Search

The document describes San Antonio College's (Texas) strategic goals and objectives for 2000-2001. San Antonio College's comprehensive planning and evaluation process monitors the achievement of college-wide goals and initiatives supporting the college's Vision and Mission Statement and the Alamo Community College District's Strategic Plan. The completion of the college's Performance and Achievement Report enabled the Institutional Effectiveness Steering Committee to modify the college objectives, eliminating some that had been achieved and modifying others. College Strategic Goals and Objectives are listed under six college categories: Instruction, Student Services, Employee Development, Administrative Support, Community Support and Outreach, and All College. Included in this planning document is a list of ongoing activities, which are those actions a unit must continue to perform to fulfill its individual mission. Also included in the document is the strategic planning flow chart that is followed by the college. This chart identifies the ongoing nature of strategic planning which uses continuous evaluation for improvement. Some of the ongoing activities for the Division of Arts and Sciences include providing quality instruction in all architecture courses, coordinating project displays in exhibition areas, and coordinating jury evaluations of student work. (JA)

Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) is a not-for-profit school-community collaborative designed to improve instructional quality and culture within at-risk feeder school systems in inner cities. This research-based school reform model reforms large urban school systems through incremental expansion, one K-12 feeder cluster at a time. It prescribes a strong, well-articulated K-12 curriculum that ensures that all students are insulated from academic failure, graduate from high school with direction, and pursue higher education. The targeted curricular areas are math, reading, classroom management and student discipline, parental involvement, and pursuit of college. The most prominent element/activity of the intervention is the provision of intensive professional development activities for all relevant personnel. The program also offers a college scholarship program and community support. The overall goal of the 1998-99 evaluation was to provide a summative assessment of project effectiveness/impact and formative assessment/documentation of its implementation elements and processes in the Houston Independent School District, Texas. Results indicate that the Project GRAD model had consistent, predictable, positive impacts on student discipline, academic performance, time on task, and college attendance. (Contains 63 references.) (SM)

The Austin Collaborative for Mathematics Education (ACME) is a systemwide initiative to improve mathematics education in all elementary and middle school classrooms in the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas. The initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, provides long-term, high quality professional development to build the instructional capacity of more than 2,000 AISD mathematics teachers. This evaluation describes ACME professional development in its second year of implementation. It focuses on the roles and teamwork of ACME professional development facilitators, teachers' experiences in ACME professional development, effects on teachers' knowledge and skills, and implementation of the ACME. Data were gathered through: (1) questionnaires completed by 237 teachers and 83 principals ; (2) interviews with 10 teachers, as well as administrators and ACME staff; (3) observations of professional development and 50 classroom mathematics lessons; and (4) examination of district documents. A key ACME strength was the way ACME core members work together and their vision of high quality standards-based professional development. ACME professional development provides many opportunities for teachers who engage in its activities actively. Some challenges were identified, mainly in finding ways to improve teachers' participation within the professional development sessions. Appendixes contain the teacher questionnaire, the teacher interview form, the principal questionnaire, the classroom observation guide and protocol, the post-observation interview guide, and other surveys and interview guides. (Contains 12 references.) (SLD)

This paper shares ideas from a research project involving more than 75 teachers in five states. The teachers participated in groups of 12-18. They received support as part of the research project. The groups met with a facilitator every 2-3 weeks to have conversations about teaching and learning. They learned from and with each other as they explored their beliefs and assumptions about teaching, tried new approaches in their classrooms, read articles, wrote in their journals, and visited each other's classrooms. This paper focuses on three key strategies that can guide efforts to improving student learning and making teaching more meaningful and satisfying: shifting the focus from what is being taught to what students are learning; talking with colleagues about educational issues and ideas; and reflecting and being thoughtful when making choices in practice. It offers thoughts from the study group teachers on each of the topics. By participating in these study groups, teachers reported that they built support networks, engaged in meaningful dialogue, learned more about themselves as teachers, reflected upon their understanding of learning, used this understanding to make better decisions about teaching, and improved student learning. (Contains 10 references.) (SM)

