Search

The COVID-19 pandemic has redoubled attention to the challenges families face in making sure their children are fully prepared and supported in their journey through school. This first of three Quality Counts 2021 installments provides grades and scores for the nation and each state on a range of factors setting students up for success in school and later life, based mostly on federal data from 2019. To provide a more real-time perspective, the EdWeek Research Center offers an original analysis of U.S. Census Bureau surveys from fall 2020 on how families with children in school are coping with stresses from the coronavirus pandemic. Articles in this issue's Quality Counts report include: (1) Nation Notches Progress on Chance-for-Success Index (Sterling C. Lloyd and Alex Harwin); and (2) Census Data Show Impact on Home Learning Environment (Alex Harwin and Yukiko Furuya).

"National CrossTalk" is a publication of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. The National Center promotes public policies that enhance opportunities for quality education and training beyond high school. The primary purpose of "National CrossTalk" is to stimulate informed discussion and debate of higher education issues. This issue of "National CrossTalk" contains the following articles: (1) Austerity Measures: Students Protest as a Cash-Strapped Government Lets British Universities Triple Their Fees (Jon Marcus); (2) "Outcome Funding": Tennessee Experiments with a Performance-Based Approach to College Appropriations (Robert A. Jones); (3) Reversal of Fortune: Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" Economic Miracle Is Followed by an Epic Downturn (Jon Marcus); and (4) Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Newly Established University of Minnesota Rochester Has a Radically Different Approach to Higher Education (Kathy Witkowsky). Regular sections include: (1) News from the Center; and (2) Other Voices, which includes: (a) The West Virginia Experience: Creating a Sustainable Public Agenda for Higher Education (Brian Noland); and (b) "Critical Thinking": Can Assessments Determine Whether College Students Are Learning What They Need to Know? (William R. Doyle). "Presidential Leadership for Public Purpose," a special report by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, is also included.

Community college students take circuitous routes through their education; very few enroll full-time and continue until they graduate. Erratic enrollment patterns have been negatively linked with academic progress and eventual credential completion--students enrolled continuously and on a full-time basis are more likely to attain their academic goals than those not enrolled continuously or who drop to part-time status. Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this analysis followed students through three regular academic years to identify their varying attendance patterns. Determining students' reasons for changing their enrollment status may help colleges become more sensitive to how they might help students who are intent on their goals, but inconsistent in their pursuit of education. The analysis suggests that, in addition to leaving college without credentials, students often shift among full-time, part-time, and non-attendance. Measuring persistence simply by determining if a student enrolls over successive enrollment periods misses the complexity indicated by these data, as community college students take many diverse paths to achieve their goals. (Contains 9 footnotes and 4 figures.)

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue of "Data Notes" looks at students who returned to their original Achieving the Dream institution after completing credentials or transferring to another institution. Forty-two percent of students who either received a degree or certificate or transferred from an Achieving the Dream college within three years of initial enrollment returned within six years of initial enrollment. More than 80 percent of students who returned after credential completion or transfer returned on a part-time basis; 17 percent returned full-time. Nearly two-thirds, 65 percent, of returning students who initially attained certificates in transfer majors persisted to complete associate degrees. Interestingly, 62 percent of the students who initially transferred and then returned transferred again. The findings highlight the variability of institutional enrollment, and the fact that despite completing credentials or transferring to other institutions, a significant portion of Achieving the Dream students who returned to their original institution continued their coursework or earned additional credentials. (Contains 4 figures and 4 footnotes.)

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue of "Data Notes" looks at three-year enrollment and attainment outcomes of students who persist through their first year. Additionally, first-year persisters (FYPs) were grouped based on the interaction of several student characteristics; analysis was conducted to determine if differences in outcomes existed between students when they were grouped based on this interaction of characteristics. The data show that FYPs who started college full-time had higher second-year persistence rates than those who started part-time, as did students who were referred to developmental education or were enrolled in terminal majors. To determine the cumulative effect of various student characteristics on student outcomes, data reflecting FYPs were first disaggregated by enrollment status, followed by developmental education referral, major field, and then Pell grant receipt. These data tell a complicated story. Each group of students, as defined by the receipt of Pell grants, starting college either full- or part-time, whether they were referred to developmental education, and their initial major fields, shows a different progression in their college work. (Contains 2 figures and 12 footnotes.)

