ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Blending Rigor and Relevance
Author: Siri, Diane K.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Relevance (Education),Student Motivation,Academic Aspiration,Institutional Cooperation,College Preparation,Technical Education,Career Development,High Schools,Postsecondary Education,Career Academies,Teamwork,Cooperative Planning

A collaborative at several sites across the state of California will offer evidence of how successful linked learning, which connects academics to real-world work, can be. This article presents examples that illustrate the powerful connections and linkages that are generated by combining academic rigor with the relevance of applying learning to real-world work and careers. The connection is compelling not only to students, but to teachers, industry, and funders as well. The article also presents highlights that describe challenges, successes, and lessons learned from the work of the Alliance for Regional Collaboration to Heighten Educational Success (a statewide organization) with six regional collaboratives as they plan and implement linked learning approaches in specific school sites, with the support of the Irvine Foundation.
The Power of Real-World Application
Author: Stam, Brad
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: High Schools,Graduation Rate,Educational Experience,High School Students,Educational Change,Educational Improvement,Occupational Aspiration,Student Interests,Academic Achievement

Linked learning transforms students' high school experience by linking a college preparatory course sequence with demanding technical education, and linking real-world experiences with classroom learning to help students gain an advantage in high school, postsecondary education, and careers. With linked learning, students follow industry-themed pathways in a wide range of fields, such as engineering, arts and media, or biomedicine and health. These pathways connect learning with students' interests and career aspirations, leading not only to higher graduation rates, but also to increased postsecondary enrollments, higher earning potential, and greater civic engagement. This article presents guiding principles and core components of an industry-themed pathway. The author recommends a few specific actions to learn more about linked learning and how it can benefit one's school or district.
Growth Index: A Powerful Tool for School Improvement
Author: Wiseman, Perry
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Educational Improvement,Federal Programs,Academic Achievement,Educational Indicators,Accountability,Scores,Federal Legislation

This article outlines a formula called Growth Index (GI), which is designed to measure student growth within all proficiency levels year after year, and track classroom or schoolwide growth. This growth should be considered as one of several dimensions that constitute principal and teacher effectiveness. Unlike Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the GI formula treats all proficiency levels as identical and rewards continued growth at the highest level. Before examining the formula in depth, the authors take a closer look at the current system of accountability.
A Focus on Individual Student Growth
Author: Dawson, Linda
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Development,Outcomes of Education,At Risk Students,Dropout Prevention,High Schools,High School Students,Achievement Gains,Student Evaluation,Data Analysis,Charter Schools

In the traditional public school system, the varied pace of student learning is often lost, and replaced with a &quot;one size fits all&quot; expectation for grade-level cohorts of students using normed, standards-based assessments. This reliance on cohort-based test scores continues through high school. Traditional measures are designed primarily for traditional calendars and emphasize cohort-group proficiency by grade level, rather than individual student learning gains. Schools that serve at-risk populations can be mislabeled as underperforming because they do not have the performance cohorts that counterbalance those students who are behind grade level. This article features SIATech, a network of dropout recovery charter high schools that has adopted an individual student growth model. The value-added model tracks each student's actual learning gains every year to assess the value of the school's instructional program.
Everyday Heroes
Author: Karns, Michelle
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Role,Teaching Methods,Educational Quality,Student Motivation,Educational Environment,Interpersonal Relationship,Teacher Competencies,Student Diversity,Student Needs,Stakeholders,Teaching Skills,Self Esteem,Curriculum,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Leadership Responsibility

There's no need to be "Waiting for Superman." Heroes are everywhere in education. The efforts, dedication, and commitment of educators to create learning organizations that awaken the spirit of children in spite of their life circumstances and build capacity for those that have not had the benefit of privilege is worth telling. This article shares stories that are driven by pedagogy and powerful protocol with proven track records. The authors also define five basic capacity issues they believe must be addressed to influence sustainability and create the conditions for students to achieve: (1) Capacity One--Teachers demonstrate through pedagogy, academic and social relationships, and teaching competence the ability to meet the everyday needs of diverse student groups; (2) Capacity Two--Teachers and stakeholders create the conditions under which all children will learn and adjust for difference without compromising standards and expectations for quality; (3) Capacity Three--Teachers know what they want the students to learn, know, and do; (4) Capacity Four--Teachers shape a student's belief in his/her own capacity; and (5) Capacity Five--Students will learn with good teaching, a strong curriculum, and resources to maintain the effort.
When Data Drives School Culture
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Culture,Academic Failure,Academic Achievement,Data Analysis,Data,Evaluation,Reflection,Outcomes of Education,Middle School Students,Attendance

