ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Improving Education for California Students via Professional Development
Author: Stahmer, Aubyn
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Improvement,Faculty Development,Outcomes of Education,Students with Disabilities,Academic Achievement,Achievement Gap,Barriers,Evidence Based Practice,Intervention,Educational Innovation,Accountability,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods,Inclusion,Teacher Attitudes,Special Education,Academic Support Services,Elementary Secondary Education

This brief provides recommendations for the professional development (PD) of teachers, administrators, and school personnel in order to improve student outcomes. The significant achievement gap for diverse learners--including students with disabilities, a vast majority of whom are also culturally and/or linguistically diverse--can be reduced through high quality and ongoing PD. Unfortunately, there are numerous barriers to effective PD. To address these barriers, this brief outlines recommendations for best practices in PD for teachers and other school staff. Strategies for integrating evidence-based practices (EBPs) into existing educational initiatives are also provided, along with methods for improving the school-system climate in order to reduce barriers to providing and sustaining innovative training and intervention methods.
PreK-3 Alignment: Challenges and Opportunities in California
Author: Koppich, Julia E.
Date: 2020-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alignment (Education),Preschool Education,Primary Education,School Districts,Role of Education,Administrator Attitudes,Administrator Responsibility,Principals,Certification,Educational Policy,State Policy,Barriers

With the infusion of new funds, Governor Gavin Newsom has placed early childhood education high on California's policy agenda. Yet the state still faces the complicated challenge of sustaining and building on the progress children make in preK. Research has shown that preK-3 alignment--coordinating preK-3 standards, curricula, instructional practices, assessments, and teacher professional development--can be an effective means to this end. In interviews with a sample of California school district leaders, researchers sought to better understand preK-3 alignment in the California context. What types of alignment efforts are school districts making? What challenges are they encountering? In what ways does California policy facilitate or hinder alignment efforts? Results revealed: (1) One third of the study districts are not engaged at all in alignment efforts; others are engaged to varying degrees; (2) Divergent beliefs among district leaders about the role and purpose of preK affects alignment efforts; (3) PreK directors who are part of the superintendent's cabinet have broader opportunities for collaborating with district decision makers and increasing acceptance of preK; (4) Elementary principals' formal responsibility for preK is limited to administrative or operational oversight; (5) Different licensing requirements for preK and elementary teachers as well as different salaries and job expectations limit cooperation; and (6) Inconsistent program regulations, multiple funding streams, and competition for scarce state dollars attenuates districts' focus on alignment. Policy implications for the state and for districts are discussed. [This report was written with assistance from Molly Ingle Michie.]
Promoting Successful Transitions for Students with Disabilities
Author: Lindstrom, Lauren E.
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Transitional Programs,Students with Disabilities,Special Education,Program Effectiveness,Family Involvement,Individualized Education Programs,Parent School Relationship,Inclusion,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Federal Legislation,Work Experience Programs,Career Readiness,Partnerships in Education,Program Implementation

One of the key purposes of public education is to prepare young people to reach their full potential as independent adults and engaged citizens. This transition to adulthood may be especially challenging for youth with disabilities. Students enrolled in special education often need additional supports and coordinated planning to prepare for employment, postsecondary education, and community living. Previous research has documented effective practices--such as family involvement, inclusion in general education, work-based learning, and interagency collaboration--that can help support the transition to adulthood. School districts must work in collaboration with families, employers, and other community agencies to implement these effective practices and facilitate successful transitions for youth with disabilities.
Promising Policies to Address the Needs of Students with Disabilities: Lessons from Other States
Author: Humphrey, Daniel C.
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Policy,Students with Disabilities,Student Needs,Special Education,Individualized Instruction,State Policy,Inclusion,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Academic Achievement,Outcomes of Education,National Competency Tests,Scores,Needs Assessment

