ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Transforming Science Assessment: Challenges and Recommendations for States
Author: Achieve, Inc.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Science Education,State Standards,Educational Quality,Barriers,Science Tests,Test Construction,Science Achievement,State Policy,Evaluation Methods

Since 2013, 39 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or similar standards based on the National Research Council's &quot;A Framework for K-12 Science Education,&quot; signaling a commitment to high-quality and rigorous science education for all students. States' previous science standards took traditional approaches to science, emphasizing students &quot;knowing&quot; disconnected science facts and decontextualized, procedural skills. In contrast to standards that emphasized one aspect of science at a time, states' new science standards are three-dimensional, and integrate disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), science and engineering practices (SEPs), and crosscutting concepts (CCCs) into performance expectations that require students to demonstrate knowledge-in-use as they make sense of real-world phenomena and solve authentic problems. This brief describes some key challenges associated with developing assessments for these new standards, and recommendations for states to consider. [This report serves as an introduction to a series of briefs intended to support state and district efforts to implement high-quality science assessments designed for three-dimensional standards.]
Rates and Types of Teacher Praise: A Review and Future Directions
Author: Jenkins, Lindsay N.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Behavior,Positive Reinforcement,Student Behavior,Correlation,Literature Reviews

The use of teacher praise in the classroom has been the subject of empirical research since the 1970s, but despite more than four decades of research on the use of teacher praise, large gaps continue to exist in the literature. Clarifying the role and benefit of teacher praise is particularly important because the use of positive, proactive strategies is promoted by large-scale behavior initiatives (e.g., Positive Behavior Interventions and Support). The goal of this review is to summarize the existing research on teacher praise, including rates of praise, types of praise, and the association between praise and student behavior. In addition to summarizing the extant literature, future directions for research are highlighted. This review reveals that there is a need for current, large-scale studies with consistent operational definitions that measure the rate of different types of praise across different grades and instructional activities, while simultaneously measuring student behavioral outcomes. [This article was published in &quot;Psychology in the Schools&quot; (EJ1057512).]
Kentucky Targeted Intervention Program Cost Study
Author: Levin, Jesse
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Cost Effectiveness,Intervention,Program Costs,College Readiness,College Preparation,High School Seniors,Remedial Programs,High Schools,Program Implementation,Mathematics Education,English Curriculum

This study estimates the per-student cost of Kentucky's Targeted Intervention (TI) program. The program seeks to help high school students who score below the ACT benchmarks in the 11th grade become college ready when graduating high school. The study uses the ingredients approach to cost analysis and a resource cost model (RCM) to organize data on the quantities and prices of resources used to deliver program services. The study produces several important, contextualized cost estimates for the TI program. The average per-student cost of the ELA interventions was $569, while the corresponding cost of the mathematics interventions was $613. The lowest reported cost was just over $100 per student, and the highest reported cost was slightly more than $1,000. Excluding the two sites with extreme values, the cost estimates range between $400 and $900 per student. The cost study explored factors that may explain the cost variation across sites. These include the number of students who needed TI services, whether services were delivered during or after regular school time, and whether services were primarily computer-based, teacher-led or blended. Not surprisingly, computer-based delivery cost less than teacher-led instructions. However, cost is uncorrelated with other factors.
Understanding State Pension Challenges: A Primer for SHEEOs
Author: Weeden, Dustin D.
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Retirement Benefits,Higher Education,State Aid,Finance Reform,Financial Support,Legal Responsibility,Financial Problems,Government Employees,Public Colleges

Higher education appropriations are often referred to as the &quot;balance wheel&quot; for state budgets, receiving greater than average funding reductions during economic downturns and above average increases during periods of economic growth. However, this trend has gradually diminished with each recession as higher education funding no longer returns to pre-recession levels. The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association's (SHEEO) annual State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report documents this ratcheting down. The purpose of this policy brief is to provide background information to help SHEEOs better understand the current status of state pension obligations. The authors first review how most public pensions have become underfunded. Next, they review the common reforms states have taken to address the financial health of their retirement systems. Finally, the authors highlight several complicating factors that may limit the effectiveness of the reforms or lead to future funding challenges.
Thinking Long Term: State Academic Achievement Goals under ESSA
Author: Achieve, Inc.
Date: 2018-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: State Standards,Academic Achievement,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Standard Setting,Language Arts,Mathematics Achievement

