ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Review of "Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States"
Author: Miron, Gary
Date: 2009-06-24
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Evidence,Traditional Schools,Charter Schools,Program Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Outcomes of Education,Achievement Gains,Mathematics Achievement,Educational Policy,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Evaluation Methods,Research Methodology,Evaluation Problems,Research Problems,Statistical Bias,Research Reports,Validity,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Testing

The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University  conducted a large-scale analysis of the impact of charter schools on student performance.  The center's data covered 65-70% of the nation's charter schools. Although results varied  by state, 17% of the charter school students have significantly higher math results than  their matched twins in comparable traditional public schools (TPS), while 37% had significantly  worse results. The CREDO study strengthens the well-established, broader body of evidence showing average charter performance to be equal to, or perhaps lower than, the performance of traditional schools--a body of evidence that is summarized in this review. The study also presents some state-level analyses concerning policy options; this review points out limitations with those analyses and also explores other policy implications of the report's findings. The relative strength and comprehensiveness of the data set used for this study, as well as the solid analytic approaches of the researchers, makes this report a useful contribution to the charter school research base. Nevertheless, this review points out some weaknesses and areas for improvement, many of which represent commonplace limitations for this type of study that should be shared in the technical report. (Contains 2 tables and 38 notes.)
Review of &quot;How New York City's Charter Schools Affect Achievement&quot;
Author: Reardon, Sean F.
Date: 2009-11-12
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Charter Schools,Academic Achievement,Achievement Gains,Achievement Rating,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,School Effectiveness,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Research Methodology,Evaluation Problems,Research Problems,Institutional Characteristics,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Testing,Statistical Bias,Research Reports,Validity,Error of Measurement,Robustness (Statistics),Educational Policy,Educational Practices

&quot;How New York City's Charter Schools Affect Achievement&quot; estimates the effects on student achievement of attending a New York City charter school rather than a traditional public school and investigates the characteristics of charter schools associated with the most positive effects on achievement. Because the report relies on an inappropriate set of statistical models to analyze the data, however, the results presented appear to overstate the cumulative effect of attending a charter school. In addition, the report does not provide enough technical discussion and detailed description to enable a reader to assess the validity of some aspects of the report's methodology and results. Policymakers, educators, and parents, therefore, should not rely on these estimates until the authors provide more technical detail and the analysis has undergone rigorous peer review. (Contains 21 notes.)
Review of &quot;The High Cost of High School Dropouts in Ohio&quot;
Author: Dorn, Sherman
Date: 2009-03-04
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Charter Schools,Graduation Rate,Dropouts,Educational Attainment,Literature Reviews,Statistical Bias,Evidence,Inferences,Error of Measurement,Achievement Gains,Community Benefits,Educational Benefits,Research Reports,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Cost Effectiveness,High Schools,Evaluation Methods,Research Methodology,Evaluation Problems,Research Problems,Outcomes of Education,Outcome Measures,Validity,Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Dropout Characteristics,Dropout Rate

A new report published by the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is a minor variant on six similar reports published by the Friedman Foundation over the past three years. The new report repeats some of the errors in the previous reports, and it follows a parallel structure, arguing that the costs of dropping out are dramatic for the state of Ohio, and that last-chance charter schools for dropouts can increase graduation and address the dropout problem. However, the report's claims about graduates for the 23 illustrative schools are inconsistent with the data reported by the state of Ohio for the year chosen, resulting in a dramatic overstatement of the graduation rates at the charters. The report also largely ignores the existing research literature on the personal and social benefits of educational attainment, the achievements of charter schools, and the factors associated with either completing or dropping out of high school. Further, the report fails to compare the alleged benefits of last-chance charter schools with plausible alternatives. State policymakers interested in increasing graduation would be better served by seeking out the available, well-researched scholarship on the topic. (Contains 12 notes.)
Review of "The Costs of Online Learning"
Author: Rice, Jennifer King
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Evidence,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Costs,Virtual Classrooms,Intermode Differences,Cost Effectiveness,Expenditure per Student,Student Costs,Audits (Verification),Statistical Bias,Error of Measurement,Predictor Variables,Research Reports,Measurement Objectives,Measurement Techniques,Research Methodology,Evaluation Methods,Evaluation Problems,Research Problems,Robustness (Statistics),Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Comparative Analysis,Technology Uses in Education

