The purpose of this study was to examine the college enrollment and persistence rates of rural high schools in Pennsylvania; the types of postsecondary institutions in which students from such schools enroll; and the student, school, and college characteristics associated with enrollment and persistence outcomes. The study used extant data from…

The U.S. Hispanic population is increasing faster than the non-Hispanic White population, and during the first half of the 21st century, the United States will have a "minority majority." California will reach that status in the next 4-7 years. Focus should not be on the "threat" that Latino population growth brings, hoping to…

Based on 1990 census figures, Hispanics have the lowest per capita income ($8,007) of all racial population groups in Kansas. Eighteen percent of Kansas Hispanics live in poverty, as do 24 percent of Hispanic children and 62 percent of Hispanic female-headed single-parent families. Hispanics in rural counties of southwestern Kansas have higher…

This study tests the hypothesis that the local labor market structure, particularly the proportions of high- and low-paying occupations, affects human capital investment. Most studies have assumed that the direction of causation flows from the supply of human capital to employment growth. However, the creation of low-skilled jobs merely reshuffles…

Labor force issues do not take place in a vacuum. Most individuals base labor force decisions on a multitude of cultural and social factors, such as the environment in which they were reared, family obligations and responsibilities, divorce or the death of a spouse, or because of governmental policies. Sections in this document on demographics,…

Statistical evidence, 1980-95, on Scottish secondary students' attainment, achievement, rates of staying on in postcompulsory education, and rates of entering higher education indicates sharp reductions in differences between advantaged and disadvantaged students. Improved access to expanded curricula has been supported by a deeply embedded social…

This paper suggests that "Hispanic" populations are a diverse category. An undifferentiated comparison of the groups only creates a comparative "ecological" fallacy, which contributes to the creation of stereotypes rather than understanding. Each population must be placed within its appropriate historical, regional, and…

The analysis of access to education in Ghana builds on the Ministry of Education Sector Performance Report and the World Bank sector studies. Though access has improved it remains uneven and has not grown as fast enough to reach universal levels of participation in primary school and JSS [Junior Secondary School] by 2015. More needs to be…

Meaningful access to education requires more than full enrolment; it requires high attendance rates, progression through grades with little or no repetition, and learning outcomes that confirm that basic skills are being mastered. This Review describes and explains patterns of access to schools in South Africa for children between the ages of 5…