ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 6: Has Progress Been Made in Raising Achievement for English Language Learners?
Author: Chudowsky, Naomi
Date: 2010-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Testing,Mathematics Tests,Second Language Learning,Scores,English (Second Language),Reading Tests,Limited English Speaking,Academic Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Reading Achievement,Achievement Gains,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,High School Students,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Federal Regulation,Barriers,Educational Trends,Trend Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Educational Indicators

This report by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), an independent nonprofit organization, examines progress in raising achievement for English language learners. It also describes the factors that make it difficult to accurately assess what ELLs know and can do. The data for this analysis were collected by CEP with technical support from the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) and come from the state reading and mathematics tests used for NCLB accountability in all 50 states. The trends discussed in this report cover fewer years--2006 through 2008--than the trends in recent CEP reports on achievement for students as a whole and achievement gaps for student subgroups. This is because revised federal regulations for testing ELLs and determining their progress under NCLB became final in September 2006. In general, English language learners have shown progress on state tests, but this positive news should be viewed somewhat cautiously because language barriers, demographic changes, and changes in state policies for testing and classifying students as ELLs make it difficult to obtain an accurate picture of achievement for this group. (Contains 7 footnotes and 5 tables.) [For the companion reports of this record, see the following: Part 1 (ED506121); Part 2 (ED506122); Part 3 (ED507909); Part 4 (ED509022); and Part 5 (ED509023).]
Financial Aid Facts at California Community Colleges
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Federal Aid,Community Colleges,Grants,Student Financial Aid,Tuition,Paying for College,Student Needs

While California community college (CCC) system fees are much lower than tuition at community colleges in other states or other colleges in California, the total cost of attending a CCC--which includes books, housing, transportation, and food--is higher than most people realize. The illusion of low cost may lead CCC students to forgo valuable grants and loans that could help them work less, study more, and complete a degree, certificate, or transfer. CCC students are much less likely to apply for federal financial aid than community college students in the rest of the nation. These untapped resources--including &quot;hundreds of millions of dollars&quot; in free, federal Pell Grants per year--could go a long way towards helping students succeed, while supporting California's economy. However even when CCC students applied for federal aid in 2007-08, they still had more &quot;unmet need&quot; than students at the state's four-year colleges. This paper presents several financial aid facts at CCC. (Contains 6 footnotes.)
Green Lights &amp; Red Tape: Improving Access to Financial Aid at California's Community Colleges
Author: Cochrane, Deborah Frankle
Date: 2007-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Student Needs,College Students,Community Colleges,Interviews,Guidelines,College Environment,Cultural Relevance,Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Educational Finance,Student Financial Aid,Paying for College,Barriers,Access to Education,Compliance (Legal),Financial Aid Applicants,Need Analysis (Student Financial Aid),Parent Financial Contribution,Family Financial Resources,Federal Programs,Eligibility,Student Costs,Student Financial Aid Officers,Student Personnel Workers,Student Personnel Services,Information Dissemination

Financial aid can encourage students to enroll in college and increase their odds of academic success. While the California community colleges (CCCs) have very low fees, which are waived for most low-income students, the additional expenses of books, supplies, transportation, housing, food and childcare can create significant financial barriers to attending and staying in school. Federal and state grants, work-study funds, and loans can help community college students cover essential costs and focus on their studies. However, only 34 percent of CCC students apply for these valuable forms of aid, compared to 45 percent of community college students in the rest of the country. While many CCC students miss out on the financial aid that could help them succeed in school, financial aid administrators face pressures that can limit their ability to address student needs. The author's findings and recommendations are based on visits to 21 colleges representing a broad cross-section of the CCC system, a review of the most recent available research, and interviews with experts on community colleges, financial aid and related fields. This report focuses on policies and practices that vary widely from college to college and can have a particularly significant effect on students' access to financial aid. Appendices include: (1) College Student Financial Aid Administrative Funding and Participation Rates; (2) Enrollment and Financial Aid Service Details; and (3) Institutional Aid Dollars Distributed by College. (Contains 49 footnotes and 9 figures.) [&quot;Green Lights &amp; Red Tape: Improving Access to Financial Aid at California's Community Colleges&quot; was written with the assistance of Hilda Hernandez-Gravelle.]
Hopes &amp; Hurdles: California Foster Youth and College Financial Aid
Author: Cochrane, Deborah Frankle
Date: 2009-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Disadvantaged Youth,Paying for College,Foster Care,Access to Education,Student Financial Aid,State Aid,Federal Aid,Private Financial Support,Barriers,Economic Impact,Grants,Access to Information

