Secondary Education Commons^™

Greater Newark Stem Ecosystem - 2026 Convening - Small Group Outcomes & Action Plan, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

In January 2026, GNSE convened ecosystem partners for a co-design session focused on identifying shared challenges, opportunities, and near-term actions to strengthen STEM education and career-connected learning. Participants engaged in small-group discussions to surface barriers, enablers, and potential areas for coordinated action.

Necessary, But Insufficient: School Counselors’ Informal Learning Experiences With Writing Letters Of Recommendations, Mandy Savitz-Romer, Tara Nicola, Julius Dilorenzo, Jen Ha, Amy Desiderio, Sebastian Munoz Galvez, Matthew O'Brien

Journal of College Access

Submission of recommendation letters from high school counselors is a requirement for undergraduate admission at many selective colleges. However, there has been limited research to-date examining these critical application components and the front-line professionals who generate them. This study examines how high school counselors, who are key actors in holistic admission practices, learn how to craft recommendation letters. Given previous research has found that counselors have limited training in college admission counseling, understanding the learning processes that shape their letter writing is a critical first step for improving the quality of letters and their utility for student success in the …

Slow Education, Sit Spot, And Holistic Well-Being: A Narrative Case Study In Secondary Science Education, Steph Dean, Jim Lane, Paul Bocko, Albert Gilbert, Devan A. Jones

Publications

The demands of a test-dominant education system point towards the need for students to have opportunities for unhurried learning engagements, a movement known as slow education. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term influence of Sit Spot–a recurrent, structured time to reflect outdoors–on students’ holistic well-being. Using a narrative case study approach, we interviewed a secondary field ecology teacher and seven of his former students to understand the impact of high school Sit Spot experiences during a semester-long science class. Three primary outcomes emerged: (1) enduring impact on the whole person, (2) engagement with affect, and (3) …

Developing Ecosocial Literacy / Transforming Ecosocial Leadership: A Curriculum Research & Development Project, Chris Zorn, Lois A. Yamauchi, Madiha Jamil

IALS Journal

This case study examines the Global Leadership Laboratory (GLL), a yearlong high school leadership course at University Laboratory School in Hawaiʻi. The curriculum integrates transformative learning and contemplative practices to promote student voice, self-awareness, leadership skills, and personal agency. Through interviews, observations, and student artifacts, the study found that reflective journaling, dialogue, contemplative practices, and transformative learning activities supported the development of authentic student voice and perspective transformation, although outcomes varied by classroom conditions and student readiness.

Students’ Conceptions Of The Future: Participatory Co-Research And Teaching Experiment, Anna Veijola, Tuukka Tomperi

IALS Journal

This study examines upper secondary students’ conceptions of the future through a participatory teaching and research experiment conducted in a philosophy course at the University of Jyväskylä Teacher Training School. Students collaboratively created short films imagining the world in 2043 and wrote reflective essays about the ethical and philosophical issues represented in their films. Using the framework of Futures Consciousness, the researchers analyzed themes related to time perspective, agency, openness to alternatives, systems thinking, and concern for others. Findings revealed that students expressed both utopian and dystopian visions rooted in contemporary global concerns such as climate change, inequality, technological development, …

Students’ Perceptions At The University Of Puerto Rico Secondary School Regarding Cellphone Use In The School Environmen, Nicolás Ramos, Nydiaam Vilanova

IALS Journal

This mixed-methods study investigates students’ perceptions of cellphone use at the University of Puerto Rico Secondary School. Data were collected from 133 students through a structured electronic survey examining phone ownership, usage patterns, emotional responses, parental regulation, and opinions regarding cellphone restrictions in schools. Results indicate that most students perceive their cellphone use as appropriate, recognize both educational and social benefits, and oppose complete bans while supporting responsible use and guided autonomy. The findings suggest that schools should emphasize digital citizenship, self-regulation, and balanced technology use rather than punitive restrictions.

Forecasting Success Rates In The 2025-2030 High School Exam In Jordan Using Time Series Analysis, Haidar Ibrahim Zaza

International Journal for Research in Education

This study applied the ARIMA (1,1,2) model to develop a predictive framework for general success rates of General Secondary Education Certificate students in Jordan, based on annual data from 2005 to 2024 (n = 20). Using the Box–Jenkins time series analysis methodology—including model identification, parameter estimation, diagnostic checking, and forecasting—the ARIMA (1,1,2) specification was identified as the best fit according to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and the Hannan–Quinn Criterion (HQ). All model parameters were statistically significant, and the model passed key accuracy diagnostics. Forecasts for the years 2025 through 2030 indicate a projected increase in success rates, ranging between …

Exclusionary Discipline’S Impact On Minority And Low Social Status Student Achievement, Ulanda Latreace Branch

Student Theses and Dissertations

School discipline was intended to keep students safe in schools, but exclusionary discipline methods fail to meet this goal. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of exclusionary discipline methods on student achievement, with an emphasis on ethnic and socioeconomic differences. The problem addressed how subjective referrals, cultural differences, unequal disciplinary tactics, and ineffective reprimands contribute to inequalities in disciplinary outcomes. Drawing on Glasser and Gordon's behavioral theoretical frameworks, this study emphasized proactive educational settings, effective classroom management, student accountability, and positive relationships as paramount to managing misbehavior. The study used a correlational research design, which …

A Qualitative Examination Of The Motivations For Homeschooling Among Black Americans, Portia J. Witt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the motivations and lived experiences of African American homeschooling families. Twelve Black parents from multiple states participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’ (1994) Modified Stevick–Colaizzi–Keen method and coded thematically using NVivo. Nine themes emerged: autonomy, holistic education, community belonging, online networks, public resources, curriculum gaps, personal values, effective learning, and legacy of harm. While racialization in schools—including tracking, microaggressions, and misidentification—contributed to participants’ decisions, motivations also reflected intersectional factors such as faith, disability, mental health needs, giftedness, and a desire for cultural protection and flexible learning. Findings suggest homeschooling serves as a …

The Importance Of Gender Affirmation In Library Spaces, David Gales

High School Libraries Workshop

No abstract provided.

