Despite greater emphasis on college and career readiness in PK-12 education, gifted Black males with disabilities still encounter various barriers in making successful transitions to postsecondary educational opportunities. These barriers include negative educational experiences, deficit ideologies, and limited opportunities for positive identity…

In this article, the authors discuss how to prepare African American males for college through group counseling. The authors created, Achieving Excellence: A College Readiness Curriculum for African Males, a five-session, 50 minute group curriculum for sophomores to facilitate the process of college planning. The Eight Components of College and…

The following research sought to investigate the impact of a comprehensive school counseling program based on the American School Counselor Association's Recognized (ASCA) Model Program known as RAMP, on student achievement and college readiness. The study was conducted on a comprehensive high school campus in California, which included 2,700…

This study was designed to explore, record, explain and describe the lived experiences of African American male students engaged in mentorship programs for post-secondary education. This study takes an exploratory phenomenological approach to research and is conducted at a mentorship program site. The following research questions guided this study…

Context: It has been argued that high schools with a majority of students of color and from low-income backgrounds must be purposeful in fostering a college-going culture in order to address the challenges and inequities historically underserved students face in preparing for and accessing a higher education. However, what this looks and sounds…

African American men have historically been underrepresented in higher education enrollment, and this lack of postsecondary attainment has contributed to a variety of different lifestyle and quality of life inequities. The current study explored how highly educated African American men succeeded in getting to, and graduating from, college. The…

Research developments on tracking as an educational practice have led to a renewed need to investigate the ways it is conceptualized and operationalized. This article addresses the educational practice of tracking, how it impacts K-12 achievement, its potential for exacerbating inequities, and the ethics of separating students within intellectual…

High school calculus has become indispensable for students seeking a college degree in a STEM field. However, in the present study, we argue that the mathematics opportunities that students seize (when afforded) in middle grades are the key to earning calculus credit in high school. To take calculus in high school, students usually need to take…

The Umoja Community seeks to enhance the cultural and educational experiences of African-American and other students in California Community Colleges. Launched in 2006, over half of colleges across the system now involve students with this approach, which embraces an ethic of love and the deliberate engagement of participants in…

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of twelve New York City Department of Education leaders in Career and Technical Education (CTE) regarding programming, organizational structures and supports that impact college and career readiness of overage Black and Latino students. A grounded theory approach was used to define themes within the…

High educational attainment is associated with beneficial outcomes for both individuals and society; however, Black males are underrepresented among college students. This study drew on a positive youth development (PYD) perspective to investigate the role of academic self-efficacy beliefs (a malleable strength) in predicting academic preparedness…

The public school system in U.S. has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Institutionally, neo-liberal reform has created a new educational apparatus known as charter schools. As they admit students without school boundaries, these schools promise to offer great opportunities for disadvantaged students. The enrollment in charter schools…

This brief summarizes results from a study on the experience of inter-sector math misalignment (ISMM), when students who were deemed "college-ready" by high school standards were placed in developmental courses upon enrolling in a local community college. Given that racially minoritized students are more likely to be placed into…

Transitioning from high school to college is a challenging time for young adults and can be more difficult for first generation students. In some cases, adolescents are assisted by community assets (coaches, teachers, church/family members) and community-based leadership education programs. This combination may provide youth with critical skills…

Undergraduate minority retention and graduation rates in STEM disciplines is a nationally recognized challenge for workforce growth and diversification. The Benjamin Banneker Scholars Program (BBSP) was a five-year undergraduate study developed to increase minority student retention and graduation rates at an HBCU. The program structure utilized a…