ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Postsecondary Programs and Services for Current and Former Foster Care Youth in Illinois
Author: Brown, Chequita S.
Date: 2021-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foster Care,Postsecondary Education,College Students,Vocational Education,Equal Education,Student Needs,Transitional Programs,Access to Education,At Risk Students,State Programs,Federal Aid,Grants,State Aid,Educational Vouchers,Student Financial Aid,Tuition,Paying for College,Fees,Scholarships,College Readiness,Career Readiness,College Preparation,School Community Relationship,High School Students,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation

The Postsecondary Pathways for Former Foster Care Youth (PP-FFCY) study is a research project that focuses on the transitions of foster care alumni to and through postsecondary institutions. Through the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL), the PP-FFCY project team is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment report that: (1) provides a descriptive profile of Illinois foster care alumni; (2) examines postsecondary access, opportunities, and supports for Illinois foster youth; and (3) addresses disparities in career and technical education (CTE) programs. This research brief provides an overview of programs and services that helps strengthen postsecondary pathways for current and former foster youth in Illinois. The report outlines a comprehensive review of the general and foster youth demographic profiles in Illinois, followed by an overview of various forms of student aid (e.g., national-, state-, and campus-level aid) available for foster care alumni, as well as a synopsis of the CTE program in Illinois.
A Parent&apos;s Guide for Understanding K-12 School Data Breaches. SPPO-21-03
Author: Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) (ED/OPEPD), Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
Date: 2021-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Student Records,Information Security,Prevention,Privacy,Parent Rights,Educational Legislation,Risk Assessment

This resource aims to provide parents of K-12 students information to help understand what it means when your school has a data breach, as well as provide tools and best practices to help navigate the sometimes confusing process of protecting your children's data in the event of a breach.
Local Education Agency Website Student Privacy Transparency Reviews -- Combined Three-Year Report Summary. SPPO-21-05
Author: Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) (ED)
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: School Districts,Web Sites,Privacy,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Policy,Information Security,Educational Legislation,Parent Rights,Student Records,Information Sources,Civil Rights,Navigation (Information Systems),Information Seeking,Evaluation Methods

The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) at the U.S. Department of Education is performing a four-year review of a sample of the websites of 1,504 local education agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information about student privacy. In each year of the study, SPPO is reviewing a nationally representative sample of 376 LEA websites, focusing on whether the LEAs include key student privacy documents and information about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) on the LEA website, as opposed to on individual school, board of education, or other websites. This report includes the first three years of research findings. Although 55 percent of LEAs reviewed have the FERPA Annual Notice posted on the website, only 10 percent of LEA websites have navigation menus that include a section indicating where to find data practices and student privacy information. Moreover, 94 percent of LEA websites do not include contact information for a staff member dedicated to data sharing and student privacy.
Supporting North Carolina&apos;s Public Schools: From COVID &quot;Relief&quot; to COVID &quot;Recovery.&quot; Education Insights
Author: Public School Forum of North Carolina
Date: 2021-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Public Schools,COVID-19,Pandemics,Educational Change,Educational Finance,Educational Policy,State Aid,Elementary Secondary Education,Expenditure per Student,Internet,Educational Facilities Improvement

Thanks to quick actions on the part of federal, state and local leaders, North Carolina's public schools have been able to develop incredible innovations to meet the needs of children and families during COVID-19. As the transition from COVID relief to COVID recovery begins, the Public School Forum of NC recommends several actions that will continue to provide local schools sustained support, stability, and flexibility to meet the local needs of communities. The following five policy recommendations are detailed in this report: (1) Stabilize school budgets to preserve new innovations; (2) Supplement -- do not supplant -- schools' COVID recovery needs with federal and state funds targeted toward COVID relief; (3) Continue sustained investments that expand broadband to households across North Carolina; (4) Invest in school facility repair and rebuilding efforts to support safe teaching and learning environments; and (5) Provide local school districts with multiple kinds of flexibility to transition into COVID recovery.
Assessment and Accountability during COVID-19: Supporting Safety and Learning for North Carolina&apos;s Schools and Students. Education Insights
Author: Public School Forum of North Carolina
Date: 2021-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Accountability,School Safety,Distance Education,Educational Change,Teaching Methods,COVID-19,Pandemics,Kindergarten,Elementary Secondary Education,Online Courses,Blended Learning,Equal Education,Standardized Tests,Student Evaluation,Barriers,Evaluation Methods,State Policy,Achievement Tests,Career Education,Institutional Evaluation,Educational Indicators,Grades (Scholastic),State Legislation,Vocational Education,Teacher Evaluation,Administrator Evaluation,Salaries,State Standards

