ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Phase I--Early Experiences in Maine
Author: Stump, Erika K.
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: State Legislation,Educational Legislation,Educational Policy,Qualitative Research,Academic Standards,Learner Engagement,Curriculum,Evaluation Methods,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Competence,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Faculty Development,Teacher Collaboration,Integrated Learning Systems,Family Programs,Community Programs,Accountability,State Standards,Elementary Secondary Education,Case Studies,School Districts

Following the passage of No Child Left Behind, there has been increased attention among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners on the emergence and implementation of standards-based education. Existing literature documents both the promise of standards-based education and the various potential obstacles to achieving success that teachers, administrators, and policymakers confront. The present study examines the early implementation process of proficiency-based education standards in the state of Maine, per Maine law &quot;LD 1422: An Act to Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy.&quot; Under LD 1422, all schools are expected to establish a proficiency-based diploma system by 2018. Using a two-phase, qualitative approach, our findings suggest that benefits include improved student engagement, greater attention to development of robust interventions systems and more deliberate collective and collaborative professional work. In addition, practitioners and leaders indicated the need for continued work and resources to address challenges of implementation, including common working definitions, public support, time for professional collaboration, development of effective learning management system and addressing the needs of students at various developmental stages. The following are appended: (1) LD 1422; (2) Case Study Schools &amp; School Districts; and (3) Implementation Survey. [For &quot;Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System in Maine: Phase II--District Level Analysis,&quot; see ED561263. This study was funded by the Maine State Legislature, and the University of Maine System.]
Texas Student Success Council: Finding Common Ground to Increase Community College Completion
Author: Collins, Michael Lawrence
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Community Colleges,Two Year College Students,Stakeholders,State Legislation,Graduation Rate,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Transfer Policy,Competency Based Education,Educational Policy,Educational Objectives,Educational Administration

In 2011, a prominent Texas business group erected provocative billboards condemning low completion rates at the state's community colleges and questioning the value of tax dollars spent there. The Texas Association of Business put up the signs to prod community colleges to do more to increase student success and help create a better educated workforce. College leaders were outraged at the vitriolic public attack. Yet, just a year and a half later, the once apparent adversaries were working together to help community college students across the state. They cosigned a letter urging the Texas Legislature to support outcomes-based funding, a controversial strategy that provides financial incentives for institutions that increase the number of students who make progress toward and complete a postsecondary credential. This publication is a concise documentation of the work of the Texas Student Success Council, a group of diverse stakeholder groups in Texas who collaborated and were successful in bringing about some high leverage policy changes in the state's legislative session. It includes a summary of the Council's origins, accomplishments, process for setting its policy agenda, and recommendations for states seeking to implement a similar strategy. An appendix provides a list of the Texas Student Success Council Members as of January 2014.
Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System in Maine: Phase II--District Level Analysis
Author: Silvernail, David L.
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Standards,Academic Achievement,Educational Policy,State Legislation,School Districts,Learner Engagement,Intervention,Faculty Development,Progress Monitoring,Parent Participation,Cooperative Planning,Teacher Collaboration,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Integrated Learning Systems,Costs,Educational Resources,Postsecondary Education,College Readiness,Career Readiness

This report describes the findings from Phase II of a study of Maine's implementation of a proficiency-based diploma system. At the request of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs of the Maine Legislature, the Maine Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) has conducted a two-phased study of the implementation of Maine law &quot;LD 1422: An Act to Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy.&quot; Phase I of the study in 2012-2013 reported on the preliminary development, costs and impacts of standards-based school programs in Maine. Phase II of the study focused on examining school districts in Maine implementing a proficiency-based diploma system. Eight Maine school districts, representing different school district sizes, geographic areas, and years of implementing proficiency-based reforms were examined through site visits, interviews, and focus groups. Implementing a proficiency-based diploma system by 2018 represents a sea change in the way education is provided for Maine children. The evidence from both phases of this study indicated that many school districts are working diligently to fulfill the state mandate. In so doing school districts are seeing some key benefits from this work. At the same time, school districts are facing some key challenges in completing this work. Each of these key benefits and challenges are described in the report, along with a series of recommendations to facilitate future work in implementing Maine's proficiency-based diploma system. The report includes the appendix: LD 1422. [This study was funded by the Maine State Legislature, and the University of Maine System. For &quot;Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Phase I--Early Experiences in Maine,&quot; see ED561261.]
The Economic Payoff for Closing College-Readiness and Completion Gaps: Why States Should Invest in Accelerating Low-Income Youth to and through Postsecondary Credentials
Author: Vargas, Joel
Date: 2013-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Low Income Students,College Readiness,Graduation,Career Readiness,Acceleration (Education),Economics,Outcomes of Education,Productivity,Cost Effectiveness,High School Students,College Students,Public Support,Financial Support,Educational Finance,Models

