ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Attrition, Dropout, and Student Mobility in District and Charter Schools: A Demographic Report. White Paper No. 164
Author: Candal, Cara Stillings
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Student Attrition,Dropout Rate,Graduation Rate,Student Mobility,Charter Schools,Public Schools,School Districts,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Trends,Dropout Prevention,State Regulation,Accountability

In 2009 the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) published &quot;Charter School Success or Selective Out-Migration of Low-Achievers? The Effects of Enrollment Management on Student Achievement.&quot; The report profiles Boston's high-performing charter high schools and middle schools and calculates attrition rates for individual schools examining the number of students who enrolled in the entry grade at each charter and the number of students who completed the curriculum, or graduated. The report contends that, in 2009, nearly half the students who enrolled in Boston charters did not graduate from them. This paper uses publicly available Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data to explore student attrition and other forms of student movement, such as dropouts, within district and charter schools. It is not a direct response to the now dated MTA report, but it does explore the validity of the claim that Massachusetts charter public schools have higher attrition than their district counterparts because these schools select out weaker students in an effort to produce higher test scores. This report focuses mainly on Boston charter and district schools because Boston has the Commonwealth's largest concentration of high-performing charter schools in the state. Boston also has the highest demand for charters, with a charter school waitlist of over 10,000 students. The report concludes with recommendations for policymakers and others to better understand and communicate the impacts of student mobility on schools, of which attrition is but one facet.
Closing Achievement Gaps in Diverse and Low-Poverty Schools: An Action Guide for District Leaders
Author: Public Impact
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Achievement Gap,Minority Group Students,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Low Income Students,White Students,Asian American Students,Socioeconomic Influences,Disadvantaged Youth,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Poverty,Institutional Characteristics,Educational Research,Change Strategies,School Districts,Community Involvement,Accountability,Educational Quality

U.S. education leaders have spent decades highlighting and attempting to close achievement gaps among demographic groups. The gaps between African-American and Latino students compared to their white and Asian peers, as well as the gaps between low-income students and others, are among the most pernicious. In 2017, Oak Foundation commissioned Public Impact to develop this report as a resource for district leaders nationwide facing such achievement gaps, based on a review of more than 150 studies conducted over a decade. The report reviews the causes of achievement gaps and highlights research-based approaches to closing them. It examines approaches that had evidence of boosting outcomes for disadvantaged students without reducing availability of advanced instruction, for two reasons. First, when all students have help to leap ahead, all will need advanced instruction. Second, schools that serve all students well, regardless of background, build strong family and community support for and commitment to public education. The research reveals that change is possible. Despite a discouraging history, the many efforts have provided researchers with a deep knowledge base about the causes of persistent gaps and approaches that achieve partial progress. The causes are multidimensional, and thus the solutions are as well--tackling the instructional, emotional, and practical needs of students, their families, and the educators who serve them. This report builds on decades of research about what works to present a fresh view: If district leaders and their communities commit to close gaps, act on a combination of research-based approaches to address achievement gaps, engage their communities actively in the effort, and allow themselves to be held accountable for progress, they can equip low-income students and students of color to close gaps and succeed in large numbers. [Writing contributions for this report by Bryan C. Hassel, Emily Ayscue Hassel, Stephanie Dean, and Veronica Brooks-Uy.]
Differentiating Admission Standards at UMass-Amherst to Meet Out-of-State Enrollment Targets. White Paper No. 182
Author: Paxton, Rebekah
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: State Universities,College Admission,Admission Criteria,Out of State Students,Enrollment,In State Students,Differences,Disproportionate Representation,Undergraduate Students

UMass' flagship Amherst campus has become increasingly prestigious over the last decade and a half. The growing prominence of UMass Amherst has made the school competitive with the nation's most elite public universities. However, the policies that have largely driven the school's standings have controversial implications for Massachusetts residents seeking to enroll there. Massachusetts students are finding it increasingly difficult to gain admission, and some parents of rejected or waitlisted UMass applicants share concerns that the University has prioritized maximizing the financial benefit derived from accepting out-of-state students over serving in-state applicants. Based on information provided to Pioneer Institute by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in response to a public records request, there are notable differences when comparing the profiles of in-state and out-of-state students accepted at UMass Amherst. Admissions changes, taken from publicly reported UMass Amherst data, show a pattern in which a higher proportion of out-of-state students have been accepted to UMass each year for over a decade, with the exception of fall 2017, when more in-state than out-of-state students were accepted for the first time since 2014. The combined trends of increasing the volume of out-of-state acceptances and a slightly higher acceptance rate for this cohort suggest that it is getting easier for out-of-state students to matriculate at UMass Amherst, while admissions standards have become disproportionately more rigorous for Massachusetts residents. The UMass system has aggressively sought to increase its out-of-state population, and UMass Amherst in particular has defended its nonresident recruitment efforts. Data presented by the 2016 Pioneer reports combined with information in this paper delineate UMass' proactive out-of-state recruitment. Examples from other state university systems offer useful guidance to address these trends and ameliorate the harm to Massachusetts residents.
Teaming Up for Change: Teacher-Driven Transformation at the Mildred Avenue K-8 School
Author: Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Leadership,School Turnaround,Elementary Schools,Public Schools,Urban Schools,Educational Environment,Academic Achievement,Trust (Psychology),Educational Improvement,Intervention,Teamwork,Elementary School Teachers

