How Outreach Programs Are Implemented Affects Student Academic Achievement - This seven-page paper reports the findings of a four-year study of college-outreach programs at 32 high schools in the Los Angeles area. The paper finds that fidelity – or strength of implementation – is a more crucial factor affecting student achievement than the program’s particular content. High fidelity programs affected the number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses taken, the rate of AP courses passed, the percentage of students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the number of applicants to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), while program type only affected the mean SAT score. The paper discusses the main features of strong fidelity programs as well as policy implications. (Winnie Wenyi Wang, UCLA, 2005)...

2001 Outreach Program Handbook - This publication provides a comprehensive overview of all existing outreach programs, broken down state by state. Two essays also explain the history of outreach and characteristics of current programs across the nation, as well as the findings of the National Survey of Outreach. Policymakers should find this yearly publication an easy-to-use resource on state activity. Copies are available from the College Board, 800-323-7155; request publication number 006623....

GEARUP: A Capstone for Reform - This report offers an exploration of why achievement gaps exist between low- and high-income students, and how these gaps might be closed. It provides useful data for policymakers who are interested in outreach programs and college access. (Steve Silver, U.S. Department of Education, 2001)...