ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Putting Data to Work to Support OUSD Teacher Retention
Author: Kaiser-Nyman, Chris
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Persistence,School Districts,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Conditions,Faculty Development,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Student Relationship,Collegiality,Teacher Employment Benefits,Teacher Salaries,Stress Variables,Housing

Since 2007, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has averaged an 81.5% teacher retention rate on their average of 2,295 teachers. This means that each year, OUSD needs to fill over 400 teaching positions. Nationally, the teacher retention rate is around 90%, and in California that number hovers at 88%. With this in mind, in January 2018, OUSD's Talent Division administered a comprehensive 74-question survey to all staff members. While this report analyzes responses only from teachers, the survey asked all employees about their work environment, their colleagues and supervisors, professional development, systems of support, and factors that push them to leave or stay at OUSD, among many others. As the district targets improved teacher retention, it plans to use insights from this survey in order to center the voices of teachers when making changes intended to improve teacher retention.
Education Choice Overview. ExcelinEd Policy Toolkit - 2020
Author: Foundation for Excellence in Education
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: School Choice,Open Enrollment,Charter Schools,Educational Vouchers,Tax Credits,Scholarships,Public Schools,Private Schools,Money Management

The philosophy of education choice is the belief that every child deserves access to a quality education that fits their needs. Education choice includes public, private, and non-traditional schooling options like open enrollment public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, home schooling, online learning, vouchers, tax-credit scholarships and education scholarship accounts (ESAs). This brief paper provides an overview of the following schooling options: open enrollment, public charter schools, vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, and education scholarship accounts.
Letter Features as Predictors of Letter-Name Acquisition in Four Languages with Three Scripts
Author: Kim, Young-Suk Grace
Date: 2020-10-16
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alphabets,Written Language,Printed Materials,Item Response Theory,English,Portuguese,Korean,Semitic Languages,Difficulty Level,Visual Discrimination,Foreign Countries,Identification,Task Analysis,Cross Cultural Studies,Preschool Children

To expand our understanding of script-general and script-specific principles in the learning of letter names, we examined how three characteristics of alphabet letters -- their frequency in printed materials, order in the alphabet, and visual similarity to other letters -- relate to children's letter-name knowledge in four languages with three distinct scripts (English [N = 318; M age = 4.90], Portuguese [N = 366; M age = 5.80], Korean [N = 168; M age = 5.48], and Hebrew [N = 645; M age = 5.42]). Explanatory item response modeling analysis showed that the frequency of letters in printed materials was consistently related to letter difficulty across the four languages. There were also moderation effects for letter difficulty in English and Korean, and for discriminatory power of letters in Korean. The results suggest that exposure to letters as measured by letter frequency is a language-general mechanism in the learning of alphabet letters. [This is the online first version of an article published in &quot;Scientific Studies of Reading.&quot;]
Changes in Social-Emotional Learning: Examining Student Development over Time. Working Paper
Author: Kanopka, Klint
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Social Development,Emotional Development,Interpersonal Competence,Academic Achievement,Attendance,Student Development,Mathematics Achievement,Language Arts,Scores,Outcomes of Education,Middle School Students,Student Characteristics,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Economically Disadvantaged,Prior Learning,Social Cognition,Self Efficacy,Self Management,Predictor Variables

Prior work has shown that students' reports of their levels of social-emotional skills predict achievement levels and gains, but we have little evidence on whether within-student changes in student reports of social-emotional skills are predictive of changes in theoretically related academic and behavioral outcomes. We use large-scale data from the California CORE districts to examine whether changes in individual students' reports of their social-emotional skills from one school year to the next predict changes in state math and English language arts (ELA) test scores and attendance. The CORE districts provide the largest yearly measurement of social-emotional learning (SEL), achievement, and attendance data in the U.S. We show that changes in self-reported social-emotional skills predict changes in both achievement and attendance. These results are robust across model specifications. Moreover, the relationships between SEL and achievement and attendance outcomes are consistent across student subgroups.
Designing and Implementing Virtual Exchange -- A Collection of Case Studies
Author: Helm, Francesca, Ed.
Date: 2020-11-23
Type: Books
Subjects: Foreign Countries,International Educational Exchange,Higher Education,Youth Programs,Computer Uses in Education,Linguistics,Tourism,Theater Arts,Art Education,Interdisciplinary Approach,Business Communication,Communication Skills,Teamwork,Entrepreneurship,Economics Education,Learning Experience,Second Language Learning,Mobility,Blended Learning,Global Approach,English for Special Purposes,Intercultural Communication,International Programs,Cultural Awareness,History Instruction,Job Search Methods,Physics,Engineering Education,Active Learning,Student Projects,College Students,Speech Skills,Foreign Students

