ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
2010 A Digital Odyssey: Exploring Document Camera Technology and Computer Self-Efficacy in a Digital Era
Author: Hoge, Robert Joaquin
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Technology Uses in Education,Projection Equipment,Educational Technology,Self Efficacy,Computer Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Technology Integration,Access to Computers,Disadvantaged,Educational Strategies,Elementary School Teachers,Professional Development

Within the sphere of education, navigating throughout a digital world has become a matter of necessity for the developing professional, as with the advent of Document Camera Technology (DCT). This study explores the pedagogical implications of implementing DCT; to see if there is a relationship between teachers' comfort with DCT and to the self-efficacy beliefs of teachers. The literature describes our educational system &quot;at risk,&quot; comprised of digital &quot;natives&quot; and &quot;immigrants&quot; each challenged by a culture of &quot;disconnected&quot; digital-kids (DOE, 1999; Prensky, 2001; Levin, 2002). Narrative inquiry thematically analyzes the experience of teachers on the cusp of Technology Integration (TI). Research results indicate positive experiential evidence of DCT integration irrespective of CSE [Computer Self-Efficacy]. The battery of teacher experience discloses variance in DCT integration. The &quot;singularity&quot; of DCT integration and the mediation of big-screen-instructional practices were found shifting the paradigm for teacher pedagogy in a digital era (Prensky, 2001).
The Effects of Accommodations on the Assessment of LEP Students in NAEP. Working Paper Series. Working Paper No. 2001-13
Author: Abedi, Jamal
Date: 2001-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Measures (Individuals),Program Effectiveness,Examiners,Science Teachers,Limited English Speaking,Test Validity,Administrators,Testing Accommodations,Mathematics Tests,Science Tests,Student Evaluation,Special Needs Students,Questionnaires,Barriers,Dictionaries,Multivariate Analysis,Comparative Analysis

This publication reports the results of a research study on the feasibility and validity of various accommodations in the context of mathematics assessment. The study compared limited English proficiency (LEP) and non-LEP students' scores on 20 science items under three different conditions: standard National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) condition (no accommodation), customized dictionary, and glossary. The analyses provided clear results with respect to the performance levels of LEP/non-LEP students, the effectiveness of the accommodations for LEP students, and the validity of the accommodated assessment. It was found that some accommodations would actually benefit all students, while others are useful in removing barriers to participation of special-needs students. Appended are: (1) Follow-up Questionnaires for three groups: Control, Dictionary, Glossary; (2) Science Background Questionnaire; (3) Demographic Form; (4) Science Teacher Questionnaire; (5) Test Administrator Script; (6) Administrator Feedback Form; (7) Letter to the Principal; and (8) Multivariate ANOVA Results for Follow-Up Questions, Dictionary Booklet. (Contains 16 tables, 2 figures, and 2 footnotes.)
Opportunities in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Supports and Services for Youth Transitioning from Foster Care
Author: Flynn-Khan, Margaret
Date: 2009-03-24
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Job Development,Welfare Services,Foster Care,Transitional Programs,Youth Opportunities,Youth Programs,Developmental Studies Programs,Resource Allocation,Housing,Economic Development,Community Development,Economic Opportunities,Educational Opportunities,Social Services,Labor Force Development,Federal Aid,Federal Legislation,Federal Programs

To address the economic crisis facing the country, the President signed the American  Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law on February 17, 2009. This sweeping  legislation provides $789 billion to jumpstart the economy and boost employment. This act includes $463 billion in new spending and $326 billion in tax relief directed at those hurt by the economic downturn. Many of the provisions within the act provide significant support for low-income children and families, including funding for education, job creation, and to expand the safety net for the country's most vulnerable families. This brief is intended to highlight opportunities within ARRA for investing in supports and services for older youth transitioning from foster care. It begins with key considerations for accessing ARRA funding and for coordinating with efforts around Fostering Connections. It then includes detailed discussions of the most relevant funding opportunities within ARRA, key services those funding sources can support, the timing of disbursement of funds, and tips on accessing each funding source. Appended is: State Funding Amounts For American Recovery & Reinvestment Act Allocations with The Potential To Support Transitioning Youth. (Contains 3 tables and a list of two helpful web resources for tracking ARRA implementation.)
A Revenue Planning Tool for Charter School Operators
Author: Keller, Eric
Date: 2009-08-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Charter Schools,Income,Educational Finance,Private Financial Support,Worksheets,Federal Aid,State Aid,Nonprofit Organizations,Philanthropic Foundations,Educational Planning

