ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Program Annual Report, Outcomes through Fall 2008
Author: Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Community Development,Colleges,Family Income,Academic Persistence,Educational Change,Scholarships,Public Policy,School Holding Power,Merit Scholarships,Academic Achievement,High Schools,Secondary Education,Higher Education,Access to Education,Economic Development,Demography,Cohort Analysis,Longitudinal Studies,Enrollment,Enrollment Rate,College Freshmen,College Entrance Examinations,Educational Policy

The Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) program was designed to meet the unique needs of the state of Tennessee by incorporating the hallmark elements of existing merit-based aid programs in other states. Developed through a process involving elected officials and members of the academic community, the TELS program aims to address the following broad public policy objectives: (1) Improve academic achievement in high school through scholarship incentive; (2) Provide financial assistance as a means of promoting access to higher education; (3) Retain the state's &quot;best and brightest&quot; students in Tennessee colleges and universities; and (4) Enhance and promote economic and community development through workforce training. The Tennessee Education Lottery began operations on January 20, 2004. Lottery proceeds fund scholarships for Tennessee students attending eligible public or private colleges and universities across the state. This report is divided into five major sections: (1) &quot;Program Overview and Recipient Demographics&quot; describes the program's objectives, eligibility requirements, and size and scope; (2) &quot;Scholarship Renewal&quot; describes the rates at which freshman cohorts receiving various types of scholarships renewed those awards, focusing particularly on differences in scholarship renewal across levels of family income and academic preparation; (3) &quot;College Retention&quot; longitudinally tracks the Fall 2004 first-time freshman class through their fifth year of college and/or graduation, with or without the scholarship; and first-to-second year retention of all classes, with an emphasis on the Fall 2007 first-time freshman class; (4) &quot;Best and Brightest&quot;, an examination of student matriculation patterns prior to and following the lottery scholarship program; and (5) &quot;Summary Findings from Recent Lottery Scholarship Research&quot; on second year scholarship renewal and the Non-traditional Student Grant. Appendices include: (1) Lottery Participation of Tennessee Residents Enrolled in Public Institutions as First-Time Freshmen: 2004-2008; (2) High School Preparation Levels of Fall 2007 First-Time Freshman TELS Recipients, by Initial Postsecondary Sector; (3) Fall 2008 Scholarship Renewal by High School Preparation Level of Fall 2007 TELS Freshmen, by Initial Postsecondary Sector; and (4) ACT Composite of Tennessee Residents 19 and Under Enrolled in Public Institutions as First-Time Freshmen 2004-08. (Contains 22 tables, 5 figures and 3 footnotes.)
School Integration Efforts Three Years after "Parents Involved"
Author: Tefera, Adai
Date: 2010-06-28
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Civil Rights,School Desegregation,Federal Legislation,Student Diversity,School Districts,Federal Government,Economic Climate,Parent Participation,Educational Policy,Government Role,Budgets,Retrenchment,Incentives

This report synthesizes major themes in local policymaking during the last year, as local school districts continue to grapple with legal and economic constraints on policies that are aimed at creating diverse schools. The report last year on the second anniversary of "Parents Involved" began to uncover some of the consequences of the difficult economic situation facing many local and state governments in terms of budget cuts that affected integration efforts. There are also a number of ways the federal government is influencing districts' policy efforts. As part of the Civil Rights Project's initiative on school integration, the authors have tracked media accounts of school districts' policies that may affect student diversity. While this is not an exhaustive review, this memo summarizes developments in school districts across the country over the last year. They found nearly 600 articles in 39 states. They classify the developments into several categories. First, they review the changing demographics facing districts. Second, they examine the myriad of ways in which the tightening economic climate affects districts' integration efforts. Third, they describe the differing ways in which the federal government is affecting districts' efforts. Fourth, they look at the ways in which communities have mobilized around integration over the last year. Finally, they conclude by describing resources that could be helpful for educators and community members who still seek to further diverse schools. (Contains 1 table and 67 footnotes.)
Effectiveness of Fully Online Courses for College Students: Response to a Department of Education Meta-Analysis
Author: Jaggars, Shanna Smith
Date: 2010-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Income,Online Courses,College Students,Educational Technology,Meta Analysis,Postsecondary Education,Instructional Effectiveness,Conventional Instruction,Access to Education,Blended Learning,Low Income Groups,At Risk Students,College Preparation,Computer Uses in Education,Teaching Methods

