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Many college students experience basic needs insecurity, which includes a lack of--or fear of the lack of--access to healthy food, stable housing, reliable transportation, affordable child care, physical and mental health care services, the internet and technology, and other necessities students need to survive and thrive in a postsecondary academic setting. This evaluation report focuses on measuring the extent to which students used basic needs services at select institutions supported by Basic Needs Initiative (BNI) grantees in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years and the impact of using services on students' short-term academic outcomes, including enrollment intensity (credits attempted), credits earned, grade point average, and fall to winter/spring retention. Education Northwest partnered with four BNI grantees on this report--Arkansas Community Colleges, Auburn University's Hunger Solutions Institute, John Burton Advocates for Youth, and United Way of King County--to access student-level data on the use of basic needs services, student demographics, and academic outcomes from 20 postsecondary institutions in Arkansas, Alabama, California, and Washington. This report has three key findings with implications for practice: (1) Collecting data on students' use of basic needs services and linking it to student demographic and outcome data was a new activity for many of the institutions included in this report, and the basic needs services data had several limitations; (2) Very few students in our sample used basic needs services, suggesting a large gap between students' reported needs and their access to services; and (3) Access to basic needs services had a positive impact on the number of credits students attempted and earned was positively related with retention.

The study evaluated the Personalized, Relevant, Engaged for Postsecondary (PREP) intervention implemented by Portland Public Schools (PPS) to promote student engagement in alternative high schools. The PREP intervention integrated three key components: project-based learning (PBL); career technical education (CTE), including certified CTE programs and career-related learning experiences (CRLEs); and social and emotional learning (SEL). The study examined the fidelity of implementation over two years using a pre-defined rubric. The study also used a comparative interrupted time series design to examine the effects of the intervention on measures of engagement and high school progression. The study found that PREP key components were implemented with adequate fidelity during the 2020-21 school year but not during the 2021-22 school year. Results from the impact study did not identify a statistically significant impact of the PREP intervention on retention and credit accumulation. However, the study found promising evidence that PREP may have decreased rates of severe absenteeism. The findings indicate that providing comprehensive assistance is crucial in helping opportunity youth.

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) administers and operates a state-funded preschool program called the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). To inform systemwide improvements in the program, the department contracted with Education Northwest to conduct a qualitative study of nine sites across the state. The goal of the study was to identify unique or innovative practices and provide recommendations for scaling these practices across the state in alignment with five domains in the ECEAP Performance Standards: (1) family engagement and partnerships; (2) use of an evidence-based and culturally relevant curriculum; (3) fostering supportive adult-child interactions; (4) measuring and supporting child outcomes; and (5) professional development and training.

In 2023, Region 16 Comprehensive Center (R16CC) and Education Northwest partnered to extend the scope of previous work and address feedback on a first report from R16CC's WA Tribal Advisory Board. Specifically, they responded to a call for a stronger focus on regional efforts in the Pacific Northwest. This document presents themes that emerged from conversations with key education leaders and scholars, along with examples and resources created and carried out by Indigenous education leaders and scholars in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The recommendations and resources in this report are intended to support educators and educational leaders across the region with strategies that could improve educational (and life) experiences for Native and non-Native students alike. This report is not an exhaustive list of all of the foundational elements of Indigenous education in the Pacific Northwest, but instead should be considered a summary of what has been learned from conversations with leaders in the region and a review of their published works.

