The Effect of a Zoo-Based Experiential Academic Science Program on High School Students' Math and Science Achievement and Perceptions of School Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulkerrin, Elizabeth A.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an 11th-grade and 12th-grade zoo-based academic high school experiential science program compared to a same school-district school-based academic high school experiential science program on students' pretest and posttest science, math, and reading achievement, and student perceptions of program relevance, rigor, and relationships. Science coursework delivery site served as the study's independent variable for the two naturally formed groups representing students (n = 18) who completed a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program and students (n = 18) who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program. Students in the first group, a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, hands-on projects at the zoo while students in the second group, those students who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, simulated projects in the classroom. These groups comprised the two research arms of the study. Both groups of students were selected from the same school district. The study's two dependent variables were achievement and school climate. Achievement was analyzed using norm-referenced 11th-grade pretest PLAN and 12th-grade posttest ACT test composite scores. Null hypotheses were rejected in the direction of improved test scores for both science program groups---students who completed the zoo-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001) and students who completed the school-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001). The posttest-posttest ACT test composite score comparison was not statistically different ( p = .93) indicating program equipoise for students enrolled in both science programs. No overall weighted grade point average score improvement was observed for students in either science group, however, null hypotheses were rejected in the direction of improved science grade point average scores for 11th-grade (p < .01) and 12th-grade (p = .01) students who completed the zoo-based experiential academic high school science program. Null hypotheses were not rejected for between group posttest science grade point average scores and school district criterion reference math and reading test scores. Finally, students who completed the zoo-based experiential academic high school science program had statistically improved pretest-posttest perceptions of program relationship scores (p < .05) and compared to students who completed the school-based experiential academic high school science program had statistically greater posttest perceptions of program relevance (p < .001), perceptions of program rigor (p < .001), and perceptions of program relationships (p < .001).

77 FR 16540 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Office of Innovation and Improvement; School...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... and Improvement; School Leadership Program (SLP) Annual Performance Report SUMMARY: Information in the School Leadership Program (SLP) Annual Performance Report (APR) is collected in compliance with the... Leadership Program. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before May 21, 2012...

Benjamin Franklin High School Unit Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wohl, Seth F.

The Benjamin Franklin High School Unit Program in New York City was designed to overcome the serious academic deficiencies identified as criterion for entry into the program: retardation in reading and mathematics and to improve attitudes toward school, increase classroom attendance and participation, reduce the dropout rate, improve self-image…

Applying process mapping and analysis as a quality improvement strategy to increase the adoption of fruit, vegetable, and water breaks in Australian primary schools.

PubMed

Biggs, Janice S; Farrell, Louise; Lawrence, Glenda; Johnson, Julie K

2014-03-01

Over the past decade, public health policy in Australia has prioritized the prevention and control of obesity and invested in programs that promote healthy eating-related behaviors, which includes increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children. This article reports on a study that used process mapping and analysis as a quality improvement strategy to improve the delivery of a nutrition primary prevention program delivered in primary schools in New South Wales, Australia. Crunch&Sip® has been delivered since 2008. To date, adoption is low with only 25% of schools implementing the program. We investigated the cause of low adoption and propose actions to increase school participation. We conducted semistructured interviews with key stakeholders and analyzed the process of delivering Crunch&Sip to schools. Interviews and process mapping and analysis identified a number of barriers to schools adopting the program. The analyses identified the need to simplify and streamline the process of delivering the program to schools and introduce monitoring and feedback loops to track ongoing participation. The combination of stakeholder interviews and process mapping and analysis provided important practical solutions to improving program delivery and also contributed to building an understanding of factors that help and hinder program adoption. The insight provided by this analysis helped identify usable routine measures of adoption, which were an improvement over those used in the existing program plan. This study contributed toward improving the quality and efficiency of delivering a health promoting program to work toward achieving healthy eating behaviors in children.

Promoting School-University Partnerships: Professional Development of Teachers through the Collaborative School Improvement Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackmann, Donald G.; Schmitt, Donna M.

One method of training principals and teachers to lead substantive change initiatives lies in partnership activities between schools and the local university. The Collaborative School Improvement Program (C-SIP) is a successful school-university partnership that focuses upon collaborative relationships between Eastern Michigan University and area…

[Evaluation of nutritional status of school-age children after implementation of "Nutrition Improvement Program" in rural area in Hunan, China].

PubMed

Deng, Zhu-Juan; Mao, Guang-Xu; Wang, Yu-Jun; Liu, Li; Chen, Yan

2016-09-01

To investigate the nutritional status of school-age children in rural area in Hunan, China from 2012 to 2015 and to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Nutrition Improvement Program for Compulsory Education Students in Rural Area" (hereinafter referred to as "Nutrition Improvement Program"). The nutritional status of school-age children aged 6-14 years was evaluated after the implementation of the "Nutrition Improvement Program" and the changing trend of the children's nutritional status was analyzed. The statistical analysis was performed on the monitoring data of the school-age children aged 6-14 years in rural area in Hunan, China from 2012 to 2015, which came from "The Nutrition and Health Status Monitoring and Evaluation System of Nutrition Improvement Program for Compulsory Education Students in Rural Area". In 2015, female students aged 6-7 years in rural area in Hunan, China had a significantly greater body length than the rural average in China (P<0.05). However, the other age groups had significantly smaller body length and weight than the rural averages in China (P<0.05). After the implementation of "Nutrition Improvement Program", the prevalence rate of growth retardation decreased (P<0.05), but the prevalence rate of emaciation increased (P<0.05). At the same time, the prevalence rate of overweight/obesity increased (P<0.05) and the prevalence rate of anemia decreased (P<0.05). The implementation of "Nutrition Improvement Program" has achieved some success, but the nutritional status of school-age children has not improved significantly. Overweight/obesity and malnutrition are still present. Therefore, to promote the nutritional status of school-age children it is recommended to improve the measures for the "Nutrition Improvement Program".

The awesome Asthma School Days Program: educating children, inspiring a community.

PubMed

Meurer, J R; McKenzie, S; Mischler, E; Subichin, S; Malloy, M; George, V

1999-02-01

Program planners developed an educational program to improve the health of children with asthma in grades three to five in Milwaukee (Wis.) Public Schools. During 1997-1998, 1,400 students from 74 elementary schools participated in the Awesome Asthma School Days education program. In a cross-sectional survey, about 40% of children reported play interrupted and sleep disturbed by asthma, more than 50% of children reported exposure to smoke in their home, most children lacked asthma self-care tools, and most children with persistent symptoms did not use an anti-inflammatory inhaler. The educational program improved students' expectations about normal play and sleep and improved their understanding of asthma. Leaders in Milwaukee used the survey results to develop a community action plan. The educational program, surveys, community partnerships, and strategic plans can be replicated in other schools.

Gaining a Professional Edge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonen, Ruth; Griffith, Phyllis

1998-01-01

The American School Food Service Association has two recognition programs: the recently revised School Foodservice and Nutrition Certification Program and the new School Foodservice and Nutrition Specialist Credentialing Program. The credentialing program was created to enhance school food-service professionals' image and improve their management…

Improving Early Reading: A Resource Guide for Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. John, Edward P.; Loescher, Siri Ann

Indiana's Early Intervention Grant Program (EIGP) provides funding for Reading Recovery and other early interventions focused on improvement in early reading programs (Grades 1-5). This resource guide provides information that schools in Indiana can use to plan for proposals for EIGP and other grant programs, such as comprehensive school reform…

34 CFR 200.32 - Identification for school improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification for school improvement. 200.32 Section... Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.32 Identification for school improvement. (a)(1)(i) An LEA must identify for school improvement any elementary or...

