ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Teacher Workspaces
Author: Gordon, Douglas
Date: 2010-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teaching (Occupation),Work Environment,Interior Space,Educational Facilities Design,Design Requirements,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Trends,School Space

Well-designed and -equipped teacher workspaces provide the opportunity to improve student achievement at every step of their K-12 education. Shared workspace enhances communication among teachers as they evaluate student performance individually and collectively, and share insights with one another. This paper addresses the key elements found in well-designed teachers' workspaces, including both classroom- and office-based workspaces; and highlights important development principles when designing these workspaces. Educational trends that have affected the rise of both classroom- and office-based workspace are briefly discussed. [This is an updated version of ED446427 (published in 2000).]
School Health Centers
Author: Gordon, Douglas
Date: 2010-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,School Responsibility,School Role,Disadvantaged Youth,School Health Services,Health Facilities,Design Requirements,School Nurses,Offices (Facilities),Clinics,Educational Facilities Design,Student Needs,Confidentiality,Privacy

Maintaining student health, safety, and welfare is a primary goal for any K-12 school system. If a child becomes sick, is injured, or seems in any other way incapacitated at school, it is the understood responsibility that the school will provide care and, if necessary, contact the parents and direct the child to outside treatment. Beyond that basic level of care, over the past 50 years has grown a larger commitment addressing professional care for students as they grow, including dental, visual, dietary, hormonal, and mental health--especially for disadvantaged children, in both urban and rural communities. Some school districts also extend care, at various levels, to student-age children not at that school or in school at all, people who work at the school, the family of students, and the general community. This paper addresses the key elements for designing school health centers, the emergence of school-based health clinics and the minimum requirements these facilities should have, and the basic principles to remember when designing school health centers. The paper's focus concerns the nurse's office and the school-based health clinic. Additionally highlighted are the types of school health centers and their importance. [This is an updated version of ED446424 (published in 2000).]
Analysis of Seattle Contract Proposals
Author: National Council on Teacher Quality
Date: 2010-08-18
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Human Capital,Public Schools,Teacher Effectiveness,Rewards,Occupational Mobility,Teacher Competencies,Merit Pay,Teacher Selection,Teacher Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Teachers,Goal Orientation,Contracts,Teacher Salaries

The proposal by the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) for its new teachers' contract is an excellent first step in improving the quality of teachers in the school district. The district's proposal targets many of the problems identified in the October 2009 report &quot;Human Capital in Seattle Public Schools&quot;. Most notably it addresses two key areas that were of fundamental concern to National Council on Teacher Quality: fully implementing mutual consent hiring and improving teacher evaluations. Also noteworthy is the career ladder which recognizes and rewards highly effective teachers and which gives teachers increased responsibilities and prestige while in the classroom. The district's proposal makes an appropriate connection between teacher quality and student achievement goals. This paper comments on the policy proposals put forward both by SPS and the Seattle Education Association, also offering the assessment of each proposal's importance for this contract round. Proposals are labeled as either a &quot;must have&quot; or as &quot;important&quot;. The distinction between the two being that proposals designated as a &quot;must have&quot; will have the most immediate impact on teacher quality.
What School Boards Should Know Before Attempting to Circumvent the Rights of High School Students to Organize Gay-Straight Alliances Under the Auspices of the Equal Access Act
Author: Crossley, Danielle S.
Date: 2010-11-08
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Clubs,Homosexuality,High School Students,Student Rights,Boards of Education,Legal Problems,Decision Making,Federal Legislation,Court Litigation

School Boards desiring to avoid the requirements of the Equal Access Act (EAA) to prevent students from organizing Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs within their schools may have difficulty doing so. However, legal experts have recently purported ways to accomplish this task in order to avoid the problems that may arise when students attempt to establish such clubs. This article offers a brief understanding of the issue, and examines examples asserted by legal experts to evade the rights of high school students to organize GSA clubs under the EAA and the problems that may be encountered if applied. The information presented in this article is provided not to promote nor hinder school boards from accepting or rejecting GSA club applications, but to assist school boards in making informed choices when contemplating such decisions. [International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, v5 n4 Oct-Dec 2010 (ISSN 2155-9635)]
Early Findings from the Implementation and Impact Study of Early College High School
Author: Bernstein, Larry
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Control Groups,High Schools,Graduation Rate,Models,College Attendance,Program Effectiveness,Enrollment Trends,Program Implementation,Student School Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Algebra,Secondary School Mathematics,Learner Engagement,Student Attitudes,Student Educational Objectives,Educational Attitudes,Outcomes of Education,College Bound Students,High School Students,College Preparation,Academic Achievement

