ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Maine School Administrative Unit Size, Costs, and Outcomes
Author: Silvernail, David L.
Date: 2004-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Public Schools,Equal Education,Educational Quality,Educational Opportunities,Expenditures,School District Size,School District Reorganization,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Regression (Statistics),Predictor Variables,Expenditure per Student,Academic Achievement,Cost Effectiveness

Maine should be very proud of its public school system. Without question, since passage of the Sinclair Act in 1957, Maine has made great strides in the last 45 years in improving the quality of its public schools, and in expanding educational opportunities for more and more of its children. Maine citizens have increased their investment four-fold in their public schools since 1960; from approximately $1,870 per pupil in today's dollars to over $8,000 per student in 2002-03. At present, Maine spends approximately $900 more per student than the national average. And this investment has paid off. Year in and year out, Maine's 4th and 8th graders score in the top five in the country on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Maine has one of the most favorable teacher-pupil ratios in the country; it ranks 11th best in the country in terms of the high school graduation rate, and 7th highest in the country in how well Maine prepares students for college. But as Maine citizens enter the new century, they are faced with significant challenges. Thus, they must address these challenges if they are to insure that all their children receive a quality K-12 education. They must find more efficient ways to operate their public school system to ensure equity of education opportunities for all of Maine's youth. Among the emerging proposals for resolving these and related issues is the idea that more economic efficiencies and greater education opportunities for students may be found through further regionalizing of educational services. This study examined the question of whether some degree of consolidation of school districts or regionalization of functions might have the potential to yield reductions in educational costs without sacrificing educational quality. It reports the results of a study of the relationships in Maine school districts between district size, expenditures, and outcomes. (Contains 4 tables.)
Analysis of the Impact of School Consolidation on Student Transportation Cost. Brief
Author: Silvernail, David L.
Date: 2007-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Expenditures,Consolidated Schools,School Construction,Student Transportation,Graphs,Cost Indexes,Program Evaluation,Multiple Regression Analysis,School Buses

This analysis entailed an examination of student transportation costs for SAUs that have consolidated through new school construction. School Administrative Units (SAUs) on the State Board of Education's list of approved school consolidation projects between 1999-00 and 2004-05 were evaluated to determine if a school consolidation had already taken place, and if so, when. This was done through the examination of the Maine State Department of Education (MSDOE) School Master lists for 2000 through 2005. Although limited in number, thirteen SAUs were found to have implemented school consolidations by the 2004-05 school year. Of these thirteen, eleven were the result of school construction projects. The school consolidations in Gorham and Waldoboro were not the result of school construction. For purposes of this analysis, student transportation operating expenditures were defined to include extracurricular and vocational transportation and are net of bus purchases and sales, and community service revenues. Expenditure data were adjusted for inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), to 2004-05 dollars. Transportation expenditures before and after school consolidation for each of the 13 SAUs where school consolidation took place were analyzed by the examination of graphs and by a commonly used statistical procedure known as multiple regression. Graphs representing student transportation expense in 2004-05 are appended. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)
Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why. Finding Maine's Future Workforce (Revisited)
Author: Silvernail, David L.
Date: 2006-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: High School Graduates,College Graduates,Cultural Pluralism,Employment Opportunities,Labor Force,Cohort Analysis,Educational Planning,Educational Policy,Student Recruitment,Social Mobility,Student Mobility,School Surveys,Graduate Surveys

In the knowledge-based economy of today, training and retaining a college educated workforce is crucial to the vitality of Maine. Approximately one-half of Maine's high school graduates who go on to college leave the State to do so. A previous study, &quot;Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why&quot; (2003), looked at the factors that influenced where Maine residents go to college and where they ultimately live and work. The current study, &quot;Maine's College Graduates: Where They Go and Why (Revisited)&quot;, replicates the previous study with a different cohort in order to determine if the findings are indeed consistent and generalizable to a broader population of Maine's college graduates. In addition, it provides discussions of some policy recommendations that may help Maine retain a more educated workforce in the future. The survey entitled Higher Education Survey 2004 was completed by a sample of Maine residents who had earned a college degree in 1997 or 1999. A comparison of useable returns with survey returns from the 2003 study, which focused on those who received a degree in 1998, indicated that the groups surveyed were equivalent. Therefore, for this analysis, the three groups of respondents were combined, resulting in research findings based on over 1,780 college graduates. Findings indicate that Maine needs a comprehensive long-range plan for retaining a college-educated workforce. This plan should include steps to better market Maine's colleges and universities, provide support for more Centers of Excellence programs, and provide greater financial assistance to students. An equally important part of this plan should include increasing employment opportunities within the State, as well as encouraging greater cultural diversity and social opportunities. (Contains 10 tables and 6 figures.) [This report was prepared for the Finance Authority of Maine.]
Joint Use of Public Schools: Developing a New Social Contract for the Shared Use of Public Schools
Author: Filardo, Mary
Date: 2010-04-06
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Community Leaders,Public Schools,Physical Activities,Health Promotion,School Buildings,School Funds,Recreation,School Community Relationship,Shared Facilities,Educational Facilities Design,Educational Facilities Planning,Partnerships in Education

