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2. Student Exposure to Social Issues and Correlations with Voting: Gauging the Impact on Economically Disadvantaged Students at Major Public American Universities. SERU Consortium Research Paper. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.5.17
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University of California, Berkeley. Center for Studies in Higher Education and Porterfield, Victoria
- Abstract
Higher levels of civic and community engagement in higher education are positively associated with students' academic performance and they also build upon citizenship skills such as informed voting. Yet, while these are worthy and important outcomes of higher education, students from disadvantaged backgrounds can have more difficulty navigating civic engagement. Focusing on students at thirteen major public universities in the United States, and utilizing survey data generated by the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium, this study suggest social perspective-taking has a significant positive effect on all students' probability of voting and participating in community service. Students who were asked to identify challenge/solutions to social problems and reflect/act on community issues in the classroom were also more likely to participate in community service. Additionally, Hispanic students and students from lower-income households are significantly less likely to vote and perform community service--findings corroborated by previous research. Females are more likely to vote and participate in community service--findings also corroborated by prior research. Hispanic students and students from low-income backgrounds were more likely to participate in voting and community service if they had increased rates of social perspective-taking. These results suggest that increased opportunities to connect with classmates in the classroom and develop perspective-taking skills (e.g. appreciating the world from someone else's perspective, acknowledging personal differences, interacting with someone with views that are different from your own, and discussing and navigating controversial issues) are potentially quite powerful ways to foster civic engagement among students who traditionally have the lowest civic engagement rates compared to their peers.
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- 2017
3. Optimizing Reverse Transfer Policies and Processes: Lessons from Twelve CWID States. Thought Paper
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Illinois University, Office of Community College Research and Leadership, Taylor, Jason L., and Bragg, Debra D.
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In 2012, five foundations launched the Credit When Its Due (CWID) initiative that was "designed to encourage partnerships of community colleges and universities to significantly expand programs that award associate degrees to transfer students when the student completes the requirements for the associate degree while pursuing a bachelor's degree" (Lumina Foundation, 2012, n.p.), also known as "reverse transfer." Initially, 12 states (Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon) were funded to develop and implement these reverse transfer programs and policies, and the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was chosen as the research partner. In late 2013, three states (Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas) were added to bring the total number of states to 15. At least six additional states have legislation, pending legislation, or statewide initiatives related to reverse transfer. This thought paper describes changes that are occurring at the state, system, and institution levels with implementation of reverse transfer in the 12 original states. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from the CWID Implementation Study, the authors describe efforts related to the optimization of reverse transfer in these 12 states. The authors define optimization as policy and program change at any level--state, system, or institution--that yields the largest number of students who are eligible for and able to benefit from reverse transfer. The initial results suggest that some states are piloting reverse transfer with a limited set of public community college and university partnerships, and others are striving for system-level reforms that eventually may impact all forms of transfer. Understanding what optimization means and how it works is possible because of this variation in implementation approaches among states, and this thought paper explores how states are implementing and optimizing reverse transfer.
