The Running Start program was created by the 1990 Washington State Legislature to expand educational options for public school students. Running Start allows eleventh and twelfth grade high school students to take college-level courses, tuition-free, at the 32 community and technical colleges in Washington. This annual progress report for 1996-97…

This study used national data to categorize college-bound high school seniors on each of five criteria identified as representative of those required for admission to highly selective colleges. Data came from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS: 88). Selected criteria included grade point average (GPA), the Scholastic Aptitude…

The effects of selected variables on the academic persistence of adult students were examined in a study of a random sample of 469 adult students aged 24 years or older enrolled in a four-year college. The survey questionnaire, the Adult Student Experiences Survey, collected data regarding 12 endogenous variables and 13 exogenous variables…

In an effort to develop a marketing plan for the recruitment of students directly from high school, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) conducted a survey in Fall 1978 of 1,947 juniors and seniors at eight county high schools to determine student demographic characteristics, occupational and educational aspirations, college attendance plans,…

A longitudinal study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (Illinois) to observe the performance and achievement of all credit students entering the college from fall 1983 through fall 1993. Study findings included the following: (1) 77% of full-time students returned to school at a later date for 1 year or more; (2) the 77% retention…

This research used three groups in a quasi-experimental approach to assess the combined impact of teacher teaming and computer technology on student grade point averages (GPAs). Ninth-grade students' academic achievement in each of four different subject areas (algebra, biology, world cultures, and English) was studied. Two separate treatments…

In 2003-04, 11 Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) high schools moved from a traditional student schedule of six full-year courses to a block schedule of four courses each semester (4x4). Implementation went fairly smoothly, with 90% of teachers trained prior to the change. Academic course opportunities and course enrollment numbers increased…

Over the last decade, virtually every state has launched a school accountability program in response to public concern over failing schools. Proponents of school accountability argue that standards can energize school systems, by putting pressure on schools to help all students. After almost a decade of accountability reforms, content standards…

Juvenile delinquency is a pervasive and costly problem. As a society, we are losing too many youth to substance abuse, gang involvement, and criminal activity. The toll delinquency places on families, educational systems, and social welfare systems costs monetarily and socially. In this article, I review the research literature on juvenile…

This study of 528 Tennessee welfare recipients enrolled in regular community college vocational or technical programs examined academic background, personal characteristics, student attitudes, college experiences, and learning outcomes. These students were primarily single parents who received Aid to Families with Dependent Children benefits and…

Validity data (prediction of first-year grade point average) for colleges participating in the Admissions Testing Program Validity Study Service (VSS) and based on students entering college in 1964 through 1974 are summarized for the following predictors: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)--verbal score, SAT--mathematical score, high school record,…

Proceedings of the 1980 meeting of the North Carolina Association for Institutional Research, which focused on the role of institutional research in institutional governance, are presented. Contents are as follows: "The Role of Institutional Research in Academic Program Evaluation: An Overview" (Dennis R. Hengstler); "The Role of Institutional…

This study, done at Syracuse University in 1975, investigated the multidimensional differences in freshman perceptions and experience of the academic and non-academic aspects of college associated with varying amounts of informal contact with faculty. Discriminant analysis indicated that factor dimensions, termed Interest Value, Practical Appeal…

While Part I looked at the entire cohort of 8th graders and what became of them 12-years later, this section focuses on the NELS cohort that went on to postsecondary education. For that reason, we suggest caution in comparing data herein with those in Part I. The percentages will not match up perfectly between reports because the cohorts analyzed…

Group differences among ethnic and racial groups on a series of educational measures and outcomes are examined. African-American and Hispanic students perform substantially lower than white and Asian students on the SAT I. These substantial differences also exist on a variety of other admissions tests used for undergraduate, graduate, and…