bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Financial Crisis Not Wasted: Shift in State Power and Voucher Expansion
Authors: Sutton Lenford C. , King Richard A.
Published: September 2024

School choice advocates have long opposed what they perceive as the hegemony the public sector has on the education enterprise primarily because it contravenes free-market principles. They fervently believe that competition will compel all schools to improve and become more efficient if they must adapt to remain open. Voucher opponents argue that state governments should focus on the improvement of existing public schools and that large-scale attempts to privatize education are designed to destroy the public-education enterprise. Prior to 2011, the judiciary played a large role in determining the viability of a voucher program moving forward. Once the U.S. Supreme Court removed constitutional barriers to vouchers, lawmakers in several states used the recent economic downturn, a public call for increased fiscal responsibility, and a historical shift in political power during the 2010 midterm elections to advocate an expansion of vouchers and other alternatives to traditional public schools. This article chronicles the expansion of education choice—particularly voucher programs—by newly elected state legislatures in 2011 and captures the program’s departure from social justice to what appears to be pure political ideology.
Leaving Equity Behind?: A Quantitative Analysis of Fiscal Equity in Nevada’s Public Education Finance System
Authors: Verstegen Deborah A.
Published: September 2024

Over time, issues of justice and fairness in education finance have been addressed by the courts in all but five states. The key focus has been on illegitimate disparities in funding between rich and poor school districts caused by the happenstance of unequal local wealth. Recently, attention has turned to the relationship between funding gaps and the opportunity gaps that have real and important impacts on student outcomes. This research addresses finance equity by providing a comprehensive analysis of the State of Nevada’s public education funding system. Thus far, Nevada has not been the subject of a judicial decision nor has a comprehensive analysis of school finance equity been completed. Fifteen quantitative statistics, including univariate and bivariate measures, weighted for high-cost students, sparsity and district size, are calculated and discussed, to determine horizontal and vertical equity, as well as equal opportunity, in the Silver State. It was found that there are large gaps in funding among school districts and they are linked to local wealth. This makes the quality of education in Nevada a function of local wealth that abridges equal opportunities to learn and be successful for children and youth in schools and classrooms.
A School District Financial Condition Assessment System and its Application To Pennsylvania School Districts
Authors: Bruck W. Earl , Miltenberger Lauren
Published: September 2024

The funding of public education in America has been a primary concern for government officials at the federal, state, and local levels for several generations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, this expenditure accounts for the single largest allocation in most state and local government operating budgets (Stanley and French 2004). The Great Recession and its aftermath, has intensified the need for effective financial management strategies for school districts as the housing market has seen a significant drop in prices resulting in revenue losses in the form of unrealized real estate taxes. Therefore, the political and economic climate in Pennsylvania demands an easy to use tool to help school administrators and School Board members make effective financial decisions. With limited time and resources, public administrators and elected officials, need a tool that is both comprehensive and easy to use. Ken Brown’s 10 Point Test, first published in 1993, provides an example of such a tool. This tool was developed for local municipalities with populations less than 100,000. Therefore, some modifications were made to the test to apply it to school district finance. The model that we have developed offers only a comparative tool for the assessment of financial condition, but when applied to public school finances for school districts with identical regulatory restrictions (i.e., on a state by state basis) school administrators, and Board members, can use the results along with other criteria, to determine their district’s financial performance. We adapted Brown’s test to fit the requirements of school districts, and then average each district’s score over five years to provide a longitudinal component not seen in Brown’s methodology. When performed on an annual basis for all districts in a state, a chart of quartile limits can be provided to individual districts every year so that local decision-makers can see the effects of their actions even before they are made. It is important to note that this test is a measure of financial condition and just one factor of many that should be considered in the determination of financial health. Other factors, such as the presence of and adherence to a long range capital plan, infrastructure condition, presence and status of CBA’s and demographic/economic information all have an impact on overall financial health. The current economic environment, with the reductions in revenue and overall economic uncertainty for school districts, makes a system to determine the financial health of school districts essential for local school district leaders and state policymakers.
The Economic Analysis of University Participation Rates
Authors: Fallis George
Published: September 2024

Over the postwar period in most developed countries, the university participation rate has risen steadily to well over 30 percent, although there remain differences between countries. Students from lower income families have lower participation rates than those from higher income families.

