This report presents preliminary recommendations for indicators and predictors of dependence on income from means-tested assistance programs, such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Food Stamps, and Supplemental Security Income. It includes an assessment of the ability of existing data collection efforts to provide the data needed to…

This paper constructs a framework for understanding research partnerships with youth and uses this framework to examine a project in which university researchers collaborated with youth to examine their educational institutions and the contexts of their learning. Adult researchers trained and supervised 21 "youth ethnographers" to carry out…

This report details the findings of a national follow-up survey that investigated day and employment services provided by the mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) state agencies for FY 1990 and makes comparisons with services provided during FY 1988. Key findings from the survey include: (1) a substantial increase in the…

This report describes the methods and procedures used for the 1996 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:96). NPSAS:96, which surveyed over 830 postsecondary education institutions and over 34,000 students and parents, included important changes from previous NPSAS studies conducted in 1987, 1990, and 1993 in its sample design and data…

The National Postsecondary Education Cooperative has sponsored two working groups on student outcomes, one exploring the issue from a policy perspective and the other, from a data perspective. This report presents the results of the data perspective case studies, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the "state of the art" in student…

This report presents data on the degrees conferred by the nation's accredited institutions of higher education. The report is based on the 1994-95 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System's "Completion" survey of approximately 3,500 institutions within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Highlights of the report include:…

The four papers in this volume are four parts of a series on the status of recent work on measuring instruction, curriculum content, and instructional resources. These papers are intended to identify aspects of instruction, to analyze the approaches used in several leading studies, and to describe the implications of recent work for National…

The purpose of this study was to provide an analysis and evaluation of composite variables in the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) and School and Staffing Survey (SASS) in a way that provides guidance to the staff of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the more effective use of survey resources. The study…

This final report describes findings of a 3-year study on the effects of an Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum (ITLC) on emergent literacy knowledge and abilities of children (ages 3 to 5) with mild to moderate disabilities. Using a case study approach, 16 preschool classes in four types of classrooms in West Central Illinois communities…

This report presents an investigation by the American College Testing Program (ACT) of an alternative design for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The proposed design greatly simplifies the data collection and analysis procedures needed to produce assessment results and has the potential to produce results that are more…

This policy research brief summarizes changes in out-of-home placements of children and youth with mental retardation since the implementation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitlements. Statistics are reported for 1977, 1987, and 1997 to show trends. Statistics were obtained from…

This report to the President and Congress addresses issues affecting people with disabilities from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, based on a series of meetings which identified remaining barriers to full participation and developed recommendations for improving federal policies and programs. The main barriers which emerged were: (1)…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that explored states' use of extended school year (ESY) programs for students with disabilities during the summer or other periods when school is not in session. Six states were contacted to determine whether any changes had been made to their ESY programs since the inclusion of new regulations on ESY…

This document consists of eight double-sided briefs addressing aspects of the field of early childhood education. Titles of the briefs are as follows: (1) "Early Childhood Care? Development? Education?," outlining the distinctions between these terms; (2) "Planning for Access: Develop a Data System First," highlighting Brazil's…

The purpose of this study was to test a methodology that will help Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), California, to validate the course prerequisites that fall under the category of highest level of scrutiny--data collection and analysis--as defined by the Chancellor's Office. This study gathered data for the validation of prerequisites for three…