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Pushback against the perceived federal overreach into educational reform has led to renewed calls for a return to local control of schools. In contrast to this general trend, there has continued to be a strong national role for English learner (EL) accountability policies related to EL identification, monitoring and reclassification processes. In this article, we seek to bring attention to the historical development and contemporary instantiation of these EL accountability policies. The general accountability system has typically focused on coercive strategies connected to rewards and sanctions. In contrast, the EL accountability system has typically focused on harnessing the expertise of research to provide increasingly specific guidelines for how to meet federal mandates related to supporting students officially classified as ELs. This approach may help explain how national actors have been able to maintain an active role in shaping these policies without being perceived as a threat to local control. We conclude with implications for national educational actors interested in using authority to shape other areas of educational policy as well as possible limitations of this approach.

Historically, higher education institutions have incorporated diverse disciplines into the academic structure in part to respond to student and societal demands as well as to signal institutional support for diversity and multiculturalism; one form of this curricular adaptation is the adoption of culture and identity fields (CIFs). Many of these fields have become woven into the fabric of higher education and contribute to a diverse and multicultural curriculum for all students. Yet much work on the presence and persistence of these fields within a changing higher education landscape is outdated and focused exclusively on presence or absence; such a measure may inadequately gauge the power and place of these disciplines in today's turbulent economic and political context. This article argues that deeper understandings of CIFs' relative presence, evidenced by their location within academic structure, human resources, leadership and degree-granting capacity and production, can enhance our understanding of the security of these critical fields. Exploring CIFs, and highlighting Chicano/Hispanic Studies, within Texas R1 institutions, this comparative case study of academic units utilizes document analysis to examine the relative presence of CIFs across institutions. Findings reveal complex variation in how CIFs are structured, resourced and present and point to sources of both strength and concern for CIF power and place. This work indicates that more complex conceptions can elucidate the extent to which institutions adopt and maintain these fields tangibly as well as symbolically.

A growing body of research suggests that the effects of core mathematics instruction on student mathematics outcomes may not be uniform across different skill levels in mathematics. This study investigated the extent to which observed components of explicit mathematics instruction explained why students' initial mathematics achievement was previously found to moderate the treatment impact of an empirically validated, core kindergarten mathematics program. Instructional components examined were as follows: (a) teacher demonstrations and explanations of mathematical concepts, (b) group and individual student practice opportunities, and (c) teacher-delivered academic feedback. Findings suggest that the rate in which teachers facilitated individual student practice opportunities during core mathematics instruction explained the program's differential effectiveness. Implications in terms of differentiating practice opportunities for at-risk learners and utilizing classroom observation data to test potential mediating variables of academic interventions are discussed.

Opportunities for practice play a critical role in learning complex behaviors. In the context of explicit mathematics instruction, practice facilitates systematic opportunities for students with mathematics difficulties (MD) to learn new mathematics content and apply such knowledge and skills to novel mathematics problems. This study explored whether there is an optimal amount of student practice that teachers should provide in core mathematics instruction to maximize the mathematics achievement of kindergarten students with MD, a so called "Goldilocks effect," as opposed to simply "more is better." Results from observation data collected in a large-scale efficacy trial supported the latter rather than the former. Specifically, we found that three individual practice opportunities for every explicit teacher demonstration of mathematical content was associated with increased mathematics achievement for students with MD relative to fewer practice opportunities. Implications for facilitating frequent student practice opportunities during core mathematics instruction and designing professional development for teachers who work with students with MD are discussed.

Background: While the Texas infant mortality rate (IMR) is below the Healthy People 2020 objective (5.7 per 1,000 live births), stark differences in IMR are seen across Texas communities. Health indicators for the state suggest important missed opportunities for improving maternal and infant outcomes. The Healthy Families initiative was a collaboration between a Texas state agency, community partners, and academic institutions to understand how evidence based interventions could be identified, adapted, and implemented to address community priorities and reduce disparities in pregnancy outcomes. Method: The Healthy Families initiative included two Texas counties, one with low utilization of prenatal care and one with persistent disparities in infant mortality. The model served to (1) identify community factors influencing IMR and maternal morbidity through stakeholder engagement and secondary data, (2) build community capacity to link pregnant women with existing and newly developed services, and (3) develop partnerships within the community and clinics to improve access to and sustainability of services. Results: A community-based participatory approach focused on stakeholder engagement was used to identify, design, and adapt strategies to address community-identified priorities. Conclusions: The Healthy Families initiative is a unique state-community-academic partnership aimed at improving pregnancy outcomes in vulnerable communities, with a focus on promotion of capacity building, maintenance, and sustainability of maternal and infant health programs

