This study used a mixed-methods approach to examine the effects of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program from the student perspective, specifically focusing on factors associated with student resilience. The AVID program aims to close the achievement gap among predominantly minority and low-income students without a family…

This report focuses on pathways to postsecondary education (PSE), including high school completion, for pregnant and parenting teens. Although birth rates among teens have declined in the United States over the last 20 years, one in seven adolescent females (14.4 percent) is expected to give birth before age 20 with females of color (24 percent of…

Engagement matters, and it is critical for student success and for community college faculty and staff who are responsible for helping students learn and achieve their goals. It is particularly critical for community colleges to find ways to engage part-time faculty who are responsible for such a significant part of most students' college…

This primer introduces 23 practices designed to support students inside and outside of the classroom and increase their community college success. These case studies illustrate the five themes for effective student support that emerged from Student Support (Re)defined--a multi-year study performed by the Research and Planning Group for California…

The purpose of this study is to examine how high schools with shifting demographics respond to the academic and social needs of English language learners. Increasingly schools and teachers are asked to teach students who come from homes where English is not the primary language. The implications of shifting demographics impacts high school…

As advances in information and communication technologies give way to more innovative opportunities for teaching and learning at a distance, the need to provide supporting structures for online students similar to those offered to on-campus students is becoming more significant. Although a range of support services has been proposed in the past,…

Recent statistics suggest that only 56% of Black students and 55% of Latino students who enter the ninth grade graduate with a high school diploma four years later, and only 12% to 14% graduate having met the requirements to attend a state university. The reasons most often cited for those statistics are boredom and lack of engagement. Creating…

As important decisions are being made with regard to educational legislation, policy and provision for children with special educational needs (SEN), it is critical that the views of these key stakeholders are heard and considered. This article reports the perspectives of 38 children and young people with special educational needs on their…

Community colleges are grappling with low rates of degree completion and transfer. The City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) aims to improve graduation rates by providing a range of comprehensive support services to community college students in select majors. Using student-unit record data, we…

The authors examined the association between living learning communities (LLCs) and undergraduates' sense of community and belonging to their university and residence halls. LLC students scored higher on sense of belonging in residence, but not on campus, than did students in non-LLCs. Analysis of open- ended responses suggested that LLC students…

This study examined how traditional-aged, first-year college students with specific learning disabilities adjusted to academic expectations as they moved from high school to a less monitored collegiate environment. Results of the study indicated that these students had difficulty moving beyond their established high school patterns by…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze the perceptions (through survey data) of Disability Support Services (DSS) personnel regarding the transition process for students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from secondary to postsecondary institutions. Participants from 408 postsecondary institutions completed the…

Low-income students earn bachelor's degrees at significantly lower rates than their high-income peers. This qualitative study interviewed 21 Fall 2008 full-time first-year Pell Grant recipients in May 2012 when almost all were near the point of baccalaureate degree completion at a large urban doctoral-granting institution with very high research…

Periodic assessment and scrutiny of the discipline's measurement practices, instruments, and research findings are necessary to provide clarity and direction by revealing what we know, how we know it, and where the knowledge gaps exist. Reflective reviews have produced ample appraisals of the theory, research, and methods employed in the conduct…

Superintendents and principals can have a positive and decisive impact on student achievement and higher graduation rates. Their essential leadership can illuminate the path to excellence for faculty and students. In upgrading curriculum and instruction, school leaders need to keep abreast of practices proven effective in other districts and…