31 results
Search Results
2. Interpretation and Use of K-12 Language Proficiency Assessment Score Reports: Perspectives of Educators and Parents. WCER Working Paper No. 2016-8
- Author
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University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), Kim, Ahyoung Alicia, Kondo, Akira, Blair, Alissa, Mancilla, Lorena, Chapman, Mark, and Wilmes, Carsten
- Abstract
A number of English language proficiency exams target grades K-12 English language learners (ELLs) because of the rising need to identify their needs and provide appropriate support in language learning. A good example is the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (hereafter ACCESS), designed to measure the English language proficiency of students identified as ELLs. Every year approximately two million K-12 ELLs in the WIDA Consortium take ACCESS. After students complete the exam, score reports are provided to relevant stakeholders, including teachers and parents of the students. Because score reports are widely used by stakeholders for many purposes (e.g., placement, reclassification of ELLs), it is necessary to understand how they are interpreted and used in educational and home settings. Such information could be used to understand the usefulness of score reports and also to enhance their quality. However, there is little research on stakeholders' interpretation and use of score reports, especially in the context of K-12 ELL exams in the Unites States. Existing research is limited to teachers' interpretation of score reports (Impara, Divine, Bruce, Liverman, & Gay, 1991; Luecht, 2003; Underwood, Zapata-Rivera, & VanWinkle, 2007). For example, Impara et al. (1991) investigated the extent to which teachers were able to interpret student-level results on a standardized state assessment and the extent to which interpretive information provided on the reverse side of the student score report improved teacher understanding. Findings suggest that interpretive material helped facilitate teachers' understanding of student scores on the assessment. However, few studies have examined how stakeholders actually use the interpreted information. Moreover, very few (Miller & Watkins, 2010) have examined score reports from the parents' perspective. To gain a deeper understanding of the meaningfulness and utility of score reports, it is necessary to examine both educators' and parents' perspectives. The study on which this paper is based investigated how two stakeholder groups--K-12 ELL educators and parents--interpret and use ACCESS score reports. Findings from qualitative interviews offer implications for score report development in general and how to further enhance the quality of ACCESS score reports. In the study, the authors addressed the following research questions: (1) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents interpret the information in an English proficiency exam score report?; and (2) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents use the information in an English proficiency exam score report?
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- 2016
3. Evaluating Progress: State Education Agencies and the Implementation of New Teacher Evaluation Systems. White Paper. WP #2015-09
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Consortium for Policy Research in Education and McGuinn, Patrick
- Abstract
In a 2012 paper for the Center for American Progress, "The State of Evaluation Reform," Patrick McGuinn (Drew University) identified the opportunities and challenges facing education agencies in Race to the Top (RTTT) grant-winning states as they prepared for the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems. The 2012 study undertook in-depth comparative case studies of six states: Tennessee, Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. For this paper the individuals interviewed in those states two years ago (or their replacements if necessary) were re-interviewed to understand how and why their efforts differ today. By analyzing state implementation efforts at two different points in time, the new study utilizes a longitudinal qualitative approach that can reveal the extent to which states are learning and adapting in this work over time. Rather than the detailed state case studies of State Education Agency (SEA) implementation work provided in the 2012 paper, this report uses a more thematic approach that will synthesize the lessons that have emerged from the field. This paper serves 2 purposes: (1) To provide a snapshot in time (Jan 2015) of SEA implementation efforts around new teacher evaluation systems; and (2) To contrast more recent implementation efforts with those two years earlier to understand the ways in which SEAs have (and have not) learned and adapted their implementation work over time. More specifically, the paper will address the following questions: What kinds of capacity--financial, personnel, technical--have SEAs added to support the implementation of new teacher evaluation systems? What kind of capacity is still lacking? How rapidly and how effectively are states implementing their new teacher evaluation systems? Why do some states appear to be having more success/smoother implementation than others? How are states approaching this implementation work differently from one another--do some approaches appear to be more or less effective than others? What challenges are emerging and how are states addressing these? What lessons can be learned from these "early adopter" states that can inform teacher evaluation reform in the rest of the country? How are states approaching the training of evaluators and the principals and teachers who are supposed to use the evaluations to improve personnel decisions and classroom instruction? How well are new teacher evaluation systems being aligned with other reforms such as the move to Common Core and new assessments? How are states dealing with the challenge of measuring student achievement in non-tested subjects? The following is appended: Interviews Conducted As Part of Research.
