly higher achievement, especially students…

Reports a study of a retention procedure in Texas in which children are placed in prefirst grade classrooms rather than promoted to regular first grade after kindergarten. Discusses the procedure's effectiveness and appropriateness, reasons for children's placement, children's behavioral problems, parental motivation and approval, and student…

This study examined the before-and-after effects of transitional summer programs at the University of Maryland?Eastern Shore, on pre-college students? perceptions, expectations, emotions, and knowledge about college. The study focused on academic, personal and social experiences, and how these changed throughout the course of the summer program.…

The Diploma of Foundation Studies (DoFS) is an established regional equity and access program with a four- year record of enabling students with a low Equivalent National Entry Rank (ENTER) to undertake full-time tertiary study in a range of disciplinary areas. Preliminary analysis indicates this program has been successful, with three-quarters of…

The transition to kindergarten is a significant event for young children and their families. The methods teacher use to orient children and families to formal schooling can have a long term effect on academic achievement. This study examined the transition activities of over 3000 kindergarten teachers that participated in the Early Childhood…

On August 30, 2006, Montana state educational and policy leaders participated in the Montana Education Forum to discuss ways to improve student transition from high school to postsecondary education and careers. The forum was sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and…

The difficult transitions of adolescence combined with the challenges of learning a new language and culture can be overwhelming for immigrant secondary school students. This Digest highlights three ways educators can help students through these critical transitions and provides brief descriptions of three programs that are working to facilitate…

In 1984, 94 college freshmen attended the SEEK Prefreshman Summer Program at Baruch College in the city of New York. This program, held for six weeks during the summer prior to college, provided skills remediation, counseling, and financial aid to freshmen from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Its goal was to improve…

This booklet contains questions that are intended to serve as a starting point for asking meaningful questions about the quality of the first year of college so that a two-year college campus can enhance the learning, satisfaction, and retention of new college students. The previous edition considered the first-year experience for both two-year…

Investigates the academic effectiveness of a prekindergarten program in a suburban, predominantly Caucasian upper middle class school system. Matched children who spent an extra year in prekindergarten with youngsters who proceeded directly to regular kindergarten. Using achievement test scores and other measures, found no significant differences…

Examined relationship of first-year intervention to institutional integration, academic success, and persistence of resident and commuter first-year students (n=629) at predominantly nonresidential university. Found group differences on social integration and gender differences on academic success. Higher percentage of intervention participants…

Reports on the development and evaluation of a transitional bilingual program for grades 2 through 5. Evaluation results based on achievement of 42 students and 42 comparisons show that the program is more effective than the transition program students typically receive. Discusses implications for education of English learners. (SLD)

Early College High Schools (ECHS) are defined as "small schools where students can earn both a high school diploma and two years of college credit toward a bachelor's degree" (Early Colleges, 2005). ECHSs are designed as places of learning to help young people progress toward the education and experience they need to succeed in life and…

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is examining the characteristics of children receiving preschool special education, the services they receive, their transitions across educational levels, and their performance over time on assessments of academic and adaptive skills. PEELS…