This dissertation explored the cost and value of 1:1 computing programs in high schools in Texas. The study examines whether the total cost of ownership of these programs can be justified by the student testing gains and graduation rates. It investigates whether student learning outcomes show a definable correlation between positive gains and the…

Since 1979 more than thirty states have adopted "performance funding" for public institutions of higher education. Under performance funding, a portion of the state appropriations for each institution is determined by the institution's achievement of performance goals on such metrics as retention and graduation. We argue that several…

Governments around the world use grant and loan programs to ease the financial constraints that contribute to socioeconomic gaps in college completion. A growing body of research assesses the impact of grants; less is known about how loan programs affect persistence and degree completion. We use detailed administrative data from Chile to provide…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a pre-college summer program at Missouri University of Science and Technology known as Hit the Ground Running (HGR). It used a convergent mixed-methods research design, combining data from semi-structured interviews with HGR participants and institutional data on previous HGR participants…

Retention in higher education has become a focal point for many in higher education institutions in the United States. While many institutions seek out answers, research has given some answers. Tinto (1975) asserted that attrition in higher education results from students' perceptions of their own inability to assimilate into the structure, social…

Student retention is a critical issue for universities, and nearly half of the students who start degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) do not complete them. The current study tracks the progress of STEM students taking part in an entry-to-graduation program designed to build community, provide academic and…

The Partnership for College Completion (PCC) was founded to "advance equity in higher education" by supporting colleges and universities to improve college completion for Black, Latinx, and Pell-eligible students--those groups that experience persistent disparities in completion. Simultaneously, PCC engages in state policy reform to…

The U.S. Department of Education introduced the four-year adjusted cohort high school graduation rate formula in 2008 to usher high school graduation in as a high-stakes accountability metric. This policy sought to address disparate graduation rates by student race but did not attend to systemic reasons why minoritized students had lower…

The annual Performance Accountability Report (PAR) serves as an important mechanism by which public colleges and universities in Maryland are held accountable. Through a performance accountability plan, institutions are required to establish and maintain performance standards, and use metrics to assess their effectiveness in tackling institutional…

In 2013, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) proposed as the state goal that 70 percent of the state's 25- to 44-year-olds (i.e., early and mid-career residents) should have a credential beyond high school. WSAC's Strategic Action Plan (SAP) provides a framework to organize the policy and practice innovation needed to achieve this…

This guidance document provides information on the Title I, Part A provisions under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that address the unique needs of students in foster care, emphasizing educational stability, collaboration between educational and child welfare agencies, and ensuring uninterrupted access to education. This guidance supersedes…

The purpose of this study was to examine how the influence of traditional and nontraditional support factors (social emotional learning support, parental, peer, and academic support) in their varying forms impact persistence to high school graduation. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, high school students have faced many unexpected…

The Guam Department of Education ("GDOE") presents this report in compliance with Guam Public Law ("P.L.") 26-26 that specifically requires the Department to report on the following information in the Annual State of Public Education Report ("ASPER"): (1) Demographic information on public school children in the…

The Guam Department of Education (GDOE, Department) is a semi-autonomous agency within the Government of Guam (GovGuam) and is primarily funded through the GovGuam General Fund. The GDOE is a single unified school district that serves just under 30,000 students (from Kindergarten to Grade 12). There are 26 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, 6…

We investigate whether and how Achieve Atlanta's college scholarship and associated services impact college enrollment, persistence, and graduation among Atlanta Public School graduates experiencing low household income. Qualifying for the scholarship of up to $5,000 per year does not meaningfully change college enrollment among those near the…