ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Raising Global Citizens: Focus on Cultural Competency
Author: Koprucu, Sirin
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intercultural Communication,Foreign Students,Foreign Countries,Competence,Cultural Pluralism,Industry,Entrepreneurship,Economic Development,Employment Qualifications,Second Language Learning,Global Approach,Creative Thinking,Diversity (Faculty),Student Diversity,Partnerships in Education,English (Second Language),Consciousness Raising

Corporate leaders of high-growth initiative employment sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, health care, hospitality, information technology, and homeland security, are not the only ones who list intercultural communication and management skills as business requisites. The entrepreneurs who are expected to revive the American economy must also be led by cosmopolitan minds capable of identifying global needs and operating internationally to succeed. Individuals who are going to work in this environment must gain many skills early on, including foreign languages, out-of-the-box thinking, and the ability to work, lead, and motivate people from different cultures. This increased need for cultural competency skills, combined with the many corporate training and employee exchange programs, is prompting students from Asia, Europe, South Africa, and South America to travel abroad to countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Austria for better education and international experience. How can schools in the United States help students develop the essential intercultural skills that global thinking requires? By increasing their own cultural competency, schools will set the best example for their students. By connecting with foreign-born students, by having the right programs to integrate them into American education and the workforce, and by fostering cultural exchanges, schools can expand their students' minds and better prepare them for the global village. In addition, abilities to manage diversity among the staff and to develop partnerships with schools from other countries are other indicators that a school system values diversity and acknowledges the importance of effective intercultural interaction for future success. This article provides school leaders who would like to set an example with regard to cultural competency some strategies for success.
Meeting the Needs of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Author: Morse, Timothy E.
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Autism,Developmental Disabilities,School Business Officials,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Student Needs,Special Education,Federal Legislation,Access to Education,Program Development,Individualized Education Programs

Autism has recently become a more common topic in discussions about how schools can best serve special-education populations. Recent studies have reported the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be 1 in 152 children (Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network Surveillance Year 2002 Principal Investigators 2007). Since educators are increasingly aware of ASD, they need more information about how to meet the needs of these special students. In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), students with autism can be eligible to receive special-education services. Consequently, school business officials have much to consider as they work to support teachers and administrators in the development and implementation of appropriate programs for students with ASD. In this article, the author offers suggestions for creating appropriate districtwide and individual programs for students with ASD that are based on relevant literature and are offered with the understanding that when planning for the needs of students with ASD, one is simultaneously planning for the needs of many other students with disabilities.
Social Networking Sites and the Free Speech Rights of School Employees
Author: Russo, Charles J.
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Teachers,Legal Problems,Cooperating Teachers,Internet,School Business Officials,Administrators,Court Litigation,Social Networks,Privacy,Computer Mediated Communication,Legal Responsibility,Freedom of Speech,Board of Education Policy

In the midst of growing controversy over the limits of student expression on the Internet, a federal trial court in Pennsylvania addressed the extent to which education officials can restrict the ability of student teachers and, by extension, teachers and other school employees, to exercise their rights to free speech on Internet social networking sites. In &quot;Snyder v. Millersville University&quot; (2008), the court upheld the authority of university officials who, acting in response to requests from educators in a local school district, terminated the assignment of a student teacher. Officials agreed to end the plaintiff's placement because, in addition to concerns about her subject-area knowledge, she violated university directives that she received during her student teacher orientation by posting an inappropriate remark about her cooperating teacher on her personal MySpace page that was accessed by her students. Based on the legal issues that &quot;Snyder&quot; presents for school business officials and other education leaders with regard to the free speech rights of employees, however broadly this term is understood, this column is divided into two substantive sections. The first reviews the court's analysis in some detail since it can provide school business officials and other education leaders with insights into preparing policies for use in their own districts. The second section offers suggestions that school business officials and other educational leaders might wish to incorporate into their policies with regard to employee use of Internet social networking sites and their effect on district operations. The column rounds out with a brief conclusion.
Are We There Yet? Alternative Fuels for School Buses
Author: Lea, Dennis
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Buses,Fuels,Natural Resources,Energy Conservation,Government Role,Grants,Taxes,Incentives,Educational Administration