The purpose of this study is to rigorously examine the implementation and impact of the Early College High School (ECHS) model in North Carolina. The primary goal of the ECHS model is to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and who continue on and succeed in college. Therefore, the anticipated long-term outcomes for the program include increased high school graduation rates, increased enrollment in college, and increased graduation from college. To track progress toward those long-term outcomes, the conceptual framework identifies intermediate outcomes that are associated with continued enrollment in high school and enrollment in and success in college. Highlighting early findings from both the impact and implementation results, the authors found that schools are implementing the Design Principles as intended, where students are reporting higher levels of support and interactions with school staff. According to the logic model, this should lead to higher course ECHS students have high expectations of college attendance and frequents college facilities. ECHS students also take more Algebra courses than the control group, indicating early positive impacts on ECHS. However, the authors are finding limited impacts on student's engagement, expectations, and attitudes towards school work. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables, and 2 footnotes.)
Planning School Grounds for Outdoor Learning
Author: Wagner, Cheryl
Date: 2010-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Campuses,Outdoor Education,Environmental Education,Elementary Schools,Secondary Schools,Site Development,Urban Schools,Natural Resources,Planning,Learning Activities,Space Utilization,Gardening,Play,Design

This publication covers the planning and design of school grounds for outdoor learning in new and existing K-12 facilities. Curriculum development as well as athletic field planning and maintenance are not covered although some references on these topics are provided. It discusses the different types of outdoor learning environments that can be considered, the value of flexible spaces for outdoor learning, and resources for those interested in outdoor learning environments. Also explored are environmental education's physical impact on school grounds, considerations during school site development when outdoor education is to be included, and existing school site redesign for outdoor education. [This is an updated version of ED442266 (published in 2000).]
Human Capital in Seattle Public Schools: Rethinking How to Attract, Develop and Retain Effective Teachers
Author: National Council on Teacher Quality
Date: 2009-08-16
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Human Capital,Public Schools,Teacher Effectiveness,Strategic Planning,Compensation (Remuneration),Teacher Transfer,Working Hours,Educational Attainment,Teacher Persistence,Teacher Recruitment,Teacher Education,Teacher Selection,Tenure,Teacher Dismissal

Staffing each classroom with an effective teacher is the most important function of a school district. Doing so requires strategic personnel policies and smart practices. This analysis reviews the Seattle Public Schools' teacher policies linked most directly to teacher effectiveness. Ten policy goals frame the analysis. Each of these goals is supported by a strong rationale that is grounded by research and practitioner insight. This report examines four areas of teacher governance in which better policies--both state and local--could improve teacher quality. These areas are: (1) Compensation; (2) Transfer and Assignment; (3) Work Day; and (4) Developing effective teachers and exiting in effective teachers. &quot;The Impact of Teachers' Advanced Degrees on Student Learning&quot; (Metin Ozdemir, and Wendy Stevenson) is appended. (Contains 31 figures and 32 footnotes.) [Additional funding for this report was provided by a grant from the Alliance for Education.]
Student Commons
Author: Gordon, Douglas
Date: 2010-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Student School Relationship,Educational Trends,Educational Facilities Design,Design Requirements,Adjustment (to Environment),Influence of Technology,Educational Environment,Telecommunications,Information Retrieval,Cooperative Learning,Computer Uses in Education

