ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
NEPC Review: &quot;New York Charter Schools Outperform Traditional Selective Public Schools--More Evidence That Cream-Skimming Is Not Driving Charters&apos; Success&quot;
Author: Cordes, Sarah A.
Date: 2017-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Charter Schools,Public Schools,Urban Schools,School Effectiveness,Middle Schools,Comparative Analysis,Research Reports,Student Characteristics,Middle School Students,High Achievement,Research Methodology,Research Problems,Educational Research

A common argument leveled against charter schools is that they attract the most motivated and intelligent students from already struggling public schools. Marcus Winters seeks to examine this claim, known as &quot;cream-skimming,&quot; by comparing the performance of New York City's (NYC) charter middle schools with a set of traditional selective public middle schools, which admit students on the basis of prior performance. Findings indicate that, controlling for student characteristics, charter schools perform no differently in English Language Arts (ELA) and significantly better in math than selective schools. Based on this, the report concludes that the success of NYC charter schools cannot be explained by cream-skimming. While on its face this conclusion may seem logical, the report suffers from two primary flaws. First, it assumes that selective school applicants are higher performing and more motivated than charter school applicants. This is unlikely to be the case because all students are required to apply to traditional middle schools in NYC, while applying to a charter school requires navigating an additional application process. Second, the report relies on a single year of data to make comparisons of ill-defined and inappropriate outcomes--an approach that does not address either the question of cream-skimming or charter school success. As an evaluation of cream-skimming in charter schools, this report misses the mark. Contains a list of combined notes and sources. [For &quot;New York Charter Schools Outperform Traditional Selective Public Schools: More Evidence That Cream-Skimming Is Not Driving Charters' Success. Report 33,&quot; see ED579166.]
Financial Information 2016: Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics
Author: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia)
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - General
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Funding Formulas,Educational Finance,School Statistics,Income,State Federal Aid,Fees,Operating Expenses,Expenditures,Public Agencies,Educational Opportunities

This publication provides financial information on the government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia. Reporting includes VET funds transacted through government accounts of the Australian and state and territory government departments and their controlled training organisation entities such as TAFE institutes and colleges. In 2016, compared with 2015: (1) operating revenues for the government--funded VET system were $8144.4 million, a decrease in nominal terms of $1642.0 million (16.8%); (2) revenue from the Australian Government decreased by $1246.7 million (27.3%); (3) revenue from state and territory governments decreased by $424.7 million (12.8%); (4) revenue from fee-for-service activities increased by $33.0 million (2.9%); and (5) total operating expenditures were $7071.9 million, a decrease of $52.3 million (0.7%).
Are We All Speaking the Same Language? Understanding &quot;Quality&quot; in the VET Sector. Occasional Paper
Author: Griffin, Tabatha
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Vocational Education,Educational Quality,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Employee Attitudes,Employer Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Quality Control,Quality Assurance,Relevance (Education),Tables (Data),Best Practices,Barriers,Stakeholders,Outcome Measures,Educational Indicators,Educational Assessment,Foreign Countries

Quality in vocational education and training (VET) is a perennial topic of interest, attracting much attention from participants, providers, funders, regulators and public commentators. Quality is as much subjectively in the &quot;eye of the beholder&quot; as it is objectively assessed through hard data, measures and surveys. This paper summarises the quality of the VET system in Australia from the lens point of the eye of the beholder. It considers the perspectives of five key stakeholder groups: learners, employers/industry, providers, government and regulators. The paper explores, from the perspective of each of these groups, what is important in regards to the VET system, what constitutes and promotes a good-quality VET system, and what are the enablers and barriers to having a system that meets their expectations. The paper then examines the usefulness of the measures of quality currently available, as well as approaches that might be more effective. Key messages include: (1) Quality is context- and purpose-specific and means different things to the five stakeholder groups; (2) These multiple perspectives on quality operate at differing levels -- at the training program, at employment outcomes and at higher systemic levels; (3) Effective, fair and prompt regulation is foundational and essential in removing poor quality training from the system; and (4) A number of enabling factors have the potential to either support or detract from VET quality. These factors may impact both objective measures and subjective views of quality.
Social Media in VET Courses. Good Practice Guide
Author: National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia)
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Subjects: Social Media,Vocational Education,Mass Media Use,Technology Uses in Education,Usability,Teaching Methods,School Support,Educational Practices,Teaching Guides,Case Studies,Interviews,Qualitative Research

