ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Learning from Experience: A Guide to Social Impact Bond Investing
Author: Berlin, Gordon L.
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Investment,Bond Issues,Financial Support,Program Implementation,Correctional Institutions,Behavior Modification,Cognitive Restructuring,Adolescents,Recidivism,Program Effectiveness,Risk,Rewards,Cost Effectiveness,Outcome Measures,Social Problems,Intervention,Government (Administrative Body),Evidence

The social sector's hottest &quot;impact investing&quot; product--the social impact bond (SIB)--has generated a range of reactions, from excitement to angst. An SIB uses private funds to pay for a social, educational, or health program, and the government repays investors (plus a return) only if the program achieves prespecified results. The intervention financed by the first social impact bond in the United States--the Adolescent Behavioral Learning Experience (ABLE) program at Rikers Island jail in New York City--was discontinued after three years when results from an independent evaluation demonstrated that it was not meeting its goal of reducing recidivism among 16- to 18-year-olds. As president of MDRC--the organization that was the &quot;intermediary&quot; at the center of the Rikers deal--Gordon Berlin thinks it is important that the field not learn the wrong lessons from the experience. Instead, emerging lessons from the Rikers deal and others reveal both SIBs' value to government entities and also the reality that this value will only be realized if the tensions inherent in structuring the terms of an SIB deal can be addressed squarely. These lessons include: (1) the balance of risk and reward; (2) the focus on government savings; (3) the tyranny of SIB metrics; and (4) the role of evidence. This paper draws on lessons from the implementation of the ABLE program and the handful of other SIBs with actual operating experience to provide valuable insights into the inner workings of SIB deals, using ABLE as a vehicle for explaining both the challenges and the potential of SIBs. It provides an overview of the SIB promise, and briefly describes the ABLE project. The paper frames critical decisions and identifies central tensions in the design of a deal, including the unique requirements of due diligence in an SIB project, and walks through the steps involved in structuring a deal, showing how the tensions inherent in the SIB mechanism must be confronted. Recommendations for moving beyond a series of &quot;bespoke&quot; deals to effective, ongoing programs operating on a large scale, whether through sustained government funding or through the creation of functioning capital markets that afford a continuing role for private investors, especially philanthropies, are included.
Summer Literacy Unit for Elementary Students
Author: Bahrenfuss, Diane M.
Date: 2016-03-18
Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Subjects: Summer Programs,Literacy Education,Elementary School Students,Reading Difficulties,Reading Instruction,Reading Programs,Achievement Gap,Lesson Plans

This paper contains an instructional unit designed for teaching elementary students who struggle with reading comprehension. The literacy strategies that comprise the unit are grounded in the relevant research-based literature that is cited and referenced in the paper. Methods for instructional delivery are included as well as detailed lessons. Literacy strategy lessons were developed to connect fiction and non-fiction mentor texts with written responses. Discussion of multicultural literature is suggested as an engagement strategy to encourage voluntary summer reading. Student access to high-interest reading material as well as free-choice were major components affecting elementary students' reading development and growth during summer months. The following are appended: (1) National Council of Teachers of English Standards; (2) Materials List; (3) &quot;Scholastic News&quot; Article: A &quot;Titanic&quot; Anniversary; (4) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: Reader Response Journal (Serafini, 2010); (5) &quot;Scholastic News&quot; Article: Cell Phones in Schools; (6) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: Fishbowl (Facing History and Ourselves, 2015); (7) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: KWL (Ogle, 1986); (8) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: Writing a Letter (ReadWriteThink, 2010); (9) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: Quotable Quotes (Vasquez et al., 2013); (10) Sample Book List; (11) Meal &amp; Grocery Planning Sheet (Teacher Synergy Inc., 2015); (12) Camping Food Article (Teacher Synergy Inc., 2015); (13) Feasibility of Camping Food (Teacher Synergy Inc., 2015); (14) &quot;Scholastic News&quot; Article; (15) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Marking Text (AVID); (16) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Reader Response Journal (Serafini, 2010); (17) Reader Response Log (Serafini, 2010); (18) Reader Response Notebook Form (Serafini, 2010); (19) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan: Think Aloud (Lysaker, 2011); (20) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Debate It (&quot;Scholastic News&quot;); (21) Sample Book List; (22) &quot;Autumn&quot; (Emily Dickinson); (23) Frost Poetry; (24) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Visualizing (McLaughlin &amp; Allen, 2002); (25) Whitman Poetry; (26) &quot;I Hear America Singing&quot; (Walt Whitman); (27) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan--Comparing Two Books (ReadWriteThink.org); (28) Sample Book List; (29) Target, Bully, Bystander, Friend (Vasquez et al., 2013); (30) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Turn and Talk (Stanulis, 2013); (31) Sample Book list; (32) Literacy Strategy Lesson Plan--Using Venn Diagrams (Venn, 1880); (33) Sample Book List; (34) Sample Book list; (35) Literacy Strategy Lesson: Acting Out a Scene and Role Playing (Christie, 2014); and (36) Sample Book List.
Armenian and Slavic Correspondences in Comparison with Indo-European Languages
Author: Petryshyn, Ivan
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Slavic Languages,Language Research,Pronunciation,Indo European Languages,Contrastive Linguistics,Vowels,Phonemes,Uncommonly Taught Languages,Second Language Learning,Written Language

