ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Racial Equity and Opportunity in Metro Boston Job Markets
Author: McArdle, Nancy
Date: 2004-12-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Equal Education,Labor Market,Minority Groups,Racial Discrimination,Metropolitan Areas,Trend Analysis,Barriers,Occupational Surveys,Employment Opportunities,Educational Opportunities,Dropout Rate,Education Work Relationship,Employment Potential,Employment Practices,Social Justice

People of color make up a vital and growing part of Metro Boston's workforce, yet they face  substantial challenges in obtaining employment (especially in faster-growing and higher-paying sectors), in reaching locations of rapid job growth, and in earning a livable income. Latinos and blacks face the greatest hurdles, yet certain Asian populations struggle as well--especially those with less education and those working in the shrinking manufacturing sector or low-paying service jobs. Previous work by the Metro Boston Equity Initiative of The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University has examined the related challenges of segregated housing patterns and unequal educational opportunities faced by racial and ethnic minorities in Metro Boston. This paper takes the next logical step--exploring how segregated living patterns limit minority access to fast growing job areas and how unequal educational opportunities and high drop-out rates handicap minorities in a labor market where the gap between the economic returns to those workers with education and skills and those without is widening. The paper makes several recommendations to promote equity and opportunity for workers of color in Metro Boston. (Contains 16 exhibits and 37 footnotes.)
Organizing Family and Community Connections with Schools: How Do School Staff Build Meaningful Relationships with All Stakeholders? A Strategy Brief of the National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools
Author: Ferguson, Chris
Date: 2005-08-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Family School Relationship,School Community Relationship,Community Involvement,Family Involvement,Communication Strategies,School Activities,Educational Research

Twenty years of research on school performance has created a body of knowledge that grounds today's school improvement efforts and has resulted in a concise list of characteristics that are common to high-performing schools. As accountability becomes more and more important, educational leaders across the nation are actively attempting to foster these qualities in their schools: (1) A shared understanding of goals and expectations for all  involved in the school system; (2) High academic standards clearly defining what students  are to know and be able to do; (3) A strong cadre of leaders providing support for the goals  and expectations of the school and the school community; (4) Procedures for purposeful collection and analysis of data on students, programs, and staff; and (5) Strong relationships with family and community partners. Unfortunately, schools and districts commonly expend  most of their time and effort developing the first four qualities and neglect to build strong relationships with family and community. If school leaders desire to actively engage families in purposeful actions to support student learning, they need to design an effort that will provide parents with the tools and strategies to do this as well as work with them to insure  that they understand how to use these tools. This "strategy brief" examines proactive strategies schools can use to help them build strong relationships between school staff and families.
&quot;We Don't Feel Welcome Here&quot;: African Americans and Hispanics in Metro Boston
Author: Louie, Josephine
Date: 2005-04-25
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: African Americans,Neighborhoods,Racial Segregation,Metropolitan Areas,Minority Groups,Urban Areas,Racial Discrimination,Hispanic Americans,Ethnic Diversity,Social Attitudes,Social Bias,Equal Opportunities (Jobs),Housing,Racial Relations,Socioeconomic Influences,Public Opinion,United States History,Social History,Civil Rights

Racial discrimination is an ongoing reality in the lives of African Americans and Hispanics in Metro Boston. Although the region has experienced significant growth in racial and ethnic diversity over the past several decades, racial minority groups continue to struggle for full acceptance and equal opportunity. African Americans and Hispanics report persistent discrimination in the workplace, in seeking housing, and in their day-to-day encounters with other metro area residents. Large shares of African Americans and Hispanics say they feel unwelcome in marketplaces and residential communities throughout the region. Substantial shares believe that racial discrimination in Metro Boston is a serious problem. These sentiments arise within a region whose majority population may believe that racial discrimination is no longer a serious issue. In the mid-1970s, the city of Boston erupted in racial violence over the desegregation of its public schools. Since those turbulent times, thousands of racial and ethnic minorities have settled in the city and region. Growing diversity and the passage of time may have led to a sense among some area residents that the city of Boston's racial divisiveness is a relic of the past, and that the area's wells of racial intolerance have subsided. Although racial strife is nowhere near the levels of the 1970s, racial intolerance and racial inequality have not fully subsided. Instead, they have taken new forms and have moved across the region. As greater numbers of racial minorities have come to reside in the region's central and satellite cities, Whites have continued their decades-long migration to the farthest reaches of the outer suburbs. Metro Boston today is thus a deeply segregated region, and such segregation has had the effect of isolating many racial minorities in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty and severe social and economic distress. Within this context of significant racial inequality, perceptions of racial discrimination among the region's most disadvantaged groups--African Americans and Hispanics--remain very high. This finding emerges from a poll of over 400 African American and Hispanic adults in Metro Boston. (Contains 14 figures, 1 table and 125 footnotes.) [This research was supported by the Foley Hoag Foundation, the Hyams Foundation, and John Hancock Financial Services.]
Racial Segregation and Educational Outcomes in Metropolitan Boston. Metro Boston Equity Initiative. Issue Summary No.6
Author: Lee, Chungmei
Date: 2004-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Racial Segregation,Outcomes of Education,Disadvantaged Schools,Metropolitan Areas,Minority Groups,Poverty Programs,Public Policy,Achievement Gap,Social Justice,Equal Education

