This study was implemented to investigate how three Texas high school campuses improved their campus accountability ratings using the High School Allotment (HSA) funding. Three high schools were selected based on criteria, including campus size, ethnic breakdown of student population, use of HSA finding, and improvement in the campus…

The nation's economy is only as strong as the educational foundation that supports it. Economic success in the twenty-first century requires a labor force capable of demonstrating an advanced level of both knowledge and skill. To be a true engine of growth, the nation's education system must be aligned with these demands. This is why the…

In 2008, Fresno Unified and Long Beach Unified School Districts entered into a formal learning partnership, with the goal of preparing all students for success in higher education or for a career with significant growth potential. Though they were perhaps at different points on their growth trajectories, both districts were on similar paths, and…

Do you wish you could leverage the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to equip all students--not just high achievers--with the higher-level thinking skills they need? You can, and this book will show you how. The authors helped lead their district--Rockville Centre in Long Island, New York--in closing achievement gaps and increasing the number of…

The purpose of the study was to describe and compare if self-determination factors differed in first and non-first generation college students and success levels. Additionally, comparisons of college readiness levels were measured, and finally a measure of factors that contribute to college success based in first and second semester grade point…

The ability to comprehend sophisticated text is a requisite skill for success at the collegiate level. Unfortunately, there is a large disparity between the complexity of texts used in high schools and those used at the collegiate level. Students may be underprepared if they have never been exposed to texts with the level of rigor that college…

The purpose of this study was to conduct a mid-cycle examination on the effects of a nonprofit organization's middle school intervention program on sixth grade math TAKS scores at a suburban middle school in Houston, Texas. This study examined the effectiveness of two of the project goals in the first year of a two-year implementation: Increased…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) To Be Continued: Congress Enacts Temporary Funding Mechanism to Keep Government Operating Until March 2013; Bill…

This document contains 3 statistical reports. The first report, "Attrition Rate Decline Seems Promising--Though High Schools are Still Losing One in Four Students" (by Roy L. Johnson), presents results of long-term trend assessments of attrition data in Texas public high schools. The second report, "Slow Declining Pace Keeps Zero…

Compared to 2010-2011, the cost-effectiveness of the AISD CTE program improved in 2011-2012. Also, CTE may be more successful than the regular curriculum at achieving the effect of college readiness among AISD Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students.

This study investigated how higher education institutions support their distance learning initiatives through their institutional websites--their "virtual face." The population was 40 institutions, of which 10 each were doctoral/research, master, baccalaureate, and community college, located in 40 different states. Using a researcher-developed…

The "High Schools That Work" school improvement initiative is the nation's largest comprehensive school reform model with over a thousand schools adopting its framework. The initiative's premise is that all students can meet the demands of a college preparatory curriculum if provided the right supports. Analyzing over a decade of data on student…

Should remediation in higher education be ended? A recent report from Complete College America says exactly that. The authors call for all public institutions of higher education in the United States to stop offering it and instead ensure that students who need extra help take co-requisite requirements, such as extra tutoring. Their…

The common core state standards, which have now been adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, were designed around the goal of ensuring college and career readiness for all students. In this article, Rothman discusses research showing that a large proportion of U.S. high school graduates are ill-prepared to succeed in college or a…

Addressing inconsistencies in student achievement between students of different racial backgrounds has been acknowledged and explored for over fifty years. Policies and programs have been developed and funded to decrease the discrepancies between groups with limited evidence of success. This study will explore the presence of achievement…