We present a method to compare different qualifications for entry to higher education by studying students' subsequent performance. Using this method for students holding either the International Baccalaureate (IB) or A-levels gaining their degrees in 2010, we estimate an "empirical" equivalence scale between IB grade points and UCAS…

The author reports on the academic job market that is showing signs of turning around after a multiyear slump. Job-outlook data released by professional associations in recent months show an uptick in the number of jobs available in several fields, including history, the humanities and foreign languages, sociology, geography, and political…

For students, the financial ramifications of not graduating are eye-opening: Over the course of their lifetimes, students without a degree will earn an average of $800,000 less than their cap-and-gown brethren, according to the nonprofit College Board. The number is even more depressing in light of another statistic: In 2009, only 55 percent of…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report a study of the strategies members of principal selection panels use to select the best candidate for a principal position. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative analysis drawn on data collected from school supervisors and school…

Engaged scholarship promotes contribution to the academic body of knowledge through equal partnership between academic scholars and community representatives in education, research, and public service or intervention. Such partnerships can expand our notions of service learning and applied research. In this article, the authors discuss the…

This article explores the theoretical implications around positioning the Black male teacher as the central agent of social change for Black male students. In addressing such concerns, my intention is not to discourage efforts to recruit and retain more African American men as teachers, but to trouble the commonsense assumptions embedded in such…

The Computer Science department at SHSU is currently employing student mentors to assist with recruitment and retention. The primary purpose of these students is to help frustrated new majors in the beginning programming course realize that they are not alone in their struggles and to assist the students over hurdles in their learning and skill…

Alternative certification of teachers recognizes pedagogical experience beyond traditional classroom coursework as a route to teacher certification. This study examines the process and outcomes of the Transition to Teaching alternative certification program. Comparisons of instructional quality along several dimensions show that the Transition to…

Potential first-generation students make up a large segment of Wisconsin's teenage population. To increase the pool of educated workers in Wisconsin, policymakers must work to recruit, retain, and graduate these students. Estimates of the size of the first-generation student population in the state are crucial for these efforts. This brief…

The selection of a superintendent is among the most significant decisions any school district board of directors will make. The superintendent should be the person and office through which the direction set by the board is carried out. The working relationship that develops between the board and superintendent is thus absolutely critical and the…

The campus tour is one of the most effective recruitment tools for higher education institutions, impacting prospective students' perceptions of college choice decision criteria, including academic quality. This study examined the impact of sharing academic success stories during the tour on prospective students' perceptions of academic quality,…

Leading intellectual figures in the school reform movement, all of them favoring approaches centered around the value of competition and choice, outline different visions for the goal of choice-oriented educational reform and the best means for achieving it. This volume takes the reader inside the movement to empower parents with choice, airing…

This paper presents the highlights of the Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment Study (SEFNA). Actions taken after the release of The 2001 Faculty Shortage Study demonstrate that supply-and-demand imbalances can be improved. The projected shortage of special education faculty will directly and negatively affect students with disabilities and…

The continuing shortfall in recruitment to Psychiatry is examined with suggestions for affirmative action. Recruitment may improve in the near future because of the high demand for psychiatrists, the incentives offered, greater competition for other specialties and a pool of international graduates willing to work in Psychiatry. There remains the…

There is no greater economic indicator than enrollment numbers in early care and education centers. Accordingly, as FTEs (full-time equivalents) move up or down, the need for staff fluctuates as well. What does not change, however, is the absolute need for quality staff, regardless of economic conditions. The greatest challenge in early care and…