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2. Apprenticeship in Brief. A Discussion Paper
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Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED) and Cheney, Gretchen Rhines
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A growing number of U.S. companies across a range of industries are designing apprenticeship programs to give workers access to on-the-job learning opportunities that allow them to transition into in-demand jobs and careers. This discussion paper provides a snapshot of the current state of apprenticeship in the United States based on interviews with national experts and key stakeholders engaged in apprenticeship implementation, including employers, community colleges, unions, and intermediaries. It explores what is needed to build successful programs and highlights current federal and state policy efforts to encourage registered apprenticeship expansion, noting barriers and lessons learned. Four recommendations for how to grow registered apprenticeship opportunities in the United States are: (1) Provide standardized models; (2) Reduce complexity; (3) Measure Value; and (4) Learn from Innovative Models. A sidebar presents examples of state incentives and supports for apprenticeship programs in Colorado, Maryland, and South Carolina. [This paper was produced with funding from the Nestlé USA corporation.]
- Published
- 2017
3. Annual Proceedings of Selected Papers on the Practice of Educational Communications and Technology Presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (33rd, Anaheim, California, 2010). Volume 2
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Association for Educational Communications and Technology and Simonson, Michael
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For the thirty-third year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. This is Volume #2 of the 33rd "Annual Proceedings of Selected Papers on the Practice of Educational Communications and Technology." This volume includes papers presented at the national convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology held in Anaheim, California. The papers in this volume primarily deal with instruction and training issues. Papers dealing with research and development are contained in the companion volume (Volume #1). (Individual papers contain references, tables, and figures.) [For Volume 1, see ED514646.]
- Published
- 2010
4. Title I and Early Childhood Programs: A Look at Investments in the NCLB Era. CLASP Child Care and Early Education Series. Policy Paper No. 2
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Center for Law and Social Policy, Washington, DC., Ewen, Danielle, and Matthews, Hannah
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This paper explores the range of ways in which school districts are using Title I funds for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local education agencies (LEAs) interested in creating Title I-funded early education programs or thinking about how to sustain such investments in the face of policy and funding challenges. The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) spent more than two years examining strategies to encourage and sustain Title I investments in high-quality early education programs in local communities. Building on research and analysis in "Missed Opportunities? The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-Quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act", the Center conducted Web-based research to identify promising models, review local policies and documents, and find local policymakers to interview. Staff also used ongoing conversations with early education administrators to identify more than 100 schools and districts with some history of using Title I for early education programs. CLASP conducted interviews with more than 30 states and districts, including districts with increasing Title I allocations and others with decreasing allocations, and districts in states with a history of investments in pre-kindergarten and others in states without such a history, using a survey protocol developed to understand how schools and districts are using Title I for early education, the history of these investments, and the barriers and flexibility in the law. CLASP interviewed state and local Title I directors, early childhood directors, and district superintendents and, where possible, collected financial information on Title I early education investments. This paper discusses: (1) Federal and state funding for early education; (2) Opportunity of Title I funding for early education; (3) Story behind Title I investments in early education, through illustrations of a range of models from school districts; (4) How NCLB is impacting Title I investments in early education; and (5) Recommendations for LEAs. The report concludes that using Title I funds for early education is not a new idea: many schools and districts have been using these funds to invest in young children for decades. Although accountability requirements of NCLB have created new challenges to sustaining or expanding those investments, NCLB also offers an opportunity and an incentive to support the nation's youngest students. Many LEAs are committed to supporting early education, and several openings and strategies exist that may enable LEAs to take advantage of the flexibility of Title I funds to use them to support early education and to support broad educational goals. There is, however, emerging evidence that the requirements of NCLB and the limited funding available are putting district policymakers in the difficult position of defunding successful early childhood programs. In addition to actions that LEAs can take, the report advocates that there are also ways in which NCLB could be improved to support high-quality early education. CLASP has issued a set of federal recommendations for reauthorization of NCLB. They include: (1) Improved data collection; (2) Enhanced language on transitions between community-based early childhood programs and local schools; (3) Sustaining and supporting local flexibility in use of funds for discretionary purposes; (4) Ensuring that joint professional development opportunities are available to build knowledge of child development and appropriate practices with English language learners (ELLs); (5) Encouraging state education agencies (SEAs) to use set-aside funds to promote and support early childhood programs at the local level; and (6) Increased funding. A long-term strategy to successfully create and sustain sound investments in young children will take efforts and strong leadership at all levels. (Contains 88 endnotes.) [For "Missed Opportunities? The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-Quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act", see ED484650.]
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- 2007
5. Adoption Dynamics: An Update on the Impact of the Adoption and Safe Families Act. Chapin Hall Working Paper
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Chicago Univ., IL. Chapin Hall Center for Children., Wulczyn, Fr, Hislop, Kristen Brunner, and Chen, Lijun
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The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) addresses issues pertaining to prevention of placement in the child welfare system, as well as family reunification, the specific provisions of ASFA that relate to the termination of parental rights and adoption are perhaps most central to the law's overarching purpose. This paper analyzes adoptions from foster care using data from Chapin Hall's Multistate Foster Care Data Archive to understand what effect, if any, the federal law has had on the proportion of children admitted to foster care that were later adopted and on the time needed to complete those adoption. Using a cohort sequential design, we studied 13 successive entry cohorts of children admitted to foster care in seven states from 1990 to 2002. The results indicate that there was an increase in the period-specific probability of adoption that coincides with the passage of ASFA in 1998. However, we also found that the pace of adoption had remained stable in the early 1990s and started to accelerate in the mid-1990s, before ASFA was passed. This finding clarifies our understanding of ASFA in two ways. First, there was no slowdown in the average time required to complete adoptions that ASFA was originally designed to address. Second, the existence of a pre-ASFA effect suggests that ASFA may have only added to the efforts already made by the states. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
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- 2005
6. Income Replacement and Reemployment Programs in Michigan and Neighboring States. W.E. Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper.
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Upjohn (W.E.) Inst. for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, MI. and Woodbury, Stephen A.
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Income replacement and reemployment programs in Michigan and its neighboring states were examined in the context of recent changes in federal policy regarding compensation and services for individuals who have lost their jobs or sustained job-related injuries. The analysis focused primarily on the following programs: (1) Unemployment Insurance (UI); (2) Workers' Compensation (WC); and (3) the cluster of reemployment and training programs that, since 1998, have come under the Workforce Investment Act. The analysis established that UI, Michigan Works!, and WC are unique among Michigan's programs because they replace lost earnings and deliver services to workers on a regular basis, whereas other programs intended to improve workers' well-being do so solely through regulation. UI and Michigan Works! are all becoming increasing contentious in the wake of welfare reform and the first recession in a decade. Although WC has been relatively free of controversy during the past decade, it, too, may be under increasing pressure as medical costs resume their rise. Despite the recent arguments regarding the generosity of their benefits and the appropriate extent of training for disadvantaged workers, UI, Michigan Works!, and WC have all gained widespread acceptance as essential to efficient funding of the labor market. (Thirteen figures/tables are included. The bibliography lists 57 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2002
7. Fulcrum of Change: Leveraging 50 States to Turn around 5000 Schools
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Center on Innovation & Improvement (CII), Rhim, Lauren Morando, and Redding, Sam
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In 2010, unprecedented levels of resources began to flow through state education agencies (SEAs) to support dramatic change in persistently low-performing schools under the expanded federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program. The challenge for states is to leverage the federal investment to drive dramatic and sustainable change efforts in low-performing schools in a coherent manner that does not simultaneously undermine established support networks designed to benefit all schools. Driven by the broader goal of culling lessons related to states playing a substantive role in dramatic school-improvement efforts, this monograph and practice guide examines the early implementation of the revised SIG program in select states (AL, AK, ID, IL, LA, MI, MT, OK, and VA) to identify: (1) how states are integrating the expanded grant program into existing school improvement efforts; and (2) emerging lessons for states interested in fully leveraging their roles to drive turnaround efforts relevant to the future rounds of SIG awards. The monograph examines nine states' initial approaches to supporting dramatic school improvement initiatives by strategically allocating state resources, building district and school capacity to support change, and monitoring districts' turnaround efforts. Three appendices provide supplemental tables and the data collection instrument. A list of references and resources is included.