Teachers Educating All Multilingual Students (TEAMS) is a teacher professional development program at Oregon State University that culminates in an English for speakers of other languages endorsement and/or a dual language specialization. TEAMS is partially funded through an Office of English Language Acquisition National Professional Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and participants receive scholarships to cover tuition. This study explores whether TEAMS professional development had an impact on the academic outcomes of English learner students whose teachers participated in TEAMS. The study authors used a two-step matching procedure to identify a group of comparison teachers in TEAMS school districts who appeared likely to enroll in TEAMS. They then selected a subset of students who had statistically indistinguishable demographic characteristics, program enrollment, and academic achievement from TEAMS students. Due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic, reliable assessment data were only available for the academic year 2018/19. The study found that teachers' participation in TEAMS positively impacted English learner students' English language arts assessment outcomes. English language arts testing scores of English learner students taught by TEAMS teachers were 0.348 standard deviations higher than those of comparison students taught by comparison teachers. This difference is statistically significant and of moderate size, representing a 13.6 percentile point increase for an average English learner student. Teachers' participation in TEAMS had no impact on students' English language proficiency outcomes.

Many states and districts offer full-day kindergarten (FDK) to provide additional time for student learning in the hope that it will improve student outcomes. Prior research has shown an association between FDK and gains in student outcomes such as math and reading standardized assessment scores. In 2015/16, through a policy shift, Oregon changed its funding structure for kindergarten enrollment, which created incentives for districts to offer FDK. This study examines three aspects of FDK in Oregon. First, the study looked at the characteristics of Oregon districts that offered FDK in 2013/14 and 2014/15 (the two years before the policy shift) and how those FDK programs were structured. Next, the study estimated the impact of attending FDK in one large Oregon school district in 2013/14 and 2014/15 on academic and non-academic outcomes. Lastly, the study explored how FDK programs were implemented in 2017/18 (after the policy shift). The study found that in 2013/14 and 2014/15, a majority of Oregon districts offered FDK in some capacity to all students and used district funding to support it. In one large Oregon school district, approximately 30 percent of kindergarten students in 2013/14 and 2014/15 were in FDK, and they tended to be more economically advantaged than their non-FDK peers. Compared to attending half-day kindergarten, attending FDK in this district had a small positive impact on attendance in grades 1 and 3 for the 2013/14 cohort and in grades K--3 for the 2014/15 cohort; a negative impact on English language proficiency in grade 3 in certain domains for English learners; and no impact on grade 3 test scores in math or reading, grade retention, or discipline. The results for attendance varied for different student groups, but there was no impact on test scores for different student groups. Examining how FDK programs were implemented after the policy shift, only 22 percent of teachers responded to a survey, and those respondents reported a focus on teacher-directed activities and limited use of kindergarten entry assessment data in 2017/18. These findings cannot be generalized to all FDK teachers in Oregon and only apply to teachers who responded. In the same year, the 42 percent of principals who responded to the survey reported that a small number of FDK students only received a half day of instruction and that there was a lack of curricular and professional development alignment between preschool and kindergarten. Again, these findings cannot be generalized to all schools with FDK. The study's mixed findings indicate that FDK may slightly improve student attendance in early elementary grades for some student groups and in settings that are similar to the large district examined in this study. The study also reveals a need for more research on the barriers to offering, accessing, and implementing FDK, as well as the variation in the impact of FDK on student outcomes. Finally, the study points to a need for additional state guidance and support on how to implement high-quality FDK programs. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED616502.]

Education Northwest conducted a landscape analysis to support the Region 16 Comprehensive Center in gathering information about promising practices and innovative strategies for recruiting and retaining Indigenous educators in teacher education programs (TEPs) and the workforce. This landscape analysis included a review of the literature; a review of enrollment and graduation data from TEPs across the country (publicly available from the U.S. Department of Education through Title II of the Higher Education Act); and interviews with scholars, experts, and program administrators who were conducting research around supporting Indigenous educators or were working in TEPs that enrolled or graduated high numbers of Indigenous students. The report is intended to provide insights and recommendations for Tribes, TEPs, schools, districts, regional entities, and state agencies with a focus on three research questions: (1) How can TEPs successfully recruit and retain Indigenous students? (2) How can schools and districts successfully recruit and retain Indigenous educators in the workforce? and (3) How can these findings inform ongoing and future work in Washington State?