What a difference a year makes. In June 2008, "AZ Views" reported that "Arizonans have a strong sense of job security, despite the national economic slump and the state's budget crisis." That is no longer true, as this edition of "AZ Views" shows, and Arizona's economic situation arguably is the best example of the worst case.This issue of "AZ Views" reports on the latest survey of the Arizona Indicators Panel, a statewide representative sample of 701 Arizonans in June 2009. Arizona Indicators is a project of Morrison Institute for Public Policy. The survey repeated some questions asked in May 2008 and June 2008. This brief review looks at how Arizonans are thinking and feeling now. Facts and figures from Arizona Indicators provide the "back story" on issues important to the panelists. Headlines in this issue include: Arizonans on Edge; Feeling Insecure in Employment; Quality of Life Ratings Remain High, but Perceptions Are Declining; and On Edge but Still Half Not Watching or Voting. (Contains 1 footnote.)

As more students enroll at community colleges, questions are raised about whether learning is the same in the two- and four-year sectors, both overall and for sub-groups, and whether effects of student backgrounds and college experiences on learning are similar. This study used structural equation modeling with CCSSE and NSSE data from a sample of first- and second-year students at 18 institutions and concluded that mean self-reported academic and personal-social gains attributed to college attendance were significantly less for students at two-year colleges. These results were the same for demographic sub-groups, and also for two additional samples, including one with NSSE data only for students who reported their age as between 18 and 24 and CCSSE data only for students who reported their age as 18-24, their highest current educational credential as a high school diploma or GED, and their educational goal as transfer to a four-year institution; and a second additional sample with all two-year students and four-year students who attended a university with a large percentage of transfer students. (Contains 3 footnotes, 1 figure and 5 tables.)

From 1990 to 2006, the number of Hispanic students in U.S. public schools nearly doubled, accounting for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollment. Approximately 10 million Hispanic students are enrolled in the public K-12 system, comprising nearly one-fifth of public school students in the United States. This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" looks at three recent research studies on academic success for Hispanic students and offers insights on strategies that show promise in promoting greater educational attainment for Hispanic students. A list of ECS resources is included. (Contains 6 endnotes.)

This report presents data from the Arizona Indicators Panel, a statewide representative sample of Arizonans conducted in May and July 2008. Most survey respondents named crime and public safety as among the top issues their officials should address, and nearly half said they thought crime was getting worse. Yet, despite strong concerns about crime, most respondents also said that their own neighborhoods are relatively safe places, and that they felt safe walking alone at night. Older, majority-group Arizonans and those with higher incomes and education levels and homes in Maricopa County (not including Phoenix) were more likely than other respondents to report concerns about crime and safety--even though most such individuals have been repeatedly found by other research to be generally less likely to become actual victims. Younger, non-working, and minority-group panelists with low incomes and little education were less likely to express concern about crime, even though they tended to feel less safe in their areas and were more likely to report that they actually had been victimized. Researchers call this finding the "fear/risk paradox." Panelists with a college degree or higher were also more likely to feel safe than those with less education. Those with less than a high-school education were more likely than more educated respondents to say that they did not feel safe. (Contains 4 notes.)

As a growing percentage of future high school graduates come from communities that have been traditionally underserved by higher education, and more jobs will require some level of postsecondary education, community colleges will be an increasingly important asset for communities that are struggling to meet the demands of a rapidly changing, global economy. This issue of "Progress of Education Reform" looks at the latest research on student success in community colleges and offers insights on the strategies that show the most promise in promoting greater educational attainment for community college students. A list of ECS resources is included. (Contains 2 endnotes.)

This brief, the third issue in the "Criminal Justice Issues for Arizona" series, reveals that Pinal County's specialized court for domestic-violence cases offers some promising results for dealing with this common and complex offense. This report contains an analysis of data collected in the Pinal County Domestic Violence Database, which as of April 2008 contained 666 case records of domestic-violence offenders who were processed by one of the three courts. The database also contained information on a comparison group of offenders; however, these offenders are not included in this analysis because of insufficient numbers. Court officials are currently developing a more appropriate comparison group for use in a subsequent analysis. Table 3 presents the frequency and percent of offenses by levels of education: 8th grade and below, some high school, high school diploma, some college, college graduate, post-graduate degree, and unknown. Key findings include: (1) Offenders showed a significant increase in their self-reported coping abilities and in their satisfaction with the criminal-justice system during their period of supervision; (2) Offenders showed a significant decrease in their self-reported propensity for abusiveness to an intimate partner during their period of supervision; and (3) Only 9% of offenders committed another offense while in the program. (Contains 14 tables.)

