ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Computer Science in High School Graduation Requirements. ECS Education Trends
Author: Zinth, Jennifer Dounay
Date: 2015-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Computer Science,Computer Science Education,Graduation Requirements,High Schools,Programming,Females,Minority Group Students,Disproportionate Representation

Computer science and coding skills are widely recognized as a valuable asset in the current and projected job market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 37.5 percent growth from 2012 to 2022 in the &quot;computer systems design and related services&quot; industry--from 1,620,300 jobs in 2012 to an estimated 2,229,000 jobs in 2022. Yet some reports point to an alarming absence of female and minority students in courses such as Advanced Placement (AP) computer science. Of AP Computer Science A exam takers in the Class of 2013, 81 percent were male and 82.5 percent were white or Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander. Code.org reports nine out of 10 K-12 schools do not offer computer programming coursework. This ECS Education Trends report identifies states that are allowing or requiring districts to apply computer science coursework toward completion of high school graduation requirements in math, science, or foreign language. This report also highlights several states that require computer science courses to fulfill requirements for a specialized diploma or endorsement to the standard high school diploma.
A Review of the Role of College Applications on Students' Postsecondary Outcomes. Research Brief
Author: Avery, Christopher
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: College Applicants,College Bound Students,College Choice,Barriers,Low Income Groups,First Generation College Students,College Entrance Examinations,Hispanic American Students,Financial Problems,Access to Education,Outreach Programs,Tuition,School Counseling,Postsecondary Education

Identifying the best set of colleges to which to apply is not a simple task. The importance of any one application depends on the likely outcomes of other applications, and this logic and information is difficult to grasp for anyone, let alone high school students. To simplify this task, the College Board recommends that students submit a total of four to eight applications to a combination of &quot;reach,&quot; &quot;match,&quot; and &quot;safety&quot; schools. However, many academically well-qualified students do not follow this advice, primarily by selecting too many &quot;safety&quot; schools relative to &quot;reach&quot; and &quot;match&quot; schools. Students who do not follow the College Board's guidelines for creating a college list limit their postsecondary options, in some cases dramatically so. At one extreme, students who do not apply to a four-year college at all completely limit their choice set. Similarly, well-qualified students who only apply to less/nonselective colleges consign themselves to institutions with relatively few resources, low graduation rates, and academically weaker college peers. Low income students typically underapply with regard to both the quantity and quality of college applications compared to higher-income students with similar academic qualifications. Thus, the choice of college application portfolio likely serves as an important mechanism that differentiates the college choices of low-income students from those of others. Provided in this research brief is a discussion of application barriers students may encounter which may be procedural, geographical, cultural, informational, or financial. Potential solutions to reduce and remove these barriers include programs that substantially alter the usual application processes, provide information about and support outreach by colleges, promote the use of college application fee waivers, and improve college counseling. Another natural approach to favorably influencing the college application choices of students is to provide them with additional college counseling designed to overcome informational and procedural barriers. [This work is the product of a series of collaborations between the College Board and the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.]
Free and Compulsory School Age Requirements. ECS 50-State Reviews
Author: Aragon, Stephanie
Date: 2015-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Compulsory Education,School Attendance Legislation,School Entrance Age,Dropouts,Age

Policymakers across the nation continue to push for expanded free and compulsory school age requirements. More states are considering granting students earlier access to a free education so that they can begin their academic pursuits earlier in life. Similarly, every year a number of states consider extending the upper limit for compulsory school age to discourage students from dropping out. This 50-state review provides a snapshot of current state policies, providing answers to the following questions: (1) At what age is a district required to provide free public education to students, and at what age is a district no longer required to provide free public education? (2) At what age does compulsory school attendance begin and at what age does it end? (3) How many years total is a student required to attend school?
A Review of the Role of College Counseling, Coaching, and Mentoring on Students' Postsecondary Outcomes. Research Brief
Author: Avery, Christopher
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Colleges,College Bound Students,School Counseling,Counseling Services,Low Income Groups,Financial Aid Applicants,Need Analysis (Student Financial Aid),Student Financial Aid,Barriers,Financial Problems,Counselors,Foreign Countries