This paper describes the Survey of Effective School Practices, which began in 1995-96 to examine key characteristics, common elements, and unique qualities that contributed to having several elementary schools and one middle school in a large Texas school district become state recognized or exemplary. The study involved a survey instrument that measured effective school practices of recognized schools. The survey focused on instructional environment, instructional processes, administration processes, and communication processes. Results indicate seven themes that capture the dynamics of the schools' excellence: high quality teaching, setting high expectations, monitoring standards, rewarding results, using resources that facilitate the teaching process, creating a cooperative work environment, and having effective, frequent communication. What appears to set these schools apart are the commitment, creativity, persistence, and professionalism with which they have gone about the task of instructional implementation. One of the fundamental elements of this success is the collaborative culture that is dedicated to continuous improvement. The survey is appended. (SM)

This article analyzes education and finance in Texas. It reports that Texas spends less per pupil on education than many other states in the nation--despite a greater than 10 percent increase in state appropriations for education since 1996. There is also high variance in per-pupil expenditures from one district to the next, with some school districts spending more than twice as much on total operating expenditures per pupil than others. The document discusses how Texas schools are funded and describes efforts that are being made to ensure equity in school finance. It provides a history of school finance in Texas, describing how, in 1984, a group of school districts filed suit charging that the state's heavy reliance on property taxes to fund education resulted in expenditure differences that violated the Texas Constitution. The article reports that all property wealth in the state is now taxed more equitably. It concludes that Texas needs to re-evaluate its level of educational spending, and states that Texas must provide adequate educational opportunities for all of its children, regardless of their income or residence within a specific school district. A chart lists total operating expenditures by county per pupil for 1996-97. (RJM)

Title IV Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities is a compensatory education program supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Education through the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994. The purpose of Title IV is to enable schools to supplement local efforts to eliminate violence and the use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol among students. During 1998-99, Title IV provided funding to the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas, to support a variety of district-level and campus-level prevention education efforts. Services were provided through the following components: (1) campus-based prevention initiatives; (2) district-level student programs; (3) curriculum and staff development; and (4) support staff and services. Evaluation data came from student surveys, a survey responded to by a random sample of teachers , and district incident data about discipline, violence, and drug-related offenses. Recommendations based on evaluation findings call for more student education on the prevalence and dangers of drugs and increased conflict resolution training for students. More professional development is recommended, and suggestions are made for continued curriculum integration efforts. Six appendixes contain supplemental information about Title IV and its implementation in the AISD. (Contains 33 tables, 32 figures, and 24 references.) (SLD)

The Title VI programs of the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas, are described. Title VI provides federal funds to states under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended in 1994. Title VI is intended to contribute to the improvement of elementary and secondary educational programs in both public and private nonprofit schools and institutions. States earn Title VI funds based on their school-aged population. The AISD's 1998-99 allocation of $457,395 was supplemented by funds rolled over from the prior year. The following programs were funded under Title VI in the AISD: (1) a coordinator of volunteers; (2) library resources; (3) a mathematics specialist; (4) private school library resources; (5) science and health education; (6) visiting teachers; (7) Reading Recovery programs; and (8) School Support Community Specialists. (SLD)

School-to-Career (STC) describes a system of integrated school-based and work-based learning that integrates academic and occupational learning in the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas. STC, or Career and Technology Education (CATE) students are grouped into categories according to level of participation as CATE Elective, CATE Coherent (completion of a coherent sequence of course work), and Tech Prep (completion of a coherent sequence of course work within a pathway with state approved articulation courses). This report documents and presents demographic and collective STC data for the 1998-99 school year. Between August 1998 and May 1999, 18,261 students were enrolled in CATE courses. Sixty-five percent of the AISD's high school students are enrolled in CATE courses. In grades 11 and 12, students who participated in CATE have a higher reading and writing passing rate on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills than non-CATE participants. Tech Prep students had the lowest dropout rate and the highest postsecondary enrollment rate of the AISD 1996-97 cohort. The course failure rate for students at three high schools who participated in the "Connections" course, a course for ninth graders coordinated by STC personnel, was lower than the failure rate for students who did not take "Connections." Several recommendations are made to improve the evaluative process of the STC program. These include better data collection and quality assurance methods to ensure the accuracy of the data collected. (SLD)