This research report examines the dramatic turnaround of the Mildred Avenue School in Mattapan, which won EdVestors' 2017 School on the Move Prize. We teamed up with EdVestors to investigate the role of teacher leadership and labor-management collaboration in driving rapid school improvement. In 2013, the Mildred was a school in crisis. Academic performance, as measured by the MCAS, was among the lowest in the Commonwealth. Average principal tenure was just 18 months, and shifting priorities contributed to poor school climate among students and staff. Five years later, the Mildred is a Level 1 school, the highest accountability category designated by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The school has achieved dramatic gains in both school culture and academic achievement with learning characterized by a focus on academic rigor. This report studies the unique Boston Public Schools/Boston Teachers Union collaboration that allowed teachers to form an intervention team, charting the school's improvement plan. It concludes with lessons learned regarding the sustainability and replicability of the Mildred's approach. [This report was co-produced by EdVestors.]
Career Paths and Pay in an Opportunity Culture. A Practical Guide
Author: Public Impact
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Career Development,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Leadership,Teacher Collaboration,Faculty Development,Faculty Mobility,Compensation (Remuneration)

To reach more students with excellent instruction, multi-classroom leaders (MCLs) lead small teams of teachers, and multi-school leaders (MSLs) lead small teams of principals. MCLs and MSLs are paid more, within their schools' regular budgets, and are selected for their record of leadership and excellence in achieving high-growth student learning. They lead collaboratively, so each team member's strengths help the whole team, and everyone learns together. Schedule changes give them school-day time to collaborate with, guide, and develop their teams. Research has shown that teachers who were on average at the 50th percentile in student learning gains, who then joined small MCL teams, produced student growth matching or approaching that of excellent teachers, on average. To help all students reach their potential, district and other system leaders must ensure that every student has consistent access to excellent teaching and leadership through Multi-Classroom and Multi-School Leadership. Teachers and principals benefit from more support and career opportunities, while helping students learn more. Teachers on some MCLs' teams also extend their reach directly to more students, with extra paraprofessional support, earning more pay and making it easier for schools to schedule teacher collaboration time. Everyone learns more and has opportunities to earn more, and more professionals impact students directly. This is an Opportunity Culture for &quot;all.&quot; This guide presents an overview and examples of Opportunity Culture career paths, with a focus on details about &quot;teacher career&quot; paths, including multi-classroom leaders and other roles. It also explains the basics of how schoolwide leadership career paths and residencies fit into the overall education career continuum in Opportunity Culture schools--for more details on these, see the Opportunity Culture publications on Multi-School Leadership and paid residencies. In all of these paths, teachers and principals reach more students with excellent teaching and earn more for it, within schools' budgets.
Partnering for Pre-K: Opportunities to Scale Up Pittsburgh&apos;s Collaborative Early Learning Model
Author: Moran, Della
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Partnerships in Education,Preschool Education,Models,Scaling,Delivery Systems,Government School Relationship,Program Implementation,Educational Finance,Public Schools,Inclusion,State Aid,Grants,Costs,Resource Allocation

