Using rich Texas administrative data, we estimate the impact of middle school principals on post-secondary schooling, employment, and criminal justice outcomes. The results highlight the importance of school leadership, though striking differences emerge in the relative importance of different skill dimensions to different outcomes. The estimates…

The literature linking adulthood criminality to cumulative disadvantage and early school misbehavior demonstrates that understanding the mechanisms underlying student behavior and the responses of teachers and administrators is crucial in comprehending racial/ethnic disparities in actual or perceived school misbehavior. We use data on 19,160 ninth…

Objectives: At the K-12 level, "CS for All" initiatives across the country strive to increase equitable access to and participation in computer science (CS). However, there are many open questions about the implementation and effectiveness of these initiatives, including the extent to which exposing young people to CS early on can shape…

This study examines the educational outcomes of Latino men in Texas by conducting a descriptive policy-focused disaggregate analysis of longitudinal data from the 8th Grade Cohort Longitudinal Study and the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS). Based on our analysis, we provide context and understanding of the progress made towards meeting…

This study was conducted to determine if middle school female students were exhibiting violent behavior in a large mid-south urban school district. The subjects were all middle school female students within 30 middle schools in a large mid-south urban school district from 2012-2013 until 2016-2017. Information about middle school female students'…

This paper examines whether schoolwide free meals affect disciplinary outcomes, focusing on the use of suspensions. Under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), schools serving sufficiently high-poverty populations may enroll their entire student bodies in free lunch and breakfast programs, extending free meals to some students who would not…

Increasing racial and gender diversity has been an urgent goal in many professions and education is no exception. Though the call for more Black men is a worthy one, many challenging questions arise when one considers the country's socio-historical record. The purpose of this study is to explore some of these questions that arise as one probes the…

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the referral and identification rates of minority students with regard to special education. Research has shown an evident over identification of minority students in special education programs, particularly those classifications considered more severe. Several researchers identified factors…

This executive position paper proposes an innovative Career and Technical Pathway for secondary education. The Secondary Teacher Education Pathway (STEP) is a teacher education pathway for high school students who are interested in teaching as a profession. The goal of this Program is to increase the number of African American male teachers in…

Schools across the nation are facing the challenge of addressing behavioral issues with students. Traditional approaches to discipline have been ineffective in improving student behavior. The passing of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and revisions of the Individual Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 require schools…

Over the last 35 years, the disproportionate use of discipline by gender, race/ethnicity, and disability status has been consistently documented. Specifically, Black males receive the majority of suspensions and expulsions. Discipline for Native American and Hispanic students, while often showing overrepresentation, is less consistent. There is…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school climate and student outcome variables. The secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between the use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and the same student outcome variables. Variables depicting student perceptions of school climate,…

Within the African American community, African American males, arguably, experience a great deal of difficulty in the current educational system (Biggs, 1992; Kleinfeld, 1998a, 1998b; Kunjufu, 2005; Tatum, 2003; Wynn, 1992; Wynn, 2005). This study seeks to examine the role of culturally relevant texts and comprehension strategy instruction in the…

There is a growing body of research focused on the mathematical experiences of Black males in the United States of America. This research has emerged to challenge the dominant narrative in mathematics education focused on Black males' low performance on international, national, and state standardized tests. There is very little research that has…

The purpose of this mixed method study is to explain the ecology Black males experience as they transition from elementary school to middle school in terms of behavior. The Black male graduation rate is well below 50% nationally (Orfield, Losen, Wald, & Swanson, 2004; Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2010). Graduating from high school…