To learn what happens to children and families who come into contact with the child welfare system, the Children's Bureau of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families has undertaken the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). As part of this longitudinal study of the characteristics, needs, experiences, and outcomes…

The Excellence in Cities (EiC) policy was launched in 1999 with the aim of improving the attainment of all pupils in disadvantaged urban areas. Further Phases were launched in 2000 and 2001, by when EiC covered about a third of the secondary schools in England and over 60 per cent of the minority ethnic pupils in England attended schools in EiC…

The role that independent colleges and universities play in meeting the national interest of providing educational opportunity is not always recognized. The information in this report demonstrates how independent colleges and universities provide affordable access to students from a diverse array of backgrounds. Students who attend these…

A study used a unique data set to evaluate the effect of Targeted Jobs Tax Credit (TJTC) on the labor market outcomes of program participants--more than 29,000 individuals for whom Pennsylvania businesses sought tax credits during 1988-94 (final sample was 17,388). Firm-level data were combined with wage data obtained from administrative quarterly…

This paper explores the effectiveness and efficiency of multimedia-computer-based text accompanied by illustrations, graphs, simulations, and animation in teaching chemistry. The paper cautions that although multimedia may be a means to more effective teaching, there is no assurance that it increases student learning. Studies suggest that…

This document contains three papers on organizational values. "Understanding the Work Beliefs of Nonprofit Executives through Organizational Stories" (Ava S. Wilensky, Carol D. Hansen) reports on a study during which qualitative interviews featuring a story component established that nonprofit executives constitute a diffuse managerial…

This book discusses the causes and impact of global skill shortages, focusing on data from skill shortages measured in the period 1995-1998 in 19 developed and emerging economies. Chapter one contains a brief introduction. Chapter two is a review of theoretical literature on skill shortages, including static and dynamic shortages, efficiency wage…

Many volunteer literacy tutors in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, have not completed their 1-year tutoring commitment. Consequently, an action research project was undertaken to determine the causes of the high tutor turnover and to identify ways of improving the tutor retention rate. All tutors involved in the program from 1998 onward were asked…

This publication contains the three numeracy units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in farm management and leadership: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner improve his or her numeracy skills needed to deal with farm management. SMAT materials can…

This paper reports on part of a qualitative study that enlisted a small number of students in fifth and eighth grades (n=19), all with a background of domestic computer ownership and use, for intensive work with texts in different media (i.e., books, videos, and CD-ROMs). The following questions were examined: (1) What are the consequences of…

The U.S. Census Bureau's Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program produces poverty and income estimates for states, counties, and school districts on an annual basis. These estimates provide updated income and poverty statistics, which are used for the administration of federal programs and the allocation of federal funds to local…

In popular culture, the age of 40 is sometimes considered "over the hill." This is decidedly not the case for the Perry Preschoolers--a cohort of low-income, predominantly African American children who 37 years ago were randomly assigned to attend a high-quality preschool program. The latest findings from the well-known longitudinal study of this…

A trend toward the use of groups can be seen both at the workplace and in education. The growing presence of groups at work provides one motivation for groups in educational context, especially ESP, because students now need to acquire a higher form of literacy to participate in groups at work. Involved in this broader literacy are such skills as…

The utility of the biomedical model of adjusted statistics is demonstrated. The model is recommended for use by educational researchers to randomize subjects for a more accurate estimate of school programs' success or failure when compared across classrooms or other units. (Author/MH)

In its use of complex, real-world problems to introduce concepts and motivate learning in an active and cooperative learning environment, problem-based learning is a powerful alternative to the passive lecture in introductory college science. Use of technology and multimedia instruction, focus on large classes, and use of interdisciplinary…