ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Accountability Myth
Author: McShane, Michael Q.
Date: 2021-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Accountability,Educational Finance,School Choice,Private Schools,Public Schools,Misconceptions,Money Management,Democracy,School Community Relationship,School Organization,Educational Quality,School Responsibility,Academic Achievement,Educational History,Educational Legislation,State Policy,Graduation Rate,Admission Criteria,Teacher Qualifications,Elementary Secondary Education,Federal Legislation,Federal Aid,Federal Programs,Expenditure per Student,Comparative Analysis

In almost any conversation about accountability for private schools, accountability for public schools is assumed. This is a dangerous myth. By assuming that the edifice that states and the federal government have created over the past several decades actually holds schools accountable, school choice advocates immediately find themselves in an unfair fight. But what if it doesn't? This paper argues that there are three ways that schools are, or should be, held accountable. There is financial accountability. That is, schools should be responsible for how they use the money they are given and should be ready to account for what has been spent and how. Second, there is democratic accountability. Since schools are funded by the community writ large, they should be able to account for how they are reflecting the wishes of that community. Are they teaching what the community believes should be taught? Are they organizing schools in ways that the community agrees to? Are they spending the community's money in ways that comport with the community's wishes? Finally, there is educational accountability. That is, schools should take responsibility for the quality of the education that the students in their charge receive. They should be able to demonstrate that students are mastering what they are supposed to be learning. On all three of these counts, traditional public schools in America are not accountable. Each of these areas deserves a fuller treatment. That is why the three primary sections of this paper are devoted to arguing the issues of financial accountability, democratic accountability, and educational accountability, or the lack thereof.
Who&apos;s Afraid of School Choice? Examining the Validity and Intensity of Predictions by School Choice Opponents
Author: Bedrick, Jason
Date: 2021-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: School Choice,Educational Policy,Financial Support,School Districts,Academic Achievement,Correlation,Prediction,Educational Finance,Elementary Secondary Education,Achievement Gains,Expenditure per Student,Validity,Program Effectiveness,Public Schools,Private Schools,Educational Vouchers,Tax Credits

Opponents of educational choice recycle the same false prophesies of doom without regard to the evidence or the size and scope of the proposals. Part I of this report assesses the validity of choice opponents' predictions that choice policies will lead to significant losses of district school funding and declining academic performance. Part II of this report explores whether there is any relationship between the intensity of choice opponents' rhetoric and the size and scope of the choice proposal on which they are commenting.
How Did the World&apos;s Highest Performing Education Systems Approach Distance Learning?
Author: National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE)
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Distance Education,Comparative Education,High Achievement,School Closing,Emergency Programs,Program Implementation,Electronic Learning,Access to Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Elementary Schools,Secondary Schools,Educational Resources,Technology Integration,Capacity Building,Family School Relationship,Foreign Countries

This year, widespread school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic have required almost all high-performing systems to implement distance learning to ensure that students continue learning. This document summarizes some initial takeaways from their experiences implementing distance learning in primary and secondary schools. Findings show that top-performing jurisdictions: (1) Were initially better positioned than the U.S. to quickly implement distance learning; (2) Increased capacity in this area since the start of distance learning; and (3) Responded rapidly to new challenges raised by distance learning. The paper also looks toward the future, as jurisdictions worldwide reflect on what they learned during this year's distance learning experiment and consider the role of online and in-person schooling in the fall and beyond.
Gendered Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Proportion of Youth Neither in Employment nor Education at the Start of the School Year. Insights on Canadian Society
Author: Wall, Katherine
Date: 2021-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Gender Differences,COVID-19,Pandemics,Out of School Youth,Decision Making,Reentry Students,Well Being

