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Colleges have long had mechanisms for awarding students credit for prior learning, from evaluating transcripts to establishing standards for the units and course credit to be associated with designated scores on nationally and internationally recognized curricula and exams. While the processes for awarding credit via these traditional mechanisms are generally well-developed, other avenues to college credit may not benefit from the same level of standardization and may be in need of refinement locally. Most notably, the awarding of credit in career technical education (CTE) areas for articulated high school work, including courses in Regional Occupational Career Programs (ROCPs), is an area in need of improvement, as increases in the number of articulated high school courses have not yielded a corresponding increase in the awarding of credit. While high schools offer courses in CTE areas to their traditional populations, ROCPs provide high-quality career preparation classes and services to prepare youth 16 years of age and older and adults for successful careers in response to the needs of the local labor market. For simplicity, references throughout this paper will be made to high schools only with the understanding that the entity a college is working with may be an ROCP. Local policies and practices may, in some cases, hinder the transcription of credit earned. Once an articulation agreement has been established, the awarding of credit requires a coordinated intersegmental effort that begins in a high school class and ends in a community college admissions and records office. The intervening steps must not be overly burdensome on the student and the process should not be unreasonably prolonged. Most importantly the process must ensure that the student has achieved the competencies that justify the awarding of credit.

What can be learned from the college transcripts of beginning postsecondary students who first enrolled in the 2003-04 academic year and were followed over a 6-year period ending in 2009? The Web Tables presented in this report provide an overview of classes taken and credits earned by a nationwide sample of first-time beginning postsecondary students. Transcripts were requested from all the postsecondary institutions that students attended, providing the opportunity to create a complete, 6-year record of students' coursetaking and credit accumulation. Topics covered in the Web Tables include precollege credits, remedial education participation, withdrawals and repeated courses, and credits earned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Also presented are credits earned in each year of enrollment and total credits earned by whether students earned a credential. Tables present results for student demographic and socioeconomic characteristics (sex, race/ethnicity, income, parents' education, and age); high school academic indicators (school type, SAT/ACT scores, grade point average [GPA], and highest level of math taken); the characteristics of students' first postsecondary institution attended (sector and selectivity); and their first degree program. [The Web Tables were authored by Alexandria Walton Radford and Laura Horn of MPR Associates, Inc.]

At no time in recent history has the importance of adult education been greater and the funding more threatened. Despite the fact that as many as 93 million adults in the U.S. may need basic skills services to improve their economic prospects, funding for these services is stagnating at the federal level and being slashed in statehouses and state agencies across the country. Demand remains high, with at least 160,000 people on waiting lists that exist in nearly every state. At the same time, the labor market is shifting to one that requires workers to have postsecondary credentials to compete. With this shift, the adult education system must transform the way that services are delivered--helping students meet these new demands by preparing them for college and career success, not just a secondary school diploma. To begin the conversation about how to meet existing and emerging needs with shrinking resources, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the National Council for State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) surveyed state directors of adult education in February 2012. The goal was to glean information about important policies that govern the way adult education is funded, including the costs borne by local districts, community colleges, and other providers and by the states, the federal government, and students. The results shed light on a national system whose state branches are more different than they are similar. States vary widely across each topic covered--with one critical exception. Most strive to keep costs low for students, who desperately need adult education services to build a better life for themselves and improve their economic prospects. The field of adult education is changing, and with it, financing and tuition policies are shifting to meet new priorities. This survey provides a close look into instrumental funding and tuition policies, but more research should be done to understand how state policy can encourage programming in support of college and career readiness, as well as how federal and state policies may affect overall funding levels for basic skills services. Appended are: (1) Percentage of Funding, by Revenue Source; (2) State Tuition Policies; and (3) State Policies on GED[R] Testing Fees. (Contains 7 tables, 3 figures, and 30 endnotes.) ["Sinking or Swimming: Findings from a Survey of State Adult Education Tuition and Financing Policies" was written with Lennox McLendon.]

