ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Can Tag Help Schools Teach?
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Elementary Schools,Play,Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Interpersonal Competence,Interpersonal Relationship,Educational Environment,Recess Breaks

Elementary schools are faced with a challenge: boosting student learning in an era when students face far more than schoolwork-related difficulties. Too often today, kids enter the classroom contending with issues ranging from bullying and emotional trauma to family instability and economic hardship--which can lead to behavioral problems that distract from teaching and learning. Schools have a strong interest in encouraging positive student behavior in order to get as much learning as possible out of each school day. In addition, helping students work and play well together and forge positive relationships with each other and their teachers is vital to their long-term success. The least appreciated and least studied parts of the school day are recess and other school-based play time. Principals or teachers will tell you that a bad recess has a negative effect on the entire school day. New research conducted by experts at Mathematica Policy Research and the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University examines how investing in recess and organized play can benefit the entire school day. Is it possible that recess holds the key to transforming the school climate and making the day go smoothly? Can a good game of tag or rock-paper-scissors make it easier to teach and learn? This paper presents positive impacts as a direct result of Playworks, a program that brings a safe, healthy recess environment and other organized playtime to elementary schools.
Naperville High School
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Physical Activities,Children,Public Schools,Educational Change,Intellectual Development,Obesity,Physical Education,Academic Achievement,Child Health,Holistic Approach

In a political climate where most public schools have reduced or eliminated P.E. entirely in response to budget cuts and increased pressure to improve academic test scores, Naperville High School in Illinois stands out as an anomaly. The school's already robust daily P.E. program is specifically designed around the notion that physical activity enhances rather than detracts from children's intellectual development. As the country confronts the dual challenge of childhood obesity and improving academic outcomes in public schools, policymakers and educators can learn from Naperville's approach, which treats fitness, health, wellness, and classroom learning as holistically interdependent. (Contains 1 endnote.)
Free To Grow: Head Start Partnerships to Promote Substance-Free Communities. Program Results Report
Author: De Milto, Lori
Date: 2012-01-24
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Child Abuse,Partnerships in Education,Program Effectiveness,Substance Abuse,Preschool Children,Neighborhoods,Police,Demonstration Programs,Prevention,Community Programs,Family Relationship,At Risk Students,Resilience (Psychology),Early Intervention,Family Programs

&quot;Free To Grow&quot;--a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)--supported efforts by Head Start agencies and their community partners to strengthen the families and neighborhood environments of high-risk preschool children living in low-income communities. The goal was to reduce the children's vulnerability to substance abuse and related problems in later life. The program ran from 1992 to 2005 and included a pilot phase with five geographically diverse Head Start sites and a demonstration and evaluation phase involving 15 Head Start agencies. Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine conducted an independent evaluation, tracking changes in family and community risk and protective factors at 14 demonstration sites and 14 matched communities selected for comparison. The Head Start agencies partnered with local police departments, school systems and other organizations to implement an integrated mix of family and neighborhood strategies to address substance abuse, child abuse and other risky behaviors. This paper presents key results of &quot;Free To Grow&quot; reported to RWJF by the national program office in December 2005 at the conclusion of the demonstration phase.  It also shows key findings that Wake Forest University evaluators reported in 2008 in a written summary submitted to RWJF and in a report, &quot;Evaluation of Free To Grow: Head Start Partnerships to Promote Substance-Free Communities.&quot; Appended are: (1) &quot;Free To Grow&quot; National Advisory Committee; (2) &quot;Free To Grow&quot; Evaluation Advisory Panel (Demonstration Phase); (3) &quot;Free To Grow&quot; Pilot Sites; (4) Additional Findings from the Pilot Phase Evaluation; (5) &quot;Free To Grow&quot; Standards for Demonstration Sites; (6) &quot;Free To Grow&quot; National Demonstration Project List; (7) Quantitative Evaluation Survey Methodology; (8) Measures Used in the Evaluation; and (9) Some Lessons Learned from the Pilot Phase. A bibliography is included.
A Gateway to Health Careers for Urban High School Students: Collaborative Front-Line and Allied Workforce Development Program among High Schools, Public Hospitals and Public Colleges. Program Results Report
Author: Jablow, Paul
Date: 2012-05-16
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: High School Students,Urban Youth,Partnerships in Education,Career Education,Career Guidance,Health Education,College Preparation,Developmental Studies Programs,Program Effectiveness,Program Descriptions,Performance Factors,Low Income Groups,Minority Group Students,Financial Support,Labor Force Development,Allied Health Occupations Education