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- 2015
4. The Untapped Potential of an Early Childhood Assessment System: A Strategy for Improving Policies and Instruction from Early Childhood through 3rd Grade. White Paper
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National Governors Association, Szekely, Amanda, and Wat, Albert
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Children's academic and social development before third grade is highly predictive of later success in school and beyond. Research shows that during those early years, the gains children make in language and literacy, mathematics and social skills, and their growth as learners and thinkers are associated with a range of benefits, from academic achievement to economic stability to healthy habits and behaviors. "The Untapped Potential of an Early Childhood Assessment System: A Strategy for Improving Policies and Instruction from Early Childhood through 3rd Grade" outlines how state leaders can reduce or streamline the assessments being used in early learning programs and elementary schools, achieve economies of scale for educator training and leverage existing data systems to yield more powerful data to inform decision-making.
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- 2016
5. Governors' Top Education Priorities in 2018 State of the State Addresses. Education Trends
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Education Commission of the States, Whinnery, Erin, and Pompelia, Sarah
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A governor's State of the State address is an opportunity to outline policy priorities, highlight past accomplishments and reflect on the condition of the state and country. In 2018, 17 governors are serving their last year in office, having reached the end of their term or deciding not to seek re-election. Many of them used their State of the State addresses to emphasize the importance of collegiality among policymakers. When governing bodies function well, the state and its citizens reap the benefits--a principal benefit being an education that prepares citizens for well-paying jobs. Each year, Education Commission of the States tracks, analyzes and identifies trends in education policy proposals featured in governors' State of the State addresses. To date, 44 governors have delivered their 2018 addresses. The top six education priorities across states are discussed in this report: (1) School Finance; (2) Workforce Development; (3) Postsecondary Affordability; (4) Career and Technical Education; (5) Teacher Quality; and (6) Early Learning.
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- 2018
6. Evaluation of Teachers and Leaders. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
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Southern Regional Education Board, Anderson, Kimberly, and Mira, Mary Elizabeth
- Abstract
By 2012, all of the states in this study had started implementing new or revised teacher and leader evaluation systems. The systems include many and varying updates. In some cases, the updates were designed to meet conditions for a state's "Race to the Top" grant. In others, the updates were made to meet conditions for a state's waiver for certain provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, currently known as "No Child Left Behind"). The following profiles examine one particular aspect of states' new teacher and leader evaluation systems: how states integrate the higher expectations for student learning inherent in their new college- and career-readiness standards within the systems' requirements for continuous improvement of teachers and principals. Essentially, these profiles ask, what measures within state teacher and leader evaluation systems generate information about teacher and principal performance in terms of their implementation of, support for and effect on student learning of the new standards. For trends across the states in the design of their systems, successes, challenges, types of support needed to move this work forward, and practitioner experiences with putting the evaluations into practice, see the accompanying "Cross-State Findings Report" (ED559248).
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- 2015
7. Accountability. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
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Southern Regional Education Board, Anderson, Kimberly, and Mira, Mary Elizabeth
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All of the states in this study have recently been involved in school accountability system reform. Since 2011, the states have taken advantage of a federal program to give them flexibility around certain requirements of the "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001 (NCLB), the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). States requesting ESEA flexibility waivers must meet federal guidelines as part of the changes they make to their statewide accountability systems. While some changes vary among states, all states must adopt certain policies the U.S. Department of Education considers fundamental to reform. These policies include, among others, having college- and career-readiness standards and assessments, aligned alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, aligned English language proficiency (ELP) standards and assessments for English learners, and educator effectiveness systems that incorporate the use of student performance data. States are working hard to integrate the work of such complex reforms. The following profiles examine how states' new statewide accountability systems incorporate measures that hold schools accountable for student learning of the states' new college- and career-readiness standards. The profiles also explain how states' accountability reporting for the use of federal Title III funds to serve English learners incorporates such measures. In each profile, the accountability measures used by the state are listed, followed by what is known about the extent of their alignment to the state's new college- and career-readiness standards. (These profiles do not seek to explain each state's entire statewide accountability system, which can include many goals, only some of which relate to student learning of the state's new college- and career-readiness standards. See each state's profile for links to detailed information on the state's entire accountability system.) For trends across the states in the design of their systems, successes, challenges, types of support needed to move this work forward, and practitioner experiences with putting the evaluations into practice, see the accompanying "Cross-State Findings Report" (ED559248).
