Many schools and districts administer ACT® Aspire® to measure progress towards college and career readiness. A recent study suggests that ACT Aspire scores can also be used to help identify students who are academically prepared and may benefit from some of the more rigorous courses offered in high schools across the nation, including Advanced…

The problem is the decrease in educational continuance of New Mexico high school students to college or university. The purpose of the qualitative exploratory case study was to gain insight into how educational administrators in New Mexico high schools, colleges, and universities perceive what factors influence students in Advancement Placement…

Females are underrepresented in all levels of physics, while a simultaneous need exists to increase the physical science workforce pipeline. A review of current literature found exposure to more advanced pSTEM courses might influence students to pursue those career-fields, however enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) Physics remains…

Hispanic students participate in advanced programming at a much lower rate than their White peers. Although Advanced Placement (AP) can have a positive impact on future academic success and attainment of long-term goals, limited research has investigated factors that contribute to AP success for gifted Hispanic students. This study examined…

This report examines the effects of taking math in 12th grade on several academic outcomes, including high school grade point average, A-G course completion, college enrollment, and college persistence. We also investigate whether particular types of math courses (for example, Calculus or Statistics) are especially beneficial for students'…

This report examines the impact of taking a math course in twelfth grade on L.A. Unified students' science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) college course taking and academic achievement. We also investigate whether particular types of math courses (for example, Calculus or Statistics) are especially beneficial for students' postsecondary…

Almost one out of every three K-12 public school students in California is a Latino, Black, Native American, or Pacific Islander male--making it clear that the economic future of the state will hinge on the ability to help the millions of boys and young men in education institutions succeed in high school, college, and beyond. But in order to…

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program was developed to increase the number of secondary students who participate in rigorous academic courses, to accelerate student learning, and to improve student performance. The AVID program in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) targets students who (1) are in the academic…

Massachusetts passed its first charter school law in 1993. Since then, the cap on the number of these public schools has been raised several times: in 1997, 2000, and 2010. Today, the state educates 40,200 students in 78 charter schools, and 32,600 students are on wait lists. This November, Bay State residents will vote by referendum, via Ballot…

Students are entering college having earned credit for college Calculus 1 based on their scores on the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB exam. Despite being granted credit for college Calculus 1, it is unclear whether these students are adequately prepared for college Calculus 2. College calculus classes are often taught from a…

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine what pre-college characteristics predict college success for students of color enrolled within science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA) after three years of initial enrollment. Design/methodology/approach: To increase the…

This College Success Research Brief is one of a series of briefs documenting the implementation and impact of Mass Insight's College Success/STEM program. The research briefs are intended to share key findings, highlight ongoing questions and lines of inquiry, and inform the thinking of practitioners and policymakers on how to scale up efforts to…

Despite all intentions in the course of the Bologna Process and decades of investment into improving the social dimension, results in many national and international studies show that inequity remains stubbornly persistent, and that inequity based on socio-economic status, parental education, gender, country-of-origin, rural background and more…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states lead the nation in student participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. The region also continued to match the nation in the success rates of high school students on AP exams in 2008. SREB's "Challenge to Lead" Goals for Education recognize the…

This paper outlines current student-level indicators at the high school and middle school levels that predict college success. In this bulletin, indicators are divided into three categories: assessment scores (e.g., SAT® exam scores), transcript attributes (e.g., course rigor), and additional indicators (e.g., attendance) that impact achievement.