The use of various forms of social media for individuals, groups and organisations is now commonplace. Individuals use it to update friends and family on their experiences, groups use it to inform their members of relevant information, and organisations use it to market their services and products. With many current and future students already familiar with social media platforms, could there be a use for social media in vocational education and training (VET)? Highlights include: (1) Social media is used in VET as a tool to provide course information and for asking questions, to collaborate on group assignments, and to demonstrate skills that have been learnt; (2) The use of social media in VET courses can lead to higher levels of student engagement and promote more collaborative learning and may encourage increased rates of course completions; (3) Based on their past experiences, teachers recommend the development and promotion of guidelines for social media usage to help students understand its appropriate use and privacy issues. Teachers also believe they should control the administration of any group set up for their course to ensure regular monitoring of content; and (4) Some teachers may be more willing to use social media in their courses if their institutes provided clearer examples about how and in what way it can be used in teaching and assessment. This good practice guide is based on research by Victor Callan and Margaret Johnston, which looked at how social media is being incorporated in VET training and assessment. The researchers undertook interviews with teachers, students and employers across three different training organisations. The research is largely qualitative and limited to selected case studies, yet it helpfully breaks new ground in illustrating how social media is being infused into VET teaching practice.
High Stakes for High Schoolers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA, Part II
Author: Petrilli, Michael J.
Date: 2016-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: High Stakes Tests,Accountability,State Regulation,State Standards,High School Students,High Achievement,Incentives,Growth Models,Summative Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Educational Indicators,Advanced Placement Programs,Systems Analysis,State Programs,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation

A companion piece to &quot;High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA,&quot; this report appraises states' current (or planned) accountability systems as they affect high-achieving students in high school. They were examined and rated based on whether they incorporate under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) the following principles to motivate schools to prioritize high achievers: (1) give high schools incentives for getting more students to an advanced level of achievement; (2) use the flexibility provided by ESSA to rate high schools using a true growth model--that is, one that includes the progress of individual students at all achievement levels and not just those who are low-performing or below the &quot;proficient&quot; line; (3) Make growth--across the achievement spectrum--count at least as much as achievement when determining summative high school ratings; and (4) include an indicator that encourages high schools to help able students earn college credit before they graduate. The authors found that most current (and planned) state accountability systems provide high schools with few incentives to focus on their high-achieving students. Their analysis indicates that just four states--Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas--have truly praiseworthy systems when it comes to focusing attention on these students, though four others--Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, and New York--are clearly moving in the right direction in their proposed frameworks. [Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. To read &quot;High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA,&quot; see ED570126.]
2016-2017 Annual Report Guidelines for New York State Charter Schools
Author: New York State Education Department
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Annual Reports,Guidelines,Charter Schools,State Regulation,State Policy,Expenditure per Student,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Audits (Verification),Budgets,Trustees,Group Membership,Enrollment Rate,Graduation Rate,Faculty Mobility,Teacher Certification,Administrative Organization,Scheduling,Elementary Secondary Education

By August 1 of each year, each charter school in New York State is required by law to complete and submit an Annual Report to the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) Charter School Office and to the school's charter entity, and to post the report on the charter school's website. The Annual Report Guidelines include general instructions for submission, report content requirements, and key inquiries that highlight academic, organizational, and fiscal performance, as well as the extent to which a school is meeting the requirements of its charter. These Guidelines are intended to walk you through and supplement the prompts in the online Annual Report portal. All New York State charter schools, regardless of authorizer, must submit their school's 2016-2017 Annual Report through the online portal no later than the dates specified below. Schools should make note of individual authorizer requirements in the Guidelines and within the portal. A charter school's Annual Report provides information about its performance over the prior academic year, as well as a report on progress toward performance goals agreed upon in the charter contract. The components to be included in each section of the Annual Report are outlined in these guidelines.
Educators&apos; Experiences with and Attitudes toward Accessibility Features and Accommodations
Author: Thurlow, Martha L.
Date: 2017-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Attitudes toward Disabilities,Accessibility (for Disabled),Teacher Attitudes,Online Surveys,Teaching Experience,Teacher Role,Educational Opportunities,Decision Making Skills,Academic Accommodations (Disabilities)

