Students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, defined as both first-generation and low-income, represent a growing population attending 4-year universities with the hopes of social mobility and the economic benefits of a bachelor's degree. However, the graduation rates of these students are 43% lower than that of their more affluent peers, a gap…

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational quantitative study was to examine the relationship between race and special education under the disability category of ED for kindergarten through 12th-grade students in four school districts in the greater Houston area. The study had three research questions regarding racial representation, the…

This study used the COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO) Study to examine home learning and parent attitudes to education during COVID-19 in relation to demographic and household financial circumstances and parent educational aspirations. The findings showed that White, female, and degree-educated parents were more likely than their…

Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are aging with chronic health issues. However, little is known about the racial disparities in chronic health conditions among adults with IDD. Do racial and ethnic minority adults with IDD experience elevated risk of chronic health conditions like in the general population? How do…

This study aimed to explore if there was a significant difference in student performance in ELA and Math in middle school grades six through eight, pre- and post-COVID-19. This study aimed to identify student performance deficiencies in grades six through eight relating to gender, socioeconomic status, and race. The significance of this study is…

The purpose of this correlational study is to determine the nature of the relationship between school and demographic factors and student achievement using data from the individual schools reported by a school district in Northern Texas. Answers to the following questions were sought: Do the teacher demographic factors (years of experience,…

Using student-level data, we analyze the post-secondary enrollment of high school graduates across 29 states from an online charter provider from 2017 to 2020. We estimate the association between virtual charter student characteristics and the likelihood of college enrollment. We find that students who enroll multiple years in the virtual school…

The purpose of this study is to assess whether there is a relationship between neighborhood inequality in which underrepresented minorities (URMs) with STEM degrees reside and their employment in STEM fields. The current study deploys an Intersectional Theory (IT) research framework and Bourdieu's Theory of Practice to identify the influence of…

The five-step bystander intervention model (i.e., Notice, Interpret, Accept Responsibility, Know What to Do, Act) has been utilized to study intervention in traditional bullying, but not bullying bystander behavior in online contexts. Additionally, differences in how students of color and White students are involved in bystander behavior in…

To understand students' perspectives on high school GPA, in September 2023, ACT reached out to a random sample of high school students via an online survey. The survey questions centered on students' perceptions of how well high school GPA represents content mastery, whether it is fair to use high school GPA as a benchmark in college admissions,…

Dual enrollment is expanding in California. Participation in dual enrollment varies across demographic groups and regions. A growing number of high school students earn associate degrees via dual enrollment. Dual enrollment outcomes vary across demographic groups and geographic regions. This fact sheet presents how California continues to invest…

Teachers of color are critical for improving students' educational experiences and outcomes, especially for students of color. Yet, more than 80% of special education teachers (SETs) in U.S. public schools are white. Thus, we examined how the ethnoracial diversity of the SET workforce changed over time, from 2012-2021, in relation to the…

As school choice increases, parents are expected to act like consumers choosing from a school marketplace. However, to what extent do parents understand and enact this new role? Drawing on organizational theory, we examine the mismatch between the ostensive (ideal) and performative aspects of the school choice enrollment routine. Analyzing…

Youth with disabilities continue to experience poor post-school outcomes as compared to their peers without disabilities. In this multilevel study, we used an intersectional lens to examine college and career readiness (CCR) among youth with and without disabilities (N = 3523). A CCR assessment yielded four domain scores: Academic Engagement and…

Objective: Mood Lifters, a biopsychosocial mental wellness program, has been shown to improve mental health in adults and senior citizens. This study examines the efficacy of the adaptation of the original program, hypothesizing that the Mood Lifters -- Athlete version would improve collegiate athletes' anxiety and depression. Participants:…