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…

In an unusual research collaboration, scholars in Chile and the US collected similar empirical data across their two countries to investigate and contrast relational trust in schools in Valparaíso, Chile and Illinois, US. The most salient finding was that, when asked about constructs associated with relational trust, teachers and students…

Institutions of higher education develop rich and effective marketing and recruitment plans, often devoting a great deal of time and energy to attract prospective students and their families. Music education programs often develop specialized recruiting strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of music education recruiting…

The National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving educational outcomes that traces its roots back to the early 1990s. NMSI's College Readiness Program (CRP) is a long-standing program with the goal of promoting STEM education in high schools to improve students' preparation for college. The three-year…

This brief report uses data collected under the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Fall Enrollment survey to highlight distance education data in the state of Illinois. The sample for this analysis is comprised of all active, degree-granting…

During the most recent decade, interdisciplinary instruction at the undergraduate level has increased rapidly. Independent colleges and universities are both innovators in developing new approaches to interdisciplinary education and strong supporters of traditional liberal arts disciplines. Some observers argue that interdisciplinary approaches…

Purpose/Objectives: This study investigated the use of electronic and paper-based point-of-service (POS) systems in school nutrition programs (SNPs), including associated challenges and the desired skills and existing training practices for personnel handling such systems. Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on interviews with 25 SNP…

The purpose of this study was to determine if students in identified Illinois high schools who were a part of a one-to-one (1:1) laptop program achieved higher results on the computer-based Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment than students in identified Illinois high schools that did not…

The provision of special education services to students with disabilities has grown dramatically since the passage of Public Law 94-142, the first federal legislation guaranteeing this right to publicly educated children. This legislation ensured that students with disabilities adversely affecting their ability to access the general education…

This research brief examines the relationship between high schools' dual credit participation rate and key characteristics of high schools. The brief establishes that there are differences in students' access to dual credit based on the observed characteristics of the high schools in which they enroll. For example, it was found that relative to…

Purpose: Authorities recommend that schools provide a variety of opportunities for students to obtain physical activity (PA) before, during, and after school. This study assessed the prevalence of several school PA practices--including measures of quantity and quality of physical education (PE)--in elementary schools and examined the associations…

Research shows that one-quarter to one-third of teachers who leave the profession return, the majority after only a short absence. Though returning teachers can constitute a substantial share of newly hired teachers in schools each year, little is known about them, the factors associated with their decisions to return, or the schools to which…

This policy brief reviews the arguments for and against school district consolidation and the research regarding consolidation effects, with data specific to school districts in Illinois. A tiered approach to studying consolidation potential is presented as a viable option for policymakers to consider. The following topics are presented: (1)…

When it comes to implementing innovative classroom technology programs, urban school districts face significant challenges stemming from their big-city status. These range from large bureaucracies, to scalability, to how to meet the needs of a more diverse group of students. Because of their size, urban districts tend to have greater distance…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze how high school principals approached developing a collaborative culture and providing collaborative leadership in a large high school setting. The population sample for this study was 82 principals of large comprehensive high schools of grades 9 through 12 or some combination thereof with…