Virtual exchange is gaining popularity in formal and non-formal education, partly as a means to internationalise the curriculum, and also to offer more sustainable and inclusive international and intercultural experiences to young people around the world. This volume brings together 19 case studies (17 in higher education and two in youth work) of virtual exchange projects in Europe and the South Mediterranean region. They span across a range of disciplines, from STEM to business, tourism, and languages, and are presented as real-life pedagogical practices that can be of interest to educators looking for ideas and inspiration. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book. Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
Influences of Individual, Text, and Assessment Factors on Text/Discourse Comprehension in Oral Language (Listening Comprehension)
Author: Kim, Young-Suk Grace
Date: 2020-11-13
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Oral Language,Listening Comprehension,Elementary School Students,Grade 2,Individual Differences,Item Response Theory,Achievement Tests,Reading Tests,Informal Reading Inventories,Perspective Taking,Theory of Mind,Short Term Memory,Vocabulary,Grammar,Inferences,Literary Genres

We investigated the contributions of multiple strands of factors--individual characteristics (struggling reader status, working memory, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, knowledge-based inference, theory of mind, comprehension monitoring), a text feature (narrative vs. expository genre), and question types (literal and inferential)--to one's performance on discourse comprehension in oral language (listening comprehension), using data from 529 second graders. Results from explanatory item response models revealed that substantial variance in listening comprehension was attributable to differences between items, texts, and children, respectively. Narrative versus expository genre distinctions explained almost all of the variance attributable to text differences. In contrast, literal versus inferential question distinctions did not explain item responses after accounting for text and reading comprehension status. However, there was a moderation between struggling reader status and question type such that struggling readers had a slightly higher (2%) probability of getting inferential questions right compared to typically developing readers, after accounting for individual and text factors. Struggling readers have a lower probability of accurate item responses than typically developing readers, but the difference disappeared once language and cognitive skills (e.g., working memory, vocabulary) were taken into consideration. The effects of text genre and question type on item responses did not differ as a function of children's language and cognitive skills. Overall, these results underscore the importance of considering individual, text, and assessment factors for children's performance in listening comprehension. [This is the online version of an article published in &quot;Annals of Dyslexia&quot; (ISSN 0736-9387).]
Considerations for Supporting a Successful Start to the 2020-2021 School Year for Students with Disabilities
Author: National Center for Systemic Improvement at WestEd
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Students with Disabilities,State Departments of Education,Leadership Role,School Districts,Access to Education,Student Needs,Legal Responsibility,Delivery Systems,Inclusion,Equal Education,Intervention,Progress Monitoring,Educational Policy,Educational Technology,Distance Education,Online Courses,Student Rights,Parent Participation,Strategic Planning,Individualized Education Programs,Federal Legislation,COVID-19,Pandemics,Federal Aid

To successfully launch the 2020-2021 school year for students with disabilities, state education agencies (SEAs) have an essential leadership role to play in supporting local school systems to plan for multiple scenarios, including services delivered in-person, through distance learning, and via blended approaches. There are two overarching categories to think about as states support districts and other local school systems with planning: (1) Learning Considerations for individual students and student groups; and (2) Legal Considerations for meeting compliance obligations under IDEA. Across the country, local context and conditions for school reopening will vary &quot;across&quot; states, and possibly also be different &quot;within&quot; states. Accordingly, strong state leadership will extend to supporting a variety of individual circumstances. This leadership includes the need to support local systems to develop and implement clear plans for how they will ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities within context-specific service delivery models and approaches. This document identifies some key concepts for school launch as particularly focused on students with disabilities, and suggests questions that SEA leaders should consider to support local system success. These considerations are not the be-all, end-all; this document serves to flag some of the most important things for SEAs to address and can be useful for SEAs across the country.
The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education. Executive Summary
Author: New Jersey Department of Education
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,School Closing,Disease Control,Public Health,School Schedules,Student Needs,Educational Environment,Child Health,School Safety,Social Development,Academic Ability,Student Behavior,Social Emotional Learning,School Culture,Intervention,Holistic Approach,Food,Child Care,Leadership Responsibility,Planning,Teacher Role,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Special Education,Students with Disabilities,Related Services (Special Education),Access to Computers,Curriculum,Instruction,Student Evaluation,Faculty Development,Vocational Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Preschool Education

