This research project is about the apparent discrepancy with the education level in a math class of those living in lower-income neighborhoods that attend PAUSD schools. Despite PAUSD’s attempts to provide help for these students through the use of IEP plans and support classes, this problem remains and continues to negatively impact lower-income students who are not receiving the same caliber of education in math as their white peers. This research aims to study the root causes of the math achievement gap and solutions to address it within the PAUSD school district.

There has always been an apparent achievement gap when it comes to college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT and this year the pandemic creates even more challenges for students writing these exams. This research project focuses on how these standardized tests have been affected during the coronavirus pandemic and how they are impacting students. Interviews with college counselors in a focus group will allow further data to be collected and analyzed. Ultimately, conclusions will be drawn to find a possible solution.

One problem that has been historically overlooked is the prevalence of guard-on-inmate sexual violence within women’s correctional facilities in the US. As sexual violence continues to be pervasive within U.S. correctional facilities, victims are often left to deal with long-term detrimental effects including, but not limited to, STDs and mental health problems. These issues disproportionately affect ethnic minorities as a result of eras of mass incarceration after the abolition of slavery and the war on drugs. This project will survey people who have worked in and around women’s correctional facilities and draw on a number of different resources, including reviewing previously published academic papers, surveys conducted in women’s prisons, and other academic studies. Using these resources, this project is expected to serve as evidence to support alterations to the current system that will aid in limiting this problem.

This project takes a closer look at policing in the United States and highlights the mistreatment of minorities in the judicial system. The case study method will be used to highlight the difficult and complex injustices of our government judicial system. Yet, the time to make change and build awareness is extremely vital to prioritize equality in our society, which is why I will write a song to provide examples of why fighting for equality and making changes to a highly intricate and structured system is vital at this point in time.

In 2019, the employment—population ratio for people without disabilities was 66.3% while the ratio for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) was only 19.3%. Since education is an important factor in getting a job, this stark contrast between the number of people employed with and without disabilities indicates that a reevaluation of postsecondary education for people with IDD is necessary. To ensure that people with IDD are receiving enough support and preparation to successfully be employed, this research finds the best methods of promoting inclusion and providing beneficial and equal education for students with IDD in postsecondary education. Through interviews, the paper analyzes the views of postsecondary students with IDD, neurotypical students in universities, and college professors on the current status of education for people with IDD and inclusion. Through analysis of their responses and other studies on this topic, this research aims to evaluate educational curriculums and methods that promote inclusion for students with IDD so that they will have better support and resources during their postsecondary education.

Anxiety is prevalent in high school students in today’s society, especially with the advent of COVID-19. The necessity of protective facial masks in public spaces in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 has led to worldwide facial mask usage. When considering the connection between COVID-19 and anxiety, there is a possibility of increased anxiety symptoms as a result of the discomfort of wearing a protective facial mask; this project examines whether these anxiety symptoms have an effect on facial mask compliance rates in high school students. Correlational research through surveys will reveal whether anxiety symptoms affect protective facial mask compliance rates.

This research project takes a closer look at the biased placement of superfund sites, areas where toxic waste is disposed of, and the impacts they can have on low-income communities. The impact that these sites have on the soil and the overall environment is negative. Soil fertility of areas with sites can decrease immensely, further hindering low-income areas by making them food deserts, areas that lack and are in need of fresh produce.

The term toxic masculinity has been seeping in and out of the minds of boys ever since they were first told to “be a man" thus perpetuating the cultural norm that boys need to act and grow into a “manly man.” This project will hopefully spread awareness about toxic masculinity, and solutions to address this social norm based on the results of an experiment. The experiment is comprised of three male high school students that will track their reaction to daily confidence boasting exercises and positive affirmations for two weeks. At the summation, a rating scale will be used to determine if the daily tasks improved their self-worth or continued to reinforce the "manly man" expectation imposed by society's structure of toxic masculinity.

Universal preschool is an international movement that uses public funding to ensure that all families get a high-quality preschool education. In the United States, there is a prevalent achievement gap. Research has shown that many children of color and students from low-income families do not get the skills they need to succeed academically due to their inaccessibility to preschool. Therefore, attending high-quality preschool students who are of lower socioeconomic status could gain five months of additional reading, and children of color could gain seven months of learning, which would close the achievement gap to about forty-one percent. This research looks at databases, texts, and fieldnotes to gather information about how effective universal preschool is in closing the achievement gap.

Universal healthcare should be a natural right, bestowed upon a child at birth; however, there continues to be a substantial problem in our world surrounding the variance in healthcare systems between different countries. Millions more children die in underdeveloped countries in comparison to the United States. There needs to be more solid research done on this issue in order to come up with impactful solutions. This project will be a correlation research and content analysis to determine which organizations make the most direct impact on healthcare provided to children in developing nations.