ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
NY&apos;s Stratospheric School Spending
Author: Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Finance,Public Schools,Expenditures,Expenditure per Student,Elementary Secondary Education,Teacher Salaries,Fringe Benefits,State Government

This paper uses the most recent federal data to compare broad measures of public school spending in New York and other states--and to point to likely explanations for the differences. As of 2014-15, New York led all states with PreK-12 spending of $21,206 per pupil--86 percent above the US average, according to Census Bureau data. The school spending gap between New York and the national average has widened considerably over the past 20 years. This trend accelerated during the Great Recession, when state and local tax revenues were plummeting across the country. From 2007-08 to 2014-15, New York's per-pupil spending increased 24 percent; more than double the national post-recession average. New York's public elementary and secondary schools spent about $59 billion to educate 2.6 million pupils in 2014-15, which was exceeded only in California. New York has nearly 700 local school districts--the fourth most of any state. But census data show that the administrative costs associated with a large number of districts is not a major factor driving the difference in spending. New York's exceptionally high school spending is driven mainly by instructional salaries and benefits--which, at $14,769 per pupil, were 114 percent above the national average of $6,903 in 2014-15. New York's per-pupil spending in this category--which measures total compensation only for staff interacting directly with pupils in the classroom--was greater than the total PreK-12 spending of 42 other states. Even New York's lowest-spending school system spent 6.4 percent more per pupil than the national average. At the other extreme, 213 New York districts spent at least twice the U.S. average.
School Tax Growth Sinks under Cap
Author: McMahon, E. J.
Date: 2015-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: School Districts,Taxes,Budgeting,Economic Climate,Geographic Regions,Budgets

School districts, which generate the largest share of New York State's high local property taxes, have now entered their fourth annual budgeting cycle under a property tax cap enacted in 2011. The tax cap was adopted following a 30-year period in which school tax levies rose from $3.5 billion to $19.7 billion--an average of 6.0 percent a year during a period when inflation averaged 3.3 percent a year It seems clear the tax cap is making a difference. When compared to both short- and long-term historical trends, the cap has yielded significantly lower average school tax increases, according to the latest available property tax data for New York school districts. Since the tax cap took effect in 2012: (1) School tax levies have risen by an average of just 2.2 percent annually--the lowest in any four-year period since 1982; (2) Compared to what they would have owed if school tax levies had grown at the 30-year average rate of 6.0 percent a year, property owners have saved a total of $7.6 billion, including $3.3 billion in 2015-16 alone; (3) Using a different benchmark--the 3.0 percent average growth of the four years immediately prior to the cap's adoption--tax savings have totaled $1.3 billion, including $608 million in 2015-16 alone; and (4) Excluding new taxes generated by property improvements, inflation-adjusted school property tax levies have decreased.
What&apos;s Driving K-12 School Costs? 2016 Update
Author: Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc.
Date: 2016-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Budgets,State Aid,Elementary Secondary Education,Public Education,Educational Finance,Teacher Salaries,Expenditures,Enrollment Trends,School Personnel

New York's newly enacted state budget for fiscal 2017 included an exceptionally large school aid increase of $1.5 billion--6.5 percent over the previous year, more than triple the projected inflation rate. This brings the state-funded share of K-12 public school expenses to an all-time record of nearly $25 billion, despite steadily declining enrollment. Since 2008-09, when the recession hit bottom, New York's school staffing has receded from peak levels, yet school expenses continue rising at a healthy pace. Current State Education Department data highlight two trends that help explain school budget increases: (1) From 2008-09 to 2014-15, the statewide median teacher salary rose by 13 percent, and salaries were driven up in large part by automatic &quot;step&quot; raises locked into place by the state Triborough Amendment; and (2) Schools in 2014-15 employed only 3 percent fewer K-12 professional staffers than they did in 2000-01--although enrollment in the meantime had dropped about 10 percent. The full extent of the continuing rise in school spending since the recession was the result of: (1) increasing teacher compensation costs driven largely by automatic pay raises and (2) continued relatively high levels of staffing, relative to enrollment, especially in non-teaching titles. State law clearly is a major factor in the first trend, while the second needs to be more closely examined. [For the 2015 report, see ED562012.]
From Scatterplot to Roadmap: New Efforts to Improve Student Success in the California State University
Author: Moore, Colleen
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: State Universities,Student Improvement,Educational Change,Graduation Rate,Achievement Gap,Academic Achievement,Systems Approach,College Students,College Transfer Students,Leadership,Governance,Data,Decision Making,Curriculum Development,Learner Engagement,Student Personnel Services,Academic Support Services,Faculty Development,College Faculty,Resource Allocation,Coordination