This is the executive summary for &quot;The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education.&quot; The COVID-19 pandemic impacted every aspect of people's lives. As New Jersey looks to the future and plans for students to return to schools in-person this fall, they must recognize and prepare for the ways the virus and necessary public health response has changed and will change the way students learn. This Restart and Recovery Plan provides educators and administrators with the information necessary to ensure that schools reopen safely and are prepared to accommodate students' unique needs during this time. The Plan presents guidance related to four key subject areas: (1) Conditions for Learning; (2) Leadership and Planning; (3) Policy and Funding; and (4) Continuity of Learning. [For the full report, see ED609224.]
Does the California Quality Rating and Improvement System Predict Child Outcomes?
Author: Stipek, Deborah
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Rating Scales,Educational Improvement,Early Childhood Education,Educational Quality,Evaluation Criteria,State Programs,Outcomes of Education,Teacher Qualifications,Classroom Environment,Teacher Student Relationship,Teacher Student Ratio,Work Environment,Cutting Scores,Scoring Rubrics,Program Evaluation

The use of the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to improve early childhood education program quality is based in part on assumptions that the quality of programs can be measured and that quality ratings are associated with meaningful differences in learning outcomes for children. This report reviews all of the state QRIS validation studies that examined associations between individual rating elements and child outcomes as well as other research that exists on four elements of the California QRIS, referred to as Quality Counts California: (1) teacher qualifications; (2) program environment; (3) teacher-child interactions; and (4) child-to-teacher ratio and group size. The review indicates that the current elements in Quality Counts California have weak and inconsistent associations with child outcomes. The problem is not necessarily with the dimensions measured but with how they are measured and with how points are allocated. The report recommends: (1) developing a program observation measure that is better aligned to desirable child outcomes, including foundational academic skills; (2) creating a measure of teacher qualifications that includes the nature and extent of courses in early childhood education (ECE); (3) differentiating between programs that serve children of different ages; and (4) considering additional ratings related to the quality of work environment and pay. An examination of cutoff scores in rating rubrics and the use of more comprehensive measures of child outcomes in validation studies are also recommended.
Enabling Conditions and Capacities for Continuous Improvement: A Framework for Measuring and Supporting Progress towards the Goals of the Statewide System of Support
Author: Myung, Jeannie
Date: 2020-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Improvement,Educational Change,Skill Development,Capacity Building,Achievement Gains,Feedback (Response),Program Effectiveness,Change Strategies,Accountability,State Programs,Systems Approach,State Government,Local Government,Counties,School Districts,Schools,Board of Education Role,State Departments of Education,State Boards of Education,Trust (Psychology),Goal Orientation,Cooperative Planning,Program Implementation

California's school accountability and support system, the Statewide System of Support (System of Support), was designed to transform California's approach to school improvement. Rather than focusing on punitive consequences for underperformance, the System of Support is designed to provide education leaders and educators with needed support to build their skills and knowledge. Central to the state's theory of action is that building system capacity to improve will lead to increases in student achievement and will reduce disparities in outcomes. In practice, this has resulted in heightened interest and investment in continuous improvement approaches in California schools. Continuous improvement entails collective problem identification; rapid development of potential solutions; feedback mechanisms to quickly assess the effectiveness of potential solutions; and willingness to learn from failures in order to deploy successful solutions. The effective implementation of continuous improvement requires structures, practices, cultures, and capacities that are often in contrast to traditional school improvement strategies, which have prioritized scaling ideas quickly or presenting top-down mandates. This report describes the contextual factors of organizations and the capacities of individuals that can foster the success of continuous improvement and the goals of the System of Support. As schools, districts, counties, and state agencies embark upon the work of continuous improvement, they must also attend to the enabling conditions and capacities that undergird the success of continuous improvement efforts.
Increasing Student Success: Understanding the Impact of a Comprehensive College Transition Program. Stakeholder Report for the Thompson Scholars Learning Communities
Author: Melguizo, Tatiana
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Student Adjustment,Transitional Programs,Student School Relationship,College Students,Academic Achievement,Grade Point Average,Academic Persistence,At Risk Students,Low Income Students,First Generation College Students,Minority Group Students,Equal Education,Program Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Interpersonal Competence,Career Choice,Decision Making,Scores,College Entrance Examinations,Psychological Patterns,Student Attitudes