From 2005 to 2011, the Gateway Institute for Pre-College Education partnered with three public entities in New York City--the Department of Education, the City University of New York and the Health and Hospitals Corporation--to introduce, educate, and prepare urban high school students for careers in the health professions. Gateway was launched in New York City in 1986 to prepare low-income and minority high school students for college and health and science-related careers. In interviews and reports to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), project staff cited these results from the Gateway Health Careers project: (1) Gateway staff and its partners created a replicable model for introducing high school students to a broad array of health careers, which included health electives, hospital experiences and exposure to college programs; and (2) Eighty-five students at A. Philip Randolph Campus High School completed the program, which begins in the ninth grade and lasts until graduation, and 85 percent of those indicated they were interested in health careers. Most planned to attended a senior college to accomplish their health career goals (72% of the 2010 class and 59% of the 2011 class). Additional funders are appended. (Contains 2 footnotes.) [Additional funding for this paper was provided by Harlem Hospital Center, New York State STEP program, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and Hunter College School of Nursing.]
Making Schools the Model for Healthier Environments Toolkit: General School Nutrition Resources
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Child Health,Nutrition,Dietetics,Federal Programs,Eating Habits,Educational Environment,Lunch Programs,Breakfast Programs,Federal Legislation,Physical Activity Level,Guides,Food,Agriculture,Community Programs,Obesity,Wellness,Prevention

The federal school nutrition programs are the keystones to the diets of millions of American children. Schools have the opportunity to support healthy nutrition habits early in life by creating environments that encourage the consumption of healthy foods and beverages. This paper provides resources which offer general information about the national school meal programs and strategies for improving the school nutrition environment.
Making the Grade: Reversing Childhood Obesity in Schools Toolkit--Resource List
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Adolescents,Physical Education,Physical Activities,Principals,Obesity,Health Promotion,Child Health,Guides,Elementary Schools,Physical Activity Level,Nutrition,Youth Programs,After School Programs,Play,Children,Youth,Eating Habits,Recess Breaks,Public Policy,Prevention

This document provides resources for increasing physical activity and physical education in schools. It also offers case studies that examine two successful initiatives, one led by an elementary school principal in Washington, D.C., and the other by school leaders in Naperville, Illinois.
School Policies and Practices to Improve Health and Prevent Obesity: National Secondary School Survey Results. Volume 2
Author: Johnston, Lloyd D.
Date: 2012-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Physical Education,Physical Activities,Racial Differences,Socioeconomic Influences,Lunch Programs,Food Service,International Schools,Nutrition,Intramural Athletics,School Policy,Secondary Schools,Food,Dietetics,Breakfast Programs,Dining Facilities,Student Participation,Exercise,Prevention,Obesity,Middle School Students,High School Students,Eligibility,Competition,Marketing

This report provides updated results from one of the most comprehensive studies of health-related policies and practices in U.S. public middle and high schools to date, which was released in August 2011. The major findings and trends presented in this report describe issues relevant to childhood obesity for four school years, from 2006-07 to 2009-10. The authors examine foods and beverages offered through the National School Lunch Program and outside of school meal programs, including those sold in vending machines, school stores and a la carte cafeteria lines. They also examine physical education requirements and rates of participation; participation in varsity and intramural sports; and walking and bicycling to and from school. This report offers timely insights for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider as it continues implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The report also helps inform future policies that aim to prevent obesity and improve children's diets, physical activity levels and overall health. Since their study began in 2007, there have been some improvements in the nutrition environment of U.S. public secondary schools. Many schools have been making an effort to offer students healthier foods and beverages for lunch and to provide healthier options in competitive venues, such as vending machines, school stores and a la carte cafeteria lines. Yet, most students still had easy access to pizza, french fries, sugary drinks and junk foods. This report highlights a number of conditions in middle and high schools that may be contributing to disparities across socioeconomic levels and across the racial and ethnic groups served. (Contains 6 figures, 2 tables, and 9 footnotes.)
How to Make Our Schools Healthy: Healthy Schools Program. Program Results Progress Report
Author: Brown, Michael H.
Date: 2012-11-07
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Recognition (Achievement),Physical Activities,Technical Assistance,Dietetics,Nutrition,Obesity,Health Promotion,Child Health,Food,Physical Activity Level,School Policy,Lunch Programs,Grants