The article provides an economic analysis of these patterns of participation using a model of the market for undergraduate education. The demand for undergraduate education is analyzed using a human capital model in which households choose whether to apply to university in seeking to maximize the present value of lifetime income. The supply of undergraduate education is analyzed using a model of universities as non-profit, multi-product organizations that seek to maximize the quality of undergraduate education produced and the quality of research published by faculty members. The production of undergraduate education is a customer-input technology in which the quality of the students, through peer effects, influences the quality of education produced. The long-run supply function depends upon government policies to finance universities. The market equilibrium depends upon government policy on tuition and the availability of qualified applicants to universities. For illustrative purposes, data and public policy from the province of Ontario, Canada, are presented and analyzed.

The article argues that the economic analysis of participation rates has overemphasized demand side variables; and that more attention should be paid to the supply decisions of universities and to government policies regarding the financing of universities and the setting of tuition levels.
High-Level Football and Appropriations to Universities: Are Sports-Crazed Representatives Responsive to NCAA Divisional Affiliation?
Authors: Jones Willis A.
Published: September 2024

Does fielding a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program help an institution of higher education obtain aid in the form of state appropriations? Two published studies have found some evidence of a positive correlation between having an FBS-level football program and the amount of appropriations received by public universities. This study looked to reexamine this relationship using the difference-in-differences estimation technique. Six institutions of higher education that transitioned from the Football Championship Subdivision to the FBS between 2000 and 2010 were the foci of this analysis. The findings suggest that relative to observationally similar institutions, moving to the FBS does positively correlate with state appropriations received.
Do Tax Revolt Provisions Influence Tuition and Fee Levels?: Evidence from the States using Recent Panel Data
Authors: Serna Gabriel R.
Published: September 2024

Previous research has shown that Tax Revolt Provisions (TRPs) aimed at limiting state government revenues and/or expenditures, negatively impact public higher education funding. This analysis explores the influence of these same types of policies on average in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities. Employing a data set spanning 13 years and using an econometric estimator appropriate for finite samples with time-invariant variables related to unit-effects, the findings indicate that TRPs matter, but not equally. Tax and Expenditure Limitations, regardless of provision type, share no discernible relationship with tuition and fees. Conversely, Supermajority requirements are associated with higher levels of tuition and fees by approximately 5.5% to 6.6%. The findings suggest that as policy-makers and researchers seek out the drivers of rising tuition and fees, it would be prudent to take into consideration both the role played by traditionally considered variables and that played by state fiscal policy as well.
Ask and Ye Shall Receive?: Automated Text Mining of Michigan Capital Facility Finance Bond Election Proposals to Identify which Topics are Associated with Bond Passage and Voter Turnout
Authors: Bowers Alex J. , Chen Jingjing
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this study is to bring together recent innovations in the research literature around school district capital facility finance, municipal bond elections, statistical models of conditional time-varying outcomes, and data mining algorithms for automated text mining of election ballot proposals to examine the factors that influence the probability of school districts in the state of Michigan passing or failing capital facility finance bond elections from 1998– 2014. Automated text mining is a data mining technique that identifies latent topics from a corpus of documents. We used an unsupervised correlated topic model to analyze the full text wording of all 1,210 school district capital facility bond election ballot proposals in Michigan over 16 years. The model identified 9 different latent topics across the bonds, including requests to purchase new buildings, renovations, and athletic facilities. Interestingly, equipment purchases appear to be a distinct category of bond proposal topics. We then examined the independent effect of the bond topics on the probability of passing the bond and voter turnout using modeling techniques and control variables from the recent literature. Bonds that focused exclusively on athletic facilities were 4.35 times less likely to pass than bonds that request new construction or omnibus ballot proposals. This work extends previous research to show that capital facility bond proposals that pass the most often include all facility needs in a single ballot proposal, are the first attempt at the polls, are at the top of the ballot, and request lower amounts of spending.
Follow the Money: On the Road to Charters and Vouchers Via the Educational-Industrial Complex
Authors: Swensson Jeff , Ellis John
Published: September 2024

abstract:
The ideology of cost effectiveness is altering the nature of American educational policy. The impact of this belief system is measured in the literature, and in practice, by following vast sums of private money. The public nature of fiscal policymaking in US education is transformed, and policymakers throughout the nation are mesmerized, by false promises and undelivered results camouflaged by cash. An overview of the factors fueling this transformation, and the lack of substantive improvement in achievement that accompanies it, are examined. Establishing the misdirection of dollars and educational outcomes inherent in traveling the road to the educational-industrial complex leads to the stipulation of policy directions necessary to restore the public nature of policy and fiscal responsibility for American education.
The Uncertainty of Policy Ambition: An Analysis of Key State Actor Perspectives on Seeking Equity Through Facilities Funding
Authors: Core Brandon H. , Torres Mario S.
Published: September 2024

