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Despite the increase in media attention on "meth cooking" in rural areas of the United States, little is known about rural stimulant use--particularly, the criminality associated with stimulant use. Data were collected from community stimulant users in rural Ohio, Arkansas, and Kentucky (N = 709). Findings from three logistic regression models indicate that younger stimulant users (M = 32.55, SD = 10.35), those with more convictions, and those who used crack frequently were significantly more likely to have been arrested for committing a substance-related crime, a property crime, or another crime in the 6 months before entering the study. Implications include the need for longitudinal studies to further understand rural stimulant use, as well as increased community and corrections-based drug abuse prevention and treatment interventions for stimulant users who live in rural areas. (Contains 4 tables.)

A teacher's effectiveness--the most important factor for schools in improving student achievement--is not measured, recorded, or used to inform decision making in any meaningful way. The failure of evaluation systems to provide accurate and credible information about individual teachers' instructional performance sustains and reinforces a phenomenon that is called the Widget Effect. The Widget Effect describes the tendency of school districts to assume effectiveness is the same from teacher to teacher. This fallacy fosters an environment in which teachers cease to be understood as individual professionals, but rather as interchangeable parts. In its denial of individual strengths and weaknesses, it is disrespectful to teachers; in its indifference to instructional effectiveness, it gambles with the lives of students. Today, the Widget Effect is codified in a policy framework that rarely considers teacher effectiveness for key decisions. The fact that information on teacher performance is almost exclusively used for decisions related to teacher remediation and dismissal paints a stark picture: In general, schools are indifferent to instructional effectiveness--except when it comes time to remove a teacher. Better evaluation systems may offer a partial solution, but they will not overcome a culture of indifference to classroom effectiveness. Reversing the Widget Effect depends on better information about instructional quality that can be used to inform other important decisions that dictate who teaches in schools. In this article, the authors offer recommendations which outline a comprehensive approach to improving teacher effectiveness and maximizing student learning. If implemented thoroughly and faithfully, the authors believe they will enable districts to understand and manage instructional quality with far greater sophistication. Improved evaluation will not only benefit students by driving the systematic improvement and growth of their teachers, but teachers themselves, by at last treating them as professionals, not parts.

Despite the continuing problem of repeat drunk driving (DUI) offenders, little is known of the characteristics of this population. This article reports findings from qualitative interviews with 12 incarcerated men who had been convicted for 5 or more DUIs. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of substance abuse, treatment history, attitudes toward positive behavioral change, and recommendations for improving treatment are described. Three groups were identified in regard to the degree of recognition of substance abuse and level of motivation to engage in treatment and post-release rehabilitation. Participants also offered suggestions to improve treatment strategies for repeat DUI offenders by tailoring diverse educational and counseling programs that target the differing types of DUI recidivists. The findings provide preliminary qualitative insight into a unique population that may be used to inform future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMThis article discusses a regionally located approach to seamless nursing education progression inOhio. TheOhio Action Coalition supported nursing programs in creating educational pathways involving cooperative efforts of academia and clinical practice to provide access for students to achieve a baccalaureate degree. BACKGROUND The Ohio Action Coalition was formed in 2011 and received its first State Implementation Program grant in 2013, with a major focus on promoting seamless academic progression models. METHOD The seamless academic progression models have been fully implemented, demonstrating positive results for the progression of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in Ohio. RESULTS The efforts in Ohio have demonstrated over a 10 percent increase in baccalaureate-prepared nurses. CONCLUSIONOhio is moving the needle for higher education of nurses at a faster rate than average across the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]