The limited availability of college counseling for many students, especially those from low-income families, means that advising and ready assistance with each stage of the college search and application process is lacking. The research summarized in this brief indicates that the deficiencies in the quality and quantity of college counseling available to low-income students helps to explain the differences observed in application behavior and subsequent college choices between low income students and their more affluent peers. The primary barriers to more widely available and effective counseling are rooted in school finances, counselor training programs, and competing demands for counselors' time. One set of solutions provides additional funding and infrastructure for college counseling, often in the public schools themselves. Other solutions provide the necessary counseling in other forms, including in nonprofit programs that provide after-school services.
Learning Time in America: Trends to Reform the American School Calendar. A Snapshot of Federal, State and Local Action. Spring 2015 Update
Author: Farbman, David
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: School Schedules,Extended School Day,Extended School Year,Educational Change,Federal Government,Federal Legislation,Federal Aid,State Legislation,Educational Policy,School Districts,Public Schools,Charter Schools,Educational Finance,Retrenchment,Cost Effectiveness,Financial Support,Educational Innovation,Year Round Schools,Government Role,Grants,Educational Legislation,Elementary Secondary Education,Attendance,Academic Standards,State Standards

The National Center on Time &amp; Learning (NCTL), an organization dedicated to redesigning and expanding school time to improve opportunities and outcomes for high-poverty students, has again teamed up with the Education Commission of the States (ECS), whose mission it is to foster the exchange of ideas on education issues among the states, to produce this snapshot of public school time in America, the third since the original in 2011 (See ED521518). By focusing on some of the key actions that have taken place at the federal, state, and local levels since 2013, these organizations seek to advance the national conversation about how the nation's schools can harness the power of time to realize a vision of high-quality education for all. This brief concludes with an updated version of a number of public policy recommendations that appeared in the original report. These revised recommendations take into account the rapidly shifting policy context and provide policymakers with a roadmap guiding how they can best support efforts to effectively provide students with the learning time they need to be prepared for future success. Also included in the report is the appendix: &quot;Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year.&quot;
Reverse Transfer: The Path Less Traveled. ECS Education Trends
Author: Anderson, Lexi
Date: 2015-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Reverse Transfer Students,College Students,College Transfer Students,Transfer Policy,College Credits,Educational Attainment,Colleges,Community Colleges

As the nation works toward higher postsecondary attainment goals, states are looking into ways to increase successful degree completion for students in higher education. A broad consensus between states, philanthropic interests, and the business and labor communities is that higher attainment rates are required to meet the workforce demands of the 21st century. This goal cannot be reached without innovative ways of increasing degree completion. One such innovation is expansion of reverse transfer policy. Reverse transfer is a unique process for awarding associate degrees to students who have transferred in pursuit of a bachelor's degree before completing the requirements for an associate degree at a two-year institution. Through reverse transfer policies and programs, students can combine credits they earned at two-and four-year institutions to be awarded an associate degree while also working toward a bachelor's degree. This brief defines reverse transfer and explores how states and organizations might utilize the policy as one approach to support increasing educational attainment. In the past 20 years, more than 31 million students have left higher education with some credits yet no degree or certificate. This highlights a need to support those students in their academic goals. Reverse transfer policies provide an option for awarding these students a credential.
Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates--Fall 2008 Cohort (Signature Report No. 8)
Author: Shapiro, Doug
Date: 2014-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Graduation Rate,College Graduates,Comparative Analysis,Public Colleges,Private Colleges,Proprietary Schools,Two Year Colleges,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Enrollment,Full Time Students,Part Time Students

This third annual report on national college completion rates offers the first look at the six-year outcomes for students who began postsecondary education in fall 2008, the cohort that entered college during the Great Recession. It looks at the various pathways students took toward degree completion, as well as the completion rates through May 2014 for the different student types who followed each pathway. The report also provides discussion comparing the fall 2008 cohort's outcomes to those of the fall 2007 cohort (analyzed in our second annual completions report, Signature Report 6). The following are appended: (1) Methodological Notes; (2) Coverage Tables; and (3) Results Tables. [This report was produced in collaboration with the Project on Academic Success at Indiana University.]
Some College, No Degree: A National View of Students with Some College Enrollment, but No Completion (Signature Report No. 7)
Author: Shapiro, Doug
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Enrollment,Educational Attainment,Higher Education,Outcomes of Education,College Graduates,Adult Students,Enrollment Trends,Outreach Programs,Reentry Students,Two Year Colleges,Educational Research

