Reading fluency has been identified as a critical competency for reading success. Accurate and automatic word recognition, one component of fluency, is normally assessed through reading rate (Oral Reading Fluency--ORF). While norms for ORF exist through grade 8, norms beyond grade 8 are largely unknown. The present study attempted to establish ORF…

As learners engage, test, and apply new subject knowledge, they often expend their cognitive capacity on the technological tools designed to capture their learning progress and outcomes. The energy and attention spent on these tools reduces their capacity to engage deeply with new learning concepts. Digital literacy skills require both cognitive…

This article discusses the evolution of college access and the potential consequences of continuing to define college access as initial enrollment. The process of reframing college access as an ongoing process, which may be challenging, is required, and higher education will benefit significantly as a result. The authors propose recommendations to…

4-H Summer of STEM is a workforce readiness program for high school youth. The goals of the program are to increase students' interest in STEM careers, improve college and workforce readiness, and connect youth to businesses and industries in the local community. Selected youth receive hands-on development of workforce readiness skills, are paired…

Placement into preparatory courses presents a significant challenge related to access and equity in higher education; it connects to conversations around college readiness, particularly in geographical areas that have been underserved, or which have larger minority populations and underprepared students. At the same time, the research points to…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceivedinfluence of early college programs offered to high school students across Texasregarding motivation to be successful in college. Semi-structured interviews with 10student participants were conducted using protocol based on three research questions: (1)What experiences in early…

The ability to write informatively is a skill not only required by the U.S. Common Core State Standards but is also essential for preparing students to be successful in college. The purpose of this exploratory study was to evaluate the effects of a self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) informative writing intervention for high school students…

Background: This study examined students' perceptions of STEM camp experience to gauge whether their participation in an industry-focused STEM camp fostered their familiarity with post-secondary education and facilitated an interest in pursuing STEM-related careers. Related literature points to a lack of experiential learning opportunities with…

Grade inflation is a nuanced phenomenon that has important implications for educational outcomes. This study shows that while high school GPA (HSGPA) remains an important predictor of student success in college, its predictive strength can be diluted in the presence of grade inflation. Practically speaking, high GPAs from schools with a history of…

Fine arts high schools are schools that form the basis for vocational music education given in higher education institutions. These schools form the basis for higher institutions; therefore, it is of great importance that the contents of their curriculum be of a quality that will prepare them for higher education institutions. Based on this…

Students coming into college lack the basic non-cognitive skills necessary for success in higher education. As a result, many students struggle in their early courses. Most college admissions focus on cognitive measures such as high school grade point averages (GPA) and high-stakes exams; however, these factors alone are not the sole predictors of…

Many districts across Texas have adopted programs built on the goal of providing more opportunities within their repertoire for servicing traditionally underserved students (AVID, 2023). Friou (2016) reported that 62 districts across Texas have utilized the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, which aimed to bridge the gap in…

Between 1890 to 1910, African American physicians outnumbered Whites by three to one. In 1910, the Carnegie Foundation published Abraham Flexner's Report to standardize medical educational settings in the U.S. and Canada. Flexner's Report recommended reducing the number of poorly trained physicians and inferior medical schools by implementing…

Purpose: College placement assessments in the USA have underperformed in predicting college readiness. This has prompted a wave of reforms to placement practices and policies. Recently, student preparation for placement assessments has come to the forefront as a means for enabling better evaluation of college readiness. In this study, the authors…

Many students lack the comprehension skills required to navigate high school and the world (Turner, 2019). This qualitative narrative analysis study examined how the background of Career and Technical Education (CTE) educators' shaped their educational experiences when embedding literacy in the CTE curriculum. The researcher interviewed ten CTE…