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that individuals living in areas with persistent poverty (PP) experience worse cancer outcomes compared to those living in areas with transient or no persistent poverty (nPP). The association between PP and melanoma outcomes remains unexplored. We hypothesized that melanoma patients living in PP counties (defined as counties with ≥ 20% of residents living at or below the federal poverty level for the past two decennial censuses) would exhibit higher rates of incidence-based melanoma mortality (IMM). Methods: We used Texas Cancer Registry data to identify the patients diagnosed with invasive melanoma or melanoma in situ (stages 0 through 4) between 2000 and 2018 (n = 82,458). Each patient's PP status was determined by their county of residence at the time of diagnosis. Results: After adjusting for demographic variables, logistic regression analyses revealed that melanoma patients in PP counties had statistically significant higher IMM compared to those in nPP counties (17.4% versus 11.3%) with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.35 (95% CI 1.25–1.47). Conclusion: These findings highlight the relationship between persistent poverty and incidence-based melanoma mortality rates, revealing that melanoma patients residing in counties with persistent poverty have higher melanoma-specific mortality compared to those residing in counties with transient or no poverty. This study further emphasizes the importance of considering area-specific socioeconomic characteristics when implementing place-based interventions to facilitate early melanoma diagnosis and improve melanoma treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective No available scale, at the time of initial evaluation for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), accurately predicts, that is, with an area under the curve (AUC) ≥0.9, which preterm infants will undergo surgery for NEC stage III or die within a week. Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study (n = 261) of preterm infants with <33 weeks' gestation or <1,500 g birth weight with either suspected or with definite NEC born at Parkland Hospital between 2009 and 2021. A prediction model using the new HASOFA score (Hyperglycemia, Hyperkalemia, use of inotropes for Hypotension during the prior week, Acidemia, Neonatal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [nSOFA] score) was compared with a similar model using the nSOFA score. Results Among 261 infants, 112 infants had NEC stage I, 68 with NEC stage II, and 81 with NEC stage III based on modified Bell's classification. The primary outcome, surgery for NEC stage III or death within a week, occurred in 81 infants (surgery in 66 infants and death in 38 infants). All infants with pneumoperitoneum or abdominal compartment syndrome either died or had surgery. The HASOFA and the nSOFA scores were evaluated in 254 and 253 infants, respectively, at the time of the initial workup for NEC. Both models were internally validated. The HASOFA model was a better predictor of surgery for NEC stage III or death within a week than the nSOFA model, with greater AUC 0.909 versus 0.825, respectively, p < 0.001. Combining HASOFA at initial assessment with concurrent or later presence of abdominal wall erythema or portal gas improved the prediction surgery for NEC stage III or death with AUC 0.942 or 0.956, respectively. Conclusion Using this new internally validated prediction model, surgery for NEC stage III or death within a week can be accurately predicted at the time of initial assessment for NEC. Key Points No available scale, at initial evaluation, accurately predicts which preterm infants will undergo surgery for NEC stage III or die within a week. In this retrospective cohort study of 261 preterm infants with either suspected or definite NEC we developed a new prediction model (HASOFA score). The HASOFA-model had high discrimination (AUC: 0.909) and excellent calibration and was internally validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) primarily affects preterm, especially small for gestational age (SGA), infants. This study was designed to (1) describe frequency and timing of NEC in SGA versus non-SGA infants and (2) assess whether NEC is independently associated with the severity of intrauterine growth failure. Study Design Retrospective cohort study of infants without severe congenital malformations born <33 weeks' gestational age (GA) carried out from 2009 to 2021. The frequency and time of NEC were compared between SGA and non-SGA infants. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess whether NEC was independently associated with intrauterine growth restriction. Severe growth restriction was defined as birth weight Z -score < −2. Results Among 2,940 infants, the frequency of NEC was higher in SGA than in non-SGA infants (25/268 [9.3%] vs. 110/2,672 [4.1%], respectively, p < 0.001). NEC developed 2 weeks later in SGA than non-SGA infants. In multivariate analysis, the adjusted odds of NEC increased with extreme prematurity (<28 weeks' GA) and with severe but not moderate growth restriction. The adjusted odds of NEC increased with urinary tract infection or sepsis within a week prior to NEC, were lower in infants fed their mother's own milk until discharge, and did not change over five epochs. NEC was independently associated with antenatal steroid (ANS) exposure in infants with birth weight (BW) Z -score < 0. Conclusion NEC was more frequent in SGA than in non-SGA infants and developed 2 weeks later in SGA infants. NEC was independently associated with severe intrauterine growth failure and with ANS exposure in infants with BW Z -score < 0. Key Points We studied 2,940 infants <33 weeks' GA. We assessed NEC. NEC was more frequent in SGA infants. NEC occurred 2 weeks later in SGA infants. NEC was associated with severe growth restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale studies spanning diverse project sites, populations, languages, and measurements are increasingly important to relate psychological to biological variables. National and international consortia already are collecting and executing mega-analyses on aggregated data from individuals, with different measures on each person. In this research, we show that Asparouhov and Muthén's alignment method can be adapted to align data from disparate item sets and response formats. We argue that with these adaptations, the alignment method is well suited for combining data across multiple sites even when they use different measurement instruments. The approach is illustrated using data from the Whole Genome Sequencing in Psychiatric Disorders consortium and a real-data-based simulation is used to verify accurate parameter recovery. Factor alignment appears to increase precision of measurement and validity of scores with respect to external criteria. The resulting parameter estimates may further inform development of more effective and efficient methods to assess the same constructs in prospectively designed studies. [The GROUP Investigators and the WGSPD Consortium contributed to the writing of this article.]