The Healthy Schools Program provides technical assistance to help schools engage administrators, teachers, parents and vendors in increasing access to physical activity and healthier foods for students and staff. Current grants run to September 2013. The program addresses two policy priorities of the Childhood Obesity team: (1) Ensure that all foods and beverages served and sold in schools meet or exceed the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; (2) Increase the time, intensity and duration of physical activity during the school day and during out-of-school programs. The Healthy Schools Program is not a classroom curriculum or a prescription for gym activities. Instead, the program is trying to make kids healthier by improving their schools' policies and practices--everything from what's served in the cafeteria to how long recess lasts. Significant results of the program include: (1) Of 1,313 schools that enrolled prior to September 2009 and completed a follow-up wellness assessment, three-quarters made at least one improvement in one of the eight targeted areas; (2) At the program's June 2010 recognition ceremony, 179 schools earned awards--148 bronze, 30 silver and one gold. While that is only a fraction of the participating schools, the achievement was still an increase of more than 50 percent over the number of schools recognized in the previous year; (3) The gold recognition award--the first for any school--went to Memorial High School in West New York, N.J. Gold requires satisfaction of most of the criteria. Platinum takes basically 100 percent compliance. A bibliography is included.
State Legislation to Address Childhood Obesity. Program Results Brief
Author: Fiester, Leila
Date: 2012-12-14
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Public Health,Physical Activities,Nutrition,Nutrition Instruction,Research Tools,Obesity,State Legislation,Youth,Intervention,Interviews,Databases

An estimated 12.5 million American children and teens are obese. Over time, the diseases and disabilities associated with obesity may undermine this population's health and result in substantial social and economic costs. Policies that address children's nutrition and physical activity are an important tool in reversing the obesity epidemic. More states are developing such legislation, but little is known about the factors that influence passage or how the resultant policies relate to childhood obesity rates. Having that knowledge could help public health advocates target policy interventions more effectively. From April 2009 to September 2011, researchers at the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, a joint venture of Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis University analyzed state legislation on childhood obesity enacted from 2006 to 2009 to identify patterns in the topics addressed, the presence of evidence-based components, and factors that predict successful enactment. Project staff reported the following findings: (1) The 10 state legislation databases examined showed substantial variation in their comprehensiveness and in their strengths as research tools, ease of use, and cost; (2) Few state-level factors predicted enactment of childhood obesity legislation; (3) Bills that addressed safe routes to school or health or nutrition education in schools were twice as likely as other bills to be enacted; and (4) Policymakers and advocates have different perspectives on childhood obesity policy as a problem or priority. A bibliography is included. (Contains 8 footnotes.)
Safe Routes to School at Maybury Elementary School in Detroit
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Physical Activity Level,Physical Activities,Children,Obesity,School Safety,Federal Legislation,Child Health,Intervention,At Risk Students,Low Income Groups,Elementary Schools,Planning

In 2005, Congress passed legislation establishing the Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS). Since then, nearly all states and the District of Columbia have announced local or statewide SRTS activities, and thousands of schools have participated in the program. SRTS enables and encourages children to walk and bike to school by helping communities reduce traffic congestion and improve neighborhood safety and air quality. SRTS is also helping to address the epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity by increasing children's daily physical activity levels. The program is an especially important intervention for low-income communities and communities of color, which are more likely to suffer from disproportionately high rates of childhood overweight and obesity, and to have experienced a history of disinvestment in the built environment. This case study examines the implementation process and results of a Safe Routes to School program at Maybury Elementary, a public school serving a low-income, largely Latino community in Detroit. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Making Schools the Model for Healthier Environments Toolkit: Why Use It?
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Physical Activities,Adolescents,Nutrition,Child Health,Wellness,Obesity,Educational Environment,School Role,Health Promotion,Eating Habits,Food,Federal Legislation,Federal Programs,Lunch Programs,Breakfast Programs,Dietetics

