The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a Tier 2 classroom-based motivational interviewing (MI) intervention--the Aspire Group Intervention (AGI)--designed for ninth-grade students identified as being at high risk for school dropout. The nine-lesson AGI curriculum was…

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand the types of mental health supports described in school district reopening plans in one southeastern state, and to understand school social workers' involvement in developing these plans during the first full academic year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Publicly accessible school…

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted the educational system not only in regard to teaching and learning, but also in relation to the other services and supports (mental health services, meal and nutrition programs, and so on) provided to students and families. School district Web sites are critical access points for families…

The aim of this article is to describe the Community and Youth Collaborative Institute School Experience Surveys (CAYCI-SES). The CAYCI-SES measures are free and available to use with permission. The tools include valid and reliable surveys, assessments, and scales to help school stakeholders to identify and assess school climate and other…

Although many youths participate in afterschool programs, the research is unclear about which aspects of afterschool program quality contribute most to positive outcomes. This article examines the relationship among quality and outcomes of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLCCs) afterschool programs, as perceived by 3,388 stakeholders from…

Principals are critical to school improvement efforts, yet few studies aim to elicit their perspectives on what contributes to teaching, learning, and broader school improvement. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to elicit principals' perspectives on (a) teacher and school staff needs, and (b) student needs, in an effort to uncover…

This article describes Aspire, a new motivational interviewing (MI) early intervention program designed to prevent dropout among students repeating the ninth grade, and then examines the feasibility and acceptability of this program through a mixed-methods approach. The Aspire program is a nine-lesson curriculum grounded in MI with an emphasis on…

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to understand the academic disengagement and reengagement process from the perspective of students enrolled in a dropout recovery charter school. Specifically, this study focused on students' perceptions of the factors that influenced their lack of success in the traditional school setting, the…