IES Staff
Akilah Nelson
NCSER
About
Transition to Postsecondary Education, Career, and/or Independent Living; Families of Children with Disabilities; Systems, Policy, and Finance
Associated IES Content
Grant
Exploring How Transfer-of-Rights and Guardianship Discussions May Affect Transition Outcomes for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
The goal of this project is to explore whether and how the information special educators provide to parents about transfer of rights and guardianship may either support or limit students' transition outcomes for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Special education regulations state that parental decision-making rights will transfer to students at the age of 18 unless parents of students with IDD obtain guardianship over their children. During transition planning...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190114
Grant
Parental Involvement in Education: Comparing Academic Outcomes for High School Students in the General Population and Those At Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Issues
The goal of this project is to better understand associations between parental involvement and education outcomes for high school students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). As a group, youth with EBD experience high rates of dropout and juvenile arrest, and poorer academic performance when compared to youth without disabilities and those in other disability groups. While it has been widely documented that parental involvement plays an important role in the education outcom...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190055
Grant
Understanding the Antecedents of STEM Career and Technical Education Coursetaking for High School Students with Learning Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to investigate whether participating in applied STEM career and technical education (AS-CTE) courses in high school is related to students with learning disabilities pursuing and persisting in STEM majors and/or careers. High school AS-CTE courses emphasize the practical applications of academic math and science concepts to job experiences by incorporating "hands on" quantitative reasoning, logic, and problem-solving skills. Although a significant number of stu...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200233
Grant
Factors Contributing to Academic, Social/Communication, and Behavioral Outcomes for Elementary Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities
The purpose of this study is to examine how educational placement affects academic, social/communication, and behavioral outcomes for elementary students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD). The study will also explore student-, classroom-, and school/district-level factors as potential mediators or moderators of associations between placement and student outcomes. Although researchers have argued that educational placement makes a difference in the type of instruction students wit...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A180024
Grant
Exploring Multi-Level System Factors Facilitating Educator Training and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs)
The purpose of this study is to examine how system-wide (i.e., region, district, and school) mechanisms such as leadership support, training requirements, structure, collaboration, and prior education affect teachers' use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) and, in turn, how this affects outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite growing evidence for the positive effects of EBPs for a wide range of treatment targets in children with ASD, these practices are not consist...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A170063
Grant
Project FOCUS: Exploring Response to Intervention with a Focus on Students Receiving Tier 3 and Special Education for Reading Disabilities
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between schools' RTI (Response to Intervention) implementation and teachers' RTI knowledge and student outcomes. There will be a particular focus on students receiving Tier 3 interventions and students with reading disabilities in special education (i.e., students with IEPs in reading). Although RTI is widely used, research suggests that Tier 3 intervention implementation is highly variable and its relation to special education is inco...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A160132
Contract
Transforming STEM Learning: Local Ecosystems as Classrooms
The purpose of this project is to advance the development of an integrated education technology platform that enhances science learning through data-driven, community-connected experiences. The system is designed to help educators create modular, standards-aligned laboratory activities that combine authentic environmental data with AI-assisted instructional tools.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0081
Contract
iLumaCap Coder: An Embodied, Dance-Based Platform for Teaching Core Coding Concepts in Grades 6–8
By eighth grade, many students—especially girls and historically underrepresented learners—disengage from computer science. iLumaCap Coder addresses this gap by merging movement, culture, and coding in a low-lift classroom format. Students wear a comfortable LED cap with a motion sensor while learning loops, conditionals, and functions through short dance routines.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0108
Contract
Capti SBA – Scenario-Based Reading Assessment Platform
Traditional reading assessments have relied on a passage-and-question format that primarily measures low-level recall rather than deeper comprehension and critical thinking. These assessments are often disconnected from classroom instruction, leaving many students disengaged. This project aims to transform reading assessment by creating Capti SBA, a platform that empowers educators to generate scenario-based assessments (SBAs) that are aligned to local curricula.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0096
Contract
