ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
What Do Cost Functions Tell Us about the Cost of an Adequate Education?
Author: Costrell, Robert M.
Date: 2008-01-03
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Costs,Economics,Regression (Statistics),Experiments,Scores,Labor Market,Academic Achievement,Models

Econometric cost functions have begun to appear in education adequacy cases with greater frequency. Cost functions are superficially attractive because they give the impression of objectivity, holding out the promise of scientifically estimating the cost of achieving specified levels of performance from actual data on spending. By contrast, the opinions of education stakeholders form the basis of the most common approach to estimating the cost of adequacy, the professional-judgment method. The problem is that education cost functions do not in fact tell us the cost of achieving any specified level of performance. Instead, they provide estimates of average spending for districts of given characteristics and current performance. It is a huge and unwarranted stretch to go from this interpretation of regression results to the claim that they provide estimates of the minimum cost of achieving current performance levels, and it is even more problematic to extrapolate the cost of achieving at higher levels. In this paper we review the cost function technique and provide evidence that draws into question the usefulness of the cost function approach for estimating the cost of an adequate education. (Contains 28 footnotes and 7 figures.) [Funding for this paper was provided by the Missouri Show-Me Institute.]
Needs Assessment of the Haitian-American Community in Hillsborough County, Florida. 2nd Edition
Author: Jean-Francois, Emmanuel
Date: 2005-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Strategic Planning,Needs Assessment,Focus Groups,Community Surveys,Haitians,Community Study,Interviews,Participant Characteristics,Community Organizations,Social Indicators,Community Attitudes,Questionnaires

The decision to conduct a &quot;Needs Assessment of the Haitian-American Community in Hillsborough County&quot; was made to provide a quasi-scientific or a research foundation to our future intervention in this community. More specifically, the needs assessment aimed to: (1) Identify the priorities in the needs of the Haitian-American community, in Hillsborough county; (2) Ensure that the organization's goals match with the expectations of such community; and (3) Build a data base of information that can help make systemic and effective interventions within this community. The needs assessment was conducted through community survey, focus groups, and interviews with key informants. Like any needs assessment, this study has the limitation of not being exhaustive. It does not necessarily take into account all the needs of the Haitian-American community in Hillsborough County. This is a lecture, the lecture of the HOPE [Haitian-American Organization for Population Activities and Education, Inc.]. Two appendixes are included: (1) List of Haitian Churches in Hillsborough County (Updated); and (2) Needs Assessment Questionnaire. (Contains 15 tables and 1 graph.) [The &quot;Needs Assessment of the Haitian-American Community in Hillsborough County, Florida&quot; was conducted in 2004 with the sole financial contributions of the Board members of the HOPE. The first edition came out in October 2004 and was used to write the Strategic Plan of the HOPE. The publication of this second edition was made possible partially by a grant from the Children's Board of Hillsborough County (CBHC).]
Career-Based Comprehensive School Reform: Serving Disadvantaged Youth in Minority Communities
Author: Castellano, Marisa
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Longitudinal Studies,School Restructuring,Community Characteristics,Disadvantaged Youth,Minority Groups,At Risk Students,Articulation (Education),Middle Schools,High Schools,Community Colleges,Attendance,Tech Prep,Educational Experience,Academic Achievement,Career Education,Technical Education,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power,Dropout Rate

This report presents the results of a five-year longitudinal study designed to examine the   effect of career-based comprehensive school reform on creating a successful high school experience and preparing youth for the adult world of postsecondary education and work. The study included three feeder patterns of middle schools, high schools, and community colleges in communities with high percentages of at-risk students. The high schools implemented career-based comprehensive school reform to try to improve the educational chances of the poor and minority students they served. Comparison high schools with similar student populations but not undergoing comprehensive school reform efforts were found.  High school engagement and achievement were measured using attendance, dropout,   course-taking, and graduation data. High school transition was measured using responses to a senior survey, participation in Tech Prep and dual credit opportunities, and achievement data for the graduates who attended their local community college. All measures were compared to the comparison school students. The outcomes were mixed. None of the three schools achieved consistent gains over their respective comparison group on measures of academic achievement. However, one finding held true across all six high schools: The odds of dropping out declined as the proportion of the high school experience invested in CTE courses increased. In terms of transition to postsecondary, more students reported having a post-high school plan than their comparison school counterparts at two of the three study schools. Many students at the study schools aligned their next step with their high school course of study. Finally, most of the students who attended their local community college needed to take remedial coursework. The implications of these findings are discussed. Appendices include: (1) Methods Supplement 149; (2) Chapter 3 Supplemental Analyses 179; (3) Chapter 4 Supplemental Analyses 207; and (4) Posthoc Analyses of AHS Comparison Subgroups. (Contains 172 tables and 5 figures.)
Community College Noncredit Occupational Programming: A Study of State Policies and Funding
Author: Oleksiw, Catherine A.
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Community Colleges,Noncredit Courses,State Programs,State Regulation,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Job Training,Contract Training,Financial Support,Industry,Definitions