abstract:
The purpose of the study was to broaden awareness of legislative intentions associated with a State’s facilities funding policy (Texas’ Instructional Facilities Allotment, IFA). Recognizing the politically contested nature of school funding, arguments in support and against investing in facilities appear equally replete. Be that as it may, some research indicates a link between students’ learning environment and the quality of education (Bowers and Burkett 1987; Cash 1993; Earthman and Lemasters 1998; Schneider 2002). A qualitative method was employed to gather insights and perspectives from key personnel having considerable knowledge about the drafting of the legislation. Interviews were conducted with state-level officials, leaders, and legislators, as well as those affiliated with the litigation that partly sparked its passage. Participant responses yielded two overarching themes concerning the legislative intents of the IFA: (1) the IFA had to be legally defensible; and (2) the IFA had to be socially responsible. The findings suggest legislators aimed to keep the state out of court or have a policy that would be considered constitutional should facilities funding be challenged again through litigation. In addition, respondents reported there appeared to be a general desire among legislators to act in a manner satisfying both moral responsibility and political obligation.
Beyond the Echo-Chamber: State Investments and Student Outcomes in U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education
Authors: Baker Bruce , Weber Mark
Published: September 2024

abstract: The goal of this article is to explore the heterogeneity of state investments in elementary and secondary education over the period from 1993 to 2013, evaluating both the level of funding over time and the extent to which funding is targeted to districts serving high-poverty populations. This paper then explores a) whether those levels and distributions of funding lead to changes in the levels and distributions of staffing across school districts by student needs, and b) whether the cross-state heterogeneity of funding and staffing resources is associated with heterogeneity of student outcomes. We find a) that states with greater overall investment in education and with more intensive staffing per pupil tend across the board to have higher outcomes for low-income students, and b) progressiveness of spending and staffing are consistently, positively associated with outcomes for low-income students. Additionally, states with more progressively distributed staffing have smaller achievement gaps across the board, and states with higher overall levels of staffing have smaller achievement gaps in 4th grade. Finally, increases in staffing levels are associated with higher achievement levels for low-income students’ in 4th grade reading and 4th and 8th grade math. Higher levels of staffing are also associated with reductions in achievement gaps and improvements to disparities in achievement across schools. Increased spending levels are associated with higher levels of low-income student achievement in 4th grade reading and 4th and 8th grade math and increased spending progressiveness associated with reductions in 4th grade achievement gaps. In other words, even short-run, minimally lagged changes in resource levels and distributions appear to influence student achievement, as measured by NAEP.
Interactions between Federal Academic Earmarks and State Funding for Higher Education: An Instrumental Variables Approach
Authors: Delaney Jennifer A.
Published: September 2024

abstract: This study considers the relationship between federal academic earmarks and three types of state spending for higher education – general appropriations, capital outlays, and student financial aid. Often referred to as “pork,” federal academic earmarks are both controversial and understudied. Using a unique panel dataset from 1990-2003, this study employs an instrumental variables approach based on Congressional committee representation to estimate the effect of federal academic earmarks on state spending for higher education. It does not appear that state policymakers trade off different types of spending for higher education following the receipt of federal academic earmarks. Instead, federal academic earmarks appear to have either neutral or complementary relationships with nearly all types of state spending for higher education. The effects are found to be robust to alternative specifications including analyses that incorporate time lags. Policy implications of these findings for institutional and state leaders are discussed.
Which Districts Get Into Financial Trouble and Why: Michigan’s Story
Authors: Arsen David , DeLuca Thomas , Ni Yongmei , Bates Michael
Published: September 2024

abstract:
Like other states, Michigan has implemented a number of policies to change governance and administrative arrangements in local school districts deemed to be in financial emergency. This paper examines two questions: (1) Which districts get into financial trouble and why? and (2) Among fiscally distressed districts, are there significant differences in the characteristics of districts in which the state does and does not intervene? We analyze factors influencing district fund balances utilizing fixed effect models on a statewide panel dataset of Michigan school districts from 1995 to 2012. We evaluate the impact of state school finance and choice policies, over which local districts have limited control, and local district resource allocation decisions (e.g., average class size, teacher salaries, and spending devoted to administration, employee health insurance, and contracted services). Our results indicate that 80% of the explained variation in district fiscal stress is due to changes in districts’ state funding, to enrollment changes including those associated with school choice policies, and to the enrollment of high-cost, special education students. We also find that the districts in which the state has intervened have significantly higher shares of African-American and low-income students than other financially troubled Michigan districts, and they are in worse financial shape by some measures.
Examining Inequities in Teacher Pension Benefits
Authors: Shuls James V.
Published: September 2024