- Published
- 2015
4. Undergraduate Research Engagement at Major US Research Universities. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.14.13
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University of California, Berkeley. Center for Studies in Higher Education, Douglass, John Aubrey, and Zhao, Chun-Mei
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Bolstered by the recommendations of the 1998 Boyer Report, US federal agencies have put significant resources into promoting opportunities for undergraduates to engage in research. American universities and colleges have been creating support programs and curricular opportunities intended to create a "culture of undergraduate research." Yet our knowledge about the commonality of undergraduate research engagement--how it integrates into the educational experience, and its benefits or lack thereof--is still very limited. Universities exude the ideal of a pivotal link of teaching and research. We have assumed that personal interactions between active scholars and undergraduates--via traditional curriculum, research courses, working in a lab or doing fieldwork--have positive influences on students' maturation and their overall academic and social experience. The following exploratory study looks at data generated by the 2010 Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) undergraduate survey, an online census administered that year at fifteen major research-intensive universities. In this case study of mostly AAU campuses, we find that while some 83 percent of upper division students (juniors and seniors) students experience one or more courses with a significant research requirement like a research paper or project, many lower and upper division students do not--a disappointing finding that needs to be addressed by these campuses. At the same time, undergraduate research engagement outside of the traditional classroom is a relatively common experience. Among those students we find that research engagement leads to self-reported learning gains across many areas, but especially in the areas of field knowledge, how to present and communicate knowledge, research skills, higher levels of satisfaction, better use of time, and higher levels of non-quantitative skills. Yet not all research activities are created equally. Participating in student research and independent studies contribute much more to the learning gains across all dimensions than merely assisting faculty in research. Among the two research activities, participating in student research course is more effective than independent studies in enhancing student learning. Among the three activities involving assisting faculty research, assisting faculty research as a volunteer without credit tends to be connected to higher level of gains than for credit and for pay. Taken together, it appears that research activities that involve active learning contribute more to student learning. We offer a number of recommendations to SERU campuses, including: 1. We encourage member campuses to explore what are the causes for some students not engaging in a research paper or project and seek a path to have all students have this form of research engagement; 2. Use the SERU database to provide regular reports on undergraduate research engagement, and include those reports in Academic Program/Department reviews; 3. Expand existing efforts so that most, if not all, undergraduates have the opportunity for two or more non-classroom forms of research engagement, perhaps depending on the field of the major and discipline. [The 1998 Boyer Commission Report--"Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities" is available in ERIC at ED424840.]
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- 2013
5. Teacher Preparation Programs: Research and Promising Practices. Briefing Paper
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SEDL, Texas Comprehensive Center, SEDL, Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC), Meadows, Lou, and Theodore, Kathleen
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The literature on teacher preparation programs in the United States is extensive. However, there is limited scientifically based research on what kind of program produces effective teachers; rather, the literature consists mostly of calls for change in teacher preparation programs. Almost all experts agree that major changes are needed in these programs, with the emphasis being to produce teachers who are effective in enhancing student learning. This paper reports evidence-based research and offers suggestions based on studies that include theoretical work, qualitative analysis, statistical analysis, and randomized experience that could provide strong causal evidence of the effects of teacher preparation on student learning. Key points of this briefing paper include the following: (1) Relevant clinical experience is a critical part of a teacher preparation program; (2) Programs must take advantage of existing technology and support its innovative use as a tool for teacher preparation and as a tool for teachers in the classroom; and (3) Multiple sources of data should be collected and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of preparation programs.
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- 2012
6. Longitudinal Data Systems to Support Data-Informed Decision Making: A Tri-State Partnership between Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. WCER Working Paper No. 2006-1
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Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Madison., Thorn, Christopher A., and Meyer, Robert H.
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The U.S. Department of Education recently held a competition for grants to support states in their efforts to build longitudinal data systems to track and analyze student and school performance. The Value-Added Research Center (VARC) at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, proposed a Tri-State Partnership in collaboration with the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Fourteen states were funded, with the Tri-State Partnership proposal the only multi-state effort to win approval. This paper outlines the initial design and work plan of the partnership. It also presents several of the design concerns related to complex system development for educational improvement. (Contains 2 figures.)
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- 2006
7. Equity Policy Academy: A Case Study
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Lumina Foundation
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This brief tells the story of Lumina Foundation's and states' efforts to promote an equity agenda for higher education, featuring the 2015 Equity Policy Academy-- which focused on improving educational equity for students from historically underserved groups--as a turning point. Based primarily on interviews with Lumina staff and key state leaders from the five states that participated in the Academy--Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, and Virginia--this story is designed to highlight the unique path each state took to prioritize equity in postsecondary attainment, and inspire ideas for leaders in other states.
- Published
- 2018
8. Current Issues in Workers' Compensation. Papers Presented at a Conference Sponsored by the Institute of Management and Labor Relations and the Bureau of Economic Research, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University; and the Economics Department, University of Connecticut (New Brunswick, NJ, 1983).
