Learning while Black: racial and educational challenges of Black students, is based on a qualitative study focused on the educational experiences of high school seniors, undergraduate and graduate students. Focus groups with students from the three targeted groups revealed that Black students experience several challenges: (1) inadequate student, faculty and teacher representation, (2) inadequate mentoring, (3) isolation, (4) overt racism/microaggressions, (5) inadequate information regarding resources, and (6) mental health issues. This study operationalizes these barriers using students' lived experiences and quotes. Students also provide insight on possible solutions for addressing racial and educational challenges including hiring Black faculty, and mental health counselors, increasing diversity, racial and cultural training for students, staff, and faculty, and providing mentoring, financial and other resources for Black students. Predominately White institutions can create safer, more inclusive environments for Black students by utilizing these strategies. Students' resiliency and strengths can also play an important role in implementing these strategies to reduce educational disparities.

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based intervention for parent engagement and kindergarten readiness. Using a quasi-experimental design, this research sought to determine whether the HIPPY intervention increased children's likelihood of passing the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener and being promoted to the first grade. The sample included 730 children, of whom 379 participated in the intervention group (i.e., HIPPY) and 351 were identified for the comparison group using propensity score matching techniques. Among families at risk due to poverty and limited English language proficiency, the odds of passing the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener were almost two times greater for children whose parents participated in the HIPPY program and their odds of being promoted to the first grade were five times greater than a matched sample of non-participants. This research provides evidence of a successful HIPPY scale-up in real-world contexts and among a diverse sample. The discussion includes implications for policy and directions for future research. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Youth running away from foster care placements is a serious problem that can significantly impact health and well-being. Given the severity of the problem, it is important to identify reasons youth run away because this information could help to identify effective intervention strategies. This paper describes results from focus groups conducted with child welfare providers, educational personnel, and youth with histories of running away from foster care placements. The qualitative analysis revealed that youth's motivation for running, or the function of running away, fell into two general categories: running "to" something (friends, activities, etc.) or running "away" from something (aversive placements, etc.). Suggestions are provided for how understanding the reason for running away could help in determining successful prevention and intervention strategies that result in stable placements.