This comprehensive review of the international research literature looks at the research evidence on the effective teaching of literacy, numeracy and second language skills to adults. It contains an extensive discussion of the literature and full references. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a critical evaluation of the available…

This report examines best practices in the delivery of Student Support Services (SSS), one of the three Special Programs for Disadvantaged Students known as the TRIO programs. Data have shown that participation in student support services has a positive effect on student outcomes, but many participants do not receive enough services to receive…

This document describes the mentoring relationship from the perspectives of several virtual schools that have built mentoring programs to assist their new teachers. Each school's mentoring program is unique and has been designed specifically for the school's staff, size, and instructional approach. These schools have learned that a successful…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) The new global labor market (Richard B. Freeman);…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program for increasing student engagement and retention through the use of authentic assessment and cooperative groups. The targeted population consisted of one sixth grade class in an elementary school and two ninth grade classes in a high school located in different communities in the far…

This report describes a project originally intended to identify demographic patterns among adults with low literacy skills in each Canadian province. The project was carried out between March 2000 and June 2001 under the auspices of Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL). The project was based on the assumption that demographic information about…

Various options for supporting the costs of learning by youths between the ages of 16 and 19 years in the United Kingdom were assessed. Currently available student support services were reviewed, and evidence documenting the link between supports and student success was presented. Data were collected from the following sources: current research on…

The adult general education programs administered by the Division of Workforce Development in Florida's Department of Education were subjected to a justification review. To assess the programs' performance, the number of literacy completion points (LCPs) earned by each program and system and the number of LCPs earned per enrollee were analyzed.…

The Office of Student Support Services (SSS) at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) is an academic support program for at-risk students. Created for low-income and first-generation students and those with physical and learning disabilities, the program provides specialized study tools, tutorial assistance, and social and emotional support.…

A project used a mixed quantitative-qualitative approach, drawing from the Job Corps database and site visits at five sites, to generate knowledge that can guide policymakers and program planners as they act to increase retention in the Job Corps or similar programs. Quantitative data on 343,097 students who enrolled in Job Corps between July 1993…

In this paper we examine the research literature on teacher performance pay. Evidence clearly suggests an upsurge of interest in many states and school districts; however, expanded use of performance pay has been controversial. We briefly review the history of teacher pay policy in the U.S. and earlier cycles of interest in merit or…

The collection of articles addresses current issues in adult and adult basic education in Virginia communities. Titles include: "Goal-Setting in the New River Valley: Teachers' Perceptions and Strategies" (Sue Barton); "What Happens When ESL Students Experience Authentic Work Situations?" (Pat Bowyer); "Orientation to…

Each year, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement ("CCSSE") presents the results of its annual survey. These results give community colleges objective and relevant data about students' experiences at their colleges so they can better understand how effectively they are engaging their students and identify areas for…

Each year, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement ("CCSSE") presents the results of its annual survey. These results give community colleges objective and relevant data about students' experiences at their colleges so they can better understand how effectively they are engaging their students and identify areas for improvement. This…