Later school start times have emerged as a potential policy to improve the sleep and educational outcomes of teenagers. This study uses a quasi-experimental comparative interrupted time series approach to examine a 90-min delay in start times in an urban district in North Carolina. Results show that the later start time resulted in more sleep for…

For learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited science fair-related skills, knowledge, and community support, investigating the advisability of various ways of arriving at a science fair project topic is needed. This mixed-methods case study with an ex post facto criterion-group design uses questionnaire data and science fair awards…

This study finds substantial reductions to criminal activity from the introduction of a comprehensive high school support program for disadvantaged youth living in the largest public housing project in Toronto. The program, called Pathways to Education, bundles supports such as regular coaching, tutoring, group activities, free public…

Upward Bound (UB), created in 1965 to provide educational enrichment for low-income youths, had to be racially integrated. In 1966, I was among three White northern teens sent to integrate UB at Xavier University in New Orleans. My family had lived in North Carolina in the early 1960s, participating in civil rights actions, so I had had some…

A discrepancy in high school graduation rates for low socioeconomic students has been a historical trend. Despite evidence that reduced high school completion rates limit these students' career options and earning potential, state and national data consistently show a higher failure-to-graduate rate for them despite government interventions to…

Recent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scholarship emphasizes that differing ACEs affect the onset and course of psychopathology, and that sociopolitical context contributes to ACEs experienced by marginalized youth. Guided by the Immigration-Related Adverse Childhood Experiences Model, we explored the associations between different…

The current study is a conceptual replication of the influence of an advanced educational opportunity and several student propensities to learn on a college-readiness assessment for mathematics (ACT scores) among an important and under-studied group of students. We focused on a sample of predominantly Black students from economically-disadvantaged…

The problem addressed in this study is the high dropout and poor graduation rates among at-risk students attending Title I high schools in Virginia. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to (a) assess current levels of school connectedness, achievement focus, student persistence, grades, and attendance of at-risk high school students in…

The institutional move associated with embarking upon post-16 study is part of the learner journey taken by many young people in England, including those from widening participation (WP) backgrounds. However, it can present a challenge, although one that has received comparatively little attention from researchers, practitioners and policy makers.…

One in four teachers have left the profession due to the global pandemic causing a national shortage of quality teachers in science and math subjects. The problem that this qualitative case study investigated was a shortage of quality science and math teachers for underrepresented high school students. The gap in the literature was identified to…

Underrepresented students struggle with academic and engagement behaviors in online learning. This study aimed to explore the perceived educational needs of underrepresented high school students during online learning. The conceptual framework created for this study utilized two different frameworks, combining the students' perceived educational…

Online learning has profoundly transformed the educational landscape, providing greater flexibility, convenience, and tailored instructional opportunities. Despite these benefits, challenges and disparities have emerged, particularly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy brief examines findings from a study at a suburban high school in…

Acquiring mathematical literacy requires students to apply mathematics in various real-world contexts. However, mathematics classes often provide brief, content-focused descriptions of reality-based tasks and tasks that describe the situation as more complex, closer to reality, are still lacking. Students with different sociodemographic…

A growing body of social science research investigates whether the economic payoff to a college education is heterogeneous -- in particular, whether disadvantaged youth can benefit more from attending and completing college relative to their more advantaged peers. Scholars, however, have employed different analytical strategies and reported mixed…

As states and districts seek to elevate learning and prepare more students for work in the digital future, they have not only a unique opportunity, but also an urgent imperative, to redesign high school math. This report examines an array of education policies that exert considerable influence on the math students learn and when they learn it,…