Capti Assess with ReadBasix – Regenerative Reading Assessment
Two-thirds of U.S. students in grades 3–12 read below proficiency, yet most existing reading assessments lack the depth needed to identify specific areas of difficulty. ReadBasix, developed by ETS, is a validated diagnostic reading assessment that measures six foundational reading skills. Charmtech Labs created Capti, a platform designed to develop, deliver, and manage assessments.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0101
Contract
Early Numeracy Solutions: Web-Based Interactive Math Stories with Digital Tools
This project will design and test an innovative education technology prototype to strengthen early numeracy skills in children ages 5–7. The platform combines digital read-aloud stories with an interactive abacus, weaving literacy and mathematics into engaging narratives. Powered by artificial intelligence and gesture recognition, the system adapts learning experiences to each child’s pace and cognitive patterns, offering real-time feedback and visual supports for mental math development.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0083
Contract
Automated Compliance and Communication System for IEP Management
Special education case managers spend 3 to 10 hours creating each Individualized Education Program (IEP), with time requirements varying significantly by IEP type. Annual reviews require 3 to 4 hours while initial IEPs can demand 6 to 10 hours. Administrative tasks consume substantial portions of educators' workweeks, contributing to 38% of special educators reporting clinical anxiety or depression and annual attrition rates of 13.2%.
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0087
Contract
MusiQuest: Music Education Modules For K-2 Students
At least 3.6 million students in the U.S. lack access to music education. MusiQuest is an online learning platform designed to address this inequity. MusiQuest modules for 3rd-5th grade students have previously produced statistically significant outcomes in studies by WestEd in schools without music programs. This SBIR project will produce Kindergarten - 2nd grade modules that offer schools a convenient and radically affordable way to integrate music education into their existing practice
Federal funding program:
Contract number:
91990025C0093
Grant
Chicago Scholars Program Randomized Controlled Trial
In this project, researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Chicago Scholars program, a comprehensive support program which aims to increase on-time matriculation, persistence, and college graduation rates for low-income, first-generation, and under-represented minority youth in Chicago. Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago will conduct the project in partnership with Chicago Scholars, and with the support of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The Chicago Scholars mod...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A230407
National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)
NLTS2 is intended to provide a national picture of the experiences and achievements of students in special education during high school and as they transition from high school to adult life.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is administered out of its research office, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). ED/IES SBIR provides up to $1.25M in funding in 2 phases: Phase I for $250,000 for 8-months for rapid prototype development and evaluation of new education technology prototypes and Phase II for $1,000,000 for the full-scale development and evaluation of new education technology products.
Systems, Policy, and Finance
The Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems (Policy/Systems) topic supports research that contributes to the identification of systemic processes, procedures, and programs that improve the education outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities from kindergarten through Grade 12.
Transition to Postsecondary Education, Career, and/or Independent Living
The Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities (Transition) topic supports research that contributes to the improvement of transition outcomes (i.e., attainment of – and skills that enable students to obtain – employment, independent living, and further education and training) for secondary students with disabilities in Grades 6 through 12.
Families of Children with Disabilities
The Families of Children with Disabilities (Families) topic supports research that contributes to the identification of effective strategies for families and/or school personnel to improve family involvement for children with or at risk for disabilities in ways that improve education outcomes for these students from kindergarten through Grade 12.
Grant
Assessing the Quality and Reach of Student Pathways to Economic Security: Building Evidence to Enhance the Impact of NYC Pathways Initiatives
In this study, researchers are exploring the implementation and quality of the New York City public schools Student Pathways initiatives. These initiatives aim to increase students' access to career and technical education (CTE) programs and include Career Ready Modern Youth Apprenticeships (CRMYA), Future ReadingNYC (FRNYC), and Pathways to Green Jobs. The researchers will examine student access and persistence in key activities embedded in the Pathways initiatives and assess the degree to ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240254
Grant
Understanding Adaptive Problem-Solving Skills in a Digital Context for Low-Skilled Adults in the United States
In this project, the researchers will explore the prevalence and nature of the challenges adults with low foundational skills (reading, numeracy) may face when engaging with digital assessments relative to adults with higher foundational skills. Adults with low foundational skills account for a sizable and non-ignorable proportion of the U.S. population, and the percent of adults who also have low digital skills is also significant. According to a 2019 NCES report, roughly 64 percent of U.S....