This report provides campus and system leaders with a scan of the current state of reform within the California State University (CSU), together with contextual insight into the obstacles and possibilities for broader scale adoption of coordinated, systemic change. Researchers: (1) Reviewed information on evidence-based student success strategies at broad-access universities nationwide, creating a framework mapping six broad categories of institutional actions along four stages of students' journey through college; (2) Collected and reviewed key planning documents from each of the 23 CSU campuses to identify the kinds of efforts planned or underway; and (3) Conducted surveys with administrators and faculty members at four campuses, identified themes, and cross-walked the themes against the student success strategies uncovered across the CSU. The report is divided into four sections: (1) The California State University is Focusing on Improving Student success (graduation rates are improving, but gaps persist, and the Graduation Initiative 2025 encourages new efforts on campus); (2) National Context: A Movement toward Systemic Institutional Change; (3) CSU Campus Strategies Reflect National Efforts, with Some Early Steps toward Systemic Change (campuses are implementing a broad set of strategies and are recognizing the need for systemic reform although they are facing challenges making the shift); and (4) Conclusions and Implications: Creating a Roadmap for Student Success. [This report was produced by the California State University (CSU) Student Success Network, facilitated by the Education Insights Center (EdInsights).]
Five Elements for Assessment Design and Use to Support Student Autonomy. Students at the Center: Deeper Learning Research Series
Author: Calkins, Andrew
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Personal Autonomy,Self Concept,Self Management,Equal Education,Student Evaluation,Test Construction,Evaluation Methods,Elementary Secondary Education,Access to Information,Relevance (Education),Alignment (Education),Identification (Psychology)

This brief focuses on: (1) Student autonomy as learners and (2) Assessments that inform the development of student self-knowledge and their capacity to become autonomous learners. It presents research showing that, when these concepts are explored, implemented, and measured, students will become more competent and confident learners ready to handle challenges in academics, the workplace, and civic life. The brief also offers examples of student autonomy and initial proof of viable concepts. Five elements for assessment design and use are described: (1) Provide accessible and actionable information that supports further learning; (2) Be understood, embraced, and valued by students as authentic and worthwhile; (3) Align with curriculum and instruction to support knowledge transfer; (4) Create opportunities to build strong identities; and (5) Promote equity.
Redesigning Assessment Systems: Emerging Lessons from Three States. Students at the Center: Deeper Learning Research Series
Author: Pecheone, Raymond
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: State Government,Local Government,Educational Assessment,Evaluation Methods,State Standards,State Policy,Government Role,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Political Issues,Standardized Tests,Student Evaluation,Career Readiness,College Readiness,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Performance Based Assessment,Elementary Secondary Education

Emboldened by the provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act, state and local education leaders are increasingly interested in redesigning their systems of assessment to further align with college and career readiness and to support meaningful learning for all students. This paper presents stories from three states undertaking this work: Virginia, California, and Texas. All three states are activating promising ideas, practices, and policies with an emphasis on developing new systems of assessment that focus on local participation in design and development. The paper highlights both the commonalities across the three states in the types of new assessments they are introducing and how they are introducing them, and the differences among the states in how they are building political will and developing scale-up plans, including the policies to sustain the changes. It explains that state-level leadership and political capital can pave the way; bottom-up leadership and local innovation help to drive progress; and established regional, statewide, or national organizations can help drive and spread reform. The paper concluded by describing how attention to context and social dynamics lays the groundwork for capacity building. [This report was written with Theresa Morris, Vinci Daro, Stephanie Krauss, and Adria Steinberg. For the Executive Summary, see ED587403.]
Redesigning Assessment Systems: Emerging Lessons from Three States. Executive Summary. Students at the Center: Deeper Learning Research Series
Author: Pecheone, Raymond
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: State Government,Local Government,Educational Assessment,Evaluation Methods,State Standards,State Policy,Government Role,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Political Issues,Standardized Tests,Student Evaluation,Career Readiness,College Readiness,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Performance Based Assessment,Elementary Secondary Education

