ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Opportunities for High School Improvement
Author: Rutenberg, David
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: High Schools,Educational Change,Federal Legislation,State Government,School Districts,Cooperative Planning,Educational Finance,Resource Allocation,Educational Improvement,Educational Quality,Financial Support,At Risk Students,Faculty Development,Assistive Technology,Special Needs Students,Disabilities,Grants,English (Second Language),College Preparation,Academic Standards,Teacher Qualifications,Low Achievement,Educational Technology,Homeless People

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) creates a unique opportunity for states, districts, and high schools to work in concert on behalf of high school students. Generally, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds are not intended to create new programs; rather, the majority of the funds are intended to fill gaps in existing programs and to provide general education funds to states. One of the guiding principles of ARRA is that the funds are to be distributed quickly. As a result, states will be looking for guidance on how they should spend down these funds in a quick yet responsible manner that is effective in supporting high school improvement initiatives that are evidence-based and effective. In accordance with ARRA's other goal of creating long-term financial stability, high school initiatives should be framed in economic terms that will resonate at the local, state, and federal levels. This document is intended to give a brief overview of the major provisions of ARRA that may be used for funding high school improvement initiatives. It highlights suggestions made by the Department of Education on ways in which the funds may be spent and provides best practices and resources related to these suggestions. (Contains 4 tables.)
Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Dropping Out: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet
Author: Gourley, Becca
Date: 2009-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Behavior Problems,Substance Abuse,Dropout Prevention,Emotional Disturbances,Mental Health Programs,Dropout Characteristics,High School Students,Academic Persistence,Intervention,Behavior Modification,Student Participation,Attendance Patterns,Academic Achievement,School Health Services,Barriers,Financial Support,At Risk Students

This fact sheet is intended to provide a snapshot of the current issues surrounding dropout factors among students who are identified with emotional disturbance, as well as to provide mental health resources that may assist this population to remain in high school. The statistics presented in this document highlight both the importance of addressing mental health in high schools and the long-term consequences of untreated mental illnesses. Many of the same supports and interventions currently used for dropout prevention--including behavioral support interventions, school connectedness, and personalization strategies--may also address the isolation that students with mental illnesses may feel. Significantly more research is needed to determine how schools can best help students suffering from mental illness, but improving diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in youth will help improve academic achievement and lessen absenteeism, substance abuse, and behavior problems (Jennings, Pearson, & Harris, 2000). According to the Center for Mental Health Services' Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, some of the basic keys to improving mental health services include eliminating disparities and fostering cultural and linguistic barriers, establishing effective service delivery models, and collaborating with other child and family service agencies. (Contains 1 exhibit.)
State Report Card, 2007-2008
Author: Arizona Department of Education
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Report Cards,Grade 8,Grade 7,Grade 6,Grade 5,Grade 4,Grade 3,Mathematics Achievement,Writing Achievement,Reading Achievement,Science Achievement,High School Students,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Federal Legislation,Accountability,Educational Improvement,Achievement Gains,Graduation Rate,Attendance Patterns,Teacher Qualifications,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Racial Differences,African American Students,White Students,Hispanic American Students,American Indians,Disadvantaged Youth,Low Income Groups,Limited English Speaking,Migrants

The tables presented in this document show the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) results for the past two years. Twenty-four tables show results as percent at each performance level and percent passing, as well as percent of students tested. The tables shown in this document include: (1) Mathematics Grade 3; (2) Reading Grade 3; (3) Writing Grade 3; (4) Mathematics Grade 4; (5) Reading Grade 4; (6) Writing Grade 4; (7) Science Grade 4; (8) Mathematics Grade 5; (9) Reading Grade 5; (10) Writing Grade 5; (11) Mathematics Grade 6; (12) Reading Grade 6; (13) Writing Grade 6; (14) Mathematics Grade 7; (15) Reading Grade 7; (16) Writing Grade 7; (17) Mathematics Grade 8; (18) Reading Grade 8; (19) Writing Grade 8; (20) Science Grade 8; (21) Mathematics High School; (22) Reading High School; (23) Writing High School; and (24) Science High School. The remainder of the tables focus on: NCLB Federal Accountability School Improvement Status; School and District Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); Statewide Four-Year Graduation Rates; Average Daily Attendance Rates; AZ LEARNS--State Accountability; and Highly Qualified Teachers 2007-2008. Status definitions for Title I schools identified for improvement and profile definitions for AZ LEARNS--State Accountability are provided.
Word Up: Using Spoken Word and Hip Hop Subject Matter in Pre-College Writing Instruction.
Author: Sirc, Geoffrey
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Creative Writing,Teacher Surveys,Classrooms,Literacy,Popular Culture,Music,Teaching Methods,Secondary School Teachers,High School Students,Language Usage,Public Schools,Student Research,Urban Schools,College Preparation,Student Motivation,Reading Instruction,Writing Instruction,Outreach Programs,Art Activities,Dance,Creative Teaching,Faculty Development

