This dissertation examines the processes and procedures high schools utilize to increase student voice and student efficacy within the identification and enrollment of students into grade 9 literacy intervention. The purpose of this collective case study is to investigate how schools identified students for additional literacy support and how they…

Advancing in key courses in ninth grade is an early, crucial step in preparing for college. Students who miss academic targets early in high school may not be ready to go to college 4 years later. In the United States, when students fail key courses in ninth grade, they may struggle to catch up to their peers who successfully took and passed these…

High school graduation and successful entry into post-secondary education or the workforce has been a priority for educational policymakers, career development scholars, and educators for decades. Consensual qualitative research methods were used to analyze 11 education professionals working in high schools with high free and reduced lunch rates…

Previous research has shown that Black males do not find schools to be safe spaces or places where they feel a sense of belonging. Instead, they do not feel welcomed (Brooms, 2019a). If students must spend 8 to 9 hours in a place daily, we will want that space to be somewhere they want to be. Findings from research conducted by Collins et al.…

Since the early 2000s, federal, state, and local lawmakers and educators have worked to combat the "wait to fail" mentality and support higher student grade level academic achievements. Educators were tasked with finding teaching methods that better served academically struggling students, some of whom had specified learning…

This study borrows its title from the hashtag #CopsoutCPS, which is a student-led movement in Chicago to end the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program and divest from policing in Chicago Public Schools. This case study cross-analyzes student, staff, and community narratives on the transitional developments in alternative safety and student…

Early College High Schools are a model that combines high school and college to accelerate postsecondary degree and credential attainment. This program model was also created to address equity gaps for underrepresented student populations in higher education. The early college high school model is designed to combine dual credit courses with…

Rigorous coursework is one of the necessary staples in establishing college readiness. Rural districts are much less likely to offer advanced coursework opportunities to students. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the equitable access to advanced coursework opportunities (Advanced Placement) provided to rural students (in-person…

This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to understand the factors that contribute to college persistence and completion for Black and Latinx students in the northeastern United States. Additionally, the researcher aimed to understand how high school and college preparation structures and policies contribute to college completion rates…

Students with disabilities are enrolling in college at an increasing rate but are not graduating at that same rate or at the same rate as their non-disabled peers. This qualitative research study explored that phenomenon using an on-line survey. The survey was modified, with permission, from Dr. Allison Lombardi's Inclusive Research Strategies.…

School organization is a key driver for meaningful inclusion for students with disabilities. While there are promising examples of how schools organize for inclusion with intensive technical assistance, little is known about how high schools organize without such supports. In a case study of two high schools, we compare school organization by…

Students on the autism spectrum who complete a regular high school diploma are a growing population; little is known about how these students are currently supported. A large sample of special education administrators, special education and general education teachers, and related school personnel completed an online survey that documented levels…

EMPOWER was an Investing in Innovation (i3) development grant awarded to Cabarrus County Schools by the Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. EMPOWER provided social-emotional, academic, and non-cognitive supports in magnet school settings to students from low-income families. Family engagement and teacher…

Students on the autism spectrum who complete a regular high school diploma are a growing population; little is known about how these students are currently supported. A large sample of special education administrators, special education and general education teachers, and related school personnel completed an online survey that documented levels…

The current study examines how the integration of SAT scores with context information about students' neighborhood and high school from the College Board's Landscape™ resource can provide institutions with a nuanced perspective on students' expected performance and retention. This allows institutions to identify incoming students that may benefit…