By most measures, students with disabilities (SWDs) are not receiving the education they need and deserve in California schools and districts. In 2019, 187 of 333 (56 percent) districts were identified for differentiated assistance because SWDs did not meet standards for two or more priority areas on the California School Dashboard. California requires its special education teachers to serve about 30 students, nearly double the national average of 17. Nearly two thirds of all first-year special education teachers lacked full credentials in 2017-18. This report focuses on policies in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida to improve inclusion rates and the academic performance of SWDs. Inclusion is defined as having SWDs spend 80 percent or more of their time with students in general education classrooms. Research has shown that inclusion positively impacts academic and social-emotional outcomes for all students. In 2017-18, California maintained one of the lowest inclusion rates nationally: 56 percent, compared to a national average of 63.4 percent.
#GoOpen District Launch Packet. Version 1.3
Author: Thomas, Susan, Ed.
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Open Educational Resources,Elementary Secondary Education,Resource Allocation,School Districts,Educational Change,Educational Technology,Curriculum Enrichment,Curriculum Development,Curriculum Implementation,Educational Planning,Administrative Organization,Scoring Rubrics,Faculty Development

Across the country, districts are choosing to #GoOpen and transitioning to the use of openly licensed educational resources to improve student learning in their schools. Openly licensed educational resources enable districts to reallocate significant funds currently spent on inflexible, static learning materials to resources and activities that accelerate the transition to digital learning. These include implementing new professional learning programs for teachers, developing a robust technology infrastructure to support digital learning, and funding new leadership roles for educators who curate and create openly licensed educational materials. The transition to openly licensed educational resources is about more than cost savings, though. In districts where educators curate and create high-quality openly licensed educational resources, students have more personalized learning opportunities, and teachers have greater freedom to design and implement learning experiences that inflexible, static learning materials cannot always support. This Launch Packet is designed for districts that have decided to implement a systematic approach to incorporating openly licensed educational resources into their curriculum by becoming a #GoOpen District. Drawing on the experiences and best practices of #GoOpen Ambassador Districts, the packet breaks down the process for implementing openly licensed educational resources into five phases: (1) Setting Goals and a Strategy; (2) Selecting and Organizing a Implementation Team; (3) Putting in Place a Robust Infrastructure for Learning; (4) Ensuring High-Quality Learning Resources; and (5) Designing Professional Learning Opportunities. For each phase, the packet provides recommended tasks, guiding questions to keep districts moving forward, examples of how #GoOpen Ambassador Districts have addressed specific questions and challenges and relevant resources to support district work. [This document was first published in June 2013 as Version 1.0 (ED571883) and updated in January 2017 as Version 1.2. This launch packet was developed under the guidance of Joseph South, Katrina Stevens, and Kristina Peters.]
Increasing Access to Universally Designed Mathematics Classrooms
Author: Lambert, Rachel
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Students with Disabilities,Equal Education,Access to Education,Barriers,Conventional Instruction,Memorization,Mathematical Concepts,Concept Formation,Emotional Response,Common Core State Standards,Brain,Teaching Methods,Classroom Environment,Learner Engagement,Cooperative Learning,Learning Modalities,Faculty Development

While California Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CA CCSSM) call for rigorous mathematics for all students, students with disabilities have not been provided equal access to instruction that meets these standards. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework to develop strategic, expert learners within classroom settings that maximize engagement of a wide variety of students, including students with disabilities. A critical part of the UDL process is the identification of barriers that impede learning. To explore these barriers, the author draws on narratives from memoirs and interviews written by people with learning disabilities about their experiences learning mathematics. These barriers include: (1) Limited avenues for learning mathematics in traditional instruction; (2) Focus on speed and memorization; (3) Limited connections to concepts; and (4) Emotional aspects of mathematics. This brief describes how UDL can provide the foundation of mathematics instruction that provides access to rigorous, standards-based mathematics for all students in California.
Students with Disabilities in the CORE Districts: Characteristics, Outcomes, and Transitions
Author: Gee, Kevin
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Students with Disabilities,School Districts,Student Characteristics,Outcomes of Education,Special Education,Learning Disabilities,Males,African American Students,English Language Learners,Foster Care,Incidence,Attendance Patterns,Suspension,Graduation Rate

In this brief, we leverage data from eight school districts, known as the CORE districts, to describe students with disabilities (SWD) by their characteristics, outcomes, and transitions into and out of special education. We found that the most common disability type was a specific learning disability. Relative to their representation among students district-wide, males, African Americans, English language learners, and foster youth were more highly represented among SWD. In terms of outcomes, chronic absence was more prevalent among children with multiple disabilities. Entry rates into special education were highest in K-4 while exits were most common in Grades 8-12. These descriptive results shed light on the diversity within the SWD population and highlight who may need targeted supports to address performance challenges.
Combating Sexual Assault and Misconduct. AAU Campus Activities Report
Author: Association of American Universities
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Sexual Abuse,Rape,Crime Prevention,Crime,Change Strategies,Intervention,College Role,Colleges,College Environment,Program Evaluation,Program Development,Information Dissemination,Data Collection,Student Needs,Training,Knowledge Level,College Students,College Faculty,School Personnel,Student Surveys,Sexual Harassment,Student Personnel Services

