According to stereotype threat theory, the prospect of being judged in terms of a negative stereotype triggers underperformance (Steele, 1997; Steele & Aronson, 1995). Targets need not personally subscribe to the negative stereotype to be affected but must simply be aware that others may subscribe to it. The goal of this study was to…

This study examined the relationship of a medium-sized coastal community college with African American males' choices concerning college transfer or career and technical education. The studied college serves two counties, forming a diverse community located in a southeastern North Carolina city. The combined population of both counties was nearly…

The brilliance of Black men and the strengths of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been understudied and invisibilized. This focus group study examines the skills, habits, characteristics, and relationships to learning and achievement of 26 high-achieving, first-year Black male students at five HBCUs in North Carolina. This…

Public discourse often frames the value of undergraduate education in financial terms--credentialing and increased earning power. Students must prepare to be self-supporting, but are financial prospects their only important goals? We asked 1,500 students from 11 U.S. colleges to write about their goals, the reasons their goals were important, and…

This is an era of transformation in the preparation, induction, and assessment of prospective teachers. The tension between local and state control is at the heart of the debate. States should be responsible for establishing performance standards that ensure that new teachers are well-prepared, competent, and ready to teach. This is why the…

Research across the decades has confirmed that effective school leadership is associated with better outcomes for students and schools. A high-quality school leader affects dozens of teachers and hundreds or thousands of students. It is a pivotal role. From 2011 to 2016, The Wallace Foundation, through its Principal Pipeline Initiative (PPI),…

The responsibility for college success has historically rested with the student, but since the 1980s, educators have taken increasing ownership of this, designing structures that increase the likelihood of learning, success, and retention. These efforts have included a variety of initiatives--first year seminars, learning communities,…

In North Carolina (NC) there are a total of 58 community colleges, each of which provides a unique approach to handling support for adjunct faculty. The NC Community College System provided a good setting to explore how one state in particular compares to current research on administrative support of adjunct faculty in the areas of hiring,…

A key focus of the Obama administration's Race to the Top initiative in public education is to support states that implement plans for "recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most." Race to the Top asked states to adopt more vigorous teacher-education…

This latest brief updates education leaders on the key policies the 13 (Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia) Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states plan to implement under federal waivers to No Child Left Behind. It details,…

This study utilized the goal-efficacy model to examine a) the extent to which index scores of student self-efficacy, self-set goals, assigned goals, and ability (four variables in the model) could predict academic performance of university students; and b) the best predictor of academic performance. The sample comprised 103 undergraduate students…

This article outlines a motivational/empowerment model for students on academic probation implemented at The University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). The model draws from several theoretical orientations, and includes individual and group interaction as well as discussion in four key topic areas: personal responsibility, positive…

In January 1973 the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service launched "Project OVERVIEW", a leader and problem identification pilot survey. The focus of the project was to gain additional information on county leadership structure and to identify current problems or issues facing counties. Leaders were systematically identified…

This research study developed a value-added instructional improvement analysis model. North Carolina state testing results were used in regression and residual analyses of student achievement. This analysis allowed for identification of the "most effective" and "least effective" biology teachers in Wake County Public Schools…