The low rates at which U.S. college students complete a degree and the amount time they spend in remedial coursework are national problems. The situation is particularly acute for low-income and other underserved youth, including populations such as Hispanic students that are growing the fastest in the country and that have some of the lowest success rates in our K-12 and postsecondary education systems. It is a problem not only for the students, and not only because our economy and democracy depend on well-educated citizens, but also because it represents an inefficient use of personal and public investments in education. Every student who falls short of the goal of earning a high school diploma and a college degree represents a financial investment that did not pay off in a credential of value in the labor market. In response, state policymakers and major foundations have invested in a variety of strategies to improve the college readiness of high school graduates, reduce the need for remedial courses in college, improve college completion rates, and reduce the &quot;time to completion&quot; of a degree. This brief supports the economic logic of such investments, in particular those that result in more low-income youth attaining the postsecondary credentials that can yield enormous benefits to students, families, and taxpayers. [This report was produced by Jobs for the Future's Early College Design Services.]
Pathways to Mathematics College Readiness in Maine
Author: Silvernail, David L
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Readiness,College Mathematics,High School Students,Mathematics Skills,Algebra,Calculus,Grade 8,Common Core State Standards,Geometry,Secondary School Mathematics,High School Graduates,State Colleges,Postsecondary Education,Achievement Tests,Standardized Tests,Transcripts (Written Records)

The goal of this study was to examine the pathways to being college ready in mathematics. Students who enter high school already having demonstrated mathematics proficiency on a standardized test in the 8th grade have already taken a significant step towards being college ready. The best scenario is to enter high school proficient in mathematics and having already completed Algebra I, then to complete at least Algebra II and Calculus before graduating from high school. Students completing this pathway are virtually guaranteed to be college ready in mathematics. There also is an alternative path to being college ready. Being proficient entering high school, and then completing a course sequence that includes at least Algebra I, Algebra II, and pre-Calculus significantly increased students' chances of being college ready in mathematics. Thus, it appears 8th grade proficiency is key to becoming college ready in mathematics. It affords opportunities for students to complete Algebra I before entering high school and then take higher level mathematics courses in high school. Alternatively, even if students wait to take Algebra I in high school, if they are proficient and complete at least pre-Calculus, they have a high likelihood of being college ready. The key is 8th grade mathematics proficiency. It opens the gate to a successful high school and college experience in mathematics. The typical sequence of courses completed by most high school students is Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (2012) has endorsed this three course sequence as preparing students for college. However, the evidence from this study does not support this endorsement. Completing Geometry does not substantially ensure college readiness, nor does completing Algebra II ensure college readiness. Students also need to successfully complete either a pre-Calculus or Calculus course in high school to be college ready.
Professional Higher Education in Europe. Characteristics, Practice Examples and National Differences
Author: Camilleri, Anthony F.
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Professional Education,Higher Education,Differences,Educational Change,Models,Educational Policy,College Instruction,Learning,Research and Development,Innovation,College Curriculum,Qualifications,Recognition (Achievement),Financial Support,Educational Development,Surveys,Mixed Methods Research