From funding to teacher quality, inequities exist between school districts. This paper adds to the literature on inequities by examining the impact of pension plan formulas on pension benefits. Using data from the salary schedules of 464 Missouri school districts, this paper analyzes how various final average salary calculations would impact the benefits of teachers in different districts. All of the schools in this analysis belong to Missouri’s Public Employee Retirement System, which is a defined-benefit pension plan. A teacher’s benefit in this plan is based on her years of experience and her final average salary. The system uses a three-year final average salary calculation. This captures salaries when they are most inequitable, at the end of the schedule. When more years of service are used in the final average salary calculation, inequities in benefits are reduced, but not eliminated.
The Influence of Charter School Competition on Public School District Revenues across the U.S.
Authors: Jones Peter A.
Published: September 2024

abstract: Since Minnesota passed the first charter school law in 1991, charter schools have become one of the most prominent school reforms in the U.S. While charter schools educate a small portion of public school enrollments, their existence has prompted various responses from traditional public school (TPS) districts. This paper explores education finance implications for charter schools and their encompassing TPS districts. Using a dataset comprised of U.S. TPS districts over seventeen years, I examine the average TPS district's revenue response to the establishment of a charter school. Using geographic information system software to map charter school locations, I estimate the TPS district's revenue response to various measures of charter school competition. Results from the estimation suggest that as a charter school moved closer to the TPS district, revenues from local and state sources decreased. The effect size of charter school competition was marginal, however, and may reflect the variation in policy environments across states.
Efficiency vs. Sufficiency: Investigating the Implications of Competing Concepts in School Finance Litigation and Policymaking
Authors: Knoeppel Robert C. , Sala Matthew R. Della
Published: September 2024

abstract: The relationship between educational expenditures and student achievement is a debate that has taken place over the course of nearly four decades. Accordingly, some researchers have labeled this question the "holy grail" of school finance (Stiefel, Schwartz, Rubenstein, & Zable, 2005). Most scholars trace this debate to the publication of Equality of Educational Opportunity, or the Coleman Report in 1966. Succinctly stated, the Coleman Report found that schools do not significantly explain the variation in student achievement. Even the terms to define efficiency, sufficiency, adequacy, and achievement are cause for debate. Given the potential for stakeholders' different interpretations of these terms in school finance litigation and policymaking, the purpose of this paper is twofold: 1) to conceptually investigate different interpretations of efficiency as well as the potential unintended, and unjust, consequences that arise from using different notions of efficiency as a goal of public education; and 2) to explore the tensions between the broader goals of efficiency, equity, and adequacy in school finance litigation and policymaking. This study also sought to answer the following two research questions: 1) What combination and quantity of resources can be used to achieve efficient student performance outcomes after controlling for student demographic factors and 2) do differences exist in resource intensity for low and high poverty high schools? This paper focuses on resource allocation patterns in schools that are deemed to be efficient, using Data Envelopment Analysis, in an attempt to inform changes to resource allocation patterns in schools.
Do Financial Responsibility Scores Affect Institutional Behaviors?
Authors: Kelchen Robert
Published: September 2024

abstract: Each year, the U.S. Department of Education assigns all private nonprofit and for-profit colleges receiving federal financial aid dollars a financial responsibility score, which is designed to reflect an institution's overall financial stability. Yet no scholarly literature has examined financial responsibility scores or whether colleges respond to this high-stakes accountability policy. In this paper, I use data on financial responsibility scores from the 2006-07 through 2013-14 academic years to explore if colleges respond to not receiving a passing score on the financial responsibility test by changing their revenues, expenditures, or student enrollment. I find little evidence that colleges that did not pass the test changed their fiscal priorities in any meaningful way.
An Evaluation of Colorado School Per Pupil Equity Change and the Predictive Indicators for Reductions of K-12 Per-Pupil Revenue Within the Colorado School Finance Formula as a Result of the Application of the Negative Factor
Authors: Dallas William
Published: September 2024

