Numerous dual enrollment programs have recently emerged due to the ongoing push for pursuing higher education in the United States. In South Texas, dual enrollment programs are prevalent in almost every high school campus and collaborating colleges and universities. This begs the question, Are students being adequately prepared for college in high…

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…

There are many initiatives currently in place to increase representation in STEM in K-12 schools, however there is still a lack of representation in STEM courses and STEM careers. The purpose of this multi-strand parallel sequential mixed method study was to provide insight into the barriers and perceptions of STEM held by educators, counselors,…

Contribution: This work examines the impact of a unique precollege STEM education initiative during its two pilot years. The study contributes to the growing body of research by unpacking the needs of and the impact on an important stakeholder group (i.e., the teachers) in the engineering education ecosystem to help inform the future design and…

Chronic absenteeism negatively affects millions of U.S. students each year, and there has been little improvement in the past 2 decades despite the efforts of educational organizations nationwide. The purpose of this qualitative project study was to examine the perceptions of different stakeholders regarding how the factors that contribute to…

With the continual decline of high school graduation rates in South Carolina, there is a need for high schools to look at alternative pathways to graduation. Many of the current alternatives offered to students remove them from the high school setting or interactions with the student body. This study focused on an alternative pathway to…

Teaching physical sciences in English as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) has presented numerous challenges, particularly for learners who are not proficient in the language. The South African government is increasingly considering the use of indigenous languages as the medium of instruction for subjects such as physical sciences,…

While Perkins V legislation and newer career and technical education programs were designed to prepare students for success in both college and career pathways and modern career and technical education programs are supposed to expand college and career readiness outcomes for students, there is a lack of research examining supports that promote the…