High school graduation rates gradually increased to 80% until 1968, at which point there was a steady decline until 2002 when the passage of No Child Left Behind required states to measure and increase graduation rates for all students (Kamenetz, 2015). With this greater accountability in place, educators readily identified ninth grade as a…

Students with disabilities have the right to free and appropriate education, but there are still challenges for students with disabilities. Transition from one level of education to the next can present challenges to students with disabilities, especially from middle to high school. Although this transition time comes with challenges, there may be…

This study used a qualitative approach to explore a rural school district's freshman academy program through parent and staff member perspectives using Stufflebeam's (2003) CIPP model of program evaluation. Interviews and questionnaire data provided information to answer the following research questions: 1. Context: What is the context within…

The transition to high school can be problematic for many ninth graders. Researchers and administrators have sought ways to improve academic performance and promotion rates while reducing dropout rates. A quantitative causal-comparative (ex post facto) and correlation study using a two-group design compared two freshman classes at separate…

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who experience challenges in social and emotional development often encounter limited opportunities to develop personal goals, which in turn influences their adult contributions to society. Difficulties with social emotional development and self-determination skills are often exacerbated when children…

Transition into the ninth grade has long been a critical juncture for students as they make the move to a larger environment with less personal support and a more rigorous academic challenge. In an effort to help make the move from middle-to-high-school transition as smooth as possible, school districts are using Ninth Grade Academies, or…

The transition from eighth-grade middle school to ninth-grade in high school can be an extremely challenging experience (Kennelly & Monrad, 2007). According to the Texas Center for Educational Research, more students decide to drop out of school during their ninth-grade year than any other time (Marshall, 2003). According to Fulco (2009), this…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of high school transition strategies for ninth grade students in comparison to the traditional high school experience of first time ninth grade students. This study compared the English End-of-Course (EOC) test scores of first time ninth grade students in a traditional high school setting…

The transition to high school and the freshman year experience is challenging for most students. This study examined the issues that are often problematic and can prevent many early adolescent learners from thriving during their first year of high school. The literature review focuses on three strands salient to this study: early adolescent…

The problem addressed in this study was the transition from middle school to high school, a source of difficulty for many students. Student advisory programs have been implemented in many secondary schools as one solution to this problem. While research supports the use of advisory programs, little research exists regarding the effectiveness of…