Numerous dual enrollment programs have recently emerged due to the ongoing push for pursuing higher education in the United States. In South Texas, dual enrollment programs are prevalent in almost every high school campus and collaborating colleges and universities. This begs the question, Are students being adequately prepared for college in high…

Education is associated with improved health outcomes. However, fewer non-Hispanic Black Americans earn high school diplomas, baccalaureate, or advanced degrees than White Americans, placing them at higher risk for poor health outcomes. Racial disparities in education have been linked to social injustice and structural racism. Through the…

In this study, we compared students' engagement in college and career readiness experiences between three academies and a traditional, comprehensive high school. The three academies differed on fidelity in implementing the NAF career academy model. We found that students in the high fidelity NAF academy engaged in both college and career readiness…

Many districts across Texas have adopted programs built on the goal of providing more opportunities within their repertoire for servicing traditionally underserved students (AVID, 2023). Friou (2016) reported that 62 districts across Texas have utilized the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, which aimed to bridge the gap in…

Too few students are graduating from high school college and career-ready. For this dissertation, a qualitative design that included a data analysis was implemented to review a dual enrollment program and the impact of implementing various change ideas to increase enrollment of students in the program. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase…

This study aimed to research the impact Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) programs have on the development of student agency in high school students. AVID was founded in San Diego, California by teacher Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980 (AVID.org). The AVID framework is divided into two sections, "What Students Need" and…

A committee comprised of the former state superintendent and educational leaders launched a unique high school program (pseudonym Connections) to support the delivery of a high school curriculum that would prepare students for college and careers. Students in Connections complete their 4 years of high school, supported by an Advocate who guides…

This phenomenological study examined students' experiences with the academic support services provided during their enrollment at an Early College High School (ECHS) in South Texas. The participants in this study earned an associate degree from a community college while enrolled in an ECHS. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with…

College options for students with intellectual disabilities continue to grow. However, there is a gap among students and families about available college opportunities. This study provides evidence of a weeklong summer academy that bridges the gap between high school and college. Results showed the summer academy increased participants' awareness…

Students graduating from high school are entering college unprepared for college-level academic readiness expectations. High school dual enrollment programs were established throughout the country to help address the lack of college readiness skills among students entering college. Empirical literature presented in this study demonstrates that…

Although an emergence of literature focuses on the college transition process, few studies exclusively highlight the experiences of first-generation and racially underrepresented students. Several structural factors hinder the progress and development of marginalized students as a result of the intersection of racism and classism. Pre-college…

Kentucky's Targeted Interventions (TI) program is a statewide intervention intended to prepare non-college-ready high school students for college-level coursework. Using a difference-in-regression discontinuity design, we find that TI reduces the likelihood that students enroll in remedial courses by 8 to 10 percentage points in math. These…

Preparing students for the 21st century learning standards has become paramount. Calls for reform in education and an emphasis on college and career readiness in the 21st century have been prescribed as key to providing proper instruction. The implementation of these skills often require changes to the traditional high school schedule. One…

The purpose of this study was to explore the difference participating in career and technical (CTE) dual enrollment courses made on the college and career readiness of recent high school graduates. The research also explored if CTE dual enrollment participation changed high school students' perceptions about education. Participants in this…

Objective: In 2009, the Kentucky General Assembly found unacceptable and costly the ongoing high numbers of high school students requiring remediation once they enter higher education. The state passed legislation to better align secondary and college education, establishing a diagnostic cycle that would become its Targeted Interventions (TI)…