"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Education Budget Receives Chilly Reception in Senate Hearing: Education Secretary Defends Spending Cuts as Necessary; (2) "The…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) See You Next Year: Congress Wraps Up for 2006, Delays Education Funding Decisions to 2007; (2) "Healthier and Wealthier":…

The National Forum on Education Statistics (Forum) is a cooperative of state, local, and federal education agencies. The goal of Forum activities is to improve the quality of education data gathered for use by policymakers and programmatic decision-makers. One approach to furthering this goal has been to pool the collective experiences of Forum…

Through the Underrepresented Groups Report, community colleges have an opportunity to report on initiatives and strategies aimed at increasing participation and achievement among individuals with Disabilities, Women, and Minorities. Underrepresented Groups Report production is an important annual statutory responsibility (Public Act 85-283) for…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of three factors: (1) a reduced student teacher ratio (class size education); (2) a mentorship program and (3) a varied curriculum, via use of the multiple intelligences would successfully improve secondary at risk youths' high school graduation rates. The graduation rate and GED…

This study addresses Waukesha County Technical College's (WCTC) 5-year retention and graduate rates. Some of the key findings of the report are as follow: (1) overall, 35.4% of cohort students graduated; (2) a 4-year combined graduation rate for ethnic minorities was 26%, well below the overall average; (3) the percent of cohort that graduated…

This study examines graduation rates at public two-year, public four-year and private four-year colleges in the United States. Its major purpose is to account for the variance in graduation rates taking into account several institutional and institutionally-related student financial aid predictor variables. United States colleges and universities…

The most accurate method for tracking high school graduation rates is to provide each student with a single lifetime school identification number that would follow him or her throughout his or her entire school career. Texas has this system in place, but this report demonstrates that the official rates Texas has historically reported dramatically…

This report examines the feasibility of implementing a student unit record system to replace the student-related components that currently are based on aggregate institution-level data collected as part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The feasibility study was initiated by the National Center for Education Statistics…

This KIDS COUNT report examines trends in the well-being of Vermont's youth. The report balances at-risk youth data with survey results related to "positive youth development," an approach that promotes beneficial attributes of youth and their communities. Following an introduction and discussion of positive youth development and youth…

Over the past 20 years, major transformations have occurred in educational, social, political, and economic areas that continue to have an impact on the education and development of youth with disabilities and the institutions that support them. Approximately half of all students with disabilities in 2003-04 spent 80% or more of their day in a…

Using national data from various sources, this study investigates the influence of financial aspects of state higher education policy on college completion. It found that college completion is positively associated with total state grants as a percentage of appropriations of state tax funds for operating expenses of higher education and state…

The intersection of athletics and academics is legitimized through eligibility rules, which provide standards that bind commercial athletics to the educational purposes of higher education. To compete in intercollegiate athletics, freshman student athletes must meet the initial academic eligibility criteria set by the National Collegiate Athletic…

Two groups of students enrolled in Georgia technical college diploma programs were studied: one group matriculated in fall 1992 (n=9,463) and a second group matriculated in fall 1997 (n=12,467). Z?scores and logistic regression were used to determine differences and relationships in attrition, completion, and graduation rates before and after the…

A rigorous placement exam introduced into a university Developmental Mathematics program increased course success rates, retention, and enrollment rates in math courses, but reduced completion rates in Developmental Math and standard math courses required for a degree. Results suggest an inverse relationship between course success rates and total…