34 CFR 200.32 - Identification for school improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Identification for school improvement. 200.32 Section... Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.32 Identification for school improvement. (a)(1)(i) An LEA must identify for school improvement any elementary or...

Understanding Effective Program Improvement Schools through a Distributed Leadership Task Context Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gipson, Frances Marie

2012-01-01

Federal, state, and local agencies face challenges organizing resources that create the conditions necessary to create, sustain, and replicate effective high performing schools. Knowing that leadership does impact achievement outcomes and that school districts tackle growing numbers of sanctioned Program Improvement schools, a distributed…

Improving School Effectiveness by Teaching Thinking Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zenke, Larry L.

This paper describes a plan to improve school effectiveness in the Tulsa (Oklahoma) Public Schools by incorporating instruction in thinking skills. The program selected by the school district was the Strategic Reasoning Program, based on Albert Upton's Design for Thinking and J. P. Guilford's Structure of the Intellect. The Strategic Reasoning…

An after-school exercise program improves fitness, and body composition in elementary school children.

PubMed

Carrel, Aaron L; Logue, Julie; Deininger, Heidi; Clark, R Randall; Curtis, Vanessa; Montague, Paul; Baldwin, Sharon

2011-07-01

Reduced cardiovascular fitness (CVF) is a risk factor for obesity and cardiovascular disease. It has previously shown that a school-based fitness curriculum can improve CVF, and other health indicators in middle school aged children. Whether an afterschool program improves CVF and other health markers in elementary-school children is unresolved. The objective of this study was therefore to determine whether an on-site afterschool-based fitness program improves body composition, cardiovascular fitness level, in elementary school children. 80 elementary school children were evaluated in a "fitness-oriented" afterschool program managed by the local YMCA. Children underwent evaluation of cardiovascular fitness by maximal VO 2 treadmill testing and body composition by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), at baseline (prior to the school-year) and again at end of the school year. Findings revealed that, at baseline, children had a mean age of 8.8 years, BMI of 18.7± 3, with a maximal VO 2 of 40.03 ± 7.6 ml/kg/min, and percent body fat of 28.7 ± 7%. After a 9-month intervention, children maximal VO 2 increased to 44.8 ± 7.5 ml/kg/min (p=0.04) and percent body fat decreased to 25.8 ± 6.2% (p=0.033). The study concluded that on-site afterschool programming focusing on fitness improved body composition and cardiovascular fitness, in elementary school children. Combined with prior studies, these data demonstrate that afterschool-based fitness curricula can benefit both obese and non-obese children. It was therefore recommended that, partnerships with schools to promote fitness even outside of school time should be a part of a school approach to improving children's health.

Federal Efforts to Improve the Lowest-Performing Schools: District Views on School Improvement Grant Requirements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kober, Nancy; Rentner, Diane Stark

2011-01-01

As Congress considers legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, one topic of debate is the program of school improvement grants (SIGs) authorized by section 1003(g) of Title I. SIGs are intended to help to turn around low-performing schools and are part of the larger ESEA Title I program to improve…

Improving Attendance and Retention in Out-of-School Time Programs. Research-to-Results Practitioner Insights. Publication # 2007-17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Elena; Wilson, Brooke; Valladares, Sherylls; Bronte-Tinkew, Jacinta

2007-01-01

Regular participation in out-of-school time activities is associated with benefits for children. However, children cannot reap the benefits of program participation if they do not attend programs in the first place. This brief focuses on ways in which out-of-school time programs can improve the attendance and retention of children and youth in…

Evaluation of Six School Effectiveness Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Dorren Rafael

School effectiveness programs were evaluated at six urban schools (five elementary and one junior high schools) in Louisiana for the 1986-87 school year. Focus was on providing principals with information to improve their school effectiveness programs for the 1987-88 school year. Subjects were 3,006 students, for whom scores on the California…

[Phonological awareness improvement in primary school students].

PubMed

Cárnio, Maria Sílvia; dos Santos, Daniele

2005-01-01

Phonological awareness in primary school students. To verify the improvement of phonological awareness in primary school students after a speech and language stimulation program. 20 students with the worst results in the first literacy exam were selected. Phonological awareness tests were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of the stimulation program. Most of the subjects demonstrated to have a notion about phonological awareness activities. Students demonstrated improvement, suggesting the effectiveness of the program.

34 CFR 200.41 - School improvement plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false School improvement plan. 200.41 Section 200.41... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.41 School improvement plan. (a)(1) Not later than three months after an LEA has identified a school for improvement...

The Application of Fishbone Diagram Analysis to Improve School Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slameto

2016-01-01

With the enactment of the National Education Standards (NES), the measurement of the school quality was clear; NES became a reference for school development program to improve the school quality. However, the form of the program that exist still in problematic, so that a good proposal need to be prepared. In the real condition, the school shows,…

Development and evaluation of a school-based asthma educational program.

PubMed

Al Aloola, Noha Abdullah; Saba, Maya; Nissen, Lisa; Alewairdhi, Huda Abdullaziz; Alaloola, Alhnouf; Saini, Bandana

2017-05-01

To develop, implement, and evaluate the effects of a school-based asthma educational program on Saudi primary school teachers' asthma awareness and competence in delivering asthma-related first aid interventions. An asthma educational intervention program entitled "School Asthma Action Program" (SAAP) was designed based on pedagogical principles and implemented among teachers randomly selected from girls' primary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This pilot study employed a pre-test/post-test experimental design. A previously tested asthma awareness questionnaire and a custom-designed asthma competence score sheet were used to evaluate the effects of the educational intervention program on teacher's asthma awareness and competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions at schools. Forty-seven teachers from five different primary schools participated in the program. Of the 47 teachers, 39 completed both the pre- and post-program questionnaires. The SAAP improved teachers' awareness of asthma (teachers' median pre-program score was 11 (range 5-18) and their post-program score was 15 (range 7-18), p < 0.001) and their attitudes toward asthma management at schools (teachers' median pre-program score was 74 (range 15-75) and their post-program score was 75 (range 15-75), p = 0.043). Further, it improved teachers' competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions (teachers' mean pre-program score was 1.4 ± 2.3 and their mean post-program score was 9.8 ± 0.5, p < 0.001). After completing the SAAP, a high proportion of teachers reported increased confidence in providing care to children with asthma at school. School-based asthma educational programs can significantly improve teachers' knowledge of asthma and their competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions during emergencies.

Implementing a Motivational Program Using Musical Skit Development as a Technique To Improve Performance Skills of Middle School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roi, Christine S.

A pilot program was developed and implemented to improve the music performance of middle school choral students. A target group of 27 low performing students in grade seven and eight participated in the program. The program utilized four strategies for improving performance skills. Lectures were given by inspirational leaders. Small groups were…

Hours of Opportunity, Volume 1: Lessons from Five Cities on Building Systems to Improve After-School, Summer School, and Other Out-of-School-Time Programs. Monograph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodilly, Susan J.; McCombs, Jennifer Sloan; Orr, Nate; Scherer, Ethan; Constant, Louay; Gershwin, Daniel

2010-01-01

High-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs have a positive effect on youth development, but many cities have found it difficult to address the challenges of expanding and improving the quality of programs offered to underserved and high-need students. In response, The Wallace Foundation sponsored an initiative to help five cities increase…

77 FR 33203 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Office of Innovation and Improvement; School Leadership...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-05

...; School Leadership Program (SLP) Annual Performance Report SUMMARY: The School Leadership Program (SLP... to this notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: School Leadership Program (SLP... Leadership Program. There are two GPRA performance objectives and six performance measures for SLP grantees...

