The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine the implementation of the NAF career academy model among the four NAF academies at North Baton Rouge Preparatory and investigate whether there is a significant difference among each academy's student performance outcomes. This study utilized master schedules, implementation plans, and academic…

Career academies provide high school students with an opportunity to complete high school coursework while deeply exploring a potential career field concentration. Such academy models aim to improve high graduation rates and college and career readiness of students. However, the implementation of a career academy program can be challenging and may…

The implementation of schools that specialize in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is among the strategies that have been adopted by many states in the United States to improve STEM education and to prepare students to pursue postsecondary studies and careers in STEM. The state of New Jersey is committed to providing…

The primary goal of job training programs is to improve employment and earning outcomes of participants. However, effective job training programs may have potential secondary benefits, including in the form of reduced arrests. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of a job training program in New Orleans that was implemented using a randomized…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the role of school stakeholders (e.g. advisory board members, school administrators, parents, teachers and school board members) at a 99% black academy in promoting the achievement and broadening participation of high school black students in engineering career pathways. Design/methodology/approach: The authors…

The purpose of this study was to explore how a career academy featuring an information technology (IT) theme approached the adoption of the model and the particular curricular focus. We used a case study design to explore the experiences of school personnel and community partners associated with the implementation of the career academy. We found…

Purpose: This study analyzed leadership structures, processes, and practices that have enabled and constrained an ambitious career and college readiness reform within an urban school district. It was designed to discern how leaders worked across cross-sector boundaries to support district-wide high school career academy implementation. Research…

The purpose of this study was to uncover and describe the key components of a "distinguished" National Academy Foundation (NAF) information technology (IT) academy and the nature of implementation to prepare students to be college, career and future ready. Based on 77 semistructured interviews of stakeholders of the academy, we found the…

In 2014-15, the high school graduation rate reached a record high of 83 percent (U.S. Department of Education 2016). Despite the gains, over half a million students still drop out of high school each year (U.S. Department of Education 2015). High schools have adopted various strategies designed to keep students who are at risk of not graduating in…