ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Trends in State Financial Aid: Actions from the 2013 and 2014 Legislative Sessions. Financial Aid: Trends in the States
Author: Pingel, Sarah
Date: 2014-11-04
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: State Aid,Student Financial Aid,Postsecondary Education,College Students,Trend Analysis,State Legislation,Educational Legislation,Merit Scholarships,Labor Force Development,Labor Needs,State Programs,College Transfer Students,Transfer Programs,Two Year Colleges

The outcomes states gain from investing in postsecondary financial aid programs remain hotly debated, leading to great interest in developing programs that are both cost-effective and productive in helping states meet goals. In the 2012-13 academic year, states collectively provided approximately $11.2 billion in financial aid to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions across the country. States take a wide variety of approaches in making investments in postsecondary financial aid. This report reviews several trends in state financial aid programs enacted through state legislatures in the 2013 and 2014 sessions. Major trends include changes to need- and merit-based programs, linking financial aid programs to workforce demands and state programs focused on two- to four-year transfer student pathways.
Science in the Early Years. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 15, Number 2
Author: Brenneman, Kimberly
Date: 2014-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Change,Educational Practices,Educational Development,Science Education,Science Curriculum,Curriculum Enrichment,Early Childhood Education,Educational Policy,Change Strategies,Early Experience,Learning Experience,School Readiness

Recent research suggests early math, science, and social studies knowledge may boost achievement for the nation's youngest students and provides a better chance at future reading success--more so even than early reading skills. This issue explores the benefits of including a strong science curriculum in the early years and includes recommendations for policymakers.
Moving Forward: Policies Supporting Transitions from High School to Postsecondary. Strengthening Student Transitions: An ECS Policy Analysis
Author: Education Commission of the States
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Transitional Programs,College Bound Students,High School Graduates,State Policy,College Readiness,College Preparation,Change Strategies,Admission Criteria,Articulation (Education)

Recent high school graduates continue to make up a significant number of postsecondary enrollees, begetting a clear focus by education leaders and state policymakers on strategies that support successful student transitions from high school to college. Of the nation's 3.3 million expected high school graduates for the 2014-15 academic year, a full 2.2 million are projected to enroll directly into postsecondary education. Ensuring that public policy supports successful transition for these students, while also creating pathways into postsecondary and workforce training programs for those students not currently enrolling directly out of high school, is a necessary focus for state policy leaders. As part of the Education Commission of the States' (ECS) continuing Blueprint for College Readiness initiative, this brief looks at state policies aimed at advancing transitions from K-12 to postsecondary education and includes state-specific examples of various policies.
Using Assessments to Inform 12th-Grade Interventions and Accelerations. ECS Education Policy Analysis
Author: Zinth, Jennifer
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Intervention,Educational Policy,Grade 12,Policy Analysis,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Transitional Programs,Educational Testing,Acceleration (Education),Articulation (Education),Educational Indicators,Educational Opportunities,Change Strategies,Educational Practices,State Action,State Policy

In the 2014-15 school year, 47 states are administering high school assessments to gauge students' mastery of college and career readiness standards in English language arts (ELA) and math. These new assessments represent a departure from prior high school exams that measured acquisition of high school (or lower) content but provided no actionable metric of a student's college and career readiness. This ECS Education Policy Analysis delves into statewide high school college and career readiness assessments and how states are using them to overcome two persistent challenges -- the &quot;wasted senior year&quot; and high postsecondary remediation rates. Seniors identified as not college ready can use their senior year more intentionally, participating in interventions to prepare them for placement into credit-bearing coursework upon postsecondary matriculation. Eleventh-graders demonstrating college readiness can be more accurately and consistently identified and encouraged to more effectively use their senior year by enrolling in advanced coursework, allowing them to earn transferable college credits toward a postsecondary credential or degree.
States Moving from Accreditation to Accountability. Accreditation: State School Accreditation Policies
Author: Wixom, Micah Ann
Date: 2014-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Accountability,Accreditation (Institutions),State Policy,Public Schools,State Action,Profiles,Educational Practices