34 CFR 200.25 - Schoolwide programs in general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... throughout a school so that all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students, demonstrate proficiency... with §§ 200.25 through 200.29. (f) Prekindergarten program. A school operating a schoolwide program may... improving the entire educational program of the school. (b) Eligibility. (1) A school may operate a...

Educating Pharmacy Students to Improve Quality (EPIQ) in Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Myers, Jaclyn; Nash, James D.; Lavigne, Jill E.; Moczygemba, Leticia R.; Plake, Kimberly S.; Quiñones-Boex, Ana C.; Holdford, David; West-Strum, Donna; Warholak, Terri L.

2012-01-01

Objective. To assess course instructors’ and students’ perceptions of the Educating Pharmacy Students and Pharmacists to Improve Quality (EPIQ) curriculum. Methods. Seven colleges and schools of pharmacy that were using the EPIQ program in their curricula agreed to participate in the study. Five of the 7 collected student retrospective pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Changes in students’ perceptions were evaluated to assess their relationships with demographics and course variables. Instructors who implemented the EPIQ program at each of the 7 colleges and schools were also asked to complete a questionnaire. Results. Scores on all questionnaire items indicated improvement in students’ perceived knowledge of quality improvement. The university the students attended, completion of a class project, and length of coverage of material were significantly related to improvement in the students’ scores. Instructors at all colleges and schools felt the EPIQ curriculum was a strong program that fulfilled the criteria for quality improvement and medication error reduction education. Conclusion The EPIQ program is a viable, turnkey option for colleges and schools of pharmacy to use in teaching students about quality improvement. PMID:22919085

Good Effective School Improvement Practices in Spain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murillo, F. Javier

2002-01-01

Presents case studies of five effective school improvement (ESI) programs developed in Spain. Identified characteristics of the Spanish education system that affect the way ESI programs are carried out and developed descriptions of the five programs and lessons learned from them. (SLD)

Clean Up Your School Custodial Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steller, Arthur W.; Pell, Carroll

1986-01-01

Administrators can improve their school's custodial program by following steps that increase productivity, reduce costs, and provide long-term benefits of higher cleanliness standards. Administrators should work toward improved building cleanliness by insisting on a school board policy that establishes objectives for the custodial department.…

School Program Selection: Why Schools Worldwide Choose the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sperandio, Jill

2010-01-01

School improvement and reform efforts frequently involve the adoption of a new curriculum program. This article examines the factors that influence program selection when schools have freedom to choose as opposed to having programs mandated by district, state, or national education authorities. Survey and document analysis are used to examine the…

Prevalence and Implementation of IAQ Programs in U.S. Schools

PubMed Central

Moglia, Dena; Smith, Alisa; MacIntosh, David L.; Somers, Jennifer L.

2006-01-01

In this study, we determined the extent to which U.S. schools are implementing indoor air quality (IAQ) programs. We administered a questionnaire on IAQ programs and practices to a representative sample of schools. Participants were asked to provide information on the use, administration, implementation, challenges, and benefits of the IAQ program in their school. We developed an IAQ Practice Index to determine the level of activity directed toward IAQ in schools. The index was computed based on responses to specific survey questions and was normalized to a range of 0 to 100. Each question was weighted qualitatively according to its contribution to strong IAQ management practices. Forty-two percent of schools in the United States have an IAQ management program, and there has been sustained growth from 1998 through 2002 in the number of schools that have such programs. Nearly half of those schools use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s IAQ Tools for Schools program. The IAQ Practice Index scores varied widely for schools with an IAQ management program, suggesting that having a program is not equivalent to implementing effective IAQ policies and procedures. Respondents indicated that their IAQ programs led to improved workplace satisfaction, fewer asthma attacks, fewer visits to the school nurse, and lower absenteeism. When actively supported by the school administration, an IAQ program appears to be a valuable factor in improving the learning environment for U.S. schoolchildren. PMID:16393672

Prevalence and implementation of IAQ programs in U.S. schools.

PubMed

Moglia, Dena; Smith, Alisa; MacIntosh, David L; Somers, Jennifer L

2006-01-01

In this study, we determined the extent to which U.S. schools are implementing indoor air quality (IAQ) programs. We administered a questionnaire on IAQ programs and practices to a representative sample of schools. Participants were asked to provide information on the use, administration, implementation, challenges, and benefits of the IAQ program in their school. We developed an IAQ Practice Index to determine the level of activity directed toward IAQ in schools. The index was computed based on responses to specific survey questions and was normalized to a range of 0 to 100. Each question was weighted qualitatively according to its contribution to strong IAQ management practices. Forty-two percent of schools in the United States have an IAQ management program, and there has been sustained growth from 1998 through 2002 in the number of schools that have such programs. Nearly half of those schools use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's IAQ Tools for Schools program. The IAQ Practice Index scores varied widely for schools with an IAQ management program, suggesting that having a program is not equivalent to implementing effective IAQ policies and procedures. Respondents indicated that their IAQ programs led to improved workplace satisfaction, fewer asthma attacks, fewer visits to the school nurse, and lower absenteeism. When actively supported by the school administration, an IAQ program appears to be a valuable factor in improving the learning environment for U.S. schoolchildren.

Family Night Out: An After School Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boileau, Penny L.

Discovering the value of after-school programs to school improvement initiatives and student achievement, one school district implemented a parent involvement component. Goals identified for the program were: to provide opportunities for parents and school staff to work as partners, and to share information about parent involvement and assets to…

The Role of the Community School Throughout the World. Improvement of Rural Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Clifford P., Comp.; And Others

Wherever a community school exists, it is devoted to the improvement of the people's quality of living. Its curriculum reflects the problems of the surrounding area Educational activities of both children and adults are often organized around the school. The school program becomes the community program as teachers, administrators, and parents work…

Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Achievement. IES Practice Guide. NCEE 2009-012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckett, Megan; Borman, Geoffrey; Capizzano, Jeffrey; Parsley, Danette; Ross, Steven; Schirm, Allen; Taylor, Jessica

2009-01-01

Out-of-school time programs can enhance academic achievement by helping students learn outside the classroom. The purpose of this practice guide is to provide recommendations for organizing and delivering school-based out-of-school time (OST) programs to improve the academic achievement of student participants. The five recommendations in this…

Case Studies of 19 School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs. Document Number 209271

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Peter; McDevitt, Jack; Lassiter, William; Shively, Michael; Rich, Tom

2005-01-01

There has been a growing interest in placing sworn law enforcement officers in schools as School Resource Officers (SROs) as a means of improving school safety and improving relations between police officers and youth. However, when this project began in May 2000, relatively little was known about SRO programs. The purpose of the National…

Parents as Partners Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Thomas E.

1992-01-01

In September 1990, three programs (Family Study Institute, Saturday School Programs, and Evening Programs) to strengthen and improve parent-school partnerships and enhance communication were instituted in a racially integrated school district in Cook County, Illinois. Evaluation findings showed that parental involvement significantly enhanced…

Praises & Nudges: A Case of District-Wide Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Richard; And Others

This paper describes the processes and outcomes experienced by the Marshalltown Community School District (Iowa) as it implemented a shared decision-making, school-improvement program. A district Shared Decision Making (SDM) Team and School Improvement Program (SIP) teams were trained to facilitate greater staff participation in the…

Improving elementary school quality through the use of a social-emotional and character development program: a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled trial in Hawai'i.

