ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Effects of the Louisiana Scholarship Program on Student Achievement after Two Years. Technical Report. Louisiana Scholarship Program Evaluation Report #1
Author: Mills, Jonathan N.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Educational Vouchers,Randomized Controlled Trials,Scholarships,Private Schools,School Choice,Low Income Students,Scores,Selective Admission,Competitive Selection,Admission (School),Outcomes of Education,Regression (Statistics),State Departments of Education,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Educational Assessment,Research Design,Mathematics Achievement,English Instruction,Language Arts,Public Schools,Grade 3,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Statistical Significance,Statistical Analysis

The Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) is a statewide initiative offering publicly-funded vouchers to enroll in local private schools to students in low-performing schools with family income no greater than 250 percent of the poverty line. Initially established in 2008 as a pilot program in New Orleans, the LSP was expanded statewide in 2012. This paper examines the experimental effects of using an LSP scholarship to enroll in a private school on student achievement in the first two years following the program's expansion. Our results indicate that the use of an LSP scholarship has negatively impacted both ELA and math achievement, although only the latter estimates are statistically significant. Moreover, we observe less negative effect estimates in the second year of the program.
Measures of Student Non-Cognitive Skills and Political Tolerance after Two Years of the Louisiana Scholarship Program. Technical Report. Louisiana Scholarship Program Evaluation Report #2
Author: Mills, Jonathan N.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Scholarships,Locus of Control,Political Attitudes,School Choice,Academic Achievement,Democratic Values,Citizen Participation,Measures (Individuals),Self Esteem,Self Control,Telephone Surveys,Personality Traits,Private Schools,Educational Vouchers,Program Evaluation,Self Concept Measures,Educational Assessment,Mathematics Achievement,English Instruction,Language Arts,Regression (Statistics),Public Schools,Elementary Secondary Education

This report examines the short-term effects of the Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) on students' non-cognitive skills and civic values. While a growing number of studies have evaluated K-12 school voucher programs along academic dimensions, few have focused on the development of non-cognitive skills and civic values. This study aims to address that gap by providing the first analysis of differences in self-reported measures of grit, locus of control, self-esteem, and political tolerance associated with the LSP. Using results from a phone survey of applicants to the program, we find little evidence of differences between LSP scholarship recipients and non-recipients. Nevertheless, diagnostics assessing the precision of our instruments to detect differences between subjects indicate that several of the scales measuring non-cognitive skills performed poorly in our sample. Moreover, our relatively low survey response rate of 11 percent raises concerns about the representativeness of our sample. Given these issues, we caution that our results are best understood as descriptive and not necessarily conclusive: they do not represent reliable estimates of the causal impact of the LSP on student non-cognitive skills and political tolerance. The following are appended: (1) The LSP Scholarship Award Algorithm; and (2) Robustness Check: Experimental Analysis.
The Impact of the Louisiana Scholarship Program on Racial Segregation in Louisiana Schools. Technical Report. Louisiana Scholarship Program Evaluation Report #3
Author: Egalite, Anna J.
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Racial Segregation,Scholarships,School Choice,Educational Vouchers,Public Schools,Private Schools,Low Income Students,School Districts,Minority Group Students,School Desegregation,Racial Composition,African American Students,White Students,Hispanic American Students,Desegregation Litigation,Racial Integration,Elementary Secondary Education

The question of how school choice programs affect the racial stratification of schools is highly salient in the field of education policy. We use a student-level panel data set to analyze the impacts of the Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) on racial segregation in public and private schools. This targeted school voucher program provides funding for low-income, mostly minority students in the lowest-graded public schools to enroll in participating private schools. Our analysis indicates that the vast majority (82%) of LSP transfers have reduced racial segregation in the voucher students' former public schools. LSP transfers have marginally increased segregation in the participating private schools, however, where just 45% of transfers reduce racial segregation. In those school districts under federal desegregation orders, voucher transfers result in a large reduction in traditional public schools' racial segregation levels and have no discernible impact on private schools. The results of this analysis provide reliable empirical evidence that parental choice actually has aided desegregation efforts in Louisiana. Tables are appended.
The Competitive Effects of the Louisiana Scholarship Program on Public School Performance. Technical Report. Louisiana Scholarship Program Evaluation Report #4
Author: Egalite, Anna J.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Scholarship,Public Schools,School Choice,Educational Vouchers,Competition,Tax Credits,Regression (Statistics),Statistical Significance,Scores,Mathematics Achievement,English Instruction,Language Arts,State Departments of Education,Private Schools,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Academic Achievement,Charter Schools,Low Income Students

