Globally, early childhood education is seen as a right for children and yet, while several nations have instituted universal early childhood education policies to ensure that all children have access to it, the United States faces several challenges. In addition to lacking a universal federal mandate for early childhood education, the United…

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined athletic participation rates between 2016 and 2019 of nine male IHSA-sanctioned sports in Illinois. The quantitative portion examined whether a statistically significant difference exists between low socioeconomic students and non-low-income high school students' participation in high school…

Purpose: This study estimates the effect of the Truth-in-Tuition policy on the enrollment of first-year students, minority students and all students (total enrollment) in Illinois universities. Design/methodology/approach: Econometric models yield robust estimates using state- and time-fixed effects. This research uses the nonparametric…

Lesson study, especially when conducted with support from targeted resources, is often identified as a potentially effective means to support teacher learning. In this study, 80 school-based teams of educators, representing 80 classrooms of third- or fourth-grade students in the US, were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: lesson study…

The present dissertation features two studies utilizing secondary data to explore the impact of geography on access to and utilization of early developmental services, including Part C early intervention (EI) and autism diagnosis. Both studies examined the role of geography on a micro-level using geographic information system (GIS) based…

Data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges are gathered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Data in the "Fiscal Year 2021 Salary Report," which derive from the ICCB Faculty, Staff, and Salary (C1) Data and Supplementary Faculty, Staff, and Salary Information, reflect the census…

Data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges are gathered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Data in the "Fiscal Year 2022 Salary Report," which derive from the ICCB Faculty, Staff, and Salary (C1) Data and Supplementary Faculty, Staff, and Salary Information, reflect the census…

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the workplace discrimination experiences of individuals with disabilities residing in the Midwest by exploring their allegations filed under Title I of the ADA from 1992 through 2016. Objective: The goals of this article are to describe region- and state-level patterns in workplace…

Data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges are gathered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Data in the "Fiscal Year 2020 Salary Report," which derive from the ICCB Faculty, Staff, and Salary (C1) Data and Supplementary Faculty, Staff, and Salary Information, reflect the census…

In Spring 2022, the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) conducted a statewide survey of high school seniors on their college decision-making. A report on the decision-making processes of 4-year college-goers was published previously, illustrating those students' focus on cost, location, and academic reputation in…

The study evaluates the location and prominence of Chicana/o/x Studies courses on community college campuses nationally according to their websites and public-facing resources through content analysis methodology. To date, the research on Chicana/o/x Studies and on Ethnic Studies programs in community colleges, in general, has been limited, so…

This report focuses on the college choice process of 1,251 Illinois high school seniors (Class of 2022) who were intending to attend a four-year college in Fall 2022. The survey was conducted in the summer of 2022. In this report, the authors use survey responses to answer the following questions: (1) What general factors do diverse groups of…

Given the responsibility of the government for funding public education, the Office of the Governor of the State of Illinois commissioned the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) to explore how students were making postsecondary education decisions, including the relevant factors that influenced their general…

As policy debates concerning LGBTQ+ students and staff continue across the American education system, there is not a clear description of the prevalence of local policy protections, even in states with legislative mandates, nor a strong understanding of how to expand reform initiatives. After conducting a document analysis of policies with a…

Data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges are gathered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Data in the "Fiscal Year 2019 Salary Report," which derive from the ICCB Faculty, Staff, and Salary Data and Supplementary Faculty, Staff, and Salary Information, reflect the census date of…