ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Urban Density and Pupil Attainment. CEE DP 80
Author: Gibbons, Stephen
Date: 2007-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Urban Schools,School Choice,Academic Achievement,Urban Areas,Foreign Countries,Students,Cohort Analysis,Educational Attainment,Disadvantaged Environment,Urban Environment,Population Distribution,Urban Population,Aptitude Treatment Interaction,Models,Achievement Gains,School Statistics,Community Benefits,Educational Benefits,Robustness (Statistics),Educational Policy,Competition,Educational Resources,Performance Factors,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Economic Impact

We explore the association between urban density and pupil attainment using three cohorts of pupils in schooling in England. Although--as widely recognised--attainment in dense urban places is low on average, this is not because urban environments disadvantage pupils, but because the most disadvantaged pupils with low average attainments attend the most urbanised schools. To control for this, we exploit changes in urban density faced by pupils during compulsory transition from Primary to Secondary school, and measure educational progress at the end of the Secondary phase, relative to attainments at the end of Primary schooling. Our results suggest that there are small but significant benefits from education in schools in more densely urbanised settings: Pupils in schools in relatively dense places--measured in terms of school density and other urban indicators--progress faster than others in their cohort, but the elasticity is low, at around 0.02. We detect this density advantage even amongst pupils moving relatively short distances between Primary and Secondary schools within urban areas, so we cannot attribute it to broad urbanisation effects experienced by pupils making rural-urban school moves. A more likely explanation lies in greater school choice and competition between closely co-located educational providers. Estimation of Two-Way Fixed Effects is appended. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 18 footnotes.)
Qualifications for Literacy Coaches: Achieving the Gold Standard
Author: Frost, Sharon
Date: 2006-09-27
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: School Districts,Faculty Development,Professional Development,Teaching Methods,Teacher Qualifications,Mentors,Employment Qualifications,Job Analysis,Job Performance,Job Skills,Emerging Occupations,Standards,Literacy,Coaching (Performance),Teacher Educators,Teacher Evaluation,Teacher Competencies,Teacher Effectiveness

The call for highly qualified teachers that can improve student literacy performance has led to increased attention to job-embedded approaches to professional learning. Such approaches call for intensive, on-going efforts that include coaching and feedback (National Staff Development Council, 2001; American Educational Research Association, 2005) in order to help teachers learn to better meet students' needs. Given this focus, many school districts are employing literacy coaches to serve as catalysts for implementing this model of professional development in schools. The proliferation of these positions at all levels (preschool through grade 12) has left many school districts scrambling for qualified people to fill them. While the qualifications for teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals tend to be clearly articulated, given the newness of the position, the same is not true for the literacy coach. The result has been literacy coaches with varied professional experiences, certifications, and training. Many educators worry that the literacy coaching approach to professional development will not be implemented effectively if literacy coaches are not prepared to handle the responsibilities of the role. What should a school district look for when hiring a literacy coach? The Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse recommends that school districts use as a basis for employment the criteria identified in Figure 1, with special attention given to the essentials. Literacy coaching, and its potential for improving student learning, is too important to place individuals into the position who do not have the qualifications to handle its roles and responsibilities. (Contains 1 figure.)
The Persistence of Overskilling and Its Effects on Wages. Research Report
Author: Mavromaras, Kostas
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Wages,Job Satisfaction,Persistence,Salary Wage Differentials,Probability,Academic Achievement,Research Reports,Skill Analysis,Job Skills,Skilled Workers,Underemployment,Labor Utilization,Statistical Analysis,Educational Attainment,Longitudinal Studies,Economic Impact,Regression (Statistics),Education Work Relationship,Foreign Countries