Armenian as a separate language has been thought as an I-E Language, but what language/s are the closest to Armenian? We made an attempt to compare Armenian words with Ukrainian, Slavic and European Languages contrasting the stems to some Iranian Languages, like Tajik, Dari and Persian, to see how relative Armenian could be to them. Our main goal was to identify the main Consonant-Vowel Regularities in Armenian: Ukrainian/Slavic: European/Iranian Languages. It has been noted that Armenian words have also some correspondences with Iranian Languages, like Tajik and Pharsi. To make the picture complete, we give their same-root words, as the illustration of the consonant-vowel interdependence. To complete the whole picture, we also used the Albanian Language as one of the separate I-E Languages to detect possible correspondences. Some of the entries had been made later: they add to the whole picture of the VCI and the VCI regularities. The methods of the transcription are also various, as accepted by the authors or as a simplified American pronunciation transliteration. Yet, students and linguist will not have a problem, if they are acquainted with European, Iranian and Isolated Languages, such as Albanian. (A bibliography is included.)
2014-2015 Student/Parent Handbook. Wake County Public School System
Author: Wake County Public School System (WCPSS)
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Public Schools,Parent Materials,Guides,Governance,Educational Policy,Educational Legislation,Educational Practices,Information Policy,Admission Criteria,Student Transportation,Food Service,Health Insurance,Child Health,School Safety,Emergency Programs,Academic Support Services,Eligibility,Driver Education,Discipline Policy,County School Districts

This handbook was produced as a resource for students and parents to explain the policies, rules, and regulations governing all students in the Wake County Public School System. Numbers that appear in some portions of the handbook refer to specific Board of Education policies. In some instances the entire policy is cited; at other times, only the most relevant portion is included. Individual schools may provide additional rules and regulations.
Letterland Evaluation: 2013-14. Eye on Evaluation. D&amp;A Report No. 14.18
Author: Paeplow, Colleen
Date: 2015-05-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Reading Achievement,Reading Instruction,Program Descriptions,Program Implementation,Instructional Effectiveness,Kindergarten,Benchmarking,Achievement Gains,Phonemes,Suprasegmentals,Limited English Speaking,Asian American Students,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Check Lists,Scores,Fidelity,Literacy,Educational Indicators,Models,Phonics,Teaching Methods,Phonemic Awareness,Alphabets,Executive Function,Emergent Literacy,Elementary School Students,Reading Tests,Reading Fluency,Expenditures,Statistical Data,Comparative Analysis