This brief examines state-defined long-term goals for improving achievement in states' Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans as of January 2018, and offers early insights into the varied approaches states have taken in setting long-term goals, timelines, and trajectories to reach their goals.
Charters without Lotteries: Testing Takeovers in New Orleans and Boston
Author: Abdulkadiroglu, Atila
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Charter Schools,Organizational Change,School Restructuring,Educational Change,Outcomes of Education,Achievement Gains,Selective Admission,Enrollment,School Turnaround

Charter takeovers are traditional public schools restarted as charter schools. We develop a grandfathering instrument for takeover attendance that compares students at schools designated for takeover with a matched sample of students attending similar schools not yet taken over. Grandfathering estimates from New Orleans show substantial gains from takeover enrollment. In Boston, grandfathered students see achievement gains at least as large as the gains for students assigned charter seats in lotteries. A non-charter Boston turnaround intervention that had much in common with the takeover strategy generated gains as large as those seen for takeovers, while other more modest turnaround interventions yielded smaller effects.
&quot;If They Focus on Giving Us a Chance in Life We Can Actually Do Something in This World&quot;: Poverty, Inequality and Youths&apos; Critical Consciousness
Author: Roy, Amanda L.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Low Income Groups,Poverty,Minority Groups,Youth,Social Bias,Coping,Adolescents,Violence,Racial Bias,Social Problems,Social Change,Participation,Neighborhoods,African Americans,Hispanic Americans,Attitudes,Gender Bias,Religion,Policy,Equal Education,Opportunities,Bullying,Motivation,Mental Health,Well Being,Social Action

Critical consciousness (CC) has emerged as a framework for understanding how low-income and racial/ethnic minority youth recognize, interpret, and work to change the experiences and systems of oppression that they face in their daily lives. Despite this, relatively little is known about how youths' experiences with economic hardship and structural oppression shape how they &quot;read their world&quot; and motivate participation in critical action behaviors. We explore this issue using a mixed methods design and present our findings in two studies. In study one we examine the types of issues that a sample of low-income and predominantly racial/ethnic minority youth (ages 13-17) living in the Chicago area discuss when asked to reflect on issues that are important to them. The most commonly mentioned themes were community violence (59%), prejudice and intolerance (31%), world issues (25%), and economic disparities (18%). In study two we examine youths' quantitative reports of engaging in critical action behavior; over 65% had participated in at least one activity targeting social change in the previous six months. We then examined relationships between youths' experiences with poverty within their households and neighborhoods, neighborhood income inequality, and exposure to violence and youths' likelihood of participating in critical action behaviors. Greater exposure to violence and neighborhood income inequality were related to an increased likelihood of engaging in critical action behaviors. This work highlights the diverse ways that low-income and racial/ethnic minority youth reflect on societal inequality and their commitment to effecting change through sociopolitical participation. [This paper was published in &quot;Developmental Psychology&quot; v55 n3 2019 (EJ1206715).]
Assessing Organizational Implementation Context in the Education Sector: Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Measures of Implementation Leadership, Climate, and Citizenship
Author: Lyon, Aaron R.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Factor Structure,Psychometrics,Evaluation Methods,Institutional Environment,Leadership,Educational Environment,Citizenship Education,Mental Health,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Factor Analysis,Behavior,School Health Services,Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Leadership Responsibility,Administrator Role,Administrator Characteristics,School Personnel,Evidence Based Practice

