The present study explores how gender, ethnicity, and performance-based perceived competence impact students' learning, performance, and enjoyment from playing a digital STEM learning game. We had 199 9th-11th grade students play a 2D digital STEM learning game across six science classes. Based on the results of demographic surveys, matched…

Youth development researchers have focused on persistent challenges facing youth in diverse urban settings; thus, we know less about youth in rural communities. Using multilevel modeling, we explored contextual factors associated with school grades and educational aspirations. We find that, on average relative to students from urban schools,…

This is the policy brief for the discussion paper, "Still Worth the Trip? School Busing Effects in Boston and New York." While choice systems offer students in segregated neighborhoods access to schools that may be more integrated and of higher quality, does busing lead to improved academic performance as measured by higher test scores…

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact, implementation and costs associated with a one-semester elective lab course in 9th grade, Accelerating Literacy for Adolescents (ALFA) Lab, which seeks to improve students' reading achievement, particularly for those from economically disadvantaged communities. This study used three cohorts…

Reading motivation may help explain some discrepancies in higher education attainment among Latinx adolescents. Using a person-centered approach to understand underlying reading motivation profiles among N = 254 Latinx adolescents, results identified four ordered classes of reading motivation including, (a) a "High" class characterized…

The current study examines the association between risk behaviors and victimization and race-based victimization amongst U.S.-born and foreign-born Asian, Black, and Latinx adolescents. Data were derived from the U.S. subset of the 2009-2010 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study. Samples include 662 Asian, 2413 Black, and 3188 Latinx…

To maintain its dominance as a leader in STEM, as well as to disrupt persistent economic and social inequalities, the United States must invest in Black and Hispanic students who are among the largest subgroups who have been historically underrepresented in STEM spaces. Research has shown that science self-efficacy facilitates students' interest,…

Preprogram and postprogram surveys of 241 Latinx 4-H youths from five counties in North Carolina provided a snapshot of their experiences in the Juntos 4-H program. The study findings demonstrate that Juntos 4-H has positive impacts on academics, college readiness, parent engagement, and community engagement. Suggestions are made to help Extension…

Ethnic identity is a consistent predictor of positive youth adjustment, whereas discrimination has been associated with negative outcomes among Latino/a youth. Scholars have proposed associations between ethnic identity and discrimination; however, directionality of effects remains unclear. Addressing this gap, the current study examined the…

Exclusionary discipline has been a topic of focus for Texas lawmakers in recent legislative sessions. While studies show the negative impact of exclusionary discipline on students, few explore how children who enter Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs fare later in their educational careers. The following paper outlines data collected from…

This study investigates multiple-level antecedents of cyberbullying victimization among early adolescents. Data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children, 2009 to 2010 cohort study in the United States were used. The sample included White, Black, Latino, and Asian adolescents, ages 10-14 (N = 8481). Bivariate analysis, logistic regression,…

This practitioner inquiry study investigates learning from the stories of emergent bilingual students as they complete project based learning units. This method of instruction created the space to have one-on-one conversations, listen in culturally responsive ways, and develop asset-based literacy curriculum. I argue that relationships formed…

Learners from underserved backgrounds tend to show lower levels of college readiness (ACT, 2016a; ACT, 2018). In part to address these disparities, the authors investigated growth in social and emotional (SE) skills in a cohort of largely Hispanic, high-poverty students who participated in GEAR UP. GEAR UP is a discretionary federal grant program…

Background: The present study sought to determine whether the cognitive triad serves as a moderator or mediator in the association between perceived everyday discrimination (PED) and depressive symptoms among inner-city youth by examining if discrimination is related to both cognitive processes and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Previous…

Student-teacher relationships are important to student outcomes and may be especially pivotal at the high school transition and for minoritized racial/ethnic groups. Although interventions exist to improve student-teacher relationships, none have been shown to be effective among high school students or in narrowing racial/ethnic disparities in…