Non-degree postsecondary programs are often seen as complements to, rather than substitutes for, other postsecondary credentials. However, many of these programs could serve as entry points into high-wage, stable careers for students right out of high school. Increasing and equalizing participation in high-quality non-degree postsecondary programs…

The following dissertation study will evaluate how, if at all, does participation in the La Comunidad de Latnios (LCL) small group improve the perceptions and high school experiences with regards to post-secondary options for Latino students. Focus groups were evaluated and discussed, and recurring themes were considered to understand how Latino…

Navigating school can be tough, especially if you're neurodivergent. Sensory overload, confusing social situations, misdiagnoses, and the stress of masking it all can leave you feeling lost and misunderstood. But it doesn't have to be this way--this guide is here to help! Written by an autistic person who's been there, Gracie Barlow has lots of…

Education improvement has become a national imperative. Low graduation rates, standardized test failures, and overall success rates falling significantly behind in global competition have forced the dialogue towards alternatives to public education (Stewart, 2012). As the United States continues to trail other countries in educational success, it…

In the United States, individuals with disabilities experience much higher rates of unemployment compared to non-disabled individuals. When an individual with a disability is unemployed, they are unlikely to achieve independence, which can lead to a lower quality of life. The Ohio Youth Leadership Forum (OYLF) is a program that was created to…

Information and guidance about college is critical for students to pursue postsecondary education. However, students attending urban schools often have less information and less access to information about college pathways than their peers at wealthy suburban schools. High school counselors are a primary source of college guidance but little is…

This is a brief overview of the complete findings shared in the Annual Report of the Cohort 3 TPSID Model Demonstration Projects (Year 2, 2021-2022). Information is provided about the TPSID (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability) projects including program characteristics, student characteristics,…

Career pathways aligned with regional labor markets are foundational structures put in place to ensure that youth are best positioned for economic advancement. While it is not difficult to describe an aligned pathway (also called a program of study) at a high level, actually designing a pathway with all of the required details is challenging. The…

The present study investigated the perceptions of K-12 related service professionals and higher education disability service professionals about the need for postsecondary transition planning and strategies for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Twenty-two female participants participated in the study. The K-12 participants are…

Transitioning from high school to the real world is a difficult issue for students with disabilities. Special education students may get lost not knowing what their future holds. Special education teachers are most times challenged in the process of linking transition plans to academic Individual education plan(IEP) goals. The problem addressed by…

Previous research has identified "UPGRADE Your Performance" as a method for teaching employment soft skills to students with disabilities. "UPGRADE Your Performance" instruction is a multicomponent intervention including self-evaluation, self-graphing, goal setting, and technology-aided instruction. This pilot study…

Since 2019, the world has irrevocably changed, and public education is not exempt. The pandemic and related political, social, economic, and technological developments have indelibly changed the K-12 landscape. Over the past five years, the Canopy Project has documented innovations in K-12 education, uncovering how schools are addressing systemic…

Purpose in life has emerged as an important notion in positive psychology. It is regarded as a factor that can contribute to any individual's wellbeing. Based on a review of the literature, the authors discuss key issues that pertain to purpose in life, including how the construct is defined and conceptualised, its importance in living a…

Although socioeconomic disparities in college enrollment have declined, gaps in college completion persist by income and geography. We investigate a text messaging campaign in West Virginia, which addressed informational barriers and behavioral obstacles to college persistence by providing college students with simplified information,…

In this article we describe the Books 2 Basketball (B2B) program created by a school counselor for Black youth along with some preliminary outcomes examined after its implementation. This program was not evaluated for effectiveness but to determine if the program was feasible and to share feedback from some of the participants. The B2B program is…