This report describes the policies and programs implemented and reported through an institutional survey undertaken by Association of American Universities (AAU) member universities to prevent and respond to campus sexual assault and misconduct. Fifty-five of the 62 leading research universities that comprise AAU's membership completed the survey, and 61 institutions provided examples of activities. The report's findings are divided into six sections, representing the range of actions to address sexual assault and misconduct: (1) Surveys; (2) Education and Training; (3) Student Support; (4) Developing a Campus Ecosystem; (5) Resources; and (6) Measuring Change.
Preparing Teachers to Educate Students with Learning Disabilities
Author: Gottfried, Michael A.
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Students with Disabilities,Learning Disabilities,Inclusion,Teacher Competencies,Teacher Education Programs,Teaching Skills,Preservice Teacher Education,Readiness,Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Program Effectiveness,Courses,Field Experience Programs,Teacher Certification,Licensing Examinations (Professions),Student Characteristics,Team Teaching,Teacher Collaboration,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Individualized Education Programs,Teaching Methods,Elementary Secondary Education

Students with learning disabilities are spending more time in general education classrooms than at any point in history, yet there remain concerns whether general education teachers are receiving adequate preparation to support these students. Considering the rapid adoption of new accountability measures of teacher preparation programs (TPPs), including teaching performance assessments (e.g. edTPA), there is little understanding of what components of teacher preparation relate to teachers' perceptions of readiness to educate students with learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Drawing on findings from two studies that examined survey responses from graduating preservice teachers in the University of California's TPPs, we outline which components of preservice preparation associated with perceived readiness to educate students with learning disabilities. We discuss recommendations for policymakers and teacher educators. [The California Teacher Education Research and Improvement Network supported both studies detailed in this report.]
Students with Disabilities and Differentiated Assistance
Author: Gee, Kevin
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Students with Disabilities,School Districts,State Aid,Eligibility,Special Education,Educational Indicators,Academic Achievement,Language Arts,Mathematics Achievement,Graduation Rate,Attendance Patterns,Suspension,College Readiness,Career Readiness

Under California's System of Support, differentiated assistance (DA) provides supports to eligible districts to boost student group performance levels. This brief describes the districts that were eligible for DA in 2019 based on the performance levels of their students with disabilities (SWD). It also analyzes how SWD performance on State Priority Areas (SPAs) and indicators factored into districts' eligibility for DA. Findings show that, among the 333 districts identified for DA, eligibility was driven, in part, by SWD performance for over half of those districts. These 187 districts were most frequently identified for DA based on SWD performance in SPAs 4 (Pupil Achievement) alongside 5 (Pupil Engagement). These results highlight intersectional challenges facing SWD--challenges that districts can address through their continuous improvement process.
English Language Learners and the Local Control Funding Formula: Implementation Challenges and Successes from Two District Cases
Author: Muñoz-Muñoz, Eduardo
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: English Language Learners,School Districts,School District Autonomy,Funding Formulas,Program Implementation,Accountability,Educational Policy,Budgets,Educational Equity (Finance),Resource Allocation

