Research has shown that ninth grade is uniquely important for student success, yet despite increased investments, leaders aren't always equipped to meet ninth graders' distinct needs. The transition from middle to high school is both critical and complex, as students encounter significant changes during this time, including taking on more advanced…

Students with aligned educational and occupational expectations have improved college and labor market outcomes. Despite extensive knowledge about the ways social background and school context contribute to educational expectations, less is known about the role of social intuitions in shaping expectational alignment. Drawing on data from the 2009…

Using a multinomial regression and a nationally representative sample of school counselors, we examined the factors influencing the percentage of time school counselors spend on career planning. Findings indicate that the school locale, school type, percentage of non-White students, and the number of full-time counselors were significant…

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Career Information System (CIS) on ninth-grade student's vocational skills self-efficacy, outcome expectations, work hope, and career decision-making difficulties. CIS is a computer-based career intervention designed to help users become more knowledgeable about themselves and occupational…

The college and career readiness movement figures prominently in the nation's educational reform and policies, including strategies to increase graduation rates among disadvantaged students in urban schools. As part of a multi-pronged approach to help youth transition to post-secondary education and the workforce, the present study evaluated a new…

The wish to be seen as an adult has been an adolescent goal for generations. This goal is more difficult to attain in a technological society because extended education is needed for employment but the criteria for adult recognition continue to reflect conditions of the past. Results are reported for an online poll of 288 high school students…

The Carl Perkins Act provides federal support for rigorous career and technical education (CTE) programs that provide students with knowledge and skills to keep the United States competitive. States are provided with funds which are in turn distributed to eligible recipients such as local educational agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary institutions.…

The Carl Perkins Act provides federal support for rigorous career and technical education (CTE) programs that provide students with knowledge and skills to keep the United States competitive. States are provided with funds which are in turn distributed to eligible recipients such as local educational agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary institutions.…

This randomized experimental study (N = 1,034) examines both the direct and the indirect effects of the Towards Working Life intervention on 2 components of adolescents' career preparation: preparedness for career choice and attitude toward career planning. The intervention comprised a 1-week workshop program, the proximal goals of which were to…

The Carl Perkins Act provides federal support for rigorous career and technical education (CTE) programs that provide students with knowledge and skills to keep the United States competitive. States are provided with funds which are in turn distributed to eligible recipients, such as local educational agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary…

Chance events are considered important in career development, yet little empirical research is available on their predictors and consequences. The present study investigated socio-demographic (gender, nationality, school-type), personality (openness, locus of control) and career development variables (career decidedness, career planning) in…

This study tested the hypothesis that self-efficacy in career roles moderates the relation between perception of career barriers and career planning, in a study with Portuguese students, 488 in Grade 9 and 517 in Grade 12. The results supported the hypothesis only among Grade 9 girls, showing that perception of career barriers leads to less career…

Roads to Success (RTS) is a school and career planning program designed to be implemented for 45 minutes per week in grades 7 through 12. Researchers at Mathematica Policy Research used a random assignment design to estimate the impacts of receiving RTS in grades 7 and 8. More than half of the students in these schools were eligible for free or…

In the 2007 edition of "Diplomas Count", "Education Week" reported that nationally more than one-third of the students lost from the high school pipeline fail to make the transition from the ninth to the 10th grade. This explains why, for more than two decades, schools and districts across the country have struggled to develop freshman transition…

For the last three years Delaware State University (DSU) and the University of Vermont (UVM) have implemented a new approach to a summer program or "Institute" that emphasizes evaluation and accountability. Beginning in 2005, both institutes changed the focus of their programs to fulfill not only the primary objectives of instilling…