This revenue planning tool aims to help charter school operators develop a sound revenue base that can meet their school's current and future funding needs. It helps identify and assess potential public (federal, state, and local) and private funding sources. The tool incorporates a four-step revenue planning process which includes: (1) Establishing a planning team; (2) Defining the school's funding needs; (3) Gathering resources; and (4) Analyzing the funding streams. The tool also includes three worksheets to help charter school leaders gather and organize information for analysis. Each worksheet includes step-by-step instructions and tips to make the revenue planning process easier and more effective. Worksheet A helps define and prioritize a school's current and future funding needs. Worksheet B assists in collecting and organizing information about public and private funding sources that can support charter schools. Worksheet C aids in evaluating which available funding sources are most appropriate for the specific needs of a charter school and whether the funding is worth pursuing. [The National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance is a collaborative effort of The Center on Educational Governance at the University of Southern California, The Finance Project, and WestEd.]
A Cost Estimation Tool for Charter Schools
Author: Hayes, Cheryl D.
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Fund Raising,Charter Schools,Income,Educational Finance,Costs,Computation,Worksheets,Expenditures,Educational Planning,Budgets,Expenditure per Student,Resource Allocation,Enrollment,Class Size,Teacher Student Ratio,Space Utilization,Educational Resources,Special Education,Educational Administration,School Libraries,Student Personnel Services,Educational Facilities,Transportation,Food Service

To align their financing strategies and fundraising efforts with their fiscal needs, charter school leaders need to know how much funding they need and what that funding will support. This cost estimation tool offers a simple set of worksheets to help start-up charter school operators identify and estimate the range of costs and timing of expenditures they will be obligated to cover during start-up and the early years of operation. It also provides benchmark cost information synthesized from other published sources. This tool can be used by itself or as a companion to the National Resource Center's "Revenue Planning Tool for Charter Schools" (http://www.charterresource. org/files/TFP_Revenue_Tool.pdf). When used together, these tools enable charter school operators to develop sound budgets that properly project costs and identify gaps between available state and local per-pupil allocations and what is needed to fully implement their school's academic programs and other supports and services. (Contains 11 resources and 5 footnotes.) [Partners in creating this tool were the National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance, and The Center on Educational Governance, University of Southern California.]
Ed School Essentials: Evaluating the Fundamentals of Teacher Training Programs in Texas. Full Report
Author: Greenberg, Julie
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Effectiveness,Special Education Teachers,Special Education,National Standards,Benchmarking,Admission Criteria,Program Evaluation,College Outcomes Assessment,Educational Indicators,Institutional Characteristics,Secondary School Curriculum,Elementary School Curriculum,Fundamental Concepts,Teacher Education Programs,Research Reports

In Texas, undergraduate teacher preparation programs graduate 9,300 new elementary, secondary and special education teachers, nearly half (43 percent) of the total number produced each year in the state. This report examines 67 of those programs on a range of standards. The standards bear directly on their programs' capacity to attract the most talented individuals into the teaching profession and then prepare them to teach effectively. The sections of this report are organized to provide the rationales, methodologies and findings for each of NCTQ's (National Council on Teacher Quality) 25 standards. The standards are presented in the same order in which they appear on the rating sheet for each individual institution. Elementary teacher preparation is addressed in Standards 2-8; secondary teacher preparation is addressed in Standards 9-13; special education preparation is addressed in Standards 14-16. The table of contents on page 1 provides a full listing of the standards. Appendices include: (1) Findings from &quot;NCTQ's State Teacher Policy Yearbook 2009&quot;; (2) Study chronology and communications; (3) NCTQ'S response to comments from the deans of Texas education schools; (4) Evaluating overall design for special rating designations; (5) Glossary of terms used to describe teacher preparation coursework and programs; (6) Evaluation of elementary content coursework; (7) Ratings for required reading textbooks and information on reading textbook reviewers; (8) Ratings for required mathematics textbooks and information on mathematics textbook reviewers; (9) Texas A&amp;M University-Commerce: Elementary teacher candidate professional preparation coursework; (10)  Evaluation of professional preparation coursework; and (11) Sam Houston State University: Elementary teacher candidate professional. (Contains 12 figures and 129 footnotes.)
The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States
Author: Wendler, Cathy
Date: 2010-04-29
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Graduate Study,Educational Quality,Employment Qualifications,Educational Improvement,School Business Relationship,Industry