This information resources (IR) planning document for Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas) is divided into three main sections corresponding to the organization of IR among three departments. The University Information Systems section contains: an executive summary; introduction/IR vision; external/internal assessment of planning factors and assumptions related to the impact of federal/state statutes/regulations, user awareness of computer technology, supporting technologies, impact of anticipated technological advances, World Wide Web technology, students/budget, and proliferation of desktop computers; IR strategic planning goals and objectives; and the IR environment, including organization/personnel, personnel resources, IR policies/practices, agency databases, and agency applications. The Office of Instructional Technology section contains: an executive summary; introduction/IR vision; external/internal assessment; strategic planning goals and objectives; and the IR environment, including organization/personnel. The section for the University Library contains: an executive summary; introduction/IR vision; external/internal assessment planning factors and assumptions related to levels of service, strategic planning mechanism, human resources, adaptive equipment, East Texas Consortium of Libraries membership, Integrated Library System (ILS) clients, ILS staffing, campus access to IR, TexShare program development, multimedia resources, Campus Wide Information System, imaging technology, university enrollment, state funding, dependence on outside entities, library hardware/software/infrastructure; strategic planning goals and objectives; and IR environment, including organization/personnel, policies/practices, methodology for IR planning, agency platforms/systems/telecommunications, agency databases, and agency applications. (MES)

The Diversified Education through Leadership, Technology, and Academics (DELTA) program of the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas, serves students at each of the AISD 10 regular high schools. The goal of this open-entry, open-exit, competency-based diploma program is to recover former dropouts and to prevent students at risk of dropping out from doing so. Instruction in the program is individualized and self-paced, but is aligned with the district's regular curriculum. The DELTA program served 1,711 students during the 1998-99 school year, representing a 5% increase over the preceding year. In 1998-99, 1,399 students took the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test for the first time. Mastery rates for DELTA students in reading and mathematics have increased over 3 years, with DELTA students approaching state averages in reading and writing, and surpassing state averages in mathematics. Evaluation findings indicate that the DELTA program is successfully meeting the goals of serving the target population and keeping students in school. Recommendations are made for program continuation. (SLD)

The Austin Collaborative for Mathematics Education (ACME) of the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas, is a systemwide initiative to support the implementation of the curriculum and appropriate use of resources, thus improving instruction in all K-8 mathematics classrooms in the district. The initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation with AISD supplements, provides long-term, high-quality professional development to build the capacity of all AISD mathematics teachers. The professional development focuses on the standards for mathematics education set by the state and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. A case study was conducted to examine in-depth factors that contribute to districtwide implementation of the AISD curriculum on individual campuses through skills and knowledge that teachers gain in ACME professional development. Evaluators gathered information through multiple site visits to nine AISD campuses with interviews with principals and teachers and surveys completed by teachers. The case study showed that mathematics lessons of teachers at all the schools manifested a range in standards-based mathematics curriculum and instruction. Differences in implementation levels emerged by teacher, and not by school. In general, the study did not reveal differences between schools with whole-school and grade-by-grade implementation, although schools with whole-school implementation did receive more support from the AISD. Teachers who implemented the program most effectively believed in the philosophy of standards-based mathematics education and were enthusiastic about the curriculum. Teachers who reported that they like the curriculum resources, were more likely to use them. Recommendations are made to improve the professional education offered under ACME. Appendixes contain principal and teacher interviews, the campus questionnaire, and a diagram of teacher collaboration at one school. (Contains 12 references.) (SLD)

