Some high school seniors who plan to attend college in the fall following graduation do not enroll. This phenomenon, known as summer melt, contributes to lower educational attainment, particularly among low-income students. We extend the literature on summer melt in two ways. First, we show that melt estimates can be sensitive to measurement…

Teachers' sensemaking of student behavior determines whether students get in trouble and are formally disciplined. Status categories, such as race, can influence perceptions of student culpability, but the degree to which teachers' initial identification of student misbehavior exacerbates racial disproportionality in discipline receipt is unknown.…

Evidence suggests that implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) with fidelity can reduce behavior problems in schools and, concomitantly, the use of school suspensions. Few studies have explored differences in SWPBIS implementation fidelity and outcomes between rural and urban schools, but research suggests…

This study uses linear probability models with student and teacher fixed effects to assess whether the racial match between teachers and students affects "at-risk" ratings on a teacher-completed universal screener of student internalizing and externalizing behavior. The data are from a large, urban California school district. I find that…

Often without guidance in completing college-related tasks, first-generation students face unique challenges during the summer before college. This case study investigates this critical time period by studying a cohort of 33 newly graduated students from the same urban, public high school. Guided by social capital, college readiness, and…

This case study of one small urban California high school enrolling predominantly low-socioeconomic status (SES) Latinx youth and many emergent bilinguals found that a college-for-all school culture, guided by leadership and school vision, was enacted in classrooms as caring, safe, productive spaces promoting college-going comportment. However,…

This study describes the effectiveness of an adapted behavioral education program for students defined as "chronic absentee." The intervention focused on building positive student-adult relationships through data monitoring, daily check-ins, and group reinforcements. Although it resulted in a 0.43% (p = 0.635) decrease in average daily…

This mixed methods study explores one urban elementary classroom's use of stability ball chairs. Through surveys, interviews, and video observation, we investigated the teacher and her students' experiences in changing from traditional chairs to more active furniture. Results indicate that students' preferences for using the stability ball chairs…

Many teachers are concerned about their ability to work effectively with students who have a diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to determine the perceived efficacy of common interventions used to address negative ADHD behaviors in the elementary and middle school…

Improving the outcomes of students in developmental or remedial math remains a puzzle in higher education. Concerns with low persistence and completion rates have motivated proponents of reform to reconsider the delivery of developmental math. Lengthening the amount of time in math is thought to be an intervention that improves academic…

Students beginning high school commonly experience increased stress and behavior problems alongside declines in grades, attendance, interest in school, and perceptions of academic competence and self-esteem (Alvidrez & Weinstein, 1993; Reyes et al., 2000). Moreover, research indicates that, relative to students who graduate from high school,…

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a literacy intervention program on student achievement and behavior at two urban high schools. Two groups were identified and the sample was a convenience sample for this study. One group of students is not enrolled in the intervention program, while the other group of students is enrolled in…

The educational outcomes of low-income and racial/ethnic minority students suggest that there is a fundamental disconnect between contemporary schooling and the needs of students in urban schools. Most attempts to address these problems in K-12 schools have focused on increasing students' mastery of content knowledge and skills. While the evidence…

This research draws upon critical race theory (CRT) to explore the experiences of Latina/o students in special education. It seeks to extend the theoretical construct of racial microaggressions and illustrate the additional layer of disability as I present data that are particular to the context of special education and the assigned label of…

The increasing use of zero tolerance discipline policies in the USA has led to a "discipline gap," in which minoritized students receive harsher and more frequent suspensions and expulsions than their peers from dominant cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Though disciplinary decisions are made by educators at the school level,…