This study continues an earlier (2021) examination of a program's move from an admissions framework that used standardized test score thresholds to a test-blind holistic review. While the initial study evinced holistic review as a more equitable gateway to honors education for students from underserved backgrounds (as compared to admission…

Educators are constantly searching for methods to enhance student engagement. This study capitalizes on the endowment effect to increase student engagement. The endowment effect is a concept from behavioural economics that suggests individuals' value something that they possess more than a similar item that is not possessed. To test the endowment…

Prior work has demonstrated that debate is associated with academic achievement in high school. Whether debate in high school is predictive of better college outcomes beyond its established relationship with promoting college readiness as indicated by the ACT is unknown. This research examines and evaluates the impact of participating in a high…

While there is scant evidence that standardized test results (SAT/ACT) predict college success, these scores can act as barriers to college admissions and honors programs, particularly for students in underserved communities. This study examines the impact of transitioning from an honors admission framework--in which standardized tests are a key…

Many academically-advanced youth take the ACT® test in 7th grade for academic talent searches and again in 11th or 12th grade for college admissions. We leveraged this sample of 460,033 students, taking an exploratory analytic approach to examine trends in academic growth from 1996 to 2016. We examined potential predictors of academic growth,…

Using data from the nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, this study examined how journalism participation in high school relates to subsequent academic outcomes. The analysis statistically controlled for a host of correlates of academic achievement, isolating the associations between journalism participation and…

There are concerns about the increasing demands placed on students not only within the classroom but outside it as well. Parents and educators alike are faced with the daunting challenge of balancing the educational and extracurricular pressures that students face. In light of student needs and limited time educational leaders along with parents…

We examined 482,418 students who took the ACT in the seventh grade and again in high school, taking an exploratory analytic approach to examine academic growth trends from 1996 to 2017. Predictors included sociodemographics, interests, high school (HS) characteristics, HS coursework and GPA, and extracurriculars, which explained 25% of the…

Though many studies explore arts participation at the P-12 level and attendance at the adult level, there remains little to no exploration on who attends arts events throughout college. Being an egalitarian period of life where on-campus arts programing remains either free or at a reduced cost, college may be one of the last areas to cultivate…

This study compared the employment, extracurricular participation, and family structure status of students from low socioeconomic families that achieved state-approved benchmarks on ACT reading and mathematics tests to those that did not achieve the benchmarks. Free and reduced lunch eligibility was used to determine SES. Participants included 211…

High schools today have a unique challenge: to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to prepare for, apply to and enroll in college--all while proving them with digital resources and skills essential for the 21st century. This guide by the Pullias Center's Digital Equity in Education team provides a general overview of what a…

National trends and goals have pushed beyond the dropout crisis and are now focused on raising the percentage of graduates prepared for college and career. This study examined a longitudinal cohort (n = 6443) of students in an urban, public school district in order to explore how districts and communities can redirect off-track high school…

Finding the key to success for high school students has long been the goal for both school personnel and parents. This study examined the impact of four-year participation in music and/or athletics activities in South Dakota public high schools on student GPA and ACT scores. The data in this study were collected from five Class A high schools…

"Outlook" is the monthly newsletter for the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). Each issue contains information relating to private education such as: new legislation and regulations, the most recent research, court rulings, national trends, federal initiatives, private school news briefs, and more. This issue contains the…

The 2019 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 55th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The purpose of the "Digest" is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. It contains data on a variety of…