Exposure to high sound levels may lead to a variety of hearing abnormalities, including Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Pre-professional university music majors may experience frequent exposure to elevated sound levels, and this may have implications on their future career prospects (Jansen, Helleman, Dreschler & de Laat, 2009). Studies suggest that college students (aged 18-25) who participate in instrumental music activities are particularly vulnerable to hearing damage and NIHL (Phillips, Henrich, & Mace, 2010). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for sound levels were last revised in October 1974, and remain as the maximum allowable noise levels in the workplace as enforced by law in the United States (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). The standards are based on a permissible sound exposure of 90 dB for a duration of up to eight hours. Currently, the OSHA decibel exchange rate is set at 5 dB, with exchange rate defined as the amount of decibels at which the permissible sound level is reduced by 50%. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), on the other hand, recommends no more than 85 dB for up to eight hours with a 3 dB exchange rate (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze the sound load exposure of a population of university music students participating in instrumental music ensemble rehearsals. The subject venue is described as Fine Arts Center (FAC) 2007, located within the Cowan Fine Arts Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler. This room serves as a rehearsal venue for a student jazz ensemble, a student jazz combo, and the university Wind Ensemble, all of which were recorded for this study. The Wind Ensemble and jazz combo met three times per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:30 to 1:45 and 3:00 to 4:15, respectively, while the jazz ensemble met twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 to 3:15. All measurements were taken using an ExTech 407764 Datalogging Sound Level Meter. Data was collected every week and saved to an external memory storage device. The datalogger was then cleared and reset to collect subsequent data sets. The results of the study were based on data retrieved from the datalogger over a period of eight weeks, spanning September 19 to November 24, 2012. During this time, a total of 33 recordings were collected, each with an average duration of 1.28 hours (1 hour and 17 minutes). The lowest decibel values recorded fell below the minimum value of the range set for the meter (30dB), whereas the loudest recorded noise levels reached 130 dB, which was the highest value of the range set for the meter. Out of a total of 33 recording sets, none exceeded the mandatory OSHA values for safety regulations, and only one exceeded the recommended NIOSH values. This information suggests that the room in which the recordings took place is safe for the amount of sound being produced according to the legal OSHA workplace values; however, due to the proximity of some recording sets to the maximum allowable dosage level, it would be common in most manufacturing industries to implement a hearing conservation program. [Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Texas Music Educators Association (San Antonio, TX, Feb 2014).]

The positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework has been applied for over two decades in public schools throughout the country. More recently it has been adopted, or is being considered for adoption, by an increasing number of states and facilities providing residential or secure care for juvenile offenders. During implementation these jurisdictions, like public schools, experience challenges during initial implementation and in achieving sustained implementation. In this paper, we discuss issues related to sustainability of PBIS in secure care settings. We describe recommended practices and unique characteristics of secure care that may affect sustained implementation.

The article focuses on the emergence of clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza A(H5N1) in North America and its potential impact on mammalian hosts, including humans, contrasting with the susceptibility of cattle primarily to influenza D virus. Topics include the investigation into influenza virus infections among dairy cattle in Texas, where veterinary diagnostic laboratories initially explored other pathogens before considering influenza A virus as a possible cause.

This study investigated the mediation effect of locus of control and achievement motivation between academic stress and life satisfaction. A total of 307 undergraduate students recruited from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas participated in the study. In the frame of the study, two mediation models were tested by utilising PROCESS Procedure for SPSS (Hayes, 2013. "Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach." New York, NY: Guilford Press). The results indicated that bivariate correlations among study variables ranged from -0.24 to 0.32. The overall composite indicated that academic stress contributed to 6% of the variance in life satisfaction (p < 0.01) among students (b = -0.06), while the mediating effect of locus of control contributed to 10% of the variance in Life Satisfaction (p < 0.01) among students (b = -0.4).

This module is designed to introduce professional school counselors, educational leaders, and counselor educators to current research in service-learning and its potential impact on school counseling programs and student achievement. Examples of how school counselors are using service-learning in their comprehensive guidance programs and how counselor educators are using service-learning in pre-service training are also provided. The new vision for professional school counselors broadens the traditional view to include program development, management, and evaluation. Service-learning is one type of programming that can provide hard data regarding the impact of the program on student success and that can elevate the professional school counselors to leadership positions in schools.

School counselors are currently being charged to become active participants in systemic change for student achievement. This will require leadership. Our study was significant in that it complemented and perpetuated the vision and direction of the school counseling field. This empirical study investigates school counselors' perceptions of leadership, specifically their roles as educational leaders in their present school settings. Our study was a qualitative inquiry into a select number of Texas high school counselors with years of experience ranging from three years to thirty-two years. This collaborative study provided insight into counselors' views of leadership. Our study results indicated that respondents have the tools to be educational leaders. However, some of the tools are misunderstood, underutilized, unrecognized and/or used incorrectly.