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240292
Grant
Examining Heterogeneity in Nudging Intervention Effects on Postsecondary Student Outcomes
In this project, the researchers will employ a meta-analysis of rigorous studies conducted during the 21st century to assess the effects of nudging interventions on students' enrollment, persistence, and degree completion in postsecondary education, to draw clear conclusions to the mixed set of findings that have emerged from postsecondary nudging studies. Many researchers and decisionmakers in postsecondary education view nudging interventions, popularized in the behavioral economics litera...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240037
Grant
The Effects of Completing College-Level Courses in High School on Postsecondary Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
In this project, the researchers will estimate the effects of completing college-level courses during high school on students' postsecondary outcomes, including college enrollment, persistence, and completion. While the prevalence of high school courses for college credit has increased substantially across the U.S. during the 21st century, research evidence to date is inconclusive regarding its overall benefits, the conditions under which it is most beneficial for students and the extent to ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240101
Grant
A Comparative Exploration of IDEA Racial Equity Policy to Inform Research, Policy, and Practice
The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between variations in education contexts, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) policy use, and effectiveness of efforts to address racial disproportionality in special education across varied state education agency (SEA), local education agency (LEA), school, and community contexts. Racial disproportionality in special education and exclusionary discipline represents a long-documented and extensively researched issue, spu...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240017
Grant
Transition Coalition Self-Study (TCSS+): Enhancing a Team-Based Professional Development to Improve Transition Outcomes
The goal of this project is to design and test a team-based professional development intervention for transition educators—secondary special educators, transition specialists, related services, and support staff. An initial professional development (PD) model, the Transition Coalition Self-Study (TCSS), has shown emerging promise for increasing educators' knowledge of transition assessment with the potential to improve transition IEPs. The original TCSS was a team-based model that used a t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240176
Grant
Enhancing Secondary/Transition Outcomes Using Check and Connect with the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction
This study will examine the initial efficacy of an intervention combining two existing evidence-based interventions, Check and Connect (C&C) and the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), for students with disabilities who are at risk for school failure. The outcomes of interest in this study include both secondary school/transition outcomes (academic achievement, self-determination, and graduation) and postsecondary outcomes (access to and progress in postsecondary educa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240006
Grant
Developing and Pilot Testing a Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Promote Self-Determination Skills Among High School Youth With Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to develop and pilot test the Mindfulness Skills for Transition (MST) intervention-a brief, mindfulness-based intervention designed to promote self-determination skills among high school youth with disabilities. There is prior evidence that lower levels of self-determination in youth with disabilities, relative to their non-disabled peers, are linked to the gaps in transition outcomes. Current self-determination interventions focus on teaching higher-order tran...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240107
Grant
Meta-analysis of College Writing Interventions on Writing and Learning Outcomes
In this project, the researchers aim to inform postsecondary writing instruction and interventions in college and university setting by conducting a meta-analysis of prior impact studies. Many college faculty indicate that their students do not have appropriate writing skills to be successful in their courses, and many 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education require basic writing courses for students. Writing difficulties are compounded for students who are domestic or international E...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240295
Grant
Ten-Year Follow-up of Two RCTs of CUNY's ASAP Model – Educational and Labor Market Outcomes
The research team will examine the 10-year impact of the City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs (ASAP) on education and labor market outcomes. CUNY ASAP is a 3-year program, designed and implemented by CUNY, that provides comprehensive supports including student support services, financial supports, and structured pathways. Since its inception in 2007, ASAP has served more than 88,000 students at CUNY, has been replicated across 7 states, and is widely...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240240
Grant
The Impact and Implementation of Nevada's Corequisite Mandate
In this mixed methods project, the researchers will examine the impact and implementation of the Nevada System of Higher Education's (NSHE) Corequisite and College Ready Gateway Policy, which mandated that the state's seven public postsecondary institutions shift from a prerequisite to a corequisite model of developmental education beginning in fall 2021. Whereas the prerequisite model delays credit accumulation, the corequisite model combines college-level coursework with academic supports,...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240250
