In this article, the authors sought to discover if participation in formal debate programs translates into better academic achievement and attainment for students. First, individual debaters' reading and math test scores over time were looked at and students were compared to themselves in years when they did and did not participate in debate. The…

Degree attainment is a shared goal of college students, higher education institutions, and the larger society, as graduates have lower rates of unemployment, higher rates of civic engagement, pay higher taxes, and are able to better prepare future generations for academic success as compared to their counterparts (Museus et al., 2008).…

Although there is a growing body of research on retention of higher education students, there is a constant need for more because of ever-changing variables that affect attrition. With dynamic retention issues changing, new empirical research such as this study can be used to keep up with higher education attrition. The specific purpose of this…

The concept of engagement was first introduced to literature in 1992 by William Kahn. The notion was originally described as psychological presence. "Psychological presence" is described as "the experiential state enabling organization members to draw deeply on their personal selves in role performances, that is, to express thoughts…

Our study is among the first to provide a comprehensive review of cross-national patterns of gender differences in various STEM-related constructs--achievement, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, and participation, concerning country-level gender equality. We complement our review with empirical analyses utilizing rigorous methodologies and richer…

This Fact Sheet highlights English learner students in secondary schools who are career and technical education participants (received at least one CTE credit in that year) and concentrators (received three credits within a career cluster during high school).

This brief highlights lessons learned from New Mexico's investment in community schools. Drawing on profiles of three sites that received state implementation grants, we find that community schools implementing the key practices at the center of New Mexico's community schools framework are seeing improvement across a range of indicators, including…

While numerous studies have shown evidence of higher completion frequencies for first-time freshmen who participate in four-year honors programs, research has yet to reveal how honors programs might impact outcomes for transfer students. Based on ex post facto data collected on transfer student graduation percentages at a large public university…

To increase persistence, many universities provide first-year seminars (FYS) for entering students. Although there have been consistent positive outcomes for FYS participants, many times, the research is based on short-term outcomes, or less rigorous analysis. This study assessed short- and long-term outcomes for Hispanic (n = 456) and Hispanic…

Within California, there are high numbers of Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) that populate California public schools that require special programs and services to ensure their academic, language, and social success. According to the Public Policy Institute of California (2023), nearly 25 percent or 1.4 million of the students in California…

Research has revealed that online writing instructors use a variety of instructional methods in class to improve student learning experiences. However, current research has not addressed rural students' learning experiences with connectivism in an online composition course. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore what, if any,…

As of 2024-25, Roswell Independent School District has four community schools, including Sierra Middle School--entering its fifth year of implementation--and University High School--an alternative school entering its third year of implementation. Sierra and University High have each created a nourishing school climate and culture by providing…

Many students who enroll in a public U.S. 4-y college will not graduate. The odds of completing a college degree are even lower for students who have been marginalized in higher education, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Can undergraduate research increase a student's likelihood of graduating college and…

This study examines the impact of high school academic indicators and participation in the federally funded Upward Bound program on college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income students. Specifically the extent to which participation in the federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program and related factors--high school GPA, course rigor,…

Latinx students face some of the country's lowest persistence and graduation rates (Green & Wright, 2017). Previous research affirms the need to develop intentional student support programs inclusive of the characteristics, identities, strengths, and unique needs of underrepresented student populations, including Latinx students, to improve…