PubMed

Snyder, Frank J; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J; Flay, Brian R

2012-01-01

School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai'i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools and was conducted from 2002-2003 through 2005-2006. School-level archival data, collected by the Hawai'i Department of Education, were used to examine program effects at 1-year post-trial. Teacher, parent, and student data were analyzed to examine indicators of school quality such as student safety and well-being, involvement, and satisfaction, as well as overall school quality. Matched-paired t-tests were used for the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses included permutation tests and random-intercept growth curve models. Analyses comparing change from baseline to 1-year post-trial revealed that intervention schools demonstrated significantly improved school quality compared to control schools, with 21%, 13%, and 16% better overall school quality scores as reported by teachers, parents, and students, respectively. Teacher, parent, and student reports on individual school-quality indicators showed improvement in student safety and well-being, involvement, satisfaction, quality student support, focused and sustained action, standards-based learning, professionalism and system capacity, and coordinated team work. Teacher reports also showed an improvement in the responsiveness of the system. School quality was substantially improved, providing evidence that a school-wide social-emotional and character education program can enhance school quality and facilitate whole-school change. © 2011, American School Health Association.

California's Past Programs to Support School and District Improvement: A Synthesis of Evaluation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Collaborative on District Reform, 2017

2017-01-01

This document synthesizes the findings from the evaluations of four statewide programs designed to provide support for underperforming schools and districts in California as part of the state accountability system: (1) Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP); (2) High Priority Schools Grant (HPSG) Program; (3) School…

What Are Achievement Gains Worth--to Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Julie A.; McCaffrey, Daniel F.

2011-01-01

In 2007, New York City schools commenced a school-level pay-for-performance program for teachers and staff in about 200 schools. The authors found that the program didn't improve schools or student outcomes. Why? Because the program failed to create conditions that theory suggests are necessary for performance-based incentive programs to change…

School-Within-A-School (Hawaii Nui High) Hilo High School Report 1969-70.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Social Welfare Development and Research Center.

The second year of operation of Hilo High School's "School-Within-A-School" [SWS] program is evaluated in this paper. Planning, training, and program implementation are described in the document. The following are the results of the program: There was an improvement in attendance among project students when compared to their record in…

Second Evaluation of the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michie, Joan S.; Chaney, Bradford W.

2009-01-01

The Improving Literacy through School Libraries (LSL) program was established under Title I, Part B, Subpart 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). The purpose of the program is to improve the literacy skills and academic achievement of students by providing them with increased…

34 CFR 200.31 - Opportunity to review school-level data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Opportunity to review school-level data. 200.31 Section... Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.31 Opportunity to review school-level data. (a) Before identifying a school for school improvement, corrective...

34 CFR 200.31 - Opportunity to review school-level data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Opportunity to review school-level data. 200.31 Section... Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.31 Opportunity to review school-level data. (a) Before identifying a school for school improvement, corrective...

Incorporating Early Learning Strategies in the School Improvement Grants (SIG) Program: How Three Schools Integrated Early Childhood Strategies into School Turnaround Efforts to Improve Instruction for All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Tadros, Lori; Dunn, Lenay; Martella, Jana; McCauley, Carlas

2015-01-01

A significant body of research shows that achievement gaps evident in persistently low-performing schools, in many instances, manifest prior to children entering kindergarten. High-quality early learning programs have proven to demonstrate positive effects on closing academic gaps both for individual children and in the aggregate for the school.…

Teachers' Perspectives of Ways to Improve an Elementary School's Supplemental Reading Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, JoAnn M.

2012-01-01

To improve students' reading abilities, an elementary school staff decided to supplement the regular curriculum with a free Internet reading program. To promote student participation in the supplemental program, the media specialist designed the Gumball Reading Program, which included student requirements and rewards. The requirements…

After-School Toolkit: Tips, Techniques and Templates for Improving Program Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Nora; Bradshaw, Molly; Furano, Kathryn

2008-01-01

This toolkit offers program managers a hands-on guide for implementing quality programming in the after-school hours. The kit includes tools and techniques that increased the quality of literacy programming and helped improve student reading gains in the Communities Organizing Resources to Advance Learning (CORAL) initiative of The James Irvine…

Improving Elementary School Quality Through the Use of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program: A Matched-Pair, Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial in Hawai’i

PubMed Central

Snyder, Frank J.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J.; Flay, Brian R.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai’i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools and was conducted from 2002–2003 through 2005–2006. METHODS School-level archival data, collected by the Hawai’i Department of Education, were used to examine program effects at 1-year post-trial. Teacher, parent, and student data were analyzed to examine indicators of school quality such as student safety and well-being, involvement, and satisfaction, as well as overall school quality. Matched-paired t-tests were used for the primary analysis, and sensitivity analyses included permutation tests and random-intercept growth curve models. RESULTS Analyses comparing change from baseline to 1-year post-trial revealed that intervention schools demonstrated significantly improved school quality compared to control schools, with 21%, 13%, and 16% better overall school quality scores as reported by teachers, parents, and students, respectively. Teacher, parent, and student reports on individual school-quality indicators showed improvement in student safety and well-being, involvement, satisfaction, quality student support, focused and sustained action, standards-based learning, professionalism and system capacity, and coordinated team work. Teacher reports also showed an improvement in the responsiveness of the system. CONCLUSIONS School quality was substantially improved, providing evidence that a school-wide social-emotional and character education program can enhance school quality and facilitate whole-school change. PMID:22142170

Effective Chapter 1 Programs in Oregon.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berrum, Phyllis

This report describes 11 effective compensatory education programs in Oregon schools funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act. One high school, four middle school, and six elementary school programs are profiled. Each profile includes the following information: (1) demographics; (2) staffing; (3) parent…

Research on the New Nursery School. Part I, A Summary of the Evaluation of the Experimental Program for Deprived Children at the New Nursery School Using Some Experimental Measures. Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nimnicht, Glen; And Others

The New Nursery School (NNS) program was set up to help 3- and 4-year-old, Spanish-surnamed, environmentally deprived children. The objectives set were (1) to improve self-image, (2) to increase perceptual acuity, (3) to improve language ability, and (4) to improve problem-solving and concept-formation skills. The school is organized as an…

Missouri School Improvement Program: Support and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The Missouri State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to good schools that prepare them for college and career success. The Missouri School Improvement Program: Support and Intervention Plan takes a differentiated approach to state support based on…

Profiles of Change: Lessons for Improving High School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doolittle, Sarah

2014-01-01

This feature has told stories of high school physical educators who have refused to accept the status quo of high school physical education programs. They have identified problems, initiated innovations in their own classes, implemented changes beyond their classes, and moved toward institutionalizing improvements throughout their programs and…

Teaching Speech Improvement to the Disadvantaged.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Rosa Lee

1967-01-01

To develop positive speech patterns in disadvantaged students, the More Effective Schools Program in New York City instigated an experimental speech improvement program, K-6, in 20 of its elementary schools. Three typical speech-related problems of the disadvantaged--lack of school "know-how," inability to verbalize well, and the presence of poor…

A University/School Collaboration Model for Systemic Change through Site-Based Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackmann, Donald G.; Berry, James E.

The Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Collaborative School Improvement Program was established in 1978 within the College of Education's Office of Collaborative Education. The program assists local district personnel with school improvement and staff development activities through training teachers, administrators, board members, and other staff…

Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers and Administrators on Effective Professional Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherrod, Ginnie

2014-01-01

Effective professional development programs have been linked with rigorous state standards and district school improvement goals. Despite efforts of local districts to meet state standards and district school improvement goals, there has been limited research at the local level that has compared administrators' and teachers' perceptions of…

Proposed Plan for Magnet Schools--Cleveland Public Schools. Section I: Overview of Magnet Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Margaret, Ed.; And Others

This report presents an overview of Cleveland's proposed magnet program for facilitating school desegregation and improving educational opportunities for students from diverse ethnic/racial backgrounds. Included are discussions of individual student needs, strategies for improved instruction, possible community impact, the United States Office of…

Implementing Innovative Elementary Literacy Programs. Program Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwab, R. G. Jerry; And Others

This four-document collection describes the implementation processes of dramatically improved literacy programs in elementary schools which are leading the move to restructure literacy education in the Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington). The first document in the collection, "Strategies for Improving School-Wide…

Planning and Equipping School Lunchrooms. Bulletin, 1946, No. 19

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Office of Education, Federal Security Agency, 1946

1946-01-01

In many schools, plans are underway to expand facilities to include necessary space and equipment for providing adequate school lunch programs. This bulletin furnishes basic materials on which school people may plan space and equipment for new school lunch programs or appraise existing programs to determine what improvements in arrangement or…

School Policies and Practices that Improve Indoor Air Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sherry Everett; Smith, Alisa M.; Wheeler, Lani S.; McManus, Tim

2010-01-01

Background: To determine whether schools with a formal indoor air quality management program were more likely than schools without a formal program to have policies and practices that promote superior indoor air quality. Methods: This study analyzed school-level data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study, a national study of…

How Schools and Students Respond to School Improvement Programs: The Case of Brazil's PDE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnoy, Martin; Gove, Amber K.; Loeb, Susanna; Marshall, Jeffrey H.; Socias, Miguel

2008-01-01

This study uses rich empirical data from Brazil to assess how a government program (PDE) that decentralizes school management decisions changes what goes on in schools and how these changes affect student outcomes. It appears that the PDE resulted in some improvements in management and learning materials, but little change in other areas including…

The effects of school physical education grants on obesity, fitness, and academic achievement.

PubMed

von Hippel, Paul T; Bradbury, W Kyle

2015-09-01

Foundations and governments fund a number of programs that provide grants to improve school physical education or other forms of school-based physical activity. The effects of these grant programs are unknown. We evaluate the effects of Texas Fitness Now, a program in which the state of Texas granted $37 million to improve physical education in high-poverty middle schools over the 4 school years from 2007-08 to 2010-11. The stated goals of Texas Fitness Now were to reduce obesity, increase fitness, and raise academic achievement. We summarize how Texas Fitness Now funds were spent and estimate the impact of Texas Fitness Now using a fixed-effects longitudinal model that exploits changes in schools' eligibility over time. Changes in eligibility occurred when eligibility expanded to new schools after year 2 and when the program was terminated after year 4. Most Texas Fitness Now funds were spent on sports and fitness equipment. Smaller amounts were spent on anti-obesity curricula. Texas Fitness Now improved strength and flexibility, especially among girls, but it did not improve BMI or academic achievement, and it had mixed effects on aerobic capacity. The fitness benefits were not lost in the year after the program ended, perhaps because schools kept the equipment that they had bought during their years of eligibility. The results of Texas Fitness Now were typical for an intervention that relied almost exclusively on physical activity. Programs that improve BMI as well as fitness tend to have a more fully developed nutrition component. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

School Improvement Grants: Early Implementation under Way, but Reforms Affected by Short Time Frames. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-11-741

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2011-01-01

The School Improvement Grants (SIG) program, which was created in 2002, funds reforms in the country's lowest-performing schools with the goal of improving student outcomes, such as standardized test scores and graduation rates. Congress greatly increased SIG program funding from $125 million available in fiscal year 2007--the first year the…

Achieving Dramatic School Improvement: An Exploratory Study. A Cross-Site Analysis from the Evaluation of Comprehensive School Reform Program Implementation and Outcomes Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aladjem, Daniel K.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Orland, Martin; Harr-Robins, Jenifer; Heredia, Alberto; Parrish, Thomas B.; Ruffini, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

This exploratory study describes approaches to improving schools through retrospective, in-depth qualitative case studies. To select schools to be examined, the authors sought to identify Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) schools demonstrating two distinctive patterns of improved student achievement between 2000 and 2005, rapid-improvement (i.e.,…

Using Organization Development To Improve School Climate. Report No. 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfredson, Gary D.; Gottfredson, Denise C.

This paper presents and illustrates some principles for organizational development approaches to improving school climate. It discusses a specific structure for facilitating school improvement entitled Program Development Evaluation, and it illustrates the use of school climate assessments for school diagnosis and the evaluation of improvement…

The Incidence of the Tuition-Free High School Program in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hori, Masahiro; Shimizutani, Satoshi

2018-01-01

This paper examines the effect of a tuition-free high school program launched in FY2010 in Japan on the high school enrollment rate and household spending. We have some interesting findings. First, the program contributed to improvement in the high school enrollment rate for poorer households. Second, the program stimulated household spending…

This Straightforward Program Can Improve Student Writing Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrill, Robert E.

1983-01-01

Working with teachers, parents, and the school board, the East Hampton (Connecticut) Public Schools developed a program that improved students' paragraph writing within one year. The program involved setting objectives on paragraph construction and use of supporting information, giving teachers inservice training, specifying students' problems,…

Strategies for Effective School Improvement Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, David

Any attempts to improve excellence and equity in our schools must be predicated on the self-confident assumption that our schools can make a critical difference in the lives of children and young adults. Four propositions are offered as to what we know about school improvement: (1) public schools, individual classrooms, and school systems can and…

CSRQ Center Report on Elementary School Comprehensive School Reform Models: Educator's Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education (NJ3), 2008

2008-01-01

Which comprehensive school reform programs have evidence of positive effects on elementary school achievement? To find out, this review summarizes evidence on comprehensive school reform (CSR) models in elementary schools, grades K-6. Comprehensive school reform models are programs used schoolwide to improve student achievement. They typically…

Trust, but Verify

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berliner, David C.; Glass, Gene V.

2015-01-01

School improvement programs that work in some places don't work in others. School improvement programs that work with some students don't work with others. Programs that appear to have positive effects in the hands of some teachers don't work for other teachers. If we can't be confident that a program will travel well, from one…

Education Consolidation and Improvement Act--Chapter 1: Final Evaluation Report, Neglected and Delinquent Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamberlain, Ed

This report recommends that the Neglected and Delinquent (ND) Program of the Columbus (Ohio) Public Schools, funded by the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act Chapter 1, be continued in the 1988-89 school year because the program provides a needed service to pupils in exceptional circumstances. The ND Program is designed to provide…

Healthy School Meals: Promotion Ideas That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Children, Families, and Learning, Roseville. Food and Nutrition Service.

"Healthy School Meals: Promotion Ideas That Work" is a Minnesota program based on the USDA's Team Nutrition program. The program's goal is to improve the health of children through school meals and nutrition education. This is accomplished by empowering schools to serve meals meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and motivating…

34 CFR 200.27 - Development of a schoolwide program plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Development of a schoolwide program plan. (a)(1) A school operating a schoolwide program must develop a comprehensive plan to improve teaching and learning throughout the school. (2) The school must develop the comprehensive plan in consultation with the LEA and its school support team or other technical assistance...

34 CFR 200.27 - Development of a schoolwide program plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Development of a schoolwide program plan. (a)(1) A school operating a schoolwide program must develop a comprehensive plan to improve teaching and learning throughout the school. (2) The school must develop the comprehensive plan in consultation with the LEA and its school support team or other technical assistance...

34 CFR 200.27 - Development of a schoolwide program plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Development of a schoolwide program plan. (a)(1) A school operating a schoolwide program must develop a comprehensive plan to improve teaching and learning throughout the school. (2) The school must develop the comprehensive plan in consultation with the LEA and its school support team or other technical assistance...

34 CFR 200.27 - Development of a schoolwide program plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Development of a schoolwide program plan. (a)(1) A school operating a schoolwide program must develop a comprehensive plan to improve teaching and learning throughout the school. (2) The school must develop the comprehensive plan in consultation with the LEA and its school support team or other technical assistance...