Grant
Project REACT: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve College Re-Enrollment and Completion for Stopped-Out Students
In this project researchers will examine the effectiveness, implementation, and cost of the Re-Enrollment and Completion Team (REACT) program. This program draws on prior research regarding the components of interventions that promote persistence and degree completion among community college students and applies this research base to "near completers," namely students who have stopped out of college while being very close to completing an associate degree. The REACT program includes these ke...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240245
Grant
High School CTE Credentials and Postsecondary Outcomes in Pennsylvania: Implementation, Impact, and Cost
In this initial efficacy study, the researchers will examine the career and technical education (CTE) credentialing program for high school students in the state of Pennsylvania (PA). PA requires all graduating CTE students to take a technical assessment that can lead to a CTE credential. This study has three aims, each with an associated study: (1) enhance the field's understanding of how teachers, students, administrators, and local employers view and use CTE credentials (implementation st...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240078
Grant
National Disability Center for Student Success
The purpose of the National Disability Center for Student Success (Center) is to advance the capacity of postsecondary institutions in the United States to support the successful enrollment, persistence, and completion of degrees by postsecondary students with disabilities (PSWD). The Center activities draw upon three main conceptual frameworks: (a) student engagement is a critical predictor of student success; (b) instructors need support in building their accessibility knowledge base, mind...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324C230008
Grant
COMPASS Across Settings (CAST) for Integrating School, Home, and Community Services and Improving Transition Outcomes for Students with ASD
The purpose of this project is to develop and test the COMPASS [Collaborative Model for Competence and Success] Across Settings (CAST) intervention to enhance the goal setting and attainment skills of autistic youth. Despite federal education law mandating transition services as part of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for ensuring good outcomes for students with disabilities, current educational practices have been unable to demonstrate that autistic students experience positive p...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230008
Grant
The Development and Testing of a Professional Development and Telepractice Intervention to Support Family Member Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication
The purpose of this project is to develop and pilot test the Family Telepractice AAC Modeling Intervention (FamTAM). Family members are critical communication partners for children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Evidence suggests that children who use AAC experience the best outcomes when family members are well-trained and highly engaged in AAC use. However, families are rarely provided with the training necessary to support AAC. The FamTAM intervention wil...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230039
Grant
Examining the Initial Efficacy of the Goal Setting Challenge App: Impacts of Technology-Delivered Self-Determination Instruction on Secondary/Transition Outcomes
The purpose of this project is to examine the initial efficacy of the Goal Setting Challenge (GSC) App, a fully developed, technology-delivered self-determination intervention. This intervention provides the core components of the self-determined learning model of instruction (SDLMI), a type of self-determination intervention usually delivered by teachers. The GSC App delivers instruction to students directly through technology. The research team will examine the impacts of the GSC App on th...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230012
Grant
Efficacy of Teleconsultation with Parents and Teachers to Promote Student Social-Behavioral Outcomes
The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) delivered via distance technology (tele-CBC) in rural Appalachian elementary schools. Students with social-behavioral problems are at high risk of developing long-term, pervasive behavioral and academic problems. CBC is an intervention that allows for individuation of parent- and teacher-delivered behavior plans that are grounded in ecological-behavioral theory, supported by empirical evidence, and ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230211
Grant
The Transfer of College Credits Earned in High School
This exploration project will examine the extent to which college credits earned in high school are transferred to a postsecondary institution and applied to a degree or major. This project addresses the problem that although many students are attaining college-level credits during high school with the goal of getting a head start on their postsecondary education, they do not always graduate from postsecondary institutions as quickly as the number of earned credits would allow.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A230404
Grant
