Kansas Public Schools

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) offers a powerful approach for young people to analyse, critique and mobilise for equity within adult-controlled transportation systems. This article, authored by an intergenerational team (students, teachers and a university researcher) utilising a collective autoethnographic approach, examines two school-based YPAR projects in Denver, Colorado, that sought to influence local transportation policy. One addresses a deadly street, and the other insufficient bus services. Findings suggest that youth policy demands achieved greater success when they were clearly articulated with actionable solutions, grounded in data reflecting young people's lived experiences of the problem, and presented to adult decision-makers who were willing to genuinely listen and act. The cases also highlight the compelling potential for in-school YPAR initiatives to drive tangible social and policy change in the surrounding community. Ultimately, transportation inequities serve as a critical opportunity for youth and civic leaders to meaningfully collaborate and enact inclusive systemic reform.

Abstract This experiential Indigenous knowledge project explores the sacred role of water (ᎠᎹ) in Native American traditions, emphasizing its significance in nonviolence education, cultural identity, and ancestral connection. Through direct engagement with water in natural settings, the study delves into the lessons of healing, reciprocity, bravery, respect, and honor that water imparts. By reflecting on personal experiences, dreams, and journal entries, the project illustrates how Indigenous knowledge systems can foster resiliency and advocacy, particularly in educational spaces serving Native students. The findings highlight water as a teacher and companion, bridging historical wisdom with contemporary Indigenous identity and sovereignty. The writing emphasizes the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge into education to promote cultural inclusivity and nonviolent pedagogy.

Abstract Grounded in Black liberation movements and professional praxis, this chapter introduces “Holding the Line” as a conceptual framework for navigating leadership in identity-based centers while confronting systemic oppression, anti-Blackness, and marginalization. The authors reflect on their personal and collective journeys as Black professionals who endure oppression while remaining steadfast in their commitment to student-centered work. “Holding the Line” represents the cultural and spiritual embodiment of ancestral resistance, serving as both an act of survival and a guiding mindset in academic spaces and beyond. The chapter emphasizes the importance of holding both themselves and their students accountable for thriving in environments not designed for them, while engaging in ongoing self-reflexivity and decolonization of the institutions they serve.

ABSTRACT This paper examines the effects of multisectoral interventions on girls’ empowerment in Wajir, Kenya. We used data from the Adolescent Girls Initiative-Kenya (AGI-K), a randomized trial designed to evaluate whether different combinations of interventions targeting adolescent girls can enhance their well-being over four years. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the effects on girls’ empowerment, measured through self-efficacy, gender attitudes, savings behaviour, and school retention. The results revealed significant improvements in empowerment, especially among girls who received the full package of interventions. Specifically, those in the comprehensive intervention group, violence prevention, education, health, and wealth creation (VEHW) had 72% higher odds of being empowered compared to those in the violence prevention-only group (aOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.27, 2.32). These findings suggest that multisectoral interventions, including cash transfers for education, health, and financial literacy, are highly effective in empowering adolescent girls.

PurposeThis study examines the relationship between social-emotional behavior (SEB) risk and literacy outcomes among marginalized youth attending Title I elementary schools. It evaluates the impact of a targeted mentoring initiative using a collective impact framework and explores how SEB risk influences academic achievement, particularly English Language Arts (ELA) performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzed data from 396 mentees in grades K-6 using the Social, Academic and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) and FastBridge ELA benchmark assessments. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression models were used to assess changes in student outcomes and examine the relationship between SEB risk and literacy achievement. The mentoring program, implemented in partnership with a nonprofit, a university and a school district, provided tiered SEL and academic supports.FindingsThe mentoring program significantly improved school connectedness, self-efficacy, self-regulation and reduced absenteeism and disciplinary incidents. Significant correlations were observed between lower SEB risk and higher ELA performance. Regression analysis revealed that Fall SEB risk significantly predicted Spring ELA scores, highlighting the importance of addressing SEB challenges to support literacy development.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to a single urban district, and causal relationships cannot be established. Future research should explore long-term outcomes and scalability across diverse settings.Practical implicationsFindings emphasize the value of collective impact frameworks in integrating SEL and academic supports. Schools can leverage SEB risk as an early indicator to inform targeted interventions.Social implicationsThis study highlights the critical role of addressing SEB risk in promoting academic success for marginalized youth. By demonstrating the effectiveness of mentoring interventions delivered through a collective impact framework, the findings emphasize the need for systemic approaches to reduce educational disparities in underserved communities. Addressing SEB risk through relationship-driven, tiered supports not only improves academic outcomes but also fosters emotional resilience, self-regulation and school connectedness, essential for long-term success. These results suggest that policymakers and educators should prioritize investments in SEL-focused programs to create equitable learning environments that empower at-risk students to thrive academically and socially.Originality/valueThis research contributes original insights into the interplay between SEB risk and literacy outcomes, specifically within the context of a collective impact mentoring initiative for marginalized youth in Title 1 schools. By integrating SEL frameworks into academic interventions, this study highlights how addressing SEB risk can significantly enhance both social-emotional and academic outcomes. The use of a composite SEB variable provides a novel approach to capturing the interconnected nature of social, academic and emotional domains. The study’s collective impact framework, uniting a nonprofit, university and school district, offers a replicable model for addressing educational inequities holistically.

Occupational therapy has traditionally focused on helping individual clients develop skills to overcome challenges. However, there is a growing awareness of how social and environmental factors impact occupational performance. This understanding has led to a shift toward more collaborative approaches that emphasize performance skills. The case report focused on collaborative OT groups for an 8-year-old male student diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the school setting. He was a 2 nd grader in a special needs classroom in the public school, struggling with academic and social skills. The student had attended eight OT groups in the classroom setting. Typically, the sessions included an opening action song, a fine or gross motor warm-up game, and desktop activities that were integrated into the classroom curriculum. Significant improvement postgroup sessions was noted in three areas, namely handwriting, task sequencing, and turn-taking skills, evident from score improvement in the Goal Attainment Scale measurements.

Class-wide interventions have strong empirical support for improving behavior in general education classes but are rarely tested in special education classes. The present study examined the effects of the Class-wide Function-related Intervention Team (CW-FIT) program, a group contingency intervention, on the on-task behavior of six elementary school children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in a self-contained, urban classroom. Using an ABAB design with brief withdrawals of the independent variable, the class-wide component of CW-FIT was implemented during a 20-min reading and spelling period 1–3 days per week. Procedures included teaching attending skills, setting a goal and awarding points for appropriate behavior, and providing differential reinforcement. Implementing the class-wide component of CW-FIT resulted in increased on-task behavior for students with EBD, with concomitant increases in teacher praise and reductions in teacher reprimands.

In the current study, we examined the effects of response prompting strategies (i.e., constant time delay, system of least prompts) and frames on sentence writing for three participants, ages 7 to 12, with moderate intellectual disability. We used a concurrent multiple probe across behaviors design to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention package and posttest probes to assess generalized responding to untrained stimulation. During intervention, the teacher taught two students to construct sentences using selection-based software and another to generate handwritten responses across three different writing frames (i.e., I want _________, I see _____, The _____ is ______). Our findings suggest that the package was effective and produced variable levels of maintenance and generalized responding for all three participants.