An innovative approach to the preparation of school administrators is described in which instructor and student come together in a learning situation that integrates three core components: (1) formative portfolio assessment; (2) reflective practice; and (3) cognitive apprenticeship. The operation and impact of this approach are illustrated through…

The impact of cohort changes with regard to ethnic group, gender, class rank, and first language learned on yearly average Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) scores was studied. All examinee records, including student test scores and student responses to the Student Descriptive Questionnaire, in the College…

The observable effects of curricular tracking were investigated for a cohort of students in six Vermont high schools during the years 1981-89. The outcome variable was persistence in school as predicted by grades in academic subjects from grade 4 through 9, or time of withdrawal, and the level of courses in which students were enrolled. Three…

Descriptive statistics and associated analysis on American eighth graders are presented based on data from the 1988 National Education Longitudinal Study. The study will be repeated with the same cohort at 2-year intervals. Study variables cover attitudes, school performance, and activities of the eighth-grade students. In addition to direct…

The 1980 Cohort Study was initiated at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) as a follow-up of full-time students who began their studies in fall 1980. The goal of the study was to distinguish the educational and career outcomes of graduates from those of students who have achieved various other levels of academic progress. The fall 1980 cohort…

Coordinated Vocational Academic Education (CVAE) is offered at three middle schools in the Fort Worth Independent School District, Texas. Courses in automobile mechanics, cosmetology, and home and community services are provided for potential dropout students who meet specific criteria: (1) low achievement; (2) inadequate communication skills;…

The National Job Corps Study has been conducted since 1993 to provide Congress and program managers with the information they need to assess how well Job Corps attains its goal of helping students become more responsible, employable, and productive citizens. The cornerstone of the study was the random assignment of all youths found eligible for…

For more than 250 years, Americans have shared a vision of a democracy in which all citizens understand, appreciate, and engage actively in civic and political life. In recent decades, however, increasing numbers of Americans have disengaged from civic and political institutions such as voluntary associations, religious congregations,…

To track student progress and develop a model of the total academic process at Prince George's Community College (PGCC), the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis acquired 5 years of background, behavioral, and outcome data for a cohort of first-time students entering the college. The academic process was broken down into three divisions:…

Rapid technological advances in the last decade have sparked educational practitioners' interest in utilizing laptops as an instructional tool to improve student learning. There is substantial evidence that using technology as an instructional tool enhances student learning and educational outcomes. Past research suggests that compared to their…

This report, which is the seventh in a series, presents data from 1994 on high school dropout and retention rates and examines high school graduation and completion rates. Included is an analysis of the 1994 high school completion status and subsequent life activities of members of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 cohort of eighth…

This book examines the educational and occupational choices that 1972 high school graduates made over the succeeding 15 years, focusing on how postsecondary education has made a difference in their lives. It uses data collected for the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72), which has tracked a representative sample…

Faced with declining enrollments and the recommendation to combine two middle schools, the Tipp City, Ohio, school board contacted consultants to examine the school facilities, focusing on current and future use, and look closely at past and current demographic data to project school enrollments. Data from the United States Census and from…

An important phenomenon of 20th century American society has been the occurrence of radical shifts in birth rate, fertility rate, and the number of births. This paper is the first of three which explore the relationship between changing proportions of youth in our society and the social, psychological, political, and economic impact of such…

If no radical changes occur over the next 10 years in the aggregate relationships among college-age cohort sizes, enrollment figures and ratios of doctoral faculty-to-students, the mid-l980's and mid-l900's will see precipitous, but probably temporary declines in the demand for new Ph.D. faculty. Without the implementation of policies designed to…