This report takes a look at the issues concerning racial segregation and educational outcomes in Metropolitan Boston. Despite the fact that metro Boston is overwhelmingly white, its public schools are highly segregated by race and language. Segregated minority schools in metro Boston are profoundly unequal, with high poverty levels, with lower shares of certified teachers, lower test scores, and lower high school completion rates. High segregation levels across metro Boston schools stem from decades of white flight to the suburbs, significant levels of residential segregation, and a highly fragmented system of school districts across the region. While segregation in the late 1960s was still largely an urban issue, it is now, increasingly, a metropolitan one. Policymakers should recognize and support existing policies that promote both intra- and inter-district school diversity. [For the executive summary, see ED489182.]
WWC Quick Review of the Report &quot;Effectiveness of Selected Supplemental Reading Comprehension Interventions: Impacts on a First Cohort of Fifth-Grade Students&quot;
Author: What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Date: 2010-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Reading Instruction,Intervention,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Curriculum Enrichment,Reading Achievement,Instructional Effectiveness,Reading Tests,Scores,Educational Research

The study, &quot;Effectiveness of Selected Supplemental Reading Comprehension Interventions: Impacts on a First Cohort of Fifth-Grade Students,&quot; examined the effects of four supplemental reading comprehension curricula: (1) Project CRISS (CReating Independence through Student-owned Strategies), (2) ReadAbout, (3) Read for Real, and (4) Reading for Knowledge. The study included over 5,500 fifth-grade students attending 89 schools in 10 high-poverty school districts. Within each of the 10 districts, schools were randomly assigned to one of four intervention groups that received one of the supplemental curricula or to a control group that received no supplemental curriculum. Student achievement was measured using two reading comprehension assessments: the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) and a social studies or science reading comprehension assessment developed for the study by the Educational Testing Service. Researchers also combined these scores into a composite test score. Students using the supplemental curricula did not score higher in reading comprehension than students who did not use these curricula. Students using the Reading for Knowledge curriculum scored lower than the control group on the composite test score and science comprehension, with effect sizes of -0.14 and -0.21, respectively. When all four intervention groups were combined, intervention group students scored lower than control group students on the GRADE and the composite test score (both effect sizes of -0.08.) The research described in this report is consistent with WWC evidence standards. This study was a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. [The following study is reviewed in this WWC quick review: James-Burdumy, S., Mansfield, W., Deke, J., Carey, N., Lugo-Gil, J., Hershey, A., Douglas, A., Gersten, R., Newman-Gonchar, R., Dimino, J., &amp; Faddis, B. (2009). &quot;Effectiveness of Selected Supplemental Reading Comprehension Interventions: Impacts on a First Cohort of Fifth-Grade Students&quot; (NCEE 2009-4032). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. This report may be found at ED505578.]
WWC Quick Review of the Report &quot;Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States&quot;
Author: What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Date: 2010-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Charter Schools,School Effectiveness,Attendance,Mathematics Achievement,Reading Achievement,Achievement Gains,Public Schools,Traditional Schools,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Scores,Comparative Analysis,Matched Groups,Educational Research