Emboldened by the provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act, state and local education leaders are increasingly interested in redesigning their systems of assessment to further align with college and career readiness and to support meaningful learning for all students. This paper presents stories from three states undertaking this work: Virginia, California, and Texas. All three states are activating promising ideas, practices, and policies with an emphasis on developing new systems of assessment that focus on local participation in design and development. The paper highlights both the commonalities across the three states in the types of new assessments they are introducing and how they are introducing them, and the differences among the states in how they are building political will and developing scale-up plans, including the policies to sustain the changes. It explains that state-level leadership and political capital can pave the way; bottom-up leadership and local innovation help to drive progress; and established regional, statewide, or national organizations can help drive and spread reform. The paper concluded by describing how attention to context and social dynamics lays the groundwork for capacity building. [This report was written with Theresa Morris, Vinci Daro, Stephanie Krauss, and Adria Steinberg. For the full report, see ED587402.]
Challenges in Adolescent Reading Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial. Working Paper 62
Author: Gonzalez, Naihobe
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Literacy Education,Intervention,Secondary School Students,Small Group Instruction,Reading Difficulties,Reading Instruction,Program Effectiveness,Reading Comprehension,Language Arts,Academic Achievement,Barriers,Adolescents,Program Implementation,Student Characteristics

This paper presents findings on the implementation and impacts of Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) in Oakland, California, where the school district conducted the nation's first randomized controlled trial of LLI in secondary grades. LLI is a short-term, intensive intervention designed to help teachers provide small-group instruction to struggling readers. Many school districts across the country have used LLI, which research evidence has shown to rapidly improve outcomes for students in early elementary grades. During the trial, secondary schools in Oakland faced various challenges implementing LLI, leading students to experience different levels of LLI duration, intensity, and fidelity. LLI had no impact on students' reading comprehension and a negative impact on their mastery of English language arts/literacy standards. Students who were pulled out of other classes to receive LLI were particularly negatively affected, possibly as a result of missing grade-level content. This study's findings highlight challenges in implementing effective literacy interventions for struggling adolescent readers.
2018-19 School Budget Spotlight: Tax and Spending Changes Proposed by New York State School Districts
Author: Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Budgets,Taxes,Educational Finance,Expenditure per Student,Geographic Regions,Enrollment Trends,Expenditures,Budgeting,School Districts

This statistical report details tax and spending changes proposed by New York State districts. A figure shows budgeted change in per-pupil spending by region for the 2018-19 school year. Statistics in the following categories are provided for all reporting New York districts: (1) Projected Enrollment, 2018-19; (2) Budgeted 2018-19 Spending (totals in thousands); (3) School Property Tax Levy (totals in thousands); (4) Budgeted Spending (per-pupil amounts); (5) Spending Change (per-pupil amounts); (6) Property Tax Levy (per-pupil amounts); and (7) Difference from Cap (per-pupil amounts).
Student Learning That Works: How Brain Science Informs a Student Learning Model
Author: Goodwin, Bryan
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Brain,Memory,Learning Processes,Neurosciences,Models,Teaching Methods,Interests,Stimuli,Inquiry,Visual Stimuli,Active Learning,Emotional Response

This paper proposes a synthesis of the science of learning into a &quot;model&quot; teachers can follow and apply right away in their classrooms. Recent studies in neuroscience show that that our brains appear to actively and purposefully forget most of what we learn--continually clearing out old and unneeded memories to allow us to focus on more important information. This means that teachers are locked in a constant battle with their students' brains, which by design are programmed to ignore or forget most of what is in their environment, including what teachers attempt to present to them in their classrooms. The memory trek is made of many steps, but there are three major phases to the journey: (1) In order to learn anything, first it must be noticed with our &quot;sensory register,&quot; creating a super short-term memory of mere seconds. Stimuli that make it through our filters enter our &quot;immediate memory,&quot; where data is held for about 30 seconds; (2) If we consciously focus on what is in our immediate memory, information moves into our &quot;working memory,&quot; where it can be held anywhere from 5-20 minutes; and (3) Through further repetition, rehearsal, contextualization, or application, the information completes the final stage and moves into &quot;long-term memory.&quot; This report offers the following simple, six-phase model for student learning: (1) Become interested; (2) Commit to learning; (3) Focus on new knowledge; (4) Make sense of learning; (5) Practice and rehearse; and (6) Extend and apply. A toolkit for bringing these six phases into life in the classroom is also included.
Connecting State and Institutional Finance Policies for Improved Higher Education Outcomes. Lumina Issue Papers
Author: Boilard, Steve D.
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Finance,State Aid,Tuition,Student Financial Aid,Higher Education,School Policy,Educational Objectives,Educational Attainment,Resource Allocation,State Policy,Paying for College,Enrollment,Outcomes of Education,Performance Based Assessment