This report examines why former foster youth in California are not receiving the aid they are likely eligible for, from inadequate or poorly targeted information about college costs and financial aid to structural obstacles within the aid process and programs. While many of this report's findings and recommendations are specific to foster youth, some apply to low-income, first-generation college-going, and underrepresented students generally. In researching this topic, the authors analyzed financial aid programs and data from state, federal, and private sources pertaining to college access and affordability for foster youth both before and after emancipation. While the barriers to college are considerable, ensuring that foster youth know that financial aid is available would improve access in a meaningful way. The benefits are real, and the cost of inaction is great. By age 19, one in seven foster youth no longer in care has been homeless, almost half receive public benefits, and more than a quarter have been arrested (Courtney and Dworsky, 2005). The youth who are working typically earn poverty-level wages, with one study finding that 90 percent of recently emancipated youth had earned less than $10,000 the previous year (Courtney and Dworsky, 2005). Helping more foster youth attend and afford college will not only help these disadvantaged young people realize their potential, but also save the state and federal governments money spent on prisons and public assistance while increasing tax revenues from the greater earnings of well-educated citizens. (Contains 25 footnotes.)
Public Investment in Children's Early and Elementary Years (Birth to Age 11)
Author: Macomber, Jennifer
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Expenditures,Investment,Federal Programs,Public Policy,State Federal Aid,Comparative Analysis,Educational Finance,Resource Allocation,Age Differences,Audits (Verification),Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Low Income Groups,Federal Government,Early Childhood Education,Elementary Education,Funding Formulas,Financial Policy

How government spends money, and who benefits, reveals the priorities. How, then, do children fare in the competition for public resources? While families have long been the primary caregivers of children, all levels of government--local, state, and federal--invest in the growth and development of children, whether through education, family supports, or health and nutrition benefits. Knowing how that money is spent, and whether it is being put to good use, is crucial for creating effective public policy. To track government's investment in children, the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution have documented historical, current, and projected levels of federal expenditures across more than 100 programs serving children. More recently, they have looked in-depth to highlight federal investment by age group. Analyses by age allow them to evaluate spending in light of what we know about child development and about policy priorities. They also reveal which federal programs and categories dominate spending for each age group. Federal officials and the interested public may not know which programs spend more or less on different groups of children. As part of these reports, they also integrate estimates of state and local spending from a report by researchers at the Rockefeller Institute. This brief provides an overarching view of investments in children and illuminates critical decision points and questions for policymakers. In this brief, the authors look at public investments "across" age groups, from birth through the elementary years and present the key findings. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.) [Funding for this work was provided by the Strategic Knowledge Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For "Federal Expenditures on Elementary-Age Children in 2008 (Ages 6 through 11)", see ED509356. For "Federal Expenditures on Pre-Kindergartners and Kindergartners in 2008 (Ages 3 through 5)", see ED509355.]
Federal Expenditures on Pre-Kindergartners and Kindergartners in 2008 (Ages 3 through 5)
Author: Kent, Adam
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Expenditures,Federal Aid,Federal Programs,Kindergarten,Federal Government,Preschool Children,Financial Support,State Aid,Child Health,Nutrition,Housing,Disadvantaged Youth,Social Services,Futures (of Society),Trend Analysis

How government spends money, and who benefits, reveals our priorities. How, then, do children fare in the competition for public resources? This report looks at public investments across age groups, from birth through the elementary years. Key findings show that spending more than doubles per capita between the infant and toddler years and the elementary years. The increase is driven by growing state and local spending; the federal contribution is relatively stable across age groups. Findings also reveal that states and localities spend more money than the federal government does on children, except when it comes to the youngest children. (Contains 3 tables, 9 figures and 17 notes.) [This work was supported by the Strategic Knowledge Fund and co-funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For "Federal Expenditures on Elementary-Age Children in 2008 (Ages 6 through 11)" see, ED509356.]
Federal Expenditures on Elementary-Age Children in 2008 (Ages 6 through 11)
Author: Vericker, Tracy C.
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Federal Programs,Federal Government,Expenditures,Federal Aid,Elementary School Students,Educational Finance,Funding Formulas,Resource Allocation,Educational Policy,Trend Analysis,Tax Credits,Taxes,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Content Analysis,Comparative Analysis

