This qualitative study examined the perceptions of African American college graduates who defied the odds by graduating in four to six years from a Predominantly White Institution in Pennsylvania. Graduation rates are significantly lower for African American college students, so shedding light on these students' experiences is very important. The…

Today higher education in the United States faces the challenges of increased demand and escalating cost in the face of stagnant graduation rates. Of particular interest to the public are tax payer supported postsecondary institutions. The traditional method of funding public colleges and universities based on enrollment has shifted in 32 states…

Higher education institutions have prioritized supporting undecided students with their major and career decisions for decades. This study used a U.S. public research-focused university's large-scale institutional data set and undecided student's retention and graduation rate predictors to demonstrate how to couple student and institutional data…

Background: In this paper, we investigate the predictors for enrollment and success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in higher education. We develop a sequential logit model in which students enroll in STEM education, may drop out from STEM higher education, or continue studying until they graduate in an STEM…

This report is an updated version of a report published in 2021 (ED623525). It examines whether levels of state funding for higher education are associated with college graduation rates, particularly among underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. The assessment is based on an analysis of state appropriations and the six-year graduation rates of…

Recent studies of charter school effectiveness have questioned whether charter school networks can produce a lasting impact on students' long-term outcomes. Our study is the first to examine this issue at the network of Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools, which primarily serve disadvantaged students of color and constitute the nation's…

Placement policies are intended to match students with appropriate courses in order to improve student success, but how do you evaluate these policies? In this article, we evaluate four placement policies at Towson University by considering three categories of outcomes: long-term outcomes such as graduation and retention rates, short-term or…

Internationally, there is a gap in high-school completion rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. In Australia, gap estimates are commonly based on lag indicators, precluding examination of underlying mechanisms. Using two longitudinal representative samples of Australian youth, we explored differences in high-school completion between…

This Quick Facts document provides a snapshot of facts about Alabama school systems and public schools; Alabama students; Alabama educators; National School Lunch Program lunches served; Alabama school buses; Alabama gifted students; total personnel; average daily attendance; graduation rate 2021; average ACT score 2021; AMSTI schools 2021; ACCESS…

We analyze the effect of Colombia's ambitious "Free Housing" program on children's educational outcomes. The program was generous, giving free housing to beneficiaries in desirable areas. We evaluate the program by leveraging housing lotteries and linking applicants to their children. We find that public housing increases high school…

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between Navigate, a technology-aided advisement platform to support student success, and the retention of full-time, First Time in College-Direct Entry students in the fall 2018 and 2019 cohorts, as measured by the number of credits attempted during their first year at public college in the…

The purpose of the study was to investigate how promoting participation in KEY Careers, a career intervention program available to all incoming matriculates, influenced 1-year retention and 4-year graduation rates compared to nonparticipants at a singular institution. Archival data of 14,099 matriculates from the 2011-2014 freshman fall cohorts…

Students of color remain underrepresented in social work education programs. According to the Council on Social Work Education (2016), only 37.4% of the 19,596 BSW degrees awarded during the 2014-2015 academic year were awarded to students from historically underrepresented groups. Through the lens of empowerment theory, this article presents a…

The U.S. doctoral education system ranks as one of the best in the world (National Science Foundation, 2018). Yet, doctoral attrition rates have averaged approximately 50% for decades (Church, 2009; Gardner, 2008; Lovitts, 2001). Research on the education doctorate (Ed.D.) is limited and often overshadowed by the larger body of Ph.D. studies or…

The unique tension caused by the interdependent relationship between access, affordability, and sustainability adds an additional level of complexity for administrators in balancing societal educational needs, economic realities, and institutional success. Trends suggest postsecondary six-year degree completion remains stagnant despite most full…