Farm-to-School Programs: Perspectives of School Food Service Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izumi, Betty T.; Alaimo, Katherine; Hamm, Michael W.

2010-01-01

Objective: This qualitative study used a case study approach to explore the potential of farm-to-school programs to simultaneously improve children's diets and provide farmers with viable market opportunities. Design: Semistructured interviews were the primary data collection strategy. Setting: Seven farm-to-school programs in the Upper Midwest…

Federal Initiatives and Rural School Improvement: Findings from the Experimental Schools Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herriott, Robert E.

Abt Associates' concluding report on its research of the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program identifies educational needs in rural schools, introduces the substance of the ES program, and presents the major findings of the research in terms of the dynamics of rural school districts and the design and implementation of federal…

P.C.A.P. Project Profiles and General Profilles. Queensland Priority Country Area Program-Evaluation Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saide, Tom, Ed.

Thirty-eight projects designed to improve educational opportunities of rural Queensland children were initiated in 1977 and funded through the Disadvantaged Schools Program; the program was renamed the Country Area Program and made a permanent School Commission program in 1982. The program resulted from a 1977-79 Schools Commission report…

Improvement of School Climate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra Sands Unified School District, Ridgecrest, CA.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: As a part of its School Improvement Program, James Monroe Junior High School planned to improve its school climate. Since the physical school environment was devoid of landscaping and did not provide places for student socialization, all interested groups (PTSA, student council, students, staff, and…

A PLAN FOR EVALUATING MAJOR ACTIVITIES IN GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MARBURGER, CARL L.; RASSCHAERT, WILLIAM M.

THE GUIDE IS INTENDED TO ASSIST PROJECT DIRECTORS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO DEVELOP MORE SYSTEMATIC AND THOROUGH EVALUATION DESIGNS FOR THE GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. MAJOR DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING-LEARNING, SCHOOL-COMMUNITY, AND PUPIL-PARENT-TEACHER ACTIVITIES ARE LISTED. MAJOR EVALUATION AREAS ARE IN PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT, IMPLEMENTED BY GROUP…

A Guided Empowerment Self-Audit as a School Improvement Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Charity Fleming; Goodwin, Debbie

2014-01-01

No Child left Behind, The ESEA Flexibility Program, and the Race to the Top contest have spurred a multitude of School Improvement programs, businesses, initiatives and more. The current emphasis on standardized testing, data gathering and analysis, and measuring effective schooling has caused many education agencies, state and local, to seek…

Report of the Extensive Reading Program 1965-1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Digneo, Ellen Hartnett, Ed.; Shaya, Tila, Ed.

The report, covering 1965-68, deals first with a program entitled Improved Preparation for Culturally-Deprived Rural Children, which was designed to improve reading skills of elementary school students. Background of the Western States Small Schools Project for New Mexico is described, as well as how Carrizozo Public Schools were selected for the…

The Primary Program: Report from the Task Force on Improving Kentucky Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY.

Because the primary years are the point where specific changes are required in teaching practice and school organization, a task force examined Kentucky's primary program through school visits, interviews, expert testimony, and research. The last three years have shown marked improvement in student performance in the basics (reading, writing, and…

Improving Leadership Preparation Programs through a School, University, and Professional Organization Partnership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peel, Henry A.; Wallace, Corinna

Beginning educational administrators often find that they are unprepared to deal with the realities of school administration. This paper describes how the Halifax County, North Carolina, school system worked with a national organization and an area university to develop a plan to improve its administrator-preparation program. In 1992 the school…

Usage of Practices Promoted by School Improvement Grants. NCEE 2015-4019

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dragoset, Lisa; James-Burdumy, Susanne; Hallgren, Kristin; Perez-Johnson, Irma; Herrmann, Mariesa; Tuttle, Christina; Angus, Megan Hague; Herman, Rebecca; Murray, Matthew; Tanenbaum, Courtney; Graczewski, Cheryl

2015-01-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 injected $7 billion into two of the Obama administration's signature competitive education grant programs: Race to the Top (RTT) and School Improvement Grants (SIG). While RTT focused on state policies and SIG focused on school practices, both programs promoted related policies and practices,…

Wisconsin Farm to School Programs: Dietary Outcomes in Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bontrager Yoder, Andrea Beth H.

2014-01-01

Background. High overweight and obesity prevalence has instigated many programs to improve children's health. Farm to School (F2S) is a grassroots-organized program that seeks to improve children's dietary habits, especially fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, through various educational activities. Long-term goals include reducing obesity…

Peer-Mediated Multimodal Intervention Program for the Treatment of Children with ADHD in India: One-Year Followup

PubMed Central

Mehta, Sagar; Shah, Devesh; Shah, Kushal; Mehta, Sanjiv; Mehta, Neelam; Mehta, Vivek; Mehta, Vijay; Mehta, Vaishali; Motiwala, Smita; Mehta, Naina; Mehta, Devendra

2012-01-01

The objective was to assess the efficacy of a one-year, peer-mediated interventional program consisting of yoga, meditation and play therapy maintained by student volunteers in a school in India. The population consisted of 69 students between the ages of 6 and 11 years, previously identified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A program, known as Climb-Up, was initially embedded in the school twice weekly. Local high school student volunteers were then trained to continue to implement the program weekly over the period of one year. Improvements in ADHD symptoms and academic performance were assessed using Vanderbilt questionnaires completed by both parents and teachers. The performance impairment scores for ADHD students assessed by teachers improved by 6 weeks and were sustained through 12 months in 46 (85%) of the enrolled students. The improvements in their Vanderbilt scores assessed by parents were also seen in 92% (P < 0.0001, Wilcoxon). The Climb-Up program resulted in remarkable improvements in the students' school performances that were sustained throughout the year. These results show promise for a cost-effective program that could easily be implemented in any school. PMID:23316384

The Longitudinal Impact of NFL PLAY 60 Programming on Youth Aerobic Capacity and BMI.

PubMed

Bai, Yang; Saint-Maurice, Pedro F; Welk, Gregory J; Russell, Daniel W; Allums-Featherston, Kelly; Candelaria, Norma

2017-03-01

The NFL PLAY 60 campaign has actively promoted physical activity and healthy eating in youth through programs such as the PLAY 60 Challenge and Fuel Up to PLAY 60. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of NFL PLAY 60 programming on longitudinal trajectories of youth aerobic capacity and BMI. Data were from the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Partnership Project, a large participatory research project designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among Kindergarten through 12th grade children and adolescents. The programming was led by teachers in school settings across 32 NFL franchise markets. A range of 50,000-100,000 students from 497 schools completed FitnessGram assessments annually starting in 2011 and continuing through 2015. The analysis was conducted in 2015. Adoption of NFL PLAY 60 programming was encouraged but not required and the program implementation was evaluated each year. The adoption was evaluated through self-reported annual survey. School assessments of aerobic capacity and BMI were evaluated using FitnessGram standards to calculate the percentage of students meeting the Healthy Fitness Zone for each test. Growth curve modeling was used to estimate the longitudinal trajectories. About 19% of schools were classified as programming schools. Annual improvements in aerobic capacity were significantly greater in schools that participated in the programs for both girls (3.0%, p<0.01) and boys (2.9%, p<0.01) compared with non-programming schools. The annual improvements in BMI Healthy Fitness Zone achievement were also higher in girls (1.3%, p<0.05) and in boys (1.2%, p<0.05) from schools that participated in the programs versus non-participating schools. Schools that implemented the programs for the entire 4-year period tended to have better improvements in aerobic capacity than schools enrolled for only 2 or 3 years (p<0.05). The results of these longitudinal analyses support the utility of the NFL PLAY 60 physical activity promotion programs for improving youth aerobic capacity and potentially helping to reverse the prevalence of overweight/obesity. However, the overall program adoption rate is low. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building capacity for the continuous improvement of health-promoting schools.

