The Increased Flexibility Programme for 14 to 16 year olds (IFP) was introduced in 2002. The aim of the programme was to "create enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities for 14 to 16 year olds of all abilities who can benefit most", including supporting provision of the GCSEs in vocational subjects. The first cohort of…

The National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP) is a collaboration of two projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct research and development on accessible reading assessments for students with disabilities that affect reading. The goal of these projects is to produce research findings and assessment techniques that…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an intervention program to reduce disruptive behavior interfering with students' academic growth. The targeted population consisted of students in four primary classrooms in a large urban center in central Illinois. The problem of disruptive behavior was documented by means of a behavior…

Project SOAR (Student Opportunity for Academic Renewal) provides academic and personal mentoring and family support services to at-risk middle and high school students in six schools of the Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District. In 1996-97, 95 participants were served by the program and 95 mentors participated. This resulted in a win-win…

Battelle Memorial Institute conducted outcome, net impact, and cost-benefit evaluations of six workforce training programs in Washington State for occupations that do not require a bachelor's degree: postsecondary workforce training at community and technical colleges; adult basic skills education at community and technical colleges; Job Training…

This study analyzes the gaps between supply and demand for workforce training in Washington State and recommends strategies for reducing the gaps. Using data from state and national surveys, supply and demand is analyzed in three categories: youth, adults, and adults with barriers to employment, from the perspectives of both employers and…

Active between 1993 and 1996, the Promoting Academic Student Success (PASS) Program was aimed at reducing the high percentage of failure experienced by academic probation students at Corning Community College (New York). These students typically came from non supportive environments, possessed academic deficiencies, and suffered from feelings of…

An evaluation was conducted of the Hawaii Food Stamp Employment and Training/Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Program Conformance Demonstration, known as PRIDE (Positive Response in Developing Employment). The impact analysis examined client participation patterns, services, and employment outcomes. A pre-post/demonstration-comparison site…

Texas is developing a return-on-investment (ROI) measure to assess the cost-effectiveness of work force programs. Emphasis is on issues related to conducting cross-program ROI analysis at the level of the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) in career or one-stop centers. To make the most appropriate and effective use of ROI, the following…

As year 4 of a 7-year initiative to implement the School-to-Work (STW) Opportunities Act begins, 37 states have received implementation grants and 105 direct federally-funded and over 900 state-funded local partnerships exist. In 1997, technical assistance is available to any of the remaining 13 states ready for full-scale implementation. Notable…

For program year 1996-97, 222,639 North Carolina (NC) 9th-12th graders were enrolled in Workforce Development Education (WDE). Twenty-five curriculum products were developed, 34 course blueprints were revised to reflect business/industry practices and state/national standards, and about 3,600 business/industry personnel participated in WDE…

This packet contains five issues of "GED Profiles" that examine various aspects of the characteristics and motivation of adults who take the General Educational Development (GED) tests and the effects of completion. These topics are explored: "GED Candidates in the Workforce: Employed and Employable" (Janet Baldwin, Henry…

Papers on foreign language education include: "The Message Is the Medium: Using Video Materials To Facilitate Foreign Language Performance" (Thomas J. Garza), which explores the use of this medium to enhance commonly-used non-communicative or text-bound teaching materials; "Product and Process Aspects of NES/EFL Students' Persuasive…

In the second half of a two-part study conducted by the Illinois Community College System, a fall 1990 cohort of first-time freshmen was examined for 6 years to determine the effectiveness of remedial/developmental instruction. Student characteristics of age, ethnicity, and gender for the entire cohort were compared with the cohort group of…

Community colleges are becoming key partners in developing and improving present and future work forces. The number of business-community college partnerships is growing. Most community colleges are developing very results-oriented programs and partnerships that provide local businesses with workers trained in the skills that those businesses need…