The Summer Opportunity To Accelerate Reading (S.O.A.R.) program is the Title I elementary summer school of the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas. The S.O.A.R. program provides early intervention to accelerate literacy learning for students entering grades 1-3 who are at risk of retention or are below grade level. In its second year of operation, 1999, the program was offered at six sites. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected at each of the sites, including the results of a developmental reading assessment. The S.O.A.R. program served 1,249 students, representing 52 AISD schools (31 Title I and 21 non-Title I) and 2 private schools. The students were of diverse ethnicity. During the program, 89% of students with valid pretest and posttest scores advanced one or more reading levels, with the greatest mean gains at grade 2. Attending for at least 17 days appeared to have a positive effect on student gains. Teachers expressed strong support for the program's balanced literacy approach and indicated their willingness to use the strategies learned from the program when they returned to their regular classrooms. Recommendations are offered for continuing the S.O.A.R. program. Five appendixes contain the survey instruments and supplemental materials about the program. (SLD)

In 1998-99, Title I provided funding to 50 schools in the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Texas (43 elementary, 5 middle, and 2 high schools) with 60% or more students from low-income families. This report contains several analyses of the impact of Title I funds on student achievement. Students at non-Title I schools and at district schools as a whole outperform students at Title I schools, but when the passing rates for disaggregated groups are examined, the scores for economically disadvantaged, Hispanic, and African American students in Title I elementary schools approach the scores for students in those groups in non-Title I schools. Nine of the AISD Title I schools were rated "Low Performing" by the Texas Education Agency in the 1998-99 school year (six for academics and three secondary schools for dropout rates). Students in Title I schoolwide programs in the AISD were performing at a lower level than students in schoolwide programs throughout Texas. Specific information is given about Title I program areas for: (1) prekindergarten; (2) the Summer Opportunity To Accelerate Reading (S.O.A.R.) program; (3) year-round schools; (4) parent and community involvement; and (5) Title I migrant funds. Recommendations are made for improving student achievement under Title I. These recommendations center on improved accountability and record keeping and better strategic use of funds. Eight appendixes contain supplemental materials about Title I programs in the AISD. (Contains 204 figures and 13 references.) (SLD)

The Women in Technology (WIT) program at Texas' El Paso Community College (EPCC) was established to recruit women into nontraditional occupations, offering technical education, services to help retain women, and community outreach efforts to help change attitudes. This report describes outcomes for the 1998-99 fiscal year, focusing on six WIT objectives, activities undertaken to achieve them, and measures used to determine effectiveness. Introductory sections describe the program and general outcomes, indicating that over the past 10 years, the number of women enrolled in technical fields at EPCC has more than doubled. Next, activities and performance measures for 1998-99 are presented for the following five objectives: (1) participate in efforts to address the issues involved in changing social attitudes regarding women's needs and abilities; (2) provide career information on nontraditional technical/vocational careers; (3) provide individual academic, personal and financial support to women students in nontraditional classes; (4) maintain a mentoring system for WIT students involving successful female community role models; (5) provide work experience opportunities to four single parents, displaced homemakers, sex bias, or pregnant nontraditional majors. Appendices contain a program flyer, a WIT brochure, an application packet, course syllabi, commencement programs and a student survey. (VWC)

This document reviews the existing literature on intercultural communication (ICC) and ties it to teacher-student classroom interactions, exploring ways that teachers can respond to cultural incongruities and reduce the cultural clashes they experience between themselves and students from different cultural backgrounds. Section 1, "Introduction," reviews the issue. Section 2, "Conceptual Foundations of Intercultural Communication," discusses concepts of culture and communication that are necessary to understanding the process of ICC. It explains that communication is an imperfect process, one made even more complex when the element of cultural differences is involved. This section concludes by describing Gudykunst and Kim's (1997) model of intercultural communication. Section 3,"Cultural Influences on the Communication Process: Dimensions of Cultural Variability," explores how culture influences communication, pointing out how cultural variability can impact communication and thereby affect teacher-student interactions. Section 4, "Factors That Influence Effective Cultural Communication," describes how motivation, knowledge, and skills can increase effective intercultural communication. (Contains 65 references.) (SM)

