The historical underrepresentation of women in engineering persists for women engineering majors in college and once they enter the workforce. While some engineering disciplines have seen an increase in women students, overall the numbers still have fallen well behind other STEM disciplines despite years of research. Most studies on this issue…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research study was to describe the lived experiences of public school superintendents with the phenomenon of persistence. Self-Determination Theory was used to describe the experiences of superintendents who have held the superintendency in the same school district for at least 5 consecutive…

Hiring and retaining qualified special education teachers (SETs) in rural areas is an ongoing challenge. We disseminated an electronic national survey to learn about the preservice preparation of current and former rural SETs and their preferences for receiving in-service professional development (PD) and support. A total of 314 current or former…

Efforts to build a well-prepared, stable, and diverse teacher workforce can face many challenges; these include lower compensation than comparable college-degree careers and high costs of credentialing. More than 6 in 10 teachers have taken out student loans to support their education, and close to 4 in 10 are still repaying them. Student loan…

This study investigated special education teachers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews, 15 educators shared detailed reports of how efforts to reach students strained their mental health. They felt stressed due to frequently changing expectations and pressure to comply with federal special…

As the field of music education explores ways to mitigate barriers for underrepresented populations along the path to becoming a music teacher, the experiences of first-generation college students (FGCSs) in music teacher education programs warrant exploration. The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the lived experiences and…

One of the main aims of Core Maths qualifications when they were introduced into the post-16 curriculum in 2014 was to help students develop their understanding of maths and its application to different subject areas, particularly in relation to further study (e.g., higher education). In this article, we explore whether Core Maths is fulfilling…

Objective: Evaluate student effects of participating in an undergraduate academic course, Art and Science of Human Flourishing, that was offered in a synchronous, virtual format during the Fall 2020 semester at three universities. Participants: Three combined cohorts of undergraduate students from three universities (n = 168). Methods: A…

This study evaluates an innovative, team-based model of organizing teaching staff in elementary and secondary schools called the Next Education Workforce™ (NEW) initiative. The objective of the NEW initiative is to offer a viable and practical alternative to the long-criticized conventional classroom model of individual teachers each with their…

The United States prison industry is the largest in the world. With the reintroduction of Second Chance Pell in 2015, more people are starting their education while incarcerated, and some attempt to finish after release. However, they are faced with numerous barriers that may prevent graduation. Drawing on Astin's theory of student involvement,…

The usefulness of college admissions test scores and high school GPA for predicting college success, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), has been widely debated. As colleges across the country face challenges in STEM student retention and achievement, understanding the factors that contribute to college…

San José's public schools provide a quality education, enhanced by programs and services that advance students' educational outcomes. Yet it is estimated that less than 4 of 10 students starting 9th grade will successfully navigate a path to and through postsecondary education. Many of these students lack clear guidance, financial resources,…

The Smallville Independent School District case study highlights the challenges of a school district facing the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural-urban divide. The district's socioeconomic status, with a high population of economically disadvantaged families, limited resources, and dependence on grants and local charity, further complicates matters.…

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…

The Educator Workforce Snapshot provides an overview of workforce data for the 640 traditional public schools and public charter schools in Louisiana's Southeast Region from the 2023-2024 school year based on End-of-Year (EOY) data. The purpose of this snapshot is to communicate annual workforce data and trends to stakeholders, and to support…