America's annual oil consumption continues to increase and is projected to continue the upward spiral into the foreseeable future. Alternative-fuel options are available that are not only cheaper in some cases on an energy-equivalent basis but are also more environmentally friendly. Education leaders need to be concerned with both these facts. Incentives are necessary from federal and state governments to stimulate the move to alternative fuels to mitigate costs related to fuel systems and infrastructure requirements. In this article, the authors discuss three alternative fuel approaches: (1) compressed natural gas (CNG); (2) liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); and (3) biodiesel (B20). It should be noted that the Energy Policy Act of 1992 identifies alternative fuels as LPG, CNG, ethanol, methanol, B20, electricity, coal-derived fuels, and hydrogen. The data presented will be based on the effect of using a conventional Type C school bus, the most commonly used bus type in the United States (Laughlin 2004).
School Bus Accidents: Reducing Incidents and Injuries
Author: Mahoney, Daniel
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Accidents,School Buses,Head Injuries,Accident Prevention,Child Safety,School Districts,Risk Management,Board of Education Role

The number of children injured in nonfatal school bus accidents annually is more than double the number previously estimated. In Ohio alone, approximately 20,800 children younger than 18 were occupants of school buses that were involved in crashes in 2003 and 2004 (McGeehan 2007). Among those children, most had minor or no injuries. However, there were two skull fractures, one incident of intracranial bleeding, one broken back, one serious injury to the spleen, and 28 head injuries, including concussions (McGeehan 2007). This article offers some suggestions on how school districts can lower the risk of both accident and injury.
Million Dollar Busing: Saving Money through Privatization
Author: Crates, Cheryl
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Buses,Privatization,Taxes,Bus Transportation,Educational Administration,School Districts,Busing,Economic Impact,Public Schools,Administrator Role,Misconceptions,Budgeting

The economic crisis has had--and will continue to have--a dramatic effect on tax revenue and education spending throughout the United States and beyond. Yet children still show up for school every day in need of an education. In times like these, educators and school business managers must be as committed as ever to providing it. The economic pressures are all too familiar to District 300, one of Illinois's largest public school districts, located northwest of Chicago. Privatizing school bus transportation became a hot topic among school administrators and parents, in the board room and in the supermarket. District 300 researched common myths about privatization and discovered that many of these concerns stemmed from misinformation about outsourcing school bus transportation. Surveys show that school administrators can spend up to a third of their time managing an in-house transportation program, and their experience was no different. Outsourcing is a proven solution for more than 30% of the nation's school districts, giving schools the opportunity to free up their time and energy for their primary responsibility--providing the highest-quality education for students. With these considerations in mind, District 300 took the step that promises to save millions of dollars and went out to bid. The district eventually awarded a three-year contract beginning in 2007. It was--and it remains--the right choice for the school district.
Big Brother Is Watching: Video Surveillance on Buses
Author: Sloggett, Joel
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Districts,School Policy,Photography,Bus Transportation,School Buses,Video Technology,Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Child Safety,Bullying,Privacy,Administrator Role

Many school districts in North America have adopted policies to permit cameras on their properties and, when needed, on buses used to transport students. With regard to school buses, the camera is typically a tool for gathering information to monitor behavior or to help investigate a complaint about behavior. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video showing what happened during the time of an alleged incident on a school bus is a full dictionary. In most cases, the principal initiates and oversees the process, which includes the initial request, followed by camera placement, film collection, and completion of the investigation. A key consideration in defending the school district's position to use cameras on buses is effective control over recorded film. Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities must be established through policies and procedures that, in turn, are widely communicated and thoroughly understood. Electing to use a camera on a school bus is a big step aimed at helping ensure safe and secure transport of passengers who are most often minors. Cameras should be tools of last resort, and recorded information should be treated as confidential and with the utmost respect. The author discusses the benefits of video surveillance on buses and describes some options for school districts to consider.
Transforming White Light into Rainbows: Segmentation Strategies for Successful School Tax Elections
Author: Senden, J. Bradford
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Budget Elections,Educational Finance,Voting,Information Management,Database Management Systems,Case Studies,Theory Practice Relationship,Documentation

