ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Advancing the &quot;Colorado Graduates&quot; Agenda: Understanding the Dropout Problem and Mobilizing to Meet the Graduation Challenge. [Executive Summary]
Author: Mac Iver, Martha Abele
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dropouts,Adolescents,Graduation,Dropout Prevention,Dropout Rate,State Programs,Intervention,Advocacy,Agency Cooperation,High School Graduates,School Districts,At Risk Students,Low Achievement,Attendance Patterns,Suspension,Grade 9,Middle School Students,Academic Failure

The ambitious goal set by Colorado's governor to address the state's dropout problem is a model for the nation. Helping thousands of young people to receive their high school diplomas instead of leaving school without them is a crucial step in improving the quality of life for all Colorado residents. Accomplishing this goal will require focused attention on dropout prevention, intervention, and recovery--particularly in the schools and districts with large numbers of dropouts. The research reported here was conducted as a foundational analysis for the work of the Colorado Graduates Initiative (CGI), a partnership of several education advocacy organizations and other non-profit organizations seeking to assure that districts and schools succeed in accomplishing the goal of cutting the state's dropout rate in half within the next ten years. This research focused first on the statewide distribution of dropouts, and then on five of the districts having some of the largest number of dropouts, using both aggregate school level data from the Colorado Department of Education and individual level data from each of the five districts. This executive summary presents findings of the study and offers recommendations which include specific suggestions for an integrated dropout prevention framework, using a multi-tiered public health framework with an early warning system and tiered interventions to increase attendance and reduce both problem behavior and course failure. (Contains 2 footnotes.) [For the full report, &quot;Advancing the &quot;Colorado Graduates&quot; Agenda: Understanding the Dropout Problem and Mobilizing to Meet the Graduation Challenge,&quot; see ED539116.]
Childhood Poverty in Colorado: A Closer Look at a Statewide Challenge
Author: Piscopo, Lisa
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Children,Rural Areas,Counties,Metropolitan Areas,Poverty,Low Income Groups,Social Indicators,Intervals,Trend Analysis,Urban Areas,Lunch Programs,Surveys,At Risk Persons,Family Income,Public Schools,Eligibility,Population Trends

The nation's recent economic problems underscore the urgency of addressing the challenges that low-income families face. The current economic downturn will exacerbate what already are troubling trends in Colorado--namely, that too many children in the state live in poverty and these numbers are growing rapidly. Until updated data are available, it cannot be said with great precision how many more children fell into poverty during 2008. However, the most current data on childhood poverty presents a troubling dynamic for Colorado as a state and in the largest counties as of 2007. Colorado's poverty rates were continuing to go up as the economy began to slow down, so it is reasonable to assume that these trends are continuing or even worsening. The trends identified in all the data sources are consistent: Colorado has an increasing number of children in poverty; the fastest growth is taking place in the Denver metro area; while many of the state's rural communities have endured high rates of persistent poverty. All these data can help policy makers and advocates understand the troubling trends affecting children along the urban corridor of the Front Range in Colorado and the persistent poverty afflicting rural counties. The rising number of children in poverty in the state is an urgent concern. All the available data sources tell that the growth of child poverty is not occurring at an equal rate in all counties in the state and is not evenly distributed throughout Colorado. Identifying where children are living in poverty and where the rate of change in childhood poverty is greatest are first steps in developing appropriate strategies to reduce these numbers and mitigate the impacts of poverty on the children. Appended are: (1) Childhood Poverty Data; (2) Free and Reduced Price Lunch Data; and (3) SAIPE data tables with Confidence Intervals. (Contains 22 figures, 14 tables, and 59 footnotes.)
Colorado Children's Budget 2010
Author: Colorado Children's Campaign
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Finance,Population Growth,Investment,Resource Materials,State Policy,Children,Social Services,Elementary Secondary Education,Poverty,Financial Support