Chapter 1 starts out with a short historical view on &quot;academisation&quot; and &quot;professionalisation,&quot; illustrating how much professional higher education (PHE) in Europe has been in flux in the past years. With examples from France and Ireland, the chapter argues how a new spectrum of missions, differences in national organization of PHE and a variety of denominations for PHE providers and programmes has slowed down a shared understanding of what PHE commonly characterises. Chapter 2 gives information on research aims and methodology of the &quot;HAPHE&quot; (Harmonising Approaches to Professional Higher Education) initiative, which made this publication possible. Chapter 3 is a central part of this book. The authors suggest a validated definition for PHE and present a structured set of characteristics (framework) including quality criteria. The three framework dimensions: policy and strategy, teaching and learning, and research, development and innovation are accompanied by examples of PHE from several European countries. Those examples where gathered from programmes and institutions that have developed a clear professional profile in all or most of the framework criteria. Chapter 4 outlines differences in PHE systems in 15 EU member states for curricular requirements, PHE provision on EQF levels, the recognition of professional degrees, and, not less importantly, access to (research) funding. Chapter 5 builds on the outcomes of all previous chapters and formulates recommendations to European and national policy-makers, the providers of PHE policy, and individuals/organisations working on quality development. [Contributors to this work included: Michael Calleja, Johan Cloet, Ulf-Daniel Ehlers, Ole Faaborg, Justin Fenech, Nicole Graf, Marko Grdošic, Michal Karpíšek, Anne Kraav, Regitze Sparre Kristensen, Stéphane Lauwick, Žarko Nožica, Armando Pires, Alicia-Leonor Sauli-Miklavcic, Christine Sholz, Monique Swennenhuis, Marc Vandewalle, and Iva Voldánová.]
Cisco Networking Academy: Next-Generation Assessments and Their Implications for K-12 Education
Author: Liu, Meredith
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Assessment,Computer Networks,Information Technology,Elementary Secondary Education,Portfolio Assessment,Feedback (Response),Curriculum Design

To illuminate the possibilities for next-generation assessments in K-12 schools, this case study profiles the Cisco Networking Academy, which creates comprehensive online training curriculum to teach networking skills. Since 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy has served more than five million high school and college students and now delivers approximately one million online assessments per month in a variety of formats. Its advanced and highly integrated assessment system offers lessons for K-12 technology and assessment.
Rethinking 12th Grade: Preparing All Students for College &quot;before&quot; College
Author: Jobs for the Future
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: High School Seniors,Grade 12,College Preparation,College Readiness,Common Core State Standards,Curriculum Development,Intervention,At Risk Students,Educational Policy,State Policy,Public Policy

Jobs for the Future and the Community College Research Center convened educators, policymakers, and researchers to discuss strategies for increasing college readiness and success by redesigning the senior year and improving the transition to postsecondary education. This brief highlights key issues and recommendations that grew out of the event &quot;Making the Most of 12th Grade in the Common Core Era: Ensuring Every Student Is Ready for College Before College.&quot; Questions for policymakers and practitioners are included.
Schools and Software: What's Now and What's Next
Author: Freeland, Julia
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Computer Software,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Public Schools,Blended Learning,Surveys,School Districts,Elementary Secondary Education,Information Management,Computers,Technology Integration,Professional Development,Technological Literacy

What software tools do school systems actually want? Demand-side analyses typically reflect the loudest voices in the market that companies are eager to please--in the case of education technology, the largest urban districts with the largest technology budgets. But half of the nation's 48 million public school students attend approximately 3,700 small- to mediumsized school systems.* These school systems face some of the same struggles as large districts in delivering high-quality blended learning and running effective and efficient central offices. They also face distinct challenges in the marketplace, as they find themselves unable to afford large enterprise solutions or powerless to push suppliers to customize to their particular needs. To answer the question of what these school systems want, the authors surveyed education leaders in 30 small- to medium-sized public school systems that each serve between approximately 2,500 to 25,000 students to shed light on developing education technology trends and desires. K-12 software has long been a source of aggravation and disappointment. But many of the school systems that were surveyed believe software can be used strategically to improve student achievement and overall organizational performance. An appendix provides software maps of school systems surveyed. [This report was written with contributions from Aylon Samouha.]
Identifying and Understanding Effective High Schools: Personalization for Academic and Social Learning &amp; Student Ownership and Responsibility
Author: Rutledge, Stacey A.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: High Schools,School Effectiveness,High School Students,Ownership,Student Responsibility,Learning,Urban Schools,Value Added Models,Individualized Instruction,School Culture

