In order to comply with the regulations put forth by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are required to submit evidence associated with their statewide accountability systems to the United States Department of Education (ED) for peer review. Some states have elected to…

This study compared the different services and types of disorders Oklahoma and Texas K-12 SLP's provided through teletherapy as compared to face-to-face therapy before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Google forms survey was available to SLPs from June through October, 2021, assessing three age groups of children: elementary (5-10 years),…

Free college, or "Promise" programs--a model of student aid that covers at least full tuition costs for a subset of a given state's residents--have received a significant boost in the past few years. A central question has been whether the model benefits from more consistent political support over time as compared to other forms of…

The "ACT Aspire"™ system provides a longitudinal, systematic approach for assessing and monitoring students' preparation for high school studies and readiness for college and career. "ACT Aspire"™ includes assessments for students from grade 3 through early high school in five subject areas: English, mathematics, reading,…

With the economic competitiveness of the United States dependent on an adequate supply of high-quality workers in the STEM fields, President Obama outlined a broad agenda to reinvigorate our country's interest in STEM. Responding to this call, organizations such as the National Lab Network and the STEM Education Coalition began efforts to raise…

Promoting self-determination has been identified as an important practice for the successful transition of youth and young adults with disabilities, and numerous studies have examined the relationship between levels of self-determination and transition-related and postsecondary outcomes. Only a few such studies, however, have examined the global…

Career and technical education (CTE) is a form of educational service that is centered around preparing students for the workforce. At its core, CTE is intended to bridge the gap between high school education and postsecondary employment by teaching employment skills to students while they are in high school. CTE is vital in transition planning…

This latest brief updates education leaders on the key policies the 13 (Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia) Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states plan to implement under federal waivers to No Child Left Behind. It details,…

Though school is out for the summer, ninth- and tenth-grade students at Union Intermediate High School are burning off energy playing a game of tag on the soccer field. But that is not all they are doing. They are also synthesizing and applying key chemistry concepts they have just learned related to the conditions of the early solar system. They…

Promoting the self-determination of adolescents with disabilities has become best practice in secondary education and transition services, but to date there have been no studies establishing a causal relationship between efforts to promote self-determination and enhancement of the self-determination of youth with disabilities. This article reports…

Pursuant to HB 3399, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) conducted a review for college- and career-readiness of the English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) standards. Two committees -- consisting of faculty subject-matter experts from State System colleges and universities -- were…

Postsecondary early awareness strategies are a fast-growing component of college access to attainment efforts. Broadly defined, these programs and policies encourage low-income and first-generation students to gain the information, skills, and resources they need to successfully take part in higher education. They focus on students in fifth…

This report provides a summary of states currently administering end-of-course (EOC) assessments. The number of EOC assessments administered by states, the subjects most likely to have an associated EOC exam, and the purpose of EOC exams (for example, percentage of the final course grade and/or graduation requirement) are reviewed. State policies…

The Common Core State (or other rigorous) Standards (CCSS) being implemented by states across the nation are prompting school leaders and teachers to seek ways to move the standards into classroom instruction, assignments and assessments. Schools wanting to ensure that student work meets grade-level standards are using differentiated instructional…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze how high school principals approached developing a collaborative culture and providing collaborative leadership in a large high school setting. The population sample for this study was 82 principals of large comprehensive high schools of grades 9 through 12 or some combination thereof with…