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Upjohn (W.E.) Inst. for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, MI. and Chelius, James
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This volume includes the following conference papers: "The Status and Direction of Workers' Compensation" (James R. Chelius); "The Minnesota Experience with Workers' Compensation Reform" (Steve Keefe); "The 1982 Changes in California" (Alan Tebb); "Two Rounds of Workers' Compensation Reform in Michigan" (H. Allan Hunt); "The Politics of Workers' Compensation Reform" (John H. Lewis); "Discussion of Papers on Recent State Reforms" (Michael Staten); "Interstate Variations in the Employers' Costs of Workers' Compensation with Particular Reference to Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York" (John F. Furton, Jr., and Alan B. Krueger); "Workers' Compensation Insurance Rates" (C. Arthur Williams, Jr.); "The Administration of Workers' Compensation" (Monroe Berkowitz); "Nominal Costs, Nominal Prices, and Nominal Profits" (John D. Worrall); "Federal Occupational Disease Legislation" (Donald Elisburg); "Issues in Asbestos Disease Compensation" (Donald L. Spatz); "Problems in Occupational Disease Compensation" (Leslie I. Boden); "On Efforts to Reform Workers' Compensation for Occupational Diseases" (Peter S. Barth); and "Accident Compensation as a Factor Influencing Managerial Perceptions and Behavior in New Zealand" (Barbara McIntosh). (MN)
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- 1986
9. 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
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.]
- Published
- 2013
11. Postsecondary Education for Incarcerated Individuals: Guidance for State Agencies and Systems of Higher Education
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State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), Pearson, Denise, and Heckert, Kelsey
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The United States leads the world in the number of incarcerated persons per 100,000. In today's global economy, these numbers represent huge wastes in human capital, especially when you consider the inequitable nature of the American criminal justice system, as witnessed by the disproportionate racial and ethnic composition, types of crimes, and length of prison sentences represented within this population. Regardless of the pathway to prison, most incarcerated people will eventually return to the communities from which they came, so one of the important questions may be, how does society want them to show up? Broken or made whole? Angry or hopeful? Employable or unemployable? Role model or counterexample? The essence of this paper is linked to a favored quote by the late Nelson Mandela, who said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." These words are as profound today as they were in 1990 when he addressed an audience of Boston high school students. Furthermore, education in America remains one of the best investments individuals and governments can make, which should include investment in prison-based education programs. These types of efforts are cost-effective, reduce recidivism, improve employment prospects, increase civic engagement, and can disrupt generational poverty. Despite Second Chance Pell programs and other evidence supporting the multilayered value of postsecondary (coursework beyond high school) education for incarcerated populations, barriers and challenges persist. Fortunately, leaders of state agencies and systems of higher education are increasingly exploring the feasibility of these programs for their states. This paper presents preliminary findings from a survey SHEEO administered to its members in 2018. It advocates for postsecondary education for incarcerated persons as a relevant policy issue at federal and state levels in current political environments. Key findings and recommendations were informed by responses from 38 percent of SHEEO's membership. States responding to the survey were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Non-member organizations included Truckee Meadows Community College (NV); University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Bismarck State College (ND); and the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. The paper is organized around three main categories: access, program delivery, and reentry of program participants into society, with the following key performance indicators.
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- 2020
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.)
- Published
- 2010
13. 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
14. 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.
- Published
- 2019
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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
18. State Growth Models for School Accountability: Progress on Development and Reporting Measures of Student Growth
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Council of Chief State School Officers and Blank, Rolf K.
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The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is working to respond to increased interest in the use of growth models for school accountability. Growth models are based on tracking change in individual student achievement scores over multiple years. While growth models have been used for decades in academic research and program evaluation, a wide cross section of policymakers at local, state, and national levels are now using different types of growth models. A total of 12 states are utilizing growth models that provide estimates of whether student achievement will meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) state proficiency targets within three years. These models were designed to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In addition, 13 states have developed and implemented growth models as required by state policy; these models use different formulas to measure growth for students and schools. Finally, five states are reporting on growth under both NCLB and state policies. This paper is an overview and description of current state activities with growth models. Policymakers and educational leaders are also seeking more information on basic differences between various types of growth models and the assessments, data, and reporting systems necessary to implement them. CCSSO has developed an annual report and webpage focused on state accountability systems, and this paper provides a current snapshot of differences and similarities in growth models used by state education agencies. The present paper is one of CCSSO's recent efforts to provide information on this topic. (Contains 2 tables.)