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- 2015
8. Professional Development. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
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Southern Regional Education Board, Anderson, Kimberly, and Mira, Mary Elizabeth
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The following profiles address how the state departments of education are helping educators prepare for and implement their states' new college- and career-readiness standards and aligned assessments, through professional learning. SREB researchers examined each state's major professional development efforts around its new standards in order to understand the approach and get a sense of the major efforts of each state. SREB researchers did not seek to compile an exhaustive list of all of the professional learning that departments provide. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each state's efforts in this area. For trends across the states in their efforts, successes, challenges, types of support needed to move this work forward, and practitioner reflections on their own professional learning and experiences of implementation on the ground, see the accompanying "Cross-State Findings Report" (ED559248).
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- 2015
9. Timeline and Approach to Standards and Assessments. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
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Southern Regional Education Board, Anderson, Kimberly, and Mira, Mary Elizabeth
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The following profiles address decisions and actions that state education policy-makers--in the state departments of education, unless otherwise noted--are taking to foster successful statewide implementation of their states' new college- and career-readiness standards and aligned assessments. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each state's implementation efforts. For trends across the states in their efforts, successes, challenges, types of support needed to move this work forward, and practitioner perceptions of the effectiveness of state efforts and their experiences with implementation, see the accompanying "Cross-State Findings Report" (ED559248).
- Published
- 2015
10. Aligned Teaching Resources. State Implementation of College- and Career-Readiness Standards
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Southern Regional Education Board, Anderson, Kimberly, and Mira, Mary Elizabeth
- Abstract
The following profiles address how the state departments of education are supporting local educators in classroom implementation of the states' new college- and career-readiness standards by providing (or facilitating the development of) aligned instructional resources and materials. These resources and materials are supplementary supports that educators can use on a voluntary basis; they are not a required curriculum. In order for instructional resources and materials to be aligned to the new standards, they must provide coherent and accurate information about the standards and clearly define the knowledge and skills contained within the standards and how these differ from the state's previous standards. Instructional resources and materials need to offer guidance to educators on the implications of the increased level of rigor required by the new standards for designing teaching and learning experiences. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each state's efforts in this area. For trends across the states in their efforts, successes, challenges, types of support needed to move the work forward, and practitioners' reflections on their implementation experiences and the resources and support states provide, see the accompanying "Cross-State Findings Report" (ED559248).
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- 2015
11. Communities of Practice: Improving Equity and Opportunity through Postsecondary Data
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State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), Colorado, Jessica, Klein, Carrie, and Whitfield, Christina
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State postsecondary education data systems are vital assets for policymakers, researchers, and the public. The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association's (SHEEO) Communities of Practice project builds upon SHEEO's efforts to measure the capacity and effective use of state postsecondary data systems and provides states with opportunities to develop solutions to common system issues. The seventh Community of Practice convening, "Improving Equity and Opportunity through Postsecondary Data," was held September 28-29, 2022, in Denver, Colorado. The two-day meeting included more than 80 representatives from 17 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Teams included representatives from SHEEO agency academic affairs, workforce, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and research and data offices and their partners at state agencies and two- and four-year postsecondary institutions. Given the recent impacts on higher education from the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice unrest, and economic pressures facing the country, a focus on equity and opportunity was timely for this Community of Practice. SHEEO agency staff communicated a need to inform state attainment and economic goals through improved collection and use of postsecondary student unit record data. Within and across state teams, Community of Practice attendees were able to learn more about the nuances and impacts of equity-and opportunity-focused data collection, disaggregation, and visualization; to better understand how to effectively communicate and illustrate the need for and the contributions of equitable student success in their states; and to reflect on their capacity, partnerships, and resources available to effectively engage in this work. In this paper, SHEEO shares the presentations, resources, and team activities from the convening. This information can be used by SHEEO agencies to reflect on their current practices, plan and develop effective data policies, and better use data to improve postsecondary equity and opportunity outcomes in their states.