In 2013-14, Letterland had strong implementation, with moderate to high fidelity within approximately 90% of Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) K-1 classrooms. The impact of Letterland on students' reading achievement was neutral to positive. A significantly higher percentage of WCPSS kindergarten students were at or above benchmark mid-year on Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) and Nonsense Word Fluency-Correct Letter Sounds (NWF-CLS) than matched students from a comparison school district. WCPSS students' scores remained significantly higher on the end-of-year NWF-CLS. Participation in Letterland had a significant positive effect for limited English proficient (LEP), Asian, Black, and Hispanic /Latino kindergarten students varying by indicator and benchmark period. The percentage of kindergarten students with an end-of-year PSF score at or above benchmark increased 8.2 percentage points from 2011-12 to 2013-14. Results for NWF-CLS were inconsistent across years. Results suggest Letterland is a promising approach and should be continued. The following are appended: (1) Letterland Lesson Checklist; (2) 2013-14 Letterland Average Fidelity of Implementation Scores by School; (3) Average Students' Score on Key Kindergarten Literacy Indicators by Average Fidelity Score; (4) Propensity Score Matching Technique; (5) Tables and Figures of Percentage of Kindergarten Students Meeting Benchmark; and (6) Letterland Logic Model, 2011-12 to 2015-16.
Limited English Proficient Students: Progress of Kindergarten Cohorts. Research Watch. D&amp;A Report No. 14.05
Author: Huebeler, Amy
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Limited English Speaking,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Qualitative Research,Comparative Education,Kindergarten,Grade 3,Elementary School Students,Reading Tests,Literacy,School Schedules,Teacher Collaboration,Language Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Community Involvement,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Achievement Gains,Reading Achievement,Second Language Programs,Second Language Instruction,Outcomes of Education,Age Differences,Enrollment,Statistical Data,Interviews,Case Studies,Spanish Speaking,Institutional Characteristics

We examined the progress of kindergarteners who entered the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in 2008-09 and in 2010-11 who were identified as limited in English proficiency (LEP). For the 2008-09 cohort, English proficiency increased steadily over time. Few were able to exit LEP status in their first three years in WCPSS (10.5%); this jumped to 44.5% after four years. Retention rates were higher than for other subgroups, but declined from kindergarten to grade 3. Proficiency on the grade 3 Reading End of Grade (EOG) exam for the full LEP cohort was below that of WCPSS (50.4% vs. 69.6%). Those who exited LEP status before grade 3 had higher proficiency than the district on the EOG, and those exiting in grade 3 came close to district proficiency percentages. Patterns were similar for the 2010-11 cohort. A qualitative comparison of schools with the most and least success in improving literacy between kindergarten and second grade revealed the more successful schools served fewer LEP students, had fewer ESL teachers, and had traditional or modified calendars. They tended to provide more time for ESL instruction to newcomers and transitional students, had greater collaboration between ESL and classroom teachers, promoted community involvement more proactively, and exposed LEP students to more grade level materials (higher expectations). The following are appended: (1) Methods, data sources, and questions; (2) North Carolina AMAOs for LEP Students under NCLB Title III, 2008-09 through 2012-13; (3) Full WCPSS LIEP 2013-14; and (4) Case Study Interview Results.
Read to Achieve Traditional Calendar School Reading Camps: Summer 2014. Eye on Evaluation. D&amp;A Report No. 14.16
Author: Rhea, Anisa
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Summer Programs,Reading Programs,Program Implementation,Reading Achievement,Scheduling,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Achievement Gains,Pretests Posttests,Grade 3,State Legislation,Program Descriptions,Classroom Observation Techniques,Scores,Faculty Development,Student Characteristics,Change Strategies,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation

This report examines traditional calendar school Read to Achieve reading camps implemented in the summer of 2014. Teacher and student survey respondents reported positive reading camp experiences and reading camp was well attended. Based on data for 502 students, a small percentage (16.1%) reached reading proficiency by the end of camp. Gains in literacy, as measured by an increase in pre- and post-Read to Achieve (RTA) test scale scores were found for about two-thirds of the students and were most evident for the lowest performing students. Results from a multi-level model show that students' performance on assessments given in the spring was the best predictor of their post-camp reading proficiency with very little variation across sites. This suggests consistent implementation across sites and the opportunity for students to have a similar camp experience. Study recommendations include improving data collection to better support reading camp planning and evaluation, considering more than one instructional delivery model for future reading camps, and bolstering early literacy for students prior to third grade as a proactive measure. The following information and tables are attached: (1) Read to Achieve Reading Camp Sites and School Partners; (2) Observation Tables and Read to Achieve Student Survey; (3) Exemption Tables; (4) Post-RTA Test Distribution for Reading Camp Students by Post-RTA Test Proficiency Results; (5) Correlation Coefficients for Reading Camp Attendance and Various Pre- and Post- Assessments and Estimates from Two-level Linear Models Predicting Reading Achievement as Measured on the Post-Camp RTA Assessments (N = 436); and (6) Read to Achieve Grade 3 Report for 2013-14 by NC School Districts and Third Grade Student Proficiency for 2013-14 by NC School Districts.
Advanced Placement Results, 2013-14. Measuring Up. D&amp;A Report No.15.01
Author: Gilleland, Kevin
Date: 2015-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Advanced Placement,County School Districts,Outcome Measures,Achievement Gains,Achievement Rating,Trend Analysis,Profiles,Tests,Performance Based Assessment,Intellectual Disciplines,Enrollment Rate,Student Participation,Participant Characteristics,Courses,Ethnicity,Gender Differences,Statistical Data

Advanced Placement (AP) outcomes for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students have continued an upward trend for over 18 years, out-performing the state and the nation in all measures. In 2013-14 there were 13,757 exams taken by 6,955 WCPSS test-takers with almost 76% of the exams resulting in scores at or above 3, outperforming Guilford (53.0%), Mecklenburg (49.8%), NC (57.7%), and the U.S. (53.7%). The WCPSS overall exam average was 3.37, down by 0.3 points from 2012-13 but still higher than the state (2.84) and the nation (2.87). As in past years, top popular subjects remained the same, with Environmental Science, Psychology, English Language &amp; Composition, US History, and Statistics having over 1,000 test-takers each. In addition, Human Geography almost tripled test-takers from 412 in 2012-13 to 1,149 in 2013-14, replacing Statistics in the top five. Minority students continue to be underrepresented in AP course enrollments. Schools can use these data to benchmark themselves against their peers and past performance. Schools need to intensify supports and systems to attract and encourage additional qualified students to enroll in rigorous AP coursework.
WCPSS Student Survey Results, 2014-15. Measuring Up. D&amp;A Report No.15.00
Author: Townsend, Megan
Date: 2015-12-00
Type: Tests/Questionnaires
Subjects: Student Surveys,County School Districts,Learning Experience,Grade 5,Grade 8,Grade 9,Teacher Student Relationship,Relevance (Education),Peer Influence,Academic Aspiration,Student Educational Objectives,Citizen Participation,Family Influence,Rating Scales,Likert Scales

The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) Student Survey is administered each year to measure students' perceptions about their learning experiences. In 2014-15, the content of the survey, as well as the grades to which it was administered, were changed to better capture measures of engagement and grit during students' transition years. Over 23,000 students in grades 5, 8, and 9 responded to the 49-item survey in the spring of 2015. Results indicated that students worked hard to meet teachers' expectations, planned to continue their education after high school, felt hopeful about their future, felt supported by their family, and had friends at school. Rates of agreement declined from 5th grade to 9th grade, particularly in response to items about Control and Relevance of School Work. Significant differences in response patterns within subgroups were identified on all survey items, and the responses of proficient and non-proficient students differed significantly on most items. The following are appended: (1) 2014-15 WCPSS Student Survey; (2) Survey Results by Subgroup; and (3) Survey Results by EOG Proficiency.
Parents' Appraisals of the Animacy and Likability of Socially Interactive Robots for Intervening with Young Children with Disabilities. Social Robots Research Reports, Number 2
Author: Dunst, Carl J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Disabilities,Robotics,Parent Attitudes,Interaction,Intervention,Parent Surveys,Interpersonal Relationship,Children,Toys,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