Proponents of postsecondary online education were recently buoyed by a meta-analysis sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education suggesting that, in many cases, student learning outcomes in online courses are superior to those in traditional face-to-face courses. This finding does not hold, however, for the studies included in the meta-analysis that pertain to fully online, semester-length college courses; among these studies, there is no trend in favor of the online course mode. What is more, these studies consider courses that were taken by relatively well-prepared university students, so their results may not generalize to traditionally underserved populations. Therefore, while advocates argue that online learning is a promising means to increase access to college and to improve student progression through higher education programs, the Department of Education report does not present evidence that fully online delivery produces superior learning outcomes for typical college courses, particularly among low-income and academically underprepared students. Indeed some evidence beyond the meta-analysis suggests that, without additional supports, online learning may even undercut progression among low-income and academically underprepared students. (Contains 6 footnotes.)[To review the related report, "Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies", see ED505824.]
Teaching to Expand Opportunities for Nontraditional Students: Promising Strategies and Practices
Author: Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Nontraditional Students,Sex Fairness,Gender Discrimination,Vocational Education,Females,Males,Sex Stereotypes,Gender Issues,Sex Role,Federal Legislation,Enrollment,School Holding Power,Science Education,Technology Education,Engineering Education,Mathematics Education

The Vocational Equity Research, Training and Evaluation Center (VERTEC) was established in 1988 to increase females' access to, and opportunities in, vocational education programs that are nontraditional for their gender. The research, technical assistance and advocacy that has been provided by VERTEC staff over the last 21 years has established a dynamic base of expertise around the issues of gender equity, and a more complex race and class analysis of gender equity issues in vocational, and increasingly, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related education and occupational preparation. The funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Education through the Carl D. Perkins Act (first authorized by the federal government in 1984 and reauthorized in 1998) has allowed VERTEC the ability to investigate gendered patterns of enrollment and retention in Career and Technical (CTE) and STEM education and provide technical assistance and advocacy based on VERTEC's applied research. Selected states' data (National Women's Law Center, 2005) as well as VERTEC's analyses of enrollment patterns suggest that gendered patterns persist in CTE. This publication is designed to offer faculty, staff and administrators guidance about the general practices which are associated with increasing gender nontraditional students in CTE areas and with specific examples of classes and programs which may be used as resources to improve both the numbers of gender nontraditional students and their experiences.
Chicago High School Redesign Initiative: Schools, Students, and Outcomes. Research Report
Author: Sporte, Susan
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: High Schools,Graduation Rate,Academic Achievement,Small Schools,Educational Planning,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Institutional Characteristics,Student Characteristics,Educational Trends,Attendance Patterns,Comparative Analysis,School Effectiveness,Educational Facilities Design,School Size,Disadvantaged Environment

Between 2002 and 2007, the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative (CHSRI) opened 23 small high schools. Implemented in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), this initiative aimed to provide populations of low-performing students in under-served areas of the city with high-quality, small high schools. These schools were formed (1) by converting large high schools into a number of small ones, which were called redesigned schools, or (2) by creating new-start schools. This initiative was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with additional funding provided by local foundations. CHSRI ceased to exist as a separate entity in August 2008, leaving 17 small high schools still in full operation in their original locations. This report focuses on student outcomes at CHSRI schools and how they compare to other similar CPS schools. The authors paid particular attention to graduation rates and were guided by the following three sets of questions: (1) Did the population of students served by CHSRI schools change over time as CHSRI created new schools?; (2) On average, how did CHSRI schools compare to other schools serving similar students in terms of absences, academic achievement, and graduation? Have these differences changed over time?; and (3) To what extent did CHSRI graduation rates vary across schools? Were some CHSRI schools more effective at graduating the students they serve? And, were CHSRI schools more effective at graduating some students than others? Their findings show that this initiative did accomplish much, but not all, of what it was intended to do. CHSRI schools seem to have created an environment that encourages student attendance and persistence in school. CHSRI students' academic outcomes are similar or slightly better than those of similar students. However, being &quot;slightly better&quot; than similar students does not mean that these students are college ready. Many other school districts are facing the same problem: how to bring under-performing students to college readiness in the span of four years. Countless researchers and practitioners are searching for a replicable, scalable method to accomplish this formidable task. The CHSRI schools have gotten at least part of the equation: their students persist in school and they graduate. This foundation should be recognized and built upon--and not forgotten--as schools continue to find ways to accelerate academic achievement for their students. Appendices include: (1) CHSRI Theory of Action; and (2) Statistical Models and Variables Used. (Contains 10 figures, 9 tables, and 24 endnotes.)
Rethinking Teacher Evaluation: Findings from the First Year of the Excellence in Teaching Project in Chicago Public Schools. Policy Brief
Author: Sartain, Lauren
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Public Schools,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Program Implementation,Methods Research,Test Reliability,Test Validity,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Audits (Verification),Consortia,Pilot Projects,Program Descriptions,Classroom Observation Techniques

