Extending conventional value-added models (VAM) of teacher effects that focus on the estimation of average effects for excellence, this study examines "distributive" effects for equity. Using multilevel regression models, the study addresses two research questions to inform educational policy for teacher improvement and accountability.…

To resolve the graduation gap among Black and Hispanic students in Central Florida, the development of equity-centered practices to improve high school graduation rates is essential. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of incorporating methods such as the self achievement theory, self-determination methodology, and equity…

Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) requires all students, including those with disabilities, to be served in the least restrictive environment (LRE) or mainstream classroom. However, a gap exists between the LRE requirement and the practice of including students with disabilities, especially those with emotional behavior disability…

From Fall 2019 through Spring 2020, The Hunt Institute released a series of policy briefs, "Attainment for All: Postsecondary Pathways," that highlighted scalable state-level strategies to boost postsecondary attainment rates among specific student subpopulations including high school graduates, first-generation students, and adult…

Public libraries are a national reading service, supporting reading and literacy throughout life. As a free local resource, they are particularly powerful in supporting the development of literacy and reading skills in disadvantaged communities. Libraries have a unique and powerful role to play in raising literacy skills, vital for individuals and…

Black, Indigenous, and students of color (BIPOC students) in high school, who are dually experiencing the socially constructed labels of race and disability (BIPOC-SWD), are not provided with equitable access to Career and College Pathway (CCP) programs, which contributes to a lack of preparedness and success within postsecondary settings. Despite…

This quantitative study examined the proportions of students enrolling in and completing transfer-level math pre- and post-Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705), as well as different predictors affecting the completion of transfer-level math within the first year. The study drew attention to the relationship between students' race/ethnicity and the…

All over the world, nations have spent much of the last 20 years scrambling to increase and improve access to basic education. Globally, the number of people without access to a basic education has fallen significantly in the years since the goals of Education For All (EFA) were announced in 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, and…

Harold Washington College (HWC), one of seven institutions in the City Colleges of Chicago system, is a minority-serving community college. During the 2018-2019 academic year, HWC was a recipient of the Pathways to Results (PTR) Implementation Communities grant funded by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), with support from the Office of…

Since a nationwide reform of pre-primary education in 2010, Ethiopia has experienced a massive expansion of pre-primary enrolment that increased tenfold in six years. Our paper aims to assess the distribution of early literacy outcomes between children who attended preschool and those who did not and explore how that distribution has changed…

Inequities have existed in formal public education since its inception in the United States. The educational experiences and outcomes for Black students have historically lagged behind their non-Hispanic, and White peers. This dissertation uses data from The Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey for the Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K: 2011) to…

Many college students, especially first-generation and underrepresented racial/ethnic minority students, desire courses and careers that emphasize helping people and society. Can instructors of introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses promote motivation, performance, and equity in STEM fields by emphasizing the…

We use data from the Stanford Education Data Archive to describe district-level trends in average academic achievement between 2009 and 2019. Although on average school districts' test scores improved very modestly (by about 0.001 standard deviations per year), there is significant variation among districts. Moreover, we find that average test…

Schools across the United States are seeing an increase in culturally and linguistically diverse students. While there is recognition of the need for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices in K-12 settings, many teachers encounter challenges in effectively implementing these practices, particularly in science classrooms. There…

The underrepresentation of women and the perpetuation of gender stereotypes in children's literature has long been a concern. This study examined the portrayal of women in children's picture books and the potential of interactive read-alouds to promote gender equity in early childhood education, with the aim of shedding light on gender inequality.…