In 2015 Oregon became the second state in the country to implement a statewide promise program. Its program, Oregon Promise, seeks to promote students' postsecondary attainment by covering nearly all community college tuition. This study used student data from K-12 public schools, Oregon Promise applications, and postsecondary records to examine which public high school seniors the program reached and served and to assess the program's impact on high school graduates' postsecondary outcomes in its first two years. The study found that Oregon Promise applicants generally reflected the demographic composition of all Oregon public high school seniors in 2015/16 and 2016/17, although applicants were more likely to be female and less likely to have received special education services. While applicant characteristics were similar in the first and second years, there were fewer eligible applicants and recipients in the second year, when an expected family contribution limit was added, than in the first year, and they were more likely to be from low-income households and to be students of color. Using grade point average (GPA) data from the Portland metropolitan area, the study also found that lowering the GPA requirement would have increased the overall applicant pool, as well as the number of applicants from low-income households and applicants of color. Just over half of recipients in the first year of the program renewed their award and received it in their second year at a community college. These recipients had better high school attendance and were more likely to have participated in college-level coursework during high school than recipients who received an award only in their first year. Finally, among high school graduates in the Portland metropolitan area with a GPA close to the eligibility cutoff (2.5), the offer of an award had a positive impact on first-year persistence and on persistence or college completion within four years of high school graduation. Findings from the statewide exploratory analysis also found positive program impacts on first-year persistence and persistence or college completion within three or four years of high school graduation for all 2015/16 and 2016/17 seniors in the state. Oregon stakeholders can use the findings to better understand the reach and impact of the Oregon Promise program, implications of program requirements on the number and composition of applicants and recipients, and the high school experiences of recipients who renewed their award. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED615646. For the appendixes, see ED615648.]

The "What Were the Reach and Impact of the Oregon Promise Financial Aid Program in Its First Two Years?" study examined Oregon Promise, a program that promotes students' postsecondary attainment by covering nearly all community college tuition. The study used student data from K-12 public schools, Oregon Promise applications, and postsecondary records to examine which public high school seniors the program reached and served and to assess the program's impact on high school graduates' postsecondary outcomes in its first two years. The study found that Oregon Promise applicants generally reflected the demographic composition of all Oregon public high school seniors in 2015/16 and 2016/17, although applicants were more likely to be female and less likely to have received special education services. Oregon stakeholders can use the findings to better understand the reach and impact of the Oregon Promise program. This document presents the following three appendixes that accompany the study: (1) Oregon Promise; (2) Methods; and (3) Supporting analysis. [For the full report, see ED615645. For the Study Snapshot, see ED615646.]

Although Oregon has made recent gains in its overall high school graduation rate, 21?percent of public school students entering grade?9 in 2014 did not graduate within four years, by 2018. To improve graduation rates, Oregon voters approved Ballot Measure 98 in 2016 to fund dropout prevention and college and career readiness initiatives in high schools. Many districts used the funding to adopt an early indicator and intervention system (EIIS) to identify students who are not on track to graduate on time by monitoring related indicators, such as chronic absenteeism, disciplinary infractions, course progression, and academic performance, through a frequently updated data system. Districts can tailor the system by setting their own on-track thresholds for each indicator to identify students at risk of not graduating on time, assigning those students to interventions, and monitoring student response to the interventions. This study took advantage of the additional funding being offered to districts across the state to look at first-year effects on chronic absenteeism, disciplinary infractions, course progression, and academic performance by comparing the outcomes in 65 districts that adopted an EIIS to the outcomes in a set of similar districts that used the additional funding for other dropout prevention or college and career readiness initiatives. The study offers insight into the effectiveness of early efforts to scale up EIISs, a popular school-level intervention. EIIS adoption appears to have reduced the percentage of students who were chronically absent by 3.9?percentage points but does not appear to have had positive effects on the three other student outcomes during the first year: the percentage of students with disciplinary infractions, the percentage of grade?10 students who had acquired enough credits by the end of grade?9 to be considered on track for on-time graduation, or the percentage of grade?11 students meeting or exceeding proficiency standards on state math and English language arts tests. The findings offer the Oregon Department of Education information on the early effects of its efforts to promote EIIS across Oregon. The findings can also be used by other state and district education leaders to inform their considerations to scale up EIIS or other similar programs. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED614631. For the appendixes, see ED614632.]

