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Identification for gifted and talented services is governed by state and local policies. Inclusive, student-centered policies can support equity and excellence by ensuring that all students have access to appropriate levels of academic challenge. Gifted programming standards, evidence-based interventions, and emerging strategies can provide guidance for the creation of strong identification policies and for the revision of policies that do not adequately support equitable access, program alignment, and the proportional representation of students from culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse backgrounds. Some critical points to consider when creating identification policies for advanced learning programs include providing opportunities to learn, expanding access to advanced programming, embedding retention supports, ensuring flexibility to account for local needs, maintaining an emphasis on excellence, and inviting input from families and community members.

The authors evaluated whether an incentive raffle increased teachers' use of written praise and appropriate student behavior. Participants included 93 staff members and 755 students at an elementary school in Central Illinois. School staff received didactic instruction for the importance of using praise, and praise notes were measured on a weekly basis by praise type, staff member type, and student type. Results indicated that the faculty incentive produced medium effects for praise for students, but did not impact the number of office discipline referrals. Staff members reported praise notes to be an acceptable school-wide system for managing student behavior, but had mixed feelings regarding faculty receiving incentives for writing praise notes. Implications as well as future research are discussed.

In this action research report 4 teachers and 1 teacher educator use the Japanese lesson study model of professional development for 15 months in rural Carlinville, Illinois. In March 2001, 4 teachers identified a goal to improve their students' understanding of two step word problems in 2nd grade elementary mathematics. Teachers completed three cycles of researching, planning, teaching, evaluating and reflecting. They were motivated, empowered, and found lesson study effective professional development in their rural setting. It focused on the classroom lesson; provided an effective lesson plan and hours of focused professional development; supported attempts to put into practice best professional knowledge of reform mathematics; and developed a professional community among them.

Teachers often recommend that families engage their children in shared book reading to support literacy learning at home. When teachers purposefully provide families with home literacy activities there are benefits for everyone involved. The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a study that examined parental participation and response to a home book reading component (i.e. a classroom lending library) that took place in 32 kindergarten classrooms as part of a larger study examining the efficacy of a curriculum focused on promoting kindergartners' positive attitudes towards individuals with disabilities. Findings suggest that parents considered shared book reading to be enjoyable and beneficial for their children's language and literacy development. Additionally, parents' comments provided evidence that both they and their children learned a variety of new concepts, including those related to science and disabilities, through shared book reading. Implications for practice and ideas for future research are discussed.

The maker movement, with its focus on-hands on learning through creating with familiar materials, has seen growth in both formal and informal learning spaces. This article examines three informal learning spaces that have redesigned their space (or a portion of it) to accommodate several tenets of the maker movement and in various ways have become makerspaces. The use of tools, sharing of knowledge through collaboration, and the making of objects can be found in all three spaces.

The idea that one of the Catholic Church's most respected religious orders might run a public school sounded odd, maybe even, as Francis Cardinal George, head of the Archdiocese of Chicago, conjectured, illegal. But a decade ago several trends in American education, and in the Catholic Church, made a Catholic-operated public school seem increasingly possible: (1) the traditional, parish-based Catholic school system, especially in the inner cities, was crumbling; (2) equally troubled urban public-school systems were failing to educate most of their students; and (3) a burgeoning charter school movement, born in the early 1990s, was beginning to turn heads among educators in both the private and public sectors. The various currents merged in the Windy City in 2006 and 2007 when the Christian Brothers helped open two charter schools in impoverished neighborhoods on Chicago's west side, embarking on a unique experiment in public education. The Christian Brothers--known in France, where the Catholic order was founded in 1680, as "Freres des ecoles chretiennes" or Brothers of the Christian Schools--have had some experience in education. The author discusses how the Christian Brothers came to start two charter schools in Chicago, and the lessons they have learned along the way.

Information literacy is becoming a key component of general education programs nationwide. As a critical part of most general education programs, the basic communication course is on the frontlines of the charge to teach information literacy skills to first-year students. Thus, the information literacy skills of basic course students should be assessed to track the effectiveness of instruction and pedagogical practices. The present study used a pretest/posttest design with experimental and control groups to assess the effectiveness of information literacy instruction in the basic course. As predicted, students in the experimental group outperformed students in the control group on the information literacy measure. Results of the present study have implications for basic course directors and instructors, general education curriculum specialists, and librarians. (Contains 2 tables.)