In this paper, the 21st Century School Fund and the Center for Cities and Schools at the University of California Berkeley provide a conceptual frame for the joint use of PK-12 public school buildings. There is a growing conversation about and demand for joint use as a way to provide services to children and families in convenient locations, improving opportunities for physical activity by increasing use of school recreational and outdoor spaces, leverage capital investments, and more. However, engaging in joint use, particularly intensive sharing of space or use by multiple parties, presents ongoing challenges to school and community leaders. This paper attempts to frame the basic challenges and opportunities for joint use to facilitate better conversations and planning for these type of collaborations. (Contains 20 endnotes.) [This paper was also developed by the Center for Cities & Schools at the University of California, Berkeley and was made possible with the support of the Healthy Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership.]
Teachers' Use of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: 2009. First Look. NCES 2010-040
Author: Gray, Lucinda
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Public Schools,Elementary Schools,Secondary Schools,National Surveys,Access to Computers,Computer Software,Information Technology,Internet,Professional Development,Teacher Surveys,Computer Networks,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Education,Error of Measurement

This report provides national data on the availability and use of educational technology among teachers in public elementary and secondary schools during the winter and spring of 2009. The data are the results of a national teacher-level survey that is one of a set that includes district, school, and teacher surveys on educational technology. Every year between 1994 and 2005 (with the exception of 2004), the Office of Educational Technology (OET) in the U.S. Department of Education asked the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to conduct a survey of public schools to track access to information technology in schools and classrooms. NCES used its Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) to conduct these surveys. For fall 2008, this OET-sponsored technology study was redesigned and expanded to incorporate surveys at the district, school, and teacher levels. These three surveys provide complementary information and together cover a broader range of topics than would be possible with one survey alone. Prior to 2008, the surveys focused on computer and Internet access and use, as well as procedures to prevent student access to inappropriate material on the Internet and teacher professional development on technology use. The set of 2008 surveys collected data on availability and use for a range of educational technology resources, such as district and school networks, computers, devices that enhance the capabilities of computers for instruction, and computer software. They also collected information on leadership and staff support for educational technology within districts and schools. During the design phase for the set of 2008 surveys, research was conducted to determine how specific topics and survey questions should be distributed across the three surveys. The surveys were developed to reflect how information on educational technology is kept within most public school systems. This report presents results from the teacher-level survey, including information on the use of computers and Internet access in the classroom; availability and use of computing devices and software, teachers' use of school or district networks (including remote access); students' use of educational technology; teachers' preparation to use educational technology for instruction; and technology-related professional development activities. Appendices include: (1) Standard Error Tables; (2) Technical Notes; and (3) Questionnaire. (Contains 24 tables and 12 footnotes.)
Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in Developing Countries: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities
Author: Bryan, Elizabeth, Ed.
Date: 2008-07-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Sex Fairness,Developing Nations,Females,Poverty,Global Approach,Masculinity,Empowerment,Foreign Countries,Employed Women,Development,Change Strategies,Rural to Urban Migration,Migration,Unions,Males,Participation,Gender Issues,Socialization,Health,Organizations (Groups),Legal Problems,Civil Rights,Courts,Laws