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- 2011
8. Guidance on Reopening Schools: Equity Considerations during COVID-19. Equity by Design
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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP EAC), Gorman, Trish, Broughton, Noelle, Rusnak, Katy, Skelton, Seena M., and Thorius, Kathleen King
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This "Equity by Design" brief highlights equity issues that arise in the process of reopening schools during a global pandemic. The authors examine state plans and guidance for reopening schools across states in the Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP EAC) region which includes the 13 states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The purpose of this paper is to provide explicit consideration of equity issues in the context of reopening schools and generate discussion about the topics addressed. The following topics are covered: (1) time spent in face-to-face instruction vs. virtual or hybrid learning environments and any calendar changes; (2) screening and reporting of COVID-19 symptoms and exposure; (3) social distancing, face masks and classroom set up; (4) ensuring more equitable learning for students with dis/abilities and multilingual learners; (5) access to technology; (6) opportunities and challenges in online learning, (7) communication with parent/caregivers; (8) addressing learning loss; (9) guidance on Social Emotional Learning (SEL); and (10) guidance on field trips and co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Throughout this brief, the authors highlight equity issues that inevitably arise in the context of schooling where conditions of access are likely exacerbated by the pandemic and how one might approach and consider these issues in planning and policy. As school and district leaders review and revise policy implementation, the guidance outlined in this paper can inform the way that policy is implemented and can help highlight issues around equity that district and school personnel may not have considered in planning for reopening.
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- 2021
9. Data Visualization in Public Education: Longitudinal Student-, Intervention-, School-, and District-Level Performance Modeling
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Lacefield, Warren E. and Applegate, E. Brooks
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Accountability seems forever engrained into the K-12 environment, as has been the expectation of delivering quality education to school aged children and adolescents. Yet, repeated failure of this expectation has focused the public's and policy maker's attention on the limitations of major accountability systems. This paper explores applications of machine learning, predictive analytics, and data visualization to student information available to educational decision makers. In particular, we demonstrate how to use individual academic performance histories to identify "at-risk" students in real time for advising, academic coaching, and other support services and how to aggregate longitudinal data at the school or district level for system modeling, profiling, comparison, and intervention evaluation.
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- 2018
10. Better Together: Building Local Systems to Improve Afterschool (A Conference Report)
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Wallace Foundation and Cummins, H. J.
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What happens when teams from 57 cities building afterschool systems gather to discuss two key system responsibilities--improving afterschool programs and using data for informed decision-making? Lots of rich discussion. This report covers a national afterschool conference held in February 2013. It details what mayors, program providers, system leaders, researchers and others had to say on matters ranging from how to measure afterschool performance to how to boost program quality. [This conference was organized by: American Youth Policy Forum, The Collaborative for Building After School Systems, The Forum for Youth Investment, the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families, and the Wallace Foundation.]
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- 2013
11. Bridging the Gap between Academia and Practice: Project-Based Class for Prestressed Concrete Applications
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Mantawy, Islam M., Rusch, Conner, Ghimire, Sushil, Lantz, Lucas, Dhamala, Hari, Shrestha, Bipesh, Lampert, Anthony, Khadka, Mohit, Bista, Anima, Soni, Rhytham, Shaik, Abdulu Saleem, Lujan, Eric, Boyd, Mika, Pickings, Richard, and Mabrich, Alexander
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Educational approaches in structural engineering have focused on classical methods for solving problems with manual calculations through assignments, quizzes, and exams. The use of computational software to apply the learned knowledge has been ignored for decades. This paper describes an educational approach to tackle the lack of applicable practical exercises in the structural engineering class "CE 506-Prestressed Concrete" at a university in the western United States during the spring of 2017. The class was designed to provide students with the theoretical concepts of prestressed concrete and the ability to interpret applicable design codes. In their project, students continued to build this knowledge by designing a prestressed bridge superstructure according to a unique state design manual. Students prepared a literature review of their selected state in the U.S.A. and used commercial software to perform an analysis and design of their bridge. Additionally, students were asked to backcheck their design using theoretical methods through manual calculations. By the end of the class, students presented their projects in a head-to-head presentation format, to contrast the differences between their designs in a competitive style. This paper summarizes the class structure, the outcome of the design project, and recommendations for future applications of computer technology in structural engineering education.
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- 2019
12. College Readiness Practices at 38 High Schools and the Development of the CollegeCareerReady School Diagnostic Tool
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Conley, David T., McGaughy, Charis L., Kirtner, Jody, van der Valk, Adrienne, and Martinez-Wenzl, Mary Theresa
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Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) researchers visited 38 public high schools around the United States in 2007 and 2008 with the goal of validating and operationalizing a definition of college readiness. Schools in the sample were selected because they were demonstrating success at enabling more students from underrepresented groups to be ready for postsecondary education. This paper presents a qualitative summary of what researchers collected--programs, activities, practices, attitudes, and cultures of the schools visited. The results of the study include the identification of seven key principles underlying a comprehensive approach for promoting college readiness. In addition, the findings have resulted in the creation of an instrument, the CollegeCareerReady School Diagnostic, to measure school level college readiness over time and provide a detailed profile tied to actionable recommendations and resources. (Contains 3 footnotes, 3 tables, and 3 figures.)
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- 2010
13. Does Teacher Self-Efficacy Predict Writing Practices of Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students?
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Graham, Steve, Wolbers, Kimberly, Dostal, Hannah, and Holcomb, Leala
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Forty-four elementary grade teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students were surveyed about how they taught writing and their beliefs about writing. Beliefs about writing included their self-efficacy to teach writing, attitude towards writing, and epistemological beliefs about writing. These teachers from 15 different states in the United States slightly agreed they were efficacious writing teachers and they were slightly positive about their writing. They slightly agreed that learning to write involves effort and process, moderately disagreed that writing development is innate or fixed, slightly disagreed that knowledge about writing is certain, and were equally split about whether writing knowledge comes from authorities and experts. On average, teachers applied the 22 instructional writing practices surveyed at least once a month. They reported their students wrote weekly, and their writing was supported through goal setting, feedback, and prewriting activities. Writing instruction mostly focuses on teaching grammar and how to plan compositions. Teacher self-efficacy uniquely and statistically predicted reported teaching practices after attitude towards writing and epistemological beliefs were first controlled. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are presented. [This paper was published in "Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education" v26 n3 p438-450 2021.]
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- 2021
- Full Text
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14. Outcomes-Based Funding: Taking Stock
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National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), Complete College America, and Jones, Dennis P.
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This is the third paper on the topic of outcomes-based funding written by Dennis Jones for Complete College America. The first paper, "Performance Funding: From Idea to Action" (ED535356), proposed a set of design and implementation principles to help states develop and implement their own outcomes-based funding models. The second paper, "Outcomes-Based Funding: The Wave of Implementation" (2013) described features of models being implemented in states and the extent to which they conformed to the principles presented in the first paper. This third paper documents the continued spread of adoption with an increased focus in the field on whether outcomes are equitable across populations, with states disaggregating results by race, ethnicity, age and income and reporting those publicly. The additional purposes of this paper are threefold: (1) To reinforce the point that outcomes-based funding is but one component of the overall financing model for higher education in a state. The power of outcomes-based funding models is enhanced if the other components are designed so as to strengthen the alignment between funding streams and desired results; (2) To once again revisit the lists of design and implementation principles presented in the earlier document and (slightly) revise them in light of states' actions and experience; and (3) To describe the models that are being employed in implementing states and to assess the extent of conformance with the proffered set of design and implementation principles. This for the purpose of identifying areas of non-conformance to catalog potential weaknesses in models and questioning the applicability of certain of the principles. As with earlier versions of the document, the ultimate objective is to provide clear, straightforward guidance to policymakers who are searching for ways to better align their approaches to resource allocation with the educational outcomes that are of highest priority in their state.
