In 2010, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission changed its allotment of funding to an outcomes-based system (Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2012, p.1). This meant that universities and colleges received money based on factors including associate degrees, certifications, and job placement rather than on enrollment, as institutions of…

In 2010, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission changed its allotment of funding to an outcomes-based system (Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2012, p.1). This meant that universities and colleges received money based on factors including associate degrees, certifications, and job placement rather than on enrollment, as institutions of…

This report provides information on the retention, graduation, and transfer rates of first-time, full-time students entering Maryland community colleges between 2000 and 2010. The report examines retention and graduation data for students within two, three, and four years after matriculation into a community college. The Appendix contains tables…

Community colleges are uniquely charged with providing postsecondary educational opportunities to students who are generally the least prepared to receive them (Rosenbaum, 2007). To increase access and success, community colleges offer a variety of pre-college level courses often paired with academic and student services. The courses and services…

Many students who are "eligible" for college are not "ready" for college. Readiness is much more complex and multidimensional than eligibility. Most high schools are organized to make students eligible for college admission, not make them ready to succeed in entry-level college courses. Over the past 15 years, the author has conducted research on…

The current educational reform agenda requires that stakeholders in the school community help all students graduate. The U.S. Department of Education's "A Blueprint for Reform: Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act" sends all stakeholders a clear message to take action that results in every student completing high school…

Following Messick's definition of validity as a multi-faceted construct that includes contextual, substantive, structural, generalizable, external, and consequential dimensions, this study examined an established directed self-placement (DSP) system that had been functioning for ten years at a large university. The goal was to determine the extent…

Westmoreland County Community College focused on enhancing success for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students testing into two or more developmental courses. The project progressed from a planning objective, to a program on a sliding-scale budget, to becoming sustainable in five years. Results include improved retention and enhanced data…

For many English language learners, the endgame isn't passing state exams--it's attending and graduating from college. Yet schools often focus on a lower target: proficiency. To support the transition of English language learners to postsecondary success, schools should create formal transition plans, provide differentiated guidance, focus on…

Contrary to expectation, an academic leftist advocates for students in the military, having observed these students' consistently excellent performance over 12 years of teaching philosophy and humanities. This excellence is attributed to the development of character and the acquisition of virtue, offering lessons for teachers and students alike.…

First-generation college students (FGS) often straddle different cultures between school and home. Because of this cultural disparity, FGS frequently encounter barriers to academic success and require additional support resources on campus. Simply offering more financial aid does not address the cultural and emotional challenges that these…

This work aims to analyse the specific contribution of social abilities (here considered as the capacity for attributing knowledge to others) in a particular communicative context. 74 normally developing children (aged 3;4 to 5;9, M=4.6) were given two Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks, which are considered to assess increasing complexity levels of…

Developmental composition courses serve a sizable and growing number of Generation 1.5 students, or long-term U.S. resident language learners, and it is believed that language challenges may be part of Generation 1.5 writers' difficulty in controlling the academic register. The current study investigates possible similarities and differences…

Early college schools are succeeding at our nation's most daunting educational challenge--propelling students from underserved backgrounds to graduate high school and earn postsecondary degrees. These schools combine high school and college in rigorous, yet supportive environments that embrace acceleration over remediation. Their "college for…

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) contains several important provisions that make postsecondary education more accessible and affordable for young adults with disabilities. This is particularly true for students with intellectual disabilities, as the law created new comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs and provided…