Accreditation policies vary widely among the states. Since Education Commission of the States last reviewed public school accreditation policies in 1998, a number of states have seen their legislatures take a stronger role in accountability--resulting in a move from state-administered accreditation systems to outcomes-focused state accountability programs. Even in states maintaining accreditation programs, accreditation is often a component of the larger accountability system that evaluates school, district, and state educational performance on a number of indicators. This document provides details regarding the public school accreditation of the 50 states.
Career and Technical Education: States Aligning Programs to Meet Workforce Needs. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 15, Number 2
Author: Zinth, Jennifer Dounay
Date: 2014-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Vocational Education,Alignment (Education),Labor Needs,Educational Change,State Policy,State Legislation,State Action,Human Capital,Educational Opportunities,Incentives,High School Graduates,Graduation Rate,School Business Relationship,Change Strategies,Knowledge Economy,Management Information Systems,College School Cooperation

Across the 50 states, career and technical education (CTE) programs at the K-12 and postsecondary levels have seen enormous policy action - 2013 alone saw at least 78 substantive policy changes via legislation, state board rules and executive orders specific to CTE and workforce development. What are the drivers behind this sudden policymaker interest? The preambles to and legislative findings in numerous enacted 2013 bills echo a similar refrain: High-skilled workers are necessary for states to compete in a global economy. States must produce greater numbers of individuals holding industry recognized certificates to fill labor market gaps, including in high-wage, high-demand jobs. And governors in many states have made clear that CTE and workforce development remain top priorities in 2014. This year, State of the State addresses in 18 states and the District of Columbia included proposed initiatives or budget increases to expand or enhance the quality of career counseling, CTE and/or workforce development programs. This issue of The Progress of Education Reform explores recent policy trends intended to expand the number of skilled workers trained to fill high-need labor market shortages including: (1) Formalizing avenues for business and industry to inform CTE offerings; (2) Blending high school and postsecondary learning opportunities; (3) Incentivizing completion of industry certifications and credentials; and (4) Expanding opportunities for internships and apprenticeships.
A Look at Funding for Students with Disabilities. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 16, Number 1
Author: Griffith, Michael
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Disabilities,Funding Formulas,Educational Policy,Educational Change,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Accessibility (for Disabled),Finance Reform,Educational History,Federal Aid,Expenditure per Student,Special Education,Student Characteristics,State Action,State Policy,Autism

This year is the 40th anniversary of the passage of Public Law 94-142--most commonly known as the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The law not only changed the way that students with disabilities are educated in this country, it also fundamentally changed the way that states fund their K-12 education programs. This ECS Progress of Education Reform outlines some of the facts--and myths--surrounding IDEA and how its passage has made state policymakers think differently about how they fund their public schools. Over the past 40 years, the federal IDEA law has changed the way states and school districts educate students with disabilities. Prior to 1975, the education that students with disabilities received varied greatly--with some students not being allowed to receive any form of public education. Since 1975 all students with disabilities are guaranteed an appropriate education in the least restrictive manner possible. The cost of implementing the IDEA mandates has fallen largely on state and local governments. With the federal government currently providing about one-third of the funds for special education that it committed to in the original legislation, state and local governments must think differently and refine their school-funding formulas.
Students on the Move: How States Are Responding to Increasing Mobility among Postsecondary Students. Transfer &amp; Articulation: Postsecondary
Author: Millard, Maria
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: College Transfer Students,Student Mobility,Community Colleges,Two Year College Students,College Credits,Articulation (Education),Educational Policy,State Policy,Trend Analysis,Associate Degrees,Courses

Once considered an infrequent occurrence, transferring between colleges is now common. More than one-third of all college graduates today transferred at least once prior to earning their degrees. The vast majority of non-traditional and lower-income students begin their college careers in community colleges, institutions designed to facilitate transfer for most of their enrolled students. For these students, transfer policy is particularly critical. Community college transfers who have all or almost all of their credits transferred are two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate compared to students who had less than half of their credits transfer. For this report, the Education Commission of the States (ECS) reviewed transfer and articulation policies in the 50 states to get a sense of how policymakers are responding in law to these changes. In the modern postsecondary environment, it is clear transfer policies are more important than ever. The following are appended: (1) State counts on specific transfer policies; and (2) Glossary.
Effectiveness-Focused Teacher Preparation. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 15, Number 5
Author: Christie, Kathy
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Change,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Education Programs,Educational Strategies,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Qualifications,Program Effectiveness,Risk,Value Added Models,State Programs,Accountability,Institutional Characteristics,Strategic Planning