Improving high school graduation rates has become the focus of virtually every high school, district and state nationwide, as dropout rates in many areas remain unacceptably high. As 80-90% of students voice the expectation that they will go to college (and federal labor projections support the need for a more educated workforce), greater numbers of states are making a "college/and career-ready" high school curriculum the default curriculum to earn a high school diploma. Many education stakeholders at the state and local level are wondering how it is possible to raise high school graduation rates while increasing the number and rigor of courses required for a high school diploma. Credit recovery and proficiency-based credit are being adopted by a growing number of states that are working to simultaneously increase graduation rates, create a default "college/career-ready" high school curriculum, and provide acceleration options for students. This issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" addresses the following questions: (1) What is credit recovery? What is proficiency-based credit?; (2) How is credit recovery different from traditional remediation?; (3) Why does providing for these options matter for high school completion?; (4) How widespread are these options across the states? What do state policies look like?; (5) What are the challenges in implementing credit recovery and proficiency-based credit programs?; (6) What does the research say on the effectiveness of credit recovery and proficiency-based credit?; and (7) What are the essential policy components? (Contains 11 endnotes.)

Like most high-stakes testing programs, the GED[R] testing program allows examinees who do not pass on the first attempt to retake the GED Tests. Studies and reports have described GED Tests candidates' characteristics and testing performance, but no study has targeted repeat examinees. A series of questions related to repeat examinees remains unanswered: Do repeat examinees have the same characteristics as examinees who pass the GED Tests on the first try? What are repeat examinees' retesting behaviors? What relationship do testing center policies have to a repeat examinee's decision about retesting? The goal of this study is to provide an accurate description of characteristics and testing histories of repeat GED Tests examinees and to examine relationships of individual characteristics and testing center policies with examinees' test performance. Testing and passing rates by GED Tests examinees' social and demographic characteristics are disclosed. The study employs multilevel analyses to disaggregate relationships of individual factors and testing center policies with examinees' decisions about retesting and their passing status. Overall, about half of GED Tests examinees who did not pass the GED Tests on their first attempt retested. Thirty-two percent of all first-time non-passers retested and passed. Among repeat examinees in the current study, nearly 60 percent of them eventually passed the GED Tests through persistent effort. Fifty-four percent of repeat examinees retested in Mathematics, and 49 percent retested in Language Arts, Writing. Status as a young candidate, a white candidate, having completed higher than fifth grade, having a higher first-attempt score, having a goal to enter a two-year college, or taking the Official GED Practice Tests was associated with a higher chance of retesting. At the testing center level, both requiring GED Tests completion in one day and allowing testing in one content area at a time reduced the probability of retesting. The probability of passing also increased for young, white males with English as a primary language, who had a higher first-attempt score, who completed higher than fifth grade, and who had a goal to enter a two-year college. At the testing center level, requiring a retesting fee, requiring GED Tests to be completed in one day, and allowing testing in one content area at a time were negatively associated with the chance of passing for repeat examinees. Completion of GED Tests before scoring increased a repeat examinee's probability of passing the GED Tests. The longer repeat examinees waited before retesting, the higher their chances for passing the GED Tests. Implications of these and other findings from the study are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered in this report. Appended are: (1) Descriptive Statistics for Candidates Who Did Not Pass on Their First Attempt, by Retesting Status: 2006; (2) Distribution of GED Tests Candidates Who Did Not Pass on the First Attempt, by Reasons for Testing and Retest Status: 2006; (3) Descriptive Statistics for Repeat Examinees, by Passing Status: 2006; (4) Fully Conditional HGLM Results for the Likelihood of Retesting (Population Average Model): 2006; and (5) Fully Conditional HGLM Results for Likelihood of Passing the GED Tests (Population Average Model): 2006. (Contains 9 tables and 3 footnotes.)

This report summarizes 2008-2009 data for facilities serving neglected or delinquent youth within Austin Independent School Disrict's attendance zones that used federal Title I funds.