In the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity in children has increased to epidemic proportions. The obesity rate among children ages 2 to 5 has more than doubled (from 5 percent to 10.4 percent); more than quadrupled (from 4.2 to 17 percent) among children ages 6 to 11; and more than tripled among adolescents ages 12 to 19 (from 4.6 to 17.6 percent). Today, nearly one-third of American children and adolescents (more than 23 million) are overweight or obese, placing them at a heightened risk for hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, orthopedic problems, and type 2 diabetes. If the obesity epidemic continues unabated, today's generation of American children may be the first to live sicker and die younger than their parents' generation. Preventing obesity during childhood is critical, because habits that last into adulthood frequently are formed during youth. Every school district must develop and implement a local school wellness policy as mandated by provisions of the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization. When properly implemented, comprehensive wellness plans can help schools become models of healthy environments for children to learn and grow. By focusing on healthy, nutritional eating practices and physical activities schools can seize the opportunity to educate children about the life-long importance of nutrition and physical well-being. (Contains 19 endnotes.)
Making the Grade: Reversing Childhood Obesity in Schools Toolkit--Why Use It?
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Physical Education,Physical Activities,Social Environment,Child Health,Obesity,Health Promotion,Recess Breaks,Extracurricular Activities,Social Influences,School Role,Federal Legislation

Today, obesity is one of the most critical health concerns for children in the United States. Nearly one-third of children and teens are overweight or obese--and physical inactivity is a leading contributor to the epidemic. Regrettably, as a result of budget cuts and pressure to ensure students perform well on academic tests, physical education (PE) has been significantly reduced, and in some cases completely eliminated in schools across the country. However, the available evidence shows that children who are physically active and fit tend to perform better in the classroom and that daily physical education does not adversely affect academic performance. School physical education programs, recess, classroom physical activity, and extracurricular physical activities cannot singlehandedly reverse the current childhood obesity epidemic. However, more than 50 million students spend a significant portion of their daily lives in school; so this social context is surely one of the most powerful institutions shaping the next generation of youth. If district or local school policies are not put in place to ensure that children engage in physical activity during the school day, their risk of obesity will continue to rise. (Contains 10 endnotes.)
Making the Grade: Reversing Childhood Obesity in School Districts Toolkit--What Is It?
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Health Promotion,Physical Education,Physical Activities,Obesity,Child Health,Guides,Physical Activity Level,Educational Environment,Life Style,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,State Legislation,Local Government,School Districts

In order to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States, it is critical to elevate the importance of physical education and physical activity as core components of a comprehensive curriculum in schools. It is also essential to explicitly state ways in which the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) will work to address physical education, physical activity, and health in general in elementary and secondary education. Although federally mandated curricula is forbidden, the reauthorization of ESEA can highlight the importance of physical education and physical activity throughout the school day to encourage states and school districts to broaden their curriculum beyond the traditional academic subject areas. This toolkit provides information to help improve opportunities for physical activity in school environments--during school hours as well as before and after school. It will provide tools and resources to help ensure that school environments promote active living among children, and offer promising solutions to challenges that schools face in providing opportunities for physical activity. (Contains 1 endnote.)
Keeping Kids Moving: How Equitable Transportation Policy Can Prevent Childhood Obesity--What It Is
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Transportation,Child Health,Obesity,Federal Legislation,Low Income Groups,Minority Group Children,Physical Activities

The nation faces an obesity crisis, especially among low-income children and children of color. Today, nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and physical inactivity is a leading cause of this epidemic. Equitable transportation policy that fosters healthy, opportunity-rich communities has a critical role to play in reversing childhood obesity. This toolkit provides information to help communities across the United States advocate for and offer safe, effective, and affordable transportation systems for all children. The information provided will present tools, resources, and promising solutions to help ensure investments in transportation are made equitably in order to guarantee that underserved communities from urban and rural areas across the country can access the resources they need to lead healthy lives. (Contains 5 endnotes.)
Keeping Kids Moving: How Equitable Transportation Policy Can Prevent Childhood Obesity Toolkit--Resource List
Author: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date: 2012-05-01
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Transportation,Child Health,Obesity,Prevention,Health Promotion,Child Safety,Equal Education,Case Studies,Physical Activity Level,Physical Activities,Partnerships in Education,Wellness,School Policy,Neighborhood Schools

This list of resources offers promising strategies that communities and policymakers can use to make sustainable advances in achieving equitable transportation systems. Resources are organized into seven categories: transportation equity, Safe Routes to School, school siting, complete streets, non-motorized transportation, community design, and public transit.