A significant theme in the literature on rural education is the extreme interdependence between rural schools and rural communities. Belief in this interdependence has led to a number of initiatives focused on strengthening both student learning and the local community's economic and social resources. Most of these initiatives involve some degree of formal or informal collaboration between schools and community residents. The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) has developed a process for supporting collaborative work between schools and communities, the Collaborative Action Team process, and is exploring ways in which this process can be applied to rural communities. This literature review informs SEDL's work with rural communities regarding collaborative processes and provides an overview for other educators interested in the topic. The review describes the links between rural locales and rural schools; major issues facing both rural communities and schools; strategies that have been tried to address these issues, with particular attention to integrated school improvement-community development approaches; and the role of collaboration in such integrated approaches, highlighting characteristics and concerns particular to rural settings that should be addressed by a collaborative process such as SEDL's. (Contains 69 references.) (TD)

Due to their more diverse populations, urban colleges have different concerns than suburban and rural colleges, and they must provide programs and services specific to those concerns. The question arises as to whether urban college effectiveness can be measured with traditional indicators. The declining test scores in American public schools have led to the concept of "accountability" for performance levels, but the paper proposes that other factors also be included in the evaluation of community colleges, since so many of their students have non-degree objectives. All attendees at three Texas urban colleges are studied, in order to answer the following questions: (1) What are the major reasons students attend urban community colleges? (2) Do these reasons differ among the three colleges studied? and (3) Are there any evaluative factors that should be, but are not, used for these colleges? Results show that 64% of the students were not enrolled in a degree-seeking or academic track, and the largest number of these students, 19% of the total sample, were there for short-term work-related training. Neither sex nor ethnicity were found to be a factor in whether students chose a degree-seeking or non-degree track. The paper suggests that academia needs to recognize this lack of interest in academic credential by many students, and evaluate college performance accordingly. Contains 13 references. (VF)

This report provides an overview of the Learning Center at South Plains College (Texas) during the 1998-99 academic year. Since its inception in 1980, the Learning Center has offered developmental courses, collegiate instruction in reading and human development, peer-tutoring, computer-aided instruction, independent-study opportunities, workshops and seminars, and a variety of learning assessments for students and prospective students. This document describes facets of the center, including its students, curriculum, instruction, faculty, physical facilities, intra-institutional relationships, external relationships, and process. Also included are detailed descriptions of activities and accomplishments of students who received academic support services and/or developmental education provided through the center. Following the descriptive narrative is a progress report on goals for the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 academic years. Appended are faculty performance reports and listings of the professional activities of the faculty and director of the Learning Center. Also attached are sample student evaluation forms concerning programs and services. Tables show the outcomes for students enrolled in developmental reading courses, TASP test performance, and other data detailing the academic experiences of students of South Plains College. (AS)

This document is a product of the Promoting Instructional Coherence Project. The paper describes the progress of education in Louisiana and is designed to help educators as they construct a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning. Louisiana typically ranks near the bottom of the 50 states on educational quality and effectiveness, and its educational leaders are implementing reforms that focus on the entire educational system to ensure that change takes place in an integrated way. The paper explores how the state's economic realities and its political agenda contribute to educational reform. New ideas from the national education reform movement, such as high academic standards, systemic improvement, equity, and new approaches to teaching and learning, as well as the availability of federal money to support systemic reform, are critical in helping Louisiana focus on educational improvement. Unifying themes, such as "instructional coherence," that describe the relationship among curriculum, instruction, assessment, external mandates, and community context can aid the reform movement. Additionally, higher teacher salaries and better professional development of teachers are two important components for improvement of educational standards. Standardized testing, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, will be used to link accountability and assessment to school improvement. Contains 14 references. (RJM)

