This study focused on "comprehensive" partnerships between K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions created to improve the pre-college academic preparation, college enrollment and postsecondary success of minority and disadvantaged students. The study identified such partnerships in existence in the United States for more than five years, surveyed the partnerships to describe their characteristics, and selected two of the most successful to analyze their success characteristics. Sixteen such partnerships were identified and surveyed with a 12-item questionnaire designed to inquire about their: (a) structural characteristics, (b) funding, (c) success in achieving their goals and objectives, and (d) collection of data to measure success. Three key informants from each partnership were surveyed. Forty of 48 surveys were returned, for a return rate of 82%. Responses were tabulated to ascertain the degree to which these partnerships had been successful in achieving their goals and identify the areas in which they experienced success. Two of the most successful partnerships were selected for case studies and visited to collect information about the factors that affected their success and to interview five key participants who represented schools and postsecondary institutions in each of the partnerships. An interview protocol was used to probe the degree to which the characteristics of partnerships success identified in the literature (Van de Water, 1989) were present and effected the case study partnerships. Analysis of the surveys, partnership materials, and the interviews provided a comprehensive portrait of each of the study partnerships. Results of the surveys indicate that a majority of these partnerships; consider themselves at least somewhat successful in achieving their goals, and have improved high school preparation and college enrollments. They are, however, less informed about their success in increasing college retention and graduation. The case studies and interviews revealed that the partnerships valued the success characteristics identified in the literature. The most salient characteristics required for success were the existence of leadership capable of negotiating change within several institutions with different organizational cultures, and the need to recognize that partnerships are unique organizations with some of the same peculiarities, structures and needs as other organizations.

Little information is available which specifically applies to determining Tech-Prep program quality, effectiveness, and goal attainment as determined by the directors/coordinators of the programs. This research sought to determine if program performance indicators exist that Tech-Prep directors/coordinators deem necessary to determine their programs' quality, effectiveness, and goal-attainment. If so, is there consensus of agreement among the directors/coordinators on which performance indicators to utilize, and is there a pattern of preference when grouped into evaluation focus components? A questionnaire was developed by the researcher and distributed to Tech-Prep directors/coordinators in the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. Sixty-seven program directors/coordinators were asked to participate, and 85 percent responded to the survey. The following conclusions can be reached from analysis of the data: 1) The responding Tech-Prep directors/coordinators are in agreement on which program performance indicators to use to determine the quality, effectiveness, and goal attainment of their programs. These findings are contrary to the existing literature which suggest a lack of consensus on which performance indicators to utilize for vocational education programs. 2) Three different techniques — consensual agreement, consideration of the questionnaire non-response rate, and data analysis ensuring a 95 percent confidence interval of the standard error of the mean — were used to analyze the extent of agreement among the surveyed Tech-Prep directors/coordinators on appropriate program performance indicators. Using the three techniques, the extent of majority agreement on the program performance indicators ranged from 97 to 67 percent of the sixty selected indicators. These data support the conclusion that agreed upon performance indicators are available for comparison and evaluation of Tech-Prep programs among this population. These data fill the void in the literature that addresses generalizable performance indicators that can be used in the evaluation and assessment of vocational programs, such as Tech-Prep. 3) Program performance indicators were grouped into six focus components. Although the determination of which focus components are more appropriate for vocational evaluation depend on many factors, data from this survey indicate the STUDENTS focus component is perceived as most important, the RESOURCES focus component is least important, and CAREERS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ATTITUDE/PERCEPTIONS, and FACILITATORS focus components are deemed equally important by Tech-Prep directors/coordinators in the determination of program quality, effectiveness, and goal attainment. / Ed. D.