Resources Aligned and Integrated for Student Equity (RAISE): Protocol for Grade-level Teams to Intensify Instruction for Students With or At-risk for Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to test whether Resources Aligned and Integrated for Student Equity (RAISE)-a systematic, data-informed decision-making process-improves the academic and behavioral outcomes of elementary school students with or at risk for disabilities. Emerging evidence shows that COVID-19 pandemic disruptions have exacerbated longstanding disability-based disparities in academic achievement and well-being. An intervention for intensifying instruction and support is necessar...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220051
Grant
Accelerating Preschool Children's Language Development with Parents Plus
The purpose of this project is to adapt and test whether Parents Plus (P+), an online parent-implemented intervention, accelerates the language development of preschoolers with developmental language disorder (DLD). During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant disruptions in preschool intervention and speech-language therapy services occurred across the nation. These disruptions greatly impacted the language development of preschoolers with DLD, which will likely impact their future academic ac...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220032
Grant
Reducing Time to Autism Diagnosis for Toddlers Enrolled in Early Intervention
The purpose of this project is to test a virtual process for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to support earlier access to autism-specific intervention services in Illinois (IL). This new approach is intended to make the diagnostic process more efficient and reduce waitlists. At the start of the of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face medical diagnostic evaluations provided through the IL Bureau of Early Intervention (EI) were temporarily discontinued, including ASD diagnoses that ar...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220088
Grant
iCODE: Investigating and Scaffolding Students' Code Comprehension Processes to Improve Learning, Engagement, and Retention
The research team will develop and pilot test a novel education technology called iCODE (improve source CODE comprehension). Code comprehension is a critical skill for both learners and professionals. iCODE will integrate reading strategies training, animated pedagogical agents, inclusive and culturally responsive instructional design, and the open pro-social learner model to improve code comprehension and learning and student engagement, self-efficacy, computer science (CS) identity, and re...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220385
Grant
Supporting Teaching of Algebra: Individual Readiness (STAIR)
The purpose of this project is to evaluate different levels of intensity of a professional development (PD) and coaching model for middle school special education teachers to accelerate pandemic recovery in mathematics for their students with disabilities. Due to pandemic-related school closures, many students have not received enough instruction to develop a deep understanding of mathematics content. Students who experienced mathematics difficulties prior to the pandemic are at even greater...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220102
Grant
WORDS (Workshop on Reading Development Strategies) for Pandemic Recovery in Nebraska
The purpose of this project is to evaluate Workshop on Reading Development Strategies (WORDS), a comprehensive professional development (PD) program for teachers designed to support implementation of Tier 2 intensive interventions in reading for students with or at risk for reading disabilities in grades K-3. Many Nebraska schools have indicated that students with reading difficulties, especially those with cognitive or intellectual disabilities, have been disproportionately impacted by the ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220115
Grant
Project ENGAGE: Enhancing Student Engagement to Facilitate Learning and Well-Being
This project aims to (1) analyze existing data to determine how internalizing and externalizing behavior patterns, as well as referrals for special education eligibility, may have shifted over time with the pandemic, and (2) test Recognize. Relax. Record. (RRR). RRR is an intervention designed to reduce symptoms of anxiety, increase engagement, maximize learning recovery, and improve academic outcomes for students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Due to the COVI...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220067
Grant
Turning the TIDE: Building Teacher Capacity to Accelerate Text-Based Writing Performance of Students With and At Risk for Disabilities
The primary aim of this project is to rapidly accelerate the performance of students with and at risk for disabilities in text-based writing as a response to school challenges with COVID-19 by providing timely professional development (PD) and coaching to support general and special education teachers' implementation of an integrated writing and reading intervention. Prior to the pandemic, the National Assessment of Education Progress documented a gap between students with and at risk for di...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220101
Grant
CTE Teacher Labor Markets, Attributes, and Student Outcomes
The purpose of this exploration project is to better understand the landscape of career and technical education (CTE) teachers and the relationship of CTE teacher characteristics to student outcomes. Much is known about the role teachers play in student learning for core subjects and about the challenges districts face in recruiting and retaining teachers. Yet when it comes to CTE, there is little to no information about which CTE pathways have the most teachers with industry experience, whe...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220172
Grant
Early First-Dollar Categorical Need-Based Aid: A New Model for Making College Affordable?
