That the arts enhance academic achievement has been a claim of educators for the past century. This experimental study examined whether and to what extent the use of creative dramatics interventions increased the vocabulary achievement of fourth grade students in a language arts classroom. The 20-day study was conducted across five weeks of…

Adolescent sexual health programs often frame needs assessments using risk-taking, disease, or fertility data, fostering a narrow perspective of sexual health and limiting scopes of related programs. We address the gap between traditional measures and the socioecological lens used by many in the field. Using Washington State as an example, we…

In collaboration with the Washington State Charter School Commission (CSC), the State Board of Education (SBE) issues an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public, in accordance with RCW 28A.710.250. While this is the fourth annual report, the data represent four or fewer years of results, with schools opening and closing, and…

The Covid-19 pandemic has vividly illustrated the centrality of frontline workers to the everyday functioning of the American economy and daily life. But while some articles have mentioned the high proportion of immigrant workers in these roles, there has been much less attention paid to the high number of English learners in particular. The…

Financial aid is an ever-growing topic of interest to researchers as well as policymakers in understanding the impact and relationship to student success. Aid comes in many forms, from merit-based or need-based scholarships and grants, loans, tuition waivers, and other. Federal and state aid programs alike are typically designed to assist students…

Annually, the Washington State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Charter School Commission, issues a report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public, in accordance with the Charter School Act, RCW 28A.710.250. This is the second annual report, and as such, the findings and analysis presented here should be considered…

Dual credit courses give high school students the potential to earn both college and high school credit at the same time, either through completion of a college-level course or through performance on an exam. The 2019 Supplemental Operating Budget (Senate Bill [SB] 6032, Sec. 501 [30]) provided funding intended to reduce the cost of dual credit…

We use data from 2015-2016 to document faculty representation and wage gaps by race-ethnicity and gender in six fields at selective public universities. Consistent with widely available information, Black, Hispanic, and female professors are underrepresented and White and Asian professors are overrepresented in our data. Disadvantaged minority and…

Disparities in asthma management are a burden on African American youth. The objective of this study is to describe and compare the discourses of asthma management disparities (AMDs) in African American adolescents in Seattle to existing youth-related asthma policies in Washington State. Adolescents participated in a three-session photovoice…

The purpose of this study is to answer key questions about the structure of certificates and their function in employability and degree attainment in the Washington State Community and Technical College (CTC) System. Specifically, this study addresses the following: (1) Do certificates play a role in helping students progress along career pathways…

This Policy Brief defines dual enrollment and common barriers to entry for historically underserved student populations. It identifies three opportunities for policies to expand access and make it more equitable: (1) Protect low-income students' access to dual enrollment; (2) Re-examine student eligibility policies; and (3) Encourage greater…

In 2009 the Washington State Legislature created an accountability system for online learning (SSB 5410, RCW 28A.250.005). The Legislature directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to develop an online provider approval system and report annually on the state of online learning in Washington (RCW 28A.250.040). The…

This study estimated the economic penalty that immigrant underemployment imposes, both in forgone earnings and tax payments, using U.S. Census Bureau data to analyze demographic characteristics and estimate the forgone earnings and taxes at federal, state, and local levels. It focuses on three groups of workers: (1) Immigrants who are…

This study estimated the economic penalty that immigrant underemployment imposes, both in forgone earnings and tax payments, using U.S. Census Bureau data to analyze demographic characteristics and estimate the forgone earnings and taxes at federal, state, and local levels. It focuses on three groups of workers: (1) Immigrants who are…

Spring 2020 marked the onset of one of the most tumultuous eras in recent memory. The rapid spread of COVID-19 wreaked havoc on communities across the globe, and in the U.S., the epicenter of the outbreak was located in Washington State. Beyond the immediate concerns around personal health and safety, COVID-19 produced a host of other issues that…