This report provides a first-time analysis of the nation's current investments in elementary-age children, defined as children ages 6 through 11. The authors consider over 100 federal programs through which the federal government allocates money to children, and subsequently estimate the amount spent on six- to eleven-year-old children. This report provides helpful information about what federal programs from which federal agencies make up total investments in elementary-age children. This can stimulate conversations about how the agencies relate to each other and how programs that may not primarily relate to this age group could best complement others and support public objectives. (Contains 3 tables, 9 figures, 2 boxes, and 10 notes.) [Funding for this work was provided by the Strategic Knowledge Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For "Federal Expenditures on Pre-Kindergartners and Kindergartners in 2008 (Ages 3 through 5)", see ED509355. For "Public Investment in Children's Early and Elementary Years (Birth to Age 11)," see ED509354.]
Student Debt and the Class of 2008
Author: Reed, Matthew
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Unemployment,Debt (Financial),College Graduates,Student Financial Aid,Tuition,Loan Default,Public Colleges,Private Colleges

This paper is the fourth annual report on the student loan debt of new college graduates. This analysis of the most recent available data found that student debt continued to rise even as it got harder for recent graduates to find jobs, and that debt levels vary considerably from state to state and college to college. Nationwide, average debt for graduating seniors with loans rose from $18,650 in 2004 to $23,200 in 2008, or about six percent per year. State averages for debt at graduation in 2008 ranged from highs near $30,000 to a low of $13,000. High-debt states are concentrated in the Northeast, while low-debt states are mostly in the West. At the college level, average debt varied even more, from $5,000 to $106,000. Colleges with higher tuition tend to have higher average debt, but there are many examples of high tuition and low average debt, and vice versa. Meanwhile, employment prospects for young college graduates have soured along with the economy. The unemployment rate for college graduates aged 20-24 was a challenging 7.6% in the third quarter of 2008, the highest third quarter rate since 2002; by the third quarter of 2009 it had risen to 10.6%, the highest on record. The majority of the class of 2008 fell into this age group in both years. (Contains 13 footnotes.) [Lauren Asher, Pauline Abernathy, and Edie Irons contributed to the writing. Additional funding for this work was provided by the BayTree Fund.]
Advancing College Opportunity: An Impact Evaluation of the Growth of Dual Credit in Stark and Wayne Counties, Ohio
Author: Rochford, Joseph A.
Date: 2009-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: High Schools,Counties,Secondary School Teachers,Dual Enrollment,Low Income,Low Income Groups,Access to Education,Educational Opportunities,Urban Areas,School Districts,Equal Education,Acceleration (Education),Accreditation (Institutions)

This impact evaluation looks at three years of growth for &quot;high school-based dual credit&quot; courses exclusive of Canton's Early College High School in Stark and Wayne Counties. As &quot;high school based dual credit&quot; is increasingly implemented in low wealth and urban districts, accompanied by an increase in high school teachers qualified as college adjuncts, the chances are increased that &quot;high school based dual credit&quot; is operating as a disruptive innovation, prompting the counties to move towards an equitable, as well as an equal, college access strategy. The findings support the growing efficacy of &quot;high school based dual credit&quot; in advancing college opportunity for all students. This evaluation contains a separate section calling for future research and study on the impact of &quot;high school based dual credit&quot; as an equitable college access strategy. Teacher responses are appended. (Contains 51 footnotes.)
All Students Ready: A Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Region 9 Dual Credit Program Columbiana, Stark and Wayne Counties under House Bill 115
Author: Rochford, Joseph A.
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: High Schools,College Credits,Counties,Secondary Education,Postsecondary Education,Colleges,Dual Enrollment,State Aid,Educational Assessment,Outcomes of Education,High School Students,Evidence,Interviews

