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Little is known about the experiences of school counselors in their role of disseminating college information to Latinx students. In this study, ten school counselors provided qualitative data which was then analyzed by the researchers for major themes. Themes highlighted the critical role of social capital: school counselors serve an overwhelming number of students, parental involvement is key, early intervention is crucial, parents and students have misperceptions about college, finances appear to be the largest road block to college access, and fear of leaving home function as a barrier for Latinx students. Findings revealed that school counselors in the study faced challenges of addressing inequality in college access, especially for Latinx first-generation students.

Research Findings: A social validity measure was used to examine 56 bilingual preschool teachers' perceptions and acceptability of an interactive shared book reading vocabulary intervention implemented in English with Spanish-speaking preschool children (N = 334) in a dual language program model. Social validity outcomes indicated that bilingual teachers believed the shared book reading vocabulary approach was effective and could be feasibly managed to expand preschool dual language learners' (DLLs) content vocabulary knowledge by building deep knowledge networks around the worlds of science and social studies even as students' English abilities were still developing. Researchers also found a significant positive association between teachers' social validity outcomes and DLLs' English vocabulary outcomes of taught words, warranting further research in this area. Practice or Policy: Teacher perceptions of intervention effectiveness and usability are important and may serve as a barometer for whether teachers may be willing to both adopt and persist with intensive practices when there is a benefit for young children acquiring academic content in a second language. Results suggest, however, that customized and more responsive PD may be especially important to support teachers' ability to facilitate analytical discussions using academic words when DLLs are in the beginning stage of English language production.

Acadience Reading (AR) is a screener for early detection of reading problems in elementary students. Limited research exists, however, on its technical adequacy for evaluation of English Learners (ELs). In this study, we tested the long-term predictive validity and diagnostic accuracies of AR and examined the differences between native English-speaking and EL students. A sample of 305 students (94 ELs, 31% of the sample) completed AR at three time points in kindergarten and the statewide reading test in third grade. Hierarchical regression models confirmed good long-term validity for AR with end of the school year scores outperforming the other two time-points and EL status along with ethnic background not playing a significant role. Findings also revealed that AR at the end of the school year provided moderate long-term diagnostic accuracy for students well below benchmark. Implications for research and practice as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

Data from a focus group of nine Latina parents, specifically mothers from a South Texas border region known as the Rio Grande Valley, were analyzed using a qualitative methodology. Grounded in the theory of social capital, the purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of Latina parents related to accessing information and resources to aid their students in enrolling in postsecondary institutions. The study was an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative one that used a naturalistic paradigm. Findings showed that Latina parents perceived gaining information and resources related to increasing their understanding of college readiness, college knowledge, and college access as challenging. In addition, findings indicate that despite challenges, the mothers did receive support along the way. As parents, they want to get their students not only to the college door but through the college door, declaring that their children will go to college. They recognize there are keys to helping guarantee access to college, and it is these keys that these mothers seek. Such findings are important because the national portrait of college enrollment and attainment of college degrees shows continuing inequalities based on class, race/ethnicity, and income, especially for Latina/o first-generation students. Yet, few studies have considered the perceptions and experiences of Latina/o parents related to accessing information and resources to support their students when preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in postsecondary institutions. [For the full text grantee submission, see ED577330.]

This study examined school psychology faculty beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the status of graduate training in evidence-based assessment and intervention. The perspectives of a national sample of faculty in the U.S. were obtained through an online survey. A qualitative examination of faculty responses provided an understanding of the current state of instruction and dissemination of evidence-based assessment (EBA) and evidence-based intervention (EBI) in school psychology training programs. Four themes emerged from a content analysis of evidence reflecting faculty perspectives about EBAs and EBIs including barriers, facilitators, courses in EBI/EBAs, and supports for EBI/EBA implementation. Faculty provided 991 barrier-oriented comments compared to 276 support-oriented comments. The findings of this study provide insight into faculty notions about the status of evidence-based intervention and assessment in the training of school psychologists, as well as ways to overcome barriers and support a shift toward implementation science in the field.