When the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in March 2020, Canadian youth and young people experienced major disruptions in their typical routines. The halt of in-person learning, the disappearance of jobs particularly among youth, and the resulting social isolation took a toll on their mental health. Over 6 in 10 people aged 15 to 34 experienced a worsening of their mental health, as self-reported in April-May 2020, more so than any other age group. Previous research has shown that youth not in employment, education or training -- known as NEET -- are considered at risk of long-term economic and social difficulties. This risk grows if the situation persists, as NEET youth become more discouraged, disengaged and socially excluded. This report examines the period of September to October 2020, which signalled the beginning of new school year and also the start of the second wave of COVID-19 in Canada. It illuminates the decisions that youth (and, in the case of secondary students, their parents) made about their schooling, and how the combination of these possibly difficult decisions, with the unprecedented drops in youth employment, affected the proportion of youth who were NEET. Knowing and understanding patterns in the youth NEET rate during the pandemic, particularly in light of possible physical re-entry into schools, can shed light on the possible long term economic and social wellbeing implications for this generation for years to come. [This study was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE).]
Early Literacy in Massachusetts: Part 1. Findings from the Massachusetts Educator Preparation Program Early Childhood and Elementary Education Program Core Course Review
Author: Region 1 Comprehensive Center
Date: 2021-05-18
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Language Arts,Evidence Based Practice,Teaching Methods,Needs Assessment,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Primary Education,Literacy Education,Course Descriptions,Reading Instruction,Writing Instruction

In 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released a Literacy Strategic Plan that lays out a vision for &quot;[a]n excellent education in English language arts (ELA) and literacy for all students in Massachusetts&quot; (DESE, 2019a). In support of achieving the goals outlined in the strategic plan, DESE seeks to better understand the current landscape of educator preparation programs in Massachusetts and the extent to which they are currently preparing teachers to use evidence-based ELA instructional practices in order to engage the educator preparation field in advancing toward the state's goals. As part of this landscape review, DESE requested the Region 1 Comprehensive Center?(R1CC) to conduct a statewide needs assessment?focused on?the preparation of teacher candidates in K-3 literacy instruction. To do so, R1CC reviewed 64 syllabi from a voluntary sample of nine educator preparation programs (EPPs) for their early childhood and elementary certification pathways, representing more than 30% of Massachusetts' recent graduates/program completers. The syllabi were reviewed using two of the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) Center's Innovation Configurations (ICs) rubrics: Evidence-Based Reading Instruction (Lane, 2014) and Evidence-Based Practices for Writing Instruction (Troia, 2014). R1CC found that many of the volunteer EPPs participating in this review offered reading and writing courses whose syllabi contained evidence of the 10 Essential Components identified by the CEEDAR Center's IC rubrics. The findings from this syllabi review are preliminary and based on information found in syllabi from a sample of nine EPPs that volunteered to participate in the review. Though this kind of review has inherent limitations, the results provide early insights. R1CC recommends that future reviews include additional data such as course schedules, calendars, and, if possible, observations of EPP courses and field-based experiences to learn about preservice teachers' opportunities to apply what they learn in their courses, practice skills, and receive explicit feedback on their application of skills.
Understanding and Promoting Student Financial Wellness: A Report from the Financial Wellness Learning Collaborative
Author: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Students,Money Management,Paying for College,Wellness,Access to Education,Financial Problems,Student Financial Aid,Disclosure,Emergency Programs,Program Implementation

All Texans deserve access to affordable, high-quality learning opportunities that lead to credentials of value--postsecondary credentials that will unlock their potential, help them provide for their families, and pursue their dreams. Helping students understand the financial choices they will make before, during and after their postsecondary education and giving them the tools they need to achieve financial wellness is critical to students' long-term success. This report includes an overview of the financial challenges that today's students face, key takeaways from a 2019 survey about the student financial literacy and wellness programs currently underway in Texas, and practical information that Texas higher education institutions can use to launch or further develop their efforts. In addition, the report highlights the Texas OnCourse initiatives to develop accessible, professional development for higher education advisers on the financial issues and challenges that students face. The future competitiveness of Texas depends on how well the potential of the state's talent is unlocked. Texas colleges and universities are rethinking how they communicate with students about financial aid, investing in financial education and literacy programming for their students, and making critical changes to practices that impact students' finances. This report highlights Texas institutions and their inspiring work. This report can be used to innovate and advance creative solutions that will support the financial well-being of all Texas students.
College Closures: Many Impacted Borrowers Struggled Financially Despite Being Eligible for Loan Discharges. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. GAO-21-105373
Author: Emrey-Arras, Melissa
Date: 2021-09-30
Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Subjects: Colleges,School Closing,Paying for College,Student Loan Programs,Federal Programs,Educational Attainment,Federal Aid,Loan Repayment,Eligibility,Loan Default,Outcomes of Education

