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…

In 2004, the Lumina Foundation for Education approved a generous grant to support validation research to explore and document the validity of the Community College Student Report (CCSR), add to the higher education field's understanding of student engagement, and help to identify research or institutional practices that require further attention.…

With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the authors' goal was to produce an analysis that would allow educators and policy makers to set priorities "across" categories of support (e.g., the relative importance of expectations as compared to information and awareness) and "within" categories (e.g., whether…

Abundant research chronicles the backgrounds and characteristics of community college students assigned to developmental reading. Many are members of underrepresented groups and first in their families to attend college. English may not be their primary language. Developmental students often struggle with learning disabilities. Nontraditional…

The UK-I-Can Program is an adaptation of the Amer-I-Can Program, introduced in 1988 to help individuals meet their full potential and improve the quality of their lives. The focus of the program is equipping young people with life management skills necessary to lead fulfilling and productive lives, based on the belief that individuals' self-esteem…

An initiative to promote excellence in South Carolina's higher education system is presented by the State Commission on Higher Education in two documents. The first is a descriptive summary of rationales and recommendations in six areas. The second document is a report which includes and expands the material of the first document. Twenty-five…

Results of an evaluation of the Individualized Study Program (ISP), a 2-year pilot program at the Learning Skills Center (LSC) of the University of California, Davis, are presented. The program target group were disadvantaged students who had not met the university's entrance requirements. The ISP, which is designed to improve retention of…

Based on searches by the National Commission on Excellence in Education for notable programs, practices, and goals in American postsecondary education, efforts at 120 postsecondary institutions are described. The descriptions are grouped, with each group preceded by a short introductory essay. The following topics are covered by the essays: the…

Two exemplary projects developed to maximize student options through the sharing of facilities, programs, and options were evaluated. The Remedial-Developmental Program developed a communications network between McKinley and Roosevelt High Schools and Kapiolani Community College to share student information and use it for individual student…

The TRIO/Special Services program at the University of Minnesota's General College (GC) is described, and 1981-1982 program evaluation results are examined. Federally-supported TRIO programs (also including Education Opportunity Centers, Talent Search, and Upward Bound programs) provide support services for disadvantaged college students. The GC's…

Information is presented to demonstrate that Bowie State College could benefit from support to the Special Services for Disadvantaged Students Project (Special Services). In spring 1983, 73.7 percent of the 1,619 undergraduates were black. The mean Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) verbal score for 1982 incoming female freshmen was 287, compared to…

Three programs in the General College of the University of Minnesota that provide direct social services as well as education to special populations are described: The INSIGHT Program available at Stillwater State Prison; and the Upward Bound and University Day Community programs both offered on the Minneapolis campus. According to Daniel F.…

As part of a research project undertaken to strengthen vocational and academic counseling for high risk students in Oregon's community colleges, this report provides four essays which review the literature and state of the art of assessment, developmental education, career development, and faculty advising at the community college level. First,…

The Transitional Curriculum Program at Virginia State University, which is designed to develop underprepared, dependent learners into independent university students, is described. After distinguishing several types of underprepared learners, the following variables are considered: learner success, role of the instructor, and instructor…

The purpose of the National Center's studies and reports, including "Measuring Up, 2006," is to stimulate public policies that will improve the effectiveness and accessibility of higher education. This document is the fourth national report card on higher education in the United States. As in earlier editions, the 2006 report card…