- Published
- 2010
19. 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
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Center for Law and Social Policy, Washington, DC., Schumacher, Rachel, Ewen, Danielle, Hart, Katherine, and Lombardi, Joan
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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
20. The Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science: A Nine-State Online Collaboration to Improve the Turfgrass Short Course
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Koch, Paul L., Soldat, Douglas J., Horgan, Brian P., Bauer, Samuel J., and Patton, Aaron J.
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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
21. Arbiters of Effectiveness and Efficiency: The Frames and Strategies of Management Consulting Firms in US Higher Education Reform
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McClure, Kevin R.
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A growing number of public colleges and universities in the United States have hired management consulting firms to help develop strategies aimed at increasing institutional effectiveness and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to explore the frames and strategies of consultants in US public higher education reform efforts. Drawing upon a range of documentary evidence, the paper examines four consulting firms (Accenture, Bain & Company, Deloitte and McKinsey & Company) and their perspectives on higher education reform. The paper analyses the consultative process with two public universities and two state higher education systems to determine possible avenues by which consultants exert influence. Through reference to theory on academic capitalism and new institutionalism, the paper reveals the ways in which consultants circulate crisis narratives and diffuse private sector management ideas among public colleges and universities that are seeking both financial solvency and legitimacy.
- Published
- 2017
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22. The Region V Conference on Competency Based Teacher Education (Midland Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, March 11-13, 1975). Final Report.
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Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Coll. of Education., Appelgate, William K., and Weaver, Marita A.
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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
23. State College- and Career-Ready High School Graduation Requirements. Updated
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Achieve, Inc.
- Abstract
Research by Achieve, ACT, and others suggests that for high school graduates to be prepared for success in a wide range of postsecondary settings, they need to take four years of challenging mathematics--covering Advanced Algebra; Geometry; and data, probability, and statistics content--and four years of rigorous English aligned with college- and career-ready standards (which include the CCSS). While readiness depends on more than knowledge and skills in English and math, these core disciplines undergird other academic and technical courses and are considered essential by employers and colleges alike. For students to truly graduate ready for college and careers, however, they need to complete a rigorous, robust and well-rounded curriculum that exposes them to a wide range of academic and technical knowledge and skills to ensure all doors are left open for them when they leave high school. Today, 19 states--Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah--and the District of Columbia, have elevated their high school diploma requirements to the college- and career-ready level. This paper offers a comparison table of graduation requirements in these 19 states.
- Published
- 2013
24. Advancing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: The Integration of DC:0-5™ into State Policy and Systems
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Szekely, Amanda, Ahlers, Therese, Cohen, Julie, and Oser, Cindy
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This article discusses why and how states are integrating "DC:0-5™: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood" (DC:0-5) into state policy and systems; provides state examples to highlight some of the strategies that states have used to allow, promote, or require the use of DC:0-5; and provides recommendations for further improvements in state infant and early childhood mental health policy and practice. The article provides a point-in-time overview of how DC:0-5 is being integrated into state systems and policies and is a sample of the innovative work going on across the United States. The article is adapted from a paper of the same name published in 2018 by the ZERO TO THREE Policy Center.