- Published
- 2023
12. Communities of Practice: Aligning K-12 and Postsecondary Education
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State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), Colorado, Jessica, Klein, Carrie, and Whitfield, Christina
- Abstract
The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association's (SHEEO) "Communities of Practice" project builds upon SHEEO's ongoing efforts to measure the capacity and effective use of state postsecondary data systems and provides states with opportunities to develop solutions to common issues with those systems. The sixth Community of Practice convening, "Aligning K-12 and Postsecondary Education," was held December 7-8, 2021, in Denver, Colorado. The two-day meeting included representatives from 13 states: Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington. Teams included representatives from SHEEO agencies, state K-12 agencies, P-20 partnership organizations, state longitudinal data systems, and others. The Community of Practice also addressed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student transitions and how state data systems can be used to promote equitable outcomes for low-income students and students of color. During the convening, teams explored practical uses of state P-20 data for improving college access, equity, and success and how state postsecondary data can better inform the K-12 to postsecondary pipeline. This white paper highlights key themes and findings of the convening, including challenges and lessons learned from the participating state teams and suggestions of topics for further consideration. Case studies describing ongoing efforts in Georgia and Pennsylvania are included in the appendices. Presentations from the December 2021 convening are available on SHEEO's state postsecondary data website.
- Published
- 2022
13. The National Schools to Watch Initiative: Characteristics and Implementation Levels of Successful Middle-Level Schools
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Mertens, Steven B. and Flowers, Nancy
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Utilizing longitudinal data from the national Schools to Watch (STW) program, this paper examines school demographic characteristics and teacher ratings of the implementation of STW criteria in STW schools and schools that have applied but have not yet been designated as a STW. The STW program was established by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999; currently 18 states participate in the program and nearly 400 schools have been designated as STW schools. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were used to examine relationships between the school demographic variables and the rating scores on the STW Rating Rubric, across the four domains of academic excellence, social equity, developmental responsiveness, and organizational structures and processes.
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- 2016
14. The Promise of Performance Assessments: Innovations in High School Learning and College Admission
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Learning Policy Institute, Guha, Roneeta, Wagner, Tony, Darling-Hammond, Linda, Taylor, Terri, and Curtis, Diane
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This paper outlines current trends, progress, and possibilities for fostering more authentic ways to assess students' competencies and mastery of skills needed for college, work, and civic life in the 21st century. It provides an introduction to performance assessments and their value. The authors highlight efforts to develop such assessments in k-12 districts, public high school networks, and independent schools, and they explore state and local policies that are bolstering such practices. This paper examines emerging higher education efforts to go beyond standardized tests in college admission, placement, and advising. It explores the opportunities and challenges associated with greater inclusion of performance assessments in college admission, placement, and advising. The authors identify steps that can build on the progress already made and help performance assessments be high quality, rigorous, and better known in the field. [For the research brief, see ED606783.]
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- 2018
15. Examining Self-Efficacy of FCS Teachers Following the COVID-19 Modality Switch
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Fish, Brittany A. and Jumper, Rachel L.
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This paper presents the results of a nationwide survey of educators for grades 6-12 who specialize in family and consumer sciences education (N=380). The paper examines teacher reports about their self-efficacy in online learning during the switch to off-campus instruction. Data revealed that district communication to teachers indicating that they were doing a good job and teachers having had prior online interactions with students were significantly related to the teachers' positive perceptions of self-efficacy.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
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16. Outcomes-Based Funding: Taking Stock
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National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), Complete College America, and Jones, Dennis P.
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This is the third paper on the topic of outcomes-based funding written by Dennis Jones for Complete College America. The first paper, "Performance Funding: From Idea to Action" (ED535356), proposed a set of design and implementation principles to help states develop and implement their own outcomes-based funding models. The second paper, "Outcomes-Based Funding: The Wave of Implementation" (2013) described features of models being implemented in states and the extent to which they conformed to the principles presented in the first paper. This third paper documents the continued spread of adoption with an increased focus in the field on whether outcomes are equitable across populations, with states disaggregating results by race, ethnicity, age and income and reporting those publicly. The additional purposes of this paper are threefold: (1) To reinforce the point that outcomes-based funding is but one component of the overall financing model for higher education in a state. The power of outcomes-based funding models is enhanced if the other components are designed so as to strengthen the alignment between funding streams and desired results; (2) To once again revisit the lists of design and implementation principles presented in the earlier document and (slightly) revise them in light of states' actions and experience; and (3) To describe the models that are being employed in implementing states and to assess the extent of conformance with the proffered set of design and implementation principles. This for the purpose of identifying areas of non-conformance to catalog potential weaknesses in models and questioning the applicability of certain of the principles. As with earlier versions of the document, the ultimate objective is to provide clear, straightforward guidance to policymakers who are searching for ways to better align their approaches to resource allocation with the educational outcomes that are of highest priority in their state.