The well known 1983 report &quot;A Nation at Risk&quot; recommended that individuals preparing to teach should meet high education standards and demonstrate an aptitude for teaching and competence in an academic discipline--adding also that college and university teacher preparation programs should be judged by how well their graduates meet these criteria. The report's recommendations led states to begin to require that teaching candidates should take basic skills assessments and content area assessments. Yet, while states set standards for programs by requiring that each program be accredited even before the report's release, most state leaders still have no idea how well these programs are preparing their graduates to be highly effective in the classroom. More than 30 years later, this remains the million-dollar question. In 2011, states reported data on 2,124 teacher-preparation programs from which well over 200,000 candidates exit each year. Many of these candidates annually join the ranks of the more than 3 million public school teachers assigned to classrooms across the nation. However, too many of these recent graduates feel unprepared as they enter the classroom. In his quantitative analysis of mathematics instruction in classrooms, highly regarded Michigan State University researcher and author William Schmidt found that when teachers said they felt unprepared, it was because they were unprepared. He also suggested that it is unfair to blame teachers when they attend programs whose quality is not within their control. This issue of &quot;The Progress of Education Reform&quot; explores why, 30 years following the release of the recommendations included in &quot;A Nation at Risk,&quot; obtaining meaningful information on how well teacher-preparation programs are preparing the nation's teachers remains such a challenge. Moving in the direction of effectiveness-focused preparation is presented as an effective strategy and one that a number of states already have initiated.
Developmental Strategies for College Readiness and Success {What State Policymakers and Education Leaders Need to Know}. Resource Guide
Author: Fulton, Mary
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: College Readiness,Success,Developmental Studies Programs,Guides,Educational Resources,Educational Strategies,Educational Change,Individualized Instruction,Mathematics Education,Test Construction,Pretests Posttests,Diagnostic Tests,Outcome Measures,Transitional Programs,Dual Enrollment,Acceleration (Education),Pacing,Learning Modules,Academic Support Services,Program Implementation,Educational Practices,Barriers,State Policy,Strategic Planning,Benchmarking,Change Strategies,College Preparation,Comprehensive Programs,Improvement Programs

The Developmental Strategies for College Readiness and Success Resource Guide was produced by the Education Commission of the States and the Southern Regional Education Board for the &quot;Countdown to 2015: Developmental Strategies to Advance Readiness in the Common Core Era&quot; convening held April 21-23, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The meeting was the culmination of a project between the Community College Research Center, Complete College America, Education Commission of the States, Education First and the Southern Regional Education Board. The meeting brought together 10 state teams, consisting of policy leaders and K-12 and higher education officials, committed to improving college readiness for all students. The overarching goal was to help states develop action plans to ensure that significantly more students are prepared for postsecondary education, complete entry-level college courses and persist toward credential completion. This challenge will become even more apparent in 2015 when the results of the first full administration of new assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards are released. The Resource Guide summarizes information about developmental models, research and examples of state policies and institutional practices. The guide is designed to help policymakers and postsecondary leaders and practitioners identify and implement strategies that will improve college readiness and completion in their states.
Part I--A Case Study in Post-Secondary Mathematics: The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
Author: Resch, Janelle
Date: 2015-09-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Case Studies,College Mathematics,Mental Health,College Students,Student Surveys,Student Experience,Mathematics Instruction,Study Habits,Assignments,Algebra,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Socialization,Foreign Countries

