Freshmen who received less than a 2.0 grade average during their first semester at college were asked to indicate on a written questionnaire the extent to which 68 factors were or were not a reason for their poor academic performance. Respondents were also encouraged to supply additional observations about their educational experiences that seemed…

Berkeley undergraduates were surveyed in 1970 and again in 1973 to identify determinants of the decision to leave college among four types of leavers: failing transfers, failing dropouts, transfers in good standing, and dropouts in good standing. The following student characteristics are analyzed: family background, academic preparation, family…

Factors contributing to Native students' college success were examined in a study of 50 Native freshmen and 42 non-Native freshmen at the University of Alaska in the 1973-74 academic year. The study compared students in relation to three common explanations of college success: level of academic preparation, goal orientation, ease in the campus…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Americans Speak on Education: Public Credits Education System for U.S. Success in the World, but Worries About Future…

A study examined rural, low-income students' experiences with online advanced placement (AP) courses. Interviews were conducted with 30 students, their mentors, and school administrators at four rural high schools in two Western states; 25 students were low-income. Positive comments about the online experience mentioned interaction with other…

This report looks at three areas of performance: (1) Access and Preparation--How well are students able to gain access to college and are they well prepared?; (2) Quality--Are students receiving a quality education?; and (3) Efficiency and Finance--How is Higher Education financed and what are the trends? The report also includes the findings of…

Central Queensland University's Women into Science and Technology program aimed to broaden the access of women to higher education, improve their career opportunities and employment prospects, and address the personnel shortage in engineering and technology by encouraging mature age women to consider these fields. The distance learning program was…

While the nation's public systems continue to fall short of delivering equitable educational supports to children and youth, youth workers have spent the last several decades insulating and, in some cases, patching the leaks in the "education pipeline"--a term describing the route students follow from early childhood through…

Research indicates that the important attitudinal, behavioral, and occupational skills needed for work and life are best learned in the workplace or through applied, contextual settings which mirror workplace environments, as opposed to traditional classrooms. This argues for creating stronger relationships between high schools, their communities,…

This brief report describes efforts of the Oklahoma State Regents to accelerate positive academic change in the state's higher education system with a combination of strengthened admission, retention, and assessment standards. The first section presents the state's problem of lagging performance during the late 1980s, as indicated by data showing…

This report presents findings of a nationwide study of student transitions from secondary to postsecondary education that is based on a survey of state higher education agencies and site visits to six states. The report finds a growing role for state higher education agencies in setting minimum college admissions requirements, coexistence of…

This compilation of reprinted journal and newspaper articles covers the following topics: (1) The Front Lines; (2) Federal Policy; (3) Charter Schools; (4) School Choice; (5) Standards, Tests, and Accountability; (6) Teacher Quality; (7) Curriculum and Content; (8) Higher Education; and (9) Grab Bag. Each section is preceded by commentaries on…

This report summarizes the 1999-2002 program evaluation results of AISD's AVID program, a program designed to help underachieving students with academic potential prepare for entrance into colleges and universities.

A study examined processes involved in mathematics course selection among Latino students, particularly parent involvement. Data on 11,787 students drawn from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 indicate that parental involvement proved advantageous for making informed curricular decisions for White and upper socioeconomic status…

Asserts that most research into the effects of high school economics curriculum upon performance in college level economics courses fails to consider that secondary economics education rarely teaches micro- and macroeconomic concepts. Discovers that any gap in learning between students in economics is narrowed by the first semester in college.…