Background: School-based programs, such as Playworks, that guide students in organized activities during recess and make improvements to the recess play yard may lead to significant increases in physical activity--especially for girls. This study builds on past research by investigating the impact of Playworks separately for girls and boys.…

In response to a report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, President Obama issued a challenge to the U.S. education system to create more than 1,000 new STEM-focused schools, including 200 high schools. Inclusive STEM-focused high schools--which focus their efforts on females, minorities, and students who are…

Young children and their families benefit from early care and education (ECE) settings that implement high-quality practices that support children's well-being, health, and safety. Activities to support quality are a focal point of federal and state investments, including more than $1 billion of the Child Care and Development Fund and nearly $240…

The purpose of this report is to provide readers with a comparative analysis of the Massachusetts workforce "system" structures and performance reporting processes compared to other states. Though the federal workforce development system is often examined in its entirety and individual state systems are at times examined independently,…

Getting new teachers off to the right start is essential for teacher retention and student success. This book shows the nuts and bolts of induction that really works. Drawing on the successful, research-based SHINE program, the authors demonstrate the key components for setting up or tweaking your new teacher induction program, including involving…

This article offers a case example of how experimental evaluation methods can be coupled with principles of design-based implementation research (DBIR), improvement science (IS), and rapid-cycle evaluation (RCE) methods to provide relatively quick, low-cost, credible assessments of strategies designed to improve programs, policies, or practices.…

This research study used a qualitative methodology to understand the experiences of Latinx students in a community college orientation program. The goal was to see the orientation through the eyes of the students and understand their perceptions of how the college's orientation might be improved in ways that help them feel welcome and validated in…

This brief, the second in the series, advances a theory of change that centers the learner experience in strategies to improve institutional data collection and use and strengthen college information management systems. It is the second in the Advance CTE's Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative (PDI) series highlighting five states…

This qualitative action research study sought to evaluate and improve an early childhood special education program designed to meet the needs of students presenting with social emotional and behavioral skill deficits that impact their ability to participate in the general education setting. Participants in the first cycle of research included…

Gender equality in and through education is critical to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as many experts have observed, and investing in this area yields substantial public and private returns. It is a key driver of economic and social development and leads to gains in health, nutrition and many other areas. Support…

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based approach to addressing behavior issues in schools. The Minnesota Department of Education and the Regional Training Projects sponsor three training sessions per year for schools that are participating in Minnesota's two-year training sequence for PBIS. This report is…

Advances in technology have significantly enhanced the quality of mixed-reality simulations, incorporating both real and virtual aspects. Mixed-reality simulations have been used to develop individual knowledge, skills and abilities in higher education; however, the use of such simulations to introduce authentic learning activities into higher…

School absenteeism and truancy confront educators on a daily basis. While public school districts in the U.S. experience daily rates of absenteeism, in the Los Angeles Unified school District (LAUSD), over 26,000 students miss school each day, totaling over 130,500 student absences each week. Regardless of whether these absences are excused (e.g.,…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of School Improvement Grants (SIGs) in the state of California (CA) in increasing student achievement using the turnaround implementation model. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) included educational priorities focused on fixing America's lowest achieving schools.…

This paper describes in detail a successful training program developed for sessional (part-time or nonpermanent) laboratory demonstrators employed in the Electrical Engineering Department of an Australian university. Such demonstrators play an important role in teaching practical concepts and skills in engineering. The success of the program…