In a traditional math classroom, a math teacher demonstrates procedures to solve a math problem from a math lesson on board. Students follow the same procedures using the same concepts to solve their homework or drill assignments. This method of math instruction is continued day after day (Ferguson, 2006). This route memorization of procedures…

High school seniors' success in making the transition to college hinges greatly on their ability to perform college-level research. Studies pointing out failure to provide this critical preparation abound (Head 2013; Head and Eisenberg 2010). Helping students make this leap is the topic of much research and discussion between members of the…

Ideal for faculty and administrators looking to blend business education and the liberal arts, this toolkit combines exemplary syllabi from 26 leading institutions with step-by-step strategies to advocate successfully for curricular innovation. Conceived with comprehensiveness in mind, these resources cover both inspiration and implementation for…

The CollegeKeys Compact[TM] is a national call to action to school districts, colleges and universities, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations to identify, share and expand programs and practices that address the needs and challenges of low-income students and help them get ready for, get into and get through college. The College…

As a non-selective neighborhood high school in the School District of Philadelphia, B21's mission is to empower networks of learners to connect with their passions and build agency to impact their world. Building 21 is organized into studios, workshops, and advisories. Core studios engage students in project-based learning. Blended learning…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of participation in the LifeSkills Training (LST) program on student outcomes regarding attendance, discipline, and mental health referrals. Four middle schools located in Western and Central Pennsylvania participated in the study. A total number of 231 participants from three schools…

The road from teenage resourcefulness to a real-deal corporate operation was paved by the Bucks Business Association, a student led group at Bucks County Community College (BCCC) that hones student leadership, money management and organizational skills. Community colleges throughout the country are sharpening the startup-minded acumen of their…

This snapshot is a guide to the School District of Philadelphia's (the District's) 13 accelerated high schools in the 2010-11 school year. The accelerated high schools were the result of a partnership between the District and Project U-Turn, a city-wide coalition dedicated to reducing student drop-out and increasing graduation rates and readiness…

Middle and high school students subjected to harsh school discipline policies and practices such as suspensions and expulsions are more likely to disengage from the classroom and course work, and increases their chances of dropping out, according to this new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education. The report recommends implementing…

The data for this study were gathered from an assignment consisting of 10 number sense related mathematics problems completed in an algebra course at developmental level. The results of the study suggest that a majority of developmental mathematics students use routine algorithmic procedures rather than mathematical reasoning to solve problems.…

WorkReady programs offer young Philadelphians not only their first job, but skills for success. Young people who work during high school often master valuable skills that can help them do better in high school and college; learn new things that open their eyes to career possibilities; and earn more money later in life. When young people learn how…

While clinical competence and hands-on ability are crucial to nursing, students in college-based nursing programs face almost certain failure if they lack skills and strategies for textbook reading. Faculty and staff at a small liberal arts college with a two-year nursing program used focus groups consisting of first-semester and final-semester…

Thirty thousand young people who entered ninth grade in the School District of Philadelphia's Classes of 2000-05 failed to graduate four years later. Resulting losses are huge--to lifetime earnings and employment for these young people, to government revenues, and to the regional economy. Fortunately, a renewed interest in the out-of-school youth…

Dropping out of high school is not an event, but rather a process that involves a number of complex and interrelated factors. For example, 50% of eventual dropouts can be identified as early as the sixth grade and 80% by the ninth, based on observable academic, attendance, and behavior indicators. Furthermore, the first marking period of the ninth…

This paper presents the annual report of Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) for 2009-2010. This annual report documents the journeys of several participants in their programs who have gone on successfully to college and careers, and demonstrates the potential of young Philadelphians to begin to reach their goals. In telling these stories, they build…