ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Research & Action Report. Volume 33, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2012
Author: Kellett, Megan, Ed.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Females,Sociocultural Patterns,Financial Support,Leadership,Depression (Psychology),Intervention,Social Class,Dating (Social),Violence,Sex Education,After School Programs,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,Educational Opportunities

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and much more. Articles featured in this issue include: (1) Layli Maparyan: Appointed the New Executive Director of the Wellesley Centers for Women; (2) New Publications; (3) Expanded Learning: Opportunities for Partnerships with a New Twist and a New Name (Ellen Gannett); (4) Short Takes; and (5) New Funding & Projects. Individual articles contain footnotes. [For "Research & Action Report. Volume 33, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2011," see ED539186.]
Plus/Minus Grading: Solution or Problem? Research into Practice
Author: Johnston, Howard
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Grading,Educational Change,Evaluation Criteria,Goodness of Fit,Educational Policy,Evaluation Methods,Methods Research,Performance Factors,Student Evaluation,Achievement Rating,Educational Practices

Surprisingly, the debate over +/- grade systems seems to occur, largely, at the college and university level. Few middle and high schools seem to have taken on the issue, at least in any way that appears in the public literature. Other opinions suggest that it is the discriminating quality of plus/minus grading systems that make them useful. A report to the Faculty Senate at Western Illinois University stated that &quot;The single most important argument in favor of a system of final grades that includes plus and minus grades is the increased accuracy of the grade as a reflection of student performance. In addition, plus/minus systems are seen as an antidote to grade inflation, since a student barely earning an A would receive an A-, rather than an A. Those opposed to +/- systems say that it is unfair, particularly to students in the 3.5-4.0 range. Will it take more effort to earn the A that they might have earned earlier? A second concern is the pressure put on teachers to award a &quot;slightly higher&quot; grade. The research and commentary offers no clear guidance on empirical reasons for shifting to a +/- grading system. It appears as if the benefits are determined largely by the intentions of the school in creating the system and the ways in which administrators and faculty implement it. Ultimately, grading systems rely on consensus among students, faculty, parents, colleges and/or employers about what the grades actually mean. If a change is planned, it appears as if all of these stakeholders should be involved in the discussion to assure that grades actually communicate with all of the people who need the information they provide. References and Resources are included.
Poverty and Rural Schools. Research Brief
Author: Johnston, Howard
Date: 2009-10-26
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Social Services,Rural Areas,Educational Change,Rural Schools,Poverty,Economically Disadvantaged,Curriculum Development,College Attendance,Intervention,Teaching Conditions,Educational Policy,Program Descriptions,Educational Resources,Web Sites,Annotated Bibliographies,Educational Research,Academic Achievement,Place Based Education,African American Students,American Indian Students,Alaska Natives,Geographic Isolation

Impoverished populations and schools in rural areas face special challenges that are different from other settings. Among these are the distances from social services, the sparse availability of assistance programs, and the shortage of resources to support educational programs and student learning. Rural schools, do, however, have assets that can be leveraged to promote student learning, including relatively smaller size, the centrality of the school in local community affairs, and the deep commitments of instructional and leadership staff. While instructional interventions that work with any low-performing students are generally transferrable to the rural setting, the most promising programs focus on curricular changes. Curricula that strengthen the &quot;value of place&quot; and &quot;place-based pedagogy&quot; are successful in linking students to schools and important learning outcomes. (Contains 15 online resources.)
Preparing for College: A Guide for Parents. Research Brief
Author: Goodrick, Joel
Date: 2007-05-14
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Parent Student Relationship,College Preparation,College Bound Students,Educational Resources,Web Sites,Annotated Bibliographies,Guides,Advanced Placement Programs,Course Selection (Students),College Entrance Examinations,College Admission,College Applicants,Paying for College,Student Financial Aid,Parent Role,Parent Materials

With many of today's high school students having the opportunity to be the first in their families to attend college, parents undoubtedly feel the stress of making sure that their son/daughter is fully prepared to enter this phase of their life. Making the transition from high school to college can be overwhelming for both parents and students. However, to ease some of the stress, this paper offers information that will help parents avail viable options for ensuring their child's post-secondary success. (Contains 6 online resources.)
Principals Retention. Research Brief
Author: Muir, Mike
Date: 2005-05-02
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Principals,Beginning Principals,Program Effectiveness,School Administration,Work Environment,Educational Policy,Educational Resources,Web Sites,Annotated Bibliographies,Educational Research,Labor Turnover

