High-quality career and technical education (CTE) and work-based learning opportunities can support students along a pathway to credential attainment, employment and upward economic mobility through intentional skill development and experiential learning. CTE concentration in high school can increase graduation rates while helping students build…

Gross motor and physical activity opportunities in early childhood are important for promoting health and development. We conducted two studies with the following aims: (1) to describe the quality of gross motor/physical activity early learning environments in Washington (WA) state, USA and (2) to study the relationship between the quality of…

Achieving national goals for increased college completion in a time of scarce resources will require the postsecondary institutions that enroll the majority of undergraduates--community colleges and less-selective public universities--to graduate more students at a lower cost. Davis Jenkins and Olga Rodriguez examine research on how these…

Institutional leaders, educators, and policymakers are challenged to improve educational outcomes for all students, including Latinos. "Excelencia" in Education responds to this challenge by linking research, policy, and practice that supports higher educational achievement for Latino students. Premier in this effort is Examples of…

The nation's community colleges share a common and vital purpose: preparing students--young and working adults--for jobs and continued academic study. Today, over 7 million community college students strive to attain a degree that will expand their opportunity, whether they aim to graduate directly into the workforce or continue on to seek a…

The report synthesizes findings of seven studies on educational processes and outcomes of students with special needs in the State of Washington. Studies include a statewide assessment, statewide teacher survey, analysis of participation in categorical programs, evaluation of individual categorical programs, an investigation of an innovative…

Higher education evaluation practices in seven states were assessed. Consolidated governing boards were present in Florida, Idaho, and West Virginia, while coordinating boards were present in Alabama, Colorado, and South Carolina. Washington State had an advisory board. For each state, a background paper on the state system was prepared by a…

This report presents Washington State's Master Plan for building a higher education system that addresses change in four fundamental elements: accessing education in urban areas; developing a new higher education funding process; evaluating institutional performance; and strengthening admissions standards. The Master Plan recommends the following:…

Options for evaluating the performance of Washington state colleges based on student outcomes are discussed. Considered in "Question Number 4" on the agenda of the Washington State Higher Educaton Coordinating Board: how should the performance of higher education institutions be evaluated and by whom? Of concern is what student outcomes…

A study assessed the attitudes of 702 Washington State employers toward vocational education at the secondary and postsecondary levels. The majority of respondents perceived community colleges and vocational-technical institutes, but not public high schools, to be doing a very good job of preparing students for job and careers. Over 90 percent…