The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine the impact of Riverside Middle Prep's Newcomer Program on academic achievement by using quantitative test scores and a case study design to analyze teacher and student perceptions about the newcomer program. The researchers wanted to determine whether there was a difference between EL…

Student retention is a consequential effort of all institutions of higher learning today. The survival of the institution is dependent upon the success of students in obtaining their degrees (Knox, 2005; Noel, 1978). In order to continue to grow a base of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students and produce quality…

Increasingly, state departments of education, school districts, and high schools are recognizing that many students graduate from high school underprepared for college-level coursework in mathematics. Many are referred to remedial education when they arrive at college. To help students become better prepared for college and avoid remedial courses…

Individuals with severe disabilities often face significant challenges after high school. During the last years of secondary school, transition teams develop plans for individuals who are receiving special education services. Little is known about the outcomes of those efforts. In this qualitative multiple case study, the researcher examined the…

Technology-facilitated interventions following high school graduation have shown promise for increasing the likelihood of college matriculation, but we know little about how to fine-tune these tools. I conducted an experiment in which college-intending Tennessee high school graduates received informational messages in distinct behavioral frames:…

Large numbers of young people in the United States were in foster care or in juvenile justice custody as teenagers, and many of them have a difficult time making a successful transition to independent adulthood as they leave these systems. Most of them faced a number of disadvantages during childhood and often have poor outcomes across several…

The purpose of this study was to compare the student achievement prior to and after the implementation of a freshman academy at one school in East Tennessee. The researcher used student data from the end of course exam scores for Algebra I and English I. The failure rate of freshman prior to and after the implementation of the Freshman Academy was…

Based largely on interviews with stakeholders in California, New York, Tennessee, and West Virginia, this report describes how these states have established initiatives related to early college readiness assessments and transition curricula. It then compares the development of these interventions across states and identifies factors that have…

This study investigated data from 5 high schools in West Tennessee. The study examined whether a ninth-grade transition program (i.e., the Ninth-grade Academy) had an effect on student achievement and engagement, which was measured by English I End-of-Course Test Scores, attendance rates, and dropout rates. All of the schools were treatment…

Students with disabilities are faced with many challenges as they transition from high school to postsecondary education, enter the workforce, and begin independent living. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (IDEA) initially addressed these challenges by mandating that transition planning be included as a part of the…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the components of independent living training and services to determine their effectiveness in preparing foster youth in Tennessee for adulthood, and whether the youth's perceived effectiveness of these services affected their educational motivation. Support factors (i.e., family, financial,…

With over two thirds of high school graduates going on to pursue postsecondary options after high school and over one fourth at 4-year institutions and nearly half at 2-year schools never reaching their sophomore year, it is evident that the transition from high school to college is a broken one for many students. There has been a nationwide call…