For schools to be effective learning organization, their teachers and leaders need to continuously evaluate what is working and what is not. Some recent research shows that such reflection might be particularly important in the middle grades--a crucial time to identify and intervene with students at risk of later academic failure. To make the best decisions, educators need to have access to timely assessment and other data, such as attendance and behavior records. Data availability and use are crucial to improving academic outcomes at high-performing schools. The extensive use of assessment data by principals and teachers signals a culture shift in higher-performing schools to a more intense focus on student outcomes. Districts play a crucial role in making ongoing evaluation of progress effective at the school level. They do this by enabling schools to access student assessment data quickly and in a usable form, and by making reflection on common benchmarks for student learning not only possible, but also expected.
Targeted Support
Author: Simon, Gabe
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Achievement Gap,Economically Disadvantaged,Academic Achievement,Elementary Schools,High Achievement,Standardized Tests,Socioeconomic Influences,Disadvantaged Youth,Disabilities,Disproportionate Representation,Models,Intervention,Student Needs

Heritage Oak Elementary School (Placer County, CA) has continuously achieved a high level of academic success as measured by the California Standards Test. However, after examining student testing data in depth, staff discovered a large achievement gap between the overall school population, socio-economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities. In maintaining the fidelity to Heritage Oak's mission for engaging all students in meaningful learning and achieving academic success, the staff adopted a Levels of Support model. The model brings students at this school targeted interventions and school connectedness support, based on individual need. Not only does the Levels of Support model fuel outstanding academic success, it also provides a flexible network of resources that teachers can use to address the academic and social needs of all future students.
What Makes Green Schools Better?
Author: Schimmel, Barry
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Energy Management,Economic Opportunities,Energy Conservation,Conservation (Environment),Administrator Role,Principals,School Districts,Educational Facilities Design

Green energy represents a way to empower students by demonstrating creative problem-solving with an eye on protecting precious resources, both capital and natural. Many school districts have already taken the initiative during the past five years to implement energy projects, whether for the educational or economic opportunities, or both. Districts throughout California are coming into contact with various vendors sharing information and proposals to develop energy initiatives, including solar photovoltaics (PV). Schools have the opportunity to be leaders in modeling energy use. Begin the process by following the tips presented in this article and taking advantage of The Energy Initiative, co-sponsored by ACSA.
New Savings through Sustainability
Author: Battise, Laura
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,Sustainable Development,Income,Educational Finance,Energy Conservation,Conservation (Environment),Budgets,School Districts,Administrator Role,Leadership Responsibility

After three years of budget cuts, California school district leaders are hard-pressed to find ways to make further reductions without impacting educational quality. However, some seasoned leaders have turned to broad sustainability strategies to find new sources of savings and revenue. This article presents case studies in which three district leaders discuss their sustainability strategies, designed and implemented in collaboration with Chevron Energy Solutions. These programs create enduring sources of savings and improve the learning environment for long-term success.
Schools Get Smart about Energy
Author: Hoff, Randy
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Energy Conservation,Comprehensive Programs,School Districts,Conservation (Environment),Educational Finance,Sustainable Development,Budgeting

Regardless of size or community served, school districts across California and the nation face one common challenge--a reduction in funding. Becoming more efficient in managing precious taxpayer dollars has become the highest priority for districts in order to minimize or avoid staff reductions or the elimination of student programs. Dozens of school districts throughout California are taking a proactive approach in efforts to reduce energy spending by implementing sustainable, people-oriented energy conservation programs. Through these comprehensive programs, the districts on average are reducing energy consumption by 20 to 30 percent, which allows them to retain funds in their budget for use elsewhere. The savings add up to millions of dollars a year for the state's schools.
Greening the Future
Author: Williamson, Norma Velia
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sustainable Development,Energy Conservation,High Schools,Conservation (Environment),Leadership Responsibility,Hands on Science