- Published
- 2018
25. 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
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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
26. The Rise of Institutional Effectiveness: IR Competitor, Customer, Collaborator, or Replacement? Professional File. Number 120, Spring 2011
- Author
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Association for Institutional Research and Leimer, Christina
- Abstract
As Institutional Research (IR) moves beyond its fiftieth anniversary, a new profession, called Institutional Effectiveness (IE), is emerging. In some respects, IR and IE are similar. IE, though, appears to be taking the leadership role. What are the structure, purpose, and responsibilities of IE offices? What are the implications for the IR field and its practitioners? How can Presidents and Provosts determine which of the two will best meet their institutions' needs for evidence-based decision-making, assessment, continuous improvement, and accountability? To lay the groundwork for discussion of the emergence of IE offices and the implications for IR, this paper first differentiates IR and IE roles and responsibilities. Subsequently, literature about the definition of IR and the state of the field at various points in time is utilized to put forth a macro-level view of the field's trajectory and suggest reasons why IR may not be meeting the needs addressed by IE offices. Utilizing results of the website review, the next section provides examples of IR and IE office missions, structures, and relationship to each other at multiple institutions. This examination is intended to reveal whether IR is being replaced by or complemented by IE. The discussion then moves to the question of whether IR, IE, or both are necessary to meet today's changing needs and the skills required to carry out IE responsibilities. In the last section, the author considers implications for IR professionals and the IR field as IE offices gain ground. A bibliography is included. (Contains 1 footnote.)
- Published
- 2011
27. Staff Report to the Senior Department Official on Recognition Compliance Issues. Recommendation Page: HLC
- Author
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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
28. 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
29. Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach
- Author
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National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities and McMilin, Edward
- Abstract
According to an American Association of School Administrators survey, 6 percent of school districts closed or consolidated schools during the 2008-2009 school year, double the rate of the previous year. Another 11 percent are considering school closings or consolidations in 2010-2011. In the 1980's, declining enrollments were the main reason for closing schools. Today, along with the enrollment trends and economic forces, the issue of school choice is a significant factor in some sections of the nation creating the need to close schools. Parents today have a greater array of options with charter school, voucher, and open enrollment programs. The impact of these programs is especially evident in the Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minnesota closures. In Detroit, over 40,000 students attend schools outside the public schools. Charter schools and open enrollment were cited as reasons for closing schools in Minnesota districts. The Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), however, provide the best example of the impact of these programs, as described in this report. Closing a school is one of the most difficult and emotionally charged experiences for school district personnel and school communities. Because the school is seen as an important asset in a neighborhood, the closing of that asset is seen as a devaluation of the community. In many cases, rancor persists well after the closing, and many times the residents leave the district because they feel that the district has abandoned them. Closing a school is not a single process. It consists of four distinct processes--described in this paper: (1) Decision to close; (2) Closing the building; (3) Maintaining the building; and (4) Disposition of the building. An example of a checklist from Milwaukee Public Schools and a sample log sheet for maintenance, testing and inspection log--hot water heating boilers are appended. (Contains 1 figure.)
- Published
- 2010
30. 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
31. The Impact of Alternative Certification in the Midwest. Policy Issues.
- Author
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North Central Regional Educational Lab., Naperville, IL. and Legler, Ray
- Abstract
This paper examines alternative teacher certification in the NCREL region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin), reviewing relevant literature, analyzing current Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) data, reviewing information on alternative certification programs in these states, and offering results from a survey of over 1,000 principals in the region regarding their experiences with alternatively certified teachers. Results suggest that alternative certification has had a fairly substantial impact on the region, even in states where legislation authorizing these programs is relatively new. Induction experiences of alternatively certified teachers are relatively similar to those of other new teachers. While principles rate a large majority of teachers from alternative certification programs as equal to or above other newly hired teachers in terms of quality, they rate the performance of slightly more than one-fourth of alternatively certified teachers below that of other new hires. Results find that alternative certification programs have only a small effect on the diversity of the region's teaching force, and most teachers hired from alternative certification programs have been retained at rates equal to those of other new hires. Recommendations include: accreditation for alternative certification programs, incentives and rewards for quality programs, and increased funding for research and evaluation. (Contains 19 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2002
32. Financing School Choice. School Finance Series.
- Author
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North Central Regional Educational Lab., Elmhurst, IL., Addonizio, Michael F., Addonizio, Michael F., and North Central Regional Educational Lab., Elmhurst, IL.
