Contrary to what many observers think, findings from a national study released today (Oct. 26) show that gathering information about what undergraduates learn during their studies is commonplace in most U.S. colleges and universities. However, the results are not always used and reported in ways that could improve student accomplishment and inform the public about institutional performance.

A new survey of Indiana superintendents, principals and school counselors finds that a majority see virtual learning as a way to enhance academic offerings in public education. Sixty percent of respondents to the "2009 Survey of Virtual Learning in Indiana," conducted by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) at the Indiana University School of Education, said they are offering or may offer online courses in six different areas, including alternative education, gifted and talented education, and instruction for homebound students. But just half the respondents indicated their school would pay for virtual instruction and cited instructional cost as a barrier to offering more online courses.

The White House will likely succeed in simplifying the application for financial aid and in other measures aimed at increasing access to higher education, according to an Indiana University expert on issues of college choice, student financial aid policy, enrollment management and higher education finance.

The third annual Chinese Pedagogy Institute concludes this week on the Indiana University campus after two and a half weeks of intensive work to prepare more teachers of the Chinese language. The institute is a project of the Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy (CCLP) within the College of Arts and Sciences.

As the Indiana General Assembly resumes work on a state budget in a special session starting tomorrow (June 11), Indiana's schools are unlikely to see a proposal that fully meets their needs, according to an Indiana University School of Education researcher of K-12 education finance. Rob Toutkoushian, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, said teacher contracts and the cost-of-living increase will make it unlikely the budget will cover all school demands.

Terry Spradlin, the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy's (CEEP) associate director for education policy, is available to comment on Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' recommendation for school reorganization presented this morning as part of a local government reform package.

Findings released today by a national survey based at an Indiana University research center show that the quality of undergraduate education varies far more within colleges and universities than between them. As a result, rankings can be highly misleading predictors of educational quality.

A delegation led by IU School of Education Dean Gerardo M. Gonzalez is in China this week to explore new possibilities for collaboration with Chinese universities as well as provide some professional development to Chinese higher education leaders. The delegation of five faculty members and a higher education policy studies student from China is visiting six Chinese universities.

Clayton Slaughter, a doctoral student in the Indiana University School of Education who also holds a degree from the IU School of Law, has been named to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, starting a two-year term that will expire on June 30, 2010. A student nominating committee recommended Slaughter for the appointment.

Continuing the "Pathways Initiative" that began collaborative projects last year, the Indiana University School of Education is funding four projects this year to bring faculty expertise and IU staff assistance together with teachers in Indiana's schools. Two projects based at Gary, Ind. elementary schools will build upon already established Pathways projects; two others will start new projects at Indianapolis high schools.

University Dean Emeritus of the IU School of Education Donald Warren will speak at four Chinese universities during a two-week trip that will take him and his wife Beverly across the country. Appearing at the invitation of Chinese educators, Warren will speak about American higher education at Peking University and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Beijing, as well as at Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming and Nanchang Hangkong University in Jiangxi Province.

An education policy expert who sometimes offers biting commentary on popular discourse about U.S. education will speak on Wednesday at Indiana University Bloomington. Gerald Bracey, an associate of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, presents "From Sputnik to Edin08: Blaming Schools for Crises Real and Imagined" in the latest Education Policy Chat presented by The Center for Evaluation and Education Policy and the IU School of Education.

A new study from researchers at the Indiana University School of Education finds no linkage between the type or quality of educational institutions and the rate at which borrowers default on their student loans. Don Hossler, professor of educational leadership and policy studies and director of the Project on Academic Success, led the study.

The need for teachers to understand the cultures of their students and how to address the overrepresentation of students of color in the juvenile justice system and who receives special services is the focus of this week's CEEP Policy Chat.

Over the last decade, Indiana's number of English as a Second Language (ESL) students has quadrupled, and the state is struggling to meet the demand for certified ESL instructors. Panelists, including an Indiana University School of Education professor, will offer opinions on remedies to the issues surrounding ESL education during the next Education Policy Chat.

A two-year grant to the Indiana University School of Education will fund a study to determine ways to enhance persistence in graduation rates among students at three college campuses in Northwest Indiana. The Lumina Foundation is providing $621,000 for the study to look at student success at IU Northwest in Gary, Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, and Ivy Tech Northwest.

Many parents don't know about school choice options under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, and many schools can't offer them, according to a new report from Indiana University researchers. The Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) in the Indiana University School of Education has issued those conclusions in a new policy brief titled "Outcomes of the School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services Provisions of NCLB."

Despite well-intentioned efforts and a recent influx of funding from the Indiana General Assembly, more resources and different tactics are needed to address the huge growth in the number of Latino limited-English-proficiency students in the state, according to Indiana University researchers.

An Indiana University School of Education researcher is examining what colleges and universities do to ensure students stay in school and graduate -- an increasingly important marker for higher education accountability and much-scrutinized "best college" rankings.

Alexander C. McCormick has been named director of the National Survey of Student Engagement effective January, 2008. Based at Indiana University, the NSSE annually records the activities and experiences of undergraduates in the U.S. and Canada and what institutions do to promote student learning and personal development.

The April 2007 edition of Learning Matters includes news tips about students living in rural poverty; thoughts on the pending U.S. Supreme Court case Morse v. Frederick, also known as the "Bong Hits for Jesus" case; the contradicting evidence in some existing literature about the effectiveness of school uniforms; and the conflicting views on the impact of virtual charter schools on tax support.

This tipsheet features IU School of Education faculty comments regarding the "Pathways to Success" Initiative. Part of the state budget bill includes a provision for the "Pathways to Success" Initiative, a request from Indiana University that would begin a program to better prepare students for college and the life sciences workforce. The IU School of Education would work with public high schools and middle schools in Marion, Lake and St. Joseph counties. The goal of the program is to raise high school graduation rates, prepare students better for college and enhance their chances for success in postsecondary education, and produce teachers better prepared for those school corporations.

If lawmakers consider adding professional development days to the Indiana school calendar during the 2007 session, the added time should not come at the expense of student instructional time, say researchers at Indiana University. Researchers at Indiana University's Center for Evaluation and Education Policy today (Jan. 22) released a policy brief examining a proposed bill in last year's Indiana General Assembly. The CEEP Education Policy Brief "Is it Time to Change Indiana's School-Year Calendar?" reports that professional development might not have a classroom benefit if students miss out on instructional time.

In their report before the Indiana State Board of Education today (Jan. 3), Indiana University Center for Evaluation and Education Policy researchers said more Indiana residents are willing to pay higher taxes in exchange for full-day kindergarten. The survey also found that, as a whole, Hoosiers continue to hold positive attitudes about public K-12 schools, but non-whites were more likely than whites to give unfavorable ratings.