Report

Final Report of the Impact of Project Lead the Way on Missouri High School Students

This report examines the potential impact of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) on two cohorts of Missouri students who began high school in 2013 and 2014 (145,619 students).  These students were tracked through high school and into post-secondary education and training programs up to and including academic year 2019-2020.  Thirteen percent of all cohort members enrolled in at least one PLTW course. Students who took PLTW courses outperformed those who did not on all high school and college outcomes examined, and these positive outcomes persisted even after controlling for school and student characteristics, including students’ achievement prior to high school. Differences between students who did and did not take PLTW courses were substantially larger for those who took two or more PLTW courses compared to those taking only a single PLTW course.

Year: 2022

Product Type: Report

Focus Areas: Career Pathways, STEM Education, Postsecondary Education

Essential Skills Study

What are the essential skills young professionals need to enter and succeed in Kansas City’s regional workplace? The Essential Skills Study explores this question by asking young professionals, 1-5 years into their career, about the skills they utilize most in their current jobs and where they learned those skills. The study, commissioned by The Debruce Foundation with support from KC Rising, KC STEM Alliance, Prep-KC, Workforce Partnership, and the Kauffman Foundation, identifies six essential skills for career readiness. Specific recommendations for educators and employers to support essential skill development are provided at the end of the report.

Year: 2020

Product Type: Report

Focus Areas: Essential Skills/SEL, Career Pathways

Landscape Analysis: Teacher Preparation Programs in Kansas and Missouri

This study was commissioned by Revolucion Educativa to better understand the enrollment and completion rates of students of color in teacher preparation programs in Kansas and Missouri. Using 2014-2018 Title II data, the report highlights regional progress toward recruiting and graduating students from their traditional and alternative certification programs. The report provides specific recommendations for recruiting and retaining students of color in the Kansas City region.

Product Type: Report

Focus Areas: Teachers Work

Landscape Analysis: Teachers of Color in Kansas City

This study was commissioned by the Latinx Education Collaborative to better understand teacher diversity in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.  The report provides a snapshot of full-time elementary, middle, and secondary teachers of color in the 14-county Kansas City metropolitan area –where they work, the demographics of their schools, and their overall three-year retention rates. Links to the interactive maps are provided in the report.

Year: 2021

Product Type: Report

Focus Areas: Teachers Work

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UMKC School of Education

Urban Education Research Center