This chartbook is the 14th version to be produced for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). The Chartbook describes the diversity of the Appalachian Region on a host of demographic and economic measures and provides an important annual view of the area and its people. The data contained in the…

Investments in professional development have been more important than ever for community colleges this past year against the backdrop of the pandemic and all that it has changed. While some colleges are facing declining enrollments and less in the way of state funding, they are stretching every professional development dollar they can get their…

This study investigates the role of space, material, and affect in undergraduate and graduate students' lived experiences within an open Future Learning Space. Future Learning Spaces (FLSs) blend the latest in architectural advances for space design (e.g., modern, flexible furniture within collaborative environments that provide…

Peer review is especially difficult to facilitate in advanced mathematical writing. Typically, only someone with an appropriate level of disciplinary knowledge can understand the workings of a mathematical proof, for example, let alone provide useful feedback to a novice proof-writer. This presents a challenge to writing programs and writing…

This study determined what principals need to successfully lead community schools and the extent principals are prepared to lead them. The authors of this qualitative study collected data from a broad sample of community school experts, principals, and directors to develop a list of necessary qualities for community school principals. Although the…

Online learning at Pennsylvania community colleges increases access to education throughout the commonwealth and delivers programs of local interest to students globally. The academic technology leaders at these institutions find ways to promote and support quality online learning courses and programs, often with few or no additional staff,…

This report provides data about the special education teacher pipeline in Pennsylvania and projects associated with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education's Attract, Prepare, and Retain (APR) efforts. We first used administrative data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide a historical portrait of the special education…

Neighborhood North, a play-oriented community museum in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, had just opened when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and schools closed. The museum's mission is to increase educational equity in the community. Neighborhood North leaders immediately saw a need to support students at risk of falling behind in school with academic…

On March 13, 2020, the coronavirus pandemic was declared a national emergency. Late that afternoon, Montgomery County Community College staff received notice to leave at the close of the day and prepare to be out for two weeks. This was the case for many around the country. This article highlights how Montco's enrollment management department…

Authored by a teacher-researcher design team, this manuscript explores the boundaries and processes of literacy research enacted across perilous timescales. Building from fieldnotes, reflections, and dialogue from a two and a half year social design-based experiment, this study extends scholarship focused on kinship and communities of practice.…

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of sustainability certification programs at the local, state, and national level to highlight the use of policies, programs, and infrastructure to achieve sustainable development outcomes within communities. In this paper, we use examples from Penn State's Sustainable Communities Collaborative to…

Policymakers in small and midsize communities (populations under 200,000) throughout the Rust Belt are searching for ways to reinvent their region to be competitive in the global, knowledge-based economy. Universities can play an increasingly important role in a region's economic development approach if they can effectively engage with their…

ISACA, a non-profit, independent association that advocates for professionals involved in information security, assurance, risk management, and governance, recently updated its IT governance framework, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT). COBIT 2019 presents a logical approach to information technology and policy…

This paper examines the critical decision-making that occurred within community college IT leadership within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the first year of the COVID pandemic. The research utilized semi-structured interviews with IT leadership within 10 of the 13 qualifying community colleges. The study, through qualitative thematical…

After-school programs are potential contexts that may promote positive youth development (PYD) and reduce problem behaviors among African American children. One way after-school programs may be associated with reduced problem behaviors is by fostering an affirming sense of identity. Prior research on racial-ethnic identity among African American…