Local teacher recruitment through "grow-your-own" (GYO) programs is a prominent strategy to address workforce shortages and ensure that incoming teachers resemble, understand, and have strong connections to their communities. Despite the growing popularity of GYO programs, there is little credible evidence of their effectiveness. The…

The Washington State Board of Education (SBE) issues an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public, in accordance with the Charter School Act, RCW 28A.710.250. The statute requires the annual charter school report to include the following: (1) The performance of the state's charter schools during the prior school year,…

The era of accountability and a rise in standardized testing during recent years have emerged from policy reform initiatives designed to increase student performance. While the goal was to increase learning standards, it has not yielded the dramatic improvements expected. This study explored if there was a statistically significant difference in…

This qualitative grounded theory study examines dual credit policy implementation in a North Texas community college and ISD, focusing on the perceptions of ten dual credit teachers. The data collected was focus group interviews to explore how these teachers navigate dual credit policies in their daily professional lives. The findings revealed…

The effects of the pandemic, COVID-19 reverberated throughout the higher education environment, ultimately creating a need for a greater understanding of how it impacted an already marginalized group such as African American women. This qualitative phenomenological case study examined the lived experiences of African American women who obtained…

This dissertation studies opportunity and equity in college admissions, as well as how higher education affects labor market outcomes. The first two chapters explore how state policies affect enrollment at public institutions of higher education. The third chapter characterizes outcomes in a labor market in which agents with different skill levels…

As academic standards for incoming kindergarten students at Morris Early Childhood Center (MECC), in the Milford School District, increase, a significant obstacle to student achievement has emerged. The deficiency of social and emotional skills among MECC students has increasingly impeded school staff from focusing on instruction due to the…

Young fathers often view studying in HE positively, and perceive the benefits to include improving self-confidence, reconnecting with lost learning opportunities, building better career prospects, and becoming a better role model for their children. However, despite these perceived benefits, not all young fathers decide to study in HE. The…

School assignment policies are a key lever to increase access to high performing schools and to promote racial and socioeconomic integration. For over 50 years, the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) has bussed students of color from Boston, Massachusetts to relatively wealthier and predominantly White suburbs. Using a…

The charter school movement encompasses many school models. In Massachusetts in the 2010's, the site of our study, urban charter schools primarily used "No Excuses" practices, whereas nonurban charters had greater model variety. Using randomized admissions lotteries, we estimate the impact of charter schools by locality on college…

After decades of consistent growth, California transitional kindergarten (TK) through grade 12 public school enrollment has been declining and is expected to continue to do so for at least the next two decades. This report provides guidance on how districts in California and elsewhere can respond to declining enrollment in ways that strengthen…

Five years ago, the Louisiana Board of Regents adopted "Louisiana Prospers," its Master Plan for Higher Education, setting an audacious goal to support economic growth and strengthen quality of life in the state by increasing the percentage of Louisiana's working-age population (ages 25-64) with a credential of value beyond high school…

As community colleges strive to support the career and educational aspirations of their students, many colleges are adopting innovative strategies to create pathways directly connected to family-supporting careers. Some colleges are responding to their communities' need to better engage adult and part-time learners by increasing the flexibility…

This evaluation investigates the long-term impact of the Innovative School Calendar (ISC) since year one on academic performance outcomes, chronic absenteeism, and self-reported perceptions of well-being for Grades 3, 4, and 5 students enrolled in Arcola Elementary School. To examine the impact of ISC enrollment on academic performance outcomes, a…

Annually, the Tennessee Department of Education (department) releases a report to highlight the current state of virtual education in Tennessee. This year's report provides information relative to the operation and viability of public virtual schools and virtual education programs for the 2022-23 school year. In compliance with state statute, the…