Background: A substantial literature has established the role of the inner organizational setting on the implementation of evidence-based practices in community contexts, but very little of this research has been extended to the education sector, one of the most common settings for the delivery of mental and behavioral health services to children and adolescents. The current study examined the factor structure, psychometric properties, and interrelations of an adapted set of pragmatic organizational instruments measuring key aspects of the organizational implementation context in schools: (1) strategic implementation leadership, (2) strategic implementation climate, and (3) implementation citizenship behavior. Method: The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS), Implementation Climate Scale (ICS), and Implementation Citizenship Behavior Scale (ICBS) were adapted by a research team that included the original scale authors and experts in the implementation of evidence-based practices in schools. These instruments were then administered to a geographically representative sample (n = 196) of school-based mental/behavioral health consultants to assess the reliability and structural validity via a series of confirmatory factor analyses. Results: Overall, the original factor structures for the ILS, ICS, and ICBS were confirmed in the current sample. The one exception was poor functioning of the Rewards subscale of the ICS, which was removed in the final ICS model. Correlations among the revised measures, evaluated as part of an overarching model of the organizational implementation context, indicated both unique and shared variance. Conclusions: The current analyses suggest strong applicability of the revised instruments to implementation of evidence-based mental and behavioral practices in the education sector. The one poorly functioning subscale (Rewards on the ICS) was attributed to typical educational policies that do not allow for individual financial incentives to personnel. Potential directions for future expansion, revision, and application of the instruments in schools are discussed.
Classwide Extensions of Vocabulary Intervention Improve Learning of Academic Vocabulary by Preschoolers
Author: Seven, Yagmur
Date: 2020-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Children,Vocabulary Development,Academic Language,Small Group Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Review (Reexamination),At Risk Students,Classroom Techniques,Language Skills,Oral Language,Intervention,Low Income Students,Direct Instruction,Preschool Education

Purpose: Many preschoolers, especially those from low income households, would benefit from instruction to enrich their vocabulary and language repertoires. Yet, explicit instruction of vocabulary and language skills generally occurs infrequently in early childhood education settings. This study investigated the additive effects of teacher-led, classwide review strategies to a previously studied small-group intervention on children's learning of academic vocabulary. Method: Participants included 23 children with limited oral language skills at risk for reading difficulties enrolled in single case experimental designs. Effects of the classroom strategies alone also were examined in 10 children with above average language abilities from two classrooms. Results: Visual analyses of the adapted alternating treatments designs showed consistent learning improvements when vocabulary instruction was extended into the classroom for 12 children; ceiling effects were evident for 3 participants regardless of condition; and inconsistent or minimal effects were demonstrated by 8 participants. Multilevel modeling used to evaluate the effects statistically revealed strong treatment effects. In addition, the 10 children with above average language showed impressive learning of vocabulary words from books subject to teacher review strategies in comparison to words from books to which they were not exposed. Teachers varied in the extent to which they implemented review strategies in their classrooms. Nevertheless, their responses to social validity assessments were positive, supporting the feasibility of this intervention. Conclusion: The addition of classwide review and practice opportunities is an effective means of enhancing the effects of an easy-to-implement small-group intervention that teaches challenging vocabulary words within pre-recorded stories. This approach holds promise as a way to shrink the pervasive word gap that typically exists when children in high poverty communities enter school. [This article was published in &quot;Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research&quot; (EJ1242266).]
Summary of 2018-2019 Graduates by Diploma Type. Research Brief. Volume 1904
Author: Gonzalez Hernandez, Vanessa
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Public Schools,High School Graduates,Graduation Requirements,Advanced Placement Programs,Academic Achievement,Bilingualism,Recognition (Achievement),Certification

Miami-Dade County Public Schools had 23,062 graduates in the 2018-2019 academic year. Most students, 90%, achieved a standard diploma (24 credits). Some students chose an alternative curriculum where 506 (2%) achieved an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma and 368 (2%) achieved an International Baccalaureate (IB). An additional 445 (2%) students earned an Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) 18 credit diploma. Over a quarter of graduates (27%) earned the Superintendent's Diploma of Distinction for outstanding academics and community service. Florida's Scholar and Merit diploma designations were awarded to 7,870 (34%) graduates demonstrating academic strength and career industry certification. Over 3,200 (14%) students also earned the Florida Seal of Biliteracy, in Gold or Silver, demonstrating mastery of a foreign language. The rates of both of these State level designations increased from the 2017-2018 academic year.
Keeping Girls in the Game: Factors That Influence Sport Participation
Author: Zarrett, Nicole
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Females,Athletics,Adolescents,Adolescent Attitudes,Children,Childrens Attitudes,Childhood Interests,Participation,Student Attrition,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Social Differences,Parent Attitudes,Parent Child Relationship,Parent Participation,Sex Stereotypes,Bullying,Role Models,Self Concept,Athletic Coaches,Competition,Disadvantaged Youth,Academic Achievement,Social Influences