Student commons are no longer simply congregation spaces for students with time on their hands. They are integral to providing a welcoming environment and effective learning space for students. Many student commons have been transformed into spaces for socialization, an environment for alternative teaching methods, a forum for large group meetings and distance learning, and an area for consultation or individual and small-group work. This paper addresses the student commons area in terms of its use as a social space for student or instructional space, and covers the common design principles that all commons areas should have. Included are brief comments on educational trends that have fostered the growth of commons areas. Highlighted design principles that should be included in all common areas present areas that convey a sense of place and belonging for students, balance the pragmatic maintenance/organizational concerns of the administration with the psycho social needs of students, and make the student commons a true learning environment. [This is an updated version of ED446426 (published in 2000).]
Equality of Opportunity: The Making of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Author: Young, Jonathan M.
Date: 2010-07-26
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Disabilities,Attitudes toward Disabilities,Federal Legislation,Advocacy,Government Role,Legislators,Public Policy,Activism,Civil Rights,Civil Rights Legislation,Educational Opportunities,Employment Opportunities,Accessibility (for Disabled)

In this paper the author offers a reprint of &quot;Equality of Opportunity: The Making of the Americans with Disabilities Act&quot; (July 26, 1997). This personal story is part and parcel of the ADA's (Americans with Disabilities Act) significance in the society. The ADA is a nondiscrimination law. It is a clarion call for transforming attitudes about disability. The ADA proclaims that all people, including people with disabilities, should participate fully in all aspects of communities and have opportunities to take risks, to succeed, and--yes--to fail. Equality of opportunity means having a chance to live independently and become financially secure, but it is not a guarantee. Understanding the history of the ADA is every bit as important as when &quot;Equality of Opportunity&quot; was first published in 1997. Arguably, the urgency is even greater now. Achieving equality of opportunity for people with disabilities depends in large measure on individual transformative experiences like the one the author had through writing the history of the ADA. Thus, the author hopes that this reprint of &quot;Equality of Opportunity&quot; enables more people to understand the ADA and the outmoded structural and attitudinal barriers it was meant to tear down. A glossary of included. List of Interviews is appended. (Contain 443 notes.)
Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach
Author: McMilin, Edward
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: School Closing,School Buildings,School Districts,Decision Making,Enrollment Trends,Declining Enrollment,School Choice,Emotional Response,Stakeholders,Charter Schools,Systems Approach,Maintenance,Water,Adjustment (to Environment)

According to an American Association of School Administrators survey, 6 percent of school districts closed or consolidated schools during the 2008-2009 school year, double the rate of the previous year. Another 11 percent are considering school closings or consolidations in 2010-2011. In the 1980's, declining enrollments were the main reason for closing schools. Today, along with the enrollment trends and economic forces, the issue of school choice is a significant factor in some sections of the nation creating the need to close schools. Parents today have a greater array of options with charter school, voucher, and open enrollment programs. The impact of these programs is especially evident in the Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minnesota closures. In Detroit, over 40,000 students attend schools outside the public schools. Charter schools and open enrollment were cited as reasons for closing schools in Minnesota districts. The Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), however, provide the best example of the impact of these programs, as described in this report. Closing a school is one of the most difficult and emotionally charged experiences for school district personnel and school communities. Because the school is seen as an important asset in a neighborhood, the closing of that asset is seen as a devaluation of the community. In many cases, rancor persists well after the closing, and many times the residents leave the district because they feel that the district has abandoned them. Closing a school is not a single process. It consists of four distinct processes--described in this paper: (1) Decision to close; (2) Closing the building; (3) Maintaining the building; and (4) Disposition of the building. An example of a checklist from Milwaukee Public Schools and a sample log sheet for maintenance, testing and inspection log--hot water heating boilers are appended. (Contains 1 figure.)
Green Schools as High Performance Learning Facilities
Author: Gordon, Douglas E.
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Facilities,Physical Environment,Pollution,Conservation (Environment),Sustainable Development,School Buildings,Educational Environment,Climate,Energy Conservation,Leadership,Educational Facilities Design,Cooperative Planning,Health Promotion