- Published
- 2016
17. Using Standardized Diagnostic Instruments to Classify Children with Autism in the Study to Explore Early Development.
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Wiggins, Lisa, Reynolds, Ann, Rice, Catherine, Moody, Eric, Bernal, Pilar, Blaskey, Lisa, Rosenberg, Steven, Lee, Li-Ching, and Levy, Susan
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DIAGNOSIS of autism ,ALGORITHMS ,AUTISM ,CHILD development ,RESEARCH methodology ,MEDICAL cooperation ,PSYCHOLOGICAL tests ,PSYCHOMETRICS ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,RESEARCH ,PHENOTYPES ,CASE-control method ,DATA analysis software ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,CHILDREN ,CLASSIFICATION - Abstract
The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is a multi-site case-control study designed to explore the relationship between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotypes and etiologies. The goals of this paper are to (1) describe the SEED algorithm that uses the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to classify children with ASD, (2) examine psychometric properties of different ASD classification methods, including the SEED method that incorporates rules for resolving ADI-R and ADOS discordance, and (3) determine whether restricted interests and repetitive behaviors were noted for children who had instrument discordance resolved using ADI-R social and communication scores. Results support the utility of SEED criteria when well-defined groups of children are an important clinical or research outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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18. Redefining School Discipline: Illinois and Other States' Responses to Negative Impact
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Puckett, Tiffany, Graves, Christopher, and Sutton, Lenford C.
- Abstract
Minority students and students with disabilities are disciplined disproportionately from their peers. Discipline has led to many negative consequences in the lives of youth in the United States, including the school-to-prison pipeline. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance encouraging school districts to develop policies that seek alternatives to exclusionary penalties. Some states, including the State of Illinois, have been proactive in revamping the state's discipline. In this paper, we will examine how the states are responding to the school-to-prison pipeline and the other negative effects of exclusions and suspensions. Additionally, this paper will examine the implementation of Illinois Senate Bill 100, from an administrator's point of view, to make recommendations for disciplinary strategies and possible policy revisions.
- Published
- 2019
19. Cannabis provider Terrapin introduces vending machine.
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VENDING machines ,TURTLES ,INTERACTIVE kiosks ,MEDICAL marijuana ,CULTIVATORS - Abstract
Terrapin, a Boulder, Colorado-based cultivator, processor and provider of medical and recreational cannabis products with operations in Colorado and Pennsylvania, has introduced ACE, or Automated Cannabis Experience, a cannabis digital vending kiosk that provides a fully automated experience without the... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
20. Collaborating with Undergraduate Students on LIS Research
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Fargo, Hailley M. and Linares-Gray, Rosalinda H.
- Abstract
Many librarians conduct research in higher education by studying the undergraduate students with whom they work. Instead of research on students, this paper argues the need for library and information science (LIS) research with, for, and by students. It shows why librarians should explore collaborative partnerships with student-researchers to produce LIS scholarship. Such partnerships can create work that amplifies and responds to students' lived experiences. Research collaborations that include students as partners provide important learning opportunities, help learners gain familiarity with the LIS field, and produce significant student-centered scholarship. The authors present five principles for librarians to consider when conducting research with undergraduate students and provide two case studies to show the merit of these collaborations and how they work in practice.
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- 2022
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21. Futures Bound: Re-Designing Literacy Research as a Conduit for Healing and Civic Dreaming
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Garcia, Antero and Mirra, Nicole
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Authored by a teacher-researcher design team, this manuscript explores the boundaries and processes of literacy research enacted across perilous timescales. Building from fieldnotes, reflections, and dialogue from a two and a half year social design-based experiment, this study extends scholarship focused on kinship and communities of practice. Through considering the boundaries of where and how critical research is enacted, this paper demonstrates the ethical imperatives for considering when collective research continues or ends. Considering a lineage of solidarity tied to new literacy studies, we examine the multiple activity systems occupied by our community members and explore the pedagogies of healing and reconstitution that emerged. These findings push for speculative approaches to design that center affect and analog interactions. [This article was written with the Digital Democratic Dialogue (3d) Teacher Community.]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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22. Public data from three US states provide new insights into well integrity.