Because educators vicariously touch the future through their students, the author believes that they sometimes have the uncanny ability to see the future. One common future forecast is the phenomenal growth of green jobs in the emerging green economy, leading to the creation of the &quot;Reach of the Sun&quot; Solar Energy Academy at La Mirada High School (La Mirada, CA). As job growth in the green economy outpaces total job growth, the author discusses how schools are preparing students for a greener tomorrow.
Tech, Teachers & Teens: Bridging the Divide
Author: Stuht, Amy Colcord
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Access to Computers,Adolescents,Educational Technology,Teaching Methods,Computer Uses in Education,Leadership Responsibility,Technology Integration,Teachers,Professional Development

In past decades, the "digital divide" referred to the gap between those who could afford access to technology and those who could not. The divide has shifted in recent years to reflect the growing technological chasm between teachers and their students: today's schools and teenagers' worlds. The digital divide is widening and deepening exponentially each year, creating schools as outdated to teenagers as a Model T assembly plant is to modern industry. To "mind the (technology) gap" between schools and youth, educators must recognize changing conditions and adjust instruction in ways that help students prepare for an information-rich future rather than an industrial past. Although the shopping list for schools to move into the world of technology is long, and the costs are staggering, the payback in student learning is worth the effort school leaders put into funding and supporting professional development and hardware for expanding instructional technology.
Learning Tools for Innovation
Author: Roe, Michael John
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Achievement Gap,Innovation,Educational Technology,Academic Achievement,Teachers,Students,Educational Change,Technology Uses in Education,Professional Development,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites

In an era characterized by aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment through professional development to increase student achievement, educators have continued to see the achievement gap proliferate. With the move toward the common core and nationalized standards, how teachers educate and what they give students access to in the technological realm is vital. The challenge now will demand creativity and innovation--from teachers and students. The right technology tools can build capacity in students and teachers while promoting innovative thinking and problem solving. In this article, the author shares some technologies that have been employed at Tahquitz High School and in some of the author's university courses.
Hooked on E-Mail
Author: Espinoza, Kathy
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Productivity,Electronic Mail,Family Relationship,Program Effectiveness,Computer Mediated Communication,Access to Information,Guides,Leadership Responsibility

Information overload, and an expectation that e-mails, tweets, and text messages will be answered immediately, impact productivity. The younger, information-addicted workers have a greater capacity to process this open floodgate of information, as well as a better ability to multitask. Research suggests that there is a marked drop in worker productivity because of e-mail, phone, and social networking interruptions. A study by Intel (Zeldes, 2007) found it took people an average of 25 minutes to get back to work following an e-mail interruption. A 2008 study from AOL found that out of 4,000 e-mail users in the United States, 46 percent admitted to being "hooked" on e-mail. It appears possible that this "always available" information stream can impact one's productivity, family relationships, and health. In this article, the author discusses how to fight the digital attack.
Teaching Emotional Intelligence
Author: Massari, Lauri
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Intelligence,Bullying,School Safety,Suicide,Emotional Development,Consciousness Raising,Skill Development,Self Concept,Self Control,Social Development,Interpersonal Relationship,Decision Making

With the well-publicized escalation of teen suicide attributed to school bullying, today's educators are ramping up their efforts to create safe, bully-free campuses. School leaders are considering the importance of teaching students to respect others. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that getting back to the Golden Rule through the use of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies may be a worthwhile investment in promoting an academically solid, bully-free learning environment. The systematic development of a core set of skills that helps children navigate life's moral and interpersonal challenges is at the heart of SEL theory, and many schools are getting on board. Recognizing that the true challenge of eliminating bullying lies in the ability to redefine adolescent norms in the minds of the children themselves, SEL provides these new norms in clear terms, through five foundational skills. These skills are defined as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision making. Educators are taking note of the mounting evidence proving that SEL competencies are critical to academic achievement, school safety, and particularly to addressing the issue of bullying.
Five Essentials of Emergency Planning
Author: Barnes, Jill M.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Emergency Programs,Planning,Administrator Role,Crisis Management,Special Needs Students,Guides,Needs Assessment,School Safety,Disabilities