Many districts are struggling with the problem of administrator retention. Hoffman (2004) identifies some of the reasons for this: (1) Increased accountability expectations; (2) Diminished or static levels of resources to support reform efforts; (3) Greater administrator vulnerability to sanctions; (4) The complex demands of government and the community; (5) The sometimes slight or negligible difference between teacher and administrator compensation when viewed on a per diem basis; (6) The necessity for leaders to spend a great deal of time meeting the demands of the job; (7) Media coverage of public education's occasional errors; little coverage of our frequent successes; and (8) Chronic stress. Districts are looking to supportive structures such as coaching, professional development, mentoring, and induction programs to support new and novice principals. Some of the successful strategies for keeping principals are presented in this paper. (Contains 9 online resources.)
The Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices Tool (APT): Findings from the APT Validation Study
Author: Tracy, Allison
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: After School Programs,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Validity,Measurement,Self Evaluation (Groups),Program Improvement,Interrater Reliability,Youth,Self Concept

The Assessment of Afterschool Program Practices Tool (&quot;APT&quot;), developed by the National Institute of Out-of-School Time (NIOST), is an observational instrument designed to measure the aspects of afterschool program quality that research suggests contribute to the 21st century skills, attitudes, and behaviors youth need to be successful in school and the workplace. The APT is widely used across the country to support self-assessment and program improvement efforts. Increasingly, the APT is being used by external stakeholders for quality monitoring, assigning quality levels (e.g., as part of a Quality Rating and Improvement System), and identifying programs in need of improvement. In 2010, researchers from the Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, conducted the APT Validation Study with the aim of assessing the strength of the APT as a measurement tool. Based on observations of 25 afterschool programs serving grades K-8 in Massachusetts, this study provides scientific evidence that the APT possesses many strong technical properties. Among the study's many findings, researchers found that the APT captures key aspects of quality, such as whether a program is offering a welcoming environment or promoting youth engagement, which were found to be connected with positive youth program experiences and beliefs about themselves. APT ratings by a single observer are stable over time, which suggests that individuals can use the tool consistently to capture aspects of quality that are not overly sensitive to day-day fluctuations in practices. Practitioners do not tend to consistently rate their program higher or lower than outside observers who are unfamiliar with the program, suggesting that the APT can be used equally well by a variety of trained observers. Overall, the study suggests that the APT is an appropriate measure for examining afterschool program quality and is suitable for a number of lower-stakes purposes such as self-assessment and program support. APT Validation Study Key Research Questions and Study Design are appended. (Contains 2 tables, 3 footnotes, and 7 endnotes.)
Promoting School Engagement for Struggling Students. Research Summary
Author: Philadelphia Youth Network
Date: 2009-03-03
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Learner Engagement,Achievement Need,Student Motivation,Motivation Techniques,Comprehensive Programs,Comprehensive Guidance,Developmental Studies Programs,Performance Factors

Dropping out of high school is not an event, but rather a process that involves a number of complex and interrelated factors. For example, 50% of eventual dropouts can be identified as early as the sixth grade and 80% by the ninth, based on observable academic, attendance, and behavior indicators. Furthermore, the first marking period of the ninth grade appears to be particularly important, since it is a time when a group of young people who have not yet exhibited any dropout predictors begin to experience significant academic challenges. Beyond these objective factors, young people often complain that they do not understand why they need to master academic content, and that no one really cares whether or not they come to school. Based on these and other findings, one can begin to understand in more detail many of the factors that determine whether or not young people graduate, and how to frame interventions that can re-engage struggling students and get them back on track for graduation. This paper presents research-based approaches that promote student engagement. (Contains 10 footnotes.)
Research &amp; Action Report. Volume 32, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2010
Author: Mongeon, Rebecca, Ed.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Females,Civil Rights,Civil Rights Legislation,Sociocultural Patterns,Sexual Harassment,Researchers,Family Work Relationship,Child Care,Stress Variables,Bullying,Court Litigation,Global Approach,Curriculum Development,Research