Due to the shift of civilization from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, mathematical literacy has become a necessity in the twenty-first century. However, in order to learn and contribute to the mathematical community, one has to be in a state of good mental health. Where &quot;good mental health,&quot; is defined as one who has developed a set of healthy coping strategies, while being in a positive learning environment, and having a social support system. Traditionally, universities have been the venue of such higher learning. If these institutions want to remain as thriving grounds for higher education and engines of research, post-secondary institutions need to be aware of these factors and actively contribute to the well-being of its students and faculty. Unfortunately, students do not always receive the support necessary to be mentally healthy. The purpose of this paper is to examine how social awareness and sensitivity of mental health in a university setting is a key component for individuals to flourish academically and grow personally. Several voluntary surveys completed by first and second year math students at the University of Waterloo will be presented. The surveys investigated the students' experiences at the university, particularly in the Mathematics Department. In addition, this paper explores an alternative way to structure math classes, specifically assignment scheduling, in order to help students develop healthy study habits. Instead of giving students weekly-assignments which is typically done at the University of Waterloo for the core math classes, mini-assignments were assigned after each lecture. This experiment was conducted for the second year linear algebra class, and the two methods are compared and statistically analyzed. The group who completed mini-assignments after each class consisted of 459 students, whereas the group that completed weekly-assignments consisted of 387 students. The results indicate that the more frequent assignment schedule helped students increase confidence and overall grades while reducing anxiety and stress. Finally, this paper briefly discusses the importance of socialization, specifically for young mathematicians and scientists, and potential consequences of reduced social exposure in the Digital Age. The following are appended: (1) An Exhaustive Statistical Analysis of the Weekly and EoL Assignment Group Data; and (2) Additional Comments from Students. [This paper was edited and written with the help of Eric Ocelewski.]
Monitoring Faculty Consultant Performance in the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Program with a Many-Faceted Rasch Model. Research Report No. 2003-1. ETS RR-03-01
Author: Engelhard, George, Jr.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Advanced Placement,College Faculty,Consultants,Scoring,Essays,English Literature,Writing (Composition),Item Response Theory,Data Analysis,Difficulty Level,College Entrance Examinations,Examiners,Academic Achievement,Models,Psychometrics,Rating Scales,Scores,Gender Differences

The purpose of this study was to examine, describe, evaluate, and compare the rating behavior of faculty consultants who scored essays written for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (AP® ELC) Exam. Data from the 1999 AP ELC Exam were analyzed using FACETS (Linacre, 1998) and SAS. The faculty consultants were not all interchangeable in terms of the level of severity they exercised. If students' ratings had been adjusted for severity differences, the AP grades of about 30 percent of the students would have been different from the one they received. Almost all the differences were one grade or less. Adjusting ratings for faculty consultant severity differences would not impact some student subgroups more than others. The following are appended: (1) Scoring Worksheet--English Literature and Composition; (2) Free-Response Question 1 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam; (3) Scoring Guidelines for Question 1 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam; (4) Free-Response Question 2 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam; (5) Scoring Guidelines for Question 2 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam; (6) Free-Response Question 3 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam; and (7) Scoring Guidelines for Question 3 from the 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam. [The material contained in this report is based on work supported by the Advanced Placement Research and Development Committee.]
An Investigation of the Validity of AP® Grades of 3 and a Comparison of AP and Non-AP Student Groups. Research Report No. 2002-9
Author: Dodd, Barbara G.
Date: 2002-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Advanced Placement,College Entrance Examinations,Grades (Scholastic),Validity,Comparative Analysis,Introductory Courses,Replication (Evaluation),Advanced Placement Programs,College Credits,Scores,Calculus,Biology,English,Language Arts,Writing (Composition),Multivariate Analysis,College Freshmen,Grade Point Average

The purpose of this study was to address the validity of grades of 3 on AP® Examinations and to compare AP students to other relevant student groups. While research has shown that students who earn grades of 3 or higher and place out of introductory courses do well in the subsequent courses, there are some college faculty members who think this is not always the case. In order to address this issue a number of different statistical techniques were employed to determine if finer gradations of the grade group of 3s might prove useful for course placement in college. More specifically, three different statistical techniques were used to identify &quot;low&quot; and &quot;high&quot; 3 score groups. These procedures provided insight to whether the &quot;high&quot; and &quot;low&quot; 3 groups are more similar to other 3-grade groups or the adjacent score groups (2s and 4s). The grade groups derived from the different statistical techniques were compared in terms of a number of college achievement variables such as grades in the subsequent course, number of college hours taken in the content area, and the grades earned in those courses. In addition, the performance of AP students who placed out of the first course in the sequence was compared to the performance of a matched non-AP group of students. AP students who took the introductory course prior to the subsequent course, and students who were concurrently enrolled in an equivalent college course while still in high school. The study was replicated for four different entering classes at a large university. Collectively, the findings of this study did not support finer gradations of the AP score category of 3. It was also found that AP students who earn credit by examination tend to make the same or higher grades in subsequent courses than do the other comparison groups. The following is appended: Results of the Eleven-Cluster Solutions.