Over the last several decades a number of strategies have emerged and evolved to promote gender equity in development efforts. Yet debates regarding the relative efficacy of these strategies remain. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson Center convened a group of experts on gender and development to address the issue of gender inequality from a variety of perspectives. Panelists reflected on past efforts to promote gender equity and discussed effective strategies for the way forward. The first panel discussed the main approaches to promoting gender equity and the progress made towards incorporating gender concerns in development institutions. Laying out the historical context in which the Women in Development (WID) and Gender and Development (GAD) strategies emerged, Jane Jaquette argued that the way in which these approaches evolved has depended very much on the limitations and opportunities available at different points in time. Discussing the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming, Aruna Rao stated that gender mainstreaming has been associated with more failures than successes. The second panel focused on specific arenas where gender equity is being pursued in creative ways. Cathy Feingold described the ongoing feminization of poverty in the global economy as women workers constitute the driving labor force behind export production and rural-urban migration. Stressing the importance of engaging men around issues of reproductive health and gender equality, Andrew Levack argued it is necessary to explore some of the more detrimental constructs of masculinity and alternative attitudes and actions. Angelina Aspuac described her experience leading a women's empowerment association in Guatemala. Lyn Beth Neylon explored the dynamics of legal and judicial reform projects run by USAID's Women's Legal Rights Initiative (WLR) in Rwanda and Benin. The keynote speaker, Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, asserted that a larger conceptual framework is needed, which links empowerment, rights, and mainstreaming in all social spaces in order to advance the discourse on gender relations and achieve greater gender equality. Appendices include: (1) Agenda; and (2) Biographies of Participants. [This paper was edited with Jessica Varat.]
Research on the Impact of School Facilities on Students and Teachers: A Summary of Studies Published since 2000
Author: 21st Century School Fund
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Facilities Design,Public Schools,Trusts (Financial),Program Effectiveness,School Buildings,School Funds,Outcomes of Education,Academic Achievement,Educational Environment,Physical Environment

There has been a slow but steady increase of research on the impact of public school facilities on educational achievement and community outcomes and of the rigor of the research. This summary of studies is part of a larger literature review conducted by the 21st Century School Fund with funding from the Charitable Trust of the Council on Educational Facility Planners International. Recent research continues to point to a small but steadily positive relationship between the quality of a public school facility and a range of academic and community outcomes. This study reviews the literature on: (1) Facilities & academic outcomes; (2) School building systems; and (3) School facility condition and community factors.
Through Your Lens: Student and Teacher Views of School Facilities across America
Author: 21st Century School Fund
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Books
Subjects: Educational Facilities,School Funds,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Facilities Improvement,Photography

"The Through Your Lens" book brings together the vivid photos and poignant stories of students and teachers across America with context from statistics, maps and background. It illustrates current school conditions, how our system reached this point, and what is possible for all students and teachers. Perhaps most important, it answers the question, "How can we change this?" This book was developed from the joint efforts of the 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure and Healthy Schools Campaign. [This project was supported by Amsan, Driehaus Foundation, Pilot Imaging, and The Schott Foundation for Public Education.]
Interim Analysis of School Facility Funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Including Expenditures through January 5, 2010
Author: 21st Century School Fund
Date: 2010-02-08
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Expenditures,Public Schools,Educational Facilities,School Funds,Federal Legislation,Economic Opportunities,Comparative Analysis,Educational Finance,Federal Aid

The 21st Century School Fund, through its Building Educational Success Together (BEST) collaborative, is tracking the effect of federal stimulus funding on the condition of PK-12 public school facilities and whether or not the distribution of ARRA funding related to public school facilities is helping reduce the disparity of capital expenditures among and between school districts. This brief report highlights initial findings related to the following questions: (1) How much disparity exists in school facility spending by state and locality?; (2) How were school facilities addressed in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act?; (3) What has happened to our nation's school facilities as a result of ARRA provisions?; and (4) Which schools and which students benefited from ARRA expenditures? (Contains 1 table and 3 footnotes.) [This paper was created in partnership with the Building Educational Success Together collaborative.]
A Comparative Analysis of Student Learning with a Collaborative Computer Simulation of the Cardiopulmonary System
Author: Keyser, Diane
Date: 2010-05-03
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Computer Simulation,Cooperative Learning,Human Body,Biology,Physiology,Anatomy,Secondary School Science,High School Students,Recall (Psychology),Thinking Skills,Student Evaluation,Multiple Choice Tests,Achievement Gains,Standardized Tests