Findings from a survey of parents' ratings of seven different human-like qualities of four socially interactive robots are reported. The four robots were Popchilla, Keepon, Kaspar, and CosmoBot. The participants were 96 parents and other primary caregivers of young children with disabilities 1 to 12 years of age. Results showed that Popchilla, a highly engaging toy-like robot, was judged as more animate and likeable compared to the other three robots. Implications for intervening with young children with disabilities are described.
Effects of Child-Robot Interactions on the Vocalization Production of Young Children with Disabilities. Social Robots. Research Reports, Number 4
Author: Dunst, Carl J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Disabilities,Robotics,Interaction,Intervention,Children,Toys,Down Syndrome,Autism,Attention Deficit Disorders,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Affective Behavior,Observation,Child Behavior,Rating Scales,Computer Software,Speech Communication

Findings from two studies investigating the effects of a socially interactive robot on the vocalization production of young children with disabilities are reported. The two studies included seven children with autism, two children with Down syndrome, and two children with attention deficit disorders. The Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) software package was used to continuously record child vocalizations during both baseline and intervention phases of the studies. Results showed that child-robot interactions were differentially effective in increasing the children's vocalization production. Several reasons are offered for the fact that child-robot interactions did not have vocalization production effects for a number of the children. The following are appended: (1) Popchilla World Software Speech Used in Study 1; and (2) Professionally Recorded Sounds and Speech Used in Study 2
Effects of a Socially Interactive Robot on the Conversational Turns between Parents and Their Young Children with Autism. Social Robots Research Reports, Number 6
Author: Dunst, Carl J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Disabilities,Robotics,Interaction,Intervention,Parent Surveys,Children,Interpersonal Communication,Young Children,Mothers,Program Effectiveness,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Computer Software

The effects of a socially interactive robot on the conversational turns between four young children with autism and their mothers were investigated as part of the intervention study described in this research report. The interventions with each child were conducted over 4 or 5 days in the children's homes where a practitioner facilitated child-robot and child-mother interactions using robot produced speech and movements. Results showed that the conversational turns between the children and their mothers increased from a nonintervention, baseline condition to the intervention phases of the study for all the children as a group and for all four children individually. The manner in which socially interactive robots might be incorporated into interventions with young children with autism and other disabilities is described. The following is appended: Professionally Recorded Sounds and Speech Used in the Conversational Turns Study.
Characteristics and Consequences of Adult Learning Methods and Strategies. Practical Evaluation Reports, Volume 2, Number 1
Author: Trivette, Carol M.
Date: 2009-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Adult Learning,Adult Education,Coding,Teaching Methods,Knowledge Level,Skill Development,Student Attitudes,Literature Reviews,Randomized Controlled Trials,Comparative Analysis,Student Participation,Cognitive Style,Search Strategies

The effectiveness of four adult learning methods (accelerated learning, coaching, guided design, and just-in-time training) constituted the focus of this research synthesis. Findings reported in &quot;How People Learn&quot; (Bransford et al., 2000) were used to operationally define six adult learning method characteristics, and to code and analyze the relationship between the six characteristics and the study outcomes (learner knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy beliefs). The synthesis included 79 studies using either randomized controlled trials or comparison group designs (N = 3,152 experimental group participants and N = 2,988 control or comparison group participants). Results showed that all six adult learning method characteristics were associated with positive learner outcomes, but that learning methods and practices that more actively involved learners in acquiring, using, and evaluating new knowledge and practice had the most positive consequences. Results also showed that the adult learning methods were most effective when used with a small number of learners (&lt; 30) for more than 10 hours on multiple occasions. Implications for professional training and technical assistance are described. The following are appended: (1) Number of Study Participants and Learner Characteristics and Outcomes; (2) Adult Learning Method Practice Characteristics; and (3) Major Findings from the Studies of the Adult Learning Methods.