The &quot;Research &amp; Action Report,&quot; published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and much more. Articles featured in this issue include: (1) The Changing World of Work and Family Balance (with Nancy Marshall); (2) Sexual Harassment Left Behind: What the &quot;bullying&quot; framework is doing to civil rights laws and framework (Nan Stein); (3) Short Takes; (4) Spotlight on Funding; (5) New Publications; and (6) Global Connections. Individual articles contain references. [Susan Lowry Rardin contributed to this issue. For &quot;Research &amp; Action Report. Volume 31, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2010,&quot; see ED511413.]
Reconnecting Out-of-School Youth. Research Summary
Author: Philadelphia Youth Network
Date: 2009-03-03
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Opportunities,Out of School Youth,Continuation Students,Developmental Studies Programs,Best Practices,Youth Programs

Thirty thousand young people who entered ninth grade in the School District of Philadelphia's Classes of 2000-05 failed to graduate four years later. Resulting losses are huge--to lifetime earnings and employment for these young people, to government revenues, and to the regional economy. Fortunately, a renewed interest in the out-of-school youth population in Philadelphia and across the country in recent years is leading to a growing understanding of the challenges faced by these young people, and to an increasing body of effective practices aimed at reconnecting them to high-quality educational opportunities with pathways to postsecondary education and careers. This paper presents research-based practices that reconnect out-of-school youth to education and employment. (Contains 8 footnotes.)
Research & Action Report. Volume 32, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2011
Author: Mongeon, Rebecca, Ed.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Females,Emotional Development,Sociocultural Patterns,Global Approach,Social Development,Sex Education,Equal Education,Research,Financial Support,Economic Factors,School Turnaround

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and much more. Articles featured in this issue include: (1) New Funding & Projects; (2) Creating Equitable Schools with Teachers at the Forefront (Peggy McIntosh); (3) Investigating the Economic Implications of Women's Realities (with Sari Pekkala Kerr); (4) Schools Leverage Social and Emotional Learning in Turnaround Efforts (Bethany Montgomery); (5) New Publications; (6) Short Takes; and (7) Global Connections. [Susan Lowry Rardin contributed to this issue. For "Research & Action Report. Volume 32, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2010," see ED539182.]
Research &amp; Action Report. Volume 33, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2011
Author: Kellett, Megan, Ed.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Females,Civil Rights,Sociocultural Patterns,Researchers,Financial Support,Research,Minority Group Students,Equal Education,Foreign Countries,Gender Discrimination,Physical Activities,Courts,Institutionalized Persons,Quality Assurance,Reflection,Mass Media Role,Dating (Social),Violence,Intervention,After School Programs,Family Relationship

The &quot;Research &amp; Action Report,&quot; published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and much more. Articles featured in this issue include: (1) New Funding &amp; Projects; (2) Not a Safe Bet (Amy Hoffman); (3) Building on the UN Human Rights Framework. Q+A with Rangita de Silva-de Alwis (Susan Lowry Rardin); (4) New Publications; (5) Short Takes; (6) Focus on Research at the Jean Baker Miller Intensive Institute; and (7) 2010/2011 Honor Roll of Donors. [Susan Lowry Rardin contributed to this issue. For &quot;Research &amp; Action Report. Volume 32, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2010,&quot; see ED539182.]
Leap of Faith: A Literature Review on the Effects of Professional Development on Program Quality and Youth Outcomes
Author: Hill, Sara
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: After School Programs,Professional Development,Literature Reviews,Educational Quality,Outcomes of Education,Youth Programs,Teacher Effectiveness,Research Needs,Educational Needs

Though no clear link between professional development and youth outcomes has been established in either the in-school or the out-of-school time (OST) literature, a research-based consensus establishes the characteristics of high-quality professional development: It is sustained over a period of time, coherent, content focused, and based in a community of learners. These guidelines can inform OST funders and program directors as they decide how to invest limited resources in the OST workforce. Empirical research still needs to be conducted to investigate the link between high-quality professional development and youth outcomes. An annotated bibliography is included. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Bridging the Gap: An Impact Study of Eight Developmental Summer Bridge Programs in Texas. NCPR Brief
Author: Barnett, Elisabeth A.
Date: 2012-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Credits,Program Effectiveness,Summer Programs,Research Design,High School Graduates,Remedial Instruction,Developmental Studies Programs,College Readiness,Transitional Programs,Program Evaluation,Outcome Measures,Academic Persistence,Mathematics Instruction,Reading,Writing Instruction,Followup Studies,College Students,Academic Support Services,Cost Effectiveness,Comparative Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Federal Aid