PubMed

Hoyle, Tena B; Samek, Beverly B; Valois, Robert F

2008-01-01

There has been much educational verbosity over the past decade related to building capacity for effective schools. However, there seems to be a scarcity of clarification about what is meant by school capacity building or how to accomplish and sustain this process. This article describes the preexisting conditions and ongoing processes in Pueblo, Colorado School District 60 (Pueblo 60) that built capacity for the development and continuous improvement of health-promoting schools. Capacity building strategies and a program-planning model for continuous improvement for health-promoting schools were used that included: (a) visionary/effective leadership and management structures, (b) extensive internal and external supports, (c) development and allocation of adequate resources, (d) supportive policies and procedures, and (e) ongoing, embedded professional development. Pueblo 60 strategically developed an infrastructure through which they successfully delivered a wide array of health programs and services. Through building organizational capacity at the school district and school level, additional school health programming can be developed and sustained.

Immunization Services for Adolescents within Comprehensive School Health Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon, Mary E.; Bryan, Gloria; Hunt, Pete; Allensworth, Diane; Bradley, Beverly

1997-01-01

Discusses school health services, adolescent immunization, current school immunization practices, and support for school-based immunization programs. Children and adolescents can receive preventive health services, including immunizations and monitoring of immunization levels. Expanding school health services could improve the immunization levels…

School-Based Peer Mentoring in High School: A Program Evaluation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Felicia Cecile

2017-01-01

The dissertation is an initial investigation of a peer mentoring program in a suburban high school in the southeastern United States. Additionally, the Peer Mentoring Program (PMP) study examined whether the Program improves academic performance and attendance, and decreases referrals. Utilizing an experimental design, a Participant and a…

Prevention Initiative Program. Final Evaluation Report Fiscal 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Patricia; Borger, Jeanne

This report provides an evaluation of the Prevention Initiative Program's second-funded year in the Chicago Public Schools. The program's purpose was to reduce school failure by providing health and social services to young families, improving parenting skills, and assisting young mothers to complete high school. The program served pregnant or…

Improving Participation in After-School Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Karen E.; Arbreton, Amy J. A.

2005-01-01

After-school programs attempt to provide safe havens that keep youth off the streets and offer them a variety of opportunities to enhance their experiences and skills, including educational outcomes such as grades. What the programs actually accomplish has been somewhat different. Major evaluations of after-school programs have shown that they do…

Effects of the Positive Action program on achievement and discipline: two matched-control comparisons.

PubMed

Flay, B R; Allred, C G; Ordway, N

2001-06-01

This paper reports on the effectiveness of an integrated comprehensive school model for character development, problem behavior prevention, and academic achievement enhancement. The Positive Action program consists of a school curriculum, together with schoolwide climate, family, and community components. As evaluated here, the yearly K-6 curriculum consists of over 140 fifteen-to-twenty-minute lessons per year delivered in school classrooms on an almost daily basis. The program is based on theories of self-concept, learning, behavior, and school ecology. We use a matched control design and school-level achievement and disciplinary data to evaluate program effects on student performance and behavior in two separate school districts. The program improved achievement by 16% in one district and 52% in another, and reduced disciplinary referrals by 78% in one district and 85% in the other. We discuss implications of these replicated findings for the prevention of substance abuse and violence, the improvement of school performance, and the reform of American schools.

Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlman, Carole L., Ed.; Redding, Sam, Ed.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this "Handbook" is to bolster the effective implementation of the intervention models and strategies outlined in the "2010 School Improvement Grant" (SIG) program--section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)--in order to achieve the program's clear goal--rapid improvement of persistently…

Grading School Choice: Evaluating School Choice Programs by the Friedman Gold Standard. School Choice Issues in Depth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enlow, Robert C.

2008-01-01

In 2004, The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice published a report titled "Grading Vouchers: Ranking America's School Choice Programs." Its purpose was to measure every existing school choice program against the gold standard set by Milton and Rose Friedman: that the most effective way to improve K-12 education and thus ensure a stable…

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program: Benefits of Improving Air Quality in the School Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Program to help schools prevent, identify, and resolve their IAQ problems. This publication describes the program and its advantages, explaining that through simple, low-cost measures, schools can: reduce IAQ-related health risks and…

Evaluating the Impact of School Nutrition Programs. Final Report. E-FAN-04-008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharya, Jayanta; Currie, Janet; Haider, Steven J.

2004-01-01

This study develops estimates of the efficacy of school nutrition programs in improving a broad range of dietary outcomes by comparing the nutritional status of students and their families during the school year with the status when school is out. The study finds evidence that children who have a School Breakfast Program (SBP) available consume a…

ASQ Program Observation Instrument: A Tool for Assessing School-Age Child Care Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Susan; And Others

ASQ (Assessing School-Aged Child Care Quality) is a system for determining the quality of school-age child care programs. The ASQ Program Observation Instrument is a ten-step, self assessment process to guide program improvement. This instrument does not work well in full-day programs that have a single focus, but works well in programs that offer…

34 CFR 280.1 - What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... schools; (e) Improvement of the capacity of LEAs, including through professional development, to continue... terminated; and (f) Ensuring that all students enrolled in the magnet school programs have equitable access... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program? 280.1...

34 CFR 280.1 - What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... schools; (e) Improvement of the capacity of LEAs, including through professional development, to continue... terminated; and (f) Ensuring that all students enrolled in the magnet school programs have equitable access... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program? 280.1...

34 CFR 280.1 - What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... schools; (e) Improvement of the capacity of LEAs, including through professional development, to continue... terminated; and (f) Ensuring that all students enrolled in the magnet school programs have equitable access... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program? 280.1...

Queens Tri-School Confederation 1992-93 Evaluation Report. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dworkowitz, Barbara

This report presents the evaluation results of the Queens Tri-School Confederation magnet programs in New York City: programs designed to reduce minority-group isolation among high school students in three high schools and simultaneously improve the quality of their education through the sharing of resources and expertise. These programs, which…

Initial evaluation of a student-run fruit and vegetable business in urban high schools.

PubMed

Sikic, Nicholas I; Erbstein, Nancy; Welch, Kearnan; Grundberg, Ethan; Miller, Elizabeth

2012-11-01

This study examined the acceptability and feasibility of Fresh Producers, a student-run fruit and vegetable distribution program at three urban high schools located in low-income neighborhoods, and its potential impact on the nutrition and professional development of participating students. Thirteen focus groups conducted with 72 students explored the program's impact on their dietary habits and professional skill development, and discussed program challenges. Responses were coded for common themes by multiple investigators. Participants reported increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and improved interpersonal, team-building, and organizational skills. Challenges included integration into the school schedule and environment and limited faculty support for business activities. This program is acceptable and feasible for secondary school students in a variety of school settings. Students reported positive changes in professional skills and nutrition. Training and support for students and faculty, including strategies to improve program integration into the school context, could increase participation.

Improving School Leadership through Support, Evaluation, and Incentives: The Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program. Monograph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Laura S.; Engberg, John; Steiner, Elizabeth D.; Nelson, Catherine Awsumb; Yuan, Kun

2012-01-01

In 2007, the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) received funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) program to implement the Pittsburgh Urban Leadership System for Excellence (PULSE), a set of reforms designed to improve the quality of school leadership throughout the district. A major component of PULSE is the…

Analyzing the Correlation between Data Usage and Student Performance on the Missouri Assessment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Melissa A.

