Generally, need-based financial aid improves students' academic outcomes (Nguyen, Kramer & Evans, 2019). However, the largest source of need-based grant aid in the United States, the Federal Pell Grant Program (Pell), has a mixed evaluation record (Bettinger, 2004; Rubin, 2011; Marx & Turner, 2018; Park & Scott-Clayton, 2018;…

Families are crucial in the development of a college-going culture in the home. This qualitative study illustrates that Mexican American families are no exception. Using a multiple case study design, this study explored the funds of knowledge present in Mexican American families. Findings from this study reveal how daily educational practices,…

This document is one of eight reports prepared to support the development of a new learning system, a development effort that is the first step in a major initiative undertaken by the Stupski Foundation. The Foundation endeavors to improve the life options of all students, especially underserved urban youth of color, whom we refer to as "Our…

Although academic achievement and self-concept of academic ability (SCAA) have a reciprocal relationship, studies on the directionality of the relationship are inconclusive. To investigate this relationship in an entire grade cohort in a small city high school, 429 students in grades 9 and 12 were administered a modified version of Brookover's…

Investigated is the value of preliminary high school experiences in physics and chemistry. Results indicate that the grades of students with more high school experience are no better than those of students with less experience and that less experienced students spend more time studying and take better advantage of tutors. (CW)

Recently, research into gender differences in achievement has mainly concentrated on the underperformance of boys in comparison with girls. Qualitative research in particular points to the importance of the gender-specific cultures adolescents experience. The purpose of this article is to test quantitatively the explanatory value of academic…

This book presents research findings about school-level and district level practices and successful strategies employed in mathematics education by highly effective schools that serve high-poverty communities. It includes both the theory and practice of creating highly effective schools in these communities. In 2002 nine schools were selected in…

Student participation was examined in three educational programs and their corresponding environments or settings to determine the relationships between situational and demographic variables and basic skills learning and retention. Subjects were secondary students in four high schools and two career centers in a large midwestern urban center. At…

Project THISTLE: Thinking Skills in Teaching and Learning was designed to improve both the reflective thinking capabilities of urban high school students and their pre-college preparation. This study was conducted to elicit teacher perceptions of factors inhibiting reflective thinking in schools. Most important among the perceived constraints on…

This study compared attitudinal data on students who had dropped college preparatory science (academic terminal) in high school (N=55) with those who continued to enroll (academic continuing) in college preparatory science courses (N=108). Eight attitudes that have been hypothesized to be related to learning cognitive performance and enrollment in…

This study investigated home school graduates' potential for success in college by comparing their performance with that of students who had graduated from conventional public and private schools. The basis for comparison was student aptitude for college English as measured by the American College Testing (ACT) English sub-score and the ACT…

Reports on a study of 93 McMaster University (Ontario) sophomore history students about their secondary school preparation in history. Finds that most respondents felt comfortable about their high school education, but a significant number were uncomfortable with their preparation for tutorial work, notetaking, and essay writing. (CFR)

This paper addresses the issue of the equitable participation of minorities in higher education. Evidence of the magnitude of the problem is presented in discussions which address: (1) enrollment trends; (2) the persistence of minority students in academic study; and (3) the time required of minority students to complete their academic studies. It…

As a group, Asian/Pacific Americans (APAs) have more credits in high-level science and mathematics than other ethnic groups, but many APAs do not follow this "model minority" stereotype. Focuses on Asian/Pacific American females who are socialized into traditional roles and are not academically prepared for higher education. (AF)

Comparison of college students with learning disabilities who either graduated (n=23) or did not graduate (n=17) from college found that the two groups differed on frequency of self-contained placement, duration of private tutoring, high school English courses, and age and prior college experience at college entrance. Gender differences were also…