Despite the many benefits associated with obtaining a college degree, many of our nation's public-school students, particularly marginalized students, remain ill-equipped to pursue their desired post-secondary goals (Morgan et al., 2014). The researcher uses published literature to define and substantiate the systemic challenges that lower…

Adult Basic Education (ABE) academic upgrading courses and programs are an important part of the British Columbia post-secondary system. In the 2021/22 academic year, 21,550 students were enrolled in ABE programs in 18 institutions across the province. This study is a response to the interest in exploring the success of ABE upgrading students in…

College options for students with intellectual disabilities continue to grow. However, there is a gap among students and families about available college opportunities. This study provides evidence of a weeklong summer academy that bridges the gap between high school and college. Results showed the summer academy increased participants' awareness…

Purpose: Universities of Small Island States (SIS) have the potential to fulfill a crucial role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also face barriers to local capacity building. The University of Aruba partly addresses these challenges through the development of The Academic Foundation Year (AFY), a one-year…

First-generation college students often experience disproportionate levels of stress, anxiety, and an overall lack of preparation for undergraduate education in comparison to their multigenerational peers. This can include differing levels of financial support and literacy. These differences can have a significant impact on these students' levels…

This study examines insights from Career and Technical Education (CTE) leaders that help to better inform the preparation of all school leaders. CTE leaders find themselves in the interesting position of being inside the PK-12 system but at the outside edge. This outsider within perspective not only gives CTE leaders a unique understanding of…

English language learners (ELs) often attend schools where there are (1) inequitable access to appropriately trained teachers and limited professional development opportunities, (2) inadequate instructional time, and (3) inequitable access to instructional materials and curriculum. These conditions place ELs at a considerable disadvantage.…

This study investigates the impact of readiness programs on Early Admission (EA) students at a 2-year public college. EA programs allow high school seniors students to enroll full-time in college courses while earning both high school and college credits. However, these students often face challenges in academic success, social-emotional support,…

This qualitative study explores how students navigate discourses in an undergraduate government class. To understand how content area literacy instruction may support a corequisite government course, qualitative data was collected over two semesters. Analysis revealed three prevalent themes: (1) Students struggle with developing a habit of mind as…

Given the increasing needs of employees with computational skills, understanding the core competencies of K-12 computer science (CS) education is vital. This phenomenological research aims to identify critical factors of CS education in K-12 schools from the perspectives and visions of CS faculties in higher education and teachers in K-12 schools.…

Although the importance of critical thinking skills for students when they enter university is widely endorsed, previous research has shown that incoming students show great variation in levels of critical thinking skills. The pre-university track of secondary education plays a major role in preparing students to think critically at university.…

Teachers are not provided in-depth professional development opportunities to explore and understand college readiness. This problem has a direct impact on rural schools which are likely to experience increased college readiness barriers. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of high school teachers…

Over the past few years, leaders and educators at East Hartford High School in East Hartford, Connecticut, have sought out and tested ways to ensure that each of their 1,700 students have opportunities to form meaningful relationships with adults, engage in rigorous instruction, and receive tailored support. They have prioritized initiatives aimed…

Decades of student achievement data reveal that schools in the United States do not adequately equip students with the skills needed for success in college. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the AP Capstone program, an Advanced Placement (AP) diploma program launched by the College Board in 2014, promoted specific…

With the ongoing demographic shifts in the United States, there continues to be an increase of students from low-income households seeking further education (Castleman & Goodman, 2018, p. 20; Fry & Cilluffo, 2019, para. 3). One in three college students in the United States is considered low-income and has Pell Grant eligibility (Lumina…