The study, &quot;Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States&quot; examined the effect of charter school attendance on annual student achievement growth in math and reading. The study analyzed data on a large sample of students in grades 1 through 12 who were attending charter schools and traditional public schools in 16 states. The study authors matched charter school students to similar students based on grade level, baseline test scores, subsidized lunch status, special education status, and demographic characteristics. The authors were able to match 84 percent of charter school students. The authors examined changes in standardized reading and math test scores from one school year to the next. They estimated effects by comparing the test score changes of charter school students to those of matched students attending traditional public schools. The study found that charter school students' reading and math test score growth was slightly lower than the test score growth of similar students attending traditional public schools. These differences were small, equivalent to moving a student from the 50th to the 49th percentile in math and less than that in reading. The study also found substantial variability in charter school performance; students in nearly one-fifth of the charter schools had higher test scores than students in traditional schools in the same education market while students in nearly one-third of the charter schools had lower test scores than students in traditional schools in the same education market. The WWC has reservations about these results because charter students may have been different from traditional public school students in ways not controlled for in the analysis. [The following study is reviewed herein: Center for Research on Education Outcomes. (June 2009). &quot;Multiple choice: Charter school performance in 16 states.&quot; Stanford, CA: Author.]
How Much Does the 24 Game Increase the Recall of Arithmetic Facts?
Author: Eley, Jonquille
Date: 2009-12-14
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Grade 6,Arithmetic,Educational Games,Recall (Psychology),Mathematics Instruction,Computation,Mathematics Skills,Problem Solving,Homework,Mathematics Tests,Mathematics Achievement,Cooperative Learning

Sixth grade students come to MS 331 with strong mathematics backgrounds from elementary school. Nevertheless, students often come with a dearth of skills when performing basic math computations. The focus of this study is to investigate the use of the 24 Game in quickening the ability of sixth graders to perform basic computations. The game reinforces skills along with strategy when finding correct solutions. Students practiced the 24 Game largely on homework assignments and to a lesser extent, during instructional time. Students were measured on their ability to compute arithmetic facts on one minute assessments. Each class showed positive growth as the rigor of the quizzes increased due to 24 Game exposure after three weeks. Students who practiced the 24 Game most frequently on their homework scored the highest. Non-participants on average scored lower than participants. The 24 Game creates cooperation, stamina, and excitement through problem-solving. The speed and accuracy of arithmetic skills for sixth grade students improved through the study period. (Contains 5 footnotes.)
Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Learning: Teacher Case Studies on the Impact of NLP in Education
Author: Carey, John
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Neurolinguistics,Teacher Researchers,Action Research,Case Studies,Concept Mapping,Program Effectiveness,Literature Reviews,Evidence,Classroom Environment,Context Effect,Faculty Development,Classroom Techniques

This research paper reports on evidence from 24 teacher-led action research case studies and builds on the 2008 CfBT Education Trust published paper by Richard Churches and John West-Burnham &quot;Leading learning through relationships: the implications of Neurolinguistic programming for personalisation and the children's agenda in England&quot;. The current research focused on two gaps in the research  literature: (1) The absence of any formal and systematic literature review of evidence in relation to the impact and use of NLP in education; and (2) The lack of any substantive teacher-led and classroom-based action research in this area. Teachers followed the Teacher Learning Academy framework in designing and implementing their research--a framework that CfBT Education Trust was closely involved in the development of. All of the case studies demonstrate significant impact in relation to teacher development, with many demonstrating positive impacts on pupil learning outcomes. The paper also contains the first systematic and comprehensive literature review of research evidence into the impact of NLP in education and discusses the content of 111 papers and references including quantitative and qualitative research evidence. The majority of published work was found to be supportive of the use of NLP in schools and education although, as the authors point out, this should only be considered as an interim finding because of the wide range of methods used and variations in the quality of some of the research. Two appendixes are included: (1) The evidence about the use of NLP in education--a review of the literature (continuation and detailed evidence and discussions); and (2) The 24 teacher case study write-ups. Also provided is a glossary for the areas of NLP that were the focus of the various case studies.(Contains 12 footnotes and 4 tables.) [Foreword by John West-Burnham. This report was published by the CfBT Education Trust.]
A Snapshot of Homelessness in Massachusetts Public High Schools: 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Massachusetts Annual Homeless Enrollment Data
Author: Massachusetts Department of Education
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Homeless People,Federal Legislation,Disadvantaged Youth,At Risk Students,Enrollment Trends,Educational Legislation,Housing,Student Mobility,Interpersonal Relationship,Student Experience,Social Influences,High School Students,Adolescents,Emergency Shelters,Special Needs Students,Nutrition,Child Health,Substance Abuse,Safety,Sexuality

Data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Education (Department) during the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) suggest that, despite significant efforts to identify homeless students, many are going undetected by their schools. Since the reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Education Improvement Act under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Office for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and service providers for homeless children and families have been interested in knowing how many students in the Commonwealth are homeless. In the 2005 YRBS, the Department included a housing question for the first time. The YRBS not only provides an estimate of how many homeless students the schools can expect to educate but also sheds some light on the life experiences of those students. These youth move frequently, attend multiple schools, are often out of school for extended periods--resulting in wide educational gaps. Their ties to communities and extended families are disrupted, and relationships with peers and adults are broken. The YRBS data cannot determine whether risk behaviors or limited access to protective factors are the cause or consequence of homeless, but they do shine a spotlight on the struggles of many homeless students trying to access and succeed in school. (Contains 13 resources.)
Report to the Legislature on School Redesign: Expanding Learning Time to Support Student Success. Line-item 7061-9412
Author: Massachusetts Department of Education
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Subjects: Educational Change,Grants,School Schedules,Academic Achievement,School Districts,Budgets,Program Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Time Factors (Learning),Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,High Schools,Enrichment Activities,Educational Opportunities,Planning