In the late 1600s, British physicist Sir Isaac Newton first demonstrated refraction and dispersion in a triangular prism. He discovered that a prism could decompose white light into a spectrum. Hold a prism up to the light at the correct angle and white light magically splits into vivid colors of the rainbow! So what do prisms and rainbows have to do with winning school tax elections? The science of preparing for a school tax election begins with the development of an annotated voter file, which is the raw material that serves as the campaign's foundation. In the context of elections, the individual registered voter is the white light of Newton's experiment. File annotation is the process of merging other public and purchased databases and electronically &quot;marking&quot; segments or characteristics of the underlying registered voter file. Once this process has been completed, the full complement of annotations serves as an electoral prism, allowing the campaign to achieve a rainbow of segmentation coding. How far to probe the colors of the rainbow in segmentation coding and microtargeting is a strategy decision with cost and precision implications. Like Sir Isaac Newton, school leaders will need to use campaign prisms to separate voters into demographic groups. Once that has been accomplished, support for the proposal can be measured and the likelihood of different demographic groups participating in the referendum can be determined. These essential steps provide the foundation for effective microtargeting, communications, getting out the vote, and a winning campaign.
A Perpetual Return on Investment
Author: Griffin-Bonnaire, Nancy
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Economic Climate,Financial Problems,Educational Finance,School Business Officials,School Districts,Budgets,Volunteers,Social Responsibility,School Maintenance,Educational Facilities Improvement,Role Models

Many people were relieved to bid farewell to 2008, a year that will be remembered for unprecedented economic woes that rippled from Wall Street to Main Street and around the globe. The world's financial problems will not be resolved overnight, and in this fragile economy, school district budget cuts are likely the norm. Is there anything school business officials can do to start moving in a positive direction? The author argues that volunteering one's time and expertise is far more valuable to the community during times like these. Moreover, stepping up to fulfill one's social responsibilities can be both personally and professionally rewarding. The author stresses that one has to think of it as a perpetual return on investment.
School District Budgeting and Student Achievement
Author: Burckbuchler, Scott Alan
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Federal Legislation,Democracy,Academic Achievement,School Districts,Correlation,Public Education,Teaching Methods,Budgeting,Performance Factors

Public education is the cornerstone of a working, progressive, democratic society. Therefore, it matters where education dollars are spent. Budgeting decisions take on added significance in light of fulfilling the objectives of the No Child Left Behind Act, which is characterized as the most far-reaching piece of education legislation in decades. In NCLB's wake, much of the debate has focused on the instructional practices that will enable all students to meet the proficiency requirements by 2014. However, if this goal is to be realized, school districts must focus on ensuring that appropriate resources (inputs) are available to fund proven instructional strategies that produce results (outputs). In this article, the author discusses school districts' move toward performance-based budgeting, which supports the idea that school systems are less focused on what they have done in the past and are more deliberative in allocating funds. He describes an analysis of data on the relationship between performance-based budgeting and student achievement which reveals that performance-based budgeting has a positive correlation to student achievement. Although further study is needed to confirm this correlation, the fact that the data reveal a possible positive correlation between performance-based budgeting practices and student achievement is an important finding. Top criteria for budgeting decisions are presented.
Communications: A Two-Way Street
Author: Zeman, Gail M.
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Audiences,School Business Officials,Public Education,Interpersonal Communication,Communication Skills,Administrator Role

If one speaks, writes, or otherwise communicates with an audience that does not hear, read, or understand, it is as if he/she did not communicate at all. Worse, members of the audience might take away a message that one never intended. Knowing and using the tools of communication effectively will help school business administrators keep themselves and their district credible, respected, and responsive to the ever-changing environment that is public education. In this article, the author discusses how administrators can test a communication using the classic questions who, what, why, when, where, and how in order to ensure that the message will likely be accurately received.
Double Exposure: The Supreme Court and Sex Discrimination Claims
Author: Russo, Charles J.
Date: 2009-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Courts,Federal Government,Court Litigation,Boards of Education,School Business Officials,Gender Discrimination,Educational Opportunities