When a college closes, it can derail the education of many students, leaving them with loans but no degree. Those who cannot complete their education may be eligible to have their federal student loans forgiven through a &quot;closed school discharge&quot; from the Department of Education (Education), but this process has changed in recent years. To further explore this issue, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined what happens to borrowers after colleges closed. To do this, GAO analyzed Education data on federal student loan borrowers who were enrolled at colleges that closed from 2010-2020; reviewed relevant federal laws, regulations, and agency documents; and interviewed Education officials and subject matter experts. Key findings included: (1) About 246,000 borrowers were enrolled at over 1,100 colleges that closed from 2010 through 2020; (2) 43% of impacted borrowers did not complete their program before their college closed or transfer to another college--showing that closures are often the end of the road for a student's education; and (3) Over 80,000 of these borrowers had their loans forgiven through a closed school discharge.
Research-Practice Partnerships in Education: The State of the Field
Author: Farrell, Caitlin C.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Research,Partnerships in Education,Definitions,Equal Education,Educational Improvement,Diversity,Power Structure,Organizational Objectives,Financial Support,Program Administration,Administrative Organization

Change is elemental to research-practice partnerships (RPPs). Designed to diverge from traditional approaches to research by shifting power relations and engaging perspectives from outside the academy, it is no surprise that RPPs continue to pursue new avenues for producing knowledge and improving systems. But in a field that embraces both hybridity and diversity, what do we know about how RPPs define objectives, support communities, and contribute to positive change? Drawn from interviews with dozens of RPP leaders and a literature review spanning hundreds of recent empirical studies, &quot;Research-Practice Partnerships in Education: The State of the Field&quot; offers a snapshot of the RPP landscape at a pivotal moment. Prospective partners can use the ideas to inform how, why, and with whom they may organize an RPP, while existing RPPs may draw on the ideas when planning and implementing next steps. For funders and policymakers, these ideas can help clarify what RPPs are--and what they are not--and offer first-hand insights on their potential.
Getting It Right: The Conversation Guide for Preparing the Next Generation of Implementation Researchers
Author: Foundation for Child Development
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Educational Research,Early Childhood Education,Child Care,Program Implementation,Program Effectiveness,Child Development,Labor Force Development,Educational Quality,Educational Improvement,Equal Education,Bilingual Students,Public Schools,Urban Schools,Research Design,Qualitative Research

In 2020, the Foundation for Child Development released &quot;Getting it Right: Using Implementation Research to Improve Outcomes in Early Care and Education.&quot; The publication provides insights into the value of including implementation research in the study of early care and education (ECE) and its potential to improve programs and policies and achieve stronger outcomes for all young children. As more programs are brought to scale, the ability to achieve greater impacts for all young children rests on a more nuanced understanding of the context in which ECE programs and policies are being implemented locally and the different impacts on specific subgroups of children. As a result, now is the moment for ECE researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to identify the critical components of effective ECE programs and policies and engage in meaningful exploration of what works, for whom, and under what conditions. This conversation guide was created to help faculty in institutions of higher education use &quot;Getting it Right&quot; as a resource in the preparation of future researchers to conduct implementation research. This guide supports higher education faculty to initiate and sustain conversations with students about effective early care and education, what still needs to be learned, and how implementation research can help fill the gaps. This guide focuses on faculty who are teaching a variety of courses, such as research design and methods, program evaluation, and statistics.
The Judith P. Hoyer Early Care and Education Enhancement Program Report: Report Authorized in 5-217 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly MSAR #10071
Author: Maryland State Department of Education
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Integrated Services,School Readiness,Educational Assessment,Preschools,Accreditation (Institutions),Low Income Groups,Child Care,Partnerships in Education,Program Effectiveness,Access to Education,Educational Finance,State Aid,Federal Aid,Public Schools,Preschool Children

