This policy brief examines the long-term outcomes of Texas high school students who graduated via the Individual Graduation Committee (IGC) pathway, a mechanism that permits graduation for students who fail one or two End-of-Course (EOC) standardized exams. Drawing on a matched comparison of students who narrowly failed versus narrowly passed…

Higher education's interest in remedial college coursework and its bumpy impact on student success drove this collaboration between the mathematics department and institutional research at a small, private 4-year university. For first-time freshmen needing math remediation, national research shows that these students struggle with earning required…

On January 9, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released high school graduation rates for the State of Florida and the School District of Palm Beach County. The fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Federal High School Graduation Rate includes standard diplomas but excludes special diplomas and General Education Diplomas (GEDs). Students with…

The rising cost of higher education has led to increased tuition costs for students and their families, forcing more students to secure larger amounts of debt to finance their educational pursuits. Although scholars have explored how student loan debt accumulation influences higher education persistence and graduation, an unexplored area of higher…

Our initial impetus for this project stems from the development of UNCP's Indigenous Cultures & Communities (ICC) graduation requirement. We recognize the efforts of individual faculty representing disciplines in the arts, education, humanities, library, and nursing to redesign class activities and courses. Our purpose is to share models and…

In November 2024, the New York State Board of Regents issued the "Vision to Transform New York State Graduation Requirements," a plan for high school education reform. To understand the context for this reform, this issue brief discusses New York's levels of student performance and state education spending, as well as a brief history of…

Postsecondary education is vital to thrive, not just survive. Eighty percent of good-paying jobs require postsecondary education, and 56 percent require a bachelor's degree or higher. While the nation's high school graduation rate has reached an all-time high of 85 percent, students are insufficiently prepared for postsecondary education and the…

This article presents a constructivist writing placement framework, developed from the study of two pilot iterations of a local writing placement mechanism at a large public research university. Through preliminary analysis of data from these pilots, we present a model of constructivist writing placement and demonstrate how it helps move…

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) SCORE Academy is an alternative learning high school composed of two distinct programs. SCORE Academy Re-engagement (A) serves students who are 16 to 21 years old and need to earn between one and 10 credits toward graduation. SCORE Academy Reassignment (B) serves students who have been reassigned by the…

This study investigated the effect a computer intervention program has on student proficiency in the Algebra 1 End of Course (EOC) examination. This study utilized the intervention math program IXL Math, a computerized program that targets individual students' skill practice and supports students' need to accelerate mastery of Algebra 1 skills in…

This study used a gap analysis to evaluate the knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for an alternative education program to reach the organizational goal of having 100% of students meet graduation requirements. While a complete performance evaluation would focus on all stakeholders, the stakeholders of focus were the…

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) is committed to providing guidance and support for high school faculty, staff, and administrators to ensure clear pathways to graduation. Many high school students face challenges in accrual and recovery of credit towards graduation. Class offerings, credit calculation, and course…

On January 22, 2023, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released high school graduation rates for the State of Florida and the District. The FY23 Federal High School Graduation Rate includes standard diplomas but excludes special diplomas and General Education Diplomas (GEDs). Students with Disabilities (SWD) on Access Points curriculum…

In 2019, the Legislature passed House Bill 1599, which established graduation pathways as a requirement for graduation. These pathways must be aligned with a student's postsecondary goals as described in their High School and Beyond Plan. This report includes the unique pathway options, a data summary, and disaggregated pathway completion data for…

California graduation requirements have been largely unchanged since 2003. Within the state of California, a public-school district has to meet state requirements to offer a high school diploma, but a district can implement additional requirements for students beyond the state minimum. Postsecondary educational eligibility is determined during a…