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- 2016
15. Effects of Spatial Training on Mathematics in First and Sixth Grade Children
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Mix, Kelly S., Levine, Susan C., Cheng, Yi-Ling, Stockton, Jerri DaSha, and Bower, Corinne
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A pretest-training-posttest design assessed whether training to improve spatial skills also improved mathematics performance in elementary-aged children. First grade students (mean age = 7 years, n = 134) and sixth grade students (mean age = 12 years, n = 124) completed training in 1 of 2 spatial skills-spatial visualization or form perception/VSWM--or in a nonspatial control condition that featured language arts training. Spatial training led to better overall mathematics performance in both grades, and the gains were significantly greater than for language arts training. The same effects were found regardless of spatial training type, or the type of mathematics tested. [This paper will be published in "Journal of Educational Psychology."]
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- 2020
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16. Redefining School Discipline: Illinois and Other States' Responses to Negative Impact
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Puckett, Tiffany, Graves, Christopher, and Sutton, Lenford C.
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Minority students and students with disabilities are disciplined disproportionately from their peers. Discipline has led to many negative consequences in the lives of youth in the United States, including the school-to-prison pipeline. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance encouraging school districts to develop policies that seek alternatives to exclusionary penalties. Some states, including the State of Illinois, have been proactive in revamping the state's discipline. In this paper, we will examine how the states are responding to the school-to-prison pipeline and the other negative effects of exclusions and suspensions. Additionally, this paper will examine the implementation of Illinois Senate Bill 100, from an administrator's point of view, to make recommendations for disciplinary strategies and possible policy revisions.
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- 2019
17. Engaging Adjunct Faculty in the Student Success Movement: A Practitioner's Guide
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Achieving the Dream, Inc.
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This Guide is designed to support the work of institutional cross-functional teams charged with strengthening adjunct faculty professional learning and institutional engagement. Each section shares key learnings from ATD's work with six Leader Colleges, including accomplishments in the form of new programs, services, or policies that can serve as examples for your college to adapt in a way that will fit authentically in your institution's culture. Our goal here is to help college teams anticipate obstacles and barriers, understanding that the relationship-building work necessary to overcome these challenges very often facilitates success in other related work. Each section of the Guide also includes tools in the form of worksheets and planning templates to support your team's efforts. [For related reports see "Understanding the Needs of Part-Time Faculty at Six Community Colleges. CCRC Research Brief" (ED591765) and "Early Academic Outcomes for Students of Part-Time Faculty at Community Colleges: How and Why Does Instructors' Employment Status Influence Student Success? CCRC Working Paper No. 112" (ED598947).]
- Published
- 2019
18. Construct Validity and Measurement Invariance of Computerized Adaptive Testing: Application to Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis
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Wang, Shudong, McCall, Marty, Jiao, Hong, and Harris, Gregg
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The purposes of this study are twofold. First, to investigate the construct or factorial structure of a set of Reading and Mathematics computerized adaptive tests (CAT), "Measures of Academic Progress" (MAP), given in different states at different grades and academic terms. The second purpose is to investigate the invariance of test factorial structure across different grades, academic terms and states. Because of the uniqueness of CAT data (different student receive different items), traditional factor analysis based on fixed form data is no longer practically possible at the item level. This study illustrates how to overcome the difficulty of applying factor analysis in CAT data and study results provide evidences for valid interpretation MAP tests scores across grades at different academic terms for different states. The CFA [confirmatory factor analysis] Measurement Model and the CFA Measurement Model in the Multiple Group are described in an appendix. (Contains 3 figures and 9 tables.)
- Published
- 2012
19. State of the States 2011: Trends and Early Lessons on Teacher Evaluation and Effectiveness Policies
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National Council on Teacher Quality
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Each year, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) publishes the "State Teacher Policy Yearbook," a comprehensive examination of the state laws, rules and regulations that govern the teaching profession, measured against a realistic set of reform goals. For five years running, the full "Yearbook" compendium (www.nctq.org/stpy) presents the most detailed, thorough analysis of teacher policy in the United States, covering topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal policies. The next full nationwide analysis of state teacher policy will be released in January 2012, presenting the legislative, regulatory and policy developments achieved in 2011. In advance of the next "Yearbook," this paper offers a closer look into what is shaping up to be a very important education policy trend. With unprecedented momentum toward performance-based teacher evaluation across the states, the goals of this paper are to: (1) Present a detailed picture of the teacher evaluation policy landscape across the states; (2) Highlight noteworthy state policies; and (3) Provide early observations on current challenges. Appended are: (1) Links to state legislation/regulations and resources on teacher evaluation systems; and (2) Results of the states examination. (Contains 13 figures and 33 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2011
20. An Overview of the 2015 State of the States
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Weiler, Spencer C. and Hartman, William
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In February 2015 a large group of scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in P-20 finance issues gathered in St. Louis, Missouri, for the National Education Finance Academy's annual conference, on February 25-27, 2015 to discuss, among multiple topics, the state of P-20 finance in all 50 states. There were 35 states represented in the round table session and representatives of 30 of those states submitted their manuscripts to the "Journal of Education Finance" for publication. This is the third year that JEF has published the State of the States manuscripts as a service to those interested in trends around P-20 finance and the 28 states represents the highest number of states included in the report to date. However, it is the intention to have all 50 states represented by 2016 and individuals interested in representing currently unrepresented states should contact Drs. Weiler and Hartman. Presenters at the 2015 National Education Finance Academy's State of the States Round table session were directed to address the following topics: (1) Funding priorities/trends for P-12 and/or higher education (2) Changes to the funding formula for P-12 and/or higher education; (3) Pressing issues affecting P-12 and/or higher education funding; (4) Exclusive to P-12: Diverting funds from public school districts; and (5) Exclusive to Higher Education: Trends in state funding for public institutions. The following information summarizes some of the more prevalent trends observed in the submissions. The following manuscripts are presented here listed alphabetically by state: (1) Alabama (Brenda Mendiola and Philip Westbrook); (2) Arizona (Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos and David Martinez); (3) Arkansas (Dongfang Liu and Chao Liu); (4) California (Henry Tran); (5) Florida (Megan Lane, Jolande Morgan, and R. Craig Wood); (6) Georgia (Brittany Larkin); (7) Hawaii (Christine Kiracofe); (8) Illinois (Kelly H. Summers and Christine Kiracofe); (9) Kansas (Thomas A. DeLuca); (10) Kentucky (Tyrone Bynoe); (11) Louisiana (David G. Buckman); (12) Maryland (Sarah Irvine Belson and Thomas Husted); (13) Michigan (Brett Geier and Dennis McCrumb ); (14) Minnesota (Nicola A. Alexander); (15) Montana (Lou L. Sabina); (16) Nebraska (Barbara Y. LaCost); (17) Nevada (Deborah A. Verstegen); (18) New Jersey (Luke J. Stedrak and Robert Kelchen); (19) New Mexico (Joshua M. Cohen); (20) New York (Osnat Zaken); (21) North Carolina (Lisa G. Driscoll and Jim R. Watson ); (22) Ohio (Carlee Escue Simon); (23) Pennsylvania (Tim Shrom and William Hartman); (24) South Carolina (Misty B. Soles and Robert C. Knoeppel); (25) Tennessee (Betty Cox); (26) Texas (Ken Helvey); (27) Virginia (William Owings, Leslie S. Kaplan, and Richard G. Salmon); (28) Wisconsin (Faith E. Crampton); and (29) Wyoming (Kelly H. Summers). References are provided with each individual paper.
- Published
- 2015
21. Legal Challenges to Bias Response Teams on College Campuses
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Garces, Liliana M., Ambriz, Evelyn, and Pedota, Jackie
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Over the last 3 years, the advocacy organization Speech First has filed six lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of bias response teams on the grounds that they violate free speech. Bias response teams are university-wide committees that respond to reports of racially charged incidents on college campuses to promote institutional goals of inclusion. These lawsuits are significant because they have resulted in the dismantling of these committees. In this commentary, we bring attention to this renewed wave of legal attacks on racial diversity and inclusion policies on college campuses and its implications for race-focused policy, practice, and research.