abstract: The landscape of school finance in Colorado paints an interesting picture of the influence of legislative initiatives on the equity of school per pupil revenue. Colorado has a convoluted history of enacting legislative initiatives designed to influence the influx and distribution of state revenue, which has created an environment in which the financial health of the state is contingent upon it’s ability to enact reductions sizable enough to balance the budget. Prior to the Great Recession, Colorado enacted a series of legislative reform initiatives that have gridlocked the state’s ability to increase revenue and adversely impacted available funding for public school education. Amendment 23 was a legislative reform initiative designed to safeguard public education. However, following the economic downturn of the early 21st century, Colorado enacted HB 10-1369, also known as the Negative Factor (or Stabilization Factor). This piece of legislation legalized a reduction of funding to Colorado school districts and at the pinnacle of reductions funneled nearly $1 billion annually away from education. This research employs a series of economic models to evaluate per pupil equity prior to and post implementation of the negative factor, and to identify predictive indicators to the degree of reductions applied through the use of the negative factor. Results indicate not only that a decrease of vertical and horizontal equity has followed the implementation of the negative factor, but that predictive indicators buried within the state funding formula are contributing to an uneven distribution of the reductions resulting in the decreased equity levels.
The Effect of Reduced Support from State Government on Research in State Universities
Authors: Husted Thomas A. , Kenney Lawrence W.
Published: September 2024

abstract: Facing a 32% drop in state funding of higher education over the last decade, state universities are reluctant to raise tuition and, even if willing, many state governments have placed limits on how much tuition could be raised. If teaching and research are normal goods in the utility functions of university presidents, public universities must respond to this revenue loss by reducing their expenditures on teaching (e.g., having larger classes and less effective teachers who are paid lower salaries) and/or university research. As a result of these actions, faculty might get fewer grants and publish fewer articles. We find that state appropriations to public universities play a critical role in the production of university faculty research. A drop in state appropriations is accompanied by reductions in the number and value of NIH grants obtained by the university, probability that the university was in the top 120 getting money from the federal government, and number of publications by economists in the university.
The Great Recession, Fiscal Federalism and the Consequences for Cross-District Spending Inequality
Authors: Shores Kenneth , Steinberg Matthew P.
Published: September 2024

abstract: We examine the correlates of district spending and revenue losses following the onset of the Great Recession and the role of fiscal federalism in mitigating these losses. We estimate whether spending and revenue declines were driven primarily by local labor market conditions or the degree of state fiscal centralization. Utilizing population level data for all public-school districts in the continental United States and a difference-in-differences strategy that models pre-recession resource trends, we find that local labor market conditions explain district spending loss in the wake of the Great Recession; in contrast, the degree of centralization in a state's education finance system is uncorrelated with declines in total district spending. Resource poor districts located in states with greater state fiscal centralization were ill-equipped to offset district spending loss, and federal fiscal stimulus did little to mitigate—and, in some cases, exacerbated—differential declines in spending resulting from local labor market shocks. These findings highlight the potentially unintended role that fiscal federalism might play in widening district spending inequality in the wake of recessionary events.
Cost-Optimal School District Size in Pennsylvania: Comparing Cobb-Douglas Least Squares and Generalized Additive Model Estimation
Authors: Collins Gregory J.
Published: September 2024

abstract: School district consolidation has continued at a rapid pace in the United States, with one in every nine districts consolidating between 2000 and 2015 (Collins forthcoming). The stated aim of consolidation efforts is usually improved efficiency – growing larger to lower unit costs or improve student outcomes without spending more money (Callahan 1962). Economic theory on economies of size predicts that organizations may improve efficiency with size up to some optimal point, above which diseconomies set in and efficiency decreases (Rasmussen 2013). Least-squares Cobb-Douglas cost functions have been used to identify the optimal school district enrollment in the context of several states. This study builds upon the past research by using similar methods to estimate the optimal school district size in Pennsylvania and by comparing these results to estimates from a smoothed regression method called the generalized additive model (GAM). Findings from this study suggest the optimal school district size in Pennsylvania is between 6000 and 7000 students, with the opportunity for savings of $1000 or more per pupil in many of the smallest districts in the state. GAM estimates generally support the least-squares findings but reveal more nuance in the relationship between spending and student enrollment. These results are informative for policymakers considering mandatory consolidation and for future researchers who may benefit from the use of both parametric and semi-parametric methods.
The External Social Benefits of Higher Education: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications
Authors: McMahon Walter W.
Published: September 2024