Over the past 20 years, more than 31 million students have enrolled in college and left without receiving a degree or certificate. Almost one-third of this population had only a minimal interaction with the higher education system, having enrolled for just a single term at a single institution. Signature Report 7 examines the &quot;some college, no degree&quot; phenomenon to better understand the value of some college in its own right and as well as the contribution the &quot;some college, no degree&quot; population can make to achieving college completion goals. The following are appended: (1) Methodological Notes; and (2) Results Tables. [This report was produced in collaboration with the Project on Academic Success at Indiana University.]
Common Enrollment, Parents, and School Choice: Early Evidence from Denver and New Orleans. Making School Choice Work Series
Author: Gross, Betheny
Date: 2015-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: School Choice,Enrollment,Urban Schools,Charter Schools,Centralization,Parents,Parent Attitudes,Interviews,Focus Groups,Parent Surveys,Elementary Secondary Education

A number of cities across the country are trying to make school choice work better for families by adopting new systems and policies that cover both district and charter schools. The common enrollment system is a promising new development that allows families to fill out a single application with a single deadline for any and all schools they wish to apply to. It's meant to cut down on the confusion and stress of choosing a school and to assure families that the application process will be fair. This report examines the implementation and early results of common enrollment in Denver and New Orleans, two cities with very different demographics and educational landscapes, and the first two cities to launch such systems. The report provides important lessons and essential guidance for these cities as well as others thinking about implementing common enrollment. Most notably, we found evidence that a lot of confusion and inequities have been eliminated thanks to the centralized application and choice system. The enrollment systems are also providing important data about what parents really value and want more of. However, parents complain that they do not have enough quality schools to choose from (not something an enrollment system can resolve on its own), and they still struggle to find the right school fit. They also struggle to understand why they get matched to a particular school. Education leaders in Denver and New Orleans are making efforts to help parents become more informed and confident choosers, and to use the data provided by the enrollment system to manage the supply of schools. The authors recommend targeting additional efforts at helping parents understand and trust the matching process, offering more diverse information and tailored help for parents choosing schools, and improving the quality of available school options.
Completing College: A State-Level View of Student Attainment Rates. State Supplement. (Signature Report No. 8a)
Author: Shapiro, Doug
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Graduation Rate,College Graduates,Public Colleges,Private Colleges,Two Year Colleges,Proprietary Schools,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Part Time Students,Full Time Students,Enrollment,Comparative Analysis

As a supplement to &quot;Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates -- Fall 2008 Cohort&quot; (2014), this report focuses on six-year student success outcomes and college completion rates by state. The results are displayed in three sets of tables organized by institution type, showing each state's outcomes for students who started postsecondary education at four-year public institutions, two-year public institutions, and four-year private nonprofit institutions. Each set of tables provides state-level overviews of college completion outcomes. Further results are included, showing state-level six-year outcomes for students: (1) By enrollment intensity across the six-year study period -- exclusively full time; (2) By age at first entry to college -- age 20 and younger, over age 20 through age 24, and over age 24; and (3) By gender -- women and men who started at each institution type. Two appendixes include: (1) Coverage; and (2) Unique Student Headcounts by State and Institution Type. [This report was produced in collaboration with the Project on Academic Success at Indiana University. For &quot;Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates--Fall 2008 Cohort (Signature Report No. 8),&quot; see ED556471.]
Evaluating Teachers More Strategically: Using Performance Results to Streamline Evaluation Systems. Issue Brief
Author: White, Taylor
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,School Districts,Interviews,Administrators,Charter Schools,School Administration