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Lackey, Greg, Rajaram, Harihar, Bolander, James, Sherwood, Owen A., Ryan, Joseph N., Chung Yan Shih, Bromhal, Grant S., and Dilmore, Robert M.
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GAS wells ,GAS leakage ,OIL wells ,PETROLEUM industry ,GOVERNMENT agencies - Abstract
Oil and gas wells with compromised integrity are a concern because they can potentially leak hydrocarbons or other fluids into groundwater and/or the atmosphere. Most states in the United States require some form of integrity testing, but few jurisdictions mandate widespread testing and open reporting on a scale informative for leakage risk assessment. In this study, we searched 33 US state oil and gas regulatory agency databases and identified records useful for evaluating well integrity in Colorado, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. In total, we compiled 474,621 testing records from 105,031 wells across these states into a uniform dataset. We found that 14.1% of wells tested prior to 2018 in Pennsylvania exhibited sustained casing pressure (SCP) or casing vent flow (CVF)--two indicators of compromised well integrity. Data from different hydrocarbon-producing regions within Colorado and NewMexico revealed a wider range (0.3 to 26.5%) of SCP and/or CVF occurrence than previously reported, highlighting the need to better understand regional trends in well integrity. Directional wells were more likely to exhibit SCP and/or CVF than vertical wells in Colorado and Pennsylvania, and their installation corresponded with statewide increases in SCP and/or CVF occurrence in Colorado (2005 to 2009) and Pennsylvania (2007 to 2011). Testing the ground around wells for indicators of gas leakage is not a widespread practice in the states considered. However, 3.0% of Colorado wells tested and 0.1% of New Mexico wells tested exhibited a degree of SCP sufficient to potentially induce leakage outside the well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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23. Love's Travel Stops to install EV charging stations in Pennsylvania, Colorado.
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ELECTRIC vehicle charging stations ,ELECTRIC charge ,PRESS releases - Abstract
Love's Travel Stops will install EV charging stations at eight locations in Pennsylvania and Colorado after securing $4.8 million in federal funds, according to a press release. Trillium Energy Solutions, a member of the Love's Family of Companies that designs,... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
24. State of the States 2017
- Abstract
On February 24, 2017, all of the authors of the state-of-the-state manuscripts published in the "Journal of Education Finance" met in Cincinnati, Ohio, to participate in a roundtable discussion focused on recent legislative actions in 38 states. A majority of those papers were revised to reflect a final report on legislative actions impacting the funding of P-12 and higher education. Overall, adequate funding for education continues to be an issue many states are struggling with. There is reason to be hopeful, as several states have seen increases in per pupil funding and teacher salaries. When facing funding shortfalls, some states have begun considering alternate sources of funding for public education. In complicated fiscal times like these, it is anticipated that an increasing number of states will look to novel forms of raising revenue for public schools. The following contents are included: (1) The Good, the Bad, and the Alarming: Commentary on the 2017 State of the States Submissions (Brittany Larkin, Christine Kiracofe, and Spencer Weiler); (2) Alabama (Philip Westbrook and Brenda Mendiola); (3) Alaska (Amy Dagley); (4) Arizona (David G. Martinez and Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); (5) Arkansas (Steve Bounds); (6) California (Henry Tran); (7) Colorado (Gabriel R. Serna and Spencer C. Weiler); (8) Connecticut (Lesley A. DeNardis); (9) Florida (Megan Lane, Jolande Morgan, and R. Craig Wood); (10) Georgia (David G. Buckman and Tommy Jackson); (11) Illinois (Christine Kiracofe); (12) Indiana (Scott Rodger Sweetland); (13) Kansas (Thomas A. DeLuca); (14) Kentucky (Tyrone Bynoe); (15) Louisiana (Arvin Johnson, Venice M. Adams, and David G. Buckman); (16) Massachusetts (Tyrone Bynoe); (17) Michigan (Brett A. Geier); (18) Minnesota (Nicola A. Alexander); (19) Mississippi (Spencer D. Stone and Joshua A. Money); (20) Nebraska (Barbara La Cost); (21) Nevada (Deborah A. Verstegen, Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, and David Martinez); (22) New Hampshire (F. Frank Ayata and Jeremy M. Anderson); (23) New Jersey (Luke J. Stedrak); (24) New Mexico (David G. Martinez and Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); (25) New York (Osnat Zaken); (26) North Carolina (Walter Hart, Jim R. Watson, and Lisa G. Driscoll); (27) Ohio (Barbara M. De Luca, Krystel H. Chenault, and Randall S. Vesely); (28) Oklahoma (Jeffrey Maiden and Channa Byerly); (29) Oregon (Michael C. Petko); (30) Pennsylvania (Jeremy Anderson and F. Frank Ayata); (31) Tennessee (Lisa G. Driscoll and Betty Cox); (32) Texas (Ken Helvey); (33) Virginia (William Owings and Leslie S. Kaplan); (34) West Virginia (Drew Milligan); (35) Wisconsin (Michael C. Petko); and (36) Wyoming (Joshua M. Cohen). [For the previous year, see EJ1170086.]