Overskilling is the phenomenon whereby a worker's skills are underutilised in his or her job. Overskilled workers are employed, but they are underutilised and mismatched, in that their skills and abilities are not a good match with the requirements of the job. Overskilling can lead to decreased wages and job satisfaction, which suggests that the investment in skills for that individual has been somewhat wasted. Overskilling mismatch has been shown to be persistent; that is, present overskilling mismatch increases the probability of future overskilling mismatch. However, the previous research showing this extends back only one year. This report examines the persistence of mismatch over a longer (up to three years) time period and its effect on wages. An obvious explanation for the persistence of overskilling is that it reflects personal unobserved characteristics (such as the person having an inflated view of their own skills). This paper exploits longitudinal data to show that persistence is more than this, with the probability of being overskilled increasing if the individual has been overskilled in the previous period, after allowing for unobserved characteristics. Key findings include: (1) Overskilling is persistent: overskilling mismatch is common among those who have been overskilled in the past. Persistence varies by educational level, with its being lowest among university graduates and highest among VET diploma graduates and those who did not finish high school; and (2) The wages of university graduates are reduced by past overskilling, more so than for any other education level. A possible reason for the second finding is that graduates tend to be in better-paid jobs and therefore there is more at stake for them. This observation is supported by the results of quantile regressions, which differentiate the impact of overskilling by whether an individual is at the top or the bottom of the earnings distribution. With the exception of certificate III and IV graduates, workers who are better paid among their peers are more likely to suffer higher wage penalties from being overskilled. Appended are: (1) Definition of variables; and (2) Estimation of individuals' probability of being overskilled in their current job and the effect of state dependence. (Contains 15 tables, 6 figures, 1 box and 10 footnotes.)
K-12 Education: School-Based Physical Education and Sports Programs. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-12-350
Author: Calbom, Linda
Date: 2012-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Physical Education,Athletics,Elementary Secondary Education,Opportunities,Time on Task,Graduation Requirements,Student Participation,Child Health,Obesity,Budgeting,Retrenchment,Physical Education Facilities,Student Transportation,Athletic Coaches,Financial Support,Extramural Athletics,Government Role

Physical activity is a crucial part of preventing or reducing childhood obesity, and may also yield important academic and social benefits. However, many children do not attain the level of daily physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schools are uniquely positioned to provide students opportunities to increase physical activity through physical education (PE) classes and involvement in sports teams. In view of the federal government's role in promoting the health and welfare of children, the Congress is currently considering a number of proposals aimed in part at increasing the physical activity of youth. To assist the Congress as it considers options for increasing physical activity among students, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review (1) the status of opportunities for elementary and secondary school students to participate in school-based physical education or sports activities; and (2) what challenges schools face in providing physical education and sports opportunities. To conduct this study, GAO reviewed federal survey data; interviewed state, district, and school officials in selected states, as well as federal officials and others with relevant expertise; reviewed relevant federal laws and regulations; and reviewed studies on the benefits of physical education and sports for students. GAO makes no recommendations in this report. The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate. Appended are: (1) Estimated Percentage of All Middle and High Schools That Offered Interscholastic Sports in 2006, by School Level; and (2) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments. (Contains 3 figures 27 footnotes.)
Review of &quot;The Louisiana Recovery School District: Lessons for the Buckeye State&quot;
Author: Buras, Kristen L.
Date: 2012-03-20
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Urban Schools,School Districts,Models,Public Schools,Politics of Education,Charter Schools,Private Sector,Governance,Content Analysis,Criticism,Academic Achievement,Public Support,Conflict,Social Problems,Social Justice,Social Environment,Deception,Cost Effectiveness,Evidence,Beginning Teachers,Disproportionate Representation,Teaching Experience

In &quot;The Louisiana Recovery School District: Lessons for the Buckeye State,&quot; the Thomas B. Fordham Institute criticizes local urban governance structures and presents the decentralized, charter-school-driven Recovery School District (RSD) in New Orleans as a successful model for fiscal and academic performance. Absent from the review is any consideration of the chronic under-funding and racial history of New Orleans public schools before Hurricane Katrina, and no evidence is provided that a conversion to charter schools would remedy these problems. The report also misreads the achievement data to assert the success of the RSD, when the claimed gains may be simply a function of shifting test standards. The report also touts the replacement of senior teachers with new and non-traditionally prepared teachers, but provides no evidence of the efficacy of this practice. Additionally, the report claims public support for the reforms, but other indicators--never addressed in the report--reveal serious concerns over access, equity, performance, and accountability. Ultimately, the report is a polemic advocating the removal of public governance and the replacement of public schools with privately operated charter networks. It is thin on data and thick on claims, and should be read with great caution by policymakers in Ohio and elsewhere. (Contains 51 notes.) [This paper reviews the following document: &quot;The Louisiana Recovery School District: Lessons for the Buckeye State&quot; (ED528943).]
Considering Literacy Coaching Responsibilities in Terms of Teacher Change
Author: Smith, Antony T.
Date: 2009-03-26
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Study Guides,Professional Development,Mentors,Teacher Responsibility,Guidance Programs,Literacy,Instructional Improvement,Best Practices,Coaching (Performance),Change Strategies,Teacher Improvement