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- 2022
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22. The Business Case for Environmental and Sustainability Employee Education
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National Environmental Education Foundation, Gullo, Krista, and Haygood, Leah
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This white paper examines the business case for environmental and sustainability (E&S) employee education and engagement. The "business case" is defined as both quantifiable measures of the business value for the sustainability program (e.g. money saved, energy use reduction, etc.) as well as less easily measurable assets such as reputation enhancement. Information in the white paper is primarily based on qualitative, anecdotal data and interviews, a review of company reports and Web sites as well as media articles, books and recent reports from Green Impact, ICF International (ICF) and MIT Sloan Management Review. The examples outlined in this white paper build on cases documented in "The Engaged Organization" report from Cisco, Clean Clothes, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Stonyfield and Walmart. Additional company case study examples from Baxter, Citigroup, Darden, eBay, IKEA, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Kimberly-Clark and Sodexo are also presented. Company Profiles is appended. (Contains 2 footnotes and 14 resources.) [Funding for this paper was provided by Kimberly-Clark.]
- Published
- 2010
23. Doing Democracy: How a Network of Grassroots Organizations Is Strengthening Community, Building Capacity, and Shaping a New Kind of Civic Education
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Kettering Foundation and London, Scott
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This paper examines a burgeoning network of organizations that is inventing new forms of community renewal and citizenship education. Their names vary--some call themselves public policy institutes, others centers for civic life--yet they share a common methodology, one aimed at tackling tough public issues, strengthening communities, and nurturing people's capacities to participate and make common cause. Today, there are more than 50 of these centers operating in almost every state in the union, most of them affiliated with institutions of higher learning. Except for a handful that are freestanding, the centers combine the best of what colleges and universities provide--civics courses, leadership development, service-learning programs, community-based research--with the kinds of hands-on, collaborative problem solving traditionally done by nongovernmental organizations. Because they operate at the intersection of the campus and the community, their impact extends to both: they nurture and sustain public life while at the same time enriching higher education. This paper surveys the state of the network today, how it has evolved over the years, and what it has achieved. It also looks at how the centers carry out their activities, the varying orientations and essential practices that define their work, and some of the challenges they face in coming years as they continue to deepen and expand their efforts.
- Published
- 2010
24. Blended Learning: The Convergence of Online and Face-to-Face Education. Promising Practices in Online Learning
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North American Council for Online Learning and Watson, John
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Most educators, parents, and policymakers think of "online learning" as a subset of distance learning (where the students and teacher are geographically separate), in which content delivery and communication are achieved primarily through the use of computers connected by the Internet. However, online learning can be either distance learning or blended learning, with both supported by a new, robust instructional approach that takes advantage of the best elements of both settings. The advent of learning that combines online and face-to-face delivery is not merely a theory--it is already being developed and implemented by schools throughout the country and the world, and in some cases has been underway for several years. While some schools call this method of teaching "blended," others call it "hybrid," and others don't bother naming it--they're just implementing an approach that they believe is helping their students. This paper discusses definitions of blended learning and explores ways in which blended learning is being developed by numerous schools in an effort to answer these and other questions: (1) How does blended learning fit into current conceptions of online learning?; (2) How does blended learning help engage students and support their academic success?; (3) How are online learning and face-to-face instruction being combined effectively?; (4) Is blended learning meeting unique student needs that neither fully online nor face-to-face models can achieve?; and (5) What digital content and curricula are being used in blended learning? The examples discussed in this paper are not exhaustive. However, they illustrate some of the outstanding uses of blended learning in these early stages of its development and suggest opportunities for expanding its use and effectiveness. (Contains 9 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2008
25. The Benefits of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education. A Briefing before the United States Commission on Civil Rights Held in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2006. Briefing Report
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US Commission on Civil Rights
- Abstract
On July 28, 2006, a panel of experts briefed members of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the putative benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in elementary and secondary education. Four experts presented written statements to the Commissioners that assessed the social science literature on this issue. They also addressed whether or not racial and ethnic diversity in public schools should be mandated by the state and whether the net benefits of state-mandated diversity are different from the benefits that this diversity may yield when achieved through purely voluntary behavior. The experts also presented a number of studies to the Commission assessing the putative educational and social benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in elementary and secondary education. This volume presents the following papers: (1) The Outcomes of School Desegregation in Public Schools (David J. Armor); (2) Testimony Prepared for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Regarding the Educational Benefits of Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education (Arthur L. Coleman); (3) The Benefits of Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education (Michal Kurlaender); and (4) Demographic Perspectives on Diversity, Racial Isolation, and the Seattle School Board's Plan to "Cure" Residential "Segregation" (Stephan Thernstrom). A bibliography is included. (Individual papers contain figures, tables, exhibits, footnotes, appendices, and references.)
- Published
- 2006
26. All Together Now: State Experiences in Using Community-Based Child Care to Provide Pre-Kindergarten. CLASP Child Care and Early Education Series. Policy Brief No. 5
- Author
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Center for Law and Social Policy, Washington, DC., Schumacher, Rachel, Ewen, Danielle, Hart, Katherine, and Lombardi, Joan
- Abstract
This brief is based on the 61-page report of the same name. This paper, commissioned by the Brookings Institution, studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. It describes findings of a state survey CLASP conducted to understand the policy choices, opportunities, and challenges of including community-based child care providers in pre-kindergarten programs. At the conclusion of the study period for this paper (November 2004), at least 29 states that are currently operating at least one pre-kindergarten program using a mixed delivery approach were found. Those states are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Other states, for example Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, are considering or expanding pre-kindergarten policies but were not yet established enough to be included in our study. This policy brief describes principal approaches to state implementation of the mixed delivery model but does not provide examples of state policies. (Contains 1 figure.)
- Published
- 2005
27. Influencing Others: Women Superintendents and Power
- Author
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Katz, Susan J.
- Abstract
The position of public school superintendency in the U.S. is the most powerful position in schools. Yet research has shown that women who hold the position have difficulty talking about power (Brunner, 2000). A survey designed to measure perceptions of power was sent to 210 women school superintendents in four Midwestern states during the 2000-2001 school year. Results of data analysis revealed that there were significant differences in the women's age and years of experience in the superintendency and how they perceived their uses of power. Interviews were conducted with nine of the women in the study and revealed that they believed their power increased when they shared or gave power away. Consistent with previous research, this study also found that women were hesitant and reluctant to speak about their power in their role as superintendents. (Contains 5 tables.)
- Published
- 2005
28. Preparing the Next Generation of Librarians for Family and Community Engagement
- Author
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Caspe, Margaret and Lopez, M. Elena
- Abstract
Many librarians work in public libraries to make a difference for children, families, and communities and identify family and community engagement as a cornerstone of their responsibilities. For librarians to be successful they must be afforded strong foundations in family and community engagement that begin early in their preparation. Yet little is known about the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that librarians need to engage families and communities, and these topics are rarely covered in schools of information and library sciences. The purposes of this exploratory paper are to identify the competencies that librarians need to engage families and communities and to understand promising pedagogical methods for promoting them. Interviews were conducted with 11 library educators at leading schools of information and library sciences within the United States to understand their perspectives on the topics. Results reveal three main goals for the preparation of librarians for family and community engagement: (1) to provide librarians with knowledge of families and communities, (2) to promote relationship-building skills, and (3) to encourage the mindset that librarians are professionals. Experiential and connected learning opportunities are the most promising methods for achieving these outcomes. Findings are discussed in terms of four main recommendations for stronger integration of family and community engagement into existing curriculum.
- Published
- 2018
29. Research Fresh from Florida. Proceedings of the National Agricultural Education Research Conference (26th, Orlando, Florida, December 11, 1999).
- Author
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American Association for Agricultural Education.