To evaluate the experiences that teachers and other decision makers were having with accessibility features and accommodations, as well as their attitudes toward them, an online survey was conducted with educators in nine states. These states were part of an Enhanced Assessment Initiative grant project to promote optimal decision making about accessibility features and accommodations. This project, Data Informed Accessibility--Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND), received funding in 2015 to collect information that would support the creation of professional development modules for individuals making decisions within the new accessibility frameworks. On the advice of the nine project states (Alabama, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and the project's panel of experts, an educator survey was added to the project activities. Its purpose was to obtain a better understanding of the current state of affairs for educators who were being asked to make decisions about accessibility features and accommodations within the new paradigm. The online educator survey was developed to collect current information from educators on their experiences with accessibility features and accommodations and their attitudes toward them. Three research questions were addressed through the educator survey: (1) What are educator experiences with accessibility features and accommodations?; (2) What are educator attitudes toward accessibility features and accommodations?; and (3) Do educator experiences and attitudes vary by the role of the educator? Most of the 2,000 respondents reported that they work with students who use accessibility features and accommodations, which they believe to have a positive impact on educational outcomes. However, the survey results also show noticeable differences between different groups of educators and suggest that teachers in general education and English learner education may need more support in making and implementing decisions about accessibility features and accommodations.
Within Our Grasp: Achieving Higher Admissions Standards in Teacher Prep. 2016 State Teacher Policy Yearbook Report Series
Author: Walsh, Kate
Date: 2016-11-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Admission Criteria,Standards,State Policy,Educational Policy,Educational Quality,Testing,Grade Point Average,Student Evaluation,Accreditation (Institutions),State Legislation,Teacher Shortage,Diversity (Faculty),Program Implementation

Parents sometimes worry that their child's teacher may not be able to manage the classroom, may not be able to inspire students to reach higher levels of learning, or simply may not be up to the job. The responsibility for these worries often falls on a state's teacher preparation programs, so it is crucial that the programs admit only the best candidates. This is especially true because after a candidate is admitted to a preparation program, he or she will probably face few hurdles for entry into the profession. Recognizing the importance of high standards for these programs, from 2011 to 2015, many states and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) made signifcant progress in toughening up formerly lax admissions requirements. Unfortunately, in the past year, some of that progress has been reversed, largely because teacher education's accreditor was forced to retreat from its rigorous 2013 admissions standard. Those states that did not rely only on CAEP, but which acted on their own with new laws, appear to be standing firm. CAEP retreated from its previous position largely due to pressure from preparation programs that raised fears over teacher shortages and the critical need to improve teacher diversity. This paper stands firm in making the claim that in reality, setting lower standards for program admissions will not resolve these problems; and a strong argument can be made that lower requirements for program entry exacerbate, rather than solve, shortages. The paper also calls into question CAEP's retreat, demonstrating that most states have programs that are already meeting the strengthened admissions standard, leaving only a fraction of programs that are not likely meeting a higher bar for entry. In light of this nation's urgent need for high-quality teachers and the evidence that weakening standards is not necessary to solve the problems raised by opponents, this paper argues the case for states that recently raised their admissions standards should stay on course or restore a higher bar for entry into teacher preparation.
Mobile Phones, Civic Engagement, and School Performance in Pakistan. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-17
Author: Asim, Minahil
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Developing Nations,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,Citizen Participation,Academic Achievement,Program Evaluation,Governance,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,School Councils,Guidance,Information Dissemination,Enrollment Trends,Teacher Attendance,Educational Facilities,Quasiexperimental Design,Regression (Statistics),Intervention

