The function and purpose of higher education has changed over the last decade. COVID-19 exacerbated that change, but well before Coronavirus exploded on the world stage, standard operations at most colleges and universities were in flux. In 2013, a New York Times article predicted many colleges and universities would shutter their doors or merge…

As additional states embark on the process of implementing four-year degrees at community colleges, they can learn from others' experience for help navigating the legislative, regulatory, and program approval processes. This brief uses examples from states currently offering bachelor's degrees at their community colleges to provide guidance for…

Active instructional approaches have been demonstrated to result in greater student achievement, prompting institutions to transition to more active learning environments. However, little work has been conducted to specifically measure the retention of knowledge gained. The purpose of the research presented here was to test assumptions regarding…

This multiple case study explored Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that were identified as having a focus on sustainability. Using the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (AASHE STARS) as a conceptual framework, the researchers interpreted…

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and school improvement. In communities across the…

Vallivue School District, located about 20 minutes from Boise, Idaho, can trace its origins to 13 rural schools scattered throughout Canyon County. The schools served students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and each building was independently administered by local school boards. Those boards were consolidated into a single district in…

This article discusses how disciplinary infractions at Post Falls (Idaho) Middle School have reached an all-time low. From 2005 to 2007, disciplinary infractions were of great concern in the school community. During that three-year span, the school recorded one-year highs in out-of-school suspensions; in-school-suspensions; truancies; fights; and…

Calls for schools to "improve" are everywhere, but recently calls for schools to "transform" have proliferated, based on the idea that schools are not simply underperforming but outdated if not obsolete. Most prominently, scholars and authors such as Phillip Schlechty, Peter Senge, and Francis Duffy have targeted school and…

Reflecting on the 140th anniversary of the Fourteenth Amendment (ratified July, 1868), this qualitative case study described a response by educator-activist Tony Stewart to the Aryan Nations, a neo-Nazi hate group that attempted to intimidate Stewart's community, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, between 1972-2000. Stewart galvanized community response using…

What happens when teams from 57 cities building afterschool systems gather to discuss two key system responsibilities--improving afterschool programs and using data for informed decision-making? Lots of rich discussion. This report covers a national afterschool conference held in February 2013. It details what mayors, program providers, system…

In addition to experiencing the generic quality and cost problems faced by all colleges and universities, community colleges face problems particular to their student populations. They need to design more flexible schedules for working adult students, create a greater sense of community or engagement for commuting students, address the special…

This annual report highlights the activities of Idaho's Division of Vocational Education in fiscal year 1998. The mission of vocational and applied technology education is to provide Idaho's youth and adults with the technical skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for successful performance in a globally competitive workplace. Idaho's…

The major purpose of the Title V program, Designing Education for the Future, is to assist educators and lay citizens in the eight participating States in devising a program of educational improvement. This report by the project director presents information on educational changes covered by the program and builds a rationale for effecting these…

This report examines the results and conclusions of recent research on small and rural schools, and attempts to frame current debates over educational adequacy and financial equity in Idaho's rural school districts. Section I reports findings of recent research on school size and emphasizes the benefits of (typically rural) small schools. Most…

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory profiled 12 schools in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana that had made significant improvement in student achievement. While specifics of reform may vary, research shows that it is an ongoing process of determining goals and benchmarks by conducting needs assessments, using data to guide…