In June 2008, the Department of English at the University of Minnesota partnered with the Minnesota Spoken Word Association to inaugurate an outreach literacy program for local high-school students and teachers. The four-day institute, named "In Da Tradition," used spoken word and hip hop to teach academic and creative writing to core-city high-school students. In addition, high-school teachers writing and researching alongside the students witnessed an instructive model for utilizing the subject in their public-school classrooms, both for creative writing and academic research projects. The Institute focuses on the history, significance, pedagogy, and performance of spoken word and hip hop in order to encourage literacy, to inspire core-city high-school students to work toward postsecondary education, and to expand upon ideas of what is possible both in academic scholarship and in creative writing. This article reports on outcomes from the institute. As several  teacher survey respondents noted, hip hop culture is youth culture. Engaging with it engages students who may otherwise be uninterested in reading and writing. (Contains 3 footnotes.)
Students' Suggestions for Improving Their Vocational Education and Training Experience. Occasional Paper
Author: Misko, Josie
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Vocational Education,Student Attitudes,Surveys,Teaching Methods,Learning Processes,Educational Improvement,Educational Facilities,Rating Scales,Foreign Countries,Relevance (Education),Course Content,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Services,Instructional Materials,Educational Resources,Classification,Responses

An analysis of student verbatim responses in the Student Outcomes Survey provides suggestions for how the vocational education and training (VET) system could be improved. Eight major domains are discussed: course relevance and design; staff attributes and behaviours; teaching and learning practices; access to courses; facilities and services; assessment practices; learning resources; equipment and materials; initial information provision; and administration and learning support services. Aspects of training questions are appended. (Contains 11 tables and 6 footnotes.) [For Support Document, see ED507620.]
Code Book for Student Outcome Survey 2006 (Student Suggestions) Confidentialised Unit Record File. Support Document
Author: Misko, Josie
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Data Collection,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Educational Improvement,Outcomes of Education,Classification

This booklet provides details on the codes used to classify the verbatim suggestions for improvement made by students in their responses to the Student Outcomes Survey as well as the codes for various types of demographic information, and responses to questions about how students evaluate their training. These verbatim suggestions represent a random sample of responses to the Student Outcomes Survey. Students are able to make up to three suggestions for improvement and these have been classified according to what the authors have called sub-domains and major domains. Sub-domains try to capture as closely as possible the specific detail of the suggestion while the major domain categorises the specific details into key themes. The authors indicate the various sub-domain and major domain variables, descriptions and umbrella categories in the next section of the report. They enable students to provide three suggestions which are coded to sub-domains and major domains. In one case only they allow a fourth suggestion because it relates to the type of facilities that students find lacking. They start off by providing descriptions of what each column in the database contains. This includes the column reference, the variable name and the data codes for each of the numeric variables. In the domain mapping section they provide descriptions of the variables used for sub-domains and major domains. [This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report &quot;Students' suggestions for improving their VET experience.&quot; For the main report, see ED507619.]
Arizona FFY 2005-2010 State Performance Plan for Special Education. FFY 2007 Revision
Author: Arizona Department of Education
Date: 2009-02-01
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Student Rights,Sanctions,Disabilities,Special Education,At Risk Students,Special Needs Students,State Standards,Compliance (Legal),Access to Education,Educational Improvement,Parent Participation,Surveys,Conflict Resolution,Graduation Rate,Dropout Rate,Suspension,Expulsion,Student Participation,Student Placement,Preschool Children,Outcomes of Education,Racial Differences,Disproportionate Representation,Racial Bias,Ethnicity,Student Evaluation,Transitional Programs,High School Students,Individualized Education Programs,Scores,Federal Legislation