- Abstract
The following are among the 47 papers included: "Academic Performance and Retention of College of Agriculture Students" (Garton, Dyer, King); "Perceptions of Recent Graduates and Employers about Undergraduate Programs in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University" (Heyboer, Suvedi); "Survey of Early Leavers" (Fanno, Cole); "Selecting a Major in Agriculture" (Wildman, Torres); "An Assessment of Agricultural Literacy in K-8 Schools" (Igo, Leising, Frick); "Comparison of Elementary Teachers' Use of Agriculture in Their Teaching" (Wilhelm, Terry, Weeks); "Developing a Process for an Elementary and Middle School Agriculturally Based Curriculum" (Hikawa, Trexler); "Measuring the Ethical Cognition Effect of a Videotape Livestock Show Ethics Education Program" (Goodwin, Briers, Murphy); "Status of Community Service Learning in 4-H Programs" (Wyble, Kotrlik); "Teams in Agricultural Education" (Cummins, Townsend); "Using Multivariate Analysis Techniques to Identify Factors Influencing FFA (Future Farmers of America) Membership in High School Agricultural Education Programs" (Gliem, Gliem); "Economic Impact of Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs in Georgia" (West, Iverson); "Supervised Agricultural Experience" (Camp, Fallon, Clarke); "Changes in Missouri SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) Programs" (Graham, Birkenholz); "Integrating Science in Agricultural Education" (Balschweid, Thompson); "Developing a Web-Based System to Address Accountability and Reporting Needs for Cooperative Extension" (Radhakrishna, Pinion);"Confirming Perception" (Lippert, Radhakrishna, Plank); "Perceptions of the Louisiana Legislature toward the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service" (Hodson, Kotrlik); "Assessing Farmers' Internships and Needs for Specialty Corn and Soybean Information in the Lower Illinois River Basin" (Swanson, Samy, Sofranko, Harper, Frerichs); "Perceptions of Stakeholders toward Linkages and Curriculum in Urban Agricultural Education Programs" (Trede, Russell); "Developing an Urban Agricultural Education Program" (Russell, Trede); Using the AgEd Network as an Instructional Tool to Integrate Technology in the Classroom" (Thompson; Nelson); "Higher-Order Thinking Skills versus Lower-Order Thinking Skills" (Edwards, Briers); "Career Choices and Factors Influencing Career Change among Agricultural Education Graduates" (Garton, Cartmell); and "Cognitive Abilities of Preservice Teachers" (Torres). Also included are critiques of each paper and 11 poster abstracts. (MN)
- Published
- 1999
30. The Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science: A Nine-State Online Collaboration to Improve the Turfgrass Short Course
- Author
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Koch, Paul L., Soldat, Douglas J., Horgan, Brian P., Bauer, Samuel J., and Patton, Aaron J.
- Abstract
Increasing costs and decreasing numbers of university Extension faculty have made it difficult to provide quality turfgrass short course education. In response, faculty from nine institutions collaborated to develop the Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science. This 12-week online course provides students with unique learning experiences through a combination of assigned readings, quizzes, lectures, and live instructor discussion. Student attendance increased and costs decreased relative to traditional in-person short courses. Additionally, student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. These results demonstrate that online courses such as this can provide an effective and flexible source of knowledge that meets the busy schedules of students and instructors.
- Published
- 2017
31. University Scandal, Reputation and Governance
- Author
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Downes, Meredith
- Abstract
A review of the literature on corporate governance serves to demonstrate the applicability of many governance solutions to the university setting. Based on a review of university scandals, most of which are recent but some of which took place decades ago, it is possible to categorize them as follows: sex scandals, drugs, cheating, hazing, admissions and diplomas, on-the-job consumption, athletics, and murder. Several examples are provided in the paper, along with their impact on various stakeholders. The paper then discusses a variety of solutions designed to either preempt the activities potentially leading to scandal, to deter them or to punish perpetrators. Some of these involve structural changes, institutional policies and procedures, fines, terminations, and sanctions. The paper emphasizes the proactive safeguards which govern and monitor to make sure that universities do not suffer on the back end and that their reputations do not suffer into the future.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Evaluation of the 2014 Best Undergraduate Accounting Programs as Compared to the 2004 Top Undergraduate Accounting Programs
- Author
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Moore, Paula Hearn and Griffin, Richard B.
- Abstract
This paper describes and compares the profiles of the top accounting programs in the United States as identified by "U.S. News and World Report" in 2004 with the profiles of the top accounting programs in the United States as identified by the "Accounting Degree Review" in 2014. The "Accounting Degree Review"'s list is a weighted average based on the rankings in "U.S. News and World Report," "Bloomberg Business Week," and "Public Accounting Report." A thorough examination of each schools web site has been conducted to gather information concerning the requirements for an undergraduate degree in accounting from two points in time over a ten year span (2004 and 2014). Course descriptions rather than simply course titles have been evaluated for each accounting course included in the business core and requirements of the accounting major. The emphasis of the study is, not only to develop a profile of top programs but also, to determine changes within accounting programs during the period from 2004 to 2014. [Note: The citation shown on this PDF (v9 n2 Fall 2015) is incorrect. The correct citation is v13 n1 Spr 2017.]
- Published
- 2017
33. University Student Conceptual Resources for Understanding Forces
- Author
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Robertson, Amy D., Goodhew, Lisa M., Scherr, Rachel E., and Heron, Paula R. L.
- Abstract
Existing research identifying common student ideas about forces focuses on students' misunderstandings, misconceptions, and difficulties. In this paper, we characterize student thinking in terms of resources, framing student thinking as continuous with formal physics. Based on our analysis of 2048 written responses to conceptual questions, we identify six common conceptual resources for understanding forces. We document context-sensitive patterns in resource activation, and we discuss limitations of our research based on the demographics of our sample.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Analysis of 2014's Thirty Best Undergraduate Accounting Programs
- Author
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Adkins, Darlene A., Geddie, Mary F., Moore, Paula Hearn, and Griffin, Richard B.
- Abstract
This paper examines primarily the courses in the accounting major and a portion of the business core of the best thirty accounting programs in the United States as identified by the Accounting Degree Review. A thorough examination of each school's web site has been conducted to gather current (2014) information concerning the requirements for a degree in accounting. Course descriptions rather than simply course titles have been evaluated for each accounting course included in the business core and accounting major requirement. The emphasis of the study is, not only to develop a profile from the best programs but also, to compare accounting programs at public and private schools. Also, possible differences between accounting programs in schools with Accounting accreditation and schools with Business accreditation are shown.
- Published
- 2016
35. The Region V Conference on Competency Based Teacher Education (Midland Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, March 11-13, 1975). Final Report.
- Author
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Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Coll. of Education., Appelgate, William K., and Weaver, Marita A.
- Abstract
This report of a regional conference on Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE) held to allow the six States in Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) to share information about vocational personnel development activities and programs, consists primarily of 12 conference papers: (1) Personnel Development in Occupational Education in Illinois; (2) One State's Approach to Competency Based Teacher Education; (3) Planning for Personnel Development within a State; (4) Vocational Educators and Competence Based Education; (5) Preservice Occupational Program (POP); (6) Competency Based Industrial Teacher Education at University of Wisconsin--Stout; (7) Competencies for Professional Education in Home Economics; (8) Two-Year Inservice Teacher Preparation Program to Provide the Essential Professional Competencies Necessary for Teachers of Agriculture; (9) A Competency-Based Program for Preparing Vocational Teachers; (10) Performance/Competency Based Teaching Methods, Minnesota Style; (11) Administration by Competency (ABC); and (12) A Cautionary Appraisal of CBTE. Concluding this report are the summary reports of each State's task force sessions in which conference participants developed suggestions and recommendations to questions relative to CBTE; and a summary of a participant survey designed to assess attitudes toward varied aspects of CBTE. Copies of the program and participant survey form and a list of the conference participants, presenters, and staff are appended. (EM)
- Published
- 1975
36. Investigating the Influence of Gender, Age, and Camp Type on the Outcome Achievements of Children under 10 Years of Age at Summer Camp
- Author
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Bennett, Troy
- Abstract
This study investigated the influence of gender, age, and camp type on outcome achievements for children (aged 6 to 10) at summer camp. The outcome achievements measured were affinity for exploration, affinity for nature, camp connectedness, friendship skills, independence, perceived competence, problem-solving confidence, responsibility, and teamwork skills. Three hundred thirteen campers were sampled from American Camp Association--accredited day and resident camps. Controlling for camper age, the study found an interaction effect between the type of camp attended and the gender of campers. Discriminant analysis indicated that differences were primarily due to achievements on the outcomes of affinity for nature and perceived competence. A discussion of implications of these findings for camp administrators concludes the paper.
- Published
- 2019
37. Participation As Relational Process: Unpacking Involvement in Social Action and Community Service
- Author
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Jones, Jeffrey N., Bench, Joshua H., Warnaar, Bethany L., and Stroup, John T.