This paper presents a list of frequently asked questions about the 5th Edition GED (General Educational Development) Test. This paper answers the following questions: (1) With the announcement of altered plans for a 5th Edition GED Test release, will the current 2002 test series continue beyond January 1, 2012?; (2) What should I tell the public, the adult educators and testing professionals in my jurisdictions about changes to the GED testing program and changes in the 5th Edition release?; (3) What elements of the GED 20/20 Initiative will begin in 2010?; (4) Will test-takers be able to combine test scores past January 1, 2012?; (5) When will a new GED Test replace the current test series?; (6) How far in advance will jurisdictions be notified of a new test series release?; (7) How will the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) pilot jurisdictions be selected?; (8) What are the goals of the CBT pilot?; and (9) How will jurisdictions not participating in the pilot be involved or informed of the details? (Contains 2 footnotes.)

Providing high school students access to advanced coursework has long been considered an important means of preparing students for success after high school. This study merges data from College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) program for the 2003-2004 school year with data from the U.S. Department of Education for all U.S. public high schools to determine availability of the AP program in the nation's high schools, participation patterns in AP, and AP grade information for public schools with different socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics. Study findings include: (1) School types vary in the degree to which they offer AP; (2) Once differences among schools in AP program intensity are taken into account, public high schools are similar with regard to AP exam participation and student performance; (3) Few students are participating in AP programs and scoring well enough on AP exams to potentially earn college credit and/or placement; (4) Low-income students are consistently lagging behind more-advantaged peers; (5) Although there has been some success in introducing the AP program into diverse schools, there continues to be a lack of underrepresented minorities among AP examinees; and (6) Gender differences are evident for each of the measures used in this study. Six recommendations for further research suggest focus on: (1) Identifying and providing the educational experiences that students need in order to be prepared for advanced coursework; (2) Policies for student placement into academic tracks or programs; (3) Ways to encourage students to prepare for and participate in advanced academic programs, particularly underrepresented students; (4) Identifying the issues keeping low-income students from AP participation even when opportunities and fee-reduction opportunities are present; (5) Providing the resources necessary to ensure that AP courses are available for all students who wish to take them; and (6) Identifying teacher quality issues and staff development needs to ensure that students have access to appropriate instruction. The report concludes that unless the opportunity for advanced coursework is made available to growing segments of underserved student populations, many students will be unable to avail themselves of opportunities for higher education and for successful participation in the workforce. Two appendixes are included: (1) Cluster Analysis Methodology; and (2) School Type Codes and Definitions. (Contains 9 tables, 13 figures, and 29 footnotes.)

Reports consistently demonstrate that the attainment of a high school diploma is not simply of value to the individual student, but that the benefit of a high school diploma is reaped by the graduate's community as well. Most educators readily acknowledge the importance of dropout prevention and the significance of a high school diploma. A corresponding issue is the accuracy with which dropout and graduation rates are calculated. This policy brief examines various calculation methods, the history behind the use of particular methodologies, and the strong nationwide trend toward a cohort rate. The report also examines Indiana legislation that has shaped the Indiana graduation rate methodology. Advocacy for a uniform national methodology is also discussed. Five web resources are included. (Contains 37 endnotes and 3 tables.)

What factors affect student success in AP courses? The College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) is widely recognized as the premier program for advanced placement and credit by examination. Originally established in 1955 as an opportunity for a few elite groups of students to take on college level work, the AP program has expanded to include more than 700,000 students, more than one million exams administered yearly, in more than 13,000 schools. Research indicates that students completing AP courses were better prepared to take on college course work and were able to earn college credit when successful on the AP exams. In addition, teachers participating in AP professional development have been credited with greater content and pedagogical knowledge. Finally, Advanced Placement programs are credited with improving the overall curricula of the school by creating a need for more rigorous prerequisite courses. However, in spite of the many benefits of Advanced Placement programs, problems exist. This paper presents several key issues that were identified as concerns about teaching AP courses and offers recommendations for improving success in AP courses. (Contains 5 online resources.)

