Outdoor adventure education (OAE) has been a passion of the author since being a student teacher. Currently, he serves both PETE majors and teaching OAE at a local high school. His dual perspective as a teacher of secondary students and PETE students has given him a unique lens on how PETE programs teach initial physical educators OAE. The…

Micro-credentials are increasingly being adopted across a variety of industries and countries, including the kindergarten through grade 12 education system in the United States, as a way to identify workers with specific skills, knowledge, and competencies. This report presents the results of a study conducted by RAND researchers who investigated…

Bullying and sexual harassment are commonly experienced by secondary students, yet these behaviors are seldom targeted for intervention in high schools. Norms and Bystander Intervention Training (NAB IT!) is a program designed to address bullying and sexual harassment through promoting prosocial norms and helping behaviors among high school…

Much is unknown about those who do not finish high school and there is a need to understand who enters and completes alternative high school completion programs, such as the HiSet (High School Equivalency Test), GED (General Education Development Test), or growing number of state sponsored high school equivalency programs. The purpose for…

Too few students are graduating from high school college and career-ready. For this dissertation, a qualitative design that included a data analysis was implemented to review a dual enrollment program and the impact of implementing various change ideas to increase enrollment of students in the program. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase…

In the midst of political attacks on public schools to prevent discussions on social injustice and Latinx youth culture, there are after-school programs that nurture Latinx youth critical consciousness and social justice activism. This study uses agencies of transformational resistance (ATR) as a framework to explore one after-school program's…

Women and non-white racial and ethnic groups remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). To achieve a more diverse and equitable STEM workforce, the recruitment and retention of these historically marginalized communities in postsecondary education will also need to increase. Recently, the lens has turned to…

Some students learn better if they can apply skills and knowledge to their lives. Youth apprenticeships are a way for students to work and gain skills in a chosen career field and earn money while still in high school. Youth apprenticeships are on a continuum of work-based learning that includes job shadowing and internships. Apprenticeships…

Transitioning away from high school to postsecondary life can be a complicated process for any young person. This process can be made more difficult for students with disabilities if options are not put in place before they leave high school. This is where the transition process becomes an important development to help guide students with…

A committee comprised of the former state superintendent and educational leaders launched a unique high school program (pseudonym Connections) to support the delivery of a high school curriculum that would prepare students for college and careers. Students in Connections complete their 4 years of high school, supported by an Advocate who guides…

Ka Papahana Kaiapuni, the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program (HLIP), also called Kula Kaiapuni on Maui is unique in that all schools are situated on public school campuses of the Hawai?i Department of Education (HiDOE). Seven schools span the island from the rural town of Hana, through Hamakuapoko, or Upcountry community, and then to Lahaina, the…

In an effort to prepare American high school students for future careers, many states have implemented specific career readiness standards and programs. One such program is known as Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO), which are hands-on, credit-bearing experiences outside of the classroom with an emphasis on community-based career exploration.…

Pre-apprenticeship programs help youth and adults enter a Registered Apprenticeship program, further training, or the workforce. One of the challenges with starting and sustaining a pre apprenticeship program is bridging the gap between the business and educational leaders' understanding of the program. The bridge between the two sectors is a…

This study reports the results of a national survey of the types and uses of assessments for matriculating secondary students into college Chinese language programs. In addition to providing an overview of college placement procedures obtained from 35 college Chinese programs, the survey also probed into the rationales behind the varied placement…

A widely cited Emory University study found that while 76% of incarcerated Americans return to prison within five years, that rate drops to 55% for those who take high school classes, 30% for those who complete vocational training, and 13.7% for those who complete an associate degree. Community colleges play a key role in ensuring that people…