Given the significant growth rate and geographic expansion of private school choice programs over the past two decades, it is important to examine how traditional public schools respond to the sudden injection of competition for students and resources. This article uses: (1) a school fixed effects approach; and (2) a regression discontinuity framework to examine the achievement impacts of the Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP). This targeted school voucher program has provided public funds for low-income students in low-performing public schools to enroll in participating private schools since the 2012-13 school year. The main findings of the competitive effects analysis reveal neutral to positive impacts that are small in magnitude. Effects are largest for students attending those public schools most affected by the competitive threat. Policy implications are discussed.
Who Are the Homeless? Student Mobility and Achievement in Michigan 2010-2013. Working Paper #53
Author: Cowen, Joshua
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Homeless People,Student Mobility,Academic Achievement,Elementary Secondary Education,Geographic Location,Racial Differences,Ethnic Groups,Poverty,Socioeconomic Influences,Hispanic American Students,African American Students,White Students,Student Characteristics,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Disabilities,Grade Repetition,Student Records,Federal Legislation,Regression (Statistics)

I provide a new, systematic profile of more than 18,000 homeless students in Michigan, utilizing rich administrative data from all test-taking students in grades 3-9 during the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years. These data are part of a larger study of school choice and student mobility in that state. Homelessness is a condition found disproportionately away from suburban school districts. African American and Hispanic students are more frequently homeless and homeless students are almost universally impoverished. They are far more mobile between districts and zip codes than their non-homeless peers and are more likely to participate in inter-district school choice and charter schools. Finally, homeless students score far lower on state math and reading tests.
Who Governs Now? Takeovers, Portfolios, and School District Governance. Working Paper #52
Author: Mason, Mary L.
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational History,United States History,State Government,Natural Disasters,Public Schools,Charter Schools,Portfolios (Background Materials),State Legislation,Educational Administration,Educational Finance,Leadership,Governance,Change Strategies,School Turnaround,Case Studies

State takeovers were an infrequently applied strategy to address the problems of financially and academically troubled schools for many decades. Although 23 states had the right to take over individual schools and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) required states to address persistently low-achieving schools, only five states had exercised their power by 2005. By 2006, a new state takeover model had emerged in Louisiana. Following Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans, state legislation adopted in November 2005 brought the majority of the city's public schools under state Recovery School District (RSD) jurisdiction. Since 2006, the RSD has moved aggressively towards creating a portfolio management model by authorizing numerous charter management organizations (CMOs) to operate its schools. The opportunity for a more extensive state role in taking over troubled schools grew further with the announcement of the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) program in 2009. RTTT required states to develop plans to turn around their lowest achieving schools. In this report, the authors examine how Michigan and Tennessee have developed and implemented plans for school turnaround districts partly inspired by Louisiana's RSD. The comparative case studies focus on Michigan's policies and involvement in Detroit schools through the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) and Tennessee's policies and involvement in Memphis schools through the Achievement School District (ASD). Although state-level, philanthropic, and charter school leaders in both states initially drew upon the RSD model, Michigan and Tennessee have diverged from the RSD--and from one another--in many respects. These differences highlight some challenges to replicating the RSD in other contexts and, more generally, raise questions about school turnarounds primarily led by networks of outside actors. The authors examine divergence in state legislation and leadership, resources (federal and philanthropic), engagement with charter schools, and district-level leadership. The EAA and ASD have faced additional challenges due to their policy and political contexts, including a city-county merger in Memphis and an ongoing fiscal crisis in Detroit. Local school leaders in both cities have also developed their own reform plans, and may be reluctant to expend political capital on controversial state-led efforts. The analysis sheds light on whether outside investment and leadership can spur sustainable reforms in urban districts. A table comparing the ASD and EAA is appended.
Language Muse: Automated Linguistic Activity Generation for English Language Learners
Author: Madnani, Nitin
Date: 2016-08-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: English Language Learners,Reading Instruction,Natural Language Processing,Learning Activities,Class Activities,English Instruction,Second Language Instruction,Computer Oriented Programs,Sentences,Reading Comprehension,Open Source Technology