This report presents findings from the evaluation of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Even Start Program, also called the Family Intergenerational Literacy Model (FILM), now in its twelfth full year of operation. The evaluation focuses on the total population of adult students, preschoolers, adult graduates, and preschool graduates. The significant features of FILM, validated by the Department of Education's Program Effectiveness Panel as a Developer Demonstration Project, are: (1) adult interaction education; (2) parent discussion group; (3) semi-monthly home visit interaction; (4) parent/child interaction; and (5) an early learning center serving infants through 5-year-olds. A variety of instructional materials and educational programs meet diverse needs of participants, helping parents develop self-confidence and value education so they can empower the entire family, and thereby help to break the intergenerational cycle of under-education and poverty. Data collection methods for the evaluation included observations, questionnaires, standardized instruments, and written records. Evaluation findings indicated that participants were overwhelmingly Hispanic. Since 1991-92, there was considerable variation in retention rates. This year the GED passage rate at all four combined sites was 22 percent of eligible students. Most parents reported positive changes in the way they disciplined their children. Gains in school readiness were comparable to those in the national Event Start sample study. Kindergarten teachers identified parental involvement and motivation to learn as strengths in Even Start graduates. Among Even Start graduates in first through eighth grade, mean achievement test scores were higher than classmates' mean scores. Several positive effects were noted among adult graduates. An appendix contains a collaboration and staff development report is appended. (Contains 32 references.) (KB)

The growing number of youth enrolling in adult literacy education is a little-documented trend across the nation that is having a major impact on programs in some areas but appears to be unnoticed by educational policymakers and researchers. A central question is whether youth enrollments provide an opportunity for adult literacy education to serve dropouts as soon as possible after they leave school (thereby improving their ability to obtain better jobs, pursue further education, and contribute to their communities), or whether problems associated with serving these youth outweigh any benefits. The information the author gathered for this chapter does not suggest a definitive answer to this question, but it does lay the groundwork for a more informed response. There is clearly a need for more research to determine, for example, whether adult literacy education is successful in helping these youth earn high school credentials. In addition, there are important policy issues, such as whether adult literacy programs should receive additional funding to serve such youth. (Contains 2 notes.) [Chapter 3 in: Annual Review of Adult Learning and Literacy. Volume 1; copublished with Jossey-Bass, Inc.; see ED436673.]

The year 1998 was one of immense change for adult learning and literacy, as significant new legislation was passed and the field headed more deeply into the mainstream. Along with these developments came greater demands for program accountability, expanded strategic alliances and partnerships, new instructional methodologies, changes in public policy, and advancements in technology that change the nature of the teaching-learning experience for both teachers and learners. This paper reviews the gains made in the field of adult learning and literacy in 1998 and discusses the needs that must be met in the years ahead. [Chapter 1 in: Annual Review of Adult Learning and Literacy. Volume 1; copublished with Jossey-Bass, Inc.; see ED436673.]

Employment Plus is an intervention program offered by the Chesapeake Public School Division (Virginia) that targets high school students who are at risk of educational failure. The program is provided by the Department of Vocational Education and is offered in all high schools. Employment Plus offers an alternative to the traditional high school diploma for students who are 17 years of age and older and who are 2 or more years behind their peers. Students in Employment Plus receive preparation for the Tests of General Educational Development (GED), and they must sign an agreement to seek and maintain employment while in the process. Each high school usually serves an average of 15 students for the Employment Plus program for the school year. The enrollment for the 1997-98 school year in the 6 programs was 85 students. The evaluation for the 1997-98 school year examined the selection of students, the success rate of the program, costs, and overall satisfaction among students, program coordinators, employers, teachers, and principals. Interviews with approximately 65 students and 6 vocational counselors, and surveys completed by 5 principals and 19 employers and teachers provided evaluation data. In addition, the program model was compared with recommendations from the educational literature for serving at-risk secondary students. Evaluation findings show that the program is cost effective and that the model offers most of the strategies recommended for at-risk students. A large number of potential students who could benefit from the program are not considered for enrollment under current identification and selection processes. The cooperative work experience component is successful in some schools but not in others for reasons that usually center on difficulty in finding work. Approximately 50% of students in the program obtain the GED, but the number is higher for students who complete at least 24 weeks of the program. Principals and program coordinators were very satisfied with the program; and students, vocational counselors, employers, and teachers were satisfied. Recommendations are made to continue and improve the program. Three appendixes discuss contacts with other school divisions in Virginia to obtain comparative information and contain the program course catalog and selected student comments. (SLD)