The "Professional Development Incentives for Oregon's Early Childhood Education Workforce: A Randomized Study" examined whether professional development incentives for the Oregon early childhood education (ECE) workforce members increased career lattice sign-up and increased education and training levels or workplace retention. The study found that sending emails encouraging career lattice sign-up had no detectable impact on career lattice sign-up or workplace retention. Sending emails about automatic enrollment in a scholarship program had no detectable impact on scholarship use, career lattice movement, college credit hours earned, or workplace retention. The findings suggest that low-touch interventions such as emails have promise for increasing training hours but are not sufficient to induce changes in career lattice sign-up, continuing postsecondary education, or workplace retention for Oregon ECE workforce members. The results have implications for future research, in addition to demonstrating how better messaging and supports can mitigate barriers to further education and training and how email campaigns can be leveraged for workforce communication efforts. This document presents the following three appendixes that accompany the study: (1) About the study; (2) Methods; and (3) Supporting analysis. [For the full report, see ED614624. For the Study Snapshot, see ED614625.]

The "First-Year Effects of Early Indicator and Intervention Systems in Oregon" study provides information to the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon districts that are adopting or considering adopting an early indicator and intervention system (EIIS), as well as to other interested state and district education leaders who are considering a similar system. This appendix provides an overview of the literature on EIISs, including key indicators of high school dropout and graduation; which grade levels to focus on, as identified in the research for preventing high school dropout; and the evidence on EIISs that was available before this study. It then summarizes the history of Oregon Ballot Measure 98 and the High School Success Initiative during its first two years to provide additional context. Finally, it offers a more detailed description of each component of an EIIS. [For the full report, see ED614630. For the Study Snapshot, see ED614631.]

Many states seek to increase the education levels of their early childhood education (ECE) workforce to improve the quality of care for children. Oregon encourages all ECE workforce members to sign up for a career lattice, a career pathway system that helps them determine goals related to increasing their education. The state also offers incentives for reaching specific steps in the career lattice and scholarships for college credit and community-based training. This study used two randomized controlled trials in 2018 and 2019 to test whether sending emails and offering different financial incentives to Oregon ECE workforce members increased career lattice sign-up and increased education and training levels or workplace retention. The study found that sending emails encouraging career lattice sign-up had no detectable impact on career lattice sign-up or workplace retention. Sending emails offering a monetary incentive at an earlier-than-usual step on the career lattice had a positive impact on training hours recorded but no detectable impact on career lattice movement, college credit hours earned, or workplace retention. Sending emails about automatic enrollment in a scholarship program had no detectable impact on scholarship use, career lattice movement, college credit hours earned, or workplace retention. Lastly, after participants were randomly assigned to study groups, the email campaigns were implemented as planned, reaching all intended participants, although the interventions ended sooner than planned because of a state policy change. The findings suggest that low-touch interventions such as emails have promise for increasing training hours but are not sufficient to induce changes in career lattice sign-up, continuing postsecondary education, or workplace retention for Oregon ECE workforce members. These results have implications for future research, in addition to demonstrating how better messaging and supports can mitigate barriers to further education and training and how email campaigns can be leveraged for workforce communication efforts. This information is particularly relevant for state agencies and education and training providers. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED614625. For the appendixes, see ED614626.]

