Adult learners seeking a high school equivalency degree are a highly motivated group of students that almost universally meet outreach audience goals of serving minority, low-income, and other disadvantaged populations. Despite the demonstrated need of this population, these students are not commonly served by university-sponsored science outreach…

This article explores the changing dynamics between gender, cultural capital and the state in the context of higher education expansion in contemporary China. With a particular focus on the one-child generation and women's opportunities and aspirations, I draw upon empirical evidence from a first-hand survey study and in-depth semi-structured…

This paper reports on a longitudinal phenomenographic inquiry into understanding how two postgraduate Syrian students' ways of approaching English language learning in their homelands influenced the shape of their personal study abroad goals, language strategy use and L2 identity. It is guided by Norton's [(2013). "Identity and language…

Programs that promote family literacy, as defined by Hannon (2003), are "programs to teach literacy that acknowledge and make use of learners' family relationships and engagement in family literacy practices." Why are such programs important for young learners? According to Livingston and Wirt (2003), children who have homes with books,…

Research Findings: The contribution of 3 executive function skills (shifting, inhibitory control, and working memory) and their relation to early mathematical skills was investigated with preschoolers attending 6 Head Start centers. Ninety-two children ranging in age from 3 years, 1 month, to 4 years, 11 months, who were native English or Spanish…

We examined novice teachers' beliefs about grading and constructivist teaching approaches. Adapting an existing instrument designed to assess preservice teachers' grading beliefs that deviate from recommended practices, we administered the Survey of Grading Beliefs to 203 inservice teachers. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 3-factor model…

HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk-reduction interventions are needed to address the complex risk behaviors among African-American female adolescents in disadvantaged communities in North Carolina. In a two-group randomized trial, we reached 237 sexually active, substance-using African-American female adolescents, to test a…

The effectiveness of an intervention using LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP), a reflective tool using LEGO® building bricks, to speed the development of narrative identity in economically disadvantaged college students was studied. A longitudinal experimental study with non equivalent experimental/control groups (N = 45) was conducted to examine whether…

This study was designed to substantiate the positive, long-term outcomes demonstrated by children from economically disadvantaged homes who received a high-quality, early education. Children who attended The Opportunity Project (TOP) Early Learning Centers in a midwestern city in the United States were matched with a like control sample from a…

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2006-07 through 2016-17 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Student Data System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs.…

New York City was home to 1,575 district and 183 charter schools in Fiscal Year 2014 (FY2014). Seven percent of all public school students in New York City attended charter schools that year. Researchers systematically reviewed funding and spending documents involving the city's district-run and independent charter schools for FY2014. Research…

In a rural elementary school, characterized by high poverty levels in Appalachian Ohio, school personnel were concerned that student literacy and math proficiency levels remained low during 2005-2015 and teachers had not been able to close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and non-economically disadvantaged students…

The purpose of this paper is to open the methods, construction and assumptions of a new performance benchmark to examination, critique, and improvement by technical experts. The paper begins with known technical questions about this new benchmark. In includes suggestions made by technical advisors. It then details the construction of the…

The current study investigates the impact of Every Child Ready (ECR), a comprehensive instructional model that includes: "What to teach, how to teach and how to know instruction is effective." The ECR instructional model is designed to provide high quality instruction to children via a play-based, thematic curriculum. Participants…

This publication reviews key structures, policies and reforms in the area of achievement in the basic skills (literacy, mathematics and science). It contains fi ve indicators on policies for organising nationally standardised tests, producing national reports on achievement, using student performance data in school evaluation, addressing…