Aftercare seeks to address challenges juveniles face when re-entering the community after residential placement. This study compares changes in recidivism in five Pennsylvania counties that piloted aftercare reforms in 2005 to 2010 as part of Models for Change to recidivism in counties that did not. The sample includes 3,107 referrals to court in…

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) are placed outside of their public school more frequently than other students with disabilities, yet there are gaps in the literature on reintegration processes and the possible negative impact when collaboration between schools is minimal. Public schools rely on private placements in…

Most recent data confirms that the transition and learning "gap between youth and young adults (ages 14-24) with and without disabilities remains significant despite decades of federal and state legislation intended to improve education and employment opportunities" (Cheng & Shaewitz, 2020, p. 28). Researchers have highlighted that…

A multiyear critical participatory action research study was conducted with a total of 503 youth and young adults with disabilities (ages 14-25), family members, and transition stakeholders across the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Youth and young adults with disabilities, families, and stakeholders served as participant researchers who…

Students with special learning needs (SSLN) have many issues when attempting to access quality education that would prepare them for post-secondary pursuits. Upon investigation, two themes stand out (1) persistent devaluing of the potential of the SSLN, and (2) the absence of the caregiver's voice in their son or daughter's educational plan. To…

This document summarizes the five schools districts profiled during the 2021-2022 school year that are building walls between schools and the justice system, engaging in restorative policies and practices, working to eliminate bias and disproportionality, and providing all children with fair and equitable access to high-quality opportunities. The…

Qualitative research on the first-year experiences of Black male commuter students entering institutions of higher learning is necessary to provide a deeper look at institutional and individual factors that these students may experience, which impact their academic success. Understanding the issues that affect Black male college students in…

To prepare high school graduates with visual impairments for college, staff members at Perkins School for the Blind developed a nine month residential program, College Success@Perkins. This article describes components of the program design and provides data on eight students who successfully completed the program in the first cohort. It concludes…

At the intersection of college and work is a complex transition that graduates face every day. Lower levels of college to career transition self-efficacy (CTSE) and lower levels of perceived adulthood may cause a more difficult transition. In this mixed-method study we sought to better understand the relationships among perceived adulthood, CTSE,…

Located in southwestern Pennsylvania near the borders of Maryland and West Virginia, the district has 1,483 students, with 21% minority enrollment. The district and its students have experienced many of the problems related to the opioid epidemic, including many students being raised by grandparents due to parental drug use. The district has three…

The transition to kindergarten is an important time in the young life of a preschooler. Research has shown that the quality of children's kindergarten transition processes has implications for their future academic and social outcomes, and the level of family engagement in kindergarten. Research further indicates that children living in families…

The person-centered individualized education program (IEP) transition planning has emerged as a primary indicator of quality services, and as a predictor for successful post-school outcomes for transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, these person-centered transition practices are not uniformly implemented across the…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often require accommodations for the successful transition to postsecondary education. Offices of specialized/disability services at four-year postsecondary institutions and community colleges are responsible for providing accommodative services which include technology accommodations for students with…

This study sought to understand how and why Northampton Community College's Summer Bridge program--The Smart Start program--is highly successful at helping "at-risk" students transition to college-level work. For ten years, the Smart Start program has helped more than 150 incoming students acclimate to college, persist, and graduate…

"Summer counseling" is designed to help college-intending high school graduates complete the steps needed to enroll in college and start their college careers. These programs provide services during the months between high school graduation and college enrollment and involve outreach by college counselors or peer mentors via text…