The purpose of this project is to evaluate how the Tuition Incentive Program (TIP), a large first-dollar aid program in Michigan, impacts postsecondary outcomes for low-income high school students. 40 percent of Michigan high school graduates are eligible for TIP, which provides tuition assistance and fees for the first two years of college, and currently funds 25,000 students annually. TIP has three features that distinguish it from many state need-based financial aid programs: 1) It is a "...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220070
Grant
Effects of CIRCLES on the Provision of Transition Services and Resulting Transition Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of the Communicating Interagency Relationships and Collaborative Linkages for Exceptional Students (CIRCLES) intervention for improving student, teacher, and community agency personnel outcomes. Research indicates that interagency collaboration models are needed to address gaps in the services provided to students with disabilities to ensure a successful transition from high school.The CIRCLES intervention aims to increase positive tran...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230240
Grant
Math SPIRAL: Specialized Intervention to Reach All Learners
The goal of this project is to conduct an initial evaluation of Math SPIRAL (Specialized Intervention to Reach All Learners), an educator-provided mathematics intervention for students in grades 4 and 5. In this project, support will be provided to educators in a large urban school district to teach math to small groups of students identified as needing intervention through state achievement testing. In 2021, the percentage of students in the district who required small-group math interventi...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220024
Grant
Preventing Emotional and Behavior Problems in Middle School Youth at risk of Disability after the COVID-19 Pandemic with the Family Check-Up Online
The purpose of this project is to conduct an efficacy trial of the Family Check-Up (FCU) Online to address emotional and behavioral challenges among middle school students with or at risk for disability during their transition back to school after the pandemic-related school closures. Mental health and behavior problems are at epidemic proportions as a result of the pandemic. These adverse effects have been more pronounced for students with or at risk for disabilities who were already behind...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324X220003
Grant
TAGG-MS: Development and Validation of the Transition Assessment and Goal Generator (TAGG) for Middle School Students with Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to develop the web-based transition assessment, Transition Assessment and Goal Generator-Middle School (TAGG-MS). Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that transition planning for students with disabilities begin by the age of 16 years, most states begin transition planning earlier than the federally required age. However, no existing transition assessment for middle school students with disabilities measures behaviors associated wi...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A210143
Grant
The Implementation, Impact, and Cost-Effectiveness of Developmental Education Curricular Reform in California Community Colleges
This project will examine the effectiveness of sweeping developmental education (DE) reforms implemented across California community colleges, given increasing evidence that traditional DE harms students' chances of completing a credential, contributes to racial/ethnic gaps in completion, and represents a significant investment on the part of colleges and families. California's systemwide DE curricular reforms include revising placement criteria for introductory transfer-level math and Engli...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210286
Grant
Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS): A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial
This project will evaluate the SUCCESS intervention, which provides evidence-based, mutually reinforcing support services to help community college students stay on track through graduation at an affordable cost for colleges. The intervention design seeks to address two problems that have emerged in the postsecondary research literature: (1) very few interventions have causal evidence of substantially increasing graduation rates at community colleges; and (2) the few interventions with such ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A210276
Grant
Exploring relationships between college and career readiness, self-determination, and transition planning among adolescents with and without disabilities
The purpose of this project is to establish measurable constructs of college and career readiness (CCR) using extant data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS2012). Although CCR is identified as a necessary outcome of secondary special education and transition, is not well defined for adolescents with disabilities. The research team will explore the interrelationships with previously established constructs of self-determination and transition planning, as well as school...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A220274
Grant
Developing and Refining a Parent Training to Improve Outcomes for African American Children with Autism
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research for improving outcomes for African American children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training activities to develop expertise in community-engaged research with underrepresented populations, randomized controlled trials and single-case designs, and grant and publication writing. African American children are less likely to be diagnosed with ASD than White c...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210003
Grant
College Ready: Reading and Writing to Learn
