Empowering Transition-Age Students to Use Self-Determination Assessment to Lead IEP Goal Development

Self-determination is a predictor of positive in- and post-school outcomes, including access to general education, competitive employment, and community participation. Emerging research has focused on promoting self-determination for all students given alignments with college and career readiness frameworks and equity-based education. However, it is also important to enhance self-determination as students participate in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) goal development process. Empowering transition-age students to lead the IEP goal development process with support from school personnel has the potential to enhance the alignment of IEP goals based on students’ strengths, preferences, values, and needs and enhance transition planning and college and career readiness. In this article, we provide an example of how to use a self-determination assessment, the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR), and an intervention, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), in the IEP goal development and implementation process to enhance transition planning and college and career readiness.

It's Just the Wilson Way: Investigating the Extended Impact of an Elementary Full-Service Community School Initiative on Middle School STEM-Related Outcomes

This study investigated the sustained impact from elementary fullservice community school programming on middle school STEM academic outcomes that could lead to greater college and career readiness, as well as increased STEM career options for underserved urban students. Quantitative findings suggest middle school youth who attended an elementary full-service community school performed better on middle school STEM outcomes and were predicted to be more prepared to graduate and enter a STEM-related field than a matched comparison of peers who did not. Qualitative results explain differences. Two meta-inferences, informal facilitation of STEM and sustained fullservice community school impact, frame the discussion.

A Revaluation of Computational Thinking in K–12 Education: Moving Toward Computational Literacies

Over the past decade, initiatives around the world have introduced computing into K–12 education under the umbrella of computational thinking. While initial implementations focused on skills and knowledge for college and career readiness, more recent framings include situated computational thinking (identity, participation, creative expression) and critical computational thinking (political and ethical impacts of computing, justice). This expansion reflects a revaluation of what it means for learners to be computationally-literate in the 21st century. We review the current landscape of K–12 computing education, discuss interactions between different framings of computational thinking, and consider how an encompassing framework of computational literacies clarifies the importance of computing for broader K–12 educational priorities as well as key unresolved issues.

Supporting Crossover Students in an Urban School District: A Participatory Project

This participatory action research (PAR) project describes crossover students’ college and career readiness needs in a major west coast urban school district. The paper provided insights from administrator researchers, participants, facilitator, and recommendations for school counselors, educators, and organizations who are thinking of creating more counseling support and educational opportunities for crossover students. The results include the reflections and recommendations of crossover youths (e.g., encourage us, we are worth the rigor). The discussion includes strategies for supporting the academic, career, emotional, and social needs of crossover students.