Since March 2020, COVID-19 has required the implementation of remote learning options in K-12 public schools across North Carolina, ranging from fully online classroom experiences to hybrid scenarios in which students attend school both in person and remotely. In some locales, students continue to attend school in person most of the time, but with some modifications. As school communities continue to navigate the impacts of a global pandemic, new learning environments (remote or hybrid) have brought forth complex challenges when it comes to safely, reliably and equitably assessing student learning using statewide standardized testing. Additionally, standardized tests are used for accountability purposes, which can create scenarios where students and educators experience punitive outcomes that are potentially inaccurate due to the implementation of learning environments that are incomparable with prior years. This brief discusses North Carolina's assessment and accountability landscape, highlights barriers to assessment, recommends five solutions that policymakers can consider and implement expeditiously, and provides links to further reading and resources.
Broadband Internet: A Foundation for a Sound Basic Education. Education Insights
Author: Public School Forum of North Carolina
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Internet,Access to Education,Distance Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Technological Literacy

Broadband internet, defined as a download speed of 25mbps or higher, is a foundational resource for work, school, and life in North Carolina -- and even more so today, as families and educators engage in remote learning efforts in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Physical broadband infrastructure problems are a challenge for rural parts of the state. However, the barriers to securing broadband internet for households are not limited to certain geographic areas -- in fact, this is also a problem for those who live in urban areas. In addition to the challenges of accessing broadband internet infrastructure, North Carolinians grapple with additional barriers that include affordability, the perception of high-speed internet's relevance to the lives of some, and digital literacy gaps. Together, these barriers all contribute to North Carolina's relatively low broadband adoption rate of just 59.4 percent. This &quot;Education Insights&quot; breaks down the barriers to broadband internet access and outlines five potential solutions to ensuring every child has the access they need to receive a sound basic education.
Supporting Families&apos; Access to Child Care and Early Education: A Descriptive Profile of States&apos; Consumer Education Websites. OPRE Research Report 2021-161
Author: Banghart, Patti
Date: 2021-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Child Care,Early Childhood Education,Web Sites,Consumer Education,Access to Information,Costs,Child Development,Parents,Needs,State Programs

For most families, the process of finding and paying for child care is challenging, particularly for families with low incomes. Access to information about child care and early education options can provide a critical support for families as they engage in the search process. Consumer education can help raise families' awareness about the range of early care and education (ECE) options available. This descriptive study explored the ECE-related consumer education activities described in the FY 2019-2021 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plans and the types of consumer education information available on states' ECE consumer education websites (i.e., states' official consumer education website, Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) website, and child care search engines). Using a multi-dimensional family centered definition of access, the authors sought to understand how states' ECE consumer education websites support access to child care information. The authors examined the extent to which information is easy to find, addresses affordability, helps parents understand how ECE supports child development, and addresses parents' needs. This study addressed the following two research questions: (1) What is the current status of state ECE consumer education efforts (described in CCDF State Plans and websites) in providing information to families, with attention to the features and information commonly included across consumer education websites?; and (2) To what extent do existing ECE consumer education plans and websites support access to child care by offering useful information and resources for families (operationalized using the family-centered, multi-dimensional definition of access)? [This report was produced through the Child Care and Early Education Policy and Research Analysis (CCEEPRA) project.]
Special Education Reopening Guidance: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Case Studies
Author: May, Tania
Date: 2020-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Special Education,Mainstreaming,Individualized Instruction,Case Studies,Preschool Education,Elementary Education,Secondary Education,Individualized Education Programs,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Federal Legislation,Students with Disabilities,Distance Education,Academic Accommodations (Disabilities),Blended Learning,COVID-19,Pandemics,Mathematics Education,Social Emotional Learning,Speech Therapy,Progress Monitoring

