Out-of-school-time (OST) programs have long focused on children's social and emotional development as part of their mission of building a culture of connectedness and positive relationships between youth and adults. Research demonstrates that high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are associated with positive…

In a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), "Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth" (VIT-TAY) enhanced employment for autistic youth receiving transition services. For this study, a nonrandomized hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial evaluated whether VIT-TAY maintained its core implementation and effectiveness…

Most educators believe that social and emotional learning (SEL) skills are a fundamental part of good teaching and learning. Long before the pandemic, surveys showed that teachers believed these skills were essential for students to learn at school, and research confirmed that they are linked with measures of academic success. Educators need…

To prepare high school graduates with visual impairments for college, staff members at Perkins School for the Blind developed a nine month residential program, College Success@Perkins. This article describes components of the program design and provides data on eight students who successfully completed the program in the first cohort. It concludes…

This dissertation in practice documents the program evaluation of the Community Scholars (CS) program at the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities (FCIC), a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the University of South Florida (USF). CS is part of a diversity pipeline program that recruits youth with…

This is the technical appendix to a report that offers early lessons from an initiative focused on social and emotional learning (SEL) in elementary schools and out-of-school time (OST) programs. In 2016, in an effort to gain knowledge about how to help children develop SEL skills, The Wallace Foundation launched a six-year project called the…

In 2016, in an effort to gain knowledge about how to help children develop social and emotional learning (SEL) skills, The Wallace Foundation launched a six-year project called the Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI). The goals of PSELI are for students to experience reinforcing messages about SEL both in school and…

This program evaluation study used an objectives-oriented evaluation to determine the impact of professional development on effective communication to enhance leadership skills of school and district leaders in a southwestern Florida school district. Professional development is offered by the district to teachers, school leaders, district leaders,…

Project EQuIPD--Engaging Quality Instruction through Professional Development--sought to establish and test for efficacy a professional development model to produce highly qualified teachers in STEM practices for all children, especially for students who are in traditionally underserved schools and districts within the State of Florida. The…

School based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers are required to have expertise in pedagogy and a complex array of agricultural content areas. This study integrated an experience with agricultural technical skills and pedagogical experimentation for preservice teachers in a teaching methods course. An integrated skills acquisition (ISA)…

This study examined the impact of Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (PASL), a school based social emotional reform implemented in the Broward County Florida Public Schools. Taking advantage of a phased roll out of PASL, we analyzed data collected during the first implementation year (2017-18) and compared 205 9th grade…

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of students enrolled in a campus-based program designed to promote academic success and retention of first generation college students. Method: Twenty-five undergraduate students in the program participated in focus groups and interviews to share their perceptions and experiences. Research team…

Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) programs offer students with intellectual disabilities (ID) the opportunity to enhance academic, career, and independent living skills, with the ultimate goal of preparing them for meaningful employment. Given the significance of such programs and their rapid growth across the country and in Florida, an…

Employers in every sector have emphasized the need for a well-rounded, highly skilled workforce. Recent survey data indicates that over 90% of business leaders think American workers are not as skilled as they need to be. 1 According to the Business Roundtable, CEOs around the country have noticed a particular gap in "employability…

Three parents of preschool-aged children with Down syndrome using mobile augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies to communicate participated indirect, systematic communication-partner instruction. Intervention featured an adaptation of the ImPAACT Program (Improving Partner Applications of Augmentative Communication…