Few people think of kids when they think of immigration, yet immigration is as much about children and parents as it is about workers and employers. In fact, the opportunities and challenges represented by Arizona's global generations may be as far-reaching as sanctions and "sweeps." What's going on? This briefing reviews the basics about immigration in terms of what's happening globally, locally, and for kids. It describes the worldwide migration phenomenon and the reality for Arizona that immigration is as much about kids and parents as it is about workers and employers. Defining "Generation G" as young people who are part of the global generations, meaning immigrants or their children, this briefing asks, "Is Arizona ready to make the most of Gen G?" This is the first issue in the new quarterly briefing series "Forum 411: Engaging Arizona's Leaders." (Contains 11 endnotes.) [Support for "Forum 411" is provided by Westcor.]

This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" will address the following three questions: (1) What are the challenges that developmental education programs face that affect their success? (2) Are developmental education programs an effective strategy for increasing college attainment rates? and (3) How can state policy improve the success of developmental education programs? The studies presented here provide valuable insights on each of these questions and will assist policymakers as they consider how to leverage developmental education programs as useful tools for increasing college attainment.

Children in immigrant families account for nearly one-in-four children in the U.S. They are the fastest growing population of children, and they are leading the nation's racial and ethnic transformation. As a consequence, baby-boomers will depend heavily for economic support during retirement on race-ethnic minorities, many of whom grew up in immigrant families. Because the current circumstances and future prospects of children in immigrant families are important not only to these children themselves, but to all Americans, this report uses data from Census 2000 to portray the lives of children with immigrant parents and highlights policy and program initiatives that will foster the future success of these children. This report begins by discussing the diverse origins and destinations of children in immigrant families. It then highlights substantial evidence that children in immigrant families have deep roots in the U.S. reflected in their own citizenship, as well as their parents' citizenship and length of residence in this country, their own and their parents' English fluency, and their family commitment to homeownership. Based on a new alternative to the official poverty measure, the report continues by discussing economic challenges confronted by many immigrant families. It also portrays additional immigrant strengths and challenges associated with family composition, parental education and employment, and access for children of immigrants to early education and the later years of schooling. Looking toward fostering a successful future for these children, the report identifies promising policy and programmatic initiatives for language and literacy training, and for assuring access to education, health, and other essential services, and it identifies immigrant-related questions that should be asked in all research studies involving children and families. [Additional funding for this paper was provided by the Center for Social and Demographic Analysis at the University at Albany. Commentaries from Ruby Takanishi, Tim Smeeding, Frosso Motti-Stefanidi and Marta Tienda are included. Commentaries are individually referenced.]

Good education predicts good health, and disparities in health and in educational achievement are closely linked. Despite these connections, public health professionals rarely make reducing the number of students who drop out of school a priority, although nearly one-third of all students in the United States and half of black, Latino, and American Indian students do not graduate from high school on time. In this article, we summarize knowledge on the health benefits of high school graduation and discuss the pathways by which graduating from high school contributes to good health. We examine strategies for reducing school dropout rates with a focus on interventions that improve school completion rates by improving students' health. Finally, we recommend actions health professionals can take to reframe the school dropout rate as a public health issue and to improve school completion rates in the United States. (Contains 5 tables.)

After reviewing research on national trends concerning private versus public schooling, the author examines how private school options in the Chicago metropolitan area might affect academic achievement for various demographic groups. Although the vast majority of students in suburban schools graduate from high school, with a high percentage going on to college, the four-year high school graduation rate in public schools in the City of Chicago is estimated at only 54 percent. Data from the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago indicate that 97 percent of students in Catholic schools, which disproportionately serve low-income minority students, graduate from high school. Data from the "2000 Decennial Census of Population and Housing" suggest that private schools in the Chicago metropolitan area probably increase school enrollment rates for black and Hispanic students of high school age, thus increasing the probability that they will graduate from high school. Over the past 30 years, the number of Catholic schools in Chicago has declined by approximately 50 percent, and student enrollment in the remaining schools has also declined. The author concludes that fewer Chicago students are completing high school than would be the case if more students had access to private schools, especially students from black and Hispanic backgrounds. An additional outcome of this decline is that the cost of public education has increased more than would otherwise be the case as more students have been absorbed into public schools. (Contains 9 notes and 3 tables.)