This study inventoried state policies and regulations on and financial support for noncredit occupational programming offered by community colleges. Information collected from state- and community college-level administrators and Web-based searches is organized by a range of issues related to noncredit occupational programming and funding, such as definitions for noncredit; categories of noncredit courses; development and delivery of programming, including content standards, instructor qualifications, and noncredit-to-credit course transfer; state-level collection of noncredit programming data; state funding mechanisms for noncredit courses; and contract training. The study also lays the groundwork for further research on the impact of community college noncredit programming policies and funding on course availability and accessibility, business and industry partnerships, and reporting mechanisms and data systems for noncredit programming. The authors' most telling findings concerned the range of operational definitions for noncredit programming and for noncredit occupational programming; the existence or absence of policies for development, delivery, and funding; the extent to which different funding mechanisms were used; and the paucity of data easily accessible (if even available) by the states. An apparent constant was the use of contract training in some capacity in every state. In all of this, the community college played a primary role, although many states maintained some degree of oversight, mainly for content standards and course approval. Another key player was the business and industry partner, often but not always through formal agreements due to either by programming or funding policies. Based on the extensive amount of information gathered for this study as well as in-depth discussions with state and community college representatives, different avenues for future research might be considered. This paper offers key recommendations. Appendices include: (1) Inventory of State Policies and Funding for Community College Noncredit Programming; (2) Community College Noncredit Study Interview Protocol; (3) Sample State Web Sites and Documents Reviewed; (4) Noncredit Programming Definitions; (5) State Policies for Community College Noncredit Occupational Course Development and Delivery; (6) State Funding Policies and Entities Responsible for Noncredit Occupational Programming; and (7) State Funding Mechanisms for Noncredit Occupational Programming at Community Colleges. (Contains 16 tables.)
Moving beyond the GED: &quot;Low-Skilled Adult Transition to Occupational Pathways at Community Colleges Leading to Family-Supporting Careers&quot;. Research Synthesis
Author: Park, Rosemarie J.
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Credentials,Wages,Community Colleges,Adult Basic Education,Technical Education,Teaching Methods,Synthesis,Adults,High School Equivalency Programs,Adult Education,Adult Students,Educational Innovation,Best Practices,English (Second Language),Vocational Education,Federal Programs,Career Development,Family Income,Education Work Relationship,Job Skills,Case Studies,Literature Reviews,Labor Force Development,Longitudinal Studies,Technical Institutes,Adult Literacy,Outcomes of Education,Occupational Mobility,Guidelines,Urban Areas,Welfare Recipients,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation

This review of research is part of a larger project which identified exemplary community college programs that employ innovative curriculum and instructional practices in order to help low-skilled adults attain a family sustainable wage. The project goal was to identify best practices that are replicable at other community colleges. These programs and models combine Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Diploma (GED), and sometimes English as a Second Language (ESL) programs with the opportunity to attain postsecondary credentials leading to gainful employment at a family sustainable wage. The project involved three universities and was part the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) funded by the Office of Adult and Vocational Education, U.S. Department of Education. This review of the research was a first step in that project and summarizes what is currently known about low-skilled adults and programs for them. Appendices include: (1) Career Pathways; and (2) Family Sustainable Wage. (Contains 2 tables and 3 footnotes.)
State Secondary CTE Standards: Developing a Framework out of a Patchwork of Policies
Author: Castellano, Marisa
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Technical Education,State Standards,Educational Practices,Career Education,Use Studies,Alignment (Education),Standard Setting,Theory Practice Relationship,Professional Development,Enrollment Influences,Special Needs Students,Barriers,Educational Policy,Secondary Education,Program Termination,Educational Finance,Program Descriptions,Program Implementation,Teacher Attitudes

