<p> Since their inception in the 1960s, federally funded workforce development programs have promised a solution to unemployment, labor market skills gaps, and income inequality. However, until recently, lack of data and methodological challenges have made evaluation of these programs difficult. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in response to the Great Recession of 2008, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, represented a nearly $2 billion investment in community colleges and the U.S. labor force. Using third-party evaluations to provide evidence of strong outcomes for TAACCCT participants was one of its key objectives. Through a systematic review of TAACCCT third-party evaluation studies and case study analyses of two institutions, this study examined the impact of TAACCCT on participant completion, employment, and earnings and institutional capacity building during its first two funding rounds. TAACCCT enabled community colleges to invest in capacity-building activities, experiment with innovative program strategies, and strengthen and scale partnerships. It also had a positive and significant impact on participant completion and employment. Future workforce development programs should be informed by these successes. The experiences of grantees during these two rounds also offer insights into improvements for future programs. </p><p>

<p> The time between the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and its replacement, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, marked a period of unprecedented policy-driven education reform. Unfortunately, the major objectives of the policy were not achieved, and the very problems it sought to fix still exist. One reason for this was an overreliance on testing and test scores as a lever for change. This study&rsquo;s purpose was to explore the ways in which an educational leader could bring the tools of the practitioner-scholar to bear on public policy problems worth solving. This research question was addressed through three distinct, but interconnected, articles that utilized different methodologies. The first demonstrated the application of the tools of public policy analysis to bilingual education policy at the federal, state, and local levels. The second critiqued New York State&rsquo;s student growth model used in the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) using quantitative methods. The third analyzed the broader APPR policy and sought to address its many shortcomings by proposing a new, viable policy alternative for consideration by policymakers. The major implications of this study include a strong caution against the use of standardized tests of student achievement to measure progress toward policy goals, a demonstration of the importance of identifying and applying criteria to assess public education policies, and a recognition of educational leaders as important actors in the policy making process. </p><p>

<p> Considering instructional time is one of the most valuable and expensive resources in public education, there is nominal research examining the effectiveness of its use (Farbman, 2015). The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the amount of extended learning time provided to eligible students at least one grade level below in reading or mathematics and their scale score growth determined by middle-of-year results on the i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment. i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment results were examined of students who attended an extended learning time after-school program focused on remediation of standards specific to mathematics and reading in grades two through five. The population for this study consisted of eligible students in a Midwestern school district who attended an after-school remediation program for reading and mathematics. The literature collected for this study was analyzed to support the findings and to understand the relation between time and learning. From the data collected and analyzed for the study, there was not a significant difference in the subject of reading when students were compared to their eligible peers who did not attend the after-school remediation program. In contrast, students did experience a significant difference in results from beginning-of-year to middle-of-year i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment for the content of mathematics as compared to the peer group. No correlation was found between scale score growth in reading or mathematics and the number of hours of attendance in the after-school remediation program.</p><p>

This study utilizes an alignment-crosswalk of metro-Los Angeles public K-12 school districts’ teacher evaluation items and the California Teacher Performance Expectations to determine which local school district evaluation items do not align with pre-service preparation course work standards, and which pre-service preparation course work standards are not assessed by local school districts. Findings initially indicated that many districts utilize the California Standards for the Teaching Profession, a set of standards defined by the same California regulatory body which responsible for developing and authorizing the California Teacher Performance Expectations. Initial findings also included school district evaluations not aligned to the California Standards for the Teaching Profession which were also crosswalked with the Teacher Performance Expectations to determine their alignment and non-coverage areas. Content analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis were performed to determine what gaps exist between preservice teachers’ preparation standards and in-service early-career evaluation standards.

<p> Accountability measures, by way of standardized curriculum and assessments, have played a large part in the attempt to ensure that students from all backgrounds receive equal access to quality education. However, the inherent disadvantage of a standardized system is the implied assumption that all students come in with the same knowledge, learn at the same pace, and learn the same way. In the wake of an increasingly diverse K-12 population, educational researchers, learning theorists, and practitioners agree that the concept of the average student is, in fact, a myth. Students come to school with different needs, norms, interests, cultural behavior, knowledge, motivations, and skill sets. In order for education to properly address the issue of equity, the issue of learner variance must first be attended to. </p><p> In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education released its educational plan encouraging teachers to address student variance through more inclusive learning environments. The report highlighted Blended Learning (BL) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as promising practices in enabling, motivating, and inspiring all students to achieve regardless of background, language, or disability. Research suggests that the combination of these two approaches could lead to transformative teaching practices that dramatically impact student learning. However, the efficacy of such a model has yet to be tested. </p><p> This study tested the efficacy of a Blended Universal Design for Learning (BUDL) model in improving student outcomes. An experimental design was used to explore the impact of a two-week BUDL intervention in an accelerated 7^th grade math class. The effect on student achievement, engagement, and perception was measured. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Though results from the study were statistically insignificant, possible positive associations between a BUDL intervention and student achievement, engagement, and perception emerged. Considerations for clinical significance, suggestions for improvement on the BUDL model, and implications for future research are discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is centered on health information management (HIM) student learning outcomes and attrition in an online learning environment as compared with that of a traditional face-to-face learning environment. Online education has become mainstream and enrollment continues to grow even though overall enrollment in higher education has decreased (Poulin &amp; Straut, 2016). In addition, colleges and universities retain fewer online students than traditional face-to-face students (Brown, 2017). Furthermore, student satisfaction has been labeled as a measure of quality for online education (Online Learning Consortium, 2017). The Community of Inquiry theory of student satisfaction with an online learning environment was utilized as the theoretical framework for this study (Garrison, Anderson, &amp; Archer, 2000). Quantitative data were collected from accredited two-year associate health information management program directors for analysis in this study. Students currently enrolled in health information management online courses were surveyed with a Community of Inquiry survey instrument to assess their perceptions of satisfaction with online courses. Descriptive analysis methods were utilized to answer the four research questions which guided this study. The findings of the study on differences between the national Registered Health Information Technician final exam scores and domain scores from graduates of traditional face-to-face courses with similar peers enrolled in online courses demonstrated a significant difference with lower overall scores for online graduates. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference between attrition rates of traditional face-to-face and online programs. Based on the analysis of the Community of Inquiry data, students of current online HIM courses have an above average degree of satisfaction.</p><p>