This is one of the first studies of its kind to systematically examine processes influencing youth entry, retention, and dropout from sports. To accomplish this objective, the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF), in partnership with The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation, commissioned a national survey about the participation and experiences of youth in sports to identify the most important factors related to youth entrance into sport and those associated with dropping out of sports. The nationally representative survey was administered to 3,041 boys and girls between the ages of 7-17 and their parents/guardians to inquire about child-related, sport-related, and systemic factors expected to influence youth access, experiences and motivations for initial participation (entrance) and sustained/continued participation in organized sport. Findings from this report provide important insights into the gender, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic disparities found in sports participation and dropout, and identify critical areas to intervene. [This report was made possible through a partnership between the Women's Sports Foundation® and The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation®.]
A New Evaluation Approach for Teacher Preparation Programs Using Labor Market Competitiveness of Teacher Applicants. WCER Working Paper No. 2020-3
Author: Goff, Peter
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Employment Potential,Job Applicants,Geographic Location,College Graduates,Labor Market,School Community Programs,Partnerships in Education,Teacher Selection

This study introduces a new approach to measure effectiveness of teacher preparation programs at U.S. universities (TPP) by examining to what extent TPPs produce employable teacher candidates. We use teacher application data in Wisconsin public schools from 2014-15 through 2016-17. We find that attending a specific university's TPP makes a difference for novice teacher applicants' job outcomes. However, the competitiveness of a TPP is inextricable from the geographic locale in which it operates. These findings call into question the validity of a contextual and absolute TPP rankings. Our results suggest that graduates of TPPs with strong school and community partnerships are more competitive in the local labor market.
How, If at All, Does Industry Experience Influence How Faculty Teach Cognitive, Inter-, and Intrapersonal Skills in the College Classroom? WCER Working Paper No. 2020-2
Author: Hora, Matthew T.
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: 21st Century Skills,Transfer of Training,College Faculty,College Environment,College Students,Work Experience,STEM Education,Thinking Skills,Interpersonal Competence,Problem Solving,Problem Based Learning,Teaching Methods,Faculty Recruitment,Skill Development

Competencies known variously as &quot;soft&quot; or &quot;21st century skills&quot; are increasingly linked to college students' academic and career success, and faculty with industry experience are hypothesized to be uniquely qualified to teach these skills. Yet little research exists on this topic. In this paper, we report findings from a mixed-methods study of the degree to which industry experience influences how faculty in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine teach teamwork, oral and written communication, problem-solving, and self-directed learning skills in 2- and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Using inductive thematic and hierarchical linear modeling techniques to analyze survey (n=1,140) and interview (n=89) data, we find that faculty place relatively low emphasis on these skills, but that industry experience is significantly associated with teaching oral communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Other factors, including race and perceptions of departmental teaching norms, also influenced skills-focused instruction. Industry experience also informed problem-based learning activities, knowledge of desired workplace skills, and a focus on divergent thinking. Given that industry experience is an important, but not the only influence on skills-focused instruction, policies aimed solely at hiring faculty with industry experience will be of limited utility without a corresponding focus on training in teaching and instructional design.
The Power of a Promise: Implications and Importance of Adult Promise Programs. SHEEO Adult Promise Project
Author: Carlson, Andy
Date: 2018-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Adult Students,Adult Education,Student Financial Aid,Adult Programs,Nontraditional Students,College Students,State Programs,Postsecondary Education,Program Design

Promise programs (also known as free college programs) have grown in popularity over the last few years. When targeted correctly, these programs have the potential to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for underserved students. By focusing a promise program on adult students and including additional supports and services, states can connect with nontraditional students who previously believed college was not an option. However, the message of a promise program is strong and should not be misused. This paper helps to define the concept of a promise program for adults, discusses the value proposition of a promise, provides an overview of current and proposed promise programs, and outlines critical considerations for states considering an adult promise program. An Adult Promise Program is more than just a financial commitment to provide free tuition and fees to adults. The political viability of promise programs makes them an excellent vehicle for delivering additional supports and services to adult learners, who are currently underserved in higher education.