Current education standards in the U.S. require school students to read and understand complex texts from different subject areas (e.g., social studies). However, such texts usually contain figurative language, complex phrases and sentences, as well as unfamiliar discourse relations. This may present an obstacle to students whose native language is not English -- a growing sub-population in the US. One way to help such students is to create classroom activities centered around linguistic elements found in subject area texts (DelliCarpini, 2008). We present a web-based tool that uses NLP algorithms to automatically generate customizable linguistic activities that are grounded in language learning research.
Are Categorical Spatial Relations Encoded by Shifting Visual Attention between Objects?
Author: Yuan, Lei
Date: 2016-10-03
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Spatial Ability,Attention,Memory,Eye Movements,Cognitive Processes,Novelty (Stimulus Dimension),Visual Stimuli,Prediction,Reaction Time,Recall (Psychology),Undergraduate Students,Statistical Analysis

Perceiving not just values, but relations between values, is critical to human cognition. We tested the predictions of a proposed mechanism for processing categorical spatial relations between two objects--the &quot;shift account&quot; of relation processing--which states that relations such as &quot;above&quot; or &quot;below&quot; are extracted by shifting visual attention upward or downward in space. If so, then shifts of attention should improve the representation of spatial relations, compared to a control condition of identity memory. Participants viewed a pair of briefly flashed objects and were then tested on either the relative spatial relation or identity of one of those objects. Using eye tracking to reveal participants' voluntary shifts of attention over time, we found that when initial fixation was on neither object, relational memory showed an absolute advantage for the object following an attention shift, while identity memory showed no advantage for either object. This result is consistent with the shift account of relation processing. When initial fixation began on one of the objects, identity memory strongly benefited this fixated object, while relational memory only showed a relative benefit for objects following an attention shift. This result is also consistent, although not as uniquely, with the shift account of relation processing. Taken together, we suggest that the attention shift account provides a mechanistic explanation for the overall results. This account can potentially serve as the common mechanism underlying both linguistic and perceptual representations of spatial relations.
Online Mathematics Homework Increases Student Achievement
Author: Roschelle, Jeremy
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Homework,Electronic Learning,Mathematics Achievement,Grade 7,Educational Technology,Intervention,Formative Evaluation,Mathematics Tests,Standardized Tests,Middle School Students,Instructional Effectiveness,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Statistical Analysis

In a randomized field trial with 2,850 seventh-grade mathematics students, we evaluated whether an educational technology intervention increased mathematics learning. Assigning homework is common yet sometimes controversial. Building on prior research on formative assessment and adaptive teaching, we predicted that combining an online homework tool with teacher training could increase learning. The online tool ASSISTments (a) provides timely feedback and hints to students as they do homework and (b) gives teachers timely, organized information about students' work. To test this prediction, we analyzed data from 43 schools that participated in a random assignment experiment in Maine, a state that provides every seventh-grade student with a laptop to take home. Results showed that the intervention significantly increased student scores on an end-of-the-year standardized mathematics assessment as compared with a control group that continued with existing homework practices. Students with low prior mathematics achievement benefited most. The intervention has potential for wider adoption.
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting. 2016 Edition
Author: Office of Postsecondary Education (ED)
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: School Safety,College Environment,Guides,Compliance (Legal),Higher Education,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Geographic Location,Crime,Discipline,Weapons,Drug Abuse,Drinking,Data Collection,Law Enforcement,Campuses,Diaries,Emergency Programs,School Policy,Annual Reports,Violence,Sexual Abuse,Aggression,Dating (Social),Information Dissemination,Statistics,Fire Protection,Check Lists,School Security

Campus security and safety is an important feature of postsecondary education. The Department of Education is committed to assisting schools in providing students nationwide a safe environment in which to learn and to keep students, parents and employees well informed about campus security. These goals were advanced by the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. The Department is committed to ensuring that postsecondary institutions are in full compliance with that Act, and enforcement of the Act is a priority of the Department. This handbook was developed by the U.S. Department of Education to present step-by-step procedures, examples, and references for higher education institutions to follow in meeting the campus safety and security requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. This handbook replaces the 2011 version and includes information on how institutions can comply with the changes the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 made to the Clery Act. Three appendices are included: (1) Links to the &quot;Higher Education Act of 1965&quot; Safety- and Security-related Laws and Regulations; (2) Sample Letter to a Local Law Enforcement Agency to Request Crime Statistics; and (3) Checklist for Campus Safety and Security Compliance.
Outcomes for Children Served through IDEA&apos;s Early Childhood Programs: 2014-15
Author: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Developmental Disabilities,Developmental Delays,Young Children,Program Effectiveness,Early Intervention,Disabilities,Educational Legislation,Equal Education,Federal Legislation,Preschool Education,Interpersonal Relationship,Skill Development,Thinking Skills,Emergent Literacy,Daily Living Skills,Child Development