<p> Although enrollment in online community college courses continues to increase, there is evidence that many students are not completing their studies. Research on persistence indicates the importance of students feeling connected with their institution through faculty and staff which can be difficult when separated geographically. Using the Model of Online Community College Student Satisfaction and Continued Enrollment (MOCCSSE), a path model which includes components from both Tinto&rsquo;s Theory of Student Departure and Kember&rsquo;s Model of Dropout in Distance Education, this study explored traditional-aged community college students&rsquo; levels of satisfaction with their academic advisor to determine if they influence the students&rsquo; decision to continue enrolling online. </p><p> Study participants included 346 traditional-aged community college students who enrolled exclusively in online courses for at least one semester in Maryland, Pennsylvania, or Virginia. Eligible students were identified by institutions and invited by email to participate in an electronic survey using SurveyMonkey. Results of this study were analyzed using path analysis to build a model linking students&rsquo; satisfaction with academic advising and online experience with online adaptability level and continued online enrollment. </p><p> The interaction of satisfaction with online education experience and the advisor seems to indicate a positive effect on continued online enrollment. Continued online enrollment was also positively affected by online adaptability level, which was measured by student&rsquo;s self-efficacy and perceived mastery of computer usage and time management. These findings suggest that while students who have the necessary skills to succeed in an online education environment are likely to continue enrolling online, their satisfaction with their advisor and their online education experience may also impact that decision. </p><p> A major limitation was that the survey items that were thought to measure online satisfaction did not; instead student&rsquo;s level of overall satisfaction was used to create a construct. Other limitations included removal of participants who did not communicate with their academic advisor, and the low percentage of students who check email regularly. Future research should investigate demographics of traditional-aged community college students further. Topics should include expanding diversification of online students so that demographics align with overall population, and comparing traditional-aged and non-traditional students with previous studies.</p>

<p> A case study was performed using archival data from retained students in three rural Missouri school districts. The data were examined to determine if a correlation existed between grade level retention and improved student achievement in Math and English Language Arts. A t-test was used to determine the impact retention had on student achievement. Scores were collected from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) data from retained students the year before they were retained, as well as the year following when they were retained. Data were collected from 2006-2014. Data from this study revealed students who were retained showed significant gains in academic achievement in both Math and English Language Arts. By running a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was discovered there was a difference in the performance of males and females after being retained. Retention was also revealed to play a significant role in determining the probability of a student dropping out of school. As a result of this research, it is recommended multiple strategies of instructional improvement and modes of student intervention or retention are implemented before a student is considered for grade-level retention. </p>

<p> Developmental education continues to be an area of concern for higher education institutions. Understanding and developing programs to provide support and increase retention, completion, and success rates for developmental education students is vital to increasing degree attainment in the United States. This study explored one developmental education program at a Midwest community college implemented in 2011. A mixed-methods approach was executed to compare completion and success rates two years prior to implementation and two years following implementation, as well as to obtain qualitative information regarding perceptions of the program. Quantitative data analysis revealed increases in developmental education rates for qualifying Connection Program students when viewed holistically; however, varying degrees of program effectiveness were seen in discipline-level results. Qualitative data analysis revealed four emerging themes: 1) Flawed Placement, 2) Positive Intentions, 3) Flawed Execution, and 4) Student Ambiguity. These findings coincided with research in the developmental education field as areas of importance in regard to increasing degree attainment for these students.</p>

<p> In 2002, the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) revised its accreditation standards and mandated institutions to implement assessment of student learning outcomes (SLO) for all courses and programs. Effective assessment of SLO provides a mechanism for faculty to analyze, discuss, and use data to improve instruction. This process has been integral to meeting and maintaining standards required for accreditation. However, assessment should instead be aimed at improving teaching and learning and providing instructional consistency that results in a better experience for students. </p><p> Data from this qualitative study indicated key components to consider in implementing SLO assessment. The study examined faculty perceptions of a single department&rsquo;s process and provides leaders with a road map to consider for implementation of SLO assessment. The study used a qualitative, single-site case study design to address the research questions through collection of data via in-depth interviews with 11 of 13 full-time faculty members in the target department who had participated in the full assessment cycle, observation of faculty meetings, and document review. </p><p> Key factors identified by interviewees were communication, knowledge of SLO, a clear plan, training, expertise, staff to assist faculty, and time to conduct assessment and analysis. Elements that were not evident in the literature emerged and indicated that department culture and faculty characteristics should be considered when creating an implementation plan. </p><p> The main obstacle to SLO assessment was the time required for comprehensive and high-quality assessment. There was a clear disconnect between tasks, required time, and institutional deadlines. Other campus-wide barriers cited were a lack of communication from campus leadership, inadequate training, and the perception that the college did not support necessary clerical and professional staff to assist faculty with the effort. </p><p> The resources and policies that were reported to assist faculty include a faculty-driven effort, an investment in the process to include compensation for the time spent, clerical and professional staff, technology to simplify the process and an examination of faculty workload.</p>