North Carolina State University

The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research for improving outcomes for African American children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training activities to develop expertise in community-engaged research with underrepresented populations, randomized controlled trials and single-case designs, and grant and publication writing. African American children are less likely to be diagnosed with ASD than White c...

In this project, researchers will develop and evaluate an online game-like environment for middle school students to solve and learn algebra linear equations by teaching a simulated peer student. Learning by teaching is a promising style of instruction, with evidence supporting that when students engage in peer tutoring there is a benefit for both the tutee and tutor.

Elementary grade retention is a growing policy option nationwide for ensuring that students are prepared for upper elementary school and beyond. This research project will study the causal impacts of North Carolina's Read to Achieve (RtA) Program on student reading and grade retention outcomes in grades four and five.

High-quality pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs increase school readiness and later academic, behavioral, and social outcomes, particularly among students from minoritized and marginalized groups. However, the initial benefits of pre-k do not reliably persist as children progress through elementary school. The purpose of this project is to explore school-based pre-k and the role it plays in promoting vertical alignment and sustaining student pre-k gains on a holistic range of outcomes (e.g., ...

Attending school is critical for student success, yet in low-income communities a quarter of all young students are chronically absent (defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days). One potentially cost-effective way to improve attendance is to text message parents, providing basic information about the importance of students being in school, tips for getting to school, and personalized alerts when students are absent and then adapting or intensifying messages for families that continue