- Abstract
The five papers in this document first apply the criteria of adequacy, equity, efficiency, and liberty to financing school choice programs and then consider programmatic issues related to choice. Following an introduction by Suzanne Langston Juday entitled "Evaluating Education Finance Policy Decisions," section 1 consists of an overview by Patricia F. First on the policy questions surrounding school choice financing. Six choice plans are defined, and issues surrounding each program, such as the costs of transportation involved in magnet schools, are raised. Section 2 provides information about the provision for and funding of choice programs in the seven states of the North Central Region. Finally, three expert commentaries about financing school choice are presented in section 3. The commentaries are: "Fiscal Issues in Educational Choice," by Michael F. Addonizio; "A Commentary on Choice," by C. Philip Kearney; and "Financing School Choice," by Van D. Muller. Three tables and a chart are given. (15 references) (EJS)
- Published
- 1991
33. Perceptions Regarding Selected Educational Strategies Used by Extension Educators
- Author
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Kwaw-Mensah, David and Martin, Robert A.
- Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions that extension educators in the North Central region of the United States hold regarding selected educational strategies pertaining to livestock waste management education. Livestock waste management education has been recognized as one of extension's major initiatives in the United States. County extension educators' perceptions regarding the educational strategies for livestock waste management are lacking in the literature. Most importantly, how do perceptions of extension educators in the region influence the selection of teaching methods and tools for educating those responsible for livestock waste management? Design/methodology/approach: The authors developed and utilized a questionnaire with a Chronbach's alpha 0.75 mailed to 360 randomly selected extension educators from the North Central region. The response rate was 55.8% based on a total of 201 completed survey questionnaires. Early and late responses were compared using independent samples T-test. Analyzed data was summarized as the descriptive statistics of means, standard deviations and percentages of all variables of interest from the study and presented as tables. Findings: Extension educators who participated in this study were predominantly white males with a mean age of 47.2 years. The majority (68.2%) of respondents had agriculture and natural resources as their area of extension responsibilities. Respondents had positive perceptions regarding selected teaching methods and tools and believe that the teaching methods of demonstrations, individualized instruction, discussion, lecture-discussion and field days are effective for livestock waste management education. Very high intercorrelation result (r=0.706) exist between perceptions regarding the effectiveness of teaching methods and the effectiveness of teaching tools. Practical Implications: Extension educators' positive perceptions regarding selected teaching methods and tools have implications for in-service educational programming and staff development for extension educators in the North Central region to enhance their self-efficacy and improve self-confidence in the use of educational strategies for livestock waste management education. Originality/value: This paper is original and makes a compelling case for in-service training and professional development for extension educators in the North Central region.
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Preparing Future Teacher Leaders: Lessons from Exemplary School Systems
- Author
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Schrum, Lynne and Levin, Barbara B.
- Abstract
In this paper, we argue that teachers have an opportunity to take on leadership roles in technology-rich schools and districts. Based on data collected during a year-long project to investigate award-winning schools and districts, we used observations, interviews and focus groups, and document analysis to glean lessons learned from leaders and teachers. Teacher leaders emerged as a noticeable and important aspect of what we saw and heard. Therefore, we highlight ways teachers and leaders can work together to bring about school improvement and student achievement using technology as a key leverage point; in particular we suggest that teacher candidates should be prepared during their preparation programs to take on the role of teacher leader.
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Engaged Families, Effective Pre-K: State Policies That Bolster Student Success. Education Reform Series
- Author
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Pew Center on the States and Stark, Deborah Roderick
- Abstract
Family members are a child's first and most important teachers. A growing body of research demonstrates that when families are actively engaged in their child's learning, children are better prepared for school and achieve at higher levels. Increased participation by families in pre-kindergarten programs has also been linked to greater academic motivation and stronger social and emotional skills among all young children, regardless of ethnic and socioeconomic background. Through engagement with pre-k, parents and other family members develop a sense of collaboration in the educational process that can endure throughout a child's life, increasing the chances that their children will succeed and providing crucial support for school reform. Embedding family engagement practices in pre-k standards requires strong policy, dedicated resources and effective governance. States should also leverage existing investments by aligning involvement activities across early learning and the elementary grades, collaborating with Head Start and partnering with public schools and nonprofit organizations. This report explores the ways family involvement enhances high-quality pre-k. It also recommends actions policy makers can take to ensure that state programs help families establish a firm foundation of engagement in their children's learning when it matters most--in the early years of life. Appended is a chart that provides additional information about policies governing family engagement in state-funded pre-k programs and family representation on state early childhood advisory councils. (Contains 3 maps, 3 footnotes and 41 endnotes.) [Additional funding for this paper was provided by Picower Foundation.]