abstract: This paper provides a conceptual framework for the articles that follow in this special issue by exploring how the external social benefits of higher education contribute to higher sustainable rates of per capita development of families and nations. It presents a fundamental rethinking of economic development that explains the major role of education, and of higher education and its relation to new ideas, as well as of education finance both intuitively and using a formal model. Empirical estimates of social externalities specific to higher education are summarized. The paper also develops guidelines for policies. It concludes that there is substantial underinvestment in higher education and that privatization of higher education finance has reached or exceeded its economic efficiency limits in the US and probably in England.
Mass Higher Education and its Civic Impacts in Portugal and Spain
Authors: Teixeira Pedro , Sá Carla , Cerejeira João , Figueiredo Hugo , Portela Miguel
Published: September 2024

abstract: One group of important higher education's external benefits are civic ones which include but transcend political participation. These include aspects such as greater trust in institutions or other individuals and the willingness to tolerate and accept differences per se or minority groups. These are particularly relevant in countries such as Portugal and Spain where democratic regimes are more recent. In this article, we analyze the relevance of mass higher education in Portugal and Spain by comparing groups within the same cohort that have different levels of education with older cohorts with different levels of education but who were born before the transition to democracy. The results show that higher education is a major factor contributing to stronger political and civic engagement, and to higher levels of trust and tolerance, and that its importance persisted despite the massive expansion in higher education. This should become a major part of the debate about rationales for public funding of higher education, especially in times of growing inequalities and tensions.
The Effect of Ethnic and Racial Diversity on School Funding across the Urban-Rural Divide
Authors: Berriochoa Kattalina M.
Published: September 2024

abstract: This paper examines the impact of ethnic and racial diversity on the public’s willingness to invest in public goods. Challenging the prevalent assertion that increasing diversity reduces support for investing in public goods, it argues that this relationship is substantially shaped by the context in which people live because demographic changes are highly localized. Comparing random and fixed effects models of school bond elections in Texas, the paper finds that increasing ethnic and racial diversity at the local level has mixed effects on school bond passage. While school bonds pass at higher rates in more diverse counties, increasing diversity within a county reduces bond rate passage. This effect is shaped by the type of place in that increasing diversity more negatively impacts the passage of school bonds in rural compared to urban counties. These results suggest that the effect of diversity varies across place warranting a localized approach to examining its relationship to public preferences for school funding.
Evaluating Indicators of College and University Financial Insolvency: Application of Bankruptcy Criteria to Nonprofits
Authors: LeClair Mark S.
Published: September 2024

abstract: The number of colleges and universities facing financial difficulty is rising rapidly, and the pressures upon these institutions will be exacerbated by the arrival of the "demographic cliff" (18 years out from the fall in birth rates during the 2008/09 economic downturn) in 2026/27. The Forbes annual financial ranking of academic institutions currently places nearly one-fifth of all schools in its bottom category. Unfavorable demographics, and the resulting increased competition for students, has caused rapidly rising tuition discounting. Institutions without significant endowments are being squeezed between tuition dependency and a need to offer competitive pricing. This paper draws upon bankruptcy models, utilizing ANOVA in this instance, to establish if measurable differences exist between the financials of a random set of colleges and universities and a group of institutions that subsequently failed. The results demonstrate that net revenues, size (enrollment), endowment and assets differ significantly between the two samples, indicating these are bellwethers of future risk of insolvency. The outcomes provide insights into why institutions fail, and with further refinement could determine what indicators are appropriate as early warning signals.
Teacher Compensation in a Changing Labor Market: Evidence from Michigan 2005-2015
Authors: Edwards Danielle Sanderson , Anderson Kaitlin P.
Published: September 2024

abstract: In the past decade, education reforms implemented high-stakes teacher evaluation, limited tenure protections, and restricted collective bargaining. Large increases in compensation may be needed to offset these losses in employment protections to attract and retain teachers. We test this hypothesis by examining the impact of a set of policy changes implementing teacher evaluation, tying teacher tenure to performance, and restricting collective bargaining on teacher compensation in Michigan. We also explore the extent to which exposure to charter school competition moderates the effects of these reforms due to the fiscal impacts of charter competition. We find no evidence that districts increased teacher compensation in response to these reforms that arguably removed substantial teacher protections. If anything, districts decreased teacher compensation. Our results also indicate that these effects did not vary with the amount of competition from charter schools.
Performance prediction of a closely spaced dual port dual-band silicon-graphene antenna with high isolation for THz wireless applications using a machine learning algorithm
Authors: Kumar Thakur Gopal , Kulkarni Shridhar , Kumar Lov , Jain Rakhee
Published: September 2024