The "State-Funded Preschool in the Last Frontier: Alaska's Pre-Elementary Grant Program" study examined the implementation of Pre-Elementary Grant (PEG) programs in Alaska, the characteristics of PEG districts and the students served, and the student outcomes related to participating in state-funded preschool, including participating in a PEG program. Based on analyses of documents, interviews, and administrative data, the study found that PEG districts served a higher proportion of Alaska Native students, English learner students, and students in rural remote schools than did non-PEG districts and that these differences increased between 2016/17 and 2018/19 as more districts received funding. The study findings have important implications for Alaska's efforts to expand preschool and might also be of interest to other predominantly rural states that are considering similar efforts. Specifically, the implementation findings can help practitioners, program directors, and state agency staff members in Alaska provide more targeted support to districts and modify the grant program in future years. This document presents the following four appendixes that accompany the study: (1) About the study; (2) Methods; (3) Supporting analysis; and (4) Interview and document analysis. [For the full report, see ED614560. For the Study Snapshot, see ED614561.]

Created in 2016, Alaska's Pre-Elementary Grants (PEGs) allow school districts to design, develop, and expand affordable and accessible preschool in their communities. PEGs aim, in particular, to serve historically disadvantaged students. This study aimed to help Alaska stakeholders better understand how districts implemented the grants and what were the characteristics and outcomes of children who participated in PEG programs. Based on analyses of documents, interviews, and administrative data, the study found that PEG districts served a higher proportion of Alaska Native students, English learner students, and students in rural remote schools than did non-PEG districts and that these differences increased between 2016/17 and 2018/19 as more districts received funding. PEG districts used the program's flexibility primarily to provide or support part-day preschool. In addition, students' participation in state-funded preschool between 2013/14 and 2017/18, including PEG participation, was positively related to kindergarten readiness, kindergarten and grade 2 English language proficiency, kindergarten and grade 1 attendance, and grade 3 assessment scores in math but not to grade 3 assessment scores in reading. The study findings have important implications for Alaska's efforts to expand preschool and might also be of interest to other predominantly rural states that are considering similar efforts. Specifically, the implementation findings can help practitioners, program directors, and state agency staff members in Alaska provide more targeted support to districts and modify the grant program in future years. The promising findings on the relationship between PEG participation and student outcomes point to the need for more rigorous research on this topic--an effort that would benefit from improved data collection. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED614561. For the appendixes, see ED614563.]

The "Pathways to Teaching: Teacher Diversity, Testing, Certification, and Employment in Washington State" study examined the state's shortage of teachers of color. The study investigated six steps in the teacher preparation and career pathway at which teacher candidates and teachers are likely to drop out or leave the profession: three teacher preparation tests, certification, employment, and retention. Among all teacher candidates who took at least one of these steps during 2010-19, Hispanic candidates and non-Hispanic candidates of color were less likely than White candidates to complete each step, took longer to complete each step, and were less likely to become a certificated educator in a Washington K-12 public school. The descriptive findings suggest that education policymakers consider revising policies and programs to increase the number of teachers of color. This document presents the following two appendixes that accompany the study: (1) Methodology; and (2) Supporting analyses. [For the full report, see ED613183. For the Study Snapshot, see ED613184.]

The number and percentage of students of color are growing in Washington state, yet the teacher workforce remains largely White (non-Hispanic). This means that few students of color have teachers who share their race or ethnicity, which could have consequences for student achievement and wellbeing. To better understand the state's shortage of teachers of color, this study investigated six steps in the teacher preparation and career pathway at which teacher candidates and teachers are likely to drop out or leave the profession: three teacher preparation tests, certification, employment, and retention. Among all teacher candidates who took at least one of these steps during 2010-19, Hispanic candidates and non-Hispanic candidates of color were less likely than White candidates to complete each step, took longer to complete each step, and were less likely to become a certificated educator in a Washington K-12 public school. The descriptive findings suggest that education policymakers consider revising policies and programs to increase the number of teachers of color. The state has already made changes, such as revising testing requirements for teacher candidates. [For the Study Snapshot, see ED613184. For the appendixes, see ED613185.]