Teacher evaluation systems introduced by states and school systems in the past several years have focused attention on improving the performance of public school teachers, but they have been cost- and time-intensive, placing a significant burden on states' and districts' resources. In Tennessee, for example, trained evaluators conducted nearly 300,000 classroom observations during the 2011-2012 school year, prompting administrators to complain that &quot;the amount of time spent to implement TEAM [the state's new system] was unmanageable.&quot; Even among school leaders who did not feel overburdened by the number of hours spent observing classrooms, many felt the time had not been used efficiently, as the system treated all teachers with the same intensity, despite the fact that teachers' skills and needs for support varied widely. To address these concerns, Tennessee and other systems have replaced their one-size-fits-all evaluation approaches with more differentiated models, using past performance data to determine which teachers should be evaluated with more or less intensity in subsequent evaluation cycles and, in some cases, what that attention should include. This brief explores differentiation strategies in nine districts, two charter management organizations, and three states, Tennessee, Delaware, and Ohio. Interviews with system leaders and analyses of teacher evaluation policies reveal that these systems now vary the format or frequency of formal evaluation cycles, the format or frequency of classroom observations, or the type of observer conducting classroom observations, based on what is known about teachers' needs, strengths, and goals. A list of sources is included.
The Analysis of the Understanding Levels of Teacher Candidates in Different Departments about Basic Astronomy Concepts
Author: Durukan, Ümmü Gülsüm
Date: 2015-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Astronomy,Scientific Concepts,Preservice Teachers,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Student Surveys,Early Childhood Education,Science Education,Physics,Elementary School Science,Comparative Analysis,Validity,Statistical Analysis

Learners face a variety of concepts during the instructional process they experience. These concepts are mostly introduced by teachers; thus, the competences of teachers in terms of teaching concepts are vitally important. The aim of this study is to detect the understanding levels of teacher candidates about basic astronomy concepts. The method of the study was a survey method. The sample of the study was composed of 293 teacher candidates from early childhood teacher education, primary school teacher education, elementary science education and physics education departments. The data were collected by the achievement test, which included three questions intended to help describe, draw and explain the movement. The data were analysed by using the two different understanding levels in the literature. The data obtained showed that the teacher candidates could not submit proper explanations for the concepts: the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, planets, stars and satellites. This situation can be interpreted as an indicator that teacher candidates did not have enough information about the basic astronomy concepts. When the departments were compared with respect to the understanding levels, it can be said that teacher candidates from elementary science teacher education and physics teacher education departments were at a better level of understanding than their counterparts in early childhood teacher education and elementary teacher education departments. We must ensure that candidates are aware of their deficiencies and for these deficiencies to be eliminated we present various opportunities about astronomy activities like finding the Sun and a star using Stellarium program for the candidates to help develop themselves.
Is Value-Added Accurate for Teachers of Students with Disabilities? What We Know Series: Value-Added Methods and Applications. Knowledge Brief 14
Author: McCaffrey, Daniel F.
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Disabilities,Teacher Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Teacher Evaluation,Special Education Teachers,Standardized Tests,Scores,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Testing Accommodations,Alternative Assessment,Achievement Gains

Under laws providing for equal access to quality education, most American students with disabilities are taught largely in general education classrooms. And along with all other students, they are included in standards-based reforms--policies that hold their schools and teachers accountable for what they do or do not learn. In more and more cases, policies require that a teacher be judged partly by his value-added--a measure of what he contributes to student learning as determined by student scores on standardized tests. States and districts, of course, want to make sure they have accurate measures of these contributions. But students with disabilities pose several challenges for calculating value-added. They tend to score low--often very low--on regular state assessments, and most receive accommodations, such as extra time. The result can be scores that are unreliable or not comparable to those of other students or across years. In other cases, students with disabilities have test scores that cannot be used to calculate value-added because they take alternative assessments. At the same time, many students with disabilities are taught by multiple teachers; they may be taught by two teachers in the same classroom or by different teachers in separate general and special education classrooms. Students with disabilities also often receive help from aides and special services. Disentangling the contribution of each teacher from these other factors may be difficult. In this brief, the authors discuss the challenges of using value-added to evaluate teachers of students with disabilities. They consider the limited empirical research on the potential for systematic errors in value-added for these teachers, either because the models do not adequately account for the likely achievement growth of their students, or because they do not account for teachers being more or less effective for students with disabilities than they are for other students. They also consider the comparability of value-added for special education teachers and the value-added for other teachers.