In 2015, the University of Southern California (USC) began a longitudinal, mixed-methods evaluation of the Thompson Scholars Learning Communities (TSLC), a comprehensive college transition program that provides students with multiple, integrated types of support. The evaluation as a whole examined whether, how, and why TSLC, as implemented at the three University of Nebraska campuses, affects students' experiences and outcomes. The evaluation was led by three subteams: a &quot;summative&quot; team, which addressed the question of whether TSLC affects student outcomes using quantitative approaches; a &quot;formative&quot; team, which addressed the question of how TSLC relates to student experiences and outcomes using quantitative approaches; and a &quot;qualitative&quot; team, which addressed the questions of how and why TSLC shapes students' experiences. This brief summarizes the main findings of the &quot;summative&quot; team and offers guidance for program staff and university administrators interested in building on the initial successes of TSLC. The goal was to answer two main questions: (1) Does this program work?; and (2) Are there certain students for whom TSLC is particularly important? The research found that: (1) TSLC significantly increased students' feelings of mattering to campus and sense of belonging to campus; (2) There was no detectable difference in students' academic or social self-efficacy; and (3) TSLC was particularly impactful in shaping these outcomes for traditionally underrepresented students, namely, students of color, first-generation students, students with below-median ACT scores, and students from the lowest-income families.
Beyond the Board: Findings from the Field
Author: Corwin, Zoë B.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Physical Activities,Attitude Change,Misconceptions,Resource Allocation,Race,Gender Differences,Research Methodology,Correlation,Mental Health,Community,Guidelines,Athletics,Skill Development,Case Studies,Physical Health,Philanthropic Foundations,Social Integration,Young Adults,National Surveys,Income,Middle School Students,High School Students,Postsecondary Education,Social Support Groups,Social Emotional Learning,Futures (of Society),Parks,Navigation,Unemployment,Underemployment,Social Attitudes

The narrative around skateboarding is changing. Educational and cultural institutions are beginning to engage with skateboarding in new ways. At the same time, skaters still thrive -- and sometimes prefer to function -- on the margins of mainstream society. Despite growing visibility and popularity, negative misconceptions regarding skateboarding persist. Unfavorable stereotypes affect resource allocation for skaters and impact the treatment they receive from non-skaters. This report centers skaters' perspectives with the intention of changing the way the broader community views skateboarding and the skateboarding community. Data highlight the value young people derive from skateboarding and the resources they believe would be helpful in their lives. The study is unique due to the: (1) focus on everyday skaters; (2) consideration of race and gender; (3) its national scope; and (4) the rigorous research methods employed. The findings of this report offer insights into the relationship between skateboarding, mental health, community, race, gender, and perceived skills. This report is offered for review in conjunction with the &quot;Beyond the Board: Skateboarding, Schools, and Society&quot; report that briefly outlines existing scholarship on skateboarding and offers a framework for understanding examples of skateboarding's integration in society. [For &quot;Beyond the Board: Skateboarding, Schools, and Society,&quot; see ED605129. Funding for this project was provided by the Tony Hawk Foundation. This report was co-produced by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.]
Lessons Learned from Advising Redesigns at Three Colleges
Author: Kalamkarian, Hoori Santikian
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: State Universities,Community Colleges,Academic Advising,Technology Uses in Education,College Students,Outcomes of Education,Program Effectiveness,Faculty Advisers,Information Dissemination,Identification,Improvement

This report presents findings on the implementation of a technology-mediated advising redesign within the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at three institutions--the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, California State University at Fresno, and Montgomery County Community College. These colleges aimed to improve their advising systems using a three-pronged approach: expanding informational communications to students, identifying and supporting students who are struggling, and improving advising sessions. Though the RCT did not find significant changes in quantitative student outcomes such as grade point average, qualitative fieldwork suggests that stakeholders across the three institutions gained valuable experiences that may provide lessons for other colleges considering advising reforms. In this report, the authors explore how advisors adjusted their approach to advising work, how they used relevant tools and resources, and some of the challenges that arose during the redesign's implementation. Based on these implementation findings, the authors offer several suggestions for other colleges entering this work: (1) Acknowledge up front that technology alone cannot resolve advising and student support issues, nor can it replace face-to-face conversations about education and career planning; (2) Consider ways to encourage or make it easier for students to self-report concerns; (3) Call for input from advisors, faculty, students, and communications or marketing teams on the content of risk-related messages and alerts; (4) Consider alternatives to registration holds to incentivize students to meet with an advisor, as registration holds may have unintended consequences; (5) Give advisors the time, resources, and professional development to proactively engage with students; and (6) Provide ongoing support for staff in implementing reformed advising practices.