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 established a requirement that all States develop and submit to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) a performance plan designed to advance the State from its current level of compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements of the law and to improve the educational and functional outcomes for children with disabilities. The State plan must encompass baseline data, projected targets, and activities to achieve those targets. The State is required to submit an annual report in the years following the submission of the performance plan to inform OSEP and the public on the progress toward meeting those goals. This document fulfills the first step of that process--the State Performance Plan (SPP). Arizona revised the State Performance Plan in conjunction with the submission of the FFY 2007 Annual Performance Report (APR) due February 2, 2009. Targets, improvement activities, timelines, and resources were reviewed with stakeholder involvement. Some improvement activities were discontinued, with justification, and new improvement activities submitted with the FFY 2007 APR. The definition of significant discrepancy for suspensions/expulsions was revised, as was the definition of disproportionate representation as it pertains to Indicators 9 and 10. The description of the Dispute Resolution System pertaining to resolutions and due process was modified regarding mutually agreeable resolutions and a one-tiered due process system. Also modified was the description of the type of letters sent to PEAs when noncompliance is identified in a State administrative complaint (under the section titled Incentives, Sanctions, and Enforcement). Attachments include: (1) Sample Parent Involvement Survey; (2) Dispute Resolution Data; and (3) List of Acronyms. (Contains 14 tables, 5 figures, 45 footnotes, and 3 attachments.) [This report was produced by the Educational Services and Resources Division, Exceptional Student Services (ESS), Arizona Department of Education and was submitted to the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.
Educating English Language Learners at the High School Level: A Coherent Approach to District- and School-Level Support
Author: National High School Center
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Instructional Development,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Academic Achievement,High School Students,Educational Strategies,Teaching Methods,Public Officials,Principals,School Districts,High Schools,Educational Assessment,Educational Environment,Teaching Skills,Teacher Effectiveness,Student Needs,Teacher Evaluation,Interviews,Immersion Programs,Academic Standards,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Student Evaluation,Language Proficiency,Limited English Speaking,Bilingual Education Programs

This practitioner issue brief outlines successful strategies and recommendations for state-level policymakers, administrators, schools, and districts that are based on a 5-year evaluation study on the learning environment for ELLs in the state of California. This brief offers four critical building blocks that should be in place to effectively educate ELLs: implementing a well-defined, rigorously structured plan of instruction; ensuring that teachers are skilled in addressing the needs of ELLs; systematically using data to assess teaching and learning; and regularly adjusting instructional planning on the basis of student performance. The brief also includes a list of ten tips from the successful principals interviewed for this study and a snapshot of Valley High School, an exemplary school that made strides in  keeping English language learners in school and engaged in learning at high levels. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Transforming Education: Enabling Learning for All Arizona Students. The Arizona Long-Range Strategic Educational Technology Plan
Author: Johnson, Christopher G.
Date: 2009-04-27
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Policy,Technology Planning,School Districts,Instructional Materials,Educational Technology,Politics of Education,Leadership,Labor Force Development,Strategic Planning,Access to Computers,Instructional Leadership,Professional Development,Educational Administration,Boards of Education,State Departments of Education,Computer Uses in Education,Technology Integration,Higher Education,Preservice Teacher Education

The purpose of The Arizona Long-Range Strategic Educational Technology Plan is to map the future of the &quot;education support systems&quot; necessary for Arizona's children to succeed in today's world. The plan details goals and strategies for policy makers, the State Board of Education, the State Department of Education, Institutions of Higher Education, Local Education Agencies, and the community at large. It makes strategic recommendations in four interrelated areas that are necessary for the success of all Arizona Learners in assessing up-to-date instructional materials, strategies, and support. These areas are: Student Learning, Leadership, Preparation and Development of Professionals, and Infrastructure. Appended to this report are summaries of recommendations for State Leadership, the State Board of Education, the Arizona State Department of Education, the Local Education Agencies, Higher Education, and to the Community. Also appended are Technology Success Stories, Planning Process, Title II-D Addendum, History of Technology Planning in Arizona, and Historical Context for the Educational Use of Technology in Arizona. (Contains 3 figures, a glossary, and a list of organizations referenced.)
Measurement Theory in Language Testing: Past Traditions and Current Trends
Author: Salmani-Nodoushan, Mohammad Ali
Date: 2009-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Generalizability Theory,Testing,Language Tests,Item Response Theory,Language Proficiency,Test Reliability,Test Theory,Item Analysis,Trend Analysis

