Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/NicoleDeterding

This report presents key evaluation findings for the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program. LSAMP was designed to increase the pool of underrepresented minority students completing bachelor's degrees and pursuing graduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Findings reveal that LSAMP graduates were indeed more likely than national comparison groups to enroll in and complete graduate studies in STEM. Program staff report that LSAMP expanded institutions' ability to develop STEM talent. A research-based descriptive model of the program's implementation is included, establishing a critical link between theory and practice to inform future interventions.

This is the full technical evaluation report on the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program--a National Science Foundation effort to increase the pool of underrepresented minority students receiving bachelor's degrees and pursuing graduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods, the evaluation describes LSAMP's implementation and assesses whether it achieved its goals. Findings reveal that LSAMP graduates are more likely to enroll in and complete graduate programs in STEM than nationally-representative comparison groups. Program staff report that LSAMP expanded institutions' ability to develop STEM talent. A research-based descriptive model of the program is included, reinforcing the link between theory and practice in effective interventions.

This report presents findings from an Urban Institute study of provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requiring paraprofessionals (instructional support staff) in Title 1 schools to be "highly qualified." Commissioned by Recruiting New Teachers, Inc. (RNT), and funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education, the study examined compliance with the NCLB’s paraprofessional provisions, problems faced by districts whose paraprofessionals do not meet the requirements, and strategies and funding sources for compliance. Results suggest that while most jurisdictions will meet the NCLB’s 2006 deadline for compliance and testing is the most widely used assessment of paraprofessional quality, compliance and strategies used to certify paraprofessional quality vary widely across states and districts.

This report offers a detailed picture of elementary schools educating limited English proficient (LEP) students. Analysis reveals that LEP students are largely segregated: nearly 70% of LEP children are enrolled in only 10% of schools. Compared to Low- and No-LEP schools, High-LEP schools are predominately urban, have mostly low-income and minority students, and face challenges in staff recruitment. The remaining 30% of LEP students are in schools with fewer LEP peers, where they are less likely to receive services tailored to their educational needs. Because the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act holds schools accountable for the performance of LEP children, the report discusses the findings' implications for implementing NCLB in High- and Low-LEP schools. [View the corresponding press release]

The focus of this review was to identify current math and science curricula and professional development at the middle and high school levels that showed evidence of positive impact on student achievement. Our goal was to come up with enough math and science curricula with relatively credible evaluations to provide some choice to districts and schools that wanted guidance in selecting a curriculum and that wished to use effectiveness as a selection criterion.

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