Schools and school systems throughout the nation are increasingly experimenting with using various instructional technologies to improve productivity and decrease costs, but evidence on both the effectiveness and the costs of education technology is limited. A recent report published by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute sets out to describe "the size and range of the critical cost drivers for online schools in comparison to traditional brick-and-mortar schools" (p. 2). The study divides online learning into two broad categories--virtual schools and blended-learning schools--and, based on data from 50 experts, reports that "the average overall per-pupil costs of both models are significantly lower than the $10,000 national average for traditional brick-and-mortar schools" (p. 1). These findings, however, are undermined by a general lack of clarity about the models being studied and problematic data and methods. While the report addresses an important topic, the utility of its cost estimates are limited. Of more value are the qualitative findings about how various cost drivers affect the overall costs of online learning. The study would be more useful if it provided a rigorous analysis of a set of well-defined promising models of online learning as the basis for its cost estimates. (Contains 7 notes.) [This paper reviews the following document: "The Costs of Online Learning. Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning: A Working Paper Series from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute" (ED528948).]
What Teacher Preparation Programs Teach about K-12 Assessment: A Review of Coursework on K-12 Assessment from a Sample of Teacher Preparation Programs
Author: National Council on Teacher Quality
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Teacher Education Curriculum,Teacher Education Programs,Elementary Secondary Education,Student Evaluation,Data,Decision Making Skills,Thinking Skills,Evaluation Utilization

Over the past several decades, federal and state governments, school districts and education leaders have invested significant resources to develop assessments and data systems to track student performance. Yet little attention has been paid to the importance of building the capacity of teachers in assessment so that they are prepared to use data on student learning to inform and improve instruction. As part of our "National Review of Teacher Preparation Programs", the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is examining the extent to which teacher preparation programs train teachers to understand assessment data and use that data to make informed instructional adjustments. Our preliminary findings are cause for concern: At best, teacher preparation programs in this preliminary sample are providing limited training to candidates in the field of assessment and data use. As a result, schools end up employing teachers who lack the training necessary to make use of information increasingly at hand. (Contains 4 footnotes.)
Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006. Southern Edition
Author: Allen, I. Elaine
Date: 2007-02-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Higher Education,Online Courses,Deans,Administrator Attitudes,Barriers,Educational Quality,Educational Trends,Enrollment Rate,National Surveys,Outcomes of Education,Program Effectiveness,Student Characteristics,Web Based Instruction

&quot;Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006--Southern Edition&quot; is based on data collected for the fourth annual report on the state of online education in U.S. higher education. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and based on responses from over 700 southern colleges and universities, this year's study, like last year's, is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education: (1) Has the growth in online enrollments begun to plateau?; (2) Who offers online courses and programs?; (3) Is online education becoming part of long-term strategy for most schools?; (4) How do Chief Academic Officers rate the quality of online courses?; and (5) What barriers do academic leaders see to widespread adoption of online learning? The survey analysis is based on a comprehensive sample of active, degree-granting institutions of higher education in the sixteen southern states. Findings reveal that there has been no leveling of the growth rate of online enrollments; institutions of higher education report record online enrollment growth on both a numeric and a percentage basis. The distribution of online students by level of study is similar to that of the general higher education student body, but the mix of schools at which they are enrolled is not. Previous reports in this series have shown a very uneven distribution of online course and program offerings by type of institution. This year's results show no major changes from previous patterns. The same types of institutions are at the forefront of online offerings. The first national study in this series found that a majority of Chief Academic Officers rated the learning outcomes for online education &quot;as good as or better&quot; than those for face-to-face instruction. The following year's report displayed similar results. By an increasing margin, most Chief Academic Officers believe that the quality of online instruction is equal to or superior to that of face-to-face learning. Previous studies, both national and southern editions, have identified a number of areas of concern for the potential growth of online offerings and enrollments. Problem areas identified in previous years are still seen as areas of concern among academic leaders. Additional tables are appended. [For related reports, see &quot;Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006&quot; (ED529697) and &quot;Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006. Midwestern Edition&quot; (ED530102).]
K-12 Online Learning: A Survey of U.S. School District Administrators
Author: Picciano, Anthony G.
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Blended Learning,Elementary Secondary Education,Online Courses,School Districts,Educational Planning,Delivery Systems,Barriers,Performance Factors,Distance Education,Asynchronous Communication,National Surveys,Deans,Administrator Attitudes,Followup Studies,Telephone Surveys,Public Education,Mail Surveys,Stakeholders,Educational Practices,Institutional Characteristics,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology

The research literature on online learning has grown significantly in the past decade. Many studies have been published that examine the extent, nature, policies, learning outcomes, and other issues associated with online instruction. While much of this literature focuses specifically on postsecondary education with approximately three million students presently enrolled in fully online courses, not as much has been published about students enrolled in fully online and blended courses in primary and secondary schools. This is one of the first studies to collect data on and to compare fully online and blended learning in K-12 schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of online learning in K-12 schools and to establish base data for more extensive future studies. Issues related to planning, operational difficulties, and online learning providers were also examined. This study does not necessarily answer all of the issues raised but hopefully will promote further discussion and study of them. Appended are: (1) K-12 Online Learning Survey; and (2) U.S. Dept of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) Locale Code. [For the follow up report, &quot;K-12 Online Learning: A 2008 Follow-Up of the Survey of U.S. School District Administrators&quot;, see  ED530104.]
K-12 Online Learning: A 2008 Follow-Up of the Survey of U.S. School District Administrators
Author: Picciano, Anthony G.
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Blended Learning,Elementary Secondary Education,Online Courses,School Districts,Barriers,School Surveys,Followup Studies,Administrator Attitudes,Replication (Evaluation),Change Strategies,Educational Change,Distance Education,Asynchronous Communication,Virtual Classrooms,Public Schools,Mail Surveys,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Educational Development,Educational Technology,Technology Integration,Technology Uses in Education

The literature and research on online learning has grown significantly in the past decade. Many studies have been published that examine the extent, nature, policies, learning outcomes, and other issues associated with online instruction. Much of this literature focuses specifically on postsecondary education. With almost 4 million students or 22 percent of the higher education population presently enrolled in fully online courses, it would be appropriate to consider that online instruction is maturing in postsecondary education. However, the same cannot be said about online learning in primary and secondary education where online instruction is still considered to be in its nascent stages. There is also a growing need to examine issues related to online instruction in K-12 schools in order to inform policymakers at federal, state, and local governing agencies who are considering how to use this technology to expand and maybe to improve instruction. Several major state-level policy initiatives (e.g., Michigan, Alabama) have recently been undertaken that require much greater use of online instruction in K-12 schools. In 2007, the Sloan Consortium issued a report on the extent and nature of online learning in K-12 schools. Entitled, &quot;K-12 Online Learning: A Survey of U.S. School District Administrators&quot;, this report was welcomed by professional organizations and the popular media interested in the use of online technology for instruction in the public schools. The report, which will be referred to as the &quot;original study&quot; throughout this report, was one of the first to collect data on and to compare fully online and blended learning (part online and part traditional face-to-face instruction) in K-12 schools. It was based on a national survey of school district administrators during the 2005-2006 academic year. The purpose of this current study was to replicate the original study in order to substantiate its findings and to examine what if any changes occurred in online learning in K-12 school districts. The current study was conducted two years later and was based on a national survey of school district administrators during the 2007-2008 academic year. [For the original report, &quot;K-12 Online Learning: A Survey of U.S. School District Administrators&quot;, see ED530103.]
The Misattribution of Summers in Teacher Value-Added
Author: Atteberry, Allison
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Testing,Standardized Tests,Academic Achievement,Scores,Learning Experience,Accountability,Grouping (Instructional Purposes),Educational Testing,Achievement Gains,Teacher Evaluation,Early Childhood Education,Primary Education