This resource outlines case studies for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) and related services across school reopening models, including considerations for identifying settings and least restrictive environment (LRE). The case studies examples include elementary, middle school and behavior, secondary transition, and preschool. There is also an appendix with frequently asked questions.
The Acceleration Imperative: A Plan to Address Elementary Students&apos; Unfinished Learning in the Wake of COVID-19. Version 2.0
Author: Carroll, Kathleen, Ed.
Date: 2021-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Acceleration (Education),Elementary School Students,COVID-19,Pandemics,After School Programs,School Schedules,Tutoring,Mental Health Programs,School Culture,Evidence Based Practice,Curriculum Implementation,Teacher Collaboration,Family Involvement,Reading Instruction,Mathematics Instruction,Writing Instruction,Science Instruction,Social Studies,Social Emotional Learning,Teaching Methods,Student Evaluation,Students with Disabilities,English Language Learners,Low Income Students,Academically Gifted,Program Implementation

In school districts and charter school networks nationwide, instructional leaders are developing plans to address the enormous challenges faced by their students, families, teachers, and staff over the past year. To help kick-start the planning process, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute presents &quot;The Acceleration Imperative,&quot; an open-source, evidence-based document created with input from dozens of current and former chief academic officers, scholars, and others with deep expertise and experience in high-performing, high-poverty elementary schools. It has four key design principles: (1) many students--especially the youngest children in the highest-need schools--will require extra help coming out of the pandemic, particularly in the form of extended learning time, high-dosage tutoring, and expanded mental-health supports; (2) that extra help should complement, but cannot replace, what students need from schools' core programs, such as high-quality curricula and positive school cultures; (3) to make up for what's been lost, the focus needs to be on acceleration, not remediation; and (4) decisions should be guided by high-quality research evidence whenever possible. This is Version 2.0 of this living document, which will continue to evolve with the input of readers. It can be downloaded and used as a starting point or supplemental resource for planning purposes. Included in this document are dozens of specific recommendations that point to hands-on resources. Many of them are worthwhile at any time, but are particularly relevant to the recovery phase of this crisis.
Social Emotional Learning in Washington State. Report to the Legislature
Author: Goldy, Camille
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Social Emotional Learning,State Legislation,Educational Legislation,Program Implementation,State Policy,Educational Policy,Barriers,Advisory Committees,COVID-19,Pandemics,Interdisciplinary Approach,State Standards,Alignment (Education),Data Collection,Capacity Building,Adult Learning,Partnerships in Education,Community Involvement

In 2019, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5082 (SB 5082), which directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Committee to build upon the work of the previous Social Emotional Learning Indicators (SELI) Workgroup. The purpose of the SEL Committee is to promote and expand SEL implementation in a manner that helps students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life. SB 5082 requires the SEL Committee to submit a progress report to the legislature annually beginning June 1, 2021. The progress report must include accomplishments, state-level data regarding implementation of SEL, and the identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand SEL.
Five Ways to Support Teachers as Schools Reopen. Distance Learning Equity Dashboard. Policy Brief
Author: Ali, Titilayo Tinubu
Date: 2021-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Distance Education,Equal Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,School Closing,Teacher Attitudes,Participative Decision Making,Conventional Instruction,Blended Learning,Educational Planning,Strikes,Unions,Leaves of Absence,Public School Teachers,Risk,School Policy,Teacher Shortage,Wellness,Faculty Development