This article explains the design and
optimization of a twin port silicon-graphene
radiator in the THz frequency
regime. The suggested
radiator’s primary attributes are: 1) a plus-formed slot
produces dual radiating mode (HEM11δ and HEM12δ) inside the ceramic; 2) the
presence of an absorber wall in between the twin port blocks the
radiation between the ports and raises the separation level to above
35 dB as well; 3) using a graphene sheet over ceramic
and metasurface (MS) provides the tunability in the proposed radiating
structure; and 4) machine learning procedures, i.e., ANN
and random forest, help to predict the expected S-parameters of the
planned antenna. Actual (HFSS/CST software) and projected values
(using the ML algorithm) confirm that the design radiator works
effectively in the twin working spectrum, i.e., 3.3–3.98 and
4.9–5.45 THz. A good value of the far-field and MIMO parameters
confirms its applicability in THz-built biomedical uses.
Refractive blur’s influence on discomfort glare perception from white LED headlights at night
Authors: Iizuka Tatsuya , Kawamorita Takushi , Ishikawa Hitoshi
Published: September 2024

This study examined the effects of refractive blur on discomfort perception caused by peripheral glare from white LED passing (low)-beam headlights at night. The study compared two levels of binocular blur (+0.50 diopter [D] and +1.00D) against a baseline of optimal refractive correction. Thirty participants (mean age 21.3±1.6 years; range 20–24 years) simulating a driving position assessed discomfort from glare sources (headlights of oncoming vehicles) located at 40 and 20 m distances using the de Boer scale. The study found that, with a blur of +0.50D, discomfort glare from white LED headlights did not significantly differ from the baseline regarding de Boer scores. However, with a blur of +1.00D, de Boer scores significantly decreased, indicating increased discomfort glare compared with the baseline for all distances (P=0.004). These results suggest that refractive blur may contribute to an increased perception of discomfort glare during nighttime driving.
Joint phase control in metasurfaces for optical convolution operations
Authors: Sheng Xiaohang , Zhou Shaodong , Gao Jingxiang , Zhang Ziyan , Wang Guifang , Zhuang Songlin , Cheng Qingqing
Published: September 2024

Combining the propagation and geometric phases in a metasurface facilitates the independent control of multiple parameters of the light field. However, the geometric phase often displays a random distribution, making it difficult to observe directly. We introduce a frequency-dependent phase response: at frequency f1, there is a superposition of the geometric and propagation phases, whereas at frequency f2, the propagation phase remains constant, and only the geometric phase is applied. The superposition can be interpreted as a convolution process in far-field Fraunhofer diffraction, enabling convolution metasurface devices to generate complex orbital angular momentum beams array and patterned array. Notably, the geometric phase aligns with the characteristic distribution of orbital angular momentum beams, allowing direct observation of the loaded geometric phase. These findings open what we believe to be new avenues for manipulating and calculating complex vector optical fields, optical information coding, controlling light-matter interactions, and enhancing optical communication.
Jointly polar-coded probabilistic shaping scheme based on many-to-one mapping in IM/DD optical DMT interconnection
Authors: He Hailian , Ming Jun , Song Junyuan , Mu Yujia , Tian Yucai , Li Zhipei , Gao Ran , Xin Xiangjun , Dong Ze
Published: September 2024

A joint channel coding and probabilistic shaping (PS) scheme is proposed and experimentally demonstrated in an intensity modulation and direct-detection optical discrete multi-tone (DMT) interconnection. The PS-32 quadrature amplitude modulation (PS-32QAM) is probabilistically reshaped from a 6-bit/symbol 64QAM signal based on polar-coded many-to-one (MTO) mapping, enabling a Gaussian-like symbol probability distribution without shaping or forward error correction redundancy. A bit-interleaved polar-coded modulation iterative decoding system based on joint QAM demapping and polar decoding is employed to retrieve the multi-labeled PS symbols. Experimental results indicate that the polar-coded PS-32QAM DMT signal achieves a 1.5-dB receiver power sensitivity improvement and a 2.71-dB fiber nonlinearity tolerance enhancement over 10-km standard single-mode fiber transmission.
Impact of occluder device configurations in in-silico left atrial hemodynamics for the analysis of device-related thrombus
Authors: Albors Carlos , Mill Jordi , Olivares Andy L. , Iriart Xavier , Cochet Hubert , Camara Oscar
Published: September 2024