- Published
- 2010
36. The Economic Benefits from Halving the Dropout Rate: A Boom to Businesses in the Nation's Largest Metropolitan Areas
- Author
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Alliance for Excellent Education
- Abstract
Few people realize the impact that high school dropouts have on a community's economic, social, and civic health. Business owners and residents--in particular, those without school-aged children--may not be aware that they have much at stake in the success of their local high schools. Indeed, everyone--from car dealers and realtors to bank managers and local business owners--benefits when more students graduate from high school. Nationally, more than seven thousand students become dropouts every school day. To better understand the various economic benefits that a particular community could expect if it were to reduce its number of high school dropouts, the Alliance for Excellent Education (the Alliance), with the generous support of State Farm[R], analyzed the local economies of the nation's fifty largest cities and their surrounding areas. Using a sophisticated economic model developed by Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., an Idaho-based economics firm specializing in socioeconomic impact tools, the Alliance calculated economic projections tailored to each of these metro regions. These projections estimate the gross increase in important local economic factors such as individual earnings, home and auto sales, job and economic growth, spending and investment, tax revenue, and human capital based on two scenarios: (1) Reducing by half the number of local students from the Class of 2008 who failed to graduate with their class; and (2) Reducing by one thousand the number of local students from the Class of 2008 who failed to graduate with their class. This paper presents the findings for each of the forty-five metropolitan areas that together encompass the nation's fifty largest cities, as well as aggregated findings across these areas. These findings are powerful reminders that entire communities are impacted by the educational outcomes of their youth, and they underscore the notion that the best economic stimulus package is a high school diploma. Individual sections contain footnotes.
- Published
- 2010
37. A Perhaps 'Politically Incorrect' Solution to the Very Real Problem of Grade Inflation
- Author
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Martinson, David L.
- Abstract
Few would disagree that grade inflation is a major problem at colleges and universities across the country. In this article, the author argues that a significant contributing factor-perhaps the single most important factor has been the institution of the now almost universal practice of administering anonymous, multiple-choice student evaluations of instruction at the end of most courses. He argues that the process has been examined incorrectly from a short-term perspective--whether there is a correlation between the grades an instructor gives and instructor evaluations in a particular course. The problem must be addressed from a much broader academic cultural perspective.
- Published
- 2004
38. Dance Teacher Licensure: State by State Requirements.
- Author
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Koff, Susan and Richard, Byron
- Abstract
This paper presents state-by-state requirements for dance teacher licensure in the following states: Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Each listing includes information on address, telephone number, e-mail and/or Web site, and requirements for certification. (SM)
- Published
- 1999
39. Farm Crisis Response: Extension and Research Activities in the North Central Region.
- Author
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North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Ames, IA. and Lasley, Paul
- Abstract
The 12 states comprising the North Central Region have been affected in similar ways by the farm crisis of the 1980s. Statewide surveys show sizeable proportions of farm operations that are experiencing moderately high levels of financial stress. The problems caused by chronic stress on family structure and functioning, the loss of mainstreet businesses, and bank closing are felt throughout the region. The Cooperative Extension Agencies in the states have approached the problems in similar ways. They have developed new programs with long- and short-term efforts, and they have adapted existing programs with short-term or temporary activities and long-term commitments. Extension has been most heavily involved in developing new, relatively short-term programs such as the use of hotlines, crisis intervention teams, and bankrupcy or bank closing response teams. New, long-term programs include projects and research designed to achieve economic and agricultural diversification. The addition of resources to the existing farm management programs is a good example of an existing short-run program. Many existing, long-term Extension and research programs have been helpful in meeting immediate needs. This document provides 12 papers summarizing the farm crisis and programs designed to deal with it in each of the North Central states. Research needs are enumerated. (JHZ)