Principals and other administrators seem to be perpetually overworked. There is always something that still needs to be done at the end of the day, and it is easy for disaster planning and preparedness to keep slipping to the bottom of the list. However, disaster preparation is essential, even when planning for the unknown. At some point in every school administrator's career, there will be some kind of emergency incident--and they will be in charge. This article discusses five items that will help ensure that administrators are ready: (1) Vulnerability assessment--How to tell what the hazards are; (2) School all-hazard plan--What to do in emergency situations; (3) Know your school population--Who has special needs during a disaster?; (4) A well-stocked school--What to have on hand and where; and (5) Organizing in a disaster--Who should do what?
Building Connections with Parents & Communities
Author: Gonzalez, Jose V.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,Community Involvement,Principals,Parent School Relationship,School Community Relationship,Cultural Influences,Administrator Responsibility,Teacher Participation

One of the most difficult challenges school leaders face is building meaningful reciprocal connections with students, their families and the surrounding community. Regardless of the context of the community, there are important questions that they must ask themselves in order to build family and community involvement. By first critically examining their own personal beliefs, they can begin to move forward in the work that they do as leaders. School principals can potentially increase parent participation in order to improve student achievement by exploring and addressing cultural needs and sharing responsibility.
Turning on Engaged Learning
Author: Perez-Martinez, Irella
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Learner Engagement,Personal Narratives,Principals,Teaching Methods,Student Needs,Instructional Effectiveness,Academic Standards,Limited English Speaking,Cultural Influences,Culturally Relevant Education,Teacher Collaboration

The issue of how to increase the engagement level of English language learners is daunting, but viable solutions can be achieved if a discussion is started. In schools across California, and all of America, school stakeholders are struggling to articulate ways to ensure that all of the ELLs in their schools are successful. In this article, the author shares how her school modified teachers' instructions to best service the needs of their pupils. When the school focused on quality teaching, standards-based learning and best use of academic time, growth for English language learners soared.
A Team Approach to Using Student Data
Author: Wilhelm, Terry
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Evaluation,Data Collection,Data Analysis,Evaluation Utilization,Teamwork,High Schools,Cooperative Planning,Lesson Plans,Administrator Role,Teacher Responsibility,Teaching Styles,Secondary School Teachers,Teaching Methods

Effective use of data is key to improving student outcomes. This requires leaders to ensure teachers have developed the skills to convert student data to useful information to effectively plan for instruction and student interventions; to hold collaborative discussions that are structured for these purposes; to broaden the view of data to include student papers, products and performances; and to broaden the view of assessment to include assessment on the fly. This article discusses a team approach to using student data. It features a team at Moreno Valley High School in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, which, for four years, has collaboratively planned lessons. Responsibility rotates from teacher to teacher for developing the upcoming week's lesson plans for the team, often assisted by one of the department co-chairs, who also serve as coaches.
Teacher &amp; Student Perspectives on Cultural Proficiency
Author: Anderson, Mark
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Achievement Gap,Urban Schools,Cultural Awareness,Academic Achievement,Cultural Background,Cultural Pluralism,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Teacher Competencies,Public Schools,High Schools,Teacher Influence,Family Influence

Closing the achievement gap is a multi-faceted task. One important facet is using cultural proficiency--the ability of an educator from one cultural background to effectively teach, interact and connect with students of a different cultural background--as a tool. An examination of cultural proficiency was conducted at three comprehensive public high schools in the greater Los Angeles area using the responses from 195 teachers and 532 students to identify indicators of cultural proficiency based on teacher and student perspectives. The findings in this study reflect that teachers and administrators in urban schools do not feel that the home is supportive of the students' academic success. The students respond more favorable than the teachers when asked about their home, indicating that they do indeed have the support from their parents to do well in school. This study underscores how important it is to understand students' backgrounds and the kinds of support their families provide.
After-School Enrichment: Extending Learning Time
Author: Sanger, Carla
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Enrichment Activities,Recreational Programs,After School Education,Interests,After School Programs,Student Rights,Urban Areas,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Creativity,Principals,Administrator Role,Elementary School Students

After-school programs can help show students how academics are relevant to their personal interests, and serve as training grounds for future teachers. This article features LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program whose mission is to provide a safe and supervised after school education, enrichment, and recreation program for children ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles. Participation in LA's BEST has profound implications for the life choices of not only the students, but also the staff who work with them. Energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and the ability to relate to children are the greatest assets for staff members. If a program can capitalize on those qualities, the results are profound for adults and children alike.