In 2014-2015, children with delays or disabilities who received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) showed greater than expected developmental progress. Many children exited the program functioning within age expectations, and most made progress. States' Part C and Part B Preschool programs report data annually on three outcomes: (1) social relationships, which includes getting along with other children and relating well with adults; (2) use of knowledge and skills, which refers to thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, and early literacy and math skills; and (3) taking action to meet needs, which includes feeding, dressing, self-care, and following rules related to health and safety. This report highlights the outcomes in these three areas for 2014-2015.
The Reliability and Validity of Peer Review of Writing in High School AP English Classes
Author: Schunn, Christian
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Advanced Placement Programs,High School Students,Peer Evaluation,Scoring Rubrics,Writing (Composition),Evaluation Methods,English Instruction,Evaluation Research,Reliability,Validity,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Secondary School Teachers

One approach to writing instruction that has been shown to improve secondary students' academic writing without increasing demands on teachers' time is peer review. However, many teachers and students worry that students' feedback and assessment of their peers' writing is less accurate than teachers'. This study investigated whether Advanced Placement (AP) English students from diverse high school contexts can accurately assess their peers' writing if given a clear rubric. The authors first explain the construction of the rubric, a student-friendly version of the College Board's scoring guide. They then examine the reliability and validity of the students' assessments by comparing them with their teachers' and trained AP scorers' assessments. The study found that students' assessments were more valid than the ones provided by a single teacher and just as valid as the ones provided by expert AP scorers. Students' and teachers' perceptions of the peer review process are also discussed. [This article was published in the &quot;Journal of Adolescent &amp; Adult Literacy,&quot; (EJ1105239).]
Direct and Mediated Effects of Language and Cognitive Skills on Comprehension or Oral Narrative Texts (Listening Comprehension) for Children
Author: Kim, Young-Suk Grace
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language Skills,Cognitive Ability,Oral Language,Listening Comprehension,Short Term Memory,Attention,Vocabulary,Grammar,Inferences,Theory of Mind,Grade 1,Elementary School Students,Predictor Variables,Structural Equation Models,Language Tests,Factor Analysis,Statistical Analysis

We investigated component language and cognitive skills of oral language comprehension of narrative texts (i.e., listening comprehension). Using the construction--integration model of text comprehension as an overarching theoretical framework, we examined direct and mediated relations of foundational cognitive skills (working memory and attention), foundational language skills (vocabulary and grammatical knowledge), and higher-order cognitive skills (inference, theory of mind, and comprehension monitoring) to listening comprehension. A total of 201 first grade children in South Korea participated in the study. Structural equation modeling results showed that listening comprehension is directly predicted by working memory, grammatical knowledge, inference, and theory of mind and is indirectly predicted by attention, vocabulary, and comprehension monitoring. The total effects were 0.46 for working memory, 0.07 for attention, 0.30 for vocabulary, 0.49 for grammatical knowledge, 0.31 for inference, 0.52 for theory of mind, and 0.18 for comprehension monitoring. These results suggest that multiple language and cognitive skills make contributions to listening comprehension, and their contributions are both direct and indirect.
The Effect of Transition Planning and Goal-Setting on College Enrollment among Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Author: Wei, Xin
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Transitional Programs,Planning,Goal Orientation,College Attendance,Youth,Correlation,Student Participation,Longitudinal Studies,Disabilities,Special Education,High School Students,Surveys,Questionnaires,Parents,Student Records,Quasiexperimental Design,Student Characteristics,Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,Grade Point Average

This study used propensity score techniques to assess the relationship between transition planning participation and goal-setting and college enrollment among youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Using data from waves 1 through 5 of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, this study found that 2- or 4-year college enrollment rates were significantly higher among youth with ASDs who participated in transition planning and those who had a primary transition goal of college enrollment. Educational implications are discussed. [This paper was published in &quot;Remedial and Special Education&quot; v37 n1 p3-14 Jan-Feb 2016 (EJ1085149).]