The &quot;Report to the Legislature on School Redesign: Expanding Learning Time to Support Student Success&quot; is submitted to the Legislature pursuant to Chapter 61 of the Acts of 2007, Section 2, line item 7061-9412. The School Redesign: Expanded Learning Time (ELT) initiative began in FY 06 when planning grants were first included in the state budget. ELT planning grants are intended to support districts' activities in planning for longer school days, a longer school year, or both, as part of a redesign strategy to raise student achievement. The FY 08 state budget included a $13 million appropriation for ELT. Currently 18 schools in eight districts are operating redesigned schools with expanded learning time. Four of the five districts that participated in the first year of the initiative expanded the number of redesigned schools in the district in year two. Three districts are new to the ELT initiative this year. The Department has contracted with Abt Associates of Cambridge to conduct an evaluation of ELT in a three-year study that is being conducted as two interrelated parts--a planning and implementation component that explores the early decision-making phases and subsequent execution of ELT programs in the funded districts and schools, and an outcomes component that examines the outcomes of ELT for districts, schools, teachers, and students. Ultimately, the implementation and outcomes components will be linked to determine if the approaches to implementation are related to the outcomes achieved. The Abt analysis of the implementation and early outcomes data rendered notable findings, some of which are noted in this report. (Contains 3 footnotes.)
Preliminary Report on Current Fiscal Conditions in Massachusetts School Districts
Author: Massachusetts Department of Education, Office of Strategic Planning, Research, and Evaluation
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: State Aid,Educational Finance,Educational Change,School District Spending,School District Wealth,Performance Factors,Expenditures,Change Strategies,Health Insurance,Demography,Expectation,Special Education,Research Reports,Financial Needs,School Funds

Over the past decade and a half, the Commonwealth has moved steadily to increase expectations on school districts, schools, teachers, and students to meet the demands of a global economy. It has also added fiscal resources to support reaching these expectations, increasing state aid for education by almost 11 percent per year throughout the 1990s. Recent fiscal challenges at the state level, however, coupled by rising fixed costs and shifting enrollment patterns for districts, have combined to create substantial challenges for districts in sustaining the momentum of education reform. This initial investigation found that: (1) Academic expectations and challenges have risen, but spending on instructional services has not kept pace; (2) On average, districts spend 18 percent more than their foundation budget, and nearly every district in the state is spending over foundation; (3) Chapter 70 aid increases did not keep up with inflation between 2003 and 2006; (4) Despite the Chapter 70 aid cutbacks, many districts were able to maintain their overall spending levels, but only by increasing local funding, and, to a much lesser degree, imposing user fees for transportation and extracurricular activities; (5) A number of districts have experienced enrollment declines, which can have both a positive and negative fiscal impact; and (6) Districts have employed a variety of strategies to maintain services for students despite constraints in their instructional budgets. In summary, at a time when districts need to be moving forward quickly to address their students' growing educational needs, they are hard-pressed to maintain their expenditure levels, let alone increase them to meet higher expectations. And unlike the situation in the late 1980s, when school budget cuts were disproportionately affecting the poorer urban districts, today's fiscal pressures appear to be affecting a much broader range of districts, including many middle-class communities that have traditionally taken great pride in the quality of their school systems. (Contains 9 footnotes, 10 tables, and 4 figures.)
40 Years of SEDL's Building Knowledge to Support Learning. SEDL Letter, Volume XVIII, Number 3
Author: Blair, Leslie Asher, Ed.
Date: 2006-12-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Educational Development,Reading Programs,Reading Instruction,Educational Research,Program Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,After School Programs,Educational History,Curriculum Development,Politics of Education,Federal Government,Laboratories,Regional Programs,Family Involvement,Technical Assistance,Educational Quality,Equal Education,Disabilities

This issue celebrates Southwest Educational Development Laboratory's (SEDL's) history and touches upon new work. This issue includes an article on the need for educators to have access to relevant, high-quality research findings and to be able to apply those findings to their local settings. It also discusses briefly the three randomized controlled trials that SEDL is monitoring to examine the effectiveness of certain types of reading programs in afterschool settings. (Contains a bibliography.)