A qualitative study with Latina/o high school students was conducted to understand their experiences obtaining information about going to college. The following themes emerged: students encountered difficulty meeting with the counselors and obtaining information; students had little idea of where to start looking for information about going to college; and little idea about the world of work. Implications for research and practice are presented to provide insight into the experiences of Latina/o students and to suggest changes needed to extend the possibilities of achieving the goal of college enrollment and success for Latina/o students.

Objective: This study assessed firefighters' physiological stress response to a live fire training evolution (LFTE). Methods: Seventy-six (n = 76) firefighters completed an LFTE. Salivary samples were collected pre-, immediately post, and 30-min post-LFTE and analyzed for a-amylase (AA), cortisol (CORT), and secretory immunoglobulin-A (SIgA). Results: Concentrations of AA, CORT, and SIgA were elevated immediately post LFTE versus pre (P<0.001) and 30-min post (P<0.001). Cohen's d effect size comparing pre and immediately-post means were 0.83, 0.77, and 0.61 for AA, CORT, and SIgA and were 0.54, 0.44, and 0.69 for AA, CORT, and SIgA, comparing immediately-post and 30-min post, respectively. Conclusions: These data demonstrate the stress response and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/sympathetic-adreno-medullar axis and immune system immediately after real-world firefighting operations. Future work is needed to understand the impact of elevated stress biomarkers on firefighter performance and disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The match rate of medical schools in the U.S. has been extensively studied from the perspective of applicants and influential factors. A method to objectively estimate the efficiency of a medical school's match rate has not been described in the literature. Such a method constitutes a significant improvement opportunity for medical schools via benchmarking best practices. This research fills the gap and proposes a bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework to assess the residency match rate efficiency of medical schools. The efficacy of the proposed method is confirmed when benchmarking the Texas allopathic medical schools to representative samples of allopathic medical schools in the United States. The model allows to determine the statistical significance of differences in the residency match rate efficiency between groups of medical schools. The proposed bootstrap DEA approach is used to estimate the real efficiency's density function of 40 medical schools in the U.S. over the 2018–2020 period. The aggregate efficiency estimation showed that the medical schools are performing at a high competitive level; they have experienced a slight decline in scale efficiencies and have preserved high managerial performance. The study measured four groups: Texas medical schools, top ten ranked, middle ten ranked, and bottom ten ranked U.S. medical schools. The overall major improvement opportunity for medical schools is the scale of operations. Results confirm that medical schools are shown to be efficient in training future physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article bridges research to practice by summarizing an interactive content-enriched shared book reading approach that Spanish-speaking parents of preschool-age children can easily use in the home to accelerate content vocabulary knowledge in Spanish. The approach was implemented in preschool classrooms using a transitional bilingual education model in Central Texas and in a Saturday Spanish heritage language school in the Midwestern United States. Spanish-speaking emergent bilingual children from both lower and higher socioeconomic status backgrounds learned content-related vocabulary via parent-child discussions of Spanish storybooks and informational texts organized by compelling science and social studies themes and topics. The authors provide recommendations for how teachers can support Spanish-speaking parents' ability to develop informal knowledge-building experiences through home-based interactive book discussions in Spanish.

Research Findings: This study investigated the association between Mexican American maternal education and socioeconomic status (SES) and child vocabulary as mediated by parental reading beliefs, home literacy environment (HLE), and parent-child shared reading frequency. As part of a larger study, maternal reports of education level, SES, HLE, and reading beliefs along with child expressive and receptive vocabulary were collected for 252 mothers and their preschool children from 2 demographically similar school districts in 1 county. Correlations were moderate and positive, with higher levels of maternal education related to family income, HLE, book availability, and children's expressive and receptive vocabulary. Consistent with long-standing evidence, maternal education and SES were predictors of children's vocabulary, albeit indirectly through maternal reading beliefs, HLE, and reading frequency. Practice or Policy: Findings extend current knowledge about specific pathways through which social class variables impact children's language. Policy implications, directions for future research, and study limitations are noted.