The "Quarterly" offers a comprehensive overview of work done across all of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Each issue includes short publications and summaries covering all NCES publications and data products released in a given time period as well as notices about training and funding opportunities. In addition, each issue includes a featured topic with invited commentary, and a note on the topic from NCES. This issues featured topic is International Assessments. This section contains the first three articles: (1) Highlights from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 (Patrick Gonzales, Juan Carlos Guzman, Lisette Partelow, Erin Pahlke, Leslie Jocelyn, David Kastberg, and Trevor Williams); (2) International Outcomes of Learning in Mathematics Literacy and Problem Solving: PISA 2003 Results from the U.S. Perspective (Mariann Lemke, Anindita Sen, Erin Pahlke, Lisette Partelow, David Miller, Trevor Williams, David Kastberg, and Leslie Jocelyn); and (3) Invited Commentary: The TIMSS 2003 and PISA 2003 Reports: Sustaining Focus and Concern about the State of Mathematics Education in the United States (Joan Ferrini-Mundy). The second section, Early Childhood Education, contains the following article: (4) Children Born in 2001: First Results from the Base Year of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) (Kristin Denton Flanagan and Jerry West). The third section, Elementary and Secondary Education, presents: (5) America's Charter Schools: Results from the NAEP 2003 Pilot Study; (6) Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2001-2002 Private School Universe Survey (Stephen P. Broughman and Kathleen W. Pugh); (7) Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001 (Phillip Kaufman, Martha Naomi Alt, and Christopher Chapman); and (8) Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2004 (Jill F. DeVoe, Katharin Peter, Philip Kaufman, Amanda Miller, Margaret Noonan, Thas D. Snyder, and Katrina Baum). The fourth section, Postsecondary Education, contains the next two articles: (9) College Persistence on the Rise? Changes in 5-Year Degree Completion and Postsecondary Persistence Rates between 1994 and 2000 (Laura Horn and Rachael Berger); and (10) Staff in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2002, and Salaries of Full-Time Instructional Faculty, 2002-03 (Laura G. Knapp, Janice E. Kelly-Reid, Roy W. Whitmore, Shiying Wu, Seungho Huh, Burton Levine, and Susan G. Broyles). The fifth section, Lifelong Learning, contains the following article: (11) Participation in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: 2000-01 (Kwang Kim, Mary Collins Hagedorn, Jennifer Williamson, and Christopher Chapman). The sixth section, Libraries, presents the next article: (12) State Library Agencies: Fiscal Year 2003 (Barbara Holton, Elaine Kroe, Patricia O'Shea, Cindy Sheckells, Suzanne Dorinski, and Michael Freeman). The seventh section, Crosscutting Statistics, contains the next three articles: (13) Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women: 2004 (Catherine E. Freeman); (14) Educational Attainment of High School Dropouts 8 Years Later (David Hurst, Dana Kelly, and Daniel Princiotta); and (15) Digest of Education Statistics 2003 (Thomas D. Snyder, Alexandra G. Tan, and Charlene M. Hoffman). The eighth section, Methodology, contains the next article: (16) National Household Education Surveys Program: 2001: Methodology Report (Mary Jo Nolin, Jill Montaquila, Patricia Nicchitta, Mary Collins Hagedorn, and Chris Chapman). A section on Data Products, Other Publications, and Funding Opportunities is also included. (Individual articles contain references and figures.) [For "Education Statistics Quarterly" Volume 6, Number 3, see ED492619.]