Many state educational administrators are currently working to define secondary career and technical education (CTE) content standards that specify the knowledge and skills students are expected to master in CTE program areas. The two-phase project on which this report is based explored (a) the progress and status of states in developing statewide secondary CTE standards systems, and (b) whether and how teachers are using those standards in their CTE courses. In 2006, an exhaustive query of CTE standards systems across the 50 states and the District of Columbia was conducted using publicly available information, validated through targeted follow-up interviews with state officials. The results include a snapshot description of each state's secondary CTE standards system as of fall 2006 and the relationship between that system and other standards systems in that state (e.g., secondary academic standards, postsecondary technical standards). For the second phase of the project, the research team selected states with well-developed statewide standards systems and interviewed state-selected CTE teachers about whether having CTE standards has changed how they teach. The results of the second phase show that these teachers welcomed CTE standards. They describe some of the ways that teachers are using these standards in their practice. Sample Standards Across Group A and B States: Business/Marketing and Welding is appended. (Contains 20 tables and 13 footnotes.)
State Approval Policies and Procedures for Postsecondary Career and Technical Education
Author: Merkley, Rodney J.
Date: 2007-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: State Programs,Community Colleges,Labor Market,Program Validation,Articulation (Education),Technical Education,Postsecondary Education,Career Education,Web Sites,Content Analysis,Interviews,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Alignment (Education),Academic Standards,Telephone Surveys,State Officials,Administrative Policy,Education Work Relationship

This study examined the final program approval for new postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and program review policies and procedures for existing programs based on publicly available Web sites and on follow-up interviews with representatives in the final state approving agency. The purpose of the study was to inventory the various state-level policies and procedures and examine how occupational standards were being incorporated into approval processes. In addition, the study examined the methods by which the states ensured that programs were aligned with labor market needs and how articulation efforts were being incorporated into the final state program approval policy and procedure. The study was limited to public, two-year degree-granting institutions and did not include any policies and procedures for private or proprietary institutions. Findings reveal that there is considerable variation across states with respect to structure, policies, and procedures governing the approval of new programs and the review of existing programs. The typical contents of new program approval applications and of program review guidelines, including their wide variation across state agencies and community college systems, suggests that the decision making process about the establishment of new programs is for all practical purposes delegated to the local institutions. There is also wide variation of the application of the term "standards" across systems and there is evidence to suggest that state agencies lacked either the time or the expertise necessary to determine the appropriateness of the standards suggested by local institutions. There is even wider variation across state agencies in their understanding and application of criteria related to labor market conditions as a part of program approval and review. Articulation appears to be largely outside of policies and procedures for approval of new programs and review of existing programs. Appendices include: (1) Definitions; (2) State Web Sites; (3) Data Collection Instrument; and (4) State Summaries. (Contains 7 tables, 1 figure, and 1 footnote.)
Study of State Certification/Licensure Requirements for Secondary Career and Technical Education Teachers
Author: Zirkle, Christopher J.
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Nontraditional Students,Exit Examinations,Teacher Certification,Technical Education,State Surveys,State Standards,Alternative Teacher Certification,Teacher Education Programs,Mail Surveys,State Officials,Conventional Instruction,Web Sites,Content Analysis,Graduation Requirements,Academic Standards,Vocational Education

Teacher certification/licensure requirements across the United States are in constant flux. Career and technical education (CTE), with its many subject disciplines, has historically had two pathways to certification/licensure: a traditional degree-based program of courses, field experiences, and exit exams, and an alternative pathway based primarily on work experience. For the purposes of comparison, potential state certification/licensure updates, program revision, and perhaps policy changes, this study examined the state-by-state requirements for all CTE fields in both pathways. Appendices include: (1) State Contact List; (2) Sample Initial E-mail; (3) Sample Follow-Up E-mail; (4) Phone Script; (5) Data Collection Sheet; (6) E-mail Questionnaire; (7) Alternative Pathway List; (8) Traditional Pathway Degree/Preparation Program Requirements; (9) Alternative Pathway Degree/Preparation Program Requirements; (10) Traditional Pathway Testing Requirements; (11) Alternative Pathway Types by State; (12) Alternative Pathway Testing Requirements; (13) Traditional Pathway Other Requirements; (14) Alternative Pathway Other Requirements; (15) Requirement Differences Between CTE and Other Disciplines; (16) Traditional Pathway Renewal Requirements; (17) Alternative Pathway Renewal Requirements; (18) Traditional Pathway Upgrade Requirements; (19) Alternative Pathway Upgrade Requirements; (20) Traditional Pathway Substitute/Temporary Requirements; (21) Alternative Pathway Substitute/Temporary Requirements; and (22) State Requirements Summaries. (Contains 2 tables.)
Career and Technical Education, Career Pathways, and Work-Based Learning: Changes in Participation, 1997-1999
Author: Stone, James R., III
Date: 2003-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: High School Students,Selection,Tech Prep,Cooperative Education,Student Characteristics,Apprenticeships,Job Shadowing,Mentors,Career Education,Technical Education,Academic Achievement,Educational Experience,Education Work Relationship