The complexity of literacy coaching can be daunting. Coaches face a huge set of responsibilities as they work with teachers to improve practice and increase student learning. From mentoring new teachers to conducting demonstration lessons to facilitating professional development meetings, coaches get pulled in many directions at once. This complexity may fragment the coaching process, reducing the impact of the coach on classroom practice and student learning. What is needed, to keep all of the pieces together, is a conceptual framework to help organize the array of coaching responsibilities and to consider them in relation to the process of teacher change. This brief describes a conceptual framework that situates a three-level trajectory of instructional coaching within a recursive process of teacher change. Coaches and others involved in coaching are encouraged to use this framework to discuss current work and to identify next steps in the process. With this purpose in mind, the framework is presented as a discussion guide, complete with a grid for jotting down notes on current coaching work and ideas for moving forward with the coaching process. Questions for study group discussions are also suggested. In addition to the study guide, this brief provides an overview of the conceptual framework as well as specific examples of framework elements in practice drawn from work with three middle level literacy coaches. The goal is to help coaches and others engaged in coaching to consider the complexity of the coaching process in a cohesive way and to help achieve balance between the many responsibilities that pull literacy coaches in different directions. (Contains 2 figures.)
Coaching Considerations: FAQs Useful in the Development of Literacy Coaching
Author: Fisher, Douglas
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Literacy,Coaching (Performance),Program Implementation,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Performance Factors,Agenda Setting,Design Preferences,Program Development

The National Advisory Board for the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse have identified a number of considerations that it believed needed further discussion as schools, districts, and states embrace literacy coaching. It negotiated and discussed a number of issues surrounding coaching and agreed on 10 key ideas that should be part of the discussions educators have as they implement, revise, and operate literacy coaching initiatives. This brief focuses on each of the considerations and explores the meaning behind them.
What Are the Characteristics of Effective Literacy Coaching?
Author: Shanklin, Nancy L.
Date: 2006-09-27
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Faculty Development,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Role,Program Effectiveness,Performance Factors,Literacy,Coaching (Performance),Best Practices

The Advisory Board of the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse suggests six characteristics that define effective literacy coaching. These characteristics can guide districts and schools to think carefully about the qualifications of the literacy coaches they hire, the realistic roles for coaches to fill, and the support systems that coaches need to be successful. Effective literacy coaching: (1) Involves collaborative dialogue for teachers at all levels of knowledge and experience; (2) Facilitates development of a school vision about literacy that is site-based and links to district goals; (3) Is characterized by data-oriented student and teacher learning; (4) Is a form of ongoing, job-embedded professional learning that increases teacher capacity to meet students' needs; (5) Involves classroom observations that are cyclical and that build knowledge over time; and (6) Is supportive rather than evaluative. (Contains 1 figure.)
Fostering Resilience in At-Risk High School Students
Author: Tepovich, Ann
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: High School Students,At Risk Students,Secondary School Teachers,Resilience (Psychology),Environmental Influences,Student Needs,Teacher Role,Classroom Techniques,Cognitive Processes,Student Attitudes,Teacher Student Relationship,Low Income Groups,Feedback (Response),Formative Evaluation,Effect Size,Classroom Environment,Transitional Programs,Surveys,Study Habits,Teaching Methods

There is a large volume of literature that discusses the at-risk high school student.  This literature tends to focus on the factors that create the at-risk student whether those are environmental factors or perhaps the failure of schools in general that create the at-risk problem in the United States.  Although the causes are important to understand, they are obvious. What is missing in the literature is what can be done in a classroom to support change for the at-risk student.  A constant issue with many of these at-risk students is their lack of persistence and resilience in an academic setting.  There are many theories as to why these students lack the necessary skills of resilience and although that is important contextually, it does not help the high school teacher when given the task to help improve the success rates of these students.  High school teachers struggle daily with how to reach their at-risk students and need best practices in a practical approach to help them support these students by building their resiliency.  These best practices can help the teacher of a class that is a self-contained academic support classroom or a teacher who is teaching in a differentiated English or social studies classroom. If the lack of educational resilience is one of the major contributors to why these students struggle in high school then useful, practical strategies to build resilience are necessary tools for the high school teacher.
Considerations for Literacy Coaches in Classrooms with English Language Learners
Author: Escamilla, Kathy
Date: 2007-10-08
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Literacy,English (Second Language),Coaching (Performance),English Language Learners,Limited English Speaking,Training Methods,Change Strategies,Educational Strategies,Classroom Techniques,Professional Development,Teacher Improvement,Instructional Effectiveness,English Instruction

