In 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) to improve the school readiness of Washington State's children through three main strategies: (1) development of high-quality, community-wide early learning initiatives in two communities; (2) enhancement of statewide systems that support early…

The National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) published "A Nation at Risk", declaring the mediocrity of American educational performances. Twenty-five years later, our nation still remains at risk even though the federal government, through the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, has attempted to create a…

RIT Online Learning courses have an overall course completion rate of 94%. For lower-division courses the rate is 92%, undergraduate 93%, and graduate 96%. In this case study we will share additional measurements we have used to monitor student success and describe strategies we have used to promote online discussion as a key component of…

This paper focuses on an assessment of an online certification program in K-12 library media which has a near-perfect record of retaining students. Students and graduates of the program were asked to identify reasons for enrolling (and staying enrolled) in the program as well as functions that faculty performed well. These reasons were drawn upon…

Many developmental educators have been assigned increased responsibilities for campus-wide enrollment management activities. A new system is needed for educators to more accurately sort through the rapidly growing database of information related to student retention. This will enable the reader to more quickly identify promising practices for…

The Mentor Teacher Induction Project (MTIP) was designed to address the needs of beginning teachers during their "induction" into the teaching profession, and to increase the retention of new teachers in the profession. The central research question addressed by the project was: What will be the effect on beginning and student teachers…

A study was conducted at Butte College to determine the effectiveness of a developmental writing course (Eng 102) by examining comparative achievement and persistence in a subsequent freshman composition course (Eng 210) and comparative persistence and achievement in course work in general. Analyses of data on all 3,497 students who enrolled in…

This brief examines the underlying research-based rationale for the American Federation of Teachers' (AFT) policy on beginning teacher induction, noting that among the most often-cited reasons young teachers give for leaving teaching is lack of support, and considerable evidence shows that induction is an effective means of retaining them. Five…

As in other states, many North Carolina schools face the challenge of hiring and retaining high quality teachers. Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers in math, science and special education is particularly difficult, especially for the schools serving disproportionate shares of disadvantaged or low-performing students. In 2001, North…

This report examines the effectiveness of Troops to Teachers (TTT), which helped former military personnel become certified and employed teachers in school districts with low income populations experiencing teacher shortages. Information came from the TTT's database and from 1998 study, Profile of TTT, by the National Center for Education…

Students on varying degrees of academic probation were randomly assigned to one of three intervention strategies that incorporated controlled content but divergent levels of intrusiveness. The most intrusive intervention resulted in higher cumulative grade point averages and higher retention rates. Students with the highest risk of dismissal were…

A government study of the tuition-guarantee programs emerging in the 1980s, promising college tuition to high school students persisting to graduation, has found the programs to be effective in retaining students. The most successful programs use adult mentors and offer tutoring, beginning as early as fifth grade. (MSE)

Sees need for systematic approach that integrates efforts from both student and academic affairs to provide comprehensive educational experience for development of the whole student. Describes program that combines theory, resources, and interests of both academic and student affairs in strategies designed for academically at-risk first-year…

Describes the strategies and interventions of an Auburn University (Alabama) program designed to aid in retention of at-risk African-American male students and foster skills needed to enter college. Components include mentoring, workshops, and a summer sports program. (Author/MSE)

Current school reform efforts aim to increase the numbers of students who graduate from high school and go on to pursue postsecondary education or training. In this article, the authors look at seven types of career exploration programs to determine if this is an effective approach for accomplishing these goals.