The National Job Corps Study was conducted in 1994-1996 to provide a thorough and rigorous assessment of the impacts of the Job Corps on key participant outcomes. To ensure that the study was well implemented, a study team from Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., (MPR) investigated outcome and admission (OA) procedures in each Job Corps region and developed proposed procedures for conducting random assignment tailored to each region. A four-step core random assignment process was implemented. During the sample intake period, MPR staff monitored sample buildup to ensure that the research sample was near target levels and determine whether the initial sample design parameters required adjustment. Job Corps staff implemented the random assignment procedures successfully over the 16-month sample intake period. Overall, the study had noticeable effects on key aspects of program operations but modest effects on OA counselors' activities and the composition of students coming to the program. (Fifteen tables/figures are included. The following items are appended: lists of special programs excluded from the Job Corps evaluation and data items needed for random assignment processing and monitoring; Job Corps study materials and forms; a chronology of random assignment implementation; and a list of processing steps performed by MPR before random assignment.) (MN)

This literature review discusses the need for rehabilitation organizations to become culturally competent and for rehabilitation research to reach and be utilized by minority populations. Sections address the incidence of disability in minority populations, the socially constructed nature of race, culture, and disability, cultural power and the perpetuation of inequity, cultural and other considerations that can influence effectiveness within the rehabilitation system, and characteristics of effective systems and relationships. Following suggestions for developing culturally competent organizations, recommendations for research are provided and include: (1) grounding decisions about research purposes and hypotheses in a thorough knowledge of potential user audiences; (2) examining assumptions inherent in the goals, hypotheses, and methods of the intended research; (3) exploring a variety of research methodologies; (4) defining all variables fully; (5) using sampling techniques that provide adequate representation among all targeted audiences; (6) structuring data collection activities to ensure an appropriate rate of return for all targeted subpopulations; (7) carefully considering within-group as well as between-group differences; (8) seeking input and feedback from representatives of target audiences in identifying data collection procedures and instruments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions; and (9) using multiple dissemination strategies and media. (Contains approximately 115 references.) (CR)

An evaluation was conducted of the third year of a 5-year comprehensive bilingual education grant funded by Title VII of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. The grant funds a program of developmental bilingual education at two elementary schools in the Austin Independent School District (Texas). More than 25% of the students at each school are limited English proficient (LEP). Two-way instruction is provided in English and Spanish throughout the duration of this Dual Language Project (DLP). Evaluation data were collected from many sources, including test results from the Language Assessment Scales. Evaluation findings show that the DLP uses a variety of strategies effectively to promote an environment at each school that reflects the goals of bilingualism, multiculturalism, and biliteracy. Cultural emphasis is being promoted through parent participation programs and parent education. During the 1997-1998 school year, the DLP served 1,116 students, including 342 LEP students. The DLP also provided 18 staff development sessions for teachers and administrators. Analysis of test results shows only slight gains by many DLP students in oral Spanish proficiency, raising questions about the extent of Spanish language instruction. Among program recommendations is a review of Spanish language instruction. Additional resources and additional professional development are recommended for program continuation. Appendixes contain a timeline for staff development, a description of activities related to technology supporting the DLP, and a summary of conference participation by DLP staff. (Contains 18 tables and 5 references.) (SLD)

Academics 2000 First Things First is the Texas initiative under the Goals 2000 Act. The purpose of Academics 2000 is to raise the academic achievement of all Texas students by ensuring that each child achieves grade level mastery of the foundation subjects by the end of the fourth grade. In 1996-97, three Academics 2000 grants were received by single campuses, and three were received by pairs of campuses. One grant was received by three campuses together, and one was received by a program for students with dyslexia, involving five campuses. Copies of the 1997-98 evaluation reports submitted to the Texas Education Agency by these schools are summarized on a school-by-school basis. Academics 2000 funding is provided for planning and implementation of initiatives to improve reading, including professional development, and for preservice education to provide early childhood and elementary educators with skills and knowledge to foster reading achievement. Every Academic 2000 program also has a parent participation component. Programs implemented under Academics 2000 at each of the participating schools are described, and the performance indicators used to evaluate each program are described and evaluated. These indicators include scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. (SLD)