It has been argued that in the knowledge economy, a graduate degree will become the new bachelor's degree, the minimal education credential that high-skills employers require. If that is so, then the United States is in peril of losing its competitive edge, with long-term consequences for the economy, its citizens' quality of life, and its global standing. This report examines the data behind these assertions, and proposes a set of recommendations to strengthen U.S. graduate education in partnership with industry and government. Policymakers, institutions of higher education, and business leaders all have a stake in the process of producing well-prepared graduate degree holders. People with graduate degrees teach in schools and universities, drive innovation, attract intellectual and commercial investment, and strengthen American prestige and economic power. This report provides a clear view of the roadblocks and the pathways to a graduate degree and to an improved system of graduate education in the United States. (Contains 3 tables and 6 figures.)
Effective Organizational Practices for Middle and High School Grades: A Qualitative Study of What's Helping Philadelphia Students Succeed in Grades 6-12
Author: Christman, Jolley Bruce
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Organizational Change,Organizational Effectiveness,Effective Schools Research,Best Practices,Low Income Groups,Teaching Conditions,Instructional Development,Educational Strategies,Educational Practices,Case Studies,Barriers,Organizational Climate,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Qualitative Research

At the request of the Accountability Review Council, Research for Action identified effective organizational practices used by better performing schools serving substantial numbers of low income middle and high school students in the School District of Philadelphia. These practices are organized into three spheres: Conditions for Teaching, Student-Centered School Community, and Instructional Program. For each sphere, the report offers broad strategies and specific practices to enact the strategies. Nuanced school case studies show how the practices can work synergistically and coherently in schools to help students succeed. Three appendices are included: (1) Selection process and school profiles for sample schools; (2) Teacher Leader Time; and (3) Recent studies that provide context to our findings. (Contains 9 tables, 1 figure and 16 footnotes.) [This report was prepared for the Accountability Review Council by Research for Action.]
Complicated Choices: Struggling to Meet NCLB Requirements AND Remain Faithful to a School's Educational Vision and Practice. An Occasional Paper
Author: Travers, Eva
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Philosophy,Educational Improvement,Educational Indicators,Accountability,Academic Achievement,Educational Assessment,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Institutional Mission,Conflict,Compliance (Legal),Communities of Practice,Government Role,Change Strategies,Federal Legislation,Measurement Techniques,Educational Practices

In an era of high-stakes accountability, school leaders often face contradictory pressures as they strive to improve student performance. They must meet the federal mandate of NCLB for student achievement; at the same time, many believe that NCLB constrains their professional judgment about how to best teach and assess students in the context of their own schools. The case of Baker, a K-8 school in Philadelphia, is illustrative. The case study discusses the complicated choices school leaders made as they attempted to meet the needs of all students. As Baker implemented the school district's highly prescriptive approach to curriculum and instruction, using a Managed Instruction System, it struggled to maintain its progressive educational philosophy and &quot;best&quot; practices. The school's pedagogical goals included: student-centered and project-based learning, teaching for life-long learning, performance-based assessments, and an emphasis on higher order thinking. Baker was a successful learning community for students and adults, whose significant accomplishments were obscured by the fact that it never had made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). If the U.S. Department of Education had permitted the state to use its valued-added growth model, the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment, as an alternative to the status achievement metric that focused on the percentage of proficient students, Baker would have made AYP in 2006-07, the last year of this research. (Contains 37 footnotes.)
Philadelphia's Teacher Appraisal System Needs Improvement
Author: Royal, Camika
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Teacher Evaluation,Program Improvement,Evaluation Methods,Evaluation Research,Evaluation Problems,Interviews,Observation,Content Analysis,Change Strategies,Administrator Attitudes,Program Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Principals,School Community Relationship

The purpose of this paper is to inform the community about teacher appraisal methods in the School District of Philadelphia, outline the difficulties of the current system, and suggest approaches that would strengthen the teacher appraisal process. The authors gathered their information over three months in mid-2009 from multiple sources: interviews with 7 principals and 13 teachers in the city, interviews with 5 education advocates, observations of community meetings; official documents on state, district, and charter school policies; news articles; and pertinent academic and policy publications. (Contains 2 tables and 7 footnotes.) [Funding for this report was also provided by the Samuel S. Fels Fund.]
Challenges to Freshman Year Interventions in Philadelphia. Policy Brief
Author: Research for Action
Date: 2010-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Neighborhoods,High Schools,At Risk Students,Grade 9,Transitional Programs,High School Freshmen,Intervention,Program Effectiveness,School Orientation,Teacher Placement,Principals,College Bound Students,Mathematics Instruction,English Instruction,Remedial Instruction,Teacher Effectiveness,Tutoring,Teacher Expectations of Students