This article describes the Ounce of Prevention Fund's journey to institutionalize doula services in the state of Illinois. The Ounce's doulas help strengthen the new relationship between mother and child by working with the mother to help her better understand and anticipate the progression of the third trimester of pregnancy, the child-birthing process, and her baby's early development. The growth of doula programs in Illinois from 3 to 18 in less than 10 years is, at heart, a financing story. The Ounce of Prevention Fund undertook replication of pilot doula programs through sustained, ongoing, and stable public funding streams. The Ounce sought to weave the doula model into larger, pre-existing government programs. Institutionalization has become part of the Fund's organizational theory of change, and its method of replicating programs. The authors describe four principles that have been key to success: (1) relationships matter; (2) advocacy matters; (3) public-private partnerships and funding matter; and (4) mutual interest and goals matter.

Reports elementary school administrators' and teachers' perceptions of students' competence with microcomputers. The majority of survey respondents were aware that dramatic changes and effects of computerization exist in their schools. Implications for educators are identified. (RH)

Concludes that teacher evaluations should focus more on teacher improvement, that there should be more student involvement in the evaluation process, that there should be fewer but more comprehensive evaluations, and that administrators who carry out the evaluations should be better trained. (FL)

This paper presents the results of an investigation to determine perceptions, awareness, and knowledge of the unwanted horse population in Illinois from the viewpoint of horse owners, non-horse owners, and equine industry stakeholders. A questionnaire included items that pertained to knowledge of current legislation, equine background, current methods of controlling the unwanted horse population, and methods that respondents believe would reduce the unwanted horse population in Illinois. Results indicated that 58% of horse owners viewed horses as companion animals. Respondents perceived financial hardship to be the major reason why horses become unwanted. Current methods of managing unwanted horse populations were found to be ineffective. Reducing the costs of euthanasia and carcass disposal, allowing processing facilities to reopen in Illinois, and increasing the availability of gelding programs emerged as the most effective ways to manage the unwanted horse population. Results of this survey may lead to greater awareness of the unwanted horse population in Illinois. Furthermore, these results may lead to discussions about future legislation in the State designed to support and manage unwanted horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microfracture is an effective surgical treatment for full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; however, little is known regarding long-term outcomes after microfracture in the shoulder. Purpose: To present long-term clinical outcomes of patients undergoing microfracture of full-thickness articular cartilage defects of the glenohumeral joint. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Sixteen consecutive patients (17 shoulders) were retrospectively reviewed who underwent arthroscopic microfracture of the humeral head and/or glenoid surface, with or without additional procedures between 2001 and 2008 and with a minimum follow-up of 8.5 years. All patients completed pre- and postoperative surveys containing the visual analog scale, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons form, and Simple Shoulder Test. Complications and reoperations were analyzed. Failure was defined by biological resurfacing or conversion to arthroplasty. Results: Of the original 16 patients (17 shoulders), 13 patients (14 shoulders) were available for mean follow-up at 10.2 ± 1.8 years after microfracture (range, 8.5-15.8 years), for an overall clinical follow-up rate of 82%. The patients (6 men, 7 women) were 36.1 ± 12.9 years old at time of microfracture. The average size of humeral head defects was 5.20 cm2 (range, 4.0-7.84 cm2), and the average size of glenoid defects was 1.53 cm2 (range, 1.0-3.75 cm2). Four patients (4 shoulders) underwent at least 1 reoperation, and 3 were considered to have structural failures. The average time to failure was 3.7 years after microfracture (range, 0.2-9.6 years). The overall survival rate was 76.6% at 9.6 years. For these patients, there were statistically significant improvements in visual analog scale, Simple Shoulder Test, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores as compared with preoperative values at long-term follow-up (P < .05 for all), without any significant change from short-term (mean, 2.3 years) to long-term (mean, 10.2 years) follow-up. There was no significant difference in Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation or Short Form–12 Physical or Mental scores between short- and long-term follow-up. When compared with short-term follow-up, in which 2 patients had already failed, 1 additional patient progressed to failure at 9.6 years after the original microfracture. Two patients (2 shoulders) were considered to have clinical failure. Owing to the overall number of failures (3 structural failure and 2 clinical failure), the total long-term success rate of glenohumeral microfracture is 66.7% in the current study. Conclusion: Treating full-thickness symptomatic chondral defects of the glenohumeral joint with microfracture can result in long-term improved function and reduced pain for some patients. However, in this case series, 21.4% of patients required conversion to arthroplasty <10 years after the index microfracture procedure, and 33% to 42% of patients were considered to have potential clinical failure. Additional studies with larger patient cohorts are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported that arthroscopic shoulder stabilization yields higher rates of failure in contact or collision athletes as compared with open shoulder stabilization; however, this is largely based upon studies that do not employ modern, evidence-based surgical indications and techniques for arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. Purpose: To (1) determine the pooled failure rate across all studies reporting failure after primary arthroscopic shoulder stabilization for anterior shoulder instability in contact or collision athletes and (2) stratify failure rates according to studies that use evidence-based surgical indications and techniques. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: A review of PubMed, Medline, and Embase was performed to identify all clinical studies with a minimum of 1-year follow-up that reported failure rates after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization for anterior shoulder instability in contact or collision athletes. Data pertaining to patient demographics, clinical and radiographic preoperative assessment, surgical indications, surgical technique, rehabilitation, and outcome were collected from each included study. An overall failure rate was determined across all included studies. After this, a secondary literature review was performed to identify factors related to patient selection and surgical technique that significantly influence failure after primary arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. Failure rates were then determined among included studies that used these evidence-based indications and techniques. Results: Overall, 26 studies reporting on 779 contact or collision athletes met the inclusion criteria. The mean patient age was 19.9 years, 90.3% were male, and the most common sport was rugby. There was considerable variability in the reporting of patient demographics, preoperative assessment, surgical indications, surgical technique, and patient outcomes. Across all included studies, the pooled failure rate after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization in the contact or collision athlete was 17.8%; however, among studies that excluded patients with significant bone loss, used a minimum of 3 suture anchors, and performed the stabilization in the lateral decubitus position, the failure rate was 7.9%. Conclusion: The rate of failure after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization in contact or collision athletes decreases from 17.8% to 7.9% after the use of evidence-based surgical indications and techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preserving cognitive function is an important public health issue. We investigated whether dietary pattern associates with cognitive function in middle-age. Methods: We studied 2435 participants in the community-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study of black and white men and women aged 18-30 in 1985-86 (year 0, Y0). We hypothesized that a higher A Priori Diet Quality Score, measured at Y0 and Y20, is associated with better cognitive function measured at Y25. The diet score incorporated 46 food groups (each in servings/day) as the sum of quintile ranks of food groups rated beneficial, 0 for food groups rated neutral, and reversed quintile ranks for food groups rated adverse; higher score indicated better diet quality. Y25 cognitive testing included verbal memory (Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)), psychomotor speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)) and executive function (Stroop). Results: Per 10-unit higher diet score at Y20, the RAVLT was 0.32 words recalled higher, the DSST was 1.76 digits higher, and the Stroop was 1.00 seconds+errors lower (better performance) after adjusting for race, sex, age, clinic, and energy intake. Further adjustment for physical activity, smoking, education, and body mass index attenuated the association slightly. Diet score at Y0 and increase in diet score over 20 years were also positively associated with each cognitive test. Conclusions: A higher quality dietary pattern was associated with better cognitive function 5 years and even 25 years later in apparently healthy middle-aged adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined whether sexual minority students living in states and cities with more protective school climates were at lower risk of suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. Methods. Data on sexual orientation and past-year suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts were from the pooled 2005 and 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Surveys from 8 states and cities. We derived data on school climates that protected sexual minority students (e.g., percentage of schools with safe spaces and Gay-Straight Alliances) from the 2010 School Health Profile Survey, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students living in states and cities with more protective school climates reported fewer past-year suicidal thoughts than those living in states and cities with less protective climates (lesbians and gays: odds ratio [OR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47, 0.99; bisexuals: OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.66, 0.99). Results were robust to adjustment for potential state-level confounders. Sexual orientation disparities in suicidal thoughts were nearly eliminated in states and cities with the most protective school climates. Conclusions. School climates that protect sexual minority students may reduce their risk of suicidal thoughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We offer rational, practical models and examples of successful strategies for study abroad that are appropriate for master-level, working adults in nonprofit management programs. The models illustrate how to forge partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, institutions, and individuals to meet curricular goals while developing faculty and students. Aligned with university values of being Vincentian, Catholic, and urban, faculty developed a plan to become 'international by design.' Over a dozen years, its study abroad offerings grew to fifteen courses in about ten countries annually, extending more and more to developing countries because of institutional mission, faculty and staff interest, and available means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews two versions of the play "Richard III," including one directed by Henry Woronicz, starring Kevin Rich and Kate Cook at the Ewing Cultural Center in Normal, Illinois on July 16 - August 7, 2009, and another which was directed by Barbara Gaines, starring Wallace Acton and Angela Ingersoll at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at the Courtyard Theater in England on September 23-November 22, 2009.