Across the country, a growing number of recent high school graduates are participating in summer bridge programs. These programs provide accelerated and focused learning opportunities in order to help students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for college success. The state of Texas has given particular attention to summer programs as a way to increase students' college readiness. During the past several years, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has provided support to colleges establishing developmental summer bridge programs offering intensive remedial instruction in math, reading, and/or writing, along with an introduction to college. In contrast with traditional developmental education course sequences, which may span several semesters, the summer bridge programs were designed to help underprepared students build competencies over the course of several weeks before entering college. While THECB funding for summer bridge programs has diminished, this type of program model remains popular in Texas and across the country. Nevertheless, little rigorous empirical research has been conducted on the effectiveness of summer bridge programs. To address this gap in the research, in 2009 the National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR) launched an evaluation of summer bridge programs at eight sites in Texas to assess whether they reduce the need for developmental coursework upon fall matriculation and improve student outcomes in college. The evaluation employed an experimental design to measure the effects of the programs on college enrollment and success. This Brief presents the impact findings of the study, revealing whether the opportunity to participate in a summer bridge program influenced academic outcomes during the two years following participation. The primary outcomes tracked in this study were persistence, accumulation of credits, and progression through the developmental sequence and into students' first college-level math, reading, and writing courses. [This report was written with Evan Weissman, Jedediah Teres, and Matthew Zeidenberg. This Brief is based on a National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR) report titled &quot;Bridging the Gap: An Impact Study of Eight Developmental Summer Bridge Programs in Texas.&quot; To access this report, see ED533824.]
Preparing High School Students for College: An Exploratory Study of College Readiness Partnership Programs in Texas. NCPR Brief
Author: Barnett, Elisabeth A.
Date: 2012-07-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: College Preparation,High School Students,Alignment (Education),Partnerships in Education,College Readiness,State Policy,Educational Policy,College School Cooperation,Program Descriptions,Program Effectiveness,Federal Aid,Urban Schools,School Visitation

Nationwide, about 40 percent of college students take at least one remedial course to prepare for college-level coursework. One cause of this high rate of remedial enrollment is the misalignment of high school graduation standards and college academic expectations. College readiness partnership programs attempt to address this problem by facilitating students' transition to college. This study examines 37 state and local college readiness partnership programs in Texas as well as the partnerships that created these programs. The findings are based on a review of the relevant research and Texas policy literature, analysis of an online scan of college readiness partnership programs in Texas with a web presence, and site visits to high schools, colleges, and community-based organizations in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. The authors define college readiness partnership programs as programmatic interventions co-sponsored by secondary and postsecondary institutions and offered to high school students with the goal of increasing students' college readiness. [This report was written with the assistance of Heather D. Wathington, Joshua Pretlow, Beth Hustedt, Nikki Edgecombe, Alissa Gardenhire, and Nicole Clabaugh. This Brief is based on a National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR) report titled &quot;Preparing High School Students for College: An Exploratory Study of College Readiness Partnership Programs in Texas.&quot; To access this report, see ED532393.]
Appalachian Region: A Report Identifying and Addressing the Educational Needs
Author: Department of Education (ED)
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Advisory Committees,Technical Assistance,Educational Needs,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,School Districts,Social Indicators,Dropout Rate,Dropouts,Academic Standards,State Standards,Preschool Education,Nursery Schools,Teaching (Occupation),Access to Computers,Disadvantaged,Data Collection,Teacher Effectiveness,Alignment (Education),Student Diversity,Educational Environment,Academic Achievement,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Reading Tests,Mathematics Tests

This report presents the deliberations of the Appalachia Regional Advisory Committee  (Appalachia RAC), one of 10 RACs established under the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. sections 9601 et. seq.) to assess the educational needs of the region. The Committee's report outlines the educational needs across the four states of Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky that comprise the Appalachia region. Committee deliberations took place May 23, 2011, through June 21, 2011. Appended are: (1) Appalachia Regional Profile; (2) Recommended Strategies by Need Category; and (3) Verbatim Public Comments from Appalachia RAC Website. (Contains 4 figures, 33 tables, and 4 footnotes.)