In practice, a green school is the physical result of a consensus process of planning, design, and construction that takes into account a building's performance over its entire 50- to 60-year life cycle. The main focus of the process is to reinforce optimal learning, a goal very much in keeping with the parallel goals of resource efficiency and minimal pollution. Such buildings provide clean fresh air, a comfortable temperature range, abundant light, and low distraction from unwanted noise while also maximizing resource efficiency, minimizing pollution, and teaching students the importance of innovation in the built environment. This paper discusses the benefits of green schools and cites the planning, design, and operations considerations for this kind of schools. To get an idea of the kinds of issues and decisions school officials, designers, and constructors face in planning and designing green school facilities, it may be helpful to understand what some of these rating systems address. The following rating systems are described in this paper: (1) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED[TM]); (2) Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS[R]); (3) Green Globes TM]; and (4) Life Cycle Analysis. A list of resources is included.
Teacher-Quality Checklist for School Districts
Author: National Council on Teacher Quality
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Check Lists,Human Capital,Teachers,Elementary Secondary Education,School Districts,Goal Orientation,Educational Assessment,Teacher Selection,Labor Force,Principals,Teacher Attendance,Teacher Salaries,Accountability,Teacher Evaluation,Beginning Teachers,Beginning Teacher Induction,Tenure,Teacher Effectiveness

Many districts struggle with multiple--and often incompatible--data systems for tracking payroll, collecting teacher evaluations, recruiting and hiring. Aligning these systems and annually assessing where a district stands is the first step towards developing a smart human capital strategy. This checklist outlines the goals, data and questions a district should have in mind while assessing progress.
A Course on Supporting Early Language and Literacy Development through Effective Teacher-Child Interactions: Effects on Teacher Beliefs, Knowledge and Practice
Author: Hamre, Bridget K.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Mentors,Teacher Effectiveness,Early Childhood Education,Disadvantaged Youth,Young Children,Emergent Literacy,Language Skills,Teaching Methods,Interaction,Academic Achievement,At Risk Students,Preschool Teachers

The National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education's (NCRECE) program of research is a series of experimental studies of specific approaches to training early childhood (EC) educators to be effective in implementation of curriculum and instructional interactions focused on promoting language and literacy skills, two domains that operate as gatekeepers to later achievement. This program builds progressively on research demonstrating that: a) early education promotes early literacy and language largely as a function of effective instructional practices and implementation but enormous variation in such practices undermines the promise of early education; b) effective curricula are not enough to ensure achievement in early childhood; teachers need training to be effective in their approaches to literacy and language skill instruction and interactions with children; and c) the growing demand for early childhood educators places a premium on the value of evidence-based training linked to child performance if expanding programs are to be effective in reducing the achievement gap. This presentation reports the efficacy of a course for EC teachers designed to enhance their use of effective teaching practices. The NCRECE course was offered in nine sites across the country: Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; Memphis, Tennessee; New York City; Rhode Island; and Stockton, California. Participating teachers worked in a variety of EC programs including Head Start, preschool, and child care. The findings suggest that the NCRECE coursework, designed to enhance teachers' knowledge about effective teacher-child interactions, is effective at changing teachers' beliefs, knowledge and practices. This work supplements other recent research documenting effective professional development for EC teachers, which has tended to focus on curricular or mentoring programs, by providing evidence of ways in which coursework can enhance effective teaching practice. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Role of Cognitive Strategy and Direct Instruction in Enhancing Kindergarten Students' Learning of Number Sense
Author: Sood, Sheetal
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Suburban Schools,Learning Problems,Program Effectiveness,Kindergarten,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Numeracy,Elementary Schools,Educational Practices

Given that problems with number sense may have a causal influence on students' math learning difficulties and there is a lack of empirical studies that have examined the effectiveness of number sense interventions for kindergarten students with math difficulties, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of number sense instruction on the acquisition and maintenance of mathematics competence by kindergarten students. Kindergarten students from five classrooms in one elementary school, located in a suburban school district in northeast Pennsylvania, participated in this study. Overall results of this study support previous research in that carefully sequenced activities focusing on the big ideas of number sense (e.g., spatial relationship; one more, one less, two more, and two less; benchmarks of five and ten; part-part whole relationship) (Van de Walle, 2007) as well as the use of explicit instruction (e.g., following the model, lead, guided practice, and independent practice paradigm) (Gersten &amp; Chard, 1999; Kame'enui &amp; Carnine, 2002) when combined with opportunities for practice, lead to significant improvements in number sense skills of kindergarten students (Carnine,1997, Van de Walle, 2004). The present study shows preliminary evidence that instruction combining big ideas of number sense and explicit instruction can enhance mathematics competence of kindergarten students. Although further replication of these preliminary findings is necessary, the findings of this study can shed some light on current instructional practices for kindergarten students that are foundational for later mathematical learning.