The &quot;Children's Budget 2010&quot; is intended to be a resource guide for policymakers and advocates who are interested in better understanding how Colorado funds children's programs and services. It attempts to clarify often confusing budget information and describe where the state's investment trends are and where those trends will lead the state if funding decisions remain unchanged. Colorado's child population has grown substantially since 2000 and the number of children living in poverty has more than doubled. This document, however, does not address population growth, identify gaps in services or evaluate the effectiveness of programs. While these are critical components of investment decisions, disentangling the various parts requires a separate and more extensive analysis. What is immediately clear from this report is that Colorado has experienced a decade of economic turmoil. The 21st century began with a recession in 2001 and ended with another in 2008. Declining revenues combined with unique state fiscal policies left lawmakers with tough choices and few options for addressing growing demand and need. This report details appropriations (state and federal) to a number of critical programs and services affecting Colorado's children. Appended are: (1) Summary of Annual Growth Rates for Selected Programs; (2) Selected Divisions and Programs: FY 2000-01 General Fund Appropriations base inflated for CPI plus population; and (3) Referendum C Spending by Designated Area (thousands of dollars). A budget glossary is included. Individual section contains charts, tables and footnotes.
&quot;Girls Tend to Stop Going; Boys Get Told Not to Come Back&quot;: A Report on Gender and the Dropout Problem in Colorado Schools
Author: Bennett, Laurie J.
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Females,Dropouts,Males,High School Graduates,Graduation,Graduation Rate,Dropout Rate,Gender Differences,Gender Issues,Academic Persistence,High School Students,Urban Schools,Suburban Schools,Interviews,Age Differences,Counties,Suspension,Racial Differences,Employment Level,Pregnancy,Early Parenthood,Family Influence,Delinquency,Safety,Attendance Patterns

Dropping out of school--and the concomitant failure to graduate with a high school diploma--form a &quot;silent epidemic&quot; in the United States today. &quot;Nationally, research puts the graduation rate between 68 and 71 percent, which means that almost one-third of all public high school students in America fail to graduate&quot; or drop out (Bridgeland, DiIulio &amp; Morison, 2006, p. 1). The state of Colorado is no exception. A 2004 study by the Urban Institute Educational Policy Center pegs the national graduation rate at 68%; Colorado's graduation rate comes in at 69% (Swanson, 2004b, pp. 38, 48). Both nationally and in Colorado, the differences between the graduation rates for young women and young men are also similar: nationally, 72% of girls graduate, as opposed to 64% of boys, while in Colorado, the female graduation rate is 72.9% as compared to a 65.1% for male students (Swanson, 2004, pp. 38, 48). The purpose of this exploratory study is to begin to probe what might be called almost half of the dropout problem in Colorado. What makes girls drop out? Conversely, what might work to keep them going to school? (Contains 4 figures, 7 tables, and 12 footnotes.)
Quality Child Care: An Investment in Families, an Investment in Colorado's Economy
Author: Bianchi, Jon-Paul
Date: 2009-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Child Care,Economic Development,Employed Parents,Investment,Access to Education,Family Work Relationship,Educational Quality,Child Development,Economic Impact,Delivery Systems,Educational Resources,Community Benefits

In order for families to support themselves, parents must have access to jobs and the ability to consistently go to work to keep them. Current economic hardships highlight even more clearly this critical connection. One barrier that prevents many working parents from maintaining employment and supporting their families is access to child care. A strong child care industry is a cornerstone not only of these families, but of Colorado's economic development and prosperity. As child care capacity is decreasing in Colorado, the population of eligible children is increasing. This equation has negative ramifications for both families and the state. Research shows that investment in quality child care and early education has positive effects on economic development in both the short and long term and can mitigate some of the negative potential outcomes of a critical shortage. Parents are able to work and sustain their families when they have access to care, and children receive the appropriate support to prepare them to succeed as working citizens of Colorado. Investment in high-quality early care and education is most beneficial as a preventative measure, as opposed to when it is too late and costly to change the course of a child's development. (Contains 29 endnotes.)
Student Enrollment Count Mechanisms for School Funding: A Survey of State Policies
Author: Groginsky, Scott
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Enrollment,Educational Finance,Attendance,State Policy,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power

States use different mechanisms for counting students for the purpose of funding school districts. These approaches have important consequences for retaining students in school through the academic year and accurately compensating districts for the students in their schools. This report provides an overview of count date policies used in all 50 states and an analysis of the implications of those policies for school funding and student completion. [This paper was written with the research assistance of Kenny Smith and Alissa Swartz.]
Advancing the &quot;Colorado Graduates&quot; Agenda: Understanding the Dropout Problem and Mobilizing to Meet the Graduation Challenge
Author: Mac Iver, Martha Abele
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dropouts,Health Promotion,Public Health,Quality of Life,Graduates,Graduation,Dropout Prevention,Dropout Rate,Middle School Students,Grade 9,Intervention,Attendance,School Districts,Scores,Partnerships in Education,College School Cooperation,Response to Intervention