Researchers have raised a number of questions about whether student achievement data can be used fairly or accurately for purposes of teacher evaluation. Others have noted that achievement data alone cannot provide teachers with the information they need to improve their practice. Recognizing these limitations, the federal government and many states have specified that student test score data should be just one of a variety of measures used to evaluate teachers. Other measures would likely include some form of classroom observation, which in turn has generated new demand for tools that principals and others can use to judge whether effective teaching is taking place. The Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching, which attempts to delineate the observable components of effective teaching, is perhaps the most well-known example of such a tool. Districts including Chicago, Cincinnati, and Las Vegas have adopted the Framework to structure teacher evaluation. A team of researchers from the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at the University of Chicago is studying the implementation of the Danielson Framework in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and providing real-time, objective feedback to the district on its new pilot teacher evaluation program, the Excellence in Teaching Project. This policy brief describes the first year of implementation in CPS and highlights key early findings and policy implications from the study. The findings presented are relevant for policymakers contemplating how best to support the design and development of effective teacher evaluation systems. They are particularly important for districts seeking valid, reliable ways to measure and evaluate the complex activity of teaching. (Contains 12 footnotes.)
Are Two Algebra Classes Better Than One? The Effects of Double-Dose Instruction in Chicago. Policy Brief
Author: Durwood, Claire
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Educational Change,Mathematics Skills,Algebra,Academic Support Services,Educational Strategies,Achievement Gains,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Program Implementation,Audits (Verification),Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,Educationally Disadvantaged

How can schools respond to the call to equip all students with the math skills required in college and the workforce when students are working at widely varying skill levels? Offering extended instructional time in algebra, or double-dose instruction, offers one potential solution to this dilemma and has become an increasingly popular approach for supporting students in high school math. Nearly half of large urban districts report double-period math instruction as the most common form of support for students with lower skills. Yet, despite the popularity of the double-dose strategy, there has been little research on the implementation of these reforms, or on their effectiveness. This policy brief summarizes the key findings from CCSR's (Consortium on Chicago School Research's) study of a double-dose algebra policy in Chicago and highlights implications for schools, districts, and policymakers. (Contains 2 figures and 22 footnotes.)
College Prep for All? What We've Learned from Chicago's Efforts. Policy Brief
Author: Mazzeo, Christopher
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Change,Secondary School Curriculum,Advanced Courses,Policy Analysis,College Preparation,Graduation Requirements,Educational Policy,Transitional Programs,Compulsory Education,Academic Achievement,Enrollment Rate,Graduation Rate,Attendance Patterns,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators

As state and national policymakers look for ways to improve the rigor of the high school curriculum and enhance student readiness for college, many are turning their attention to increasing course requirements in core academic high school subjects. Existing research shows that students who take high-level course sequences learn more in high school and are more likely to attend and perform better in college than students who do not take these classes. Yet, despite the appeal of mandatory curriculum policies, surprisingly little is known   about whether changing course requirements will necessarily lead to improved outcomes for students. This is because the previous studies cited by many in the policy and reform communities do not fully correct for what researchers call selection bias: that is, the students who choose to take high-level classes are often the most motivated and high-achieving students in their schools, and the schools that offer advanced courses to students are those with the capacity to teach them and are often college-oriented in other ways. To inform state and district curriculum policies, and to address some of these limitations of the previous research, research teams at the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at the University of Chicago and at the University of Michigan spent the last three years examining a 1997 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) effort to implement a version of the mandatory college-preparatory curriculum. The 1997 CPS policy change ended remedial classes and required college-preparatory coursework for all students in four subject areas: English, math, science, and social studies. This policy brief describes the key findings from this study of the 1997 reform and highlights its implications for ongoing state and national policy deliberations. (Contains 3 figures and 13 footnotes.) [This policy brief was drawn from the following study: Allensworth, Elaine M., Takako Nomi, Nicholas Montgomery, Valerie E. Lee. 2009. College Preparatory Curriculum for All: Academic Consequences of Requiring Algebra and English I for Ninth Graders in Chicago. &quot;Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis,&quot; 31 (4), pages 367-391 (EJ866927).]
Continuing Education in BC's Public Postsecondary Institutions. Made in B.C.: A History of Postsecondary Education in British Columbia. Volume 3
Author: Cowin, Bob
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Postsecondary Education,Continuing Education,Contract Training,Foreign Countries,Adult Education,Public Colleges,Educational History,Curriculum Development,Educational Quality,Liberal Arts,Academic Standards,Educational Finance,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Research Universities,College Administration

Traces the development of continuing education and contract training in publicly funded postsecondary institutions in British Columbia, Canada. The first section describes the changing orientation over time, while the second half considers themes across all categories of institution. The appendix describes each institution individually. This report is volume III of &quot;Made in BC: A History of Postsecondary Education in British Columbia.&quot; A bibliography is included. (Contains 1 footnote.) [For &quot;Made in B.C.: A History of Postsecondary Education in British Columbia,&quot; see ED501776. For volume II, &quot;B.C.'s Faith-Based Postsecondary Institutions,&quot; see ED505878.]
Algebraic Thinking in Adult Education
Author: Manly, Myrna
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Adult Education,Mathematical Concepts,Arithmetic,Algebra,Mathematics Instruction,Thinking Skills,Problem Solving,Equations (Mathematics),Adult Learning,Adult Students,Evaluation,Numeracy,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Achievement,Academic Achievement

In adult education, algebraic thinking can be a sense-making tool that introduces coherence among mathematical concepts for those who previously have had trouble learning math. Further, a modeling approach to algebra connects mathematics and the real world, demonstrating the usefulness of math to those who have seen it as just an academic exercise. This paper recommends two significant and necessary changes in the concept of algebra and the ways the authors approach it in education: a shift from thinking of algebra as one course to thinking of it as a content strand integrated into arithmetic instruction and a shift from thinking of algebra as merely manipulation skills to thinking of it as a means of representing and analyzing real situations. This fresh look at algebra and mathematics can result in instruction that appeals to mature students by addressing their needs in pursuit of a career and in their daily life by actively involving them in solving meaningful problems.
Integrating Curriculum: Lessons for Adult Education from Career and Technical Education
Author: Chernus, Kathleen
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Integrated Curriculum,Adult Education,Vocational Education,Academic Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Research,Interdisciplinary Approach,Models,Outcomes of Education,Program Effectiveness,High Schools

Policymakers and educators are paying increased attention to determining how best to prepare those in adult education programs not only for immediate employment, but also for career advancement and further training or postsecondary education. This focus echoes current efforts among secondary educators, particularly those in career and technical education (CTE), to ensure that high school graduates are ready for both college and a career--not one or the other. Are there strategies currently in use in high schools that could inform efforts in adult education to prepare adults for both work and further education? The authors examine one strategy--the integrated curriculum--now being implemented in various forms in high schools to see if adult education might benefit from a similar approach. The integrated curriculum combines academic and technical content in programs that focus on problem solving, active engagement in projects and real-world applications of the knowledge and skills taught. This paper reviews several types of curriculum integration and examines research on its effects, primarily in K-12 education, since research in adult education is sparse. After discussing two curriculum integration models in detail--the multiple pathways approach promoted by ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, and the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) program--the authors describe several efforts to incorporate integrated curricula in adult education. They conclude that three approaches have promising prospects for expanding integrated curriculum efforts already under way in adult education: (1) course integration; (2) cross-curriculum integration; and (3) program integration. (Contains 15 footnotes.)