There is increasing awareness that how young people spend their time outside of school has consequences for their development. As part of this awareness, interest in organized activities--extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and youth organizations--has grown markedly. On balance, the bulk of research on organized activities has shown positive consequences of participation for academic, educational, social, civic, and physical development. This fact, coupled with the safety and supervision provided by organized activities for youth with working parents, has fueled initiatives at the local, state, and Federal levels to expand opportunities for participation. In seeming opposition to these initiatives, there exists concern that participating in organized activities has become excessive for youth. This "over-scheduling" is thought to result from pressure from adults (parents, coaches, teachers) to achieve and attain long-term educational and career goals. These external pressures, along with the activity-related time commitment, are believed to contribute to poor psychosocial adjustment for youth and to undermine their relationships with parents. Because the implication is that increasing amounts of organized activity participation will be harmful to youth and family functioning, attention from scientists, practitioners, and policymakers is warranted. To evaluate these two somewhat different perspectives, we review two types of evidence: evidence from published studies focused on regional, historical, or limited samples and evidence from a very recent nationally representative sample of America's 5- to 18-year olds that includes both time use data and information on a wide range of indicators of development. The main findings across studies are as follows: (1) The primary motivations for participation in organized activities are intrinsic (e.g., excitement and enjoyment, to build competencies, and to affiliate with peers and activity leaders). Pressures from adults or educational/career goals are seldom given as reasons for participation; (2) American youth average about 5 hours/week participating in organized activities. At any given time, roughly 40% of young people in the US do not participate in organized activities and those who do typically spend less than 10 hours/week participating. Many alternative leisure activities (e.g., educational activities, playing games, watching television) consume as much or considerably more time. However, a very small subgroup of youth (between 3 and 6 percent) spends 20 or more hours/week participating; (3) There is quite consistent and strong evidence of a positive association between participating in organized activities and a variety of indicators of positive development: those youth who participate demonstrate healthier functioning on such indicators ranging from academic achievement, school completion, post secondary educational attainment, psychological adjustment, and lowered rates of smoking and drug use, to the quantity and quality of interactions with their parents. As the amount of participation in organized activities increases, the evidence suggests that the associated benefits of participation are observed either to accrue across the full range of activities or weekly hours of participation considered or to level off at relatively high amounts of participation; and (4) Concerning the well-being of youth with very high levels of involvement in organized activity participation (e.g., 20 or more hours/week), indicators of adjustment tended either to be more positive than, or similar to, youth who did not participate. Only a very few indicators of well-being have been shown to decline to a level significantly lower than youth who did not participate in organized activities. In sum, given the very limited empirical support for the over-scheduling hypothesis and the quite consistent support for the positive youth development perspective, we recommend that the recent efforts to expand opportunities for organized activity participation should stay the course. For the vast majority of young people, participation is associated with positive developmental outcomes. Of greater concern than the over-scheduling of youth in organized activities is the fact that many youth do not participate at all. The well-being of youth who do not participate in organized activities is reliably less positive compared to youth who do participate. (Contains 7 figures.)

This manuscript summarizes an institutional research study carried out at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) concerning factors affecting time to bachelor's degree attainment. Tuition sensitivity and concern about efficient use of institutional resources point to the need for decreasing students' time-to-degree. This study enlarges upon an earlier one; it investigated the effects of state- and institutionally-sponsored policies that were designed to decrease time-to-degree, and also some additional factors such as student participation in learning communities and first year programs. Time-to-degree decreased in four years since the previous study. Participation in a tuition discount program, total student credit hours earned, average credit hour load per semester, and student credit hours transferred were among the strongest predictors of time-to-degree. The study highlights the use of descriptive and bivariate statistical techniques, as well as important considerations in the use of applied multiple regression. (Contains 8 tables, 1 figure, and 1 endnote.)

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) fulfills a congressional mandate to collect and report "statistics and information showing the condition and progress of education in the United States and other nations in order to promote and accelerate the improvement of American education." The "Quarterly" offers an accessible, convenient overview of all NCES products released in a given period. Each issue includes: short publications (those less than 15 pages in length) in their entirety, executive summaries of longer publications, descriptive paragraphs of other NCES products, as well as notices about training and funding opportunities. Following a "Note from NCES" by Peggy G. Carr discussing the need for comparative information on student performance in large urban areas, challenges faced by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA), and kinds of data provided by TUDA, articles presented in this issue include: (1) The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2002, Trial Urban District Assessment (Anthony D. Lutkus, Arlene W. Weiner, Mary C. Daane, and Ying Jin); (2) The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2002, Trial Urban District Assessment (Anthony D. Lutkus, Mary C. Daane, Arlene W. Weiner, and Ying Jin); (3) Trial Urban District Assessment Snapshot Reports: Reading 2002 and Writing 2002 (National Center for Education Statistics); (4) Invited Commentary: NAEP's Trial Urban District Assessment: An Experiment Worth the Effort (Michael Casserly); (5) The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2002 (Hilary R. Persky, Mary C. Daane, and Ying Jin); (6) Public High School Graduates Who Participated in Vocational/Technical Education: 1982-1998 (Karen Levesque); (7) Getting Ready to Pay for College: What Students and Their Parents Know about the Cost of College Tuition and What They Are Doing to Find Out (Laura J. Horn, Xianglei Chen, and Chris Chapman); (8) High School Guidance Counseling (Basmat Parsad, Debbie Alexander, Elizabeth Farris, and Lisa Hudson); (9) Overview and Inventory of State Education Reforms: 1990 to 2000 (David Hurst, Alexandra Tan, Anne Meek, and Jason Sellers); (10) Work First, Study Second: Adult Undergraduates Who Combine Employment and Postsecondary Enrollment (Ali Berker and Laura Horn); (11) Postsecondary Attainment, Attendance, Curriculum, and Performance: Selected Results from the NELS:88/2000 Postsecondary Education Transcript Study (PETS), 2000 (Clifford Adelman, Bruce Daniel, and Ilona Berkovits); (12) A Descriptive Summary of 1999-2000 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 1 Year Later: With an Analysis of Time to Degree (Ellen M. Bradburn, Rachael Berger, Xiaojie Li, Katharin Peter, and Kathryn Rooney); (13) Distance Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions: 2000-2001 (Tiffany Waits and Laurie Lewis); (14) Third International Mathematics and Science Study 1999 Video Study Technical Report, Volume I: Mathematics (Jennifer Jacobs, Helen Garnier, Ronald Gallimore, Hilary Hollingsworth, Karen Bogard Givvin, Keith Rust, Takako Kawanaka, Margaret Smith, Diana Wearne, Alfred Manaster, Wallace Etterbeek, James Hiebert, and James Stigler); and (15) Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study: 2000-01 (B&B:2000/01) Methodology Report (Stephanie Charleston, John Riccobono, Paul Mosquin, and Michael Link). Listings and information on data products, other publications, and funding opportunities conclude the issue. (Individual articles contain tables, figures, and references.) [For "Education Statistics Quarterly" Volume 5, Issue 2, 2003, see ED482960.]

