State policymakers have worked hard to increase prekindergarten enrollment and ease young children's transition to kindergarten, and with good reason. There is abundant evidence that attending a formal preschool program such as state pre-K or Head Start boosts students' academic and social competencies significantly and meaningfully, regardless of…

As students enter the middle grades, many lose academic momentum and thus reach ninth grade unprepared. This lack of preparedness snowballs: It leads students to disengage from their studies, causing them to miss opportunities to get back on track in high school and thrive in the years beyond. Sixth grade is a particularly critical juncture.…

As the American economy has shifted, so too has state leaders' understanding of what education systems and institutions need to provide students to set them on a path to long-term success. Is the education system meeting those needs? The true indicator of success is not whether students cross the graduation stage; it is what happens next for them.…

Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed in the teenage to early adulthood years. During this age, many individuals are students pursuing a college degree. Students developing the symptoms of bipolar disorder have a harder time navigating college and have significant difficulties transitioning back to school after psychiatric hospitalization,…

The challenges faced by transition-age youth (TAY) with level one autism spectrum disorder (L1-ASD) during the transition to adulthood can be exacerbated by disability-related hurdles, particularly in employment and post-secondary education. Existing social skills training interventions for TAY with ASD often include building social narratives and…

Introduction: Rural young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) are one of the most vulnerable and invisible groups facing School to Work Transitions (STWT) in Europe. This paper aims to deliver a theoretical model for understanding the STWT of rural NEETs. Methods: The proposed model stems from an overview of the relevant factors…

What would it look like to create a mentoring program specifically designed for transfer students, supporting them from pre-arrival to their graduation day? Whereas transfer student transition programs are often created with a deficit mindset or modeled after first-time, first-year research, these higher education professionals sought to create a…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is exhibited through a wide-range of symptoms including social interactions, communication deficits, limited interests, and repetitive behaviors (e.g., stimming). The prevalence of autism amongst children and adolescents continues to grow with 1 in 36 diagnosed annually…

While all school transitions are important, the middle to high school shift stands out. It coincides with biological, social, and cognitive changes in young people that began in early adolescence but continue into high school. These changes can be quite stressful, often disrupting students' academic performance and social and emotional well-being…

Higher education remains a pivotal driver of social and economic mobility, with college graduates earning significantly more over their lifetimes compared to their peers without a degree. However, the benefits of higher education remain out of reach for an increasing number of students, as enrollments decline and stopout rates climb. In recent…

This report shows how Kentucky and its campuses are faring on key performance indicators associated with the statewide strategic agenda for postsecondary education. Additionally, the report highlights activities the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is leading to advance their key priorities: (1) affordability; (2) transitions; (3)…

Despite federal laws mandating services to support their postsecondary transitions, students with disabilities overall pursue less continued education and vocational training and get fewer jobs than their peers without disabilities. To enhance outcomes for students with disabilities after they exit high school, this article describes how state…

California will soon offer transitional kindergarten (TK) to all four-year-olds, a school-based option for early care and education (ECE). According to the state Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, universal TK for four-year-olds should enable more children age three and younger to be served in other settings like child care centers and…

"Twice-exceptional" (2e) is a term used to signify students who have the exceptionalities of both giftedness and a disability (Foley-Nicpon et al., 2013). It is estimated that between 2% and 7% of the special education population is 2e (Trail, 2021). This article will focus on the transition needs of racially minoritized secondary…

While much support exists for autistic individuals from infancy through secondary education, better support is needed for autistic students' transition to higher education. Autistic high school students are less likely than nonautistic students to pursue postsecondary education and report experiencing various difficulties in college, such as…