"El Escalafon" is the process for appointing school directors and "el Doble Turno" is the double shift of morning and afternoon session in Mexican schools. These two concepts open the door to examine more general issues in the appointment of school directors and the structure of the school day. Director appointment and school time are rooted in local culture but can have implications across national borders. This study reports interviews of six first-year school directors in the state of Sonora, Mexico and six principals in Texas, USA. It is part of a larger international study that includes Australia, Canada, England, Jamaica, Scotland, South Africa, and Turkey. The purpose is to look at the appointment, preparation, and challenges of first-year school directors. School directors in both countries wrestled with parent expectations and relations with teachers. The systems for appointing school directors and the structure of the school day were different. These differences were based in cultural orientations and suggested contradictions and shortcomings in each educational system. These issues are important to consider in planning programs of educational administration preparation.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the rate and impact of episiotomy on maternal and newborn outcomes before and after restricted use of episiotomy. Study Design This population-based observational study used an obstetric database of all deliveries since 1990 that has been maintained with quality checks. Inclusion criteria were vaginal deliveries at ≥37 weeks. Exclusion criteria included fetal malformations, multifetal gestations, or fetal deaths known on arrival to Labor and Delivery. The primary outcomes of interest were episiotomy, perineal lacerations, and newborn outcomes. To evaluate the impact of restrictive episiotomy, data from 1990 to 1997 (35% overall episiotomy rate) were compared with data from 2010 to 2017 (2.5% overall episiotomy rate). Univariable analysis of maternal and infant outcomes were performed comparing the two-time epochs with the Pearson's Chi-squared test. Results Overall, 268,415 women met inclusion criteria and 49,089 (18.2%) had an episiotomy. The rate of episiotomy decreased from 37% of deliveries in 1990 to 2% in 2017. A total of 82,082 deliveries occurred in the 1990 to 1997 epoch and 57,183 in 2010 to 2017. Indicated use of episiotomy was associated with a significant decrease in third and fourth degree lacerations. Immediate newborn condition (5-minute Apgar's score ≤3 and umbilical artery pH <7.1) and neonatal outcomes (intraventricular hemorrhage [IVH] grade 3/4, positive culture sepsis, neonatal seizures, and neonatal demise) were not significantly different. Conclusion Selective, indicated use of episiotomy compared with routine was associated with lower rates of third/fourth-degree lacerations with no change in neonatal outcomes. The common obstetric practice of routinely performing episiotomy, presumably to prevent perineal trauma, proved untrue when analyzed over almost three decades. Key Points Episiotomy use decreased overtime at our institution. Decreased episiotomy use was associated with significant improvement in maternal outcomes. Neonatal outcomes were unchanged suggesting no deleterious effects with restricted episiotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of the study is to compare perinatal outcomes for women with greater social needs, as identified by the Community Health Needs Assessment, to those of women living in other areas of the county. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women delivering at a large inner-city county hospital. Perinatal outcomes were analyzed for women living within a target area with substantial health disparities and social needs, and compared with those women living outside the target area. Statistical analysis included student's t -test, Chi square, and logistic regression. Results Between January 2015 and July 2020, 66,936 women delivered at Parkland hospital. Of these, 7,585 (11%) resided within the target area. These women were younger (26.8 ± 6.5 vs. 27.9 ± 6.4 years, p < 0.001), more likely to be black (37 vs. 13%, p < 0.001), and had a higher body mass index or BMI (33.3 ± 7.0 vs. 32.6 ± 6.4 kg/m 2 , p < 0.001). All women were likely to access prenatal care, with 7,320 (96.5%) in the target area and 57,677 (97.2%) outside the area attending at least one visit. Adverse perinatal outcomes were increased for women living within the target area, which persisted after adjustment for age, race, and BMI. This included an increased risk of preeclampsia (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.1, 95% confidence interval or CI [1.03, 1.2]) and abruption (aRR 1.3, 95% CI [1.1, 1.7]), as well as preterm birth before both 34 weeks (aRR 1.3, 95% CI [1.2, 1.5]) and 28 weeks (aRR 1.3, 95% CI [1.02,1.7]). It follows that neonatal ICU admission (aRR 2.1, 95% CI [1.3, 3.4]) and neonatal death (aRR 1.2, 95% CI [1.1, 1.3]) were increased within the target area. Interestingly, rate of postpartum visit attendance was higher in the target area (57 vs. 48%), p < 0.001. Conclusion Even among vulnerable populations, women in areas with worse health disparities and social needs are at greater risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Efforts to achieve health equity will need to address social disparities. Key Points At a county hospital, 97% of women accessed prenatal care. Greater social needs were associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Differences persisted with adjustment for age, race, and BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Operation of wind turbines has resulted in collision fatalities for several bat species, and one proven method to reduce these fatalities is to limit wind turbine blade rotation (i.e., curtail turbines) when fatalities are expected to be highest. Implementation of curtailment can potentially be optimized by targeting times when females are most at risk, as the proportion of females limits the growth and stability of many bat populations. The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is the most common bat fatality at wind energy facilities in California and Texas, and yet there are few available data on the sex ratios of the carcasses that are found. Understanding the sex ratios of fatalities in California and Texas could aid in planning population conservation strategies such as informed curtailment. Methods: We used PCR to determine the sex of bat carcasses collected from wind energy facilities during post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies in California and Texas. In California, we received samples from two locations within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in Alameda County: Golden Hills (GH) (n = 212) and Golden Hills North (GHN) (n = 312). In Texas, we received samples from three wind energy facilities: Los Mirasoles (LM) (Hidalgo County and Starr County) (n = 252), Los Vientos (LV) (Starr County) (n = 568), and Wind Farm A (WFA) (San Patricio County and Bee County) (n = 393). Results: In California, the sex ratios of fatalities did not differ from 50:50, and the sex ratio remained stable over the survey years, but the seasonal timing of peak fatalities was inconsistent. In 2017 and 2018, fatalities peaked between September and October, whereas in 2019 and 2020 fatalities peaked between May and June. In Texas, sex ratios of fatalities varied between locations, with Los Vientos being female-skewed and Wind Farm A being male-skewed. The sex ratio of fatalities was also inconsistent over time. Lastly, for each location in Texas with multiple years studied, we observed a decrease in the proportion of female fatalities over time. Discussion: We observed unexpected variation in the seasonal timing of peak fatalities in California and differences in the sex ratio of fatalities across time and facility location in Texas. In Texas, proximity to different roost types (bridge or cave) likely influenced the sex ratio of fatalities at wind energy facilities. Due to the inconsistencies in the timing of peak female fatalities, we were unable to determine an optimum curtailment period; however, there may be location-specific trends that warrant future investigation. More research should be done over the entirety of the bat active season to better understand these trends in Texas. In addition, standardization of PCM studies could assist future research efforts, enhance current monitoring efforts, and facilitate research on post-construction monitoring studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classrooms tend to be absolute spaces, places where fluidity is rejected and nearly everything--from people, to ideas, to practices and policies--is viewed and organized through binary logic. Because binary logic is implicitly accepted as the natural order in schools and the structures resulting from it are highly unmalleable, individuals who differ from the norm are expected to assimilate and adapt so as not to disrupt the structure. Those who are too different from the norm to fit in or who refuse to accept the binary structure are viewed as problems and are often ostracized or blamed for disturbing the system. Even when evidence to dispute the binary logic emerges, such evidence is often ignored or rejected in favor of maintaining the status quo. As such, the need for educators with a social justice orientation is needed. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the process one teacher used to create inclusive spaces for students who identify with differences in order to develop a more critical understanding of the work of social justice teachers. The findings suggest the teacher enacted behaviors and maintained beliefs that contradicted her espoused social justice orientation and her classroom was at once both inclusive and exclusive. The findings illustrate the complexities inherent within the work of equity-oriented educators. Implications for educator preparation is discussed.