This digest presents an analysis of the workforce participation of Latinos, emphasizing findings by generation. It describes the demographics of native-born and immigrant Latinos and compares labor market outcomes for adult, young adult, and teen workers. The digest also explores the relationship between schooling and labor market participation, with a particular look at differences across ethnicities as well as across Latino generations. Findings analyzed indicate that labor market outcomes vary significantly by worker age, working Latino immigrants tend to be mature adults, and working age second generation Latinos are between 16-24 years. For prime-age labor market outcomes, data indicate that Latino wage outcomes are very sensitive to generation, Latino workers are the lowest paid workers in the U.S. labor market, employment rates improve among Hispanics from the first to the second generation as a result of improved educational attainment, and male Latino job-holding slightly lags white job-holding but is substantially above African American job-holding. Recently arrived Latino immigrant teens are the highest paid teenage workers and have the highest incomes because they work a lot. Findings suggest, however, that the relative labor market success of immigrant Latino teens tends to be at the expense of schooling activities, as recently arrived immigrant Latino teens tend not to pursue formal schooling and are not acquiring English fluency. Young immigrant Hispanic dropouts have a lower unemployment rate and earn more money than young white and African American dropouts. (Contains 10 references.) (SM)

To assess the impact of the National Academy Foundation (NAF) career academy (CA) model, a large-scale, multi-site evaluation was undertaken. Survey and interview data on program experiences and postsecondary outcomes were analyzed from nine CA programs. The study used pre-post evaluation of student data, field visits, and written and telephone surveys. It drew on data for 199 graduating CA seniors and a comparison group of 190 non- CA seniors; survey data for 157 alumni who had graduated from 9 long-standing NAF-affiliated CAs 5 and 10 years before the study; survey data for 34 CA and 26 non-CA teachers; and survey data for 192 employees. Findings include the following: (1) the program impacts students positively by providing a quality experience they find beneficial and by engaging them in schooling, but it neither adds to nor detracts from their overall academic achievement; (2) as measured by their college enrollment and completion, improved career aspirations, and employment outcomes, the program positively impacts students' postsecondary transitions; (3) for teachers, the CA model challenges them to think differently about their work with students, their teaching, and their work with one another; (4) CAs provided a structured avenue for strategic and substantive employer participation. (Contains 18 references) (YLB)