The ambitious goal set by Colorado's governor to address the state's dropout problem is a model for the nation. Helping thousands of young people to receive their high school diplomas instead of leaving school without them is a crucial step in improving the quality of life for all Colorado residents. Accomplishing this goal will require focused attention on dropout prevention, intervention, and recovery, particularly in the schools and districts with large numbers of dropouts. The research reported here was conducted as a foundational analysis for the work of the Colorado Graduates Initiative (CGI), a partnership of several education advocacy organizations and other non-profit organizations seeking to assure that districts and schools succeed in accomplishing the goal of cutting the state's dropout rate in half within the next ten years. This research focused first on the statewide distribution of dropouts, and then on five of the districts having some of the largest number of dropouts, using both aggregate school level data from the Colorado Department of Education and individual level administrative data from each of the five districts. The report begins with an analysis of the concentration of dropouts within the state of Colorado, and a brief review of what research has shown about predictors of a dropout outcome. It provides an analysis of the demographic and behavioral characteristics of dropouts from the five Colorado districts as well as early warning indicators among students in middle school and ninth grade. The report concludes with recommendations for steps that districts and schools could potentially take to identify and address these early warning signals. The recommendations include specific suggestions for an integrated dropout prevention framework, using a multi-tiered public health framework with an early warning system and tiered interventions to increase attendance and reduce both problem behavior and course failure. In short, this report presents several keys to addressing Colorado's graduation challenge. (Contains 13 figures, 6 tables and 10 footnotes.) [For the &quot;Advancing the &quot;Colorado Graduates&quot; Agenda: Understanding the Dropout Problem and Mobilizing to Meet the Graduation Challenge. [Executive Summary],&quot; see ED539110.]
Looking Forward: Colorado's Fiscal Prospects Amid a Financial Crisis
Author: Buchanan, Wade, Ed.
Date: 2009-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Finance,Financial Support,Costs,Services,Expenditures,Budgets,College Students,Enrollment Trends,Institutionalized Persons,Correctional Institutions,Income,State Legislation,Economic Progress,Economic Factors,Financial Exigency,Federal Aid,Funding Formulas,Health Services

This report projects the amount Colorado would need to spend to maintain state services at 2007 levels through fiscal year 2012-13 and the amount of revenues that will be generated to pay for them. The costs of services were estimated based on factors that drive the budget, such as the number of students in college, inflation rates and the number of prisoners. It updates the December 2007 &quot;Looking Forward&quot; report. The researchers' analysis shows that the costs of maintaining 2007 service levels will exceed revenues by $1.3 billion in fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11. The funding gap will fall to $963 million in fiscal year 2011-12 and $668 million in fiscal year 2012-13. The analysis shows that the lack of revenue is the primary factor constraining state services. Measured as a percentage of Colorado's economy, state General Fund revenues are projected to drop to levels not seen in recent history. They will average 3.3 percent of total state personal income through 2012, which is 21 percent below the 4.2 percent average since 1981. The state will be able to retain all revenues under the new TABOR revenue limit established by Referendum C through fiscal year 2012-13, and extending the Ref C timeout will not result in additional revenues through fiscal year 2012-13. However, Colorado's economy is expected to grow faster than the new limit and that there will be TABOR rebates at some point in the future. Repealing the Arveschoug-Bird spending formula removed a ratchet effect that would have diverted more than $2 billion in General Fund appropriations from operating budgets. Clearly, Colorado's fiscal condition is dire. Even as it aspires to become an innovative, 21st century state, its financial resources will not allow it to maintain its pre-recession levels of service. (Contains 6 figures and 14 endnotes.)
School Dropouts in Rural Colorado School Districts
Author: Tombari, Martin
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dropouts,School Districts,Qualitative Research,Urban Schools,Rural Schools,Dropout Rate,Homeless People,Statistical Analysis,Interviews,Telephone Surveys,Teaching Experience,Teacher Salaries,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Migrants,Student Mobility,Predictor Variables,Special Education,Faculty Mobility,Native Language

