<p> The purpose of this study was to discover and understand the life and academic experiences of high school teenage mothers and expecting teenage mothers. The research questions was, How do these teenage mothers and expecting teenage mothers describe their life and academic experiences in a Missouri high school; What challenges do they face to successfully continuing their education; and What would they want and/or need in a high school-based child-care center if it were to be implemented as part of the high school&rsquo;s intervention with this at-risk population? The study was conducted at a medium-sized Midwestern Urban High School. The researcher interviewed 16 teenage mothers and expecting teenage mothers to provide insight into the research questions. Pseudonyms were used to preserve anonymity. Interviews were conducted face-to-face. The themes that emerged from the interviews included (a) problems with child-care, (b) barriers to resources, (c) teenage mothers&rsquo; and expecting teenage mothers&rsquo; recommendations, and (d) teenage mothers&rsquo; and expecting teenage mothers&rsquo; attitude toward pregnancy. Based upon the findings in this study, several recommendations may be beneficial to the life and academic success of teenage mothers and expecting teenage mothers attending urban high schools in Missouri: The inclusion of an on-site child-care center, whether it is in an adjacent building from the school itself or in a separate section within the school, would allow this particular population to attend school daily and on time regularly; therapeutic counselors and/or social workers along with guidance counselors should also be placed in the urban high schools; based on the participants&rsquo; statements, job training and paid internships placed in the schools would prepare the young mothers for jobs upon completing high school; visits from licensed pediatricians and dentists are recommended in the schools to see the children on a monthly basis; and the inclusion of a father support center should be placed in the urban high schools to work with teaching males, especially those who are fathers of children by the young ladies who are attending the school also, to be fathers whether their children attend the on-site center or not.</p>

<p> The impact of poverty on one rural elementary school&rsquo;s student achievement was measured based on formative and summative assessment data. Student assessment data were examined to determine if strong relationships can be linked between students living in poverty and academic achievement. Additionally, parental perceptions were addressed as to whether or not parents are engaged in their child&rsquo;s education, and if so, does this engagement impact student achievement. The topic was chosen for the relevancy of determining students&rsquo; instructional needs and how best to move the elementary in a positive direction academically. The socio-economic levels of families in the area studied are unlikely to change for the better; however, the level of student academic achievement can change for the better. Presently, elementary schools with high poverty rates and high academic achievement do exist, as described in specific detail in this paper. The data from this study indicated some students currently living in poverty are capable of achieving on a high academic level. The data from this study also showed all students who performed below proficiency within the research sample were also living in poverty. This quantitative study involved examination of how students living in poverty and students not living in poverty achieved academically. Details are provided on how schools with high numbers of students living in poverty can be academically successful.</p>

<p> This study investigated the effectiveness of a new dropout prevention program, Project WALK, which was launched at a low-income high school in Missouri during the 2012-2013 school year. After examining alarming dropout statistics, Washington High School chose 40 students to participate in a new program, Project WALK, which was designed to use graduation coaches to improve at-risk students' performance. The program's six graduation coaches formed relationships with at-risk students, monitored student progress, and consistently communicated with parents, teachers, and school administrators about the at-risk students. The researcher, an administrator at the school, gathered quantitative data to measure the effects of the intervention and qualitative data to measure the perceptions of the students who participated. The quantitative data collected for this study enabled the researcher to assess whether the graduation coach had an effect on each student's attendance, discipline, and number of credits earned during the time of the intervention compared to other years the student was in high school. The researcher considered secondary data in order to compare students' performances before and after the intervention and thus to test for a correlation between a student's being paired with a graduation coach and student outcomes such as attendance, discipline, and number of credits earned. </p><p> In addition to quantitative methods, the use of qualitative methods enabled the researcher to describe and analyze student perceptions of their experiences. Little is known about the perceived experiences of individual students who are considered to be at risk of dropping out of high school. Because qualitative data on this subject have been lacking, the qualitative component of the present study could lend greater insight into the effectiveness of interventions in students' lives. This study looked at 30 males, 10 females, 20 general education students, and 20 special education students. The results of this study indicated that the graduation coaches were beneficial in preventing dropouts, which suggests that the strategy of using graduation coaches is a promising one for serving at-risk students. These findings inform the work of educational specialists, practitioners, and school systems personnel who design interventions to help reduce the dropout rates in schools.</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> The purpose of this study was to engage in ethnographic research involving Jack E. Singley High School (JESA), which was part of the Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas and recognized throughout the state as one of its most successful high schools. Singley High School had a population of 1600, with 88% minority students, who continued to exhibit academic achievement. The researcher evidenced specific interest in the performance of African-American male students at Singley, since this academic performance consistently received national recognition. This sub-population had been described as experiencing an &lsquo;achievement gap&rsquo;. However at Singley, African-American males were succeeding. The researcher explored how this high school was effective in preparing its African American male students for academic success through interviews of individual students who demonstrated the ability to succeed in the academic arena under challenging personal and cultural circumstances. </p><p> The results of the study highlighted the importance of collaborative learning in self-efficacy and illustrated the power of student &lsquo;buy in&rsquo;, when the students could directly relate their academic work to tangible career goals. Increasing, the relevancy of academics and preparing students for life beyond high school afforded clear-cut goals and added value to education, increasing student motivation and student academic success. One of the most surprising insights from this research, for the researcher, had nothing to do with academics, though its positive connection to success was clear. The insight was the gratitude that students vocalized for being accepted as a part of a professional institution and learning the tenets of professionalism, which allowed them to view themselves in a more positive way.</p>