What are the policies, programs and practices that make some high schools in the same state and district context more effective than others? Motivated to understand the differences between schools with similar size and demographics yet different attendance, graduation and levels of student academic growth, the National Center for Scaling Up Effective Schools (NCSU)--a federally-funded project aimed at identifying, developing and implementing processes to scale up effective practices in urban high schools--embarked on year-long initiative to identify the major differences between two high and two low performing high schools in two districts--Broward County, Florida and Fort Worth, Texas. The study and findings are discussed in this report. In both districts it was found that the more effective high schools successfully mobilized both the academic and social emotional systems at their schools in the service of students. Administrators, guidance counselors and teachers at the effective schools worked together to bridge the academic and social emotional elements of schooling, seeing them as interwoven. They implemented teaching strategies, cultural habits, and organizational routines that promoted interconnections between the classroom and the social emotional lives of students. As such, students in the higher performing schools were much more likely than those in the lower performing schools to say that adults in the school supported them in developing both cognitive and non-cognitive skills necessary for their academic success and social wellbeing. Further, the high performing schools in the districts mobilized these academic and social emotional practices in different ways, particular to their local context and needs.
Knocking Down Barriers: How California Superintendents Are Implementing Blended Learning
Author: Horn, Michael B.
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Superintendents,Blended Learning,Barriers,Teacher Role,Administrator Attitudes,Police,Unions,Contracts,Technology Uses in Education,Online Courses,Credits

School districts across the United States are implementing blended learning to boost student achievement. The authors convened several California school district superintendents to answer the questions: &quot;What are the barriers, real or perceived, to implementing blended learning in your district?&quot; and &quot;Have you found solutions to or ways around these barriers?&quot; Given that 93 percent of California's public school students are enrolled in district schools, the answers matter, as superintendents around the state struggle with antiquated regulations and processes that inhibit their ability to innovate and better serve students. The authors hypothesized that for each barrier one superintendent identified, another superintendent in the room would have a solution. This paper summarizes the answers to both of these questions. The barriers the superintendents identified fell into three categories: (1) Redesigning teacher roles given state policy and teachers union contract provisions; (2) Purchasing and managing technology and infrastructure; and (3) Recognizing online classes as valid for the University of California and California State University systems.
Thinking Big: A Framework for States on Scaling Up Community College Innovation
Author: Asera, Rose
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Community Colleges,Educational Innovation,Scaling,Sustainability,Evidence Based Practice,Evaluators,Interviews,Definitions,Success,Educational Planning,Models,Labor Force Development,Educational Change,Governance

It is a truism of American social policy that our nation has great success generating innovative programs that improve outcomes for participants--but that we are far less effective at moving from small, &quot;boutique&quot; programs into broadly applied solutions that improve the prospects of large numbers of individuals. This is certainly true in the education and workforce fields. We at Jobs For the Future (JFF) are not the first to tackle the question of scale. We felt the need, though, to undertake our own inquiry to inform our thinking about scale and to specify a framework that could be useful to both policymakers and practitioners. We mined the extensive research literature on scale and sustainability, and looked in depth at efforts in Arkansas, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington State, and interviewed key policy and practice entrepreneurs, college and system leaders, and experienced evaluators of community college initiatives, in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, and Texas. &quot;Thinking Big&quot; suggests a comprehensive process of four phases--planning, initiating, expanding, and sustaining--while highlighting common issues that arise in scaling up and how to address them. The following are appended: (1) What the Literature Says about Scale in Educational Innovation; and (2) The Arkansas Career Pathway Initiative