The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to research how a high-quality, state-funded preschool program academically prepared at-risk students for kindergarten in a large public school district in southeastern Virginia. The school district has over 20 elementary schools with seven of the schools housing Virginia's high-quality,…

As school choice expands across the U.S., more states are providing funds to private schools, giving parents options for their children's education. This growth in private schools has heightened the need for accountability in ensuring educational quality and student performance. Transformational Leadership Theory and Systems Theory was utilized in…

To ensure all children can be successful in school and beyond, states have increasingly supported and expanded pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs aimed and improving student outcomes and reducing disparities. While research has shown generally positive short-term outcomes for specific programs, state design and support for pre-k programs varies…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to describe the perceptions of high school principals and teachers related to how inequitable distribution of federal and state educational funds between low- and high-income schools resulted in disparities in educational outcomes in two low socioeconomic status high schools in the…

By 2030, most jobs will require some training beyond high school (a four-year degree, a two-year associate degree, or some type of industry credential). The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board established the 60x30TX Plan to focus collective attention on meeting this need. Progress has been made in the last decade, but COVID-19 has…

Virginia faces a future in which higher education will play an increasingly important role. Virginians will need deeper and broader knowledge and skills to be engaged, productive participants in our evolving Commonwealth and its economy. At the same time, the demographics of the emerging generation are changing, as an increasing share of…

America spends $115,000 per-pupil on education, one of the highest in the world. Even with high funding being provided for the educational budget, standardized state assessment scores are not reflecting the aim for higher quality of education that NCLB is trying to accomplish. Teachers use an assortment of assessments to gauge student's mastery…

The Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) program managed by Foundations Communities provided academic assistance, enrichment, college and career readiness, and family engagement activities at community learning centers to students from three AISD elementary schools, using Cycle 9 funding through the Texas Education Agency. This report compares…

The AISD Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE Austin) program provided academic assistance, enrichment, college and career readiness, and family engagement activities at six elementary and four middle school campuses through Cycle 9 funding through the Texas Education Agency. ACE Austin was found to have a positive impact on students' academic…

The Afterschool Centers on Education of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area (ACE BGCA) provided academic assistance, enrichment, college and career readiness, and family engagement activities at four elementary, three middle, and two high schools through Cycle 10 funding through the Texas Education Agency. ACE BGCA was found to have a…

The AISD Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE Austin) program provided academic assistance, enrichment, college and career readiness, and family engagement activities at seven elementary, one middle, and two high schools through Cycle 10 funding through the Texas Education Agency. ACE Austin was found to have a positive impact on students'…

The 2020 edition of "KIDS COUNT in Colorado!" examines the current state of preschool in Colorado--the need, the access, and the opportunity--as lawmakers consider expanding access to the Colorado Preschool Program and Governor Jared Polis calls for improved access to quality preschool statewide. This 27th edition of the annual focus on…

The Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) discretionary grant program supports states in building statewide systems that raise the quality of Early Learning and Development Programs and increase access to high-quality programs for children with high needs, so that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed. This document is a…

The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, now in its sixth year, charts a course to make Virginia the best-educated state by 2030. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia developed The Virginia Plan as part of its statutory role to "advocate for and promote the development and operation of an educationally and economically sound,…

American higher education faces some serious problems--but they are not the ones most people think. In this brief and accessible book, two leading experts show that many so-called crises--from the idea that typical students are drowning in debt to the belief that tuition increases are being driven by administrative bloat--are exaggerated or simply…