This study examined the relations between problem behaviors and early learning outcomes among 138 children in dual-language pre-K programs who were identified at the beginning of the school year to be at risk for difficulties in early language and literacy development. Children's expressive and receptive vocabulary, listening comprehension, and conceptual thinking skills were assessed at the beginning of pre-K and again at the end of the school year. Their problem behaviors (externalizing, bullying, hyperactivity, and internalizing) were assessed midyear via teacher ratings. With the exception of internalizing problem behaviors, bivariate correlations indicated virtually no associations between children's entry-level academic skills and midyear ratings of problem behaviors. However, multilevel models controlling for student- and teacher-level variables revealed that midyear ratings of problem behaviors were statistically significant predictors of poor outcomes on several vocabulary-related measures administered at the end of pre-K.

The authors investigated whether participation in school-based extracurricular activities would predict social and behavioral outcomes (school membership, peer prosocial orientation, and prosocial behavior) associated with school social capital in a group of Hispanic middle school students from the United States of America. Results of hierarchical linear regressions based on longitudinal data indicated that participation in sports-related activities was associated with increased feelings of school membership and peer prosocial orientation. Results are especially significant as Hispanic youth are at an increased risk for school failure and are less likely to have access to social capital in the home and community settings.

The aim of this study was to explore within-group patterns of variability in the home literacy environments (HLEs) of low-income Latino families using latent profile analysis. Participants were (N = 193) families of Latino preschoolers enrolled in a larger study. In the fall of 2012, mothers filled out a family literacy practices inventory, a literacy beliefs inventory, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results revealed three psychometrically distinct HLE profiles. Profile 1 (37%), labelled Low Beliefs, Low Practices (LBLP), was characterized by very low incomes, low caregiver education, reading infrequently to children, primarily speaking Spanish and reported lowest literacy beliefs and practices. Profile 2 (16%), labelled Moderate Beliefs, Moderate Practices (MBMP), was also low income, had few books in the home, read in both English and Spanish to their children, and held moderately facilitative literacy beliefs and practices. Profile 3 (47%), labelled High Beliefs, High Practices (HBHP), reported the highest literacy beliefs and practices, highest percentage English-speaking, read more often to children, and had more books in the home. These findings highlight considerable variability in terms of literacy beliefs and practices among Latino families. The profiles have practical relevance in terms of children's readiness at school entry and working with their families.

• Effects of a content-based shared book reading (SBR) intervention on receptive and expressive vocabulary outcomes of dual language learner (DLL) preschool children. • Results revealed significant and robust effects on proximal measures of expressive and receptive vocabulary. • No significant effects on standardized measures were indicated. This study examined the effects of a content-based shared book reading (SBR) intervention on receptive and expressive vocabulary outcomes of dual language learner (DLL) preschool children enrolled in two school districts in south Texas. Using SBR as the target of instruction, 50 preschool teachers and 298 preschoolers were randomly assigned at the class level to either a well-specified and scripted SBR condition or a comparison SBR condition. Children in the study were selected based on their scores on the school district administered and thereby archival Preschool Language Assessment Scales (Pre-LAS ©) and determined to be at the Limited English Speaker (LES) level of English. Teachers in the intervention condition implemented the curriculum for 18 weeks in 5-day instructional cycles of about 20 minutes per day. Results revealed significant and robust effects on proximal measures of expressive and receptive vocabulary; whereas no significant effects on standardized measures were indicated. Limitations and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: The present study explored the underlying factor structure proposed a priori by the developer of the Parent Reading Belief Inventory (PRBI: B. D. DeBaryshe, 1995) using a local independent sample. The PRBI was developed to assess maternal beliefs about reading aloud to children and was designed to measure attitudes, perceptions, and values about how children learn, the content of what they learn, as well as parental teaching efficacy. The PRBI is purported to have 7 underlying subscales and a total score. Analyses showed internal consistency estimates that were similar to those reported by the authors of the PRBI. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we found good fit for only 2 of the 7 dimensions (Reading Instruction and Resources) and poor fit for overall models for the entire PRBI scale when modeled using a 2nd-order factor, correlated factors, or a single general factor. Practice or Policy: Limitations and future research are discussed. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure, and 1 footnote.)