Portions of this paper were presented at a research briefing, sponsored by the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. Results are presented from evaluations of several early intervention programs, all of which provided high quality, center-based early childhood education and family-oriented services. Three perspectives are brought to the topic: (1) the developmental outcomes of children who have been identified as being vulnerable due to environmental circumstances; (2) the processes underlying the links between circumstances such as parental poverty and low education and child well-being; and (3) the efficacy of early childhood intervention programs for altering vulnerable children's success in school and beyond. The first perspective deals with the ways in which children develop that enable them to enter kindergarten with the competencies necessary to do well in school. The second considers the mechanisms that tie environmental conditions such as poverty and low parental education to child well-being. The third stresses the potential for early childhood education programs to alter school trajectories of vulnerable children. Concluding points are summarized for which there is consensus, by developmental researchers and policy experts, given the state of the evidence on the evaluation of early intervention programs. First, high quality center-based programs enhance vulnerable children's school-related achievement and behavior. Second, these effects are strongest for poor children and for children whose parents have little education. Third, these positive benefits continue into the late elementary school and high school years, although effects are smaller than they were at the beginning of elementary school. Fourth, programs that are continued into elementary school and that offer high 'doses' of early intervention have the most sustained long-term effects. It is unrealistic, given our knowledge of development, to expect short-term early interventions to last indefinitely, especially if children end up attending poor quality schools. It is magical thinking to expect that if we intervene in the early years, no further help will be needed by children in the elementary school years and beyond. [This issue of "Social Policy Report" also includes the following commentaries: (1) What We Can Expect From Early Childhood Intervention Programs (Janet Currie); (2) Charting Intervention Effects Over Time (Robert Emde); and (3) Forty Years of Believing In Magic Is Enough (Edward Zigler). Additional support for this issue was provided by the NICHD Research Network on Child and Family Well-Being, Brookings Institution Roundtable on Children and the MacArthur Network on the Economy and the Family.]

Is the positive potential of globalization being realized? Are transnational careers becoming a reality? What effects are uncertainty and continuous change having on career development? There is evidence that a growing number of companies are exporting both blue- and white-collar jobs overseas, although some contend that it is new technologies that have reduced the demand for more workers by increasing productivity. Some believe that jobs in fields where the level of expertise is high will remain in the United States. Workers who have high levels of education and skill may be more able to reap career benefits from global integration than those with only high school education or less. Lifelong learning is touted as a key to employability. Globalization's effects may be seen in increasingly lateral career paths, work that is increasingly portfolio centered rather than position centered, and an increase in contingent and temporary employment. Besides educational attainment and occupational proficiency, employment in a globalized world will require understanding and appreciation of a wide variety of cultures and the ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively in teams and across cultures. (Contains 18 references.) (SK)

This issue describes the state of reading and literacy in the United States from kindergarten into adulthood. Data from a number of sources make it possible to draw a picture of literacy at all educational levels. The most striking and troubling observation is the wide differentials between racial and ethnic groups, beginning in kindergarten and continuing through school and into adulthood. With the strong associations between literacy and success in the economy, reducing these differentials becomes critical in equalizing opportunity. In international terms, the performance of U.S. students is about average, or mediocre, but the United States is the most unequal of the tested countries, with a wider spread in literacy proficiency than the other developed countries assessed. It is as important to reduce the variability as it is to increase the average. School-based reading proficiency and adult literacy proficiency are not the same; reading to know is not the same as reading to do. Reading to do, however, is rewarded in the labor market. The high priority assigned to reading at the beginning of this decade is altogether warranted. Thirteen selected resources on literacy are described. (SLD)

Standards-based reform and the demand for accountability and higher student achievement over the past decade have created challenges for school boards. Should boards continue their historical low-key, hands-off approach to student learning? Or should they take on a leadership role by capitalizing on their traditional responsibility as local policymakers? This ERIC Digest describes the nature and potential of such policymaking efforts. Based on a review of research, the digest concludes that there is little empirical evidence to show how board policy affects student learning. Much of the literature consists of policy recommendations and opinions. However, the research suggests that boards can be a key part of educational improvement in a number of ways. Boards can support reform by mobilizing public support, providing adequate resources, and hiring qualified superintendents. Board members can establish policy committing themselves to systematic strategic planning based on assessment data. Boards can establish goals that all students will receive instruction from fully certified teachers. Board members can be aware of and begin to act on the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Boards can view coordinating board policy to support student learning as a best practice. (Contains 11 references.) (WFA)

This digest uses recent statistics, including Census 2000 data, to synthesize information on Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) children and families. The APIA population is diverse, and APIA groups vary widely in language, religion, beliefs, and health practices. The percentage of foreign born differs widely among APIA groups. The U.S. west is home to nearly half of all APIAs. Nearly one-third of APIAs reside in California, and over two-thirds of Hawaii's population consists of APIAs. Many first-generation APIAs established their own communities within American cities. Local services developed in these communities allowed APIAs of a single ethnicity to learn English and transition into a new life, with cultural and linguistic support benefiting families who remained in the communities. Educational completion rates differ widely among APIA groups. As a group, APIAs share no common language. Nearly two-thirds speak a non-English language at home. Support for English language learning and translation services is limited for APIAs. In 1997, the overall median income of APIA families and non-Hispanic whites was comparable, though there was great economic diversity among APIA groups. Employment and unemployment rates of APIAs in 1999 were equivalent to those of non-Hispanic whites, with APIAs more concentrated in managerial and professional specialty occupations than non-Hispanic whites. (SM)