Cities and school districts across the Commonwealth and country are seeking to combine the benefits of both community- and school-based early childhood programs through a &quot;mixed-delivery model.&quot; In a mixed-delivery model, school districts shoulder the administrative burden of federal and state grants, subcontract a number of their seats to community-based partners, and provide additional seats in district classrooms. Pittsburgh has provided a mixed-delivery pre-K model since 2008. With a newly-created Early Childhood Education Task Force charged with moving the city toward universal pre-K, Pittsburgh is poised to build on its existing model during expansion. To do so effectively, city policymakers and stakeholders will need to answer several important questions: (1) How does the current mixed-delivery system work in Pittsburgh?; (2) What do district staff and partners perceive to be its benefits?; (3) What are inherent challenges of the model?; and (4) What current promising practices might help scale up the delivery of high-quality pre-K? This brief explores these questions in order to inform the Task Force's future efforts to craft an implementation plan that leverages existing partnerships and new funding to serve more children in the city's public pre-K programs. Research for Actions' (RFA's) research found that the benefits of Pittsburgh's mixed-delivery system outweigh the challenges and point to opportunities for scale-up. Drawing on revenues from both Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program has allowed Pennsylvania's second largest public school district to build strong and mutually beneficial relationships with the area's early childhood providers. In turn, these partnerships have increased their capacity to serve students in high-quality settings and offered parents choices in program hours and care settings. Pittsburgh Public Schools has also been at the forefront of efforts to braid public funding streams and create inclusive classrooms that serve economically diverse children and meet high performance standards. [Pittsburgh Public School District (PPS) helped make this report possible by providing data on their pre-K programs and access to their early learning community partners.]
What Can We Learn from Our Colleagues? A Framework for Virtual Classroom Training
Author: Kessler, Glenn
Date: 2016-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,College Faculty,Training,Teacher Competencies,Faculty Development,Teacher Participation,Experienced Teachers,Teaching Methods,Conventional Instruction,Synchronous Communication,Asynchronous Communication,Program Effectiveness

There is a plethora of established theories about online pedagogy. This white paper provides insights into the findings of a research study conducted in January 2016 that focused on the types of training, if any, online instructors have received that pertains to teaching in the online environment. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Virginia who have broad experience in the field of online learning. The Online Learning Consortium collaborated with the team to distribute the survey and present the research findings. The 733 respondents who completed the survey had substantial teaching experience and significant online experience. One of the most striking results of the survey is the general agreement that to be meaningful, knowledge must be constructed through social interaction rather than imparted by an unquestioned authority. [This report was sponsored by Desire2Learn (D2L).]
Mediocrity 2.0: Massachusetts Rebrands Common Core ELA &amp; Math. White Paper No. 174
Author: Bauerlein, Mark
Date: 2017-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Quality,State Standards,Academic Standards,Standardized Tests,Language Arts,Mathematics Education,English Instruction,Common Core State Standards,Curriculum,State Legislation,Educational Legislation

In 2016 the state of Massachusetts began a process to end the confusing series of alterations to education by revising and aligning the state's academic standards and tests. In March 2017 the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved revisions to the state English language arts (ELA) and math standards. The purpose of this report is to answer two questions: (1) Are the latest revisions substantial or superficial?; and (2) Do the revisions signal a return to the quality of the pre-Common Core standards, or continue the trajectory of Common Core? These questions are addressed by recognized subject-matter experts. Dr. Mark Bauerlein (English) and Dr. R. James Milgram (math), both of whom have extensive knowledge of Common Core and of the pre-Common Core Massachusetts standards. Their answers, while not surprising, will disappoint the commonwealth's parents and other citizens who had hoped for a return to the glory days of Massachusetts education.
Addressing the Challenges with Organizational Identifiers and ISNI
Author: Smith-Yoshimura, Karen
Date: 2016-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Organizations (Groups),Higher Education,Metadata,Identification,Documentation,Databases,Organizational Change,Problems,Vertical Organization,Cataloging

Organizational affiliations of the creators of works are important to a variety of stakeholders, including academic administrators, funders, publishers, repository managers, software developers, rights agencies and individual researchers. Identifying and tracking these affiliations can be challenging, as organizations may be known by a variety of names and may have schools or research centers well-known on their own. An organizational identifier--a unique, persistent and public Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) associated with the organization that is resolvable globally over networks via specific protocols--provides the means to both find and identify an organization accurately and to define the relationships among its sub-units. This report presents new modeling of organizations that others can adapt for their own uses. This report focuses on organizational identifiers from the perspective of academic institutions. Their ranks and reputation often determine their success in obtaining funding and attracting or retaining faculty. Identifiers provide the &quot;glue&quot; for institutions and funder systems to support comparing and ranking the outputs of the research process; assessing the impact of grants between institutions and their funders; and tracking and collating publications between researchers and their publishers. The report outlines a number of scenarios where the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) can be used to disambiguate organizations, including real-world examples.
Building a Culture of Health through Safe and Healthy Elementary School Recess. Issue Brief
Author: London, Rebecca A.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Child Health,Health Promotion,Recess Breaks,Elementary School Students,School Safety,Bullying,Discipline Problems,Conflict,Conflict Resolution,Educational Environment,Principals,Administrator Role,Board of Education Role,School Personnel,School Schedules,Program Evaluation,Student Participation,School Culture,Social Development,Emotional Development

