Electronic resource access troubleshooting is familiar work in most libraries. The added complexity introduced when a library implements a web-scale discovery service, however, creates a strong need for well-organized, rigorous training to enable troubleshooting staff to provide the best service possible. This article outlines strategies, tools,…

Students forced to complete a long sequence of remedial or English language classes before they can begin their postsecondary program rarely earn college certificates or degrees. This brief highlights six promising programs that show how career pathway bridges help lower-skilled students move farther and faster along college and career paths…

How much does college matter for getting ahead in America? Having a postsecondary education--broadly defined as a credential beyond a high school diploma--continues to be one of the most important factors in getting a good job and advancing in the workforce. By one estimate, 64 percent of jobs in 2018 will require more than a high school diploma,…

This paper provides information about Minnesota's Graduation Required Assessments for Diploma (GRAD), comprehensive proficiency assessments of the skills and knowledge in mathematics, reading, and writing that are necessary for graduation. The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, Series II, into which the GRAD tests are embedded, measure…

This report describes an investigation of the types of additional instructional opportunities and remediation efforts provided by Minnesota schools and districts for students who do not initially meet basic skill requirements in reading and/or mathematics in eighth grade. Primary research questions included: What additional instructional…

A study shows that schools in Minnesota either have no established goals or have broad goals that are unrelated to teaching programs or tests. (Author/JM)

A study was conducted in Minnesota to identify generic knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that are germane to all of the fields of vocational education--that all students will need for future roles in the family and work force. The research consisted of a review of the literature pertaining to generic skills needed for work and a validation…

The interview with the social studies coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Education discusses development of a competence-based graduation test, definitions of "selected educational learner outcomes" (SELOs), relationship of Minnesota's SELOs to national standards, and problems of testing skills and attitudes. (AV)

Basic skill assessments of 109 employees in five small manufacturing businesses revealed that 84% needed additional training in one or more areas. Applied skills needed more remediation than academic skills. Employers expected return on investment in terms of profitability, productivity, and flexibility. Some workers were affected by negative past…

A study was conducted to determine if dislocated workers in Minnesota felt they had sufficient reading and mathematics skills to obtain new employment or enter retraining programs. A representative group of 168 dislocated workers who had been employed in manufacturing, taconite mining, lumber, and farming were interviewed from June through…

A study examined the feasibility, reliability, and validity of two instruments designed to assess the degree to which postsecondary vocational students possessed those generalizable skills that are believed to be functionally relevant to success in a vocational program. The instruments, a student self-rating and a teacher rating form, contained 81…

Project Success, a program of modified interdisciplinary instruction coordinated with special services, is considered to be consistent with the theory of individual differences and individualized instruction which is inherent in the philosophy of Bloomington Public School's educational goals and objectives. The project, which began as an…

This deals with impact of Minneapolis Title I, Elementary Secondary Education Act, funded programs on children's achievement. In Minneapolis, Target schools are those schools that have a higher percentage of low income/Aid to Families of Dependent Children (AFDC)/foster children than the city as a whole. In Minneapolis in 1972-73, there were 40…

This paper describes a successful facilitator training model, developed as part of an Adult Basic/Continuing Education (AB/CE) staff development program in Minnesota. The following topics are included: (1) the new basics and what is taught in the Minnesota AB/CE programs; (2) how these new basics are taught, emphasizing Malcolm Knowles' model of…

In this issue of "NetNews," the focus is on dysgraphia, a form of writing disability. Both dyslexia and dysgraphia fall under the category of specific learning disability. They may be related because significant language processing problems can impact both reading and spelling--although there is less incidence of dysgraphia. Dysgraphia…