The purpose of this report is to "close the loop" by providing feedback to the administration and Board regarding Houston Community College System's (HCCS) institutional effectiveness efforts for the fiscal year 1997-98. Part 1 is a status report on the institution's progress toward accomplishing its eight strategic goals as outlined in "Vision for the Future." Progress has been made on all eight goals. Most significant is the work that has been done to ensure responsive curricula and to demonstrate continuous improvement. Part 2 is a status report on the institution's performance in seven areas identified as critical to its success. Overall, HCCS's performance is satisfactory. However, there are two areas in which performance is less than satisfactory. In the area of student progress, the number of degrees and certificates awarded in 1997-98 falls below the baseline; and, in the area of cultural and cross-cultural activities, the number of international partnerships for year one remains at baseline. Part 3 is a summary of strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement that emerged from the pilot program reviews conducted during the summer of 1998. Several recommendations consistently emerged from the reviews: the need to develop a purpose statement; the need to measure customer satisfaction; the need for improved classroom and lab facilities; and the need to develop and substantiate budget proposals for additional funding. (VWC)

The value of the output and services produced by students while enrolled in the Job Corps was estimated by analyzing data from a sample of 2 projects from each of 23 Job Corps centers. The projects were subjected to in-depth analysis based on independent-estimate and relative-productivity approaches. The following were among the key findings: (1) in 1 year, more than 1 million student-days are spent on all work projects in the Job Corps, with nearly 80% of student-days spent on vocational skills training (VST) projects and 20% spent on work experience (WE) projects; (2) students produce output worth $5.48 per hour spent on VST projects and $7.01 per hour spent on WE projects; (3) over 1 year, Job Corps students produce output worth more than $27 million while conducting non-center-serving projects, which is equivalent to $789 per student year; and (4) students working on center-serving projects reduce centers' operating costs by an estimated $280-$360 per student year, which is small when compared with the program operating costs of approximately $26,000 per student-year. (Twelve tables/figures are included. The following items are appended: a discussion of the weights used in the study; summaries of the work project studies; and standard errors of the estimates.) (MN)

This report presents results of a process analysis that describes and documents Job Corps services and operations. Chapter one provides overviews of Job Corps, the national Job Corps study, and the process analysis. Chapter two describes the administrative structure of Job Corps and presents data on the geographic distribution and characteristics of key operating components. Chapters three to nine focus on these components of Job Corps: outreach and admissions, including counseling; vocational education, including occupational exploration program, vocational skills training projects, work experience program, and advanced training; academic education; residential living and health services, including student government and leadership and behavior management; center administration related to staffing and safety/security; organization and provision of Job Corps' placement services; and Job Corps performance management system and how it affects center operations. Chapter ten offers conclusions. Appendixes include data collection design and implementation and supplementary tables. (YLB)

This report on teacher recruitment and retention in Texas identifies and analyzes programs offered by higher education institutions, school districts, regional education service centers, and other organizations that address the teacher shortage in Texas. The study was undertaken with the understanding that teacher compensation issues are pervasive and important to the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers. The report addresses efforts by Texas institutions to recruit and train qualified teachers for public schools and to recommend programs and policies to improve the effectiveness of these efforts. The report begins by explaining the problem of teacher shortage and noting responses to the shortage. It examines teacher recruitment, focusing on college and university recruiting efforts, alternative certification program recruitment efforts, and school district recruitment efforts. Next, it discusses teacher retention, focusing on efforts by school districts and looking at collaborative retention efforts. Finally, it presents recommendations for teacher recruitment, for teacher retention, and for information about professional opportunities in teaching. Three appendixes present a national perspective on teacher recruitment and retention, project respondents, and educator preparation programs by region. (SM)