The Value Of Unsiloing Yourself: Cycle Of Inquiry & Tackling Hard Questions In Community, Allyson Bogie, Mia Gittlen, Meredith Irby, Sam Solomon, Sarah Sugarman

High School Libraries Workshop

No abstract provided.

The Library Advisory Board: Building And Sustaining Student Library Culture, Frenchie

High School Libraries Workshop

No abstract provided.

Explore, Inquire & Collaborate Using The Aasl Standards And Activity Guides, Brandi Veal, Mia Gittlen

High School Libraries Workshop

No abstract provided.

Power, Privilege, And Perceptions: A Critical Case Study Of Ffa And Gsa Members’ High School Experiences In A Southern Rural High School, Eric Moser, Stacy Vincent, Rebekah Epps

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

There is an urgent need to address the rampant homophobic and transphobic systems and rhetoric in the United States. School cultures reflect the systemic privileging of heterosexual and cisgender identities, which places queer students at an increased risk of victimization and harassment. Rural schools have been found to uphold heteronormative and cisnormative cultures more than suburban and urban schools, which increases safety concerns for rural queer students. Rural schools commonly offer school-based agricultural education (SBAE) and FFA programs, which have been found to struggle in their inclusion of racial minority students. To combat hostile school cultures, many schools offer a …

Brief Of Amici Curiae The Notre Dame Law Education Project And Utah Education Fits All In Support Of Appellants, Tyler R. Green, Nicole Stelle Garnett

Court Briefs

No. 20250512-SC
Derek Brown, Attorney General v. Kevin Labresh

From the Argument

No one doubts the significant public interest in K-12 education. Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483, 493 (1954) (“[E]ducation is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments.”). And, for centuries, the critical responsibility for educating young people has been borne in significant part by private schools. Indeed, for many decades, private schools were essentially the only source of childhood education in the United States. It is a role those schools served—and continue to serve—well. While in Utah, as elsewhere, public schools are …

Humanizing Online Learning Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Preserving Cultural Identity And Human Connection In Digital Spaces, Michael Mills

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The rapid shift to online and hybrid learning environments has highlighted the need for culturally responsive pedagogical approaches in digital spaces. While much research has explored culturally responsive teaching in traditional classrooms, less attention has been paid to how these principles can be effectively translated to online learning environments. This article examines how culturally responsive pedagogy can be meaningfully integrated into online learning spaces through intentional course design, assessment practices, and community building. Drawing from existing literature on culturally responsive teaching, online learning, and digital equity, this paper provides a framework for educators to create more inclusive and culturally sustaining …

Implementation Of The Framework For Great Schools: Lessons From New York City, Jay M. Langkamp

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the implementation of the Framework for Great Schools in the New York City Department of Education from 2015 through 2019. The study addresses a gap in the literature, specifically regarding NYC School Survey data and the relationship between it, school context, and student outcomes, at a time when families and district leaders regularly use publicly available school-level data to inform their decision-making, understanding how frameworks such as the Framework for Great Schools is essential. The Framework focuses on six elements: Rigorous Instruction, Supportive Environment, Collaborative Teachers, Effective School Leadership, Strong Family and Community Ties, and Trust. It …

Amplifying Student Voice With Academic Conversations Across The Curriculum, Tara Temprano, Margaret Gelbwasser

New Jersey English Journal

This article explores the power of academic conversations to foster student engagement across disciplines. Students develop communication skills essential for all subjects through writing exercises, collaborative critiques, and historical role-playing. Strategies for integrating discussion into Art, Social Studies, and ELA classrooms help bridge the gap between the subject and the literacy space.

Moving Beyond Reading And Writing: Incorporating Historically Responsive Literacy Into Literacy Instruction In Content Area Classrooms, Andrea Lemahieu Glaws

New Jersey English Journal

This article describes the practices on teacher educator used to incorporate a historically responsive literacy framework into a disciplinary literacy course offered for pre-service teachers. This article begins with an overview of disciplinary literacy and Dr. Muhammad’s historically responsive literacy framework. Following, this article describes three assignments that the teacher educator used within her classroom to support pre-service teachers across multiple content areas in making connections between HRL and their content area discipline. These three assignments include: lab reflections, curriculum analysis, and mini-lesson facilitation. Connections to implications beyond teacher education are made.

Electronic Encyclopedia Of Traditional Medicinal Plants At The Museum Pusaka Nias As Supporting Media For Students’ Plant Awareness, Ester Novi Kurnia Zebua, Siti Zubaidah, Sitoresmi Prabaningtyas

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Low student awareness of the existence, diversity, and importance of plants in daily life—referred to as plant awareness, which includes attention, attitudes, relative interest, and knowledge toward plants—remains a challenge in biology learning, partly due to the limited use of electronic learning media that integrate biodiversity with local wisdom or indigenous knowledge. Traditional medicinal plants from the Museum Pusaka Nias have strong potential as contextual learning resources; however, they have not been optimally developed in electronic form. This study aimed to develop an electronic encyclopedia of Nias traditional medicinal plants for high school biology learning and to examine students' plant …