Philadelphia made early investments in reforms designed to address the challenges of large neighborhood high schools, including supports for the critical ninth grade transition year. Well over a decade later, our research shows that freshman year interventions are frequently not implemented in ways that maximize their effectiveness. This policy brief focuses on the challenges to implementing five key interventions to support ninth graders--challenges which are most severe in the large neighborhood high schools that enroll a disproportionate share of students at risk of dropping out. The brief concludes with recommendations to the School District of Philadelphia on how it can build and sustain a strategic focus on freshman year interventions that commits to providing the resources, incentives, and professional development needed to support and sustain effective practices--particularly in neighborhood high schools. (Contains 2 tables and 12 footnotes.) [This brief draws on a larger study, &quot;The Transition to High School: School &quot;Choice&quot; and Freshman Year in Philadelphia&quot;.]
Uneven Playing Field: Demographic Differences and High School &quot;Choice&quot; in Philadelphia. Policy Brief
Author: Research for Action
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: High Schools,School Districts,Selective Admission,School Choice,Public Schools,Minority Groups,Racial Differences,Gender Differences,Special Needs Students,Special Education,Disproportionate Representation,English (Second Language),Hispanic American Students,White Students,African American Students,Asian American Students,Enrollment Trends

Every fall, eighth graders participate in the School District of Philadelphia's high school application and admissions process, vying for spots in a tiered system of public high schools across the city. This policy brief looks at disparities in the students who are successful in exercising school &quot;choice&quot; in the District's high school selection process. We found that Blacks, Latinos, males, and special education students were less likely than other groups to complete applications, and also less likely to be ultimately enrolled at a school of their choosing. These disparities were especially great at special admission high schools. The brief provides recommendations for school district reforms to reduce inequities and further research to examine their root causes. (Contains 4 figures and 2 footnotes.) [This brief draws on a larger study, &quot;The Transition to High School: School &quot;Choice&quot; and Freshman Year in Philadelphia&quot;.]
Context, Conditions, and Consequences: Freshman Year Transition in Philadelphia. Policy Brief
Author: Gold, Eva
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: High Schools,Teacher Persistence,Faculty Mobility,Educational Policy,Selective Admission,Articulation (Education),Enrollment Trends,Social Stratification,Educational Indicators,Context Effect,Equal Education,Racial Discrimination,Policy Analysis,Political Influences

This policy brief focuses on the School District of Philadelphia's high school selection process and the ways in which it reinforces and compounds inequities that already exist among the District's tiered system of selective, non-selective, and charter high schools. Focused in particular on the impact that these policies have on non-selective neighborhood high schools, the brief identifies three major areas of concern: system stratification, late enrollment, and teacher turnover. It also recommends that the District take immediate action to implement a set of concrete, practical improvements that will improve the high school selection process in the 2010/2011 school year. (Contains 7 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Going Small: Progress &amp; Challenges of Philadelphia's Small High Schools
Author: Hartmann, Tracey
Date: 2009-07-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: High Schools,Research Methodology,Academic Achievement,Teacher Surveys,Enrollment,Open Enrollment,Teaching Methods,Teacher Student Relationship,Educational Environment,Small Schools,Learner Engagement,Student Interests,Parent Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Interviews,School Safety,Algebra,Mathematics Achievement,Attendance,Principals,Educational Improvement,Educational Assessment

Between 2003 and 2007, and without significant outside funding, the School District of Philadelphia created 25 new small high schools. This study, begun by Research for Action in 2006, follows the start-up and early implementation of these small high schools in Philadelphia. The study found that parents and students are interested in small high schools and that, across admission categories, these schools are beginning to make a difference for student engagement and achievement. Small high schools had higher rates of algebra passage and lower rates of suspension than comparative large schools. Teacher survey data and interviews with teachers and students indicated a greater sense of safety in small high schools and a more positive picture of teacher-student relationships. The positive differences were greatest for the small open admission neighborhood high schools. However, small size alone does not automatically create academic success or improved school climate. Some findings (e.g., attendance, tardiness) were mixed, with small schools not necessarily outperforming large schools and sometimes doing worse than their large counterparts. This research also details the varied start-up experiences of small schools created from the ground up compared with those converted from preexisting schools; the brand new schools had multiple advantages in the start-up process. More supports are needed if Philadelphia's small high schools are to capitalize on the advantages of a smaller learning environment. Teachers and administrators articulated what next steps were needed to make schools more rigorous. This multi-method study is based on interviews with parents, students, teachers, and administrators as well as school observations, teacher surveys, application and enrollment data, and student achievement data. Research methods are appended. (Contains 10 tables, 21 figures and 87 footnotes.)