During the 1980s and 1990s, administrative decentralization was a prominent reform theme in public education. Revisiting those efforts today reveals a conceptual landscape often governed by ad hoc theorizing, untested assumptions, and an overall lack of consistency and coherence. It provides an example of how terminological ambiguity on the part of researchers and policy makers can stifle a policy's impact and obstruct attempts to learn from failure. In this article, I propose to surface and spell out some of the unarticulated contingencies that marred many decentralization efforts. Drawing on recent organizational theory, I first update the theory of decentralization, especially the relationship between decentralization and recentralization and the evidence for structures that mix both. Next, I discuss three illustrative examples of decentralization in education to identify the ambiguities associated with the casual use of the term. I end by considering how the concept of decentralization can be returned to more effective use by specifying the situational and functional contingencies of decentralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The increasing prevalence of food allergy (FA) is a growing clinical and public health problem. The contribution of genetic factors to FA remains largely unknown. Objective This study examined the pattern of familial aggregation and the degree to which genetic factors contribute to FA and sensitization to food allergens. Methods This study included 581 nuclear families (2,004 subjects) as part of an ongoing FA study in Chicago, IL, USA. FA was defined by a set of criteria including timing, clinical symptoms obtained via standardized questionnaire interview and corroborative specific IgE cut-offs for ⩾95% positive predictive value (PPV) for food allergens measured by Phadia ImmunoCAP. Familial aggregation of FA as well as sensitization to food allergens was examined using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models, with adjustment for important covariates including age, gender, ethnicity and birth order. Heritability was estimated for food-specific IgE measurements. Results FA in the index child was a significant and independent predictor of FA in other siblings (OR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.2–5.6, P=0.01). There were significant and positive associations among family members (father–offspring, mother–offspring, index–other siblings) for total IgE and specific IgE to all the nine major food allergens tested in this sample (sesame, peanut, wheat, milk, egg white, soy, walnut, shrimp and cod fish). The estimated heritability of food-specific IgE ranged from 0.15 to 0.35 and was statistically significant for all the nine tested food allergens. Conclusion This family-based study demonstrates strong familial aggregation of FA and sensitization to food allergens, especially, among siblings. The heritability estimates indicate that food-specific IgE is likely influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Together, this study provides strong evidence that both host genetic susceptibility and environmental factors determine the complex trait of IgE-mediated FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial comparing the effect of pioglitazone and glimepiride on carotid artery intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The trial was conducted at clinical sites in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area. The study found that over an 18-month treatment period for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, pioglitazone slowed the progression of carotid artery intima-media thickness to a greater degree than glimepiride.

Objectives. We assessed the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood), risk factors, and previous blood lead testing among children in 2 high-risk Chicago, Ill, communities. Methods. Through high-intensity targeted screening, blood lead levels were tested and risks were assessed among a representative sample of children aged 1 to 5 years who were at risk for lead exposure. Results. Of the 539 children who were tested, 27% had elevated blood lead levels, and 61% had never been tested previously. Elevated blood lead levels were associated with chipped exterior house paint. Conclusions. Most of the children who lived in these communities--where the prevalence for elevated blood lead levels among children was 12 times higher than the national prevalence--were not tested for lead poisoning. Our findings highlight the need for targeted community outreach that includes testing blood lead levels in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations. (Am J Public Health. 2004;94:1945-1951). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes an experimental program that offered payments to unemployment insurance (UI) recipients who found a job quickly The experiment provided exogenous differences in individual incentives which I use to test labor supply and search theories of unemployment I examine predictions about the timing of exits from unemployment and the effect of the fixed-amount bonus on different wage level groups I also argue that the experimental evidence does not show the desirability of a permanent program A permanent program would sharply increase the compensation for short UI spells, likely increasing the claims rate and possibly increasing unemployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an ethnography on the practice of Ifa divination in Chicago, Illinois. Agony of ethnographic self-fashioning; Kinds of sacrifices in Ifa divination; Types of clients of Babalawo Philip Neimark.

Focuses on the presence of lead and cadmium in the primary teeth of children in Illinois. Analysis of children's teeth from Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas through absorption spectrophotometry; Increase in values of lead and cadmium in the city; Effects of the age of the housing and of urbanization.

Focuses on the circulation and land settlement patterns of the Calumet Region of Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois. Method used to gain intelligible time and space perspective of Calumet pioneer for regional development; Implication of environmental elements and their relationships for the study; Factors regarding pioneer circulation and settlement.

Focuses on the aboriginal stage of occupance of the Calumet-South Chicago region. Importance of a cartographic representation and chorographic analysis of the occupance patterns of circulation and settlement; Consideration of significant relationships of land and life; Application of the geographic functions to the study of the Indian-French period.

Examines a study conducted in Governors State University which determines the validity of the Descriptive Test of Mathematics Skills (DTMS) placement model for elementary education majors who are required to pass an upper-division mathematics concepts and structures course. Procedures and findings; Recommendation to reduce the number of DTMS test administered.

Analyzes the Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6 that was isolated from the shower heads in a hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Materials and methods; Results; Discussion of findings.