Dropouts from rural school districts have not received the same scrutiny as given to those from urban ones. The reasons behind this lack of knowledge about the experience of rural school districts with dropouts are unclear. The purpose of the present study was to begin to close this knowledge gap. A first major study of rural dropouts in the United States has been done here in Colorado to help in planning for different kinds of programs and services needed in much of the state. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The former methods were used to compare dropout rates of rural and urban school districts and to select a sample of rural districts whose dropout rates were above and below average state dropout rates. The qualitative aspects of the study involved phone interviews with key informants in each of these rural districts. Authors identified five school districts in Colorado that were judged to be performing the best with respect to dropout rates and five districts judged to be performing the worst. These districts were dispersed throughout the state with no obvious geographical pattern. The authors spoke to key informants in these districts about their districts' experience with dropouts. The authors learned from this study that rural school districts have the lowest dropout rates of the five categories of schools identified by the Colorado Department of Education. They also learned that these rates are not correlated with such demographic factors as race or ethnicity, first language; not correlated with factors such as migrant status, mobility, or homelessness, nor are they correlated to student variables such as special education status, free and reduced lunch, and unrelated to district data as teacher and administrator turnover rates, teaching experience, teacher salaries, school revenue, or district expenditures. Appended are: (1) School Variable studied; and (2) Interview Questions. (Contains 3 figures, 5 tables, and 3 footnotes.)
High School Predictors of College Readiness: Determinants of Developmental Course Enrollment and Second-Year Postsecondary Persistence in Virginia
Author: Garland, Marshall
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: High Schools,Secondary Education,Academic Persistence,Postsecondary Education,Predictor Variables,School Activities,Enrollment,College Preparation,College Readiness,Student Characteristics,Academic Achievement,Higher Education,Achievement Gap

In 2007, the Virginia Board of Education directed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to study academic indicators that are associated with high school students' successful preparation for college and careers. VDOE then embarked on a multi-year effort to identify available data sources and conduct research on high school indicators that are associated with enrollment and success in credit-bearing courses in college. VDOE's initial studies linked high school indicators with students' enrollment in four-year colleges and universities across the country that was acquired from the National Student Clearinghouse. This report is the first in a two-part series connecting high school program and outcomes data to course enrollment, grades, and persistence in Virginia's two- and four-year institutions of higher education (IHE). This first report addresses the following questions: (1) How did students who enroll in Virginia two- and four-year colleges differ from those with no record of enrollment in a Virginia college?; (2) To what extent were better prepared students less likely to enroll in developmental courses?; (3) To what extent did better high school academic preparation close income and ethnic gaps in student enrollment in developmental courses?; (4) To what extent were better prepared students more likely to persist into their second year in the Virginia higher education institution in which they enrolled in the first year?; and (5) To what extent did better high school preparation close income and ethnic gaps in second-year persistence? Following a brief description of the high school and higher education data files used in the analysis, the remaining sections of this report address each of these five questions. Throughout the report, the authors present both descriptive statistics that compare higher education outcomes for different groups of students, and results from statistical analyses that estimate the incremental association between a given high school variable and higher education outcomes after controlling for other variables. Appended are: (1) Match Procedure and Diagrams; (2) Technical Material for Multivariate Analyses Section; (3) Multivariate Logistic Regression Estimates for Research Objective I; (4) Multivariate Logistic Regression Estimates for Research Objective II; (5) Predictive Accuracy of the Algebra I and Algebra II SOL: Classification Table Results; and (6) References. (Contains 8 tables, 25 figures and 22 footnotes.)
Virginia's College and Career Ready Initiative Grade 12 English Capstone Course Content and Performance Expectations
Author: Virginia Department of Education
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Course Content,Grade 12,Educational Objectives,Behavioral Objectives,Teacher Expectations of Students,Course Descriptions,Delivery Systems,Communication Skills,Reading Skills,Writing Skills,English Curriculum,Developmental Studies Programs,Career Readiness,College Readiness,Instructional Development

Virginia's &quot;College and Career Ready English Performance Expectations&quot; grade 12 capstone course contains high-interest contextualized content designed to give certain students an additional boost for competent and successful entry into college and careers. The course will add to students' preparation for critical reading, college and workplace writing, and career-ready communications by enhancing skills in reading, the writing process, and creation of effective texts, and effective communications (speaking, listening, and collaborating). The course will augment skills in critical reading; critical thinking; the fundamentals of academic writing; and exposition, persuasion, and argumentation. Through the writing process, students will refine topics; develop and support ideas and hypotheses; investigate, evaluate, and incorporate appropriate resources; edit for effective style and usage; and determine appropriate approaches for a variety of contexts, audiences, and purposes. Writing activities will include expository, persuasive, and argumentative texts. The course is designed for students who: (1) have satisfactorily completed the Standards of Learning English 11 course; (2) have achieved at least minimum proficiency on both the end-of-course English reading and writing assessments; and (3) are college intending, but may not be fully college ready. The course may also support students who meet the same academic requirements but plan to enter the work force (prepared for further work force training) directly after graduating from high school.