As the early education coordinator for Prince George's County Public Schools, Judith P. Hoyer lamented the gaps in available services for low-income families. In the 1990s, she created a central location in Adelphi, Maryland, for important early childhood services, thus fostering cooperation of governmental and private agencies around the needs of local families. After her untimely death in 1997, her husband, Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD), in partnership with then Governor Parris N. Glendening, led a successful movement to bring her model of collaboration to other areas of Maryland. As a result, the Maryland State Legislature enacted the Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program in May of 2000. That legislation addressed three important principles in Maryland's early childhood care and education programs: (1) Judy Centers -- The need for greater coordination among the providers of early childhood education and support services was essential in focusing the services and resources of the various programs and providers on families with high needs in designated Title I school zones. This type of collaboration provides a greater opportunity for positive outcomes for children and greater school readiness; (2) Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) -- the need for a uniform assessment of success in early childhood education. This allows the State to better measure progress with some definition of success, and a means to assess that success; and (3) Program Accreditation and Preschool for All -- the need to ensure that all preschool age children receive quality care and education by promoting professional development for the early education workforce and accreditation for childcare providers. This report provides a current review of accomplishments and challenges that took place during State Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. [For &quot;The Judith P. Hoyer Early Care and Education Enhancement Program: Fiscal Year 2018. Annual Report,&quot; see ED615933.]
Challenge and Opportunity: Equitable Pre-K Measures for Early Learning
Author: Hsueh, JoAnn
Date: 2021-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Equal Education,Preschool Education,Student Evaluation,Preschool Children,Program Evaluation,Measures (Individuals),Educational Change,Classroom Environment,Technology Uses in Education,Culturally Relevant Education

Research shows that high-quality pre-K can have lasting impacts on children's learning and development, with the largest effects clustered among children of color, multilin­gual learners, and children experiencing poverty. Yet policymakers, administrators, and teachers often wrestle with the complexities of providing these programs on a large scale and in rapidly evolving contexts. This can undermine opportunities to close income and racial inequities in early learning. A key challenge is the lack of reliable, unbiased data about children's skills, knowledge, behaviors, and classroom experiences--information that could guide teacher practice and inform investments in early learning systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the pressing need to collect this type of data as part of the normal operation of pre-K sys­tems. As the nation emerges from the pandemic, in-person pre-K activities have resumed with scant information about how children fared over the past year and a half. This limits how instruction and support can be effectively aligned to meet the needs of teachers and the young children they serve. The routine collection of such information on a scale large enough to appropriately answer questions about what works and why, for whom, and under what conditions, is critical to the future of effective and equitable pre-K programming. MDRC, in collaboration with Substantial, a human-centered design firm, and with funding from the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, is leading an initiative aimed at shifting the data landscape across the early learning and pre-K field. This brief presents some starting points the team will examine with states, districts, other pre-K providers, and researchers.
K-12 Education: Challenges Locating and Securing Charter School Facilities and Government Assistance. Briefing to the Republican Leader, House Committee on Education and Labor. GAO-21-104446
Author: Nowicki, Jacqueline M.
Date: 2021-09-27
Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Charter Schools,Educational Facilities,Accountability,School Location,Public Education,Educational Finance,Site Selection

Charter schools are public schools established under charters, typically with state or local entities. In return for more flexibility and autonomy, charter schools must meet specific accountability standards. This briefing from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) describes: (1) the challenges charter schools face when attempting to locate and secure facilities; and (2) select programs available to help charter schools address challenges when locating and securing facilities. To explore these topics, GAO conducted interviews with state, school district, and charter school officials in California and Colorado and with Department of Education (Education) officials, representatives of nonprofit organizations that provide financing to charter schools, and other stakeholders. They also reviewed agency documents, such as guidance documents on Education's two facilities-focused grant programs, and relevant federal and state laws, regulations, and policies. GAO's findings are not generalizable to all states, school districts, and charter schools. However, some of the challenges described are consistent with their 2000 and 2003 reports on challenges charter schools face when locating and securing facilities. For example, affording the purchase or lease of a school facility, finding available space to house a charter school, and ensuring that the space is suitable for students and staff. In this review, GAO also heard about challenges not previously reported, such as a lack of consistent support from local government and school districts for charter schools' facility needs. While challenges locating and securing facilities continue to persist, many states, including those covered by this review, have implemented programs that may help charter schools address them. For example, a 2019 report published by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools noted that 18 states had per-pupil facility allowances that can be used to help cover some facilities expenses for charter schools. Enclosures include: (1) K-12 Education: Challenges Locating and Securing Charter School Facilities and Government Assistance. Briefing to the Republican Leader, House Committee on Education and Labor (August 2, 2021); and (2) Information on Programs for Charter School Facilities in Selected States and the Department of Education.