In low-income communities, schools often lack the resources to provide children with robust, hands-on science experiences, especially those that utilize green spaces and natural phenomena outside their doors. Out-of-school-time programs are well-positioned to fill this gap, but to do so must address constraints that prevent educators and parents…

In an era of increased attention to academic achievement gaps, expanding educational options has emerged as one approach to meeting the diverse learning needs of urban youth. This multiple-case study uses teacher interviews to investigate the role of extra-organizational factors (e.g., district- or state-level mandates) in shaping teachers' work…

This study examined whether recent disruptive events would increase the likelihood of high school dropout among both rural and urban youths, and whether the types of disruptive events preceding dropout would be different in rural vs. urban environments. Based on interviews conducted with early school leavers and matched at-risk schoolmates (N =…

This article details the development and validation of a measure of critical consciousness, defined as the capacity of oppressed or marginalized people to critically analyze their social and political conditions, endorsement of societal equality, and action to change perceived inequities. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was…

This qualitative study documents urban youth participation in a community-based out-of-school youth writing program that cultivated participants' dialogues, identities, and writings. The study documents participants' perspectives as contributors and beneficiaries of a neighborhood revitalization effort. Analysis of excerpts from breakout sessions,…

This report documents the implementation and early impacts of Year Up--a national sectoral training program for urban young adults aged 18-24. Operated by an organization of the same name, Year Up provides six months of full-time training in the IT and financial service sectors followed by six-month internships at major firms. The full-time…

The current study explores patterns of informal science experiences among youth in urban and rural middle schools by gender and socioeconomic status. Data come from surveys in two Midwestern middle schools, one in a mid-sized city, and the other in a rural-remote town. We asked about participation in informal science activities (e.g. visiting zoos…

Gamification--the use of game mechanics in conventionally nongame activities--has received attention in the field of education. Games, however, are not reducible to the common mechanisms of gamification that target extrinsic motivation, and may also include elements such as role playing, world making, and collective storytelling. Here, the authors…

This study recentres the sociocultural in culturally transforming pedagogic settings whilst foregrounding culturally responsive teaching (CRT). Through a protracted anthropological excavation, teachers' experiences in a culturally diverse integrated high school were explored and interpreted vis-à-vis tenets and precepts of CRT. Findings from…

The Canoemobile program serves as a floating classroom that provides fun and engaging, water-based activities to connect urban youth to the natural world through hands-on, outdoor learning on local waterways in cities across America. The results of the program evaluation suggest that Canoemobile is meeting its primary objectives of engaging…

In this paper, the authors analyze and discuss an initiative aimed at engaging urban youth who are traditionally disengaged in STEM. The initiative focuses on utilizing hip-hop as a tool for bridging the divides between urban high school students' culture and the culture of STEM disciplines. In lieu of traditional classroom assignments, students…

Urban youth participation in agricultural activities has been linked to positive educational outcomes. This article explores the gender and racial differences in perceived knowledge gain and intended behavior change among youths participating in a youth urban agriculture workshop in 2015. Participants were students from underserved areas in…

As part of the design and development of an informal learning environment meant to increase urban middle school students' interest in technology-focused STEM careers, and to support their twenty-first century skill development, researchers developed and administered the ICT/Twenty-First Century Skills Questionnaire. Both STEM-ICT professionals and…

In recent years, many states have narrowed their eligibility criteria for participation in the IDEA Part C early intervention (EI) program for infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental delays. However, there is scant research on the effects of such a policy change on the population of children served or on the timing of children's…

This paper is based on a three-year study that has a dual purpose: firstly, to create a program to attend to the health and wellness of Aboriginal children and youth, and secondly, to narratively inquire into the experiences of the children and youth who participate in the wellness program. In an attempt to disrupt intervention type models that…