This paper investigates the extent to which spring-to-spring testing timelines bias teacher value-added as a result of conflating summer and school-year learning. Using a unique dataset that contains both fall and spring standardized test scores, the author examines the patterns in school-year versus summer learning. She estimates value-added based on traditional spring-to-spring data, as well as competing models that predict fall-to-spring test score gains. She examines whether teachers are ranked differently using these two testing timelines and whether certain kinds of teachers are especially affected by the test timing. The paper discusses whether this problem is of sufficient magnitude to caution against using value-added measures based solely on spring-to-spring test score data. Since states currently do not require both fall and spring testing, the implications for the federal accountability planning are significant. Some 250 K-2 teachers were working in these 17 schools during the study, and most--about 94 percent--participated. Student achievement data was collected in both the spring and fall of all four study-years. The study involved children from six different cohorts who entered at different grades and in different years, and as a result most students have fewer than the complete set of six student test scores (fall/ spring in grades K, 1, 2). Preliminary results suggest that growth during academic years (from fall to spring) is markedly steeper than growth during the summer periods (from spring to fall). This figure demonstrates that learning appears to slow or even reverse directions during the summer period. The presentation will focus on quantifying the extent of this average effect as well as exploring the variance across teachers and students. Only to the extent that the summer learning experience varies by unobservable characteristics of the student will this finding bias value-added estimates. (Contains 1 figure and 3 footnotes.)
Trends in Academic Achievement Gaps in the Era of No Child Left Behind
Author: Reardon, Sean F.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Federal Legislation,Academic Achievement,National Competency Tests,Scores,Politics of Education,Achievement Gap,Accountability,State Standards,Trend Analysis,Educational Trends,White Students,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Gender Differences,Data Analysis

The authors' goals in this study are to use both the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and state accountability test score data to (1) provide a detailed description of the magnitude and trends of state-level academic achievement gaps among cohorts of students entering school in the 1990s and 2000s; (2) investigate the extent to which patterns and trends in gaps vary among states; and (3) provide preliminary evidence regarding the impact of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) on achievement gaps. The authors use Main NAEP test score data from 4th- and 8th-graders in 1990-2009. They also use state-level categorical proficiency count data for students in grades 3-8 in 2001-2010, collected with the help of state department of education officials, as well as the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education. The authors are primarily interested in white-black and white-Hispanic gaps, though they also report female-male achievement gaps. The authors' findings to date indicate, first, that black-white and Hispanic-white achievement gaps have narrowed in the last decade or more. Male-female gaps appear largely unchanged over the same time period. Second, there is considerable variation across states in both the magnitude and trends in achievement gaps. Third, the patterns evident so far do not suggest a strong effect of NCLB on achievement gaps, though these analyses are not yet complete. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)
Accountability Pressure, Academic Standards, and Educational Triage
Author: Lauen, Douglas Lee
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Improvement,Low Achievement,Academic Achievement,Academic Standards,Cutting Scores,Accountability,Federal Legislation,Educational Indicators,Federal Programs,Scores,High Achievement,Reading Achievement,Mathematics Achievement

This study aims to determine whether educational accountability promotes educational triage. This study exploits a natural experiment in North Carolina in which standards increased first in math in 2006 and second in reading in 2008 to determine whether an increase in educational standards caused an increase in educational triage at the expense of low and high achievers and to the benefit of students near grade level. The authors hypothesize that changing the rigor of state academic standards will have heterogeneous effects on student achievement. Triage theory predicts that under a status based system such as NCLB, students near grade level in schools that fail AYP will have larger increases than students well below or well above grade level. They hypothesize that the disparities between average achievers and low achievers and average achievers and high achievers will widen when the standards for defining grade level increase. In other words, triage will become worse when the tests become more difficult and the proficiency cut score increases. Results indicate that in math there is strong evidence that the increase in academic standards benefitted students near grade level more than low or high achieving students. In reading, the evidence is somewhat weaker, but it is clear that high achieving students benefitted less than students near or below grade level. In the complete version of this paper the authors plan to examine whether these effects vary by the number below-grade-level students a school serves. In addition, they plan to present predicted values for low, average, and high achievers in both the pre and post period to more clearly assess the differential effects of increasing standards. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables and 2 footnotes.)