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AbstractThe concurrent associations between students' perceptions of cognitive–behavioral and emotional engagement in schools and three factors aligning with the major aims of the school-wide social–emotional learning (SEL) approach (i.e., teacher–student relationships, student–student relationships, and teaching of social and emotional competencies) were examined among 25,896 students across elementary, middle, and high school while controlling statistically for demographic variables. Results indicated that at the student level all three factors were associated significantly with cognitive–behavioral engagement, but at the school level only the teaching of social and emotional competencies was associated significantly with cognitive–behavioral engagement. All three factors were also associated significantly with emotional engagement at both the student and school levels, with teacher–student relationships having the strongest association. Results of moderating analyses revealed that the strength of association of student engagement with teacher–student relationships, student–student relationships, and the teaching of social–emotional competencies varied depending on the types of engagement and students' grade levels. These and other key findings, as well as implications for research and practice, are discussed.

The predictive validity of personality for important life outcomes is well established, but conventional longitudinal analyses cannot rule out the possibility that unmeasured third-variable confounds fully account for the observed relationships. Longitudinal hierarchical linear models (HLM) with time-varying covariates allow each subject to serve as his or her own control, thus eliminating between-individual confounds. HLM also allow the directionality of the causal relationship to be tested by reversing time-lagged predictor and outcome variables. We illustrate these techniques through a series of models that demonstrate that within-individual changes in self-control over time predict subsequent changes in GPA but not vice-versa. The evidence supporting a causal role for self-control was not moderated by IQ, gender, ethnicity, or income. Further analyses rule out one time-varying confound: self-esteem. The analytic approach taken in this study provides the strongest evidence to date for the causal role of self-control in determining achievement.

The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education is a 360-degree assessment of the effectiveness of principals’ learning-centered leadership behaviors. In this report, we present results from a differential item functioning (DIF) study of the assessment. Using data from a national field trial, we searched for evidence of DIF on school level, geographic region, and urbanicity. We found evidence of intercept DIF for urbanicity on four items and slope DIF for urbanicity on one item, although all magnitudes were small to moderate. We conclude that the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education's items are not biased on the basis of these school characteristics, bolstering its use in schools around the country.

The article focuses on the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command. Topics being presented include a Total Force partnership, which is producing record breaking results inside the Jet Engine Intermediate Maintenance shop, which is responsible for supplying fully mission capable TF-34 jet engines for the A-10C Thunderbolt II fleet of aircraft, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Information about the Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 924th Maintenance Squadron, is presented.

In looking for an efficient method of pre-treating bacterial spores for staining with carbol fuchsin, the author found that the ammonia in Lagerberg's formula and the chromic acid in Moeller's formula were both fairly effective in increasing permeability. Combining the two proved highly successful; and the following method has been used for four years by classes of beginners in the study of spore-formers isolated from soil by the students.Cover the heat-fixed smear with five percent chromic acid and after thirty seconds add twice the amount of concentrated ammonia to the acid. After two minutes rinse and steam with carbol fuchsin for two or three minutes. Rinse, destain with one percent sulphuric acid for fifteen to thirty seconds, rinse again and flood slide with tap water. Add to this a few drops of Loeffler's methylene blue and allow to counter-stain for ten to thirty seconds. Rinse, blot, dry and examine. If instructions are followed the results are always good.