Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) partnered with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to conduct a multi-year study of Michigan's implementation of competency-based education in K-12 schools. This mixed-methods study seeks to investigate the implementation and effectiveness of CBE using data from surveys administered to 21j…

The GEAR UP graduation coach intervention developed by the GEAR UP Learning Centers at Western Michigan University (WMU) addresses the issue of academic failure of at-risk students in high school. This personalized early intervention strategy begins by assessing students' unique circumstances, academic histories, and strengths and weaknesses in…

Robotics competitions for K-12 students are popular, but are students really learning and improving their STEM scores through robotics competitions? If not, why not? If they are, how much more effective is learning through competitions than traditional classes? Is there room for improvement? What is the best robotics competition model to maximize…

THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND IMAGE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS THROUGH THE USE OF INNOVATIVE CURRICULUMS. A 3-DAY PRESCHOOL WORKSHOP AND SEVERAL CONFERENCES FOR VOCATIONAL TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM THREE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS WERE HELD TO STUDY PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTING…

The reading program model developed at Ypsilanti High School (Michigan) is described in this paper and is suggested as a method of solving reading problems encountered by high school students. The first section of the paper contains an overview of the content area reading program, including descriptions of the program's philosophy, components,…

A pilot project was conducted to determine if there was evidence to support an experimental program for comparison with the current, conventional programs of 9th grade social studies in the East Lansing, Michigan schools. The experimental program was one in which students were introduced into the world of work and spheres of the citizen within the…