Most students who enter higher education through a community college fail to earn a postsecondary credential. One reason for this that has not received enough attention is that many students do not enter a college-level program of study. Many new students arrive at community colleges without clear goals for college and careers. Community colleges…

The WICHE Interstate Passport Initiative, launched in October 2011, is a pilot project that addresses interstate student transfer. When students transfer from one postsecondary institution to another--both within and out of state--they may be required to repeat courses, which can add to the time and cost of completing their education. Although…

Despite popular conceptions of the "gap year" as a time of personal enrichment, the incidence of delay between high school and college is greatest among students from socioeconomically disadvantaged families, suggesting other motivations. This article examines two explanations for socioeconomic inequalities in rates of delay: disparities in high…

This study examined whether the transition practices implemented in preschool-elementary school pairs contribute to children's academic development during the first year of elementary school. Participants were 398 children who moved from 36 preschools to 22 elementary schools in two Finnish towns. Children were tested in respect to their reading,…

The "Annual Joint Report of Pre-Kindergarten through Higher Education in Tennessee" complies with the requirements established in T.C.A. §49-1-302(a)(10). State law directs the State Board of Education (SBE) and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to provide an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly, all public…

In an effort to meet the societal demands for a better prepared workforce and the educational reform movements, such as the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," school districts have begun to partner with post-secondary institutions. In particular, community colleges and high schools are working together to make education more affordable,…

This working paper is part of a series on early transitions from "Young Lives," a 15-year longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. It explores the diverse experiences of 28 children from four contrasting communities in Peru as they start school. These detailed case studies highlight common problems:…

The "First Condition Report" provided policymakers and the general public a snapshot of where Ohio stands in providing the higher education services needed to be competitive in today's world. The "Second Report" focused on facilities and technology. The "Third Report" underscores the need to deliver high quality…

Epidemiological data on childhood obesity has prompted a significant response from both governments and academics seeking to recommend solutions to the reported "crisis". The "Kinder Overweight Active Living Action" (KOALA) healthy lifestyle programme is a randomized obesity prevention and intervention study designed to provide an understanding of…

This article examines the role of linguistic and sociolinguistic factors in the second language (L2) acquisition of Spanish vibrants. The data consist of 2 sets of recordings from 37 students enrolled in a Spanish pronunciation class. The statistical program VarbRul was used to analyze 7,597 samples. The vibration (simple or multiple) and the…

Community college partnerships with institutions in other educational sectors (including schools and universities) are important and strategic ways of meeting the educational needs of college constituents and maximizing resources to achieve local and state economic development goals. Understanding what is required for effective partnerships is…

The authors discuss the challenges of transferring from college to university programs. Following consideration of the practices associated with transferring credits and creating articulation agreements, the authors suggest the use of learning outcomes. Noting the challenges, as well as the benefits, they propose using learning outcomes as an…

Public/Private Ventures' (P/PV's) "GroundWork" series summarizes available evidence on a variety of social policy topics, providing a firm foundation for future work. This second brief in the series presents an overview of issues surrounding the ninth grade transition: why it is so important; why many middle school students find it so difficult;…

As budget cuts loom in school districts across the nation, school librarians are expected to show artifacts and share data to cement their credibility as instructional leaders, since according to Zmuda (2007) and many others, the effectiveness of the school library media program must be measured by what students learn as a result of their…

In Texas, as in other states, fewer than a quarter of the students earning associate degrees end up applying to universities. The eventual result is widespread underemployment and a stagnating work force that doesn't keep up with population growth. However, Texas educators are trying to change that with two ambitious programs--one aimed at college…