Middle grades transitions pose challenges to many students who meet these tasks with varying levels of success. Contemporary developmental and strengths-based literature offers Hope Theory (Snyder, 2002), a research supported approach that can mitigate risks in school transitions. This article describes how middle grades educators can apply the…

This Policy Brief captures some of the challenges for students' math education trajectories, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, and it highlights three ways states can strengthen math pathways to improve student access and success. Specific policy options that states can consider include: (1) aligning high school math courses with postsecondary…

The purpose of this brief is to examine the biases associated with the term "immigrant" and the challenges educators may experience when students are engaged in bi-national education. As the current administration's immigration policies are enacted, many students who have been educated in the United States may soon transition into…

School-level educational interventions targeting learners from low socioeconomic backgrounds often have the long-term goal of enabling access to, and successful completion of tertiary studies. This study tracked the progress of alumni of an educational intervention two or three years post school, in order to investigate their pathways to their…

Education in today's world is very challenging. From concerns over the funding of career and technical education (CTE) to discussions about the achievement gap and dropout prevention, to debates about what it means to be college- and career-ready, the role of CTE in educational reform paradoxically is both at the forefront and on the backburner of…

This paper provides an analysis of international literature and focus group data arising from a three-year critical ethnographic study with 795 young people, educators and parents speaking about transitions through public education in Canada. It fills fissures in qualitative and process-based sociological work on youth transitions and redresses…

Finding the best way for students to learn and achieve success is of utmost importance to the State of Illinois and the nation as a whole. College and career success is critical to the national and state economy. Career and technical education (CTE) has been central to this call for greater college completion, and the credentials that CTE provides…

American businesses and industries have long identified shortages in key career and technical areas--some of these areas require two- or four-year college degrees, whereas others simply require industry certifications. Career and technical education (CTE) has the potential to play a central role in filling these gaps. The current Carl D. Perkins…

The South Carolina Technical College System (SCTCS) has embraced POS, providing students across the state with pathways into careers ranging from nuclear systems technology to health care to industrial technology. The SCTCS has strived, over the last 50 years, to foster a bridge between business and education. The colleges coordinate and…

This article describes Oakwood City School District's College Connection Study, which is now in its eighth year. The purpose of the study is to help the educators in the district learn how to effectively prepare students for success in the colleges of their choice. Teachers, administrators, and other staff members travel to colleges to conduct…

As children become teenagers and move into early adulthood, there are many transitions they face. For young people with disabilities, this is no different except that there are invariably additional complex challenges that must be overcome. Evidence-based research is the foundation for best transition practices, but too many studies seem abstract,…

Helping students make the transition to high school and preparing them for postsecondary learning is built into the day-to-day processes at Statesville (NC) High School. The author and his staff members always strive to do what is best for the students. Because statistics indicate that the freshman class is always the largest and the senior class…

Whenever educators are asked to identify the major problems they face, behavior management is near the top of the list. Research shows that effective teachers are able to build relationships with students and implement well-developed classroom procedures (Holt, Hargrove, & Harris, 2011, p. 18). Yet schools give scant attention to developing…

To have a meaningful, fulfilling career in the 21st century workplace, students need technical and academic skills as well as the ability to think and work collaboratively with others. Career education must begin in middle school or earlier to allow students time to develop the aptitudes, skills and attitudes necessary to develop an awareness of…

Working with K-12 schools is a valuable way for institutions and their boards to cultivate college-ready students and equip them with a sense of purpose and direction when they arrive on campus. Key elements to preparing young students for higher education include communicating expectations clearly and consistently, reaching out to underserved…