Historically, desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) were prevalent throughout the Trans- Pecos region of Texas. However, they were extirpated by the 1960s due to unregulated hunting, habitat loss, predation, and disease transmission from livestock. Restoration efforts have been successfully conducted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to increase population numbers of resident (i.e., animals that currently populate a region of interest) desert bighorn sheep at Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (BGWMA) through the use of translocations. Because there is a lack of knowledge on alternative release methods for large mammal translocations, our goals were to monitor cause-specific mortality and postrelease survival of desert bighorn sheep translocated during 2017. Survival estimates of desert bighorn sheep were compared amongst resident, hard-released, and soft-released individuals throughout the study. In winter 2017–2018, we radio-collared and released 30 resident (8 M, 22 F) and 70 within-statetranslocated (36 M, 34 F) desert bighorn to BGWMA. Of the 70 translocated individuals, 28 (12 M, 16 F) were hard released (i.e., released immediately onto the landscape) and 42 (24 M, 18 F) were soft released (i.e., released into an enclosure before onto the landscape). Resident desert bighorn had the highest probability of survival over time (Ŝ = 0.83), followed by hard-released (Ŝ = 0.67) and then soft-released (Ŝ = 0.54) individuals. To date, 26 mortalities (13 M, 13 F) were recorded. Of those mortalities, 4 were residents (15%), 6 were hard released (23%), and 16 were soft released (62%). The soft release is thought to be a better strategy for translocating large mammals; however, in this study, it did not improve survival. Survival is potentially influenced by acclimation time and individual exit strategy from the soft-release pen, which should be managed for future restoration efforts. Incorporating a flushing-method exit strategy would aid in removing soft-released individuals from the high-fenced pen simultaneously and may increase survival estimates. This could potentially allow individuals to form larger groups when exiting the enclosure and entering the new habitat. The soft-release method is also more costly to implement, which could be challenging for wildlife managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) populations in North America were once estimated at nearly 30 million. However, unrestricted harvest of pronghorn was one of the major factors that led to 25,000 individuals by 1924. Through rigorous management, pronghorn populations rebounded to an estimated 1 million individuals by 1984. Within Texas, USA, by the late 1980s, the pronghorn population had recovered to a new estimated historic high of 17,226 individuals through restoration efforts. However, by 2010, the Texas Trans‐Pecos population declined to approximately 4,700 individuals, and declined even further to only 2,751 in 2012. A main contribution to successful recovery has been large‐scale translocations. Since the early 1920s, >30,000 pronghorn have been translocated in 17 states. As one large restoration project in Texas, translocation of pronghorn from the Texas Panhandle to Marfa and Marathon grasslands in the Trans‐Pecos region occurred in January–February 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. However, within the available literature on pronghorn translocations, it was difficult to find a scientific paper that provides sufficient detail to guide the translocation process. Our intent is to summarize the effective methodology behind 5 years of pronghorn translocations, inform others to make evidence‐based recommendations and justifiable‐decisions when selecting translocation methodology, and provide insight regarding design and application of our translocation methodology. Based on our translocation experience, we recommend using halperidol as a sedative given to pronghorn at the site of capture and keeping handling times to ≤4 minutes as well as maintaining pronghorn body temperatures below 40° C during processing. Flunixin meglumine should be used when body temperatures exceed 40° C. In addition, we also recommend utilizing larger, more spacious livestock trailers to transport captured pronghorn versus transport boxes or smaller, more enclosed trailers. We also recommend releasing a minimum of 50–100 individuals/release site to minimize stress from group separation and improve long‐term population sustainability. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. Translocations are done as part of restoration efforts for pronghorn due to population declines. We describe and consolidate evidence from our experience to make translocation guidelines for future management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cases of pyomyositis and myositis have been increasing in frequency at Texas Children's Hospital (Houston) since 2000. The increase appears to correlate with the emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods. The medical records of patients with pyomyositis and myositis hospitalized at Texas Children's Hospital during the period from January 2000 through December 2005 were reviewed. Available S. aureus isolates were obtained for susceptibility testing, to determine the presence of pvl (lukS-PV and lukF-PV), and for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis. Results. Forty-five previously healthy children with bacterial pyomyositis or myositis were analyzed. The causes were S. aureus (in 57.8% of children) and Streptococcus pyogenes (in 2.2%); 40.0% of children had negative culture results. The number of cases increased between 2000 and 2005, primarily as a result of an increase in the prevalence of community-acquired MRSA. The mean patient age was 5.5 years (range, 0.06-15 years). The thigh (40.0% of children) and pelvis (28.9%) were the most commonly affected sites. The mean abscess diameter was 3.5 cm. Eighteen children required at least 1 muscle drainage procedure. Of the 24 available S. aureus isolates (15 community-acquired MRSA isolates and 9 community-acquired, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus [MSSA] isolates), 16 were found to be USA300 by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and 17 carried pvl. Patients with community-acquired MRSA, USA300, and/or pvl-positive strains required more drainage procedures than did those with community-acquired MSSA, non-USA300, and/or pvl-negative strains (81% vs. 40% [P=.05], 82% vs. 29% [P=.02], and 81% vs. 38% [P=.07], respectively). Conclusions. Community-acquired MRSA is an increasing cause of pyomyositis and myositis in children. Community-acquired MRSA, USA300, pvl-positive S. aureus isolates caused more severe disease than did community-acquired MSSA, non-USA300, and pvl-negative isolates, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Primary pneumonia and metastatic pulmonary infection have become more common in patients with invasive community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus disease at Texas Children's Hospital (TCH; Houston). Methods. In this study, we sought to describe pulmonary involvement in children with community-acquired S. aureus invasive infection and to determine whether the presence of genes encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) (luk-S-PV and luk-F-PV) and collagen adhesin (cna) is correlated with pulmonary manifestations. Patients with invasive staphylococcal infections admitted to TCH between 1 August 2001 and 30 June 2004 were studied. Chest imaging and postmortem examination reports were reviewed. Isolates were tested for the presence of genes encoding PVL and collagen adhesin by PCR. Results. A total of 47 of 70 patients with community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection had abnormal pulmonary imaging findings, compared with 12 of 43 patients with community-acquired methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infection (P < .001). Pneumonia and/or empyema, in addition to septic emboli, were the most common findings. Metastatic pulmonary disease occurred more frequently among patients with osteomyelitis. Severe necrotizing pneumonia was present in 3 children coinfected with influenza and parainfluenza virus. The presence of genes encoding PVL was investigated in 67 MRSA and 36 MSSA isolates. Abnormal chest imaging findings were observed for 51 of 80 patients with PVL-positive isolates, compared with 2 of 23 patients with PVL-negative isolates (P< .001). Only 2 isolates (both of which were MSSA) from patients with abnormal chest radiograph findings carried cna. PVL remained independently associated with abnormal chest imaging findings in patients with secondary pneumonia in a multivariate analysis (P = .03). Conclusions. Pulmonary involvement is commonly observed in patients with invasive community-acquired S. aureus infections. Community-acquired MRSA may cause primary community-acquired pneumonia, as well as metastatic pulmonary disease. The presence of genes encoding PVL is highly associated with pulmonary involvement by S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]