Districts and schools that implement programs related to student well-being, academic, and life skill development (WALSD) improve school climate, academics, and discipline (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016). The programs also have significant effects on how students function in school and work as well as their emotional and mental health, even into adulthood (Hawkins et al., 2005). Supporting a positive instructional environment where students can learn and practice well-being, academic, and life skills is a process, not a program. It is important to align and integrate efforts across districts and within schools to allow continuous growth among students and school community members. Collaboratively developing, managing, and supporting a WALSD vision builds ownership and ensures that WALSD programs and practices align with the district's system efforts. This self-assessment can help districts identify areas of growth and success while undertaking or expanding whole child supports across their systems. It is intended to be used by district teams to guide reflection and engage in collaborative planning.

These are the appendixes for the report "Alaska Native Students as English Learner Students: Examining Patterns in Identification, Classification, Service Provision, and Reclassification." The study sought to inform Alaska stakeholders about the identification, classification, service provision, and reclassification patterns of Alaska Native English learner (EL) students. More broadly, it also sought to inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers regarding EL policy as it affects Indigenous students. Indigenous students, including Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian students, are underrepresented in EL policy research (Carjuzaa & Ruff, 2016). Much research focuses on immigrant-origin students--specifically, Spanish-speaking students. Although the Spanish-speaking EL population accounts for roughly 80 percent of the EL population in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.), there are many EL students with other racial/ethnic, linguistic, and national backgrounds. This gap in EL policy research is important because EL students have highly disparate outcomes that often correlate with racial/ethnic and linguistic characteristics. Research on this important group of students is critical for education stakeholders as they work to ensure that Indigenous EL students receive high-quality, equitable, and appropriate education services and supports. The appendixes include: (1) About the study; (2) Methods; and (3) Supporting analysis. [For the full report, see ED612515. For the study snapshot, see ED612516.]

This report examines the population of Alaska Native students who are classified as English learner (EL) students and how EL policies function for these students, focusing on EL identification, classification, service provision, and reclassification as fluent English proficient. Alaska is one of several states where Indigenous students make up a large segment of the EL population. Drawing on Alaska state data from 2011/12 to 2018/19, this study found that roughly a quarter of Alaska Native kindergarten students statewide were classified as EL students. Alaska Native EL students are a diverse group. The Alaska Native EL students in the study spoke 24 different home languages and had varied demographic and education characteristics. Compared with non-Alaska Native EL kindergarten students, Alaska Native EL students had lower English proficiency levels and higher rates of economic disadvantage in a cash-based economy (defined in box 1). The percentage of kindergarten students who were Alaska Native EL students was highest in schools that were rural, schools that had higher rates of economic disadvantage, and schools that employed fewer English as a second language teachers. In interviews, four district leaders shared that identification, classification, service provision, and reclassification practices were the same for Alaska Native EL students as for other Alaska EL students. These interviewees shared that limited financial and human resources compromised the quality and availability of EL supports. However, a review of 26 district EL Plans of Service revealed that less than a third of districts described policies and services directed specifically toward Alaska Native EL students, including heritage language programs, community outreach, and collaboration between Alaska Native education programs and EL programs. Statewide, EL reclassification rates were low for all EL students but especially low among Alaska Native EL students. By the end of grade 7, only 11 percent of Alaska Native EL students had been reclassified compared with 30 percent of non-Alaska Native EL students. This report identifies implications for Alaska, and for other states serving Indigenous EL students, for ensuring that EL education policy, funding, and service provision support Alaska Native and other Indigenous EL students equitably and with excellence. [For the study snapshot, see ED612516. For the appendixes, see ED612517.]