In 1995, nearly three-quarters of a million high school dropouts, age 16 and above, took the General Educational Development (GED) tests in pursuit of alternative secondary certification. The GED performs the following functions: stimulate human capital investment; measure and assess cognitive skills; certify dropouts with specified skill and knowledge levels; and build dropouts' confidence. Accordingly, GED recipients are much more likely to participate in postsecondary education and vocational training than are other dropouts. Although the grade-point averages of GED recipients and high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education tend to converge over time, high school graduates are much more likely to complete their postsecondary education than GED recipients are. In controlled comparisons, a GED had little effect on labor force participation or unemployment but was positively associated with gains in full-time employment. Studies have shown that GED recipients earn more than other dropouts but less than high school graduates. Although GED recipients had no earnings advantage over dropouts in the short term, their relative earnings increased over time. (The bibliography contains 215 references. Appended are the following: evidence from Wisconsin regarding GED norming; seven tables; discussion of technical issues; and summary of GED follow-up surveys.) (MN)

This report analyzes the eligibility of California's 1996 high school graduating class in light of freshman admission requirements in effect for fall 1996, which stipulated that the freshmen classes for the California State University and the University of California be selected from the top one-third and one-eighth of the graduating class, respectively. Twenty-five charts and tables and accompanying narrative present statistical trends since 1981 in the racial-ethnic composition of public high school graduates, along with graduation trends by geographic region for 1990 and 1996. The report notes that 1996 high school graduates were more likely than 1990 graduates to complete a university preparatory curriculum, take advanced placement tests, and take college admission examinations. As a result of the more stringent admission requirements, a smaller proportion of graduates were fully eligible for the state's public institutions in 1996 than in 1990. For California State University, eligibility rates declined for both men and women and for the four major racial-ethnic groups, in all 11 geographic regions. For the University of California, eligibility rates declined for both men and women and for Asian and Black graduates although not in all regions. A glossary and eligibility index table are appended. (SW)

Is it possible to translate an existing test from the source language to a target language and then to empirically link the translated test to the source language standard? Some tests are amenable to translation of their content and some are not. Within tests, some items may be translatable and others may not. Some items may measure meaningful content when translated, and others may not. Within items, some options may be translatable, and others may not. This paper focuses on the rigorous method used to translate and adapt from English to Spanish three equated forms of the Tests of General Educational Development (GED tests) to ensure that all items are valid and that the translated instrument measures a comparable construct. Most specifically, the paper addresses issues related to translating items on the language subtest. The Spanish-language GED tests were normed using only graduated high school seniors in Puerto Rico. In addition, the paper outlines a linking design that introduces a procedure for screening biliterate students for linguistic equivalency across languages before including them in the linking sample. This design will be tested in May 1997 when the test is administered to a large sample of biliterate Hispanic high school seniors. (Contains 2 tables and 12 references.) (Author/SLD)

The Educational Learning and Enrichment Center (ELEC) entered into a contract with the Houston Independent School District (HISD) (Texas) to provide a community-based alternative education program for HISD eligible students who had dropped out of school and were considered to be at risk of not completing their basic education. The 1996-97 evaluation indicated that 296 students were enrolled in the high school equivalency (GED) program in the 1996-97 school year. Of that number, 177 obtained GED certification providing a certification rate of 60%. This exceeded the performance standard of 35%. Five students participated in ELEC's Texas Assessment of Academic Skills program, and these students remained at their home schools. ELEC exceeded the defined performance standard for participation in the various counseling programs. Overall, the program director, faculty members, and students surveyed indicated satisfaction with the ELEC GED program. Appendixes contain the student and faculty surveys. (Contains four tables and one reference.) (SLD)