The school reopening debate has reached an inflection point as districts weigh both the safety and learning implications of returning to in-person education this fall. Challenges with transitioning to distance learning during the spring made it clear that teachers, parents and students needed more and different resources to make supportive, developmentally-appropriate distance learning accessible for all students during this crisis. The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) first sought to understand how districts were meeting the needs of their most vulnerable students and published the issue brief, &quot;Distance Learning during COVID-19: 7 Equity Considerations for Schools and Districts&quot; (ED605744). They then looked at 48 districts across 20 states and developed the Distance Learning Equity Dashboard (DLED) to track, across 20 indicators, how districts were providing academic, social-emotional and other wraparound support to students, as well as how they were supporting teachers and parents in navigating the transition to distance learning. They found that districts were taking thoughtful steps toward expanding distance learning supports; however, reopening plans varied in their attention to teachers' needs. Research has shown that teachers become more effective when they have collegial, supportive work environments with opportunities for peer collaboration, professional learning, and meaningful coaching and mentorship. These factors also play a role in teachers' decisions to stay in or leave the profession. SEF sought to understand the extent to which reopening plans addressed these factors and identified five key ways schools and districts can support teachers as they head into the next school year. This brief provides recommendations for state and local policymakers and administrators to consider to help teachers show up this school year as the healthy, skilled, well-resourced professionals students need in this critical moment.
The Revealed Preferences for School Reopening: Evidence from Public-School Disenrollment. CEPA Working Paper No. 21-06
Author: Dee, Thomas S.
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,School Closing,Educational Change,Public Schools,Enrollment,Distance Education,Conventional Instruction,Enrollment Trends,Blended Learning,Middle Schools,High Schools

Before the 2020-21 school year, educators, policymakers, and parents confronted the stark and uncertain trade-offs implied by the health, educational, and economic consequences of offering instruction remotely, in person, or through a hybrid of the two. Most public schools in the U.S. chose remote-only instruction and enrollment fell dramatically (i.e., a loss of roughly 1.1 million K-12 students). We examine the impact of these choices on public-school enrollment using unique panel data that combine district-level enrollment trajectories with information on their instructional modes. We find offering remote-only instead of in-person instruction reduced enrollment by 1.1 percentage points (i.e., a 42 percent increase in disenrollment from -2.6 to -3.7 percent). The disenrollment effects of remote instruction are concentrated in kindergarten and, to a lesser extent, elementary schools. We do not find consistent evidence that remote instruction influenced middle or high-school enrollment or that hybrid instruction had an impact. [Student work on this project was funded by the Brown Institute for Media Innovation.]
An Empirical Analysis of the ApplyTexas Postsecondary Application
Author: Taylor, Zach
Date: 2021-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Applicants,Difficulty Level,State Programs,Computer Uses in Education,Web Sites,Readability,Handheld Devices,Access to Computers,Disadvantaged

Since its writing into Texas state law, only one empirical study has been published which compares the relative ease or difficulty of ApplyTexas against other national-level postsecondary applications of which ApplyTexas competes with. Taylor's (2019) cross-analysis of ApplyTexas versus the Common Application, Coalition for College Application, and Universal College Application was revealing, as ApplyTexas was longer (by word count) and more difficult to read (14.6th grade reading level) than the other applications in the study. This new study integrates several new metrics for evaluating the difficulty of postsecondary applications. To address emergent research suggesting Internet speed can affect students' ability to access postsecondary education (Dettling et al., 2018), this study employs Sitechecker Pro's page size tool (Sitechecker, 2021), which measures the byte size of a webpage, informing the website developer as to how quickly or slowly a webpage may load depending on the speed of an Internet user's connection. Moreover, given the progress toward migrating the ApplyTexas application to Amazon Web Services to increase its technological capacity, this study evaluated the auto-save features of each application system to learn if technological safeguards are being written into application systems to save application progress in the event of a device shutdown, Internet outage, or user error. Applications were completed using a high-speed, 100mbps Wi-Fi connection. Regarding metrics related to how the application is written at the question- or fillable form-level, additional metrics were added to the current study to provide further insight as to how long or complicated the application may be for the average student. First, this study captures both the number of fillable forms required to create an application profile and the application itself, providing a measurement of how many questions or &quot;blanks&quot; a student needs to fill in order to complete the application. This study also evaluates the overall number of webpages required to complete the application, again providing a measure of how long the application is and how difficult it may be for a person with a low-speed Internet connection to load and complete each page of the application.