The Supreme Court's recent decision in &quot;Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee&quot; (2009) expands the opportunities for students and their parents to sue school boards for alleged sex discrimination. Even so, as discussed here, &quot;Fitzgerald&quot; should have little effect on the day-to-day operations of school systems. This column briefly reviews the background of Title IX and sexual discrimination in schools and then reviews &quot;Fitzgerald's&quot; facts and holding. It concludes by reflecting on &quot;Fitzgerald's&quot; significance and practical effect while offering recommendations for school business officials and other education leaders in developing policies aimed at eliminating sexual discrimination.
Health Promotion Using Life Skills Education Approach for Adolescents in Schools--Development of a Model
Author: Bharath, Srikala
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Discussion,Health Promotion,Health Programs,Experiential Learning,Adolescents,Teaching Methods,Role Playing,Health Education,Games,Problem Solving,Models,Teacher Role,Educational Objectives,Foreign Countries

Life Skills Education (LSE) is a novel promotional program that teaches generic life skills through participatory learning methods of games, debates, role-plays, and group discussion. Conceptual understanding and practicing of the skills occurs through experiential learning in a non-threatening setting. Such initiatives provide the adolescent with a wide range of alternative and creative ways of solving problems. Repeated practice of these skills leads to a certain mastery and application of such skills to real life situation helps in gaining control over the situation. LSE empowers the youth to choose appropriate values and behaviour which are ingredients of positive health. Development of a model school mental health program using the LSE methodology and psychosocial competence of the adolescents as the goal is described. The highlights of model are: (1) Comprehensive health in adolescents is the goal; (2) Using Life Skills as the medium; (3) Providing a structure to the program by activities; and (4) Teachers as facilitators. (Contains 1 table.)
A Preliminary Report on the Use of the Narrative Approach for Childhood Mental Health Problems
Author: Vishwanatha, Kalyani
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Mental Health,Children,Measures (Individuals),Teaching Methods,Emotional Disturbances,Therapy,Behavior Problems,Personal Narratives,Outcomes of Treatment,Foreign Countries

Aim: To examine the feasibility of using the narrative approach for managing childhood mental health problems. Methods: The sample consisted of 10 children aged 9-12 years, who were rated as having problems on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Teacher version), of which 5 were in the experimental and 5 in the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session package based on the narrative approach. Both groups were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Pictorial Instrument for Children and Adolescents, Children's Global Assessment Scale and an open interview pre and post therapy. Results: A reduction in the problem behaviors of the children was noted, both on teacher and self-report and an improvement in global functioning occurred. Conclusions: Narrative approach may add to the armamentarium to manage childhood mental health problem. (Contains 1 table.)
Impact of Various Instructional Strategies for Enhancing Mathematical Skills of Learning Disabled Children
Author: Kaur, Taranjit
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Strategies,Learning Disabilities,Diagnostic Tests,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Skills,Teaching Methods,Pretests Posttests,Multimedia Instruction,Intelligence Quotient,Control Groups,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Measures (Individuals)

Aim: The current study tested the comparative efficacy of various strategies on basic mathematical skills of learning disabled children. Methods: Learning disabled children were randomly assigned to multimedia, cognitive, eclectic and control conditions. Assessment included the use of IQ, Diagnostic Test of Learning Disability, and Pre and post-test administration of the Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in Arithmetic scale. Results: All the tested strategies significantly enhanced basic mathematical skills of learning disabled children. Conclusions: Multimedia, cognitive strategy and eclectic approach can be used for enhancing the mathematical skills of learning disabled children. (Contains 2 tables.)
Childhood Onset Schizophrenia: Clinical Features, Course and Outcome
Author: Sood, Mamta
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Schizophrenia,Economically Disadvantaged,Symptoms (Individual Disorders),Early Adolescents,Children,Patients,Puberty,Clinical Diagnosis,Language Impairments,Communication Problems,Predictor Variables

Schizophrenia in children is diagnosed by using adult criteria. Based on the age of onset, patients with childhood onset schizophrenia (COS) are subdivided into those with very early onset (before age 12-14 years) and those with early onset (between 14-17 years). The prevalence of COS is reported to be 1 in 10,000 before the age of 12 years; however, there is a significant increase around puberty and early adolescence and by 18 years of age, 20% of the patients with schizophrenia will have the illness. Simple delusions and hallucinations revolving around childhood themes, language and communication deficits and flat affect have been reported in COS. Follow-up studies suggest that the outcome is generally poor to fair. Predictors of poor outcome are age of onset (less than 12 years), insidious onset and marked premorbid abnormalities. (Contains 1 table.)