Dropout prevention programs evaluated by WWC

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Dropout Prevention reviews focus on secondary school and community-based interventions designed to help students stay in school and/or complete school. These interventions can include services and activities such as incentives, counseling, monitoring, school restructuring, curriculum design, literacy support, or community-based services to mitigate factors impeding progress in school.

Institute of Education Sciences (IES) grants info

Enhancements to the IES website have made it easier than ever to access and print information about the Institute's FY2009 research grant program competitions. The website now has browsable versions of its RFAs that will take prospective applicants to the specific research topics of their choice, and applicants can print just the material needed to apply for that particular grant program. In March, IES released three new funding announcements for FY2009: Education Research Training Grants (84.305B), Education Research and Development Center Grants (84.305C), and Special Education Research Training Grants (84.324B). For more information about IES funding opportunities, and to browse the RFAs, go to http://ies.ed.gov/funding/.

Helping everyone graduate

This article today in Inside Higher Ed discusses a newly released report from Education Sector which documents some astounding gaps in the college graduation rates of black versus white students--often as high as 25-35 percentage points. And neither race nor money are the real issues--attention to the students is! The article offers concrete suggestions for helping schools improve minority graduation rates.

Recommended education blogs

Nice article in Washington Post recommends a handful of education blogs on policy and practice. Well worth a look and you may find some blogs you want to monitor on a regular basis!

NAEP report on writing shows some improvements

Results from "The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2007" are now available, detailing performance of eighth- and 12th-graders nationally. Improvements were seen across many student groups since previous assessments in 2002 and 1998.

Results are also reported for eighth-graders in 45 participating states, the Department of Defense schools, and 10 urban school districts.

Since the last assessment, 19 states, three districts, and the Department of Defense schools made gains.

For complete results and to download the report, visit
http://nationsreportcard.gov

NCES Report: 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States (2004-05)

Hi readers,
It's been ages since I posted anything...I can only plead the challenges of moving to a new state and a new job. So yes, I am now in Las Vegas, where I have been made to feel most welcome by the UNLV Libraries staff. Here's a new report from NCES on large public schools.

This annual report provides basic information from the Common Core of Data about the nation's largest public school districts in the 2004-05 school year. The data include such characteristics as the numbers of students and teachers, number of high school completers and the averaged freshman graduation rate, and revenues and expenditures. Among the findings: These 100 largest districts enrolled 23 percent of all public school students, and employed 20 percent of all public school teachers in 2004-05. The 100 largest districts produced 20 percent of all high school completers (both diploma and other completion credential recipients) in 2003-04. Across these districts, the averaged freshman graduation rate was 70.2 percent. Four states -- California, Florida, Texas, and New York -- accounted for more than half of the 100 largest public school districts. Current per-pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2003 ranged from a low of $4,351 in the Puerto Rico School District to a high of $17,337 in Boston, Massachusetts.

There's also a new report on private schools.
Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results from the 2005-2006 Private School Universe Survey (NCES 2008-315). This report on the 2005-2006 Private School Universe Survey presents data on private schools in the United States with grades kindergarten through 12 by selected characteristics.