Educational leaders increasingly acknowledge the importance of developing partnerships to address pressing and persistent educational concerns. This article reports the results of a qualitative case study that examined an exurban district's efforts to improve educational outcomes through the development of multisector partnerships with community organizations and private-sector businesses. The results highlight key aspects of successful collaborations and suggest a need to include the study of partnership development in preparation programs for educational leaders.

Background Despite the clinical benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), patients with a viral hepatitis have been excluded from clinical trials because of safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) in patients with viral hepatitis who received ICIs for cancer treatment. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective study in patients with cancer and concurrent hepatitis B or C, who had undergone treatment with ICI at MD Anderson Cancer Center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019. Results Of the 1076 patients screened, we identified 33 with concurrent hepatitis. All 10 patients with HBV underwent concomitant antiviral therapy during ICI treatment. Sixteen of the 23 patients with HCV received it before the initiation of ICI. The median follow-up time was 33 months (95% CI, 23-45) and the median duration of ICI therapy was 3 months (IQR, 1.9-6.6). Of the 33 patients, 12 (39%) experienced irAEs (immune-related adverse events) of any grade, with 2 (6%) having grade 3 or higher. None of the patients developed hepatitis toxicities. Conclusion ICIs may be a therapeutic option with an acceptable safety profile in patients with cancer and advanced liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which teachers implement evidence-based practices, such as explicit instruction, is critical for improving students' mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the kindergarten "Early Learning in Mathematics" (ELM) curriculum on teachers' use of explicit mathematics instruction in core educational settings. Observation data for the study were collected during a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the efficacy of the ELM curriculum. A multifaceted observation system was used to examine teachers' provision of high-quality and intensive instructional interactions during core mathematics instruction. A total of 379 observations were conducted in 129 classrooms (68 treatment and 61 comparison), involving approximately 2,700 students from 46 schools in Oregon and Texas. Results indicate that ELM classroom teachers delivered significantly higher rates of practice opportunities for individuals and groups of students compared with comparison classroom teachers who implemented standard district mathematics instruction. Implications for instruction are discussed.

School-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SW-PBIS) is a framework for creating safe and effective learning environments and cultivating a positive educational climate. Researchers show that SW-PBIS can improve behavioral outcomes, while demonstrations of a causal relationship between improvements in students' academic achievement and implementation of SW-PBIS remain equivocal. We provide evidence of reductions in behavioral incident reports, improvements in school attendance, and increases in career and technical industry certifications following SW-PBIS implementation in one Texas secure male juvenile correction facility. We argue that these improvements could only be due to SW-PBIS implementation and not alternative explanations (e.g., agency policy/procedure changes, changes in facility or agency leadership, other treatment/rehabilitation programs, validity of measures). We also offer an explanation for these improved gains based on the academic characteristics of incarcerated youth. (Contains 2 tables.)

