It is widely recognized that the 12 percent of all youth in American public schools who have disabilities comprise a set of students with distinct capacities and needs. Federal legislation, including the most recent updates to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, identifies different disability groups and mandates that…

The Portland Schools Foundation's (PSF) Ninth Grade Counts initiative is a network of more than twenty independent summer transition programs targeting Academic Priority (or "at-risk") students. These programs share a common focus on providing academic support, enrichment, and career/college exposure for students who show early warning…

By definition, youth transitions involve young people moving between school, post-school study and employment. It is a time of flux, as young people try out different school, post-school work and study options. But are those who don't find work immediately likely to make a poor transition? Given that many may well have a spell out of the labour…

This researcher addresses whether transition planning with classified special education students is being implemented in accordance with the Kohler model for successful transition programming. Using archival data obtained from two high schools, one with a specialized on campus program (School A) and the latter as an excluded site specializing in…

In recent years, the transition from higher education to work in comparative perspective has attracted increasing attention from scholars and practitioners alike. Previous studies reveal similarities and differences in labour market outcomes across countries, but explanatory frameworks mainly refer to fields of study, whereas differences by types…

The transition from kindergarten to primary school constitutes a significant point in children's development, entailing definitive effects on their personality and the formation of their behaviour, but also on their school performance. Innovative Educational Programmes constitute a nodal point for the development of cooperation among the…

All young people have the potential to succeed in life and contribute to society; however, not all youth get the support they need to thrive. Mentoring programs help give youth the confidence, resources and skills they need to reach their potential. Afterschool programs offer an ideal platform in which to implement the necessary components of a…

Early school transitions provide students with opportunities and challenges that will impact their academic and developmental pathways, but the role that the elementary school counselor can play in these transitions is often overlooked in school counseling literature. The transition into kindergarten and the transition from second to third grade…

This article explores English policy on widening participation in higher education (HE), drawing on insights from a research study into higher education transitions and "dual sector" institutions. Although further and higher education in England are divided into two sectors, it is possible for one institution to offer both further and…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate a freshmen transition program for at-risk students at a large urban high school. The program is called HEART, which is an acronym for Helping Everyone Aim for the Right Target. This research consisted of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative portion included a…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Video Games Take Testing to the Next Level: Researchers See Promise in Game-Like Assessments That Measure Complex Skills (Robert Rothman); (2) An Academic…

Research on freshman transition programs suggests the need for a transition program that assists students as they enter high school. Many freshman transition programs consist of a visit from the high school counselors or a tour of the school. These programs do not help meet the needs of many students who will need constant support throughout the…

To create a strong local economy, the community needs a workforce. In Native communities, the workforce should be grounded in the local culture and values. On the North Slope of Alaska, this has long been a goal of leaders. To achieve this goal, North Slope leaders came together February 2010 in Barrow, Alaska, for the "Tumitchiat"…

According to the title of a Robert Fulghum book, all one really needs to know they learned in kindergarten (Fulghum, 1989). Evaluating the national high school graduation rates over the past thirty years, and noting the steady decline in these numbers, which accelerated in the 1990s (Wheelock & Miao, 2005), it would be easy to disagree with Mr.…

Working with K-12 schools is a valuable way for institutions and their boards to cultivate college-ready students and equip them with a sense of purpose and direction when they arrive on campus. Key elements to preparing young students for higher education include communicating expectations clearly and consistently, reaching out to underserved…