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research for improving the reading and writing abilities of high school students with or at risk for high-incidence disabilities. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training activities to develop knowledge and skills related to the iterative development of interventions, effective professional development, multilevel modeling, and grant writing. Increasing the reading and writing capacities of students with high-incidence d...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210014
Grant
Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative
The growth of online learning means that college students must manage their studies more independently than ever before, making students' skills for navigating their own learning-such as finding sources of motivation, managing time and tasks, and reflecting on progress and making adjustments-even more critical to their success. Research has demonstrated the benefits of these self-directed learning skills and suggests that widely used technologies, such as learning management systems and adap...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C210003
Grant
Supported College and Career Readiness (SCCR) for Secondary Students With Emotional and Behavioral Problems
The purpose of this project is to develop and pilot test a multi-componentprogram that augments typical school-based college and career readiness (CCR) activities. In recent years, there has been an increase in initiatives to ensure students are adequately prepared for college or career. Research suggests, however, that high school age students with or at risk for EBD, are neither prepared for college or career nor sufficiently benefiting from CCR activities. The current project aims to fill...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200097
Grant
Addressing Emergency Certification in Rural Education Settings (Project ACRES)
The purpose of this project is to develop and pilot test a professional development intervention focused on evidence-based and high-leverage practices (EBPs and HLPs) to enhance the behavior management capabilities and self-efficacy of emergency certified special educators working in rural school districts. Special education personnel shortages are chronic and widespread, particularly in rural schools. Schools rely on new, emergency certified teachers to address this shortage. Emergency cred...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200038
Grant
CTE Teachers and Long-Term Outcomes for Students With Disabilities
The purpose of the proposed research is to provide a first look at career and technical education (CTE) teacher effectiveness for students with disabilities (SWD). We measure effectiveness based on estimates of teacher effects on various non-test and long-run student outcomes (e.g.postsecondary enrollment, employment), and we also assess whether effectiveness varies according to teachers' licensure, pathway into teaching (e.g. traditional vs alternative), and prior work experiences. This is ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200092
Grant
Paths to the Future for Young Men
The purpose of this project is to develop Paths to the Future for Young Men (P2F-Young Men), a career development intervention to address the needs of adolescent boys with high-incidence disabilities.Adolescent males lag behind their female peers on a number of important academic and behavioral outcomes such as rates of high school graduation and college enrollment, and have greater risk for violence, suicide, and substance abuse. Males with disabilities also receive less support outside the...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190104
Grant
Moving Transition Forward: Exploration of College-Based and Conventional Transition Practices for Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism
The goal of this project is to explore and compare critical aspects of two transition approaches-a college-based transition experience and a conventional high school or community-based transition experience-and examine the associations between involvement in those programs and student employment outcomes for students with intellectual disability and/or autism (ID/A). Historically students with ID/A have had one of the poorest college access and employment outcomes of all disability groups. T...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190085
Grant
Addressing the Integrity of the Problem-Solving Process: An Empirical Analysis of Problem-Solving Teams to Improve Team Functioning and Student Outcomes
The purpose of this project is to adapt an existing problem-solving model, Outcomes: Planning Monitoring and Evaluating (Outcomes: PME)to support school problem-solving teams (PSTs) in their efforts to enhance team-based problem-solving and use of evidence-based practices (EBP), teacher intervention integrity, and student behavior outcomes. Within multi-tiered systems of supports,PSTs are integral to the selection and implementation of evidence-based interventions to address behavioral and a...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190198
Grant
Possible Selves and Self-Determination: Improving Transition Outcomes for High School Students with Learning Disabilities
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Possible Selves: Nurturing Student Motivation (PS)plus the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (PS+SDLMI) for improving the academic and transition outcomes of high school students with learning disabilities (LD). Research has consistently shown that students with LD demonstrate less college and career readiness compared to students without disabilities. For example, although the number of high school graduates with LD enteri...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A190011
Grant
College and Career Readiness for Transition (CCR4T): Development and Validation of a Student Measure