- Published
- 2018
25. States Get Creative In Efforts To Fund Schools While Not Raising Taxes.
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Erb, Kelly Phillips
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EDUCATIONAL finance ,TAXATION ,PUBLIC schools - Abstract
Public schools are often supported by local funding. What happens when that funding is eliminated? Some states, like Texas, Colorado & Pennsylvania, are trying new ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
26. Benefits of Informal Learning Environments: A Focused Examination of STEM-Based Program Environments
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Denson, Cameron D., Austin Stallworth, Chandra, Hailey, Christine, and Householder, Daniel L.
- Abstract
This paper examines STEM-based informal learning environments for underrepresented students and reports on the aspects of these programs that are beneficial to students. This qualitative study provides a nuanced look into informal learning environments and determines what is unique about these experiences and makes them beneficial for students. We provide results of a qualitative research study conducted with the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an informal learning environment that has proven to be effective in recruiting, retaining and encouraging underrepresented students to pursue STEM careers. Using a grounded theory approach, focus group interviews were conducted with five student groups throughout the state of California in an effort to "unpack the activity" variables of the informal learning environment. Results of this study should inform formal learning environments and other informal learning environments as to the components that make these learning environments effective and appealing to underrepresented students populations.
- Published
- 2015
27. Local Politics and Portfolio Management Models: National Reform Ideas and Local Control
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Bulkley, Katrina E. and Henig, Jeffrey R.
- Abstract
Amid the growth of charter schools, autonomous schools, and private management organizations, an increasing number of urban districts are moving toward a portfolio management model (PMM). In a PMM, the district central office oversees schools that operate under a variety of governance models. The expansion of PMMs raises questions about local control, as new national and local organizations become increasingly central players in the design and delivery of public education and educational systems. Looking across 10 distinct localities, this paper explores the variations in the role of local, state, and national actors in the initiation of PMMs and the provision of education within them. We find that the relationship between PMM reforms and issues of local control is a complicated one mediated by local contexts, including local civic and provider capacity, available resources, and issues of governance.
- Published
- 2015
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28. Investigation of Combustion Properties and Soot Deposits of Various US Crude Oils.
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Singh, Gurjap, Esmaeilpour, Mehdi, and Ratner, Albert
- Subjects
PETROLEUM ,RAILROAD accidents ,SOOT ,KEYSTONE pipeline project ,COMBUSTION ,LIQUID fuels - Abstract
The oil boom in the North Dakota oilfields has resulted in improved energy security for the US. Recent estimates of oil production rates indicate that even completion of the Keystone XL pipeline will only fractionally reduce the need to ship this oil by rail. Current levels of oil shipment have already caused significant strain on rail infrastructure and led to crude oil train derailments, resulting in loss of life and property. Treating crude oil as a multicomponent liquid fuel, this work aims to understand crude oil droplet burning and thereby lead to methods to improve train fire safety. Sub-millimeter sized droplets of Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado, and Bakken crude were burned, and the process was recorded with charge-couple device (CCD) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) high-speed cameras. The resulting images were post-processed to obtain various combustion parameters, such as burning rate, ignition delay, total combustion time, and microexplosion behavior. The soot left behind was analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This data is expected be used for validation of combustion models for complex multicomponent liquid fuels, and subsequently in the modification of combustion properties of crude oil using various additives to make it safer to transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Thomas Starzl: US pioneer in immunology and transplantation.