- Abstract
Educators, policymakers, and other concerned adults share an interest in promoting lifelong patterns of community service in youth. Practitioners and researchers alike highlight the importance of youth participation in afterschool service activities so the author's focus in this paper is on youth involved in PeaceJam, an innovative service program. PeaceJam is a community-based social action program created in the late 1990s to engage gang members in inner-city Denver in prosocial activities. Since that time, more than one million youth have participated worldwide. "PeaceJammers" study the lives of Nobel Peace laureates, identify a pressing community issue, and plan and implement a social action project. Mixed methods were employed in this study, combining results from quantitative surveys with program observations and participant interviews. Surveys were administered over three years from a sample of 781 youth (67% female, with 43% reporting an ethnicity other than Caucasian). The sample included more juniors (33%) and seniors (32%) than freshmen (15%) and sophomores (20%). Respondents averaged 1.6 years of involvement in Peace-Jam. Similarly, of the 30 interviewees, 73% were female, and 38% reported an ethnicity other than Caucasian. Analysis of our quantitative and qualitative data explored the connections between psychosocial experience and participants' sustained engagement in PeaceJam and in service to the community. In speaking of the process of participation, youth reported high levels of autonomy, belongingness, and competence. They spoke to the need to engage in intentional practices that are organized around, and sensitive to, the diverse needs that are present in youth-serving settings. Programs that facilitate social action may promote the development of shared purpose through collaborative efforts towards a common goal. Inspired by these experiences to critically analyze their own values and goals, youth may develop a sense of purpose and self-determination.
- Published
- 2013
38. Using Worked Examples Assignments in Classroom Instruction
- Author
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Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE), Paré-Blagoev, Juliana, Booth, Julie, Elliot, Andrew, and Koedinger, Ken
- Abstract
As highlighted by the National Math Panel Report (2008), consistent results from laboratory studies have demonstrated that interleaving worked examples with problems to solve improves learning for novices. The purpose of this work is to create materials and tests that can be used flexibly in classrooms and which employ worked examples interleaved with practice problems for students to solve. A total of 42 assignments addressing some pre-Algebra and 8 major Algebra topics have been developed through an iterative process. The effects of AlgebraByExample on learning has also been explored with particular attention to the role of individual differences. The eight participating districts are all members of the Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN) which is a self-formed alliance dedicated to addressing the achievement gap: Ann Arbor (MI), Arlington (VA), Chapel Hill--Carrboro City (NC), Evanston Township (IL), Evanston/Skokie 65 (IL), Green Bay (WI), Shaker Heights (OH), and Madison Metropolitan School District (WI). Although this paper does not cover all of the individual studies, the body of work as a whole has been conducted in 300 classrooms with over 6000 7th-10th graders, with the majority of 8th or 9th graders enrolled in "regular" Algebra. Approximately half of the students in each participating class were randomly assigned to the example-based group, in which they received the example-based assignments designed for the study. The other half was randomly assigned to the control group, in which they received an alternate version of the assignments that contained the same types of problems, but no examples or self-explanation prompts. Results demonstrate that students in high-minority populations benefit more from example-based assignments than do those in lower-minority groups in terms of an increase in their procedural performance. Results also indicate that conceptual learning occurs more readily for students in low-minority classrooms -- students in higher-minority classrooms do not tend to learn as much. However, for students in high-minority classrooms, being in the example-based condition leads to greater learning than the control condition. One table and two figures are appended.
- Published
- 2013
39. New Demands Shape a Field in Transition. NACSA Monograph
- Author
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National Association of Charter School Authorizers and Mead, Sara
- Abstract
Charter schools have moved from being widely viewed as a marginal force in public education reform to taking on a central role in our national, state, and local debates around improving education. And a growing number of policymakers--including superintendents, mayors, governors, and even U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan--are using chartering as a critical tool to drive school improvement and meet the needs of underserved children. These developments create new demands on authorizers to strategically manage their portfolios by effectively monitoring the quality of the schools they have chartered, closing low-performing schools, and fostering the replication and growth to scale of high performers. Charter school authorizers are under increasing pressure--from policymakers, funders, and the media--to assume a variety of responsibilities, including spurring struggling and mediocre schools to higher levels of achievement, attracting high-quality operators, and fostering the replication of successful schools--in addition to their more established roles of approving charter applications, monitoring school performance, and closing low-performers. Key questions for authorizers--and the charter school movement more generally--are which of these roles are really appropriate for authorizers to take on, which they can reasonably be expected to do well, and which would be better addressed by other entities, including those that do not yet exist. This paper, created as part of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers' (NACSA's) federally funded Performance Management, Replication, and Closure (PMRC) project to improve the policies and practices of authorizers in these key areas, looks at how a set of seven leading authorizers (herein called "model authorizers")--all of whom oversee substantial numbers of schools, have been authorizers for some time, and are nationally regarded as leaders in the field--are responding to new challenges and demands in the three areas where expectations for authorizer performance are undergoing the greatest evolution: performance management, replication, and closure. The author finds that even the most forward-looking authorizers are struggling to develop effective policies and practices in these areas, and no one authorizer has "all the answers." At the same time, the author finds that authorizers are highly cognizant of the complex implications of the new roles that charter schools are being asked to play in public education reform, and are creating new practices, processes, and tools to address some of those implications. Every one of the seven authorizers is currently taking steps to refine, improve, or create new practices in these three key areas. These examples show that the most effective authorizers are learning from experience and data, and steadily working to improve the quality of their practices, processes, and policies. (Contains 2 figures.)
- Published
- 2012
40. Operating Efficiencies at Some UC and CSU Comparator Universities. Report 11-03
- Author
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California Postsecondary Education Commission and Sidarous, Natalie
- Abstract
In December 2010, the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) staff surveyed public universities in other states to learn how they have dealt with cuts in state funding. All of the institutions CPEC surveyed have increased tuition and or fees at least once in the last two fiscal years, and many project additional increases. All have made cost-saving measures or efficiencies over the budget year. Many have reduced general administrative spending, cut academic programs and class offerings, and reduced faculty and staff with voluntary or involuntary retirement or termination. While none of these institutions have managed to completely protect academics, a few have managed to increase need-based financial aid. This paper presents their findings.
- Published
- 2011
41. Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy
- Author
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Carnegie Corporation of New York
- Abstract
Our nation's educational system has scored many extraordinary successes in raising the level of reading and writing skills in younger children. Yet the pace of literacy improvement in our schools has not kept up with the accelerating demands of the global knowledge economy. In state after state, the testing data mandated by No Child Left Behind reveals a marked decline in the reading and writing skills of adolescent learners. School systems are now grappling with the fact that promising early performance and gains in reading achievement often dissipate as students move through the middle grades. As a result, many young people drop out of high school or perform at minimal level and end up graduating without the basic skills that they need to do college-level work, get a well-paying job or act as informed citizens. The truth is that good early literacy instruction does not inoculate students against struggle or failure later on. Beyond grade 3, adolescent learners in our schools must decipher more complex passages, synthesize information at a higher level, and learn to form independent conclusions based on evidence. They must also develop special skills and strategies for reading text in each of the differing content areas (such as English, science, mathematics and history)-- meaning that a student who "naturally" does well in one area may struggle in another. To reach the goal of providing quality literacy instruction for all our nation's adolescents, we must systematically link instruction to the growing knowledge base on literacy and inform it with up-to-date data relating to outcomes and best practices. We must also find and support good teachers and provide them with the right professional development opportunities. Schools, districts, states, and federal policymakers all have vital roles to play in the process of re-engineering the nation's schools to support adolescent learning. Accordingly: (1) The Vision: Literacy for All draws on up-to-date research showing that adolescents need a higher level of literacy than ever before, both for college-readiness and employment in the new global knowledge economy, and goes on to describe how our current state of knowledge already equips us to re-engineer schools to support quality adolescent learning; (2) The Challenge: What It Will Take to Get Our Adolescents College and Career Ready details the specific literacy needs of adolescent learners and shows how these needs can best be met in our nation's schools; (3) The Keys: Underpinnings for Successful Reform shows how professional development for teachers and the effective use of data are the keys to improving adolescent literacy and realizing the ambitious goal of "literacy for all"; (4) The Agenda: Re-Engineering for Change At All Levels sets out a national agenda for fully supporting adolescent learners, using case-studies to show exactly how schools, districts, and states can help to re-engineer the experience of adolescent learning; and (5) A Call To Action: Where To Begin summarizes the main points of this report by setting out specific action steps for school leaders, district leaders, state leaders, and federal policymakers. Our common goal must be to ensure that all students receive the support they need for active citizenship, college and career readiness, gainful employment in the global knowledge economy, and lifelong learning. "The time to act is now." Appended are: (1) Bibliography, Carnegie Corporation of New York's Advancing Literacy Initiative, Works and Commissioned Papers; and (2) Essential Elements of Literacy for Adolescent Learners. (Contains 3 tables, 4 figures and 2 endnotes.) [For related reports, see "Adolescent Literacy Programs: Costs of Implementation. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy" (ED535296); "Measure for Measure: A Critical Consumers' Guide to Reading Comprehension Assessments for Adolescents. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy" (ED535299); "Adolescent Literacy and Textbooks: An Annotated Bibliography. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy" (ED535323); "Reading in the Disciplines: The Challenges of Adolescent Literacy. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy" (ED535297); and "Adolescent Literacy Development in Out-of-School Time: A Practitioner's Guide. Final Report from Carnegie Corporation of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy" (ED535304).
