Educators and experts alike have come to a growing realization that academic factors alone do not tell the whole story of what it means to successfully navigate the educational system through high school and into higher education or the workplace. This national report from "Education Week" investigates the role that student engagement and motivation play in academic success, in general and for high school completion specifically. The 2014 edition of "Diplomas Count--Motivation Matters: Engaging Students, Creating Learners"--explores the challenge of engaging and motivating students, with a focus on innovative strategies to promote the traits and beliefs that will help students achieve their goals in school and beyond. Articles in this issue include: (1) An Age-Old Problem Gets New Attention (Sarah D. Sparks); (2) Harnessing Peer Power to Navigate College (Caralee J. Adams); (3) Motivating Students with Tuition, Cash (Caralee J. Adams); (4) California School Draws Lessons from Failure (Sarah D. Sparks); (5) At San Ysidro High, "Community" Is Key (Sarah D. Sparks); and (6) Graduation Rate Breaks 80 Percent (Christopher B. Swanson). A section entitled, "Measuring Motivation," includes the following brief articles: (1) Computers "Read" Body Language (Holly Yettick); (2) Student Surveys: Familiar Tools, Mixed Success (Holly Yettick); (3) Video Games Provide Cover for "Stealth Assessments" (Benjamin Herold); (4) Students Rated on "Grit" with New Report Cards (Sarah D. Sparks); and (5) Data Mining Provides Clues on Engagement (Holly Yettick).