This paper provides a conceptual framework that examines the interrelationship between state and institutional finance policies, including state appropriations, tuition and financial aid. It explores how state higher education goals can be advanced through outcomes-based funding policies that provide incentives for institutional behavior, and how policies can be designed to maximize student success.
Equity Policy Academy: A Case Study
Author: Lumina Foundation
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Equal Education,Higher Education,Educational Improvement,Disproportionate Representation,College Students,Educational Policy,Educational Strategies,Educational Attainment,State Policy,White Students,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Asian American Students,American Indian Students,Policy Formation,Program Implementation,Educational Objectives,Position Papers

This brief tells the story of Lumina Foundation's and states' efforts to promote an equity agenda for higher education, featuring the 2015 Equity Policy Academy-- which focused on improving educational equity for students from historically underserved groups--as a turning point. Based primarily on interviews with Lumina staff and key state leaders from the five states that participated in the Academy--Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, and Virginia--this story is designed to highlight the unique path each state took to prioritize equity in postsecondary attainment, and inspire ideas for leaders in other states.
Higher Education Outcomes-Based Funding Models and Academic Quality. Lumina Issue Papers
Author: Miller, Trey
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Higher Education,Educational Quality,Outcomes of Education,Educational Policy,State Policy,Funding Formulas,Financial Support,State Aid,Evaluation Methods,State Standards,Success,College Students

Defining and measuring college quality is a contentious issue, and the debate about how to do so is far from settled. What is quality when institutions produce outputs ranging from student learning and labor-market success to research? How is student learning measured when students specialize in a major field? How are quality metrics tied to funding in a way that recognizes the diverse missions of institutions? While these questions remain unanswered, states continue to move forward with outcomes-based funding models. Policymakers need useful information to guide these important decisions. Unfortunately, existing evidence comes from a myriad of disconnected and undigested sources such as: (1) Academic and policy literature defining college quality; (2) Experience with and assessments of a wide range of metrics designed to measure components of college quality; and (3) States that have developed and implemented an outcomes-based funding model. This paper distills these existing sources into the most important lessons for policymakers considering outcomes-based funding models and wanting to ensure that those models improve student progression and completion while also maintaining or enhancing quality. It begins by discussing the concept of quality in higher education, paying particular attention to the multiple and often differentiated objectives of colleges and universities, as well as possible indicators of quality factors that could be measured in different ways. Next, criteria by which to evaluate quality metrics is described. It then discusses quality metrics that researchers and policymakers have used or proposed, and evaluates those metrics by the criteria described. The paper also describes the outcomes-based funding models that states have used for tying funding to outcomes, and offers insights about how current and future quality metrics might be incorporated into those models or used to ensure outcomes-based funding models do not lead to reduced quality. It closes with overarching recommendations based on the existing evidence.
How Competency-Based Education May Help Reduce Our Nation&apos;s Toughest Inequities. Lumina Issue Papers
Author: Krauss, Stephanie Malia
Date: 2017-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Competency Based Education,Postsecondary Education,At Risk Students,Student Empowerment,Minority Group Students,Ethnic Groups,Adult Learning,Adult Students,Certification,Academic Degrees,Community Colleges,Public Colleges,Proprietary Schools,Unemployment,Underemployment,Dual Enrollment,Remedial Instruction,Labor Force Development,Occupations

Competency-based education (CBE) is a rapidly growing movement of postsecondary and K-12 programs that allow learners to move ahead based on what they know and can do, rather than time spent in class. At the postsecondary level, CBE could be a pathway that helps many thousands of learners move from poverty to prosperity. This paper considers how CBE can be used to educate, equip, and empower learners who struggle in postsecondary learning programs because of who they are and where they live. Recommended starting points--places and programs--are provided throughout the paper to highlight where and how CBE providers can prioritize equity. The first section identifies three learner populations for CBE programs to prioritize: (1) learners of color; (2) adult learners who are unemployed or underemployed; and (3) adult learners with some postsecondary education but no credential. The second section details the types of programs CBE providers should offer, and the final section suggests some occupations and industries for which CBE programs should prepare their graduates.
Outcomes-Based Funding Strategies for Postsecondary Education: A Case Study
Author: Lumina Foundation
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Finance,Financial Support,Postsecondary Education,Public Colleges,Educational Policy,Funding Formulas,Outcomes of Education,Access to Education,State Policy,Higher Education,State Aid

This brief tells the story of Indiana's efforts to develop and implement outcomes-based funding (OBF) for public postsecondary education. Indiana's story is supplemented by a briefer description of efforts in Tennessee. Based primarily on interviews with key state leaders, this story is designed to highlight the unique path each state took to implement funding policies that can help increase educational attainment beyond high school, improve equity in student outcomes, and inspire ideas for leaders in other states.