- Published
- 2011
42. What's Trust Got to Do with It? A Communications and Engagement Guide for School Leaders Tackling the Problem of Persistently Failing Schools
- Author
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Public Agenda and Johnson, Jean
- Abstract
The rationale for taking bold action on the nation's persistently failing schools can be summed up in one dramatic and disturbing statistic: half of the young Americans who drop out of high school attend just 12 percent of the nation's schools. Ending the cycle of failure at schools is a daunting challenge and a surprisingly controversial one. There is an intense expert debate on which kinds of reform are most likely to be successful and an uneven track record for even the most earnest attempts at school turnarounds. In many instances, school leaders seem trapped between two undesirable options. They can back away from serious reform to mollify protesting parents, students, teachers, and community residents. That often means students continue attending deeply dysfunctional schools that rob them of their future. Or, leaders can push changes through despite broad opposition. The risk here is that reforms may not be sustained because they are not accepted or well-understood. Even with strong support from governors, mayors, and other key leaders, forging ahead in the face of widespread resistance can damage trust and cohesion and leave superintendents and principals working with alienated, suspicious parents, teachers, and students. That makes a tough challenge even more difficult, and in most cases, it's not the best starting point for long-term success. This paper is an effort to help school leaders and reformers find a third path. The goal is to aid leaders in understanding and anticipating negative community reactions to bold school turnaround proposals. With a more complete, nuanced appreciation of "where communities are coming from"--and by applying well-tested communications and engagement strategies--leaders may be able to avoid the most pernicious and negative forms of public opposition. In this case, forewarned is forearmed. The report draws on three strands of information: (1) An assessment of parents' views on school turnarounds; (2) Public Agenda's reservoir of opinion research and engagement work; and (3) Advice from communications and engagement experts. A complete summary of the background research can be found on page 35. (Contains 5 tables and 23 footnotes.) [This report was written with Jon Rochkind, Michael Remaley and Jeremiah Hess. For a review of this report, see ED529296.]
- Published
- 2011
43. Staff Report to the Senior Department Official on Recognition Compliance Issues. Recommendation Page: HLC
- Author
-
Department of Education (ED)
- Abstract
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC or the agency) is a regional institutional accreditor that accredits (or preaccredits) over 1,000 degree granting institutions in 19 states, tribal institutions and including those programs offered via distance education within these institutions. Most of the institutions accredited by HLC use the Secretary's recognition of the agency to establish eligibility to participate in the Title IV, HEA student financial assistance programs. This paper presents the recommendations of the staff of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) concerning HLC's petition for continued recognition.
- Published
- 2010
44. Creating Reports Using Longitudinal Data: How States Can Present Information to Support Student Learning and School System Improvement
- Author
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Data Quality Campaign
- Abstract
Now that all 50 states and the District of Columbia are building statewide longitudinal data systems, the next step is to ensure that the information in these systems is used to improve student learning. The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has identified 10 actions that states can take to ensure that the right data are available and accessible and that users have the knowledge and skills to use the data well (see "10 State Actions To Ensure Effective Data Use," page 2). This paper discusses reports that states can create using longitudinal data. These reports include, but are not limited to: (1) Growth reports looking at changes in the achievement of the same students over time; (2) Diagnostic reports providing academic histories of students' mastery of specific concepts or skills; (3) Early warning reports identifying students who need immediate help based on at-risk indicators; (4) Predictive reports showing the relationship between earlier and later student outcomes--for example, the relationship between 8th grade test scores and students' readiness for college and careers in 12th grade; (5) Cohort graduation reports showing graduation rates of groups of the same students followed since the beginning of 9th grade; and (6) Feedback reports providing information on outcomes for students after they graduate from a school or district. (Contains 3 tables, 10 figures, 16 resources and 20 endnotes.)
- Published
- 2010
45. Work after Prison: One-Year Findings from the Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration
- Author
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MDRC, Redcross, Cindy, Bloom, Dan, Jacobs, Erin, Manno, Michelle, Muller-Ravett, Sara, Seefeldt, Kristin, Yahner, Jennifer, Young, Alford A., and Zweig, Janine
- Abstract
More than 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States, and around 700,000 are released from prison each year. Those who are released face daunting obstacles as they seek to reenter their communities, and rates of recidivism are high. Many experts believe that stable employment is critical to a successful transition from prison to the community. The Joyce Foundation's Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration (TJRD), also funded by the JEHT Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor, is testing employment programs for former prisoners in Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, using a rigorous random assignment design. MDRC is leading the evaluation, along with the Urban Institute and the University of Michigan. The project focuses on transitional jobs (TJ) programs that provide temporary subsidized jobs, support services, and job placement help. Transitional jobs are seen as a promising model for former prisoners and for other disadvantaged groups. In 2007-2008, more than 1,800 men who had recently been released from prison were assigned, at random, to a transitional jobs program or to a program providing basic job search (JS) assistance but no subsidized jobs. Both groups are being followed using state data on employment and recidivism. Random assignment ensures that if significant differences emerge between the two groups, those differences can be attributed with confidence to the different types of employment services each group received. This is the first major report in the TJRD project. It describes how the demonstration was implemented and assesses how the transitional jobs programs affected employment and recidivism during the first year after people entered the project, a period when the recession caused unemployment rates to rise substantially in all four cities. Key findings include: (1) The TJRD project generally operated as intended; (2) The TJ group was much more likely to work than the JS group early on, but the difference between groups faded as men left the transitional jobs; overall, the TJ group was no more likely to work in an unsubsidized job than the JS group; and (3) Overall, the TJ programs had no consistent impacts on recidivism during the first year of follow-up. These results point to the need to develop and test enhancements to the transitional jobs model and other strategies to improve outcomes for former prisoners who reenter society. They also raise questions about the assumed connection between employment and recidivism, since there were no decreases in arrests even during the period when the TJ group was much more likely to be employed. This is not the final word on the TJRD project; both groups will be followed up for another year, with two-year results available in 2011. Appendices include: (1) Timeline for the Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration; (2) Supplementary Exhibits for Chapter 2; (3) Supplementary Exhibits for Chapter 5; (4) Supplementary Exhibits for Chapter 6; (5) Supplementary Exhibit for Chapter 7; (6) Characteristics of the Qualitative Study Sample; and (7) Results of Subgroup Analyses. Individual chapters contain footnotes. (Contains 59 tables, 5 figures and 5 boxes.) [Additional funding for this paper was provided by the JEHT Foundation. For the executive summary, see ED514697.