To design a series of assessments that could be used to compare the learning gains of high school students studying the cardiopulmonary system using traditional methods to those who used a collaborative computer simulation, called &quot;Mr. Vetro&quot;. Five teachers and 264 HS biology students participated in the study. The students were in regular biology, advanced biology, anatomy and physiology or AP biology. One group of teachers taught a 7 day unit on the cardiovascular system using Mr. Vetro and the other group of teachers taught the same content without Mr. Vetro. Assessments were administered before and after the unit, and included basic recall as well as making connections and application of knowledge to new situations. The learning gains of four matched Vetro vs. Comparison groups were compared, for all types of assessments. Results indicate that there were statistically significant differences between the learning gains of all of the Vetro vs Comparison groups for assessments that required higher level thinking skills as well as for some of the assessments that required basic recall. Learning gains on multiple choice problems taken from standardized tests were more moderate or not significant. Results show that students who use the Mr. Vetro collaborative computer simulation make stronger learning gains than those who do not, regardless of the level of the course. Schools should consider using the Mr. Vetro simulation to foster a deeper understanding of the cardiovascular system. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table).
Road to Equality in South African Education: A Qualitative Study
Author: O'Brien, Kevin
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Racial Segregation,Democracy,Graduates,Educational Quality,Educational Change,Foreign Countries,Equal Education,Access to Education,Teacher Shortage,Teacher Competencies,Models,Change Strategies,Interviews,Science Education,Mathematics Education,Academic Achievement,Blacks,At Risk Students,Racial Discrimination,High School Students,College Bound Students,Program Effectiveness

South Africa is currently experiencing a crisis in its educational systems that if not addressed, could threaten the stability of the newly established democracy. A lack of access to quality education and severe shortage of skilled trained educators is perpetuating vestiges of the old apartheid state in the nation. Approximately 6,000 students graduate from South Africa's teacher training programs each year to meet the demand of over 12.1 million learners (Evoh, 2007). This study examines the current crisis facing the educational system of post-apartheid South Africa and more specifically how the LEAP (Langa Educational Assistance Program) school of Science and Maths could be used as a possible model for institutional educational change that may be applied on a national scale. Interviews were conducted during four independent sessions with Dominican University faculty and Dominican Fellows to discuss their involvement and experiences with the LEAP School of Science and Maths in South Africa. Results indicated that since 2005, the LEAP School of Science and Maths has been producing consistent results, with an upward trend of students achieving passing scores on the annual matriculation examination. Moreover, 90% of LEAP school graduates are moving on to tertiary levels of education in a country where only 5% of black Africans are eligible for such education (LEAP Science and Maths School, n.d.).
Education Spending in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Stimulating the Status Quo. WebMemo. No. 2868
Author: Burke, Lindsey
Date: 2010-04-16
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Finance,Federal Legislation,Federal Aid,Teacher Employment,Efficiency,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Change,Job Layoff,Charter Schools,Merit Pay,Alternative Teacher Certification,Unions

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed in February 2009, included nearly $100 billion in new funding for the Department of Education (DOE). Over $36 billion of it remains unspent, and bills in both the House and Senate are calling for even more funding for teacher jobs. It is unlikely that billions more in federal spending will provide a long-term solution to state budget problems. Instead, it would prevent states from addressing fiscal problems, rethinking existing programs, and increasing efficiency. The primary goal of education funding in ARRA is to prevent job layoffs in the education sector. Instead of continuing to increase federal funding for education, policymakers should award states greater authority over how federal funds are spent. This flexibility will permit the innovative capacity of states to flourish and will encourage a true race to the top. (Contains 17 footnotes.)
Summary of Key Operating Statistics: Data Collected from the 2009 Annual Institutional Report
Author: Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Accreditation (Institutions),Statistical Data,Program Length,Outcomes of Education,Annual Reports,Institutional Characteristics,Colleges,Tuition,Enrollment Rate,School Holding Power,College Attendance,College Students,College Graduates,Student Placement

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) provides the Summary of Key Operating Statistics (KOS) as an annual review of the performance and key measurements of the more than 800 private post-secondary institutions we accredit. This edition of the KOS contains information based on the 2009 Annual Institutional Reports (AIR) submitted by ACICS-accredited institutions. It reflects activity during a reporting year that begins on July 1 and concludes on June 30. With each submission of the AIR, accredited institutions provide comprehensive back-up information ACICS uses during on-site evaluation visits to verify the accuracy of the data. This report also includes summary information regarding financial conditions of ACICS institutions. The information is derived from the Annual Financial Report (AFR) provided to ACICS after each fiscal year. [For the "Educating America's Workforce: Summary of Key Operating Statistics. Data collected from the 2007 and 2008 Annual Institutional Reports", see ED507053.]