Coaching is one component used to facilitate implementation of positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) with fidelity, and to help bridge the gap between training and implementation in real-world settings. This exploratory survey examined elements related to PBIS coaching as support for developing and implementing a statewide PBIS initiative in the educational settings of secure care juvenile correctional facilities. Facility PBIS team members and external PBIS coaches were surveyed to solicit feedback on the need for and value of specific coaching activities and factors that acted as facilitators and barriers to PBIS implementation. Both groups of respondents reported that administrator support, time to carry out PBIS responsibilities, and access to coaching and technical assistance are important for effective implementation of PBIS in secure settings.

Over the last decade, community leaders have connected with students through school-based mentoring (SBM) programs (e.g., adults who mentor at-risk students). However, research in the area of SBM is only on the cusp of understanding relationship elements for impacting youth. In this collective case study, we examined the perceptions and experiences of 11 selected mentors in dyadic relationships (i.e., mentee and mentor) to understand better ways to retain and to engage mentors for longer-lasting mentoring relationships, providing a sense of connectedness for students. Specifically, we investigated purposes and approaches of mentoring through the voices and experiences of mentors working with elementary-aged students in SBM. Results revealed self-sustaining synergy within the dyads (with little or no program support) and themes of consistency, commitment, spirituality, playfulness, the use of self-disclosure, creativity, and emphasis on the present. In addition, implications for cross-cultural and, in particular, cross-age mentoring are discussed. One exemplar case illustrates specific profile characteristics used to bridge age, gender, and cultural differences. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

Few psychometrically valid scales exist to assess family outcomes and the helpfulness of early intervention. This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised. The revision was prompted by the need to (a) create a new format that would be easier for parents to understand, (b) revise and expand the survey items to provide more information for states to use in planning for program improvement, and (c) demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties. Input from stakeholders and experts was used to identify concepts and develop candidate items. Data from a web-based survey conducted with 265 families in Illinois and Texas were used to assess the psychometric properties of candidate items. These activities produced a revised survey with sound psychometric integrity that can be used to document family outcomes and identify areas for program improvement. (Contains 4 tables.)

In efforts to reform the child welfare system, agency leaders must involve staff at all levels; yet, little research has been done to determine which organizational factors encourage or inhibit staff engagement. Employees from an urban child welfare agency were invited to complete a survey regarding organizational effectiveness and its influence on reform efforts. The results show how these findings can be used by managers to improve practice, specifically through increased information sharing with stakeholders. (Contains 3 tables.)

Service-learning is one way of reconstructing educators' thinking about adolescents who demonstrate at-risk behaviors. It allows educators and others to involve youth considered to be "at risk" in talking about their concerns and interests, solving problems, and making decisions as they construct their own identities with the help and collaboration of supportive adults. This article discusses how service-learning can be optimally done using the eight service-learning standards. It then showcases how the eight standards are used in two real-world service-learning programs: "Animal Welfare" in which youth worked with a local animal shelter and spay neuter clinic; and "Never Chat With Strangers" in which youth learned about staying safe online and then developed a four-part presentation which they gave to other teens, younger students, and adults.

In this study, the authors use data from two states to compare how families participating in early intervention who completed a Spanish version of the Family Outcomes Survey (FOS) (n = 291) compared with Hispanic (n = 486) and non-Hispanic (n = 2,363) families who completed the English version. In general, most families reported positive outcomes, but there was variability in their responses. Families completing the survey in Spanish consistently reported lower outcome attainment than both Hispanic and non-Hispanic families completing the FOS in English. They also reported lower perceptions of the helpfulness of early intervention, but the three groups did not differ with regard to perceptions of family-centered practices. Factor analysis revealed that constructs assessed by the survey are similar for both the English and Spanish version of the survey. Hierarchical linear models analysis within the Spanish-language group indicated that family-centered practices were significantly related to family outcomes. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

This article reports data from a large-scale assessment using the Family Outcomes Survey with families participating in early intervention. The study was designed to determine how families describe themselves with regard to outcomes achieved, the extent to which outcomes are interrelated, and the extent to which child, family, and program factors are associated with outcomes. Families reported positive outcomes, but there was variability in their responses. Factor analysis revealed that outcomes clustered in two areas: (a) family knowledge and ability, and (b) family support and community services. Hierarchical linear models indicated race/ethnicity, income, time in early intervention, perception of early intervention, and family-centered services were related to family outcomes. Recommendations for how to best use survey data are discussed. (Contains 5 tables and 3 figures.)

