The Czecho-Slovak Republic, proclaimed independent October 28, 1918, comprises an area of 54,000 square miles. It is inhabited by Czechs and Slovaks, two branches of the western Slavs, from whom the Republic derived its name. The new State reunites the Provinces of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Slovakia, and the autonomous territory of Carpathian…

A study of 180 defaulters and 907 nondefaulters on federal loans at a private 2-year college found that withdrawal from college, gender, race, age, high school rank, and college grades were significantly correlated with default status. Division choice, borrowing characteristics, and reasons for leaving college did not correlate with default…

Survival analysis was used to model retention of 8,867 undergraduate students at Oregon State University from 1991 to 1996. Attrition increased with age and nonresident status; it decreased with higher high-school and first-quarter grades, and attendance in a freshman orientation course. Retention was also associated with race/ethnicity and…

In the United States black women have for decades been twice as likely as white women to give birth to babies of low birth weight who are at elevated risk for developmental disabilities. Does the black-white disparity in low birth weight contribute to the racial disparity in readiness? The author summarizes the cognitive and behavioral problems…

This study retrospectively examined physical activity patterns across three specific age periods (childhood, teenage, and young adulthood) in a cross sectional sample of young Caucasian undergraduate women (N = 44). All women (mean age = 22.27 plus or minus 3.14 years) completed questionnaire packets assessing transtheoretical model of behavior…

There is continuing controversy about the optimal or appropriate age at which children should start school. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between age and achievement. It is an attempt to evaluate the hypothesis that older students fare better academically than their younger classmates. Findings indicate that on average…

Objective: This study compared two group treatments for aggressive behavior in adjudicated male adolescents: a cognitive-behavioral program (low process) and a program integrating group interaction with cognitive-behavioral training (high process). Method: The court-ordered adolescents were divided into two age groups, younger and older, and…

The research topics addressed in this study include the following: (1) reasons dropouts who immediately pursued a General Educational Development (GED) did not complete high school; (2) characteristics of the schools those GED examinees last attended; (3) differences in the reasons for not completing school by school characteristics; and (4)…

An effective system of education and training is important for both social and economic reasons. Its role in the Polish economy is to provide the current and future labour force with skills to facilitate both continuing productivity growth and reallocation of resources as structural adjustment proceeds. Important reforms to decentralise primary…

With the significant increase in graduate students characterized as nontraditional, challenges associated with balance have become more prominent. The author explores issues of work-life balance, institutional ownership, and the chilly climate, each of which can contribute to negative academic outcomes. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

In the Infant Development, Environment and Lifestyle (IDEAL) Study of methamphetamine (MA) effects on children, the authors screened approximately 27,000 newborn infants for MA exposure, and from that pool derived a sample of in utero MA-exposed children as well as a comparison group matched for other drug use and other factors. IDEAL measures…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Changing poverty and changing antipoverty policies…

To ensure reliable, accurate, and timely data capable of monitoring the progress of education in the United States, Congress has mandated that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report, "The Condition of Education." This year's report presents 46 indicators of important developments and trends in U.S.…

This book reports the results of the third national survey commissioned by the National Career Development Association and the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee conducted by The Gallup Organization on the career preparation of adults age 18 and older. Interviews were conducted with 471 males and 575 females of whom 348 males…

The developmental increase in the ability to solve problems is a puzzle. Does it come from basic changes in mental skills, or is it a matter of practice? This book from the Developing Child series synthesizes recent research examining children's problem-solving skills development. Chapter 1 presents the major themes: (1) there is increasing…