These are the appendixes for the report, "Changes in Exclusionary and Nonexclusionary Discipline in Grades K-5 Following State Policy Reform in Oregon" (ED610682). Students in grades K-5 who receive exclusionary discipline are more likely to experience chronic absenteeism, academic failure, and disciplinary problems throughout their school career. In the long term they are at greater risk of delinquency, substance abuse, and dropout. Elementary school students in schools with higher rates of exclusionary discipline report lower ratings of classroom order, feelings of safety, and have lower academic achievement than students in schools that use positive behavioral supports. Further, removing students for minor disruptive behaviors does not improve academic outcomes for students in the school who are not suspended. These studies provide evidence that school discipline is an important concern. However, additional research is needed to determine whether exclusionary discipline causes these negative student outcomes. This study used University of Oregon Schoolwide Information System (SWIS) data to examine the use of exclusionary and nonexclusionary discipline practices in grade K-5 from 2011/12 through 2017/18 in a voluntary sample of schools implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The data covered the four years before implementation of the 2015 school discipline policy change (2011/12-2014/15) and the three years following implementation (2015/16-2017/18). Three appendixes are included: (1) About the study; (2) Methods; and (3) Supporting analysis. [For the full report, see ED610682. For the study snapshot, see ED610683.]

Racial equity is a high priority in Oregon, which along with many other states has enacted reforms in the past decade to improve racial equity in school discipline practices. One common approach has been to focus on reducing the use of exclusionary discipline, which removes students from classroom instruction. In 2015 the Oregon legislature limited the use of exclusionary discipline for students in grades K-5 to situations that pose a direct threat to the safety of other students and adults. The 2015 legislation built on 2013 policies that required schools to reduce the unnecessary use of exclusionary discipline and increase the use of nonexclusionary discipline. This study was conducted in response to a request from Oregon education leaders for information on the association between the 2015 state policy reform and school discipline and how the association differed by student race/ethnicity. Using data from a voluntary sample of 401 schools that served grades K-5, the study found that the numbers of office discipline referrals that resulted in exclusionary discipline and in nonexclusionary discipline increased after the 2015 policy reform relative to pre-policy trends, especially for Black students. During the post-policy years Black students experienced the largest increase in exclusionary discipline and were twice as likely as students overall to experience exclusionary discipline. For most student racial/ethnic groups the 2015 policy reform was associated with a significant shift in the post-policy years from exclusionary to nonexclusionary discipline. However, this finding did not hold for Black students, for whom office discipline referrals became more likely to result in exclusionary discipline and less likely to result in nonexclusionary discipline after the 2015 policy reform. For White students and some other racial/ethnic student groups, the 2015 policy reform was also associated with a shift from exclusionary to nonexclusionary discipline for minor, disruptive, and aggressive behavioral infractions that were not considered a threat to safety. However, the reform was associated with a shift toward exclusionary discipline for office discipline referrals issued to Black students for disruptive infractions and to Hispanic students for aggression. [For the study snapshot, see ED610683. For the appendices, see ED610684.]

These are the appendices for the report, "The Implementation and Outcomes of Lesson Study in Community College Mathematics." The report describes a project undertaken by Community College Research Center (CCRC), Education Northwest, and three community colleges in Oregon to adapt lesson study for use among faculty teaching a precollege (developmental) quantitative literacy course. Lesson study is a collaborative professional development approach that has been implemented among K-12 mathematics teachers with promising results for both teachers and students. There are four appendices in the document. [For the full report, see ED615171.]

This report describes a project undertaken by CCRC, Education Northwest, and three community colleges in Oregon to adapt lesson study for use among faculty teaching a precollege (developmental) quantitative literacy course. Lesson study is a collaborative professional development approach that has been implemented among K-12 mathematics teachers with promising results for both teachers and students. There has been limited research on its application in higher education. The authors discuss findings from a mixed-method study of the adapted model's implementation among faculty in the community colleges as well as limited findings on student learning and progression in developmental mathematics. Data sources for the study include interviews with participating faculty and college administrators, a survey of all mathematics faculty at the three colleges, observations of lesson study activities, an assessment of student learning, and administrative data. Although lesson study is different from typical professional development available in community colleges, faculty at the colleges were able to implement lesson study successfully. Participants largely enjoyed their lesson study experience, particularly its focus on improving mathematics pedagogy and the opportunities it provided for intensive and productive collaboration. And faculty adopted new teaching practices as a result of their participation in lesson study. Owing to study design and time limitations, the authors were not able to rigorously evaluate lesson study's impact on student outcomes. Drawing on qualitative analysis, they present a theory of change for lesson study and offer suggestions for future research that could assess the impacts of lesson study on student learning and outcomes in community colleges. [For the appendices, see ED615173.]

This is the appendixes for the report, "Are State Policy Reforms in Oregon Associated with Fewer School Suspensions and Expulsions?" This study examined the association between state-level policy reforms and suspension and expulsion rates for grades K-12 in Oregon public schools. The findings suggest that the policy shift has led to some short-term progress on two of the state's main goals--reducing unnecessary removal of students from classroom instruction for disciplinary reasons and reducing exclusionary discipline for weapons offenses that do not involve firearms. Across all grade spans the use of exclusionary discipline declined from school year 2008/09 to 2016/17, with greater reductions for grades 9-12 and 6-8 than for grades K-5. Oregon's policy reforms were associated with short-term reductions in some forms of exclusionary discipline after pre-policy trends and other factors were adjusted for. For example, the 2013 policy reforms were associated with short-term reductions in the number of out-of-school suspensions per student for grades 9-12 and 6-8, and the 2015 policy reforms were associated with a reduction in out-of-school suspensions for grades K-5. For grades 6-8 and K-5 the policy reforms were also associated with reductions in the number of expulsions per student. However, many disciplinary actions reverted--or appeared to be reverting--toward pre-policy trends within a few years. Meanwhile, for all grade spans the policy reforms were not associated with reductions in the use of in-school suspensions after other factors were adjusted for. The declining rates of exclusionary discipline indicate progress, but growth in out-of-school suspensions in recent years suggests the need for further monitoring and additional support. For example, strengthening efforts to reduce suspensions for minor infractions, especially for grades 9-12 and 6-8, could reduce unnecessary suspensions overall--a priority of Oregon's school discipline policy reforms. Four appendixes are included in the document. [For the full report, see ED607760; for the study snapshot, see ED607762.]

In 2013 and 2015 Oregon enacted legislation that shifted school discipline policies from a zero-tolerance approach to one that emphasizes preventing behavioral problems and reducing unnecessary suspensions and expulsions. Suspensions and expulsions are often referred to as exclusionary discipline because they remove students from classroom instruction. This study examined the association between state-level policy reforms and suspension and expulsion rates for grades K-12 in Oregon public schools. The findings suggest that the policy shift has led to some short-term progress on two of the state's main goals--reducing unnecessary removal of students from classroom instruction for disciplinary reasons and reducing exclusionary discipline for weapons offenses that do not involve firearms. Across all grade spans the use of exclusionary discipline declined from school year 2008/09 to 2016/17, with greater reductions for grades 9-12 and 6-8 than for grades K-5. Oregon's policy reforms were associated with short-term reductions in some forms of exclusionary discipline after pre-policy trends and other factors were adjusted for. For example, the 2013 policy reforms were associated with short-term reductions in the number of out-of-school suspensions per student for grades 9-12 and 6-8, and the 2015 policy reforms were associated with a reduction in out-of-school suspensions for grades K-5. For grades 6-8 and K-5 the policy reforms were also associated with reductions in the number of expulsions per student. However, many disciplinary actions reverted--or appeared to be reverting--toward pre-policy trends within a few years. Meanwhile, for all grade spans the policy reforms were not associated with reductions in the use of in-school suspensions after other factors were adjusted for. The declining rates of exclusionary discipline indicate progress, but growth in out-of-school suspensions in recent years suggests the need for further monitoring and additional support. For example, strengthening efforts to reduce suspensions for minor infractions, especially for grades 9-12 and 6-8, could reduce unnecessary suspensions overall--a priority of Oregon's school discipline policy reforms. [For the appendixes, see ED607761; for the study snapshot, see ED607762.]