Pedometers are great equalizers. They are wonderful for students who don't have the speed of other students, but can still keep up by taking as many steps as other students while improving their fitness level. In this article, teachers describe how they are using pedometers creatively in classes to impact the level of physical activity.

Academic freedom is the freedom to inquire--to study, learn, teach, express, and debate ideas. Academic freedom is essential to education in a democracy, a professional responsibility of teachers, and the fundamental purpose for social education. These ideas occur in the traditional education literature. Academic freedom is not just a professional privilege; it is a professional obligation. Only teachers have this compelling obligation to intellectual freedom, and social studies educators bear a special responsibility. In this period of stress, as in others, they need to continue their strong advocacy for freedoms necessary to democracy, education, and teaching as a profession. They must support, monitor, protect, and continually improve freedom of inquiry for students and teachers. This takes vigilance and courage. The author urges social educators and teachers to stand up for this essential element of a democratic society. (Contains 28 notes.) ["The Need for Courage in American Schools: Cases and Causes" was written with Carole Hahn.]

It is commonly assumed that urban school districts hire teachers late due to issues related to district size and/or restrictions in collectively bargained teacher contracts affecting teacher hiring and transfers between schools. Our investigation of late teacher hiring and collective bargaining is based on a survey of 40 school districts that captured information about teacher transfer and hiring timelines. Findings indicate no differences between collective bargaining districts and non-bargaining districts in late teacher hiring. The findings confirm big differences in late hiring between suburbs and cities even when controlling for collective bargaining status and other contextual variables. Late school district budget action was also associated with late hiring. (Contains 8 tables and 1 note.)

Recent reductions in the amount and nature of graduate student funding opportunities sometimes have had multiple consequences. In Rhode Island, sixty patients no longer receive a hundred hours of care a week from graduate student employees. And the students have lost a unique opportunity for emotionally and professionally rewarding employment. These job losses at Eleanor Slater Hospital are emblematic of a broader trend. The most obvious thing to say about graduate students is that they are the future of the profession. But there is no longer any reason to be confident about that future. In the midst of the ongoing recession, the present is as insecure as the future. Collective bargaining in the middle of a recession is critical. Not only does it give graduate employees an organized voice and real power to negotiate; it also puts them into a nationwide network, supported by Listservs, meetings, and other means of communication, by which they can compare threats, strategies, and results with colleagues at other campuses. An organized campus is part of a national movement and an informal coalition that links activists represented by different unions. Administrative practices can be particularly damaging to graduate students outside collective bargaining when thoroughgoing decentralization means that they are left to the whim of departments. This author contends that it is time to eliminate the rampant abuses in graduate education. It is time for graduate student employees to organize for collective bargaining on every campus where they are able to do so.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the kindergarten Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI; Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas System, 2004-2006) Mid-Year screeners with a sample of 180 students. The TPRI screeners were designed to determine which students are not at risk for later reading failure. Results indicated adequate internal consistency reliability and concurrent and predictive validity for screening purposes. Classification validity analyses indicated low false negative rates and high negative predictive power but substantial false positive rates and low positive predictive power. The TPRI Mid-Year screeners were found to be adequate instruments for identifying students who are unlikely in need of further assessment. Recommendations are provided for using the TPRI within a response-to-intervention or other prevention-based service delivery model. (Contains 3 tables.)

To address the low priority given to university-level outreach, the authors created an outreach program that makes it easy for scientists to connect with the public, while at the same time providing effective transfer of scientific research results to the public and the K-12 community. The result is a program called the Hot Science--Cool Talks Outreach Lecture Series, a regular event at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) overseen by the university's Environmental Science Institute (ESI). The program combines lectures by scientists with hands-on activities, webcasts, and workshops for teachers, students, and the public. This paper describes the concept for this lecture series, its operation, and its unique outcomes for K-12 outreach. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)