At a time when many states are ratcheting up their high school graduation requirements, critics say Louisiana's new "career diploma" appears to represent a lowering of standards and expectations for students who are not headed to a four-year college. But some state education leaders who had misgivings with the legislative effort this…

Research results appear inconclusive as to the relationship of student attendance to student achievement, although most practitioners cite increased student attendance as an extremely desirable school outcome. The purpose of the examination of student attendance in the Louisiana public schools was twofold: (1) to determine the relationship of…

This Kids Count data book provides statistics on the well-being of children in Louisiana. Data are provided for the state as a whole and for each of Louisiana's 64 parishes. An introduction summarizes findings for 1999, and a final section summarizes trends in the data over the past several years. Indicators used in the report to measure child…

This Kids Count data book presents statewide trends in the well-being of Louisiana's children. The statistical report is based on seven major groups of indicators of well-being: (1) poverty; (2) employment and income; (3)children receiving welfare; (4) maternal and child health; (5)children in trouble; (6) child abuse and neglect cases; and…