The purpose of this project is to develop and validate the College and Career Readiness for Transition( CCR4T), a measure of high school students' with disabilities perceptions of their own college and career readiness (CCR). College and career readiness is critical for youth with and without disabilities. While many students lack the necessary academic preparation to enroll and succeed in credit-bearing postsecondary courses, students with disabilities are especially underprepared for enrol...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A220273
Grant
Measuring Implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Integrated MTSS Fidelity Rubric (IMFR)
The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the Integrated MTSS Fidelity Rubric (IMFR), a tool for measuring school-level implementation of integrated multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Integrated MTSS provides multiple levels of coordinated supports to meet the academic and behavioral needs of all learners. Although MTSS is being planned and implemented in schools around the country, there are several challenges related to the integration of academic (such as math and reading)...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324N190007
Grant
Evaluating the Impact of Integrated Behavior and Reading Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Elementary Schools
The goal of this study is to rigorously evaluate the impact of integrated behavior and reading practices in kindergarten through Grade 2 within a comprehensive, multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework. Research has identified effective but separate reading and behavior practices for students with or at risk for disabilities and has examined separate reading and behavior tiered systems of support. However, because of the potential to use resources more efficiently and align support to...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324N190012
Grant
Exploring Predictors of Transition Planning Participation and Future Goal Aspirations of Secondary Students with Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to examine associations between student-, family-, and school-level factors, students' involvement in the transition planning process (as part of their Individualized Education Program [IEP]), and students' future goal aspirations for postsecondary education, employment, economic independence, and independent living. While research supports the connection between student involvement in the IEP process and post-school outcomes, there has been limited investigati...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A180178
Grant
Promoting Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities: A Goal-Setting Challenge App
The purpose of this project is to develop an interactive web application, the Goal-Setting Challenge (GSC) App, to enhance goal setting and attainment skills of adolescents with high-incidence disabilities. Self-determination skills, including self-regulated problem solving, goal setting and attainment, self-monitoring, and self-evaluation, are critical for successful transitions to post-secondary and employment settings. Existing self-determination interventions, such as the Self-Determined...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A180012
Grant
The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction: Examining the Impact of Implementation Supports on Teacher and Student Outcomes
This study will test the efficacy of varied levels of support for teachers implementing the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). SDLMI is a research-based program designed to promote positive transition outcomes for high school students with disabilities. Previous research indicates that students whose teachers participate in professional development (PD) around SDLMI experience improved access to the general education curriculum and self-determination outcomes (e.g., inc...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A170008
Grant
TAGG-A: Developing, Validating, and Disseminating a New Secondary Transition Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Taught to Alternate Achievement Standards
The purpose of this project is to create a new transition assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SWSCD) taught to alternate achievement standards, Transition Assessment and Goal Generator-Alternate (TAGG-A). TAGG-A is based on an assessment originally developed with previous IES funding that was focused more generally on students with disabilities to plan for life after high school. Federal laws require use of transition assessments to identify the needs of secondar...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A160160
Grant
Transition Outcomes of High-Functioning Students with Autism: How and When Students Learn the Skills Necessary for Self-Management of Daily Responsibilities
This project planned to (1) understand the programs and strategies that parents and special educators use to teach students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) how to manage daily life tasks and (2) examine how the ability to self-manage daily life tasks is associated with successful transition outcomes for these students. Research has shown that although students with HFASD have similar levels of academic achievement as their peers, they also exhibit significant impairme...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A160113
Grant
A Missing Link to a Better Tomorrow: Developing Health Literacy in Transition-Age Youth with High-Incidence Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to develop, modify, and evaluate the promise of a supplementary web-based intervention, Health Literacy Transition Curriculum, designed to improve the health literacy skills and health-related transition outcomes of secondary students with high-incidence disabilities. Successful transitions for youth with high-incidence disabilities from high school to independent living continue to be a struggle for educators, researchers, families, and youth. Traditional tran...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A160170
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