The effective governance of local public services depends critically on the civic engagement of local citizens. However, recent efforts to promote effective citizen oversight of the public-sector services in developing countries have had mixed results. This study discusses and evaluates a uniquely designed, low-cost, scalable program designed to improve the governance and performance of primary and middle schools in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The School Council Mobilization Program (SCMP) used mobile-phone calls to provide sustained and targeted guidance to local school-council members on their responsibilities and authority. We examine the effects of the SCMP on school enrollment, student and teacher attendance, and school facilities using a &quot;difference in difference in differences&quot; (DDD) design based on the targeted implementation of the SCMP. We find that this initiative led to meaningful increases in primary-school enrollment, particularly for young girls (i.e., a 12.4 percent increase), as well as targeted improvements in teacher attendance and school facilities, most of which were sustained in the months after the program concluded.
Race and Stratification in College Enrollment over Time. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-14
Author: Baker, Rachel
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Race,Racial Differences,Racial Segregation,Ethnicity,Higher Education,College Students,Educational Trends,Social Stratification,Minority Group Students,White Students,Enrollment Trends,Achievement Gap,College Choice,Affirmative Action,Selective Admission,College Admission,Data Collection,National Surveys,Statistical Analysis,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Asian American Students

In this study we examine trends in segregation by race and ethnicity in higher education from 1985 to 2013. We have three key findings. Over the past 30 years, students from different groups have attended college at increasingly similar rates; gaps are decreasing. But these decreases have been driven largely by large increases in minority student enrollment at non-degree granting and two-year colleges. Once we condition on attendance at a degree granting school, we see &quot;increasing&quot; gaps over time. Finally, among only four-year colleges, attendance has been tilted in favor of White students and been relatively unchanged for nearly 30 years. The only exception to this has been for the very few minority students who are able to enroll at the most selective institutions.
Connections Matter! How Interactive Peers Affect Students in Online College Courses. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-11
Author: Bettinger, Eric
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Peer Relationship,Interaction,College Students,Online Courses,Peer Influence,Gender Differences,Geographic Regions,Computer Mediated Communication,Student Participation,Academic Achievement,Student Improvement,Grades (Scholastic),School Holding Power,Academic Persistence,Learning Processes,Electronic Learning,Introductory Courses,Student Characteristics,Statistical Significance

Peers affect individual's productivity in the workforce, in education, and in other team-based tasks. Using large-scale language data from an online college course, we measure the impacts of peer interactions on student learning outcomes and persistence. In our setting, students are quasi-randomly assigned to peers, and as such, we are able to overcome selection biases stemming from endogenous peer grouping. We also mitigate reflection bias by utilizing rich student interaction data. We find that females and older students are more likely to engage in student interactions. Students are also more likely to interact with peers of same gender and with peers from roughly the same geographic region. For students who are relatively less likely to be engaged in online discussion, exposure to more interactive peers increases their probabilities of passing the course, improves their grade in the course, and increases their likelihood of enrolling in the following academic term. This study demonstrates how the use of large-scale, text-based data can provide insights into students' learning processes.
What We&apos;re Missing: A Descriptive Analysis of Part-Day Absenteeism in Secondary School. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-16
Author: Whitney, Camille R.
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Secondary Schools,Attendance,Urban Schools,School Statistics,Attendance Patterns,Student Records,Incidence,School Schedules,Student Characteristics,Ethnicity,Racial Differences,Income,Regression (Statistics),Statistical Analysis

For schools and teachers to help students develop knowledge and skills, students need to show up to class. Yet absenteeism is high, especially in high schools. This study uses a rich dataset tracking class attendance by day for over 50,000 middle and high school students from an urban district in Academic Years 2007-'08 through 2012-'13. Our results extend and modify the extant findings on absenteeism that have been based almost exclusively on data on full-day absenteeism, missing class-by-class absences. Notably, part-day absenteeism is responsible for as much class time missed as full-day absenteeism, raising chronic absenteeism from 9 to 24 percent of total students. Incorporating part-day absences sharply increases the chronic absenteeism gap between underrepresented minority students and their peers. Both full- and part-day absenteeism show a discrete jump at the point of transition from middle school to high school, but full-day absenteeism then declines while part-day absenteeism remains high in grades 10 and 11 and increases again in grade 12. While 55 percent of full-day absences are unexcused, 92 percent of part-day absences are unexcused. Absenteeism from individual classes varies considerably by time of day, but less by class subject matter.