English learners (ELs) constitute a large--and growing--share of the student body in the United States. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that nearly one-quarter of U.S. children speak a language other than English at home. Furthermore, one-third of children under age 8 have at least one parent who speaks a non-English language--these…

Underrepresented minority (URM) college students have been steadily earning degrees in relatively less-lucrative fields of study since the mid-1990s. A decomposition reveals that this widening gap is principally explained by rising stratification at public research universities, many of which increasingly enforce GPA restriction policies that…

This work comprises three articles centered around access and equity in California with a lens toward school inputs, interrogating the extent to which coursework as well as local planning efforts support student learning and progress. Using descriptive analysis, Chapter 1 examines the availability and accessibility of rigorous English courses for…

The aim of this pre-experimental study is twofold: (1) to investigate the comparative effectiveness of individual, pair, and group writing conditions in L2 writing classes, and (2) to explore students' perceptions about each of these conditions. The participants were university-level Turkish EFL learners studying in the English Preparatory Program…

Employing concepts of place and space, we consider the implementation of Early College initiatives in two small school districts in Ohio, situated in very different regions of the state. One is a rural district near the foothills of Appalachia, and the other is a small town district on the shores of Lake Erie. The paper examines data collected…

Purpose: Black and Latino males face challenges to college-going that may alter their decision to attend college. However, many Black and Latino males have successfully enrolled and matriculated through college. This study aims to explore the precollege factors that influenced the college enrollment and persistence for first generation Black and…

This study investigated 5 non-native English teachers' perceptions on Turkish (L1) use in English language (L2) classrooms in the English Preparatory School context of European University of Lefke in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The participants were interviewed by using a semi-structured interview and observed by administering…

Planning for college can be one of the biggest moments in a teen's life, but for those students with learning and other disabilities, the college experience can be fraught with frustration, uncertainty, and lowered self-confidence. "College Success for Students With Learning Disabilities" offers teens the confidence, strategies, and…

The winner of the 2018 Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools-- the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (EMK) in Boston-- seeks to empower underrepresented students to succeed in college and high-wage careers. With an emphasis on healthcare-related career exposure and experiential learning, the school places a deliberate focus on preparing…

In 2005, the percentage of Canton City's young adults with some college or an associate degree was 33%. In addition, only 12.5% of its adults had earned a bachelor's degree or higher, and 81% of its students were in poverty. Canton's poorest neighborhoods needed a compelling example that college was possible. In response, the Canton City School…

The TRIO Upward Bound program has been in existence for 50 years. The program is a federally funded pre-college program which supports the persistence and retention of low-income, potential first-generation students as they prepare for college. The TRIO programs have assisted thousands of students in their preparation and transition to higher…

Entrepreneurial learning is the backbone of this Brooklyn charter school network which opened in Fall 2014 to serve grades 6-12, including English language learners and students with disabilities. LAB's academic model combines empirically effective learning practices with innovative implementation strategies, including a blended learning model…

This qualitative study examines how Mexican American students participating in an AVID for Higher Education course perceived their preparation for the workforce and efficacy of completing a college credential. A focus group approach was used to explore how social and cultural networks (networks for success) contribute to college completion. The…

This small-scale design study describes disciplinary learning in mathematical modeling and science from an authentic engineeringthemed module. Current research in tissue engineering served as source material for the module, including science content for readings and a mathematical modeling activity in which students work in small teams to design a…

In the UK, students who want to progress to higher education have a number of possible pathways at age 16. The most common of these is traditional, academic focussed, 'A' levels, but increasingly students are taking alternative qualifications (e.g. BTECs, IB, Pre-U). The focus of this research is to infer which (if any) of these qualifications are…