A Southeastern school district created freshman academies to assist freshman students with strategies and support they need to combat ninth-grade failure successfully, but little change was observed. The purpose of the study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the freshman academy's transition program structure, benefits, challenges, and…

The intent of this mixed-methods case study was to examine the practices, processes, and associated factors of a school-based team mandated by the district for the purpose of supporting freshmen students during their first year of high school. The study utilized the Theory of Change theoretical framework with the logic model as a reference for…

The purpose of this study was to examine semester-long referral data from a ninth-grade cohort in a public school in a southeastern state. The research question for this study was the following: What will the examination of semester-long referral data from the entire ninth-grade cohort of a public school in a southeastern state reveal? The problem…

For decades, K-12 teachers across the United States have read aloud to their students, whether it be to model fluent reading, to promote vocabulary acquisition, or out of pure enjoyment. As social justice becomes a more prevalent topic in classrooms across the country, interactive read-alouds are being used to introduce and discuss complex and…

This quantitative study examined the impact of a multi-subject double-dose STEM intervention on the academic achievement of underprepared 9th-grade males. The intervention consisted of heterogeneously grouped core classes of Algebra 1 and biology accompanied by a second multi-subject (Algebra 1 and biology) support class. This nine-week study did…

Student mathematics motivation and engagement in the first year of high school is critical because of its volatility (Mangu, Middleton, & Lee, 2016) and importance for future academic advancement and career opportunities (Trusty, & Niles, 2003). Following the quantitative longitudinal non-experimental design (O'Dwyer & Bernauer, 2013),…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, ex post facto study was to examine the effectiveness of school counselor check-ins on ninth grade on-track data, focusing primarily on at-risk students during the first semester of their freshman year. This study was designed to measure the effect school counselor check-ins delivered three times during the…

High school graduation rates gradually increased to 80% until 1968, at which point there was a steady decline until 2002 when the passage of No Child Left Behind required states to measure and increase graduation rates for all students (Kamenetz, 2015). With this greater accountability in place, educators readily identified ninth grade as a…

The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between the implementation of freshman academies and student achievement in math, English, and science in schools in Arkansas. The study presents a review of the literature that discusses the ninth-grade year and the use of freshman academies to improve student achievement. The study…

The challenges facing adolescents today are greater than ever. It is imperative that students have the social and emotional skills to help them succeed. Mindfulness helps support social, emotional, and academic learning as it assists children in becoming more self-aware and builds self-regulation. Mindfulness is about being present within yourself…

Each year approximately 1.3 million students dropout of high school and an estimated 40% of minority students do not graduate on time (Roybal, Thornton, & Usinger, 2014). In high school, 22% of students repeat 9th-grade classes because students fail to make a smooth transition. This gives the 9th-grade the highest enrollment rate and the…

It is not known how ninth-grade regular education teachers perceive the unique stressors and challenges for students with autism spectrum disorders transitioning from middle school to high school. In addition, it is not understood how ninth-grade regular education teachers perceive their role integrated in the overall support system from parents…

Students who do not experience a successful transition from middle school to high school are at risk for repeating ninth grade and possibly dropping out of high school. The purpose of this study was to better understand how extracurricular activity participation, focusing on marching band participation, impacts ninth grade transition. Guided by by…

The purpose of this study was to explore ninth grade teachers' perspectives' of a small learning community and its impact on student connectivity, transition and dropout. The following overarching research question framed this study: (Given the 15-year history of this freshman academy, what are the teachers' perspectives on the impact of a small…

The transition from middle to high school can be especially challenging for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Also, students with disabilities experience greater barriers when considering careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Academic interest and social support may play a critical role…