Current practice in accreditation of prior and informal learning in the United Kingdom was examined through a review of literature on how the accreditation of prior and informal learning is being used to gain access to higher education or toward certification of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) or Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ). Special attention was paid to the following: use of assessment of prior learning (APL) in unpaid work; views of United Kingdom organizations on APL; the National Record of Achievement; access and higher education; success of APL and assessment of prior experiential learning (APEL) in higher education; and success of APL in NVQs and SVQs. It was discovered that accrediting and awarding bodies for NVQs and SVQs are increasingly encouraging assessors to acknowledge evidence of prior learning and achievement as part of the overall package of evidence that a candidate may bring to the assessment of NVQs and SVQs. With higher education, APL appears more accepted than APEL, with many institutions having a more straightforward process for awarding credit for certificated learning than for experiential learning and with many institutions having different fee structures for APL and APEL. Many institutions are taking a fresh look at both APL and APEL. (Contains 17 references.) (MN)

This paper describes the General Educational Development (GED) Testing Service's Spanish Test Adaptation Project. The GED Tests are designed to give those who have not graduated from high school the opportunity to earn a diploma that is recognized by institutions of higher education and employers. The purpose of this project is to develop, based on an analysis of the issues, Spanish-language versions of the GED tests that parallel the English-language versions so that the GED candidates' Spanish-language scaled scores are comparable to the scores of candidates who take the English-language GED tests. In 1995, about 26,500 Spanish-language GED tests were taken on the mainland United States and about 14,600 were taken in Puerto Rico. The paper describes the processes followed to analyze three forms of the five-test GED battery to determine if items are translatable, to ensure that all items are valid, and that the resulting instruments measure comparable constructs. The process of adapting the Writing Skills subtest is discussed in some detail. In addition, a linking design is outlined that introduces a procedure for screening biliterate students for equal proficiency in the two languages before including them in the linking sample. (Contains 2 tables and 16 references.) (Author/SLD)

This project investigated the acceptance of innovation and change as it related to a specific education change of prior learning assessment (PLA) at the University College of the Fraser Valley (UCFV) in British Columbia, Canada. The study explored the barriers that existed against students who wanted to have experiential and workplace learning recognized towards a credential at UCFV. Content analysis of all internal and provincial documents relating to PLA were used to identify a series of issues and concerns that were explored both quantitatively and qualitatively. A survey of all UCFV faculty and administration explored attitudes toward and actual experiences with prior learning assessment. In-depth focus interviews were conducted with those who attempted to gain recognition for prior learning. Use of case study and triangulation presented a more complete description of the situation and a more thorough understanding of the forces acting to both inhibit and promote change. Integration of content analysis, survey research, and in-depth interviews served as a basis for a set of recommendations to UCFV that should increase acceptability and use of PLA. Recommendations include the creation of an Office of Prior Learning at the college; incorporation of PLA in base budget funding; and resolution of the issues of transcription, portfolio grading, and transferability of PLA credit. (Contains over 200 references.) (Author/NAV)

This publication represents a basic analysis of state correctional education data collected in 1992. It presents six summary tables that capture key data collected in 1992-1993 for adult and juvenile facilities as well as profiles of the states that responded to the survey. Forty-three states responded to the survey and one was eliminated because of missing data on key variables. Almost all states offer Adult Basic Education and GED preparation courses, and 23 of the 40 states offering such education offer it at every facility. An average of 62% of facilities within states offered high school coursework, with 10 states offering high school coursework in all facilities. An average of 69% of correctional institutions offered some type of vocational education, and vocational education was offered at every facility in 10 states. Only an average of 39% of correctional facilities within each state offered special education, but life and social skills training was offered at an average of 79% of correctional institutions within the states. Most inmates were enrolled in Adult Basic Education or GED instruction. Thirty-nine states responded to the survey about juvenile correctional education, but only 36 states provided a complete set of data. Almost all juvenile facilities offer elementary and secondary academic instruction, GED preparation, special education, and life and social skills training. Vocational education is offered at an average of 86% of juvenile institutions within a particular state. Appendixes contain profiles of education in adult and juvenile facilities. (SLD)

