This text summarizes knowledge from research that focused on reforming secondary special education and high schools and makes recommendations for improving high schools' effectiveness. Chapters are as follows: "Characteristics of Youth and Young Adults" (Stephen Lichtenstein); "Emerging Transition Best Practices" (Frank R. Rusch, Dorothy M.…

The experiences of young women in Victoria, Australia, who left school before completing their secondary education were examined to identify the issues facing female early school leavers and the policy implications of those issues. The study was based primarily on data from the Youth Research Centre's Disaffiliated Early School Leavers study, a…

A 310 Project, Learn to Read, was conducted by Oakton Community College in suburban Chicago to teach reading to functionally illiterate and limited English speaking (LEP) adults using a variety of approaches. Participants included two groups. One group consisted of American-born adults who had basic oral competency but had failed to acquire…

This report marks the completion of 10 years' development work in the European Community, in close cooperation with member states, to test new approaches to the provision of education and training to help young people become better prepared for their entry into work and adult life. The report contains an overview of the Second European Community…

Children of migrant farmworkers are among the segments of the population most difficult to educate. Data from 1974 indicates the average migrant student had a 40% chance of reaching ninth grade, an 11% chance of reaching 12th grade, and a less than 10% chance of graduating from high school. Factors correlated with students quitting school are…

This collection of research reports explores teaching cognitive skills to at-risk students. Focus includes the following: (1) broad issues guiding the research; (2) historical perspective; (3) student characteristics; (4) student needs; (5) research on teaching thinking and problem solving; (6) teacher training; and (7) instructional and…

Although the level of funding for adult education programs in Pennsylvania was reduced from 1982-83 to 1983-84, progress was made in increasing the availability of adult basic education (ABE) programs throughout the State and in decreasing the overall rate of premature separations of students from ABE programs. Total hours of service to ABE…

This draft document presents an analysis of all major educational reform proposals before the Illinois General Assembly, assessing the costs of implementation and what benefits might be expected for the funding levels contained in the proposals themselves. The 18 areas examined are (1) student testing; (2) student retention/remediation; (3)…

This report on secondary school dropouts consists of an analysis of the scope and nature of the dropout problem, a discussion of successful programs and activities for dropouts, a description of a pilot study involving Minnesota public secondary schools and Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) agencies, and presentation of…

A study identified causal linkages and basic interrelationships among components of the Career Intern Program (CIP) and observed outcomes. (The CIP is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged and alienated dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or…

This is the second of a three-volume final report of a study to assess the effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary cooperative education programs in the nation's hundred largest cities and to analyze the postprogram experiences of participants and nonparticipants. This volume presents the findings of the 24-month followup study of students…

The extent and nature of Australia's school-industry programs in 1996 were examined through a survey of 1,868 government and nongovernment schools and programs. It was conducted using a questionnaire similar to that which had been used in 1995. According to the 1,453 completed questionnaires (response rate 78%) by 11th and 12th grade students, 62%…

This document records the oral and written testimony from a 1999 Senate Committee hearing on "the forgotten half"--young people who do not continue their education past high school and, in many cases, do not finish high school. Witnesses testified that there is a great need for persons with technical skills to fill existing and projected…

A subgroup of the European Training Foundation's Advisory Forum held a roundtable discussion on vocational education and training (VET) against social exclusion. Representatives of the European Union (EU), all Central and Eastern European countries, and Kyrgystan focused on the following four topics: concepts and terminology related to social…

This booklet explains how service learning can be used to encourage out-of-school youth to return to an education program. The booklet begins with a discussion of the term "out-of-school youth" that includes the early warning signals indicating a potential for dropping out of school and circumstances and characteristics of potential…