This study investigated perspectives on extracurriculars by immigrant, non-immigrant Latinx, and non-immigrant Black parents of high school students, as well as potential barriers, if any, to their children's ability to participate in extracurriculars. Drawing upon previous research that demonstrates the positive impact of extracurricular…

The number of students enrolled in Dual Credit programs in the state of Texas continues to grow, however, there are disparities in Black student enrollment rates. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that impeded the enrollment of Black students in Dual Credit programs. This sequential mixed method study consisted of a quantitative…

Learning to read and write efficiently is of the utmost importance in elementary school. However, writing is frequently difficult and can be demotivating for beginning writers. Fortunately these barriers can be partially alleviated with parental help. Many studies showed that parental involvement influences children's competence and motivation in…

This evaluation study provides information about the implementation and outcomes of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program in West Virginia, from September 2014 through May 2015. The report draws on information from online surveys of 23 directors of 21st CCLC programs and from school teachers for 929 of the 11,299…

Playworks is a program that aims to create "safe, inclusive school environments where kids can grow, lead, and thrive" (Playworks, 2013a). Through trained, full-time coaches focused on recess in low-income elementary schools across the country, Playworks provides opportunities for inclusive play, and physical activity. Based on prior…

Gamification is an increasingly acceptable alternative to traditional classroom structures and practices that is based on the notion that games can be engaging to students. Gamification consists of applying game concepts such as challenges, rewards, and leaderboards to educational materials and courses. While gamification in the classroom is not…

We report on the scaling up of a high school content literacy framework, Reading Apprenticeship, over a period of four years as part of the independent evaluation of an Investing in Innovation grant from the U.S. Department of Education to WestEd's Strategic Literacy Institute (SLI). Our goal was to understand the school processes that support…

Despite progress on many fronts, young men of color still face many obstacles to success in American society and suffer disproportionately from economic and social disadvantage. In recent years, foundations and state and local governments have launched major initiatives to address this pressing issue. For example, in 2011, the City of New York…

The Youth Villages Transitional Living program is intended to help youth who were formerly in foster care or juvenile justice custody, or who are otherwise unprepared for adult life, to make the transition to independent living. Youth Villages, which serves emotionally and behaviorally troubled young people, operates a number of programs in…

Web 2.0 technologies characterised by user participation and sharing have been used increasingly in academic environments. In such learning environments, it is critical to engage learners as active participants rather than passive consumers of online content. The present study attempts to conceptualise the participation issue central to blogs…

Adopting a new teaching approach is often a daunting task especially if one is an early adopter in a limited-resource environment. This article describes the challenges encountered and the strategies used in pilot testing a blended instructional method in a large size class within the college of education at a medium-sized university. The main…