Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) SCORE Academy is an alternative learning high school composed of two distinct programs. SCORE Academy Re-engagement (A) serves students who are 16 to 21 years old and need to earn between one and 10 credits toward graduation. SCORE Academy Reassignment (B) serves students who have been reassigned by the…

Nationwide, rural students enroll in and graduate from college at lower rates than their non-rural peers. Closing this gap in rural college access matters because individuals with a college education experience higher average earnings and lower rates of unemployment relative to their peers without a college credential. State financial aid programs…

Despite the substantive scholarship on secondary language education with multilingual learners (MLs) and growing body of work on MLs' postsecondary access, relatively few studies have examined the influence of educators other than classroom teachers such as high school counselors on MLs' academic outcomes. We report on a qualitative study…

College and career readiness programs are critical for vulnerable student populations, including low-income, economically disadvantaged students, and students of color, because these students have been historically and consistently identified as not college and career ready. Many factors contribute to the culmination of readiness that goes beyond…

Background: Despite ongoing calls for prioritizing K-12 computer science (CS) education, an enduring gender gap exists. Objective: We explored one high school CS program where female participation was consistently higher than state averages to better understand how the program was developed. Method: Using a case study method, data were collected…

Youths' affinity for snack foods is well-documented; in various contexts, they sell chips, candy, and other goods. Adults may frame such sales as either entrepreneurial or deviant, which can contribute to positive youth development (on one hand) or cycles of disengagement and criminalization (on the other). Drawing on ethnographic and interview…

Given persistent evidence of discrimination toward students of color in K-12 schools, group dialogue about multiculturalism can help individuals understand and advocate for equity and inclusion. In this article, we introduce a new model for a multicultural dialogue intervention: Diversity Dinner Dialogues (DDDs). DDDs are a small group…

The acceptability to, and feasibility of, guidance counsellors using YouthCHAT to screen New Zealand secondary school students for mental health issues and risky health behaviours was investigated. Participants were eight guidance counsellors using YouthCHAT in two schools. Over eight months, School A implemented a systematic school-wide screening…

A junior/senior high school counselor used an innovative psychoeducational group counseling curriculum based on cognitive behavioral therapy to meet the social/emotional needs of identified students. This article provides a summary and evaluation of the small group plan conducted via practitioner research. Results indicated that, although…

This mixed methods study was a concurrent exploratory study to examine the differences in perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) among CTE and Non CTE (N-CTE) stakeholders based on their individual experiences. These stakeholders (i.e., teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, former students, and business and industry partners)…

Previous research suggests high school counselors are not living up to their potential as social/emotional, academic, and postsecondary counselors. This article addresses this concern by studying how schools and districts utilize counselors. Through interviews and observations of high school counselors, administrators, and counselor educators in…

With this paper, we deepen and expand upon our body of research into the public awareness and reputation of nondegree pathways, focusing on the beliefs and attitudes of young people, their parents, and their teachers. For those looking to pursue, or encourage someone to pursue, a nondegree pathway today, there are no easy answers. Information…

The need for schools to produce graduates ready to meet increasing workforce demands and postsecondary admission requirements has called for more individualized career and academic planning with high school students. School counselors have a unique yet complex role in providing college and career guidance, monitoring, and opportunities. This study…

This robust mixed-methods study examines ninth-grade advanced course placement in Arkansas, revealing disparities rooted in race and socioeconomic status. Utilizing a logit analysis for a five-year pooled sample (n = 163,616), we find persistent enrollment gaps for Black ninth-grade students after controlling for prior academic achievement,…

The purpose of this phenomenological investigation was to explore the lived experiences of rural high school counselors when providing career development services. Several key themes emerged, including (a) contextual factors, (b) direct services, (c) indirect services, (d) rewarding aspects, and (e) challenging aspects. The findings support…