- Author
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Fricker, Janet
- Subjects
TACROLIMUS ,KIDNEY transplantation ,LIVER transplantation ,PHYSICIANS ,MEDICAL school faculty ,RETIREMENT ,LEADERS ,HISTORY ,THERAPEUTICS - Published
- 2017
30. Evaluation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill liquids from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin.
- Author
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Chen Y, Zhang H, Liu Y, Bowden JA, Townsend TG, and Solo-Gabriele HM
- Subjects
- Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Biofilms, Bioreactors, Waste Disposal Facilities, Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis, Fluorocarbons analysis
- Abstract
PER: and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been measured in aqueous components within landfills. To date, the majority of these studies have been conducted in Florida. This current study aimed to evaluate PFAS concentrations in aqueous components (leachate, gas condensate, stormwater, and groundwater) from four landfills located outside of Florida, in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin (2 landfills). The Pennsylvania landfill also provided the opportunity to assess a leachate treatment system. Sample analyses were consistent across studies including the measurements of 26 PFAS and physical-chemical parameters. For the four target landfills, average PFAS concentrations were 6,900, 22,000, 280, and 260 ng L
-1 in the leachate, gas condensate, stormwater, and groundwater, respectively. These results were not significantly different than those observed for landfills in Florida except for the significantly higher PFAS concentrations in gas condensate compared to leachate. For on-site treatment at the Pennsylvania landfill, results suggest that the membrane biological bioreactor (MBBR) system performed similarly as aeration-based leachate treatment systems at Florida landfills resulting in no significant decreases in ∑26 PFAS. Overall, results suggest a general consistency across US regions in PFAS concentrations within different landfill liquid types, with the few differences observed likely influenced by landfill design and local climate. Results confirm that leachate exposed to open air (e.g., in trenches or in treatment systems) have lower proportions of perfluoroalkyl acid precursors relative to leachate collected in enclosed pipe systems. Results also confirm that landfills without bottom liner systems may have relatively higher PFAS levels in adjacent groundwater and that landfills in wetter climates tend to have higher PFAS concentrations in leachate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2024
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31. Unlocking the black box: supporting practices to become patient-centered medical homes.
- Author
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Coleman K, Phillips KE, Van Borkulo N, Daniel DM, Johnson KE, Wagner EH, and Sugarman JR
- Subjects
- Colorado, Health Services Research, Humans, Idaho, Massachusetts, Models, Organizational, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Program Development, Quality Assurance, Health Care, Health Plan Implementation, Patient-Centered Care organization & administration, Practice Management, Medical organization & administration, Primary Health Care organization & administration, Safety-net Providers organization & administration
- Abstract
Background: Despite widespread interest in supporting primary care transformation, few evidence-based strategies for technical assistance exist. The Safety Net Medical Home Initiative (SNMHI) sought to develop a replicable and sustainable model for Patient-centered Medical Home practice transformation., Objectives: This paper describes the multimodal technical assistance approach used by the SNMHI and the participating practices' assessment of its value and helpfulness in supporting their transformation., Results: Components of the technical assistance framework included: (1) individual site-level coaching provided by local medical home facilitators and supplemented by expert consultation; (2) regional and national learning communities of participating practices that included in-person meetings and field trips; (3) data monitoring and feedback including longitudinal feedback on medical home implementation as measured by the Patient-centered Medical Home-A; (4) written implementation guides, tools, and webinars relating to each of the 8 Change Concepts for Practice Transformation; and (5) small grant funds to support infrastructure and staff development. Overall, practices found the technical assistance helpful and most valued in-person, peer-to-peer-learning opportunities. Practices receiving technical assistance from membership organizations with which they belonged before the SNMHI scored higher on measures of medical home implementation than practices working with organizations with whom they had no prior relationship., Conclusions: There is an important role for both local and national organizations to provide nonduplicative, mutually reinforcing support for primary care transformation. How (in-person, between-peers) and by whom technical assistance is provided may be important to consider.
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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