- Published
- 1986
40. Making Connections for a Great Lakes Information Highway: An Action Plan for the Great Lakes Governors.
- Abstract
Describes plans by the Council of Great Lakes Governors, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, to develop an information highway linking state governments, computer and research networks, telecommunications providers, and universities. Highlights include the Internet, electronic mail, and information servers. (LRW)
- Published
- 1994
41. Learning from Leaders: Welfare Reform Politics and Policy in Five Midwestern States.
- Author
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State Univ. of New York, Albany. Nelson A. Rockefeller Inst. of Government., Weissert, Carol S., Weissert, Carol S., and State Univ. of New York, Albany. Nelson A. Rockefeller Inst. of Government.
- Abstract
This book examines welfare reform, occasioned by the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which abolished Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and replaced it with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). It is based on research in Ohio, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan that included interviews with political and administrative leaders in state and local governments; review of state documents, contracts, reports, press releases, and other information on welfare reform; and detailed case studies of two local sites within each state. Chapters and authors are as follows: "Learning from Midwestern Leaders (Carol S. Weissert); "Welfare Reform Meets the Devolution Revolution in Ohio" (Charles F. Adams, Miriam S. Wilson); "Kansas Carves Out a Middle Ground" (Jocelyn M. Johnston, Kara Lindaman); "Wisconsin's W-2 Program: Welfare as We Might Come To Know It?" (Thomas Kaplan); "Minnesota's Balancing Act: Boosting Work Incentives and Job Readiness While Controlling Costs" (Thomas F. Luce, Jr.); "Michigan's Welfare Reform: Generous but Tough" (Carol S. Weissert); and "Concluding Comments: Welfare Reform and Governance" (Thomas L. Gais). An "About the Authors" section concludes the document. (KC)
- Published
- 2000
42. CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN LOCAL BUDGETING: Does Diversity Pay Dividends?
- Author
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Marlowe, Justin and Portillo, Shannon
- Subjects
CORPORATE finance ,BUDGET ,INTERGOVERNMENTAL tax relations ,RESOURCE management ,RESOURCE allocation ,DECISION making - Abstract
The literature on citizen engagement in budgeting suggests local governments can improve how they collect, interpret, and incorporate citizen input about resource allocation issues. However, at the moment, it is unclear whether that input, particularly from a more diverse citizenry, is more or less useful to managers. We address this question by examining how a variety of demographic and institutional factors affect manager perceptions of citizen engagement among a sample of 221 local governments in Michigan and Minnesota. The results suggest that the input managers perceive as useful tends to focus on community concerns rather than parochial concerns. We also find that community diversity associates with a clear trade-off, as managers in more diverse communities are more likely to perceive citizen input as focused on community-wide rather than parochial interests but less likely to view that input as useful in making budget decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Height growth modeling using second order differential equations andthe importance of initial height growth
- Author
-
Leary, R. A., Brand, G., Wolf, A., Burk, T., Nimerfro, K., Kolka, R., and Holdaway, M.
- Subjects
FOREST regeneration ,MODELING (Sculpture) ,TREE growth - Abstract
In a study of height growth patterns of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, we represented the height-age pattern using a second order ordinary differential equation with environmentally governed parameters. Solving a second orderdifferential equation that has been converted to a system of two first or equations requires knowledge of, or information on, initial conditions for both state variables, height and height growth. We used the natural boundary condition, h(t = 0) = 0. Initial conditions for the second state variable, height growth, were estimated when fitting the equations to observations. This paper reports our research to predict the initial height growth from stem analysis data, and to assessthe sensitivity of predicted height to differences in initial condition estimates. We found initial height growth to be the single most important 'parameter' to be estimated in our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1997
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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