Student success and retention continue to be of concern for higher education institutions. Wider participation, combined with lower completion rates for non-traditional students, highlights the need for new ways of understanding the student experience to ground policy and practice. This article provides this insight by drawing together a number of…

The expansion of the higher education sector in Australia opened up new pathways into university increasing the diversity of the student population. For non-traditional students, those who did not successfully complete secondary school, barriers to gaining entry into university have been dismantled, however, previous research suggests that…

Within the last decade, several school and government-level administrations have been attempting to circumvent the incidence of poor academic achievement in relation to school transition. Military children already challenged by frequent moves and parental absences may also be challenged with the impact on their academic achievement. Due to a lack…

Thanks to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, veterans are entering American colleges and universities in numbers not seen since World War II. Very few of today's veterans, however, attend our nation's most selective institutions. Military-connected students constitute about 5% of the total college-going population, but make up only 2% or less of the student…

This executive summary provides highlights from the report, "Joining Together to Create a Bold Vision for Next Generation Family Engagement: Engaging Families to Transform Education." More than 50 years of research finds that family engagement is one of the most powerful predictors of children's development, educational attainment, and…

This study conducted a secondary analysis using data from the "National Longitudinal Transition Study-2" (NLTS-2) to examine the degree to which three of the four essential characteristics of self-determination (autonomy, psychological empowerment, and self-realization) predict enrollment in, and completion of, postsecondary education…

This study examined the impact of grade-span configuration on the academic achievement and attendance of sixth-grade students. Because of the conflicting results in the extant literature, it was not known if and to what extent there was a difference in sixth-grade student achievement and attendance rates between students who attend a K-8 versus a…

In 2015, the University of Southern California (USC) began a longitudinal, mixed-methods evaluation of the Thompson Scholars Learning Communities (TSLC), a comprehensive college transition program that provides students with multiple, integrated types of support. The evaluation as a whole examined whether, how, and why TSLC, as implemented at the…

The transition from high school to post-secondary education is often difficult for students. The literature examining factors that foster a successful transition generally focuses on previous academic achievement and/or individual differences that enable students to navigate the culture of university. Through interviews with first year university…

This report summarizes findings presented in "School-Connect Intervention on High School Students' Discipline Referrals and Academic Outcomes" (Hutson, Beland, & Douglass, 2016). To frame their evaluation of the effectiveness of School-Connect in Austin Independent School District (AISD), Hutson et al. (2016) addressed three key…

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of students enrolled in a campus-based program designed to promote academic success and retention of first generation college students. Method: Twenty-five undergraduate students in the program participated in focus groups and interviews to share their perceptions and experiences. Research team…

One of the most respected and widely used autism interventions, Pivotal Response Treatment uses natural learning opportunities to modify key behaviors in children--leading to widespread positive effects on communication, behavior, and social skills. Now the pioneering experts behind PRT have created a comprehensive modern guide to this…

Despite efforts to improve college student success, such as through first-year initiatives, significant numbers of students at two- and four-year institutions still do not persist past the first year to graduation. The challenges only increase for community colleges serving diverse populations such as first generation, low income, and immigrant…

English learners (ELs) are students whose primary language is not English and are eligible for English language development services through the Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP). Washington state's TBIP has existed since the passage of Senate Bill 2149 in 1979, and is codified in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter…

This study investigates how the college readiness of participants in a compensatory program designed to facilitate interest in science and engineering was determined. Archival data were used to qualitatively analyze the performance reports of 205 student participants during the compensatory program's first 5 years. Findings indicate participants…