The nation is facing a shortage of educators prepared to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Latinos are the nation's fastest growing population but are underrepresented in higher-skilled occupations in the classroom and overrepresented in supportive roles with lower wages. This shows the need for employers and…

In this study, we examined the requirements for career and technical education administrators across all 50 states. The decline in the number of states that require a specific career-technical administration certification/licensure to oversee secondary career and technical education (CTE) programs has continued for decades. Most states have moved…

Latinos continue to make progress in college attainment and workforce participation. We have the fastest growth in postsecondary enrollment and completion, and our labor force participation is the highest of any group. However, Latino talent remains overrepresented in high-skilled, low-wage occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022e).…

The Certified Association Executive credential is a professional certification designed to identify association management professionals committed to a wide range of knowledge essential to the management of an association. Though the CAE has existed since 1960, no research exists related to the motivations of those individuals that chose to purse…

Racial disproportionality in special education reflects the manifestation of modern-day segregation in our education systems (Anyon, 2009; Artiles et al., 2016; Artiles, 2022). Due to their specialized training and positionality as key stakeholders in special education eligibility processes, school psychologists are uniquely suited to impact…

Retention of administrators is related to student achievement, but little is known about factors related to the retention of special education directors. The authors examine whether educational credentials, certifications, and number of years served are related to the number of years served as local education agency special education director.

The School Social Work Association of America's national certified school social worker (NCSSW) credential was launched in April 2021. Because the certification is so new, it has not yet been evaluated. Without information on the benefits of the NCSSW credential, it is difficult to promote the certification, to help the certification grow, or to…

Increasingly, people are looking for education and training options that are more affordable, flexible, can quickly open doors to good jobs, and--ideally--pave the way for further educational attainment. Businesses also want to hire workers with the skills needed for jobs in growing industries. Non-degree credentials (NDCs) can often meet these…

Following a high-quality early care and pre-K experience, the kindergarten-through-third-grade years set the foundation upon which future learning builds; and strengthening this continuum creates opportunities for later success. Key components of a quality experience in K-3 include school readiness and transitions, kindergarten requirements,…

This study examines College and Career Readiness (CCR) policy implementation through the lens of "decoupling." We investigate how high schools have jointly implemented Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Industry-Based Certifications (IBCs), and whether there is evidence of "curricular-credential decoupling" via…

Risk management and insurance (RMI) is facing a talent gap that is exacerbated by an increasing employer demand for technology-based skills. This research explores whether an undergraduate curriculum-based professional certificate influences college students' RMI career choices. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the researcher surveyed a…

In this policy brief we examine the initial licensure process of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and classify each licensure process as traditional, transitional, or transformative, based on criteria suggested by a panel of expert practitioners and university faculty from the field of educational leadership. The expert panel…

This appendix supplements the report "Stackable Credential Pipelines in Ohio: Evidence on Programs and Earnings Outcomes" (ED613593). In the appendix, the authors provide more details about the data and empirical approach, additional information about the samples, and some alternative results from analyses related to those that appear in…

The purpose of this project dissertation was to research, create and assess a hypothetical two-year musical theatre/music theater (MT) curriculum to serve as a model for future implementation at community colleges. As one of the fastest growing and most prolific forms of popular entertainment today, the 21st Century musical is uniquely poised to…

This study aimed to identify if Central Ohio employers closed the middle-skill gap by investing in training. Middle-skill jobs are those that require at least one of the following: a month of On-the-Job training, previous work experience in a related occupation, an apprenticeship, a certification, and some college but not a 4-year degree (Young…