The conceptual, methodological, and empirical issues of education production function analysis were examined. Specific issues relating to model design, proxy and variable selection, levels of analysis, standards of adequacy, and implications for policy were addressed. Selected studies and dissertations published since the Equal Education Opportunity Report that identified any positive significant relationship between financial resources and student achievement were evaluated. Each study was examined with reference to conceptual and empirical problems of analysis. Specifically, the researcher identified measures of dependent and independent variables, the level of data aggregation, the direction and effect of independent variables, characteristics of the sample, the statistical methodology employed in the analysis, and the conclusions of the study. This research discussed factors that result in discrepant findings in the relationship between expenditures and achievement. From this perspective, conclusions about the use of education production function studies in assessing this relationship were stated. The examination of empirical studies provided a context for the identification of conceptual, methodological, and data issues necessary to assess the potential of production function analyses to contribute to policy decisions. / Ph. D.

Hospital patients are at high risk for foodborne illness; it is essential that hospital foodservice managers know food safety principles. The purpose of this research was to assess the basic food safety knowledge of hospital foodservice managers and to determine their interest in continuing education related to food safety. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 500 acute care hospital foodservice managers in the United States. Usable surveys were returned by 264 (53%) of the managers. Managers correctly answered from 5 to 16 of the 16 basic food safety knowledge question (mean 14.0±1.7). Managers correctly answered questions relating to cross-contamination and risks for foodborne illness (98%), proper procedures for thawing meat, cooling foods, and the sequence for cleaning utensils and equipment (97%). Managers knew current recommendations for storing eggs, use of a steamtable, and could identify a potentially hazardous food (94%). Managers knew the proper sequence and time for hand washing (92%). Questions missed most frequently were end point cooking temperatures for ground beef (52% correct) and chicken (78% correct). However, when managers who chose higher temperatures than required are added, 93 and 94% of the managers would produce a safe product. Managers who chose a temperature lower than required need to review basic cooking procedures. Knowledge scores were not significantly different when the number of hospital meals served, type of hospital ownership or management, managers years in foodservice, years as a manager, education level, general certification, food safety certification, hours spent or planned learning food safety, or the managers own rating of food safety knowledge were compared to knowledge scores. Inservice training was the most used and most preferred method for learning about food safety. Time support from the hospital (66%) was most often identified as contributing to ease in learning about food safety, followed by financial support (57%). Lack of time (76%) and lack of interesting and convenient programs (39%) were most often identified as obstacles to learning. Managers (94%) were interested in learning more about food safety, especially about applying Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles to everyday foodservice procedures. / Graduation date: 2002

The Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) was introduced to the academic community in 2012 as an instrument designed to measure feelings of connectedness between students participating in online degree and certification programs. The purpose of this study was to examine data from the instrument for initial evidence of validity and reliability and to establish a nomological network between the OSCS and similar instruments utilized in the field. The study utilized sequential exploratory factor analysis- confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-CFA) and correlational analysis to assess results of the data. Students enrolled in online courses at higher education institutions located in the United States served as the sample for this study. Three instruments were used during the study. The OSCS was administered first so that the factor structure could be examined for factor validity. Once confirmed, the Classroom Community Scale (CCS) and the Community of Inquiry Scale (COI) served as the instruments to examine nomological validity through correlational analysis of data.This study provided evidence of factor validity and reliability for data from the OSCS. After the initial EFA-CFA, the four-factor structure held, and 16 of the 25 original items remained for nomological testing. Statistically significant correlations were demonstrated between factors contained in the OSCS, CCS, and COI, providing further evidence of construct validity. These results indicate that for the sample used in this study, the OSCS provides data that are valid and reliable for assessing feelings of connection between participants in online courses at institutions of higher learning.

The desire for academic success is shared by Haitian parents and their American-born children. Yet, despite this will to succeed, second generation Haitian students have been shown to fare poorly in school when compared to other ethnic groups. This qualitative study revealed that students' poor results in high school were not due to adversarial attitudes toward education; rather, they reflected inadequate foundations in basic academic skills. In particular, limited vocabularies hamper the academic achievement of many Haitian American students. Some students who expected that passing grades would lead to college are unable to pass the FCAT exam required to earn a high school diploma. Surprisingly, the highest levels of academic achievement were attained by the students with the poorest and least educated parents. They displayed extraordinary motivation attributed to a strong sense of familial obligation. / by Tekla Nicholas. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, FL : 2008 Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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