Extensive theoretical literature and qualitative evidence nominate learning communities as a promising strategy to improve persistence and success among at-risk populations, such as students who are academically underprepared for college-level coursework. Yet rigorous quantitative evidence on the impacts of these programs is limited. This paper…

Student explanations of their mathematical thinking and conclusions have become a greater part of the assessment landscape in recent years. With a sample of 71 4th-grade students at-risk for mathematics learning disabilities, we investigated the relation between student accuracy in comparing the magnitude of fractions and the quality of students'…

In districts across the country, school practitioners rely on early warning indicator systems (EWI) to identify students in need of support to graduate high school and be prepared for college. By organizing pieces of data on student performance into indicators, practitioners can develop and test school strategies to improve students' educational…

A growing number of initiatives around the country are attempting to expose students to hands-on computer science (CS) curriculum and courses--and to address documented disparities in CS education. Answering the call for computer science expansion and equity, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) launched the CS4All initiative in…

A growing number of initiatives around the country are attempting to expose students to hands-on computer science (CS) curriculum and courses--and to address documented disparities in CS education. Answering the call for computer science expansion and equity, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) launched the CS4All initiative in…

School refusal and truancy is a community problem that affects individuals, families, and organizations while lacking a universally accepted definition. At-risk youth often exhibit academic failure, and externalized and or internalized problematic behaviors while schools lose funding and families become disconnected. The school setting allows…

The increasing numbers of ELL and bilingual students in high schools, their high dropout rate, their low performance on standardized tests, and their low representation in STEM and gifted programs make urgent the need to focus on productive and effective instructional techniques to teach math to ELL/bilingual students in ways that motivate them to…

This guide is for colleges in England that want to review and improve their support for Looked After Young People (LAYP) and Care Leavers (CLs). It includes information about who LAYP/ CLs are, the kinds of challenges they face, their rights and entitlements to support, and what staff need to be aware of when working with LAYP/CLs. The guide then…

This issue brief describes the programs and systems of the MDRC Center for Data Insights. Ranging from simple descriptive summaries to advanced machine learning algorithms, the Center's eight current projects aim to use institutions' increasingly rich data to provide new insights that can help refine and target their client's services: (1)…

"Louisiana Believes," the state's comprehensive plan to prepare students for college and career success, includes a system of related policies and programs that help schools provide students with pathways to future prosperity, give schools the resources to offer these pathways, and reward schools when students achieve their goals. This…

The central message of this report is while current and recent high school students today generally respect their teachers and give their high schools favorable marks, most see a big missing piece in their education -- a lack of social and emotional skills development -- and most recent students feel unprepared for life after high school.…

This study examined the relationships between poverty and a school's academic performance (both student achievement and growth). Educators, advocates, and policymakers can use these data to shape how people look at the performance of schools in their communities and to inform education policy (e.g., the effect of evaluating schools based on…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) has provided free prekindergarten classes for eligible Houston area four-year old students since the 1985-1986 school year. HISD offers full-day prekindergarten programs to all eligible students within its attendance boundaries. HISD collaborates with four federally-funded Head Start agencies that…

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…

This brief provides an overview of state and district legal requirements related to disproportionality; addresses common pitfalls in policy, practices, and procedures; and discusses how to proactively structure policies and procedures in systems of service delivery to address disproportionality.