State education finance sets the stage for what is possible in schools. Too many state education finance systems today are inequitable, outdated, and inadequate, and there are often significant political barriers to change. Advocates for educational equity can and should play an essential role in shaping the allocation and structure of state…

This study examined Kansas administrators regarding their current perceptions of the role of school counselors. The study involved over 500 building administrators from elementary, middle, and high schools across rural, suburban, and urban districts in Kansas. The findings indicate that there is a clear opportunity to educate administrators on the…

Democracy is in trouble. For the last 10 years, the number of democratizing countries dropped by almost half to 16, hosting a mere 4% of the global population. Faced with these global trends, as well as democracy's challenges during the first two decades of the twenty-first century, how can communication studies contribute to the study of civic…

Classroom teachers and certified English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers struggle staying current with pedagogical approaches and strategies to work with diverse student populations. In order to support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students' success in the classroom, teachers must implement effective teaching strategies.…

This brief is the third in a series focusing on Employment First implementation as it relates to one of the seven elements within the High-Performing States in Integrated Employment model. It examines the background of circumstances under which Employment First efforts began in seven states, and introduces each state's values, mission, and goals…

Throughout the pandemic, the Getting Smart team (which Tom Vander Ark leads as CEO) worked with public school districts in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, as well as charter schools in six additional states to support hybrid, virtual, and return-to-school strategies and plans. During the year and a half that education systems spent in crisis…

Increasing the independence of individuals with severe disabilities is of increasing concern to schools and federal agencies. Improving quality of life for high needs individuals with disabilities is an objective of transition programs, which allow consumers to adapt from one aspect of life to the next. The purpose of this study is to examine the…

This phenomenological study examined how student affairs professionals learn advocacy skills and what they learn in their education on this topic. Findings based on 22 interviews show participants felt underprepared by their graduate programs for the myriad challenges involved with advocating for students. Findings indicate participants found…

Each year since 2009, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has supported the National Leadership Fellowship Program. This program is geared towards individuals with a desire not only to develop their own leadership skills, but also to become advocates for career and technical education (CTE). Responsibilities and expectations…

Engaging families in their children's growth and learning can support the healthy social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of young children. These affirmative relationships also support positive life long outcomes for children. The Kansas Family Engagement and Partnership Standards for Early Childhood provide guidance for families,…

This annual report for 2012-2013 features a collection of stories from individuals in the school-based health care movement who have been affected by the work of the School-Based Health Alliance. At the 2013 National School-Based Health Care Convention in Washington, DC, the new name, logo, and tagline for the organization: School Based Health…

We have two aims here. Our first is to articulate what gains may be made by students who engage in our course to determine what exactly is gained by students who participate in such experiences. We believe such courses have educational value, but needed to find a way to articulate our course's success in helping students meet our stated learning…

How something begins can matter a lot, especially for young adults. "The circumstances under which a person enters a profession is predictive of how that person will view the profession for the rest of his or her life." The goal is for that view to be positive and long lasting for social studies educators. Can more be done to support…

The locally-elected school board is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining, developing and operating local schools. School board members make important decisions with long-lasting implications for their community and its citizens. They establish a vision for the public education system in their community, are responsible for hiring and…

The Research in Disabilities Education Synthesis Project (RDE-SP), a four-year mixed methods research project, assessed a decade of funded projects (2001-2011) under the National Science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education program which is aimed at increasing participation and retention of students with disabilities (SWD) in Science,…