When then-Governor Jerry Brown signed the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) into law in 2013, California's leaders were hopeful that this legislation would set high expectations for flexibility, transparency, and equity within school districts. A key component of the legislation was to allow districts more flexibility to make spending decisions as they saw fit to serve their students. This report investigates how two districts--Los Banos Unified School District in the Central Valley and Chino Valley Unified School District in the Inland Empire--have been able to use the flexibility of the LCFF to serve students who are classified as English Language Learners (ELLs). Examined data include the districts' Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), local ELL policies, and interview data on how local actors have undertaken their budgeting charge with regards to ELLs. The report finds that in Los Banos Unified School District, the LCFF has allowed for the creation of dialogue and advocacy spaces that did not exist before. In Chino Valley Unified School District, the plasticity of governance structures has allowed for the development of internal coherence. Therefore, while their work is still in flux, both districts showcase instances in which ELLs are benefitting from locally devised mechanisms and structures aimed at improving their education. Looking ahead, the report notes the following: (1) LCAP stakeholder engagement is critical for delivering the promise of the LCFF; (2) Re-envisioning the LCAP instrument is necessary for meaningful stakeholder engagement; (3) LCAPs promote equity initiatives but can take a pace slower than that of educational reformers; (4) Equity and meaningful stakeholder engagement call for explicit connections between LCAP funds and ELLs; and (5) Advocates on the ground are key. In both districts, the appointment of leaders in charge of ELL services has had a direct impact on the quantity and quality of services provided to ELLs and their families through LCFF funds.
Promoting Transformation of Undergraduate STEM Education. Workshop Summary Report
Author: Miller, Emily R.
Date: 2019-07-03
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Undergraduate Study,STEM Education,Educational Change,Workshops,Educational Improvement,Educational Research,Program Implementation,Sustainability,Educational Cooperation,Evidence Based Practice

During a 2019 workshop, the American Association of Universities (AAU) convened experts involved in leading, researching, evaluating and funding efforts to transform undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) teaching across all sectors of higher education. The goal was to synthesize essential issues and challenges in designing, leading, and researching institutional and multi-institutional transformation projects to improve undergraduate STEM education. The workshop was designed to identify critical themes necessary to understand when examining the outcomes of a reform effort, and when examining the change process of a reform effort. In addition, the workshop created a forum to provide recommendations for the continued advancement of the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program through the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education. This workshop report serves as an executive summary of key findings and recommendations that emerged from an analysis of small-group activities and notes from whole-group discussions. The report contains four reflections (Ann E. Austin, Karl A. Smith, Jacqueline R. Roberts, and Michael J. Pullin) on the key themes and recommendations written by workshop participants situated in different sectors of higher education, including a higher education research scholar, a faculty member at an R1 university, a faculty member at a liberal arts college, and a faculty member at a community college.
Strengthening the Road to College: California&apos;s College Readiness Standards and Lessons from District Leaders
Author: Reed, Sherrie
Date: 2019-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Readiness,Career Readiness,Definitions,College Preparation,Career Development,School Districts,Accountability,Equal Education,Access to Education,State Standards,Alignment (Education),Educational Indicators,College Entrance Examinations,Enrollment,Aptitude Tests,High Schools

During the past decade, education leaders and policymakers have made significant investments to better align California's K-12 and postsecondary education systems and to address persistent disparities in educational attainment by race and socioeconomic status. This report distills important lessons emerging from these efforts, integrating the analysis of statewide quantitative data used by policymakers, education leaders, and higher education systems to evaluate students' postsecondary readiness and interviews of district leaders about their specific efforts to improve students' college readiness, access, and success. The authors focus on several key areas of findings, which serve to organize the report. First, they explore various definitions of college and/or career readiness. They then take a comprehensive look at indicators of college and career readiness, including high school assessments. Third, they discuss how districts are providing rigorous coursework and a college and career preparatory curriculum. Fourth, they highlight innovative efforts used by districts to enhance postsecondary readiness. Additionally, they describe how local education agencies (LEAs) are monitoring college and career readiness and holding themselves accountable for student outcomes. Finally, in each of these areas, they explicitly address disparities by student subgroups and ask school leaders about their actions to address these persistent inequalities. [Research support for this publication was provided by Alexandria Hurtt, Derek Rury, and Iwunze Ugo.]
The California College Promise: A Promise to What, for Whom, and Where?
Author: Rios-Aguilar, Cecilia
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Community Colleges,Access to Education,Educational Attainment,Student Financial Aid,First Generation College Students,Program Implementation,Eligibility,State Legislation,State Programs,Full Time Students,Low Income Students,Minority Group Students,Educational Equity (Finance),Achievement Gap,Resource Allocation,State Aid

This brief describes the types of college promises that exist in the state of California. In doing so, we summarize existing research on this topic. Furthermore, we provide a framework to study the California Promise Program in community colleges in California. We use publicly available data to highlight key aspects of our proposed framework: What are we promising, to whom, and where? We end our brief by providing key recommendations to ensure that the promise extends to the most vulnerable groups of students to help in closing equity gaps in college degree and completion in California.