- Published
- 2010
46. America's Best (and Worst) Cities for School Reform: Attracting Entrepreneurs and Change Agents
- Author
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Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Hess, Frederick M., Palmieri, Stafford, and Scull, Janie
- Abstract
This study evaluates how welcoming thirty American cities--the twenty-five largest and five smaller "hotspots"--are to "nontraditional" problem-solvers and solutions. It assumes that the balky bureaucracies meant to improve K-12 education and hold leaders accountable are so calcified by policies, programs, contracts, and culture that only in the most exceptional of circumstances can they be fixed simply by top-down applications of new curricula or pedagogy. To determine the cities with the most reform-friendly ecosystems, analysts examined six domains that shape a jurisdiction's receptivity to education reform: (1) Human Capital; (2) Financial Capital; (3) Charter Environment; (4) Quality Control; (5) District Environment; and (6) Municipal Environment. Drawing on publicly available data, national and local survey data, and interviews with on-the-ground insiders, analysts devised a grading metric that rated each city on its individual and collective accomplishments in each of these areas. What did they discover? Few cities are rolling out the red carpet for education entrepreneurs. No cities were awarded As and just a handful of cities received Bs when measured for their hospitability towards reformers. The majority fell in the C range, half a dozen in the D to F range, and the remainder had too little data to judge (see Table 1, page 8). Low-scoring cities were characterized by lethargic district administration, inert political leadership, arcane staffing policies, and unsupportive (or silent) local business and philanthropic communities. They also found that cities are making greater strides in some areas than others: (1) They do best at drumming up sources of financial capital to advance reform: Nine cities earned As and ten earned Bs; support from outside the district is also strong, with municipal environment seeing nine As and eight Bs; (2) They fare least well when it comes to district environment, where a third got Fs; and (3) Grades were generally mixed with respect to human capital, charter environment, and quality control. Finally, substantial variation exists within states that had more than one city in the study. This suggests that entrepreneurial fate is not sealed by state lines: local officials, educators, and reformers can shape their own destiny. Appendices include: (1) Methodology; (2) Scoring Rubric; and (3) A list of organizations whose members helped to shape the study design and survey instruments. Individual sections contain footnotes and tables. [The foreword for this report was written by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler. Funding for this paper was also provided by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc.]
- Published
- 2010
47. State of the States 2017
- Abstract
On February 24, 2017, all of the authors of the state-of-the-state manuscripts published in the "Journal of Education Finance" met in Cincinnati, Ohio, to participate in a roundtable discussion focused on recent legislative actions in 38 states. A majority of those papers were revised to reflect a final report on legislative actions impacting the funding of P-12 and higher education. Overall, adequate funding for education continues to be an issue many states are struggling with. There is reason to be hopeful, as several states have seen increases in per pupil funding and teacher salaries. When facing funding shortfalls, some states have begun considering alternate sources of funding for public education. In complicated fiscal times like these, it is anticipated that an increasing number of states will look to novel forms of raising revenue for public schools. The following contents are included: (1) The Good, the Bad, and the Alarming: Commentary on the 2017 State of the States Submissions (Brittany Larkin, Christine Kiracofe, and Spencer Weiler); (2) Alabama (Philip Westbrook and Brenda Mendiola); (3) Alaska (Amy Dagley); (4) Arizona (David G. Martinez and Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); (5) Arkansas (Steve Bounds); (6) California (Henry Tran); (7) Colorado (Gabriel R. Serna and Spencer C. Weiler); (8) Connecticut (Lesley A. DeNardis); (9) Florida (Megan Lane, Jolande Morgan, and R. Craig Wood); (10) Georgia (David G. Buckman and Tommy Jackson); (11) Illinois (Christine Kiracofe); (12) Indiana (Scott Rodger Sweetland); (13) Kansas (Thomas A. DeLuca); (14) Kentucky (Tyrone Bynoe); (15) Louisiana (Arvin Johnson, Venice M. Adams, and David G. Buckman); (16) Massachusetts (Tyrone Bynoe); (17) Michigan (Brett A. Geier); (18) Minnesota (Nicola A. Alexander); (19) Mississippi (Spencer D. Stone and Joshua A. Money); (20) Nebraska (Barbara La Cost); (21) Nevada (Deborah A. Verstegen, Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, and David Martinez); (22) New Hampshire (F. Frank Ayata and Jeremy M. Anderson); (23) New Jersey (Luke J. Stedrak); (24) New Mexico (David G. Martinez and Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); (25) New York (Osnat Zaken); (26) North Carolina (Walter Hart, Jim R. Watson, and Lisa G. Driscoll); (27) Ohio (Barbara M. De Luca, Krystel H. Chenault, and Randall S. Vesely); (28) Oklahoma (Jeffrey Maiden and Channa Byerly); (29) Oregon (Michael C. Petko); (30) Pennsylvania (Jeremy Anderson and F. Frank Ayata); (31) Tennessee (Lisa G. Driscoll and Betty Cox); (32) Texas (Ken Helvey); (33) Virginia (William Owings and Leslie S. Kaplan); (34) West Virginia (Drew Milligan); (35) Wisconsin (Michael C. Petko); and (36) Wyoming (Joshua M. Cohen). [For the previous year, see EJ1170086.]
- Published
- 2018
48. Venturing beyond the Gates: Facilitating Successful Reentry with Entrepreneurship. Summer 2007
- Author
-
Prisoner Reentry Institute and Lindahl, Nicole
- Abstract
The rising number of individuals returning to communities from prison and jail represents one of the defining issues of time. Individuals reentering society face myriad challenges, not the least of which is securing viable employment; in addition, each individual has a unique set of experiences, needs and resources. This project stems from the understanding that to effectively address the unique characteristics of and challenges facing people reentering society, the best and brightest minds from a diverse array of fields must collaborate to develop a spectrum of approaches and solutions. The information, case studies and stories contained in this monograph aim to inspire professionals across entrepreneurship, workforce development and criminal justice fields to recognize and embrace entrepreneurship and self-employment as appropriate and valuable tools for reintegration. Given the size of the population returning home from prison and jail, one cannot afford to ignore their potential as resources for community and economic development; nor can one overlook the opportunity that entrepreneurship represents as a path to financial stability and engaged citizenship. This monograph contains the following parts: (1) Background for a Common Language; (2) Opportunities to Facilitate Successful Reentry with Entrepreneurship; and (3) Tools for Pilot Projects and Initiatives. Conversations on Reentry and Entrepreneurship--Participants are appended. A bibliography is included. [This paper was written with the assistance from Debbie A. Mukamal.]
- Published
- 2007
49. How are Teachers at a Technologically-Advanced NYC School Site Integrating Educational Technology into the Curriculum?
- Author
-
LoParrino, Camille
- Abstract
The major focus of this paper is school teachers' integration of educational technology in their curriculum. Single studies made in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Florida will be examined and a more complex study made in Michigan, Tennessee, Illinois, Montana, California, and Massachusetts which were later implemented among the Model School Partnerships in Hanau, Germany is also included. The results of technology-usage explained in these studies will be compared to the inclusion of technology at a technologically-advanced school site in NYC. (Contains 7 tables.) [M.S. Thesis, Mercy College.]
- Published
- 2006
50. Report of the Literacy Research Network Annual Meeting (Naperville, Illinois, November 6-7, 2002).
- Author
-
North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL., Righeimer, Jennie, and Grant, Peggy
- Abstract
The primary purpose of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL's) Center for Literacy is to improve the reading achievement of all students by providing assistance to schools, districts, education service agencies, and state education agencies in defining and implementing research-based best practices in literacy. The Center for Literacy established the Regional and National Network of Research and Professional Organizations (referred to as the Literacy Research Network) to examine current trends in literacy research on a national level. The topic of the Annual Meeting of the Literacy Research Network, held on November 6-7, 2002, in Naperville, Illinois, was secondary content-area reading. This report on the meeting is divided into the following sections: Introduction; Secondary Content-Area Reading; Elementary Reading Assessment; and Reference List (n=15). Papers in the report are: Keynote Address: "Adolescent Literacy Instruction: Insights and Strategies for Making It More Meaningful" (Donna E. Alvermann); "Using Digital Media with At-Risk Adolescents" (David G. O'Brien); "Using Multiple Texts to Teach Content" (Cynthia R. Hynd); "Research on Teacher Reflection: Promising Directions" (Thomas W. Bean); "Cultural Modeling: Bridging Students' Cultural Funds of Knowledge and Reading Comprehension in Response to Literature" (Carol D. Lee); "Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy" (Roberta Buhle); "Michigan Literacy Progress Profile (Faith Stevens); "The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills" (Susan M. Smartt); and "An Overview of Classroom-Based Diagnostic Tools That Support the Connection of Assessment and Instruction" (Laurie Elish-Piper). Appendixes contain biographies of speakers, a reading list of Donna E. Alvermann, and selected references of David G. O'Brien. (NKA)
- Published
- 2002
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