This brief by the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse addresses issues related to literacy coaching in classrooms where there are English Language Learners (ELLs). Briefly defined, an English Language Learner is a child whose native language is other than English and who is learning English as a second language. Moreover, ELLs are defined as students whose knowledge of English is so limited that they are likely to find their classroom experiences incomprehensible (Crawford, 2004). This brief discusses several of the major issues that literacy coaches may encounter in trying to assist classroom teachers with literacy instruction for ELLs in English medium classrooms. Suggestions for addressing these issues are also provided.
Comparability and Reliability Considerations of Adequate Yearly Progress
Author: Maier, Kimberly S.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Educational Improvement,Federal Programs,Academic Achievement,Educational Indicators,Bayesian Statistics,Federal Legislation,Accountability,Generalizability Theory,Sample Size,Intervals,Monte Carlo Methods,Scores

The purpose of this study is to develop an estimate of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) that will allow for reliable and valid comparisons among student subgroups, schools, and districts. A shrinkage-type estimator of AYP using the Bayesian framework is described. Using simulated data, the performance of the Bayes estimator will be compared to currently-used non-Bayes estimator. While it is likely that NCLB will either experience a major overall or go away altogether, decisions will still have to be made about children's academic performance, and these systems will likely continue to use assessment performance as an indicator of academic performance. The estimator developed here has application to such accountability measure. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
Understanding Variation in Implementation of SFA in the i3 Scale-Up Project
Author: Quint, Janet
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Reading Achievement,Academic Achievement,Measures (Individuals),Educational Experience,Comparative Analysis,Models,Program Implementation,Evaluation,Control Groups,Outcomes of Treatment,Fidelity,Reading Instruction,School Districts,Reading

The main confirmatory research question guiding the design of the impact evaluation is: "What is the impact of Success for All (SFA) on elementary school students' reading achievement, compared to students in non-SFA schools?" An answer to this question will determine the assessment of whether SFA is successful at turning around low-performing schools. In addition to the main confirmatory question, this evaluation will address exploratory questions such as subgroup impacts and impact on non-cognitive outcomes. These analyses are intended to deepen the understanding of the overall average impact of SFA. The implementation study has three principal goals: to measure the fidelity with which the program model is put in place (and to determine whether the identity of the SFA coach affects fidelity), to assess the treatment-control contrast in educational experience, and to document the implementation process and lessons for scale-up and replication.
Predicting Student Achievement with the Education Production-Function and Per-Pupil Expenditure: Synthesizing Regression Models from 1968-1994
Author: Pigott, Therese D.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Productivity,Expenditures,Academic Achievement,Regression (Statistics),Predictor Variables,Expenditure per Student,Educational Finance,Correlation,Models,Research Methodology,Data Analysis,Literature Reviews,Research Design,Evaluation Methods

The purpose of this research to investigate the heterogeneity of per-pupil expenditure (PPE) slope estimates in predicting student achievement. The research question guiding this project is: how does the measured relationship between per-pupil expenditure vary across studies that use different models? In concert with SREE's 2012 conference mission of "Understanding Variation in Treatment Effects", this project will inform policy-makers and practitioners on how the distribution of PPE slope estimates varies across different model specifications. A secondary purpose driving this research is to explore methods for synthesizing regression results when the models differ across studies. To date, few methods exist to synthesize regression models when those models use different sets of predictors (Becker & Wu, 2007). The data come from an NSF grant to explore methods for synthesizing regression coefficients, where the authors gathered and coded the education production function studies from Greenwald et al. (1996).
Test Score Measurement Error, Short-Term Knowledge, and Lagged Dependent Variables in Models of the Education Production Function
Author: Stacy, Brian
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Productivity,Guessing (Tests),Knowledge Level,Standardized Tests,Academic Achievement,Error of Measurement,Scores,Models,Correlation,Comparative Analysis

Researchers and policymakers are interested in the causal effects of educational inputs on student achievement. Unfortunately, it is not possible to directly observe student learning, so test score data is often used as an approximate measure. To measure their achievement at a given point in time (e.g., in the spring of the school year) students typically complete standardized tests composed of around forty to fifty questions per subject over one or two days of the school year. Given the small number of items, the test is an incomplete measure of students' achievement. In addition, students can get sick during testing, be distracted, or can cram, either on their own or through their teachers, all of which will affect their scores. Guessing is also an issue due to the small number of items on the tests. Combined, these factors mean that test scores are a noisy measure of a student's true level of knowledge, and so estimation of causal effects may be affected. This paper investigates the impact of measurement error on the estimation of parameters in the education production function. (Contains 4 tables.)