Describes a survey on student motivation and presents developmental education students' responses describing their strategies for academic success. Addresses the importance of combining effort with effective study strategies, planning, finding a quiet space, being persistent, and preparing for class. (NB)

The Universal High School Program (UHS) is a pilot secondary program in the St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont, Colorado. It is designed to address the needs of a small niche educational group: highly able students who do not fit well into the mainstream of the educational system. These students are at risk educationally, but not for the…

This chapter identifies current organizational and instructional approaches to developmental education in community colleges and recommends a process by which colleges can make institutionally appropriate decisions to improve developmental education outcomes.

A qualitative case study in 15 community colleges across the country found that learning assistance centers and specialized skills labs are an important means of increasing students' academic preparedness for postsecondary study. Since these facilities provide instruction or support in reading, writing, and math skills, it appears that they play a…

This article explores the experiences of widening access students at two prestigious universities in Scotland. It is based on interview data collected from a small sample of young and mature students who had all attended a widening access course prior to coming to university. The analysis centres on the students' construction of themselves as…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) The new global labor market (Richard B. Freeman);…

Evidence suggests that students throughout the nation are not being adequately prepared for post-secondary life and that students with disabilities face even greater post-school challenges (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, Garza, & Levine, 2005). In response to such evidence, many states and localities are initiating high school reform activities and,…

This article reports research involving collaboration between a developmental studies department and a mathematics department in an effort to increase the academic success of developmental students who transition into college-level math. Three separate projects were conducted with former developmental math students currently enrolled in an…

Brief descriptions of 92 Indian education projects in British Columbia K-12 schools (provincial, federal, private, and parochial) are based on survey responses. The preschool, elementary, secondary, adult basic education, and home coordinating programs for Indian students concentrate on such special areas as language and/or academic skills…

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) represents the only chance for many Baltimore City residents to obtain a post-secondary education, find a job with a career path, and earn a sufficient income to support a family. BCCC is also a critical linchpin in Baltimore's ability to build a competitive workforce. Yet the college, with 7,300 credit…

This conference proceedings and executive report includes summaries of two invited meetings and a report on a regional conference, including sample session summaries. Two statewide university systems collaborated around issues of K-16 outreach, research, and best practices for supporting underprepared students across the state of Minnesota. This…

Community college advising and counseling practitioners provide a productive setting for establishing a positive tone for self and academic discovery, while assisting students in finding their place within higher education. This brief compares current advising strategies for under-prepared students or students with low college readiness. One of…

Historically, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in New Jersey has included developmental education within its mission. As a result of a major re-evaluation of the College's offerings and operations during 1992, it was recommended that: (1) the college formulate curricula that would serve students who do not progress to college-level study so…

Academic Development Program students face a special challenge. Within a few short weeks, they must hone their reading, writing, and speaking skills while scrambling to adjust to life in college. Usually, pre-freshmen enrolled in the Academic Development Program are not familiar with the demands of academic reading, writing, and oral response. For…

In 1996, Florida's Miami-Dade Community College conducted a study to examine the college preparatory completion rates of first-time degree-seeking students based on their verbal and mathematics entry-level placement scores. Results include the following: (1) fewer than 30% of students scoring at the lowest level on the mathematics placement test…