Schmitz, S., Ebersole, T. E., Morrell, C., & Parker, C. (2018). Measuring the effectiveness of community college faculty learning communities on student performance. Learning Communities Journal, 10, 87-108.

In a journal article published in December, researchers utilizing NAPE's Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student professional development reported positive findings linking student academic outcomes to faculty members' participation in the training. This study builds on the success of earlier research showing improvements in faculty understanding of utilizing instructional strategies to create an inclusive learning environment ( Parker, Morrell, Morrell, & Chang, 2016). Both of these articles are a result of the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE)-funded Educator's Equity in STEM Academy (EESTEM), which NAPE administered in Maryland from 2011 to 2016.

In this most recent study, the authors utilized faculty capstone data presented at the end of the EESTEM Academy to determine whether changes occurred for students. The capstones from 27 faculty showed various positive results for students, including increased student performance as measured by course grades, improved course retention, and an increase in student interest or selection of a STEM degree. These extremely positive results bolster the overall efficacy of the Micromessaging training, further illustrating how improved attitudes of teachers are resulting in improved outcomes for students in STEM.

In mid-January, Ben joined the team at the Hawai'i State CTE Office to provide professional learning during its Hawai'i ACTE Conference. On January 24, he facilitated a preconference workshop titled "Are you ready for Perkins V"? This  workshop engaged key stakeholders from secondary and postsecondary education, workforce development, the community, and business and industry in exploring the levers in Perkins V to address and close equity gaps in CTE in Hawai'i. The stakeholders who participated left energized and ready to engage in the important work of state- and local-level planning.

At the Hawai'I ACTE Conference the following day, Ben provided two back-to-back sessions on Perkins V and ended the day with a Realize Potential with Mindset session that was standing room only! Ben was excited to work with local- and state-level leaders throughout the week, and he enjoyed working with the Hawai'i State CTE Office team led by Bernadette Howard, State Director, and Barbara White, Associate Director.

L to R: LeAnn Wilson, Alisha Hyslop, Joyce Clapp, Barbara White, Bernadette Howard, and  Ben Williams

Career Pathways in Career and Technical Education Veterans Underrepresented at Top US Schools
Jame Paterson and Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive 
Only 10% of veterans using their education benefits attend high-graduation rate institutions, compared to 21% of the general student population. At the same time, about two-thirds (65%) of veterans were enrolled in colleges with graduation rates under 50%, while only about half (51%) of all students were. Read More >>

Why Retaining Women in Manufacturing Matters

Pamela Kan, Plant Services

Survey results from The Manufacturing Institute show that more than two-thirds (70%) of women currently in manufacturing jobs plan to make a career for themselves in the industry and would choose it again if they were starting their career today. The current numbers may be low, but women in the industry are satisfied with their career choice. Read More >>

The Blue-Collar Drought

Dana Wilkie, SHRM
Why jobs that were once the backbone of the U.S. economy have grown increasingly hard to fill. Read More >>

Recruiting and Retaining Millennial Teachers of Color in Our Classrooms: Challenges and Efforts to Foster Improvement

MAEC
Zollie Stevenson, Jr., PhD identifes how some school working conditions may be driving teachers of color to leave the profession. He includes what's been done to address this on the legislative level and gives suggestions on how districts can reverse this trend. Read More >> 

Equal Access to College Hampered by Lack of Guidance Counselors

Stell Simonton, Spotlight on Poverty
By connecting low-income high schoolers to tutors and college guidance, some nonprofit organizations are trying to close the information gap. Read More >> 

Better Together

National Skills Coalition
This blog details how advocates can create new upskilling opportunities, meet local business needs for skilled workers, and streamline training costs by launching partnerships between adult education organizations and CTE providers. Read More >> 

Our Ground, Our Voices: Systems of Power and Young Women of Color

CLASP
CLASP had conversations with young women of color identified a set of seven structural barriers that are root causes of the economic marginalization they experienced. Read More >> 

In conjunction with the guiding principles released by PAYA, Ben authored a blog titled "Equity in Youth Apprenticeships: Access, Inclusion, and Continuous Improvement." Being equitable is one of the defining principles for high-quality youth apprenticeship, and the blog focuses on three key components of equity that lead to greater access and opportunity and equitable outcomes. Read the blog >>

2/22: Navarro College Waxahachie Micromessaging (TX) 2/26: Dallas ISD STEM Equity (TX) 2/28: Learning Policy Institute Briefing (DC) 3/5: Oregon Department of Education PIPE (OR) 3/5: ICSPS Counselor Academy (IL) 3/7: Project Lead the Way Micromessaging (IN) 3/25: ACTE National Policy Seminar (VA) 4/9:  Advance CTE Spring Meeting (DC) 5/15: 2019 Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award Dinner (DC)