Connecticut's Jobs First program was subjected to a rigorous, large-scale evaluation. During the evaluation, nearly 5,000 single-parent welfare applicants and recipients in 2 cities were randomly assigned to Jobs First or to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) group. Each group's progress was compared over a 4-year period. The…

This report provides Year 2 data comparing two types of school breakfast programs in Minnesota to schools that did not serve breakfast at all (No Breakfast schools): Fast Break to Learning, a universal free breakfast program (Fastbreak schools), and programs with a sliding fee scale (control schools). Data were collected from 30 Fastbreak, 195…

This report presents the findings of a study conducted by the Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP) on the second year of implementation of the Small Schools Initiative at the Manual High School Complex. The major goal of this research was to evaluate perceived progress and outcomes at all three high schools. The design and methodology…

Analyzing data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, this report examines how computer use produced generic benefits for all children and differential benefits for minority and poor children. Computer use at home was compared with computer use at school in relation to the academic performance of disadvantaged children and their peers. The…

In response to a request from the North Carolina Division of Social Services (DSS), Center for Child and Family Policy at The Terry Sanford Institute at Duke University evaluated the Multiple Response System reform for families reported for child maltreatment. The North Carolina State Legislature has mandated the evaluation of five key aspects of…

This study compares the retention rates between students at Tunxis Community-Technical Colleges who took the student development seminar and those who did not. Implemented in fall 1997, the seminar orients new students to the college experience, attempting to increase retention rates. In order to conduct the study, a review of the literature was…

A proposed strategy for the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) uses school-wide data to identify secondary schools where students' academic achievement has been improving at a relatively fast rate and those where it has not. Schools with the most involvement in vocational education can be selected from the two groups. These two…

Teacher training for Guyanese secondary science teachers in a school of education was compared with a distance-taught program by a variety of criteria: supervisor scoring using the Guyanese Ministry of Education's rating scale in classroom observation; self-ratings pupil ratings; and ratings by head teachers in schools having graduates of both…

Found that mildly learning disabled elementary school students obtained significantly higher reading achievement in a self-contained special learning disabilities classroom than did students in a regular classroom with outside support from a learning specialist and students in a learning center setting. (FL)

Empirical data show that there are more negative consequences for youth offenders committed to institutional rather than community-based programs. However, public policy, governed by political factors rather than knowledge of the relative effectiveness of alternative programs, favors punishment and retribution over rehabilitation goals.…

A cost containment program initiated in 1975 on the medical teaching service of Charlotte Memorial Hospital, a University of North Carolina affiliated hospital, has led to a significant improvement in hospital house staff utilization of facilities and procedures. In the outpatient setting an actual reduction in patient-encounter cost was realized…

A study compared student use of and satisfaction with the central advising office and departmental advising in a college of engineering by surveying 57 central office walk-in advisees and, by mail, 103 other advisees. No significant differences were found in advisor availability and concern, but more students used departmental faculty advisors.…

The University of New Mexico established an innovative learner-centered, problem-based, community-oriented medical education program that runs parallel to the traditional program. The programs both fostered acceptance of the experiment and permitted comparison of results. The innovation resulted in higher achievement and reinforced interest in…

Identifies characteristics of secondary schools that promote academic outcomes among a broad social and racial distribution of students. Compares Catholic and public schools by examining organizational differences between the two sectors. Statistically models the relationship between those features and the social distribution of academic…

A study investigated factors that facilitate innovation in intensive English programs at 43 universities, based on administrators' perceptions. Results indicate program aspects felt to influence innovation, successfully implemented innovations, and perceived qualities of innovative policies and practices. A complex set of variables emerged. (MSE)