A good test is one that has at least three qualities: reliability, or the precision with which a test measures what it is supposed to measure; validity, i.e., if the test really measures what it is supposed to measure;  and practicality, or if the test, no matter how sound theoretically, is practicable in reality. These are the sine qua non for any test including tests of language proficiency. Over the past fifty years, language testing has witnessed three major measurement trends: Classical Test Theory (CTT), Generalizability Theory (G-Theory), and Item Response Theory (IRT). This paper will provide a very brief but valuable overview of these trends. It will then move onto a brief consideration of the most recent notion of Differential Item Functioning (DIF). It will finally conclude that the material discussed here is applicable not only to language tests but also to tests in other fields of science. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.) ["Journal on Educational Psychology" is published by i-manager.]
An Exploration of the Effectiveness of SIS in Managing Student Performance
Author: Ngoma, Sylvester
Date: 2009-12-15
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Academic Achievement,School Administration,Information Systems,School Districts,Student Records,Questionnaires,Databases,Computer Uses in Education,Internet,Public Schools,Access to Information,Surveys,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Grades (Scholastic),Parent Participation,Student Participation,Computer Mediated Communication

The use of Student Information Systems (SIS) to enhance school administration and manage student performance in K-12 education has received increased attention in recent years. As SIS become more integrated operational tools in schools, many school districts have to make decisions about the extent to which SIS affects student achievement and about the most appropriate SIS to adopt. Although many school districts are implementing Student Information Systems (SIS), there is little empirical evidence about whether SIS use can improve student performance. This article seeks to contribute to explicit understanding of the effectiveness of SIS within the context of K-12 education. It examines the effectiveness of one specific SIS--NCWISE--used in several hundreds of schools in the state of North Carolina in the United States. Questionnaire is appended. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)
Supporting Adolescent Literacy Achievement. Issue Brief
Author: Berman, Ilene
Date: 2009-02-25
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Emergent Literacy,Literacy Education,Adolescents,Educational Policy,State Government,Government Role,Reading Motivation,Teacher Expectations of Students,Planning,School Districts,Teacher Competencies,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,College Preparation,Job Skills,State Programs,Local Government,Intervention,Content Area Reading,Academic Standards,Faculty Development

This brief enhances recommendations and policy strategies from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) publication "Reading to Achieve: A Governor's Guide to Adolescent Literacy". It reflects lessons from recent research and best practices from states selected to receive NGA Center support to develop statewide K-12 literacy plans. These plans build upon states' early literacy (kindergarten through third grade) approaches by adding components to support adolescent literacy (fourth grade through twelfth grade). Consistent with the governor's guide developed by the NGA Center Adolescent Literacy Advisory Panel, this brief recommends five policy strategies and provides examples of steps states can take to improve adolescent literacy: (1) Build support for a state focus on adolescent literacy; (2) Raise literacy expectations across the curriculum; (3) Encourage and support school and district literacy plans; (4) Build educators' capacity to provide adolescent literacy instruction; and (5) Measure progress in adolescent literacy at the school, district and state levels. (Contains 58 endnotes.)
Achieving Excellence at Scale: State Support for High-Performing Charter School Expansion. Issue Brief
Author: Bloomberg, Laura
Date: 2009-04-15
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Charter Schools,Public Education,Educational Opportunities,Educational Quality,School Expansion,Barriers,Low Income,Performance Contracts,Measures (Individuals)

In communities nationwide, public charter schools are meeting the growing demand for high-quality education opportunities. This is especially true in communities with underperforming public district schools that are not meeting the academic needs of students, including poor and minority students. Forty states and the District of Columbia have laws allowing for fiscally independent, tuition-free charter schools that operate under a performance contract. Today more than 1.2 million students attend the more than 4,300 charter schools established since the first state charter law was enacted in 1991. Yet many students and their families are denied access to quality charter school options because of limits placed on the development of new charter schools or expansion of existing high-performing charter schools. While not every charter school is successful, the charter movement has produced several outstanding schools that consistently demonstrate high levels of academic growth and success for all their students, regardless of race or family income. Given these exemplary models and the increased demand for high-performing charter schools, many state policymakers want to accelerate the replication of such schools. Achieving excellence at scale requires states to pursue strategies that promote growth (i.e., expansion or replication) among charters with a track record of success. Governors and policymakers seeking to increase the number of high-performing charter schools can: (1) Define charter school quality to guide charter school expansion; (2) Streamline reporting, renewal, and governance requirements for high-performing charter schools; (3) Create at least one statewide authorizing body to facilitate outstanding charter school expansion; (4) Ensure greater parity of funding between charter schools and district public schools; and (5) Support charter schools' access to adequate facilities. A section titled Charter School Expansion Basics is appended. (Contains 41 endnotes.)