In Ohio, and in Stark, Wayne and Columbiana County communities, there is a growing realization that students must not only complete high school but also pursue some form of postsecondary education to be successful in the workplace of today and tomorrow. Since 1989, there has been a program for students presenting the opportunity of taking college coursework while still in high school. An option of this program has also involved dual credit. Known as the Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) the intent of the original law unfortunately was never clear. The opportunity for Columbiana, Stark and Wayne Counties to seek the answer to some of their questions came about with the passage of HB 115 in 2006 which appropriated $3.6 million in FY 2007 to support implementation of the Ohio Core Program through contracted instruction with institutions of higher education in mathematics, science, or foreign language for high school students that results in dual high school and college credit. One of the researchers has both served on the state level sub-committee and participated in many of the meetings and discussions between the Region 9 partners. The first part of this paper presents an assessment/diagnosis of that process, what it accomplished, and the issues raised for future consideration within the region. A corresponding outcome evaluation (part two) was conducted with the assistance of Adele Gelb. Appended are: (1) List of Participants; and (2) Questionnaires. (Contains 27 footnotes.)
Learn from the Past. Prepare Our Children for the Future. 10 Ways that Governor Strickland and State Legislators Can Bring Ohio's Schools into the 21st Century
Author: Stark Education Partnership
Date: 2008-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Legislators,Educational Change,State Legislation,Statewide Planning,State Programs,Change Strategies,Best Practices,State Action,Educational Improvement,Partnerships in Education,County School Districts,Strategic Planning

Much more work--and better results--will be needed before Stark County's future vision for its schools and communities is realized. And Stark County's education stakeholders are committed to completing this journey. But at this critical juncture in the state of Ohio's efforts to improve the performance of its schools and the students they serve, it is important to take another look at Stark County's experiences--to think about &quot;lessons&quot; that can inform the state's education reform agenda and to identify opportunities to apply &quot;proven practices&quot;  that can benefit schools and communities across the state. For this purpose, Stark County's education stakeholders urge Governor Strickland, state legislators and other state education policy leaders to take 10 actions that can have a significant impact on the performance of Ohio's schools. These 10 actions, presented in this paper, will help prepare all Ohio students for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities by bringing Ohio's schools into the 21st century.
Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics: Student Outcomes, 2008
Author: National Centre for Vocational Education Research
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Outcomes of Education,Satisfaction,Statistical Data,Employment,Student Attitudes,Graduates,Educational Benefits,Education Work Relationship,Graduate Surveys,Participant Characteristics,Student Characteristics,Postsecondary Education

This publication presents information about the outcomes for students who completed their vocational education and training (VET) during 2007. The Student Outcomes Survey focuses on students' employment outcomes and satisfaction with VET in Australia. Information about the level and type of training students undertake, further study patterns and reasons for not continuing with the training (where applicable) is also collected. (Contains 1 figure and 9 tables.)
Combating Gangs: Federal Agencies Have Implemented a Central American Gang Strategy, but Could Strengthen Oversight and Measurement of Efforts. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-10-395
Author: Larence, Eileen R.
Date: 2010-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Criminals,Juvenile Gangs,Public Agencies,Federal Government,Agency Cooperation,Law Enforcement,Federal Programs,Crime Prevention,International Cooperation,Foreign Countries

Thousands of gang members in the United States belong to gangs such as MS-13 and 18th Street that are also active in Central American countries. Federal entities with responsibilities for addressing Central American gangs include the National Security Council (NSC); the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice (DOJ), and State; and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). GAO was asked to review federal efforts to combat transnational gangs. This report addresses (1) the extent to which the federal government has developed a strategy to combat these gangs, and (2) how federal agencies have implemented the strategy and other programs to combat these gangs, coordinated their actions, and assessed their results. GAO examined federal agencies' antigang plans, resources, and measures; interviewed federal, state, and local officials in seven localities representing varying population sizes and geographic regions; and interviewed U.S. and foreign officials in El Salvador and Guatemala where U.S. agencies have implemented antigang programs. The results of these interviews are not generalizable. GAO recommends that the NSC revise the antigang strategy to include an approach for oversight and performance measures and that DOJ and DHS reach agreement on the composition of an antigang unit in El Salvador. The NSC did not comment. DOJ and DHS agreed with the author's recommendation to them. Nine appendices include: (1) Leadership Structure and Key Transnational Criminal Activities of MS-13 and 18th Street; (2) Characteristics of Other Transnational Gangs; (3) Federal Agencies' Programs to Connections to Central America Address Transnational Gangs with Connections to Central America; (4) Federal Agencies' Entities and Antigang Efforts Mechanisms for Coordinating Transnational Antigang Efforts; (5) Scope and Methodology; (6) Comments from the Department of Homeland Security; (7) Comments from the Department of Justice; (8) Comments from the United States Agency for International Development; and (9) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments. (Contains 5 tables, 3 figures and 44 footnotes.)