Safe and healthy recess promotes a Culture of Health in schools by providing students time to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. The Issue: This brief describes elementary schools' experiences implementing a safe and healthy recess with the Playworks TeamUp program. Key Findings: (1) Playworks' TeamUp program can help schools make recess more organized, safe, and healthy; (2) Participating schools reported improvements in recess organization, students' familiarity with a variety of games, and their access to playground equipment. (3) The majority of TeamUp schools said that after they started using the program, students were more active, more cooperative, and more likely to use strong conflict resolution when needed; and (4) Most schools reported declines in bullying, disciplinary referrals, the number of conflicts spilling back into class, and the amount of class time spent resolving those conflicts. Conclusion: School leaders should recognize the important role of recess in building a positive school climate. The authors suggest ensuring that recess is supported for all students by treating recess plans like lesson plans.
Pioneering Blended-Learning Teachers Reach More Students: Caitlyn Gironda&apos;s Focus: In-Class Collaboration, Feedback to Improve. An Opportunity Culture Vignette Series
Author: Barrett, Sharon Kebschull
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Blended Learning,Mathematics Instruction,Calculus,Secondary School Mathematics,Honors Curriculum,Feedback (Response),Cooperative Learning,Inquiry,Active Learning,Problem Solving,Instructional Design,Computer Uses in Education,High School Students

The article examines how a high school teacher designed an honors precalculus blended-learning class in North Carolina. By making videos of precalculus lectures where she had students watch during their days off from the class, the teacher was able to have her students work on problem solving and inquiry-based activities in groups when in-class. She also asked for feedback and was able to tailor her lessons based on the information she received from the students. She concludes with the lessons she has learned when she started the blended-learning class and how it has been an impact for her students.
Design for Impact: Designing a Residency Program for Long-Term Financial Sustainability
Author: Public Impact
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Program Design,Teacher Education Programs,Educational Finance,Sustainability,Data Collection,Budgeting,Income,Revenue Sharing,Expenditures,Tuition,Cost Effectiveness,Federal Aid,Grants,Faculty Mobility

For more than a decade teacher residencies have prepared classroom-ready teachers for hard-to-staff subjects and high-need schools. Across the country, mounting evidence shows that residencies produce effective teachers who stay in the profession longer and produce greater student achievement than traditionally-trained teachers. No residency, however, can be truly successful if it is not financially sustainable. The financial challenges confronting new and existing residencies are complex, but they can be overcome with smart, intentional planning and strategic thinking. That's why the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) teamed up with Public Impact to develop &quot;Design for Impact&quot;, a suite of resources to help existing residencies become more sustainable, and to ensure that new programs start off on solid financial footing. &quot;Design for Impact&quot; guides programs as they collect and analyze financial data, and its interactive budgeting tool helps program leaders understand how different scenarios and decisions impact revenues and expenditures over time. In addition, &quot;Design for Impact&quot; helps programs understand the importance of cost sharing with their partners, and it will help them identify and secure new revenues as they negotiate with school districts, institutes of higher education, and community partners.
Opportunity Youth: College Success
Author: Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Success,College Readiness,Community Role,School Role,State Departments of Education,Government Role,Alignment (Education),Student Needs,Student Personnel Services,School Community Relationship,High School Equivalency Programs,Postsecondary Education,Academic Persistence,Access to Information,Coaching (Performance),Barriers,High School Students

Most young people face challenges on the road to a college degree. They must make important decisions about career preparation, financing a college education, and how college and work fit together to ensure income security while in school. These challenges often seem particularly daunting for two groups of students: opportunity youth (OY)--the 5 million youth nationally aged 16-24 who are disconnected from both work and school--and first-generation college students. Many students from these groups come from schools or families that lack the resources to fully prepare them for college. This brief explores where policy can improve student pathways to a college degree. A goal of this research project is to advance the conversation on how colleges, community-based organizations, and the Commonwealth--most notably state education agencies--can systemize supports for OY and first-gen students. Four areas for improvement emerged: (1) align campus systems with student needs; (2) streamline academic progression; (3) build student navigation skills; and (4) connect the community and the campus. [Support for this project was provided by the Boston Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC).]