To help educators quickly grasp demographic information and social and economic issues facing migrant farmworkers, this digest summarizes several recent federal reports. These reports are the National Agricultural Workers Survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in 1997-98; Current Population Survey data, from the Census Bureau; and the Farm Labor Survey, conducted four times a year by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This digest covers the immigration status, ethnicity, age, gender, and marital status of migrant farmworkers, and whether they lived with their families; number of weeks of employment during the year, hourly wages, annual income, and poverty status; employee benefits and use of health and social services; native language, educational attainment, and illiteracy rate; and extent of child labor, minors' wages, and impact of youth labor on education. (SV)

This publication provides a comprehensive overview of work done across all parts of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Each issue contains short publications, summaries, and descriptions that cover all NCES publications, data products, and funding opportunities developed over a 3-month period. Each issue also contains a message from the NCES on a timely topic and a featured topic with invited commentary. This issues featured topic is The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). This section contains the first three articles: (1) Coming of Age in the 1990s: The Eighth-Grade Class of 1988 12 Years Later (Steven J. Ingels, Thomas R. Curtin, Phillip Kaufman, Martha Naomi Alt, and Xianglei Chen); (2) Invited Commentary: Tracing Educational Trajectories through Longitudinal Studies (Aaron M. Pallas); (3) Invited Commentary: Transitioning to Adulthood in a Turbulent Time (Samuel R. Lucas). The second section, Elementary and Secondary Education, contains: (4) The Nations Report Card: U.S. History 2001 (Michael S. Lapp, Wendy S. Grigg, and Brenda S.-H. Tay-Lin); (5) Beyond School-Level Internet Access: Support for Instructional Use of Technology (Lawrence Lanahan);(6) Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools: 1999-2000 (Nancy Carey, Brian Kleiner, Rebecca Porch, and Elizabeth Farris); (7) Early Estimates of Public Elementary and Secondary Education Statistics: School Year 2001-02 (Lena M. McDowell and Frank Johnson); (8) Public High School Dropouts and Completers from the Common Core of Data: School Years 1991-92 through 1997-98 (Beth Aronstamm and Lee Hoffman); (9) Public School Student, Staff, and Graduate Council by State: School Year 2000-01 (Beth Aronstamm Young); (10) Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 1999-2000 (Frank Johnson); and (11) Financing Elementary and Secondary Education in the States: 1997-98 (Joel D. Sherman, Elizabeth Rowe, and Laura Peternick). The third section, Postsecondary Education, contains: (12) Persistence and Attainment of Beginning Students with Pell Grants (Christina Chang Wei and Laura Horn); and (13) Part-Time Instructional Faculty and Staff: Who They Are, What They Do, and What They Think (Valerie Martin Conley and David W. Leslie). The fourth section, Methodology, contains: (14) National Postsecondary Student Aid Study 1999-2000 (NPSAS:2000) Methodology Report (John A. Riccobono, Melissa B. Cominole, Peter H. Siegel, Tim J. Gabel, Michael W. Link, and Lutz K. Berkner); and (15) Classification of Instructional Programs: 200 Edition (National Center for Education Statistics). (Contains 28 figures and 43 tables.) (SLD)

The escalating cost of higher education is causing many to question the value of continuing education beyond high school. To determine whether higher education is worth the investment, it is useful to examine what is known about the value of higher education and the rates of return on investment to both the individual and society. There is considerable support for the idea that the rate of return on investment in higher education is high enough to warrant the financial burden associated with pursuing a college degree. Statistics on the earnings discrepancy between high school graduates and college graduates indicate the value of a college education. College graduates enjoy benefits beyond increased income, such as increased personal and professional mobility, improved quality of life for their offspring, and more leisure activity. Research has also shown a positive correlation between completion of high school education and good health, and a number of studies have shown a high correlation between higher education and cultural and family values. Research also suggests that students of modest ability or uncertain motivation would do well to enroll in two-year colleges, and that those who choose to enroll in four-year colleges should do everything in their power to graduate. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD)