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Programs that connect higher and K-12 education provide benefits to K-12 students, teachers, and higher education. The National Science Foundation (NSF) invested in programs connecting domestic STEM graduate students with K-12 education for over a decade (GK-12), intending that such engagement would help achieve graduate student learning outcomes and would be sustained after NSF funding. By comparing two cohorts of graduate and post-doctoral student participants in a sustained GK-12 we have begun longitudinal assessment of a program as it matures and diversifies by integrating non-STEM and international students. Qualitative analysis of participant journals shows that the sustained GK-12 has continuing impacts on graduate students' teaching, teamwork, and communication skills, and aids in shaping their future career plans. A new theme that emerged in the later cohort related to participants' changing perspectives on pedagogy and teaching as a part of faculty responsibilities. We encourage universities seeking to meet expanded graduate student learning outcomes to consider adopting/adapting the GK-12 model.

A large midwestern university has developed a program that places graduate students in middle school classrooms to enhance the graduate students' communication skills with diverse audiences, develop pedagogical knowledge, and provide a foundation for effective future K-12 engagement. After observing and co-teaching, participants develop and implement a standards- and inquiry-based lesson that brings their graduate research theme into the classroom. To provide insights into impacts on graduate students, qualitative methods were used to identify emergent themes in narratives written by graduate student participants. Major themes included new awareness of challenges in effective teaching for diverse audiences, insight into effective strategies for communicating research to teachers and students, and experiences that support future professional responsibilities. These results suggest that this type of engagement program is an effective approach to meeting several outcomes for graduate education, in addition to its value for teachers, K-12 students and college-community relationships.

This article explores the university-assisted community school approach as it has been developed at the University of Pennsylvania with its school and community partners in West Philadelphia since 1985, as well as adapted nationally. The approach is grounded in John Dewey's theory that the neighborhood school can function as the core neighborhood institution that provides comprehensive services, galvanizes other community institutions and groups, and helps solve the myriad problems schools and community confront in a rapidly changing world. Building on Dewey's ideas, the authors argue that all colleges and universities should make solving the problem of the American schooling system a very high institutional priority; their contributions to its solution should count heavily both in assessing their institutional performance (by themselves and others) and be a critical factor when responding to their requests for renewed or increased resources and financial support. Providing concrete examples from over 20 years of work in West Philadelphia, as well as from initiatives across the country, this article explores the potential of developing university-assisted community schools as an effective approach for school reform, pre-Kindergarten through higher education.

Using longitudinal data for an entire state from 2004 to 2008, this article describes the results from an empirical investigation of the persistence of value-added school effects on student achievement in reading and math. It shows that when schools are the principal units of analysis rather than teachers, the persistence of estimated school effects across grades can only be reasonably identified by placing strong constraints on the variable persistence model implemented by Lockwood, McCaffrey, Mariano, and Setodji. In general, there are relatively strong correlations between the school effects estimated using these constrained models and a reference model that assumes full persistence. These correlations vary somewhat by grade and the underlying test subject. The results from this study indicate cautious support for previous findings that the assumption of full persistence for cumulative value-added effects may be untenable, and evidence is also presented, which indicates a strong interaction by test subject. However, the practical impact of violating the assumption of full persistence appears to be smaller in the context of schools than it is for teachers. (Contains 2 figures, 8 tables, and 11 notes.)

More than one-half of all institutions of higher education are located within or just outside urban areas. These colleges and university can offer rich resources to provide stability to a city and to improve the quality of life and learning in their communities and schools. The authors describe the university-assisted community schools model that they have developed at the University of Pennsylvania. This model, which connects the university deeply with its West Philadelphia community, is now expanding to more and more urban universities throughout the United States.

Most growth models implicitly assume that test scores have been vertically scaled. What may not be widely appreciated are the different choices that must be made when creating a vertical score scale. In this paper empirical patterns of growth in student achievement are compared as a function of different approaches to creating a vertical scale. Longitudinal item-level data from a standardized reading test are analyzed for two cohorts of students between Grades 3 and 6 and Grades 4 and 7 for the entire state of Colorado from 2003 to 2006. Eight different vertical scales were established on the basis of choices made for three key variables: Item Response Theory modeling approach, linking approach, and ability estimation approach. It is shown that interpretations of empirical growth patterns appear to depend upon the extent to which a vertical scale has been effectively "stretched" or "compressed" by the psychometric decisions made to establish it. While all of the vertical scales considered show patterns of decelerating growth across grade levels, there is little evidence of scale shrinkage.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of growth and value-added modeling to the way an underlying vertical score scale has been created. Longitudinal item-level data were analyzed with both student- and school-level identifiers for the entire state of Colorado between 2003 and 2006. Eight different vertical scales were established on the basis of choices made for three key variables: the item response theory modeling approach, the calibration approach, and the student proficiency estimation approach. Each scale represented a methodological approach that was psychometrically defensible. Longitudinal values from each scale were used as the outcome in a commonly used value-added model (the "layered model" popularized by William Sanders) as a means of estimating school effects. Our findings suggest that while the ordering of estimating school effects is insensitive to the underlying vertical scale, the precision of such value-added estimates can be quite sensitive to the combinations of choices made in the creation of the scale.

A project to help teachers use technology to enhance learning is tied to the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial, to bring a sense of adventure to learning. Four examples of projects along the Montana section of the expedition's trail show how outdoor, experiential learning is enhanced by the use of global positioning systems, digital cameras, clinometers, the Internet, and sophisticated software. (TD)

Student performance in U.S. history is poor because most history teachers have not studied history and textbooks present history as an incontrovertible story. The bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary history education that emphasizes inquiry and critical thinking. Primary documents, local historical places, and Native oral histories make history relevant. (TD)

Describes the teacher preparation program at Colin County Community College District (CCCCD), Texas, the first community college program in the nation authorized to prepare teachers. Also reports that Texas A&M University-Commerce has joined with CCCCD to provide a bridge between the community college program and graduate degrees at the university. (Contains six references.) (NB)

Three authors describe their motivations to write and influences on their writing careers, including love of reading, desire to escape other occupations, and influential teachers. Advice for teachers includes using the writers' workshop model; encouraging editing and revision; steering students toward literary, rather than mass media sources; accommodating different learning styles; and focusing on teaching how to write a good paragraph. (TD)

In rural Alaska villages, Native students benefit from having Native teachers who share their culture. Past and present efforts to increase the number of fully certified Native teachers include distance education courses, often taken by Native teacher aides; a fifth-year rural teacher internship for college graduates; and campus-based and field-based teacher education programs. (SV)

Some teachers are building and sharing their wisdom and know-how through lesson study, in the process creating memorable learning experiences for students and for each other. This paper describes how lesson study can transform teaching and how schools are implementing lesson study. A sidebar presents questions to consider in lesson study. (SM)

Discusses school administrators' legal-affairs management responsibilities regarding legal advice, law versus ethics, and sources of law. Suggests strategies for retaining and managing legal counsel and avoiding situations involving litigation, torts, and conflict resolution. Explains general counsel services; outlines education, special-education, and labor-law trends. (MLH)

Outlines job responsibilities, activities, and priorities appropriate for beginning school business administrators. Beginners are advised to gather and record perceptions of staff members, discern key district and central-office issues, review district finances, establish a work routine, and manage time wisely. (Contains 12 references.) (MLH)

Accurate, timely, and concise monthly financial reporting is achieved through mastering statistics. A Grafton, Massachusetts school business manager's monthly presentation to the school committee is a composite of all the statistics he has reviewed during the previous month. This presentation reports where and how funds have been spent and indicates areas needing future expenditures. (MLH)

School officials often assume that the food service director or management company should be the one concerned with the cafeteria program's management details. But of course that's not the case. Cafeteria operations affect the school business bottom line, so they indeed fall under the purview of school business officials. Not only should school business officials be familiar with the food service budget, they should also know the cost of school meals, the path food takes from supplier to cafeteria tray, and even the names of the "lunch ladies" in the district. When it comes to managing school cafeteria operations, school business managers must also distinguish myth from reality. This article explores some myths surrounding the cafeteria operation and how school business officials can ensure effective program management.

An educational diagnostician who served as mentor to a first-year special education teacher describes her experiences, focusing on her overwhelming sense of responsibility, mentorship training, and critical incidents. The mentor's role in providing guidance without being evaluative is stressed, and development of the mentor/protege relationship into a collegial relationship is noted. (JDD)

Discusses legal and practical problems which prevent the full implementation of the concept of equal pay for jobs of comparable worth. Reviews legislative history of Title VII, the case of "County of Washington vs. Gunther," and other recent litigation, focusing on the impact of comparable worth on educational institutions. (IW)

Advocates encouraging parents who are illiterate or semiliterate to make use of practices that do not require literacy skills, but that will support their children in becoming successful readers. Suggests many activities that will help both children and parents develop literacy skills, such as tutoring and discussing television shows. (SKC)

Presents a personal review of conditions influencing educational administration's well-being in developing countries. Discusses some forgotten influences, such as myths, external pressures, the selection of appropriate policies and strategies, personnel and training programs, and professional support problems. The greatest sin of commission is neglecting people and their aspirations. Includes 15 references. (MLH)

The effects of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 continue to challenge school business officials (SBOs) and other education leaders as they strive to prepare students for the global workforce. Economists have borrowed a word from chemistry to describe this state of affairs: hysteresis--the lingering effects of the past on the present. Today's SBOs are experiencing hysteresis on the revenue and expense sides as they prepare their upcoming budgets. Revenues are expected to be elusive and dysfunctional based on how states collect and distribute funds. SBOs are in a better position to manage hysteresis with respect to expenses. The key is to focus on three cornerstones: consolidation, technology, and outsourcing. In the private sector, the executive counterparts have turned to these three areas to restore profitability to their companies. Perhaps SBOs can improve fiscal stability in their districts by using some of the same methods.

Annual double-digit increases in health insurance premiums may be the reality for school districts and private-sector employers for the foreseeable future. The author presents several factors that account for this unwelcome possibility. One cost-saving alternative for districts is to self-insure employees and assume the risks. Districts are turning to self-insurance as a way to cut costs while meeting the needs of their employees. Under such a program, the district collects premiums from its employees and pays for each out-of-pocket claim from its own operating budget instead of paying a fixed premium to an insurance carrier. Self-insurance can be a way to save money by avoiding the administrative overhead and company profit that are factored into the price of a private-sector plan.

Discusses five maladies, in addition to current educational budget cuts, from which K-12 music education is suffering and offers strategies to help music departments establish priorities regarding changes and cuts to make. (AM)

Describes Metropolitan Nashville (Tennesseee) Board of Education's creation of a strategic plan to establish specific standards for academic performance and participation in school activities. By committing to quantitatively based goals to achieve a centain level of improvement, the board has put the entire school community on notice and has set its own agenda instead of bowing to state authorities. (MLH)

Reports an interview with the director of School Match, a firm that has created a database of information on public and private schools to assist relocated families in identifying the best local schools. The firm's finding that library and media services' expenditures relates most significantly to student achievement is discussed. (CLB)

This article summarizes a report on a limited sample of community schools in Papua New Guinea. Examined are differences between government and mission schools and between high-achieving and low-achieving schools on quality of facilities, rural/urban location, teacher housing, and staff characteristics. (SJL)