Background: This is the fourth formal report describing the efficacy of the full-day, every day kindergarten program in the St. James School Division which was initiated in one school located in an economically-disadvantaged neighborhood in the 1997-1998 school year. The success of this undertaking led to the extension of the program in 1998-1999,…

This report presents findings stemming from the first-year evaluation of the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) program, one of several statewide performance incentive programs in Texas. In June 2006, Governor Perry and the 79th Texas Legislature created the Governor's Educator Excellence Award Program, one component of which is the TEEG…

Narrowing the Gap (NtG) is a two-year development and research programme, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Local Government Association (LGA), working in partnership with other agencies, including local authorities. It seeks to make a significant difference, on a national scale, to the performance of…

To evaluate the adequacy and efficiency of preschool education, the RAND Corporation has undertaken the California Preschool Study to improve understanding of achievement gaps in the early elementary grades, the adequacy of preschool education currently given, and what efficiencies or additional resources might be brought to bear in early care and…

This paper reports the development and implementation of a multi-year program targeting a cohort of at-risk pre-freshmen. The program, called BOSS Camp (Business Opportunities for Success School), was designed to motivate, acculturate and encourage economically disadvantaged pre-freshman to attend college and become business majors. The process of…

The Randomized Control Trials (RCT) design and its quasi-experimental kissing cousin, the Comparison Group Trials (CGT), are golden to some and not even silver to others. At the center of the affection, at the vortex of the discomfort, are beliefs about what it takes to establish causality. These designs are considered primarily when the purpose…

This report provides reliable evidence that mentoring programs can positively affect young people. The evidence is derived from research conducted at local affiliates of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America (BB/BSA), the oldest, best-known, and arguably most sophisticated of the country's mentoring programs. Public/Private Ventures, Inc. conducted…

Research on the results of welfare-to-work programs is both encouraging and sobering. On the one hand, it provides evidence that states can effectively implement various work-oriented programs to encourage large percentages of the welfare caseload to prepare for and enter the labor market. These programs range from rather low-intensity programs…

This paper addresses educational reform as it affects dropouts, minorities, diverse cultures, training programs, and community-based education. Effective dropout-prevention models are presented that address the needs of at-risk populations. The author states that much dropout prevention and reclamation takes place off of school district campuses…

Outcomes of 1990-91 Arizona At-Risk Pilot Project for grades K-3 and 7-12 are described in this third in a series of annual evaluation reports. The evaluation focuses on effective strategies in the context of the total school environment, examining both implementation processes and outcomes. Following an introduction, chapter 2 describes the…

This report records the testimony presented by Clarence C. Crawford, Associate Director, Education and Employment Issues, Human Resources, of the General Accounting Office, on the effectiveness of Title IIA of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) in meeting the employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged adults and youth. His…

Four promising programs for raising student achievement are described. All four attempt schoolwide improvement and primarily affect curriculum and pedagogy. Each program has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they all show evidence of: (1) high standards; (2) effectiveness; (3) replicability; and (4) support structures. Success for All, an…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed the labor market links and vocational training performance of the Job Corps, which is an employment and training program aimed at providing severely disadvantaged youth with a comprehensive array of services in residential settings. Data were collected from the following: interviews with Job Corps…

A review was conducted of two issues related to the participation rate requirements of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) component of the Family Support Act of 1988: (1) the extent to which states have served those most at risk of long-term welfare dependency--the least job-ready--relative to other Aid for Families with Dependent…

The theoretical constructs underlying legislative approaches to at-risk student statutes are examined in this paper, with attention given to the ways in which educational institutions make certain factors significant to student success. Legislative approaches closely follow the epidemiology model, which attempts to identify, predict, and immunize…