Residence life programs play a key role in recruiting students, helping them make a successful transition to a new institution, and in retaining them, whether students are enrolling for the first time, transferring from another institution, or entering graduate school. Chapters in this book address theories of learning and development, new…

Teachers may be the most important element of an effective school, but does that mean that K-12 improvement must wait on the ability of schools or systems to recruit, nurture, and retain outstanding teachers? Such a strategy implies that widespread excellence hinges on the ability of publicly funded school systems to attract more than 3.3 million…

A wave of teacher retirements is expected just as fewer college-bound students express a preference for teaching careers, and more diverse students reach school age. Former U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley suggested the nation would need more than 2 million new teachers over the next decade. This article presents some perspectives on…

The hypothesis of this study was that a predominantly localized visual-aural recruitment package would be effective in attracting and recruiting functionally illiterate adults into Adult Basic Education programs. In order to test this hypothesis, data pertaining to past and current methods of recruiting students to Adult Basic Education programs…

A model program was developed to find ways to bring illiterate and undereducated adults into Massachusetts adult education programs. Prospective program clients (young adults) who will be identified by such organizations and agencies as schools, courts, welfare offices, and veterans and civic groups will be contacted by outreach workers to…

This Massachusetts edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on…

The study examines community college presidents' perceptions about two--year college intercollegiate athletics. Presidents in six states were surveyed about their perceptions of whether community college athletics: (a) enhances pride in the institution among various constituencies, (b) increases enrollment and augments student recruitment, (c) has…

This guide outlines the methods for organizing and using vocational technical advisory committees in secondary schools in Massachusetts. It is intended to be used as the basis for school staff training to be conducted by personnel at the State Department of Education's Regional Education Centers. The guide provides illustrations and exhibits of…

This paper discusses a variety of incentives that can make a difference in attracting and retaining high quality teachers. These incentives include salaries, retirement benefits, working conditions, quality of life, tenure and seniority rights, and sick leave. The states in the Northeast vary considerably in their ability to attract quality…

Varying needs, largely unmet, were found in the provision of adult education throughout Massachusetts, and recommendations were formulated for an articulated and adequate program. Low priority, weak centers of leadership, and a limited and confused mandate emerged as major obstacles to effectiveness. It was found that, on the basis of accepted…

A project was developed to identify issues affecting the relationships between minority communities and vocational schools in Massachusetts. Meetings with members of the project's advisory committee and three 1-day conferences involving more than 300 persons and organizations were organized. Five major categories of issues were identified: access,…

This survey concentrated on evaluating the present structure of public school adult education (PSAE) in Massachusetts, adult access to education throughout the state, characteristics of local programs, and possible future directions. Analyses were made of the history, objectives, and policies of 100 local programs, followed by student body,…

This study analyzed factors in attracting and recruiting professional nurses into Massachusetts state service. Although Massachusetts had relatively many registered nurses (RN), 45% were inactive. Resulting shortages were great, especially in state hospitals. All agencies had high turnover, with impending staffing crises in some agencies because…

Based on information from interviews with 50 first- and second-year teachers in Massachusetts, proposes a mixed model for the teaching career: one that would be responsive to the needs of both teachers who envision long-term careers and those who envision short-term stays in teaching. Draws implications for teacher recruitment and retention…

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Massachusetts edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…