Left atrial appendage occlusion devices (LAAO) are a feasible alternative for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at high risk of thromboembolic stroke and contraindication to antithrombotic therapies. However, optimal LAAO device configurations (i.e., size, type, location) remain unstandardized due to the large anatomical variability of the left atrial appendage (LAA) morphology, leading to a 4-6% incidence of device-related thrombus (DRT). In-silico simulations have the potential to assess DRT risk and identify the key factors, such as suboptimal device positioning. This work presents fluid simulation results computed on 20 patient-specific left atrial geometries, analysing different commercially available LAAO occluders, including plug-type and pacifier-type devices. In addition, we explored two distinct device positions: 1) the real post-LAAO intervention configuration derived from follow-up imaging; and 2) one covering the pulmonary ridge if it was not achieved during the implantation (13 out of 20). In total, 33 different configurations were analysed. In-silico indices indicating high risk of DRT (e.g., low blood flow velocities and flow complexity around the device) were combined with particle deposition analysis based on a discrete phase model. The obtained results revealed that covering the pulmonary ridge with the LAAO device may be one of the key factors to prevent DRT, resulting in higher velocities and reduced flow recirculations (e.g., mean velocities of 0.183 ± 0.12 m/s and 0.236 ± 0.16 m/s for uncovered versus covered positions in DRT patients). Moreover, disk-based devices exhibited enhanced adaptability to various LAA morphologies and, generally, demonstrated a lower risk of abnormal events after LAAO implantation.
Enabling preprint discovery, evaluation, and analysis with Europe PMC
Authors: Levchenko Mariia , Parkin Michael , McEntyre Johanna , Harrison Melissa
Published: September 2024

Preprints provide an indispensable tool for rapid and open communication of early research findings. Preprints can also be revised and improved based on scientific commentary uncoupled from journal-organised peer review. The uptake of preprints in the life sciences has increased significantly in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when immediate access to research findings became crucial to address the global health emergency. With ongoing expansion of new preprint servers, improving discoverability of preprints is a necessary step to facilitate wider sharing of the science reported in preprints. To address the challenges of preprint visibility and reuse, Europe PMC, an open database of life science literature, began indexing preprint abstracts and metadata from several platforms in July 2018. Since then, Europe PMC has continued to increase coverage through addition of new servers, and expanded its preprint initiative to include the full text of preprints related to COVID-19 in July 2020 and then the full text of preprints supported by the Europe PMC funder consortium in April 2022. The preprint collection can be searched via the website and programmatically, with abstracts and the open access full text of COVID-19 and Europe PMC funder preprint subsets available for bulk download in a standard machine-readable JATS XML format. This enables automated information extraction for large-scale analyses of the preprint corpus, accelerating scientific research of the preprint literature itself. This publication describes steps taken to build trust, improve discoverability, and support reuse of life science preprints in Europe PMC. Here we discuss the benefits of indexing preprints alongside peer-reviewed publications, and challenges associated with this process.
A risk-averse sustainable perishable food supply chain considering production and delivery times with real-world application
Authors: Shakuri Mahdieh , Barzinpour Farnaz
Published: September 2024

In recent years, a relatively novel paradigm known as sustainable development has been introduced in response to concerns regarding the adverse impact of industrial activities on the environment and society. Managers in the food sector have been attempting to incorporate the principle of sustainable development in their supply chains owing to the paramount importance of social and environmental considerations in creating a competitive advantage for food products. To this end, we propose a multi-objective linear mathematical model considering the three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. economic, environmental, and social, to design a sustainable food supply chain. Given today’s volatile business environment, we employ a robust optimization model by incorporating Conditional Value-at-Risk into the configuration of two-stage stochastic programming to tackle uncertainty and take up a risk-averse strategy in supply chain design. The model aims to identify the optimal production and delivery times of the products, investigate the effects of their perishability characteristic on inventory decisions, and assess the financial and environmental advantages of transportation decisions to improve the sustainability of logistics operations. A novel version of fuzzy goal programming approach is applied to solve the proposed model. Next, the applicability of the proposed model and its solution method is verified based on computational experiments on a real-world case study of a processed food company. Lastly, conflicts between the sustainability aspects are examined, and several sensitivity analyses on risk-aversion parameters are performed to provide managerial insights for industry executives seeking to optimize their network concerning sustainability issues and well-performance under worst-case scenarios.