A collection of essays on Chinese heritage community language schools in the United States addresses these topics: the schools, their curricula, and organization (Theresa Hsu Chao); school administration and management (Chao, Lydia Chen, Edward Chang); academic curriculum (Pay-Fen Serena Wang); non-heritage Chinese learners: practices and implications (Ming Lee); extracurricular activities (Suray H. Lee, Chang-Yu Miao); Chinese language summer camps for students (Cathy E-Ling Chai); short-term professional development for teachers (Yu-Ming Peng); obtaining credit from local school districts (Rae Shae Chen); awarding credit through testing: the case of the San Francisco (California) Unified School District (Ju-Ching Liu); issues and recommendations for improving Chinese language schools (Shu-han Chou Wang); optimizing unique opportunities for learning (Martha Wang Gallagher); and forging a link: Chinese heritage community language schools and the formal education system (Xueying Wang). (MSE)

A study investigated bachelor's degree completion times and related factors for students in Oklahoma higher education institutions. Data were drawn from survey information on 1,399 college freshmen in 1995 and cohort data on the entire freshman population of 37,059 in 1988. Analyses focus on comparison of students' expected and actual time-to-degree (by age, race, gender, and institution type) and on other factors of interest in time-to-degree (student employment, advanced placement courses, College Level Examination Program, course load, and transfer). A separate section discusses factors that may negatively impact time-to-degree not examined in this study (changing majors, extracurricular activities, financial aid, and remediation). Recommendations concerning time-to-degree issues culled from other state and institutional studies are also examined, and this study's recommendations are presented. Appended materials include a brief review of literature on factors influencing degree completion time and a copy of the 1995 degree completion survey. (Contains 45 endnotes.) (MSE)

A summary of a report on the value of the General Educational Development (GED) Tests prepared in 1994 for Congressional hearings on the reauthorization of vocational and adult education legislation includes the following highlights: (1) each year more than 750,000 adults (average age 26) take the GED tests and about 450,000 adults obtain high school credentials based on the tests; (2) the value of the GED credential is determined by the fact that it validly certifies the attainment of high school level knowledge and skills; (3) GED graduates, on average, perform as well as high school graduates in community colleges; (4) more than 40 percent of GED graduates attend college after passing the tests; (5) about 75 percent of colleges and universities accept a high school equivalency credential based on the GED tests; (6) passing the GED tests provides graduates with opportunities for better jobs; and (7) federal support for the GED program should continue, allowing the program to be strengthened and professionalized, targeted to those whose skill levels are suited to this level of study, and made more relevant to adults. (Contains 31 references.) (KC)

This study compared performance of seniors at 21 Montgomery County (Maryland) high schools on the Advanced Placement (AP) Tests. The schools were ranked by the percentage of college-educated adults within the school boundaries, and the ranking was compared to Advanced Placement test results (the average number of students, per 100 seniors, who scored 4 or 5 on a test). Some county schools produced an extraordinary number of students who did well on the AP exams--two to five times as many as other schools with similar demographics. Comments from interviews with AP teachers in nine of these exemplary advanced placement programs, focusing on the curriculum areas of English, computer science, social sciences, science, languages, and art, make up the bulk of the report. Successful strategies in implementing AP programs are identified, based on the comments of the exemplary programs' teachers. An appendix offers information on how a school administration or parent advocacy group might replicate the study. (DB)

The percentage of students taking more challenging courses in high school is dramatically higher now than in the early 1980s. The growth in number of students and schools participating in Advanced Placement (AP) courses is equally dramatic. AP courses are designed by college faculty and by experienced high school faculty. They are an example of schools and colleges working together to develop higher content and performance standards. Almost 3,400 high schools in Southern Regional Educational Board states offer AP courses--about twice as many as 10 years ago. More than 146,000 high school students in these states completed AP courses in 1994. Most students in this region who take AP examinations score high enough to earn credit at colleges and universities. Those who do not score high enough to earn college credit perform better in college than students who have not taken AP courses. Incorporating AP courses into a school's curriculum is not easy, however. State departments of education encourage participation in AP courses, but most do not develop comprehensive or special initiatives to support it. States are encouraged to expand and improve AP course offerings through: training seminars for AP teachers; funding part or all of AP examination fees for students; and providing incentives for schools to participate in AP programs. (KW)