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.…

Since the mid-20th century, Massachusetts has been a leader in vocational-technical education. This is due to legislative requirements and research-based best practices, but most importantly to combining occupational education and high-quality academics, school autonomy, and partnerships with industry. However, despite the high number of quality…

Simulations were conducted to establish best practice in hyperparameter optimization and accounting for clustering in Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Model Trees (GLMM trees). Using data-driven best practices, the relationship between a 9th Grade On-Track to Graduate (9G-OTG) indicator and observed high school graduation within four years was…

This study explored the lived experiences of experienced educators who support novice teachers to better inform teacher recruitment and retention policies and practices. A qualitative transcendental phenomenological method was used to interview 12 experienced educators from four high schools in one Louisiana public school district to learn about…

As a descriptive case study, this research reports on the factors that are needed when opening a new high school. The purpose of this study was to discover the processes, variables, and systems needed to open a new secondary school. The researcher used emerging themes from the data to find the commonalities that lead to the effective opening of a…

Many students rely on rote algorithms that have been recently taught as they look for a direct way to tackle challenging problems. Especially for students who have not succeeded in the typical high-school curriculum, problem-solving in a novel situation is complex, and students ask for a direct way to solve rather than persevering. The purpose of…

Our multi-disciplinary research team explored the experiences and concerns of Latino/a students and their parents related to being welcomed and included in Catholic high schools in a United States diocese. We collected both qualitative and quantitative data in order to create a fuller picture of Latino/a experiences in these high schools. We make…

In "Measuring to Improve," Paul G. LeMahieu, Paul Cobb, and contributors introduce educational practitioners, administrators, and policymakers to the foundational elements of practical measurement to support continuous improvement efforts in K-12 schools. They begin by defining practical measurement as data collection and analysis that…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the primary application that determines access to federal, state, and institutional financial aid. When students fail to complete their FAFSA application, they are less likely to enroll or complete a credential, leaving tens of millions of federal resources for students on the table. Boosting…

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for students who have experienced a concussion. To address this gap in the legislation, some states and nongovernmental organizations have developed RTL…

After years of pandemic, lockdowns, remote learning, and anxiety, it is no surprise that high school students are feeling stressed. But how does that stress affect them as they search for colleges? To answer that, RNL and ZeeMee went straight to the source and polled high school seniors about the stress, anxiety, and worry they felt. The…

Background/Context: As part of a national movement to eliminate a global tracking system that disproportionately assigned underserved students to low-level math classes, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) mandated academic algebra for all students entering high school in 1997. The results were disappointing: low-skill students experienced elevated…

The purpose of this action research study was to understand the web of relationship between career exploration programming stakeholders serving public sixth through twelfth grade schools to uncover best practices. This research, originating in the state of Maine, resulted in improved understanding of the personalities, goals, and characteristics…

Adolescent females' disengagement from physical education, physical activity, and sport has been well documented. Participating in a quality intramural program could help to increase rates of adolescent females' engagement in physical activity at school. This study was conducted with female students in four high schools in south-central Canada. A…

Students who struggle to build strong relationships with their teachers are more likely to drop out of school. This problem directly impacts high school graduation rates in urban areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore best practices urban high school teachers in NYC used to develop positive relationships with their students…