Focusing on the Developmental Mathematics program installed by McHenry County College (MCC), this case study examines an integrative approach to reducing student dependency on developmental math. Facing the challenge of bridging the gap between K-12 and college readiness, MCC established a summer bridge program to help alleviate summer brain drain…

The way that states structure student graduation choices -- as this new brief shows -- has a significant impact on the number and diversity of students who complete a college- and career-ready (CCR) graduation option. Some states automatically expect students to complete a CCR graduation option, giving them the ability to opt out into less…

This policy brief is part of a larger research report, "Making ESSA's Equity Promise Real: State Strategies to Close the Opportunity Gap," that describes how states are using opportunities in ESSA [Every Student Succeeds Act] to better support historically underserved students through the thoughtful selection of specific equity measures…

Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest partnered with the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to examine Arkansas's middle and high school indicators of postsecondary readiness and success, building on an earlier study of these indicators (Hester et al., 2021). Academic indicators include attaining proficiency on state achievement tests,…

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced Assessment Systems (SBAC) started in the 2014-2015 academic year and has been regarded by many in the field as a radical effort to improve the American English Language Art (ELA) educational standards. These two consortia, being aligned with Common…

Students who appear young on college campuses may be in an "Early College" program. Several factors have increased the popularity of these programs, though a proactive push from higher education to expand them has not been a primary one. The impetus for the growth of such programs has come from legislators as well as from high school…

Launched in 2011 by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Jobs for the Future, the Pathways to Prosperity initiative is helping states create seamless transitions from high school to college and the workforce. Inspired by youth development systems that have long been in place in other high-performing nations--such as Australia, Switzerland,…

Most educators are keenly aware that a high socioeconomic status (SES) equates to better academic preparation than a low SES and high SES students are more likely to attain a college degree. One strategy for closing the higher education equity gap is to provide college-level courses to students while in high school through dual enrollment…

Just over a decade ago, Washington, District of Columbia (DC) made the choice to transform the way public education works for students, families, and educators in the District. In order to set more young Washingtonians up for success in school and in life, the choice was made to invest in the modernization of outdated buildings throughout the city…

California's higher education system is not keeping up with the economy's changing needs, and California stands to face a large skills gap by 2030--it will be 1.1 million workers with bachelor's degrees short of economic demand. Closing the gap will require increasing the number of degrees awarded by every higher education sector in the state. New…

The purpose of this study was to examine the influencing factors affecting high school students who took a college preparatory curriculum in high school, yet ended up being placed into a remedial mathematics course in college. Remedial students with a college preparatory background are an under-researched group. This study attempts to address this…

This issue brief shares state policy recommendations and resources for policymakers who are ready to rethink state accountability systems to support student-centered learning. With the passage of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states gain considerably more authority and autonomy over the design of school accountability systems.…

As states continue to implement college and career ready standards, state education agencies (SEAs) are providing professional development and curricular resources to help districts and teachers understand the standards. Because all states have adopted college and career ready standards, and most states continue to implement some version of the…

The lack of American STEM talent is especially problematic for African American and Latino students who are pursuing math-science degrees at far lower rates than their White counterparts (Osei-Kofin & Torres, 2015). Yet, employers often cite the scarcity of American students, especially minority students, pursuing math-science degrees as a…

This dissertation is an exploratory study on self-determination in students with disabilities in a postsecondary environment. Two questions were asked on self-determination levels in higher education students with disabilities and vital self-advocacy skills in higher education. A survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions was administered…