The aim of this dissertation was to analyze efforts at the time of this study to vertically align curricula between secondary and post-secondary institutions and then analyze how much needs to be done to close the gap in curricular and performance expectations as students transition to higher education. To narrow the focus, this dissertation…

English learners' (ELs') opportunity gap in U.S. K-12 schools is well known. While many of us in the field of applied linguistics are committed to achieving greater parity for ELs, the field as a whole has a propensity to approach this opportunity gap by addressing ELs' linguistic needs. This response, however, is siloed in nature, resulting in…

In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic led to nationwide school closures, followed by a mandate for schools to reopen in 2020, posing challenges for ensuring both educational continuity and student safety. This paper presents findings from a mixed-method study involving ten campus principals in District A, South Texas, post-pandemic. Qualitatively, the…

Federal education policy has been a feature of the United States' education system beginning in 1965 when Lyndon Johnson introduced the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as part of his "War on Poverty." Since then, the ESEA has undergone numerous revisions with each successive presidential administration. Part of the policy…

To assess the meaningfulness of an intervention effect on students' achievement, researchers may apply empirical benchmarks as standards for comparisons, involving normative expectations for students' academic growth as well as performance gaps between weak and average schools or policy-relevant groups (e.g., male and female students, students…

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum provides students with ample academically demanding learning experiences at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. A full continuum of IB offerings from 3-years-old to 12th grade at a southern school has not increased the percentage of graduates with IB diplomas as expected. This mixed…

This brief is a continuation of NWEA's research series examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement and progress toward academic recovery. Initiated in the early phase of the pandemic, this series has leveraged NWEA's large national sample of longitudinal MAP® Growth™ data to track student performance and compare it to…

This paper draws on research conducted in four state schools with sixth forms to problematise two flagship 'disadvantage' policy agendas in the English context: the Pupil Premium (focusing on the narrowing of attainment gaps) and widening participation (focusing on fairer university access). While such 'priority' policies necessarily incorporate…

This statewide, multiyear study was an examination of industry-based certification attainment rates by the economic status of Texas public high school graduates. Data analyzed were provided by the Texas Education Agency via the Texas Academic Performance Reports for the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school years. Inferential statistical…

The share of at-risk students has increased post pandemic requiring a response that matches the magnitude of the impact. High dosage tutoring has been one strategy to address the needs. If implemented effectively and at the proper scale, accelerated academic growth is possible. This brief reviews the collection of research on high dosage tutoring,…

Since the implementation of the legislation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Title I there is one group to which the achievement gap has widened: the Black male. Not only are Black males are in the lowest percentage on every marker of educational success (Kirp, 2010). Black males lead the percentages for every negative educational…

The lack of intentional professional development for STEM stakeholders and culturally relevant STEM spaces that are inclusive of Black girls' identities in the K-12 educational system contributes to the continual widening gap of the lack of Black girls' retention and interest in science and math spaces. If this systemic problem is to be reformed,…

The lack of intentional professional development for STEM stakeholders and culturally relevant STEM spaces that are inclusive of Black girls' identities in the K-12 educational system contributes to the continual widening gap of the lack of Black girls' retention and interest in science and math spaces. If this systemic problem is to be reformed,…

The need to overcome student learning gaps exists in every school. The answer is not a culture of remediation but one of acceleration. Every student deserves to learn at grade level or beyond--this is equity in action. "Acceleration for All" offers research-informed, real-world, and ready-to-implement strategies, with an emphasis on core…

Historic achievement gaps in mathematics favoring male students have recently started to narrow, close, or even shift in favor of female students. Still, in many countries, male students continue to outperform their female counterparts in international mathematics assessments. Chile has one of the highest mathematics achievement gaps in the world,…