In 1995, Texas created its first charter schools, which consisted of open enrollment schools of choice, as part of education initiative/reform. However, low graduation rates among public schools in the state persisted. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that might contribute to students who received vouchers to attend private or…

Since the passage of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act in 1993, the Commonwealth has been seen as a national leader in education reform. The legislation introduced statewide learning standards and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests, and provided large increases in funding for K-12 education. We explore the high…

Approximately 19 percent of undergraduate students in the United States identify as having a disability, yet postsecondary institutions often lack the legal infrastructure necessary to support their academic success. National data show that only 49.6 percent of disabled students graduate from four-year institutions, compared to 68.1 percent of…

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) requires each State to establish a methodology for identifying schools for support and improvement, based on data from the statewide system of annual meaningful differentiation. This guidance is designed to support State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and…

The purpose of this study was to determine the antecedent conditions that contribute to completion of postsecondary education (PSE) for students with disabilities, taking into account institutional experiences associated with the development of social integration. A prospective longitudinal design was used to analyze data from the National…

In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program--Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)--aimed at improving college graduation rates. A randomized-control evaluation of the program found a nearly 12 percentage point increase in graduation five years after college entry. Using this impact estimate and national data on…

While most community college students enroll part-time, there is little evidence on how to effectively improve college attainment of part-time students. This mixed methods study, situated in Texas, addresses this research gap by developing a more complete understanding of the part-time student population, their challenges and needs, as well as the…

This research brief provides a brief introduction to the Oregon foster care system and presents longitudinal post-COVID data that illustrate foster student demographics and academic indicators, special education identification, and separation from peers. It presents data that show that students who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native,…

The statistics and data in this 2024 Quick Facts document are drawn from various published sources and the Alabama State Department of Education. Provided is a snapshot of facts that includes: (1) Alabama Students; (2) Alabama Educators; (3) Average Daily Attendance; (4) Financial Data FY2023; (5) National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Lunches…

The State of Higher Education in California is a series of reports by the Campaign for College Opportunity that provide comprehensive data on the current state of college access and completion for our state and what it means for our economy. This report analyzes the state of Black Californians in education. Specifically, this report reviews…

Community college leaders seeking best practices to improve completion rates and student success have a strategy to consider -- experiential learning as part of a course. An accounting business course, at a mid-sized community college in the southeast, recently implemented an experiential learning activity to determine the association with…

This article begins with a script of a typical conversation the authors have with mentees around/after graduation and it illustrates concerns that some mentees have with their transition into a career. Such conversations are appropriate for those entering "emerging adulthood," a season of life ranging from the late teens through the…

"InsideTrack© Coaching" provides proactive, personalized coaching to help students identify and overcome both academic and nonacademic barriers to college persistence and graduation. This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Supporting Postsecondary Success topic area, explores the effects of "InsideTrack©…

The present study was undertaken to update what is known about the status of graduation policies across the nation. It follows up on previous work, the last such study having been conducted in 2011 (Johnson, Thurlow, & Schuelka, 2012). Three research questions served as the focus of this national study of high school graduation requirements…

At the bachelor's level, there exist a number of former students who have successfully completed a considerable portion of their degree and have earned a significant number of credits. They have put a significant investment toward the earning of their degree and many have come within one semester of degree completion. As former students, they have…