We examined the extent to which high school students are choosing to participate in work-related education after a decade of education reform in the United States. Using data from the &quot;National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997,&quot; we first examined the characteristics of students enrolled in alternative curriculum concentrations: career and technical (CTE), academic, dual (combining academic and CTE), and general. We then examined the characteristics of students who enroll in career pathways, tech prep, or any work-based learning (WBL) activity (defined as cooperative education, job shadowing, mentoring, school-sponsored enterprise, and internship/apprenticeship). Secondly, we analyzed socioeconomic, school experience, and CTE-related variables that could be predictors of participation in curriculum concentrations, career pathways, tech prep, and WBL activities; high school academic achievement; and risky behaviors. We concluded that CTE-related programs, supported by the school reforms, have helped in changing the coursetaking pattern of youth participating in those programs, and significantly contribute to students' high school achievement. Technical Notes are appended. (Contains 16 tables.)
Design Features of the Physical Learning Environment for Collaborative, Project-Based Learning at the Community College Level
Author: Wolff, Susan J.
Date: 2003-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Projects,Active Learning,Educational Environment,Phenomenology,Community Colleges,Design Requirements,Cooperative Learning,Educational Facilities Design,Human Factors Engineering,Learning Processes,Educational Change,Vocational Education,Workshops,College Faculty,College Students,Architecture,High Schools,Museums,Partnerships in Education,Environmental Education,House Plan,Building Design,Interior Design,Classroom Design,Elementary Secondary Education,Interviews,Conferences (Gatherings),Case Studies,Data Analysis,Urban Schools,Building Conversion

The purpose of the study was to (a) determine the design features of the physical learning environment that support collaborative, project-based learning, and (b) to gain an understanding of the rationale for the selection of the features. The literature review indicated a need for changing learning expectations to prepare learners for rapidly changing roles and responsibilities for the 21st century. Collaborative, project-based learning was identified as a pedagogy that prepares learners for these new learning expectations. Data were collected in three phases using a phenomenological approach. Collection methods included site visits, observations, reflection, text, interviews, and designs. Architects and educators participated in the study. Thirty-two design features were identified and placed into six categories. Upon further reflection and analysis, it appears the essence of the findings is the interrelationship among spaces and people. (Contains 2 tables and 6 figures.)
Diversity and Educational Benefits: Moving Beyond Self-Reported Questionnaire Data
Author: Herzog, Serge
Date: 2007-11-19
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Research Universities,Grade Point Average,Thinking Skills,Student Diversity,Diversity (Faculty),Student Development,Cognitive Development,Correlation,Academic Achievement,Scores,Enrollment Trends,Majors (Students),Student Financial Aid,Socioeconomic Influences,College Preparation,Critical Thinking,Racial Differences,Cultural Influences

Effects of ethnic/racial diversity among students and faculty on cognitive growth of undergraduate students are estimated via a series of hierarchical linear and multinomial logistic regression models. Using objective measures of compositional, curricular, and interactional diversity based on actuarial course enrollment records of over 6,000 students at a public research university, the study finds no patterns of positive correlation with objective measures of cumulative academic achievement (i.e., final graduating GPA, GRE/GMAT test scores, graduate school enrollment) net of academic preparation at college entry and socio-demographic background, and with or without accounting for academic major, college curricular experience, and financial aid. Results are consistent with student self-assessed level of critical thinking skills after graduation, but not with self-assessed level of understanding of racial and cultural issues, both affective outcomes showing a positive correlation with curricular diversity. As the findings contradict most of the higher education literature on survey-based cognitive benefits of ethnic/racial diversity, the study calls for use of objective measures to advance the research in this area. (Contains 19 tables, 4 graphs and 10 footnotes.)
Comparing Graduation Rates Using One State's Data
Author: Franklin, Bobby J.
Date: 2006-11-16
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: High School Graduates,Graduation Rate,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Cohort Analysis,Educational Indicators,Data Collection,Dropouts,National Standards,Longitudinal Studies,Grade 8,Grade 9

The National Governors' Association is urging states to develop a standardized cohort graduation rate definition and to develop data systems with quality data that can in turn be used to produce a reliable indicator. This paper is an examination of one state's graduation rate using the cohort method. The statistics generated are compared to a panel based graduation rate, the Average Freshmen Graduation Rate (AFGR) produced by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Cumulative Promotion Index (CPI) published in Education Week. The cohort, panel and AFGR methods generated similar results across all years while the CPI produced a lower rate for two of four years examined. The CPI appears to be more susceptible to population fluctuations than those that use four years of data. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)