2012-01-01

School districts are charged with the task of improving standardized test scores and closing the gaps between specific groups of students. Numerous programs, school improvement strategies, changes in instruction and leadership have been implemented to close the gap. Data are becoming more abundant at the state, district, and school levels. Many…

What We See: A Department of Education's View of a State-Sponsored Urban School Improvement Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reece, Gary T.; Alvarez, Frank R.

This paper presents the State of New Jersey Board of Education's evaluation of the Operation School Renewal (OSR) Program, a multi-year assistance program involving the urban school districts of Trenton, East Orange, and Neptune Township (New Jersey). Goals included the following: (1) attendance improvement; (2) reduction of disruptive pupil…

Improving Behavior through Differential Reinforcement: A Praise Note System for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheatley, Rikki K.; West, Richard P.; Charlton, Cade T.; Sanders, Richard B.; Smith, Tim G.; Taylor, Matthew J.

2009-01-01

Schools are often in need of low-cost, high-impact strategies to improve student behavior in school common areas. While many behavior management programs exist, there are few resources available to guide the implementation of these programs and ensure they are grounded in evidence-based strategies. Therefore, the current study had two primary…

Failing Schools: A Study of Corrective Actions in Relation to Underperforming Elementary Schools in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Francine A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to find out which corrective actions have a positive impact on improving students' learning and achievement and ultimately moving underperforming elementary schools out of Program Improvement (PI) status in California. Some common corrective actions include, but are not limited to, instructional program, instructional…

Sensory education program development, application and its therapeutic effect in children

PubMed Central

Chung, Hae-Kyung

2014-01-01

There has recently been Increased interest in the emotional intelligence (EQ) of elementary school students, which is recognized as a more important value than IQ (intelligence quotient) for predict of their success in school or later life. However, there are few sensory education programs, available to improve the EQ of elementary school student's in Korea. This study was conducted to develop an educational program that reflects the characteristics and contents of traditional rice culture and verify the effects of those programs on the EQ of children. The program was developed based on the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) model and participants were elementary school students in 3rd and 4th grade (n = 120) in Cheonan, Korea. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used. EQ scores pertaining to the basic sense group, culture group, and food group were significantly improved after the sensory educational program(P < 0.05), but no change was observed in the control group. These findings indicate that sensory education contributed to improving elementary school children's Emotional Intelligence (EI) and their actual understanding about Korean traditional rice culture. PMID:24611113

Especially for Teachers: The Connection. An Invitation to School Improvement in North Carolina, 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

North Carolina's educational reform effort is composed of three related programs--the Basic Education Program (BEP), the School Improvement and Accountability Act (Senate Bill 2), and a new system of state accreditation. Information about the complementary and interdependent connection among the three programs is provided in this publication. The…

Utilizing Wisconsin Afterschool Programs to Increase Physical Activity in Youth.

PubMed

Cavanagh, Bradley D; Meinen, Amy

2015-10-01

Approximately 31.7% of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Interventions in the afterschool setting may help combat childhood obesity. Research exists on interventions in school settings, but a few data exist for interventions about afterschool programs. This study investigates increasing physical activity (PA) in Wisconsin afterschool programs. A literature review was used to develop key informant interviews. Utilizing a constant comparative method, interview data were coded and themes were identified. The themes, literature review, and expert opinions were used to formulate recommendations for improving PA in afterschool programs. Programs had success in utilizing different resources to improve PA. Key barriers to improving PA included grant-imposed academic restrictions, the need for provider education, fears of conflict and competitiveness, and a lack of understanding between health and sedentariness. There is a clear need for additional exploration into improving PA in Wisconsin afterschool programs. This study resulted in specific recommendations to increase PA in afterschool programming, including utilizing school wellness policies and staff professional development to improve PA in afterschool programs. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Effects of an obesity management mentoring program for Korean children.

PubMed

Lee, Gyu-Young; Choi, Yun-Jung

2016-08-01

This research aimed to develop and test a mentored obesity management program guiding physical exercise, improving eating habits, and promoting self-esteem among elementary school learners. A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Thirty learners were recruited through convenience sampling from two elementary schools, then evenly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Six nursing students were mentored, receiving 16h of mentorship training. A 10-week mentored obesity management program promoting physical exercise and proper nutrition was developed and provided. The two groups' pretest and posttest body mass index and self-esteem differences were statistically significant. Most participants were satisfied with the program, endorsing its provision in the regular school curriculum. A mentored obesity management program for elementary school learners would effectively manage weight and improve self-esteem. Programs purportedly curtailing childhood obesity should be expanded, and school policies regulated to enable implementation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Focused Look at Rural Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Linda; Christianson, Megan Davis; Angus, Megan Hague; Rosenthal, Emily

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround is a set of case studies of the school improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (school years 2010-11 to 2012-13). This evaluation brief focuses on the nine SIG schools that were in rural areas and how…

Can a school-wide bullying prevention program improve the plight of victims? Evidence for risk × intervention effects.

PubMed

Juvonen, Jaana; Schacter, Hannah L; Sainio, Miia; Salmivalli, Christina

2016-04-01

This study was designed to examine whether a school-wide antibullying program, effective in reducing incidents of bullying, can also reduce the harm associated with victimization. Specifically, we test whether baseline victimization moderates the KiVa program intervention effects on school perceptions, depression, and self-esteem. Relying on a randomized control sample consisting of 7,010 fourth to sixth grade Finnish elementary school students, self-report data were examined using multilevel modeling across 39 intervention and 38 control schools over a 12-month period. The KiVa program was particularly effective in facilitating perceptions of a caring school climate among students who were most victimized before the intervention, while program benefits on attitudes toward school did not vary by level of victimization. The intervention effects on depression and self-esteem were strongest only among the most victimized sixth graders. The results suggest that antibullying programs designed to improve the school ecology can alleviate the plight of the victimized and underscore that harm reduction should be assessed by testing risk × intervention effects when evaluating effectiveness of such programs. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

76 FR 3609 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Census in Schools and Partnership Program Research

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-20

... in Schools and Partnership Program Research AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce. ACTION: Notice... Schools (CIS) Program and the Partnership Program (PP) with three primary objectives: (1) To increase the mail-back response rate of census forms; (2) to improve the accuracy and reduce differential undercount...

Bureau of Indian Affairs Outstanding Programs in Math, Science and Technology, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Indian Affairs (Dept. of Interior), Washington, DC. Office of Indian Education Programs.

This booklet describes the goals and activities of 20 exemplary programs in mathematics, science and technology for students and teachers in schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The programs are: "Computer Home Improvement Reading Program," Beclabito Day School (New Mexico); "Cherokee High School Science:…

Staff Development in the Implementation of a Schoolwide Writing Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knudson, Ruth

A case study examined the implementation of a schoolwide writing program established in a California middle school through a district sponsored school improvement program (SIP). Conducted at an urban sprawl southern California school of approximately 900 students in grades seven and eight, the program was directed and implemented by the English…

Temple Program: Proposal for the Portal School Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA.

A proposal is set out for a program designed to improve education by concentrating resources across all levels of instruction. It involves a mutual agreement between the Philadelphia Public Schools, the school community, and Temple University to pool their personnel and materials with the aim of creating an educational program that will…

ECIA Chapter l Evaluation Report Programs for Educationally Deprived Children, September 1983-July 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, W. E.; Riley, Gerald

Education Consolidation Improvement Act (ECIA) Chapter 1 programs were conducted in 29 elementary schools in the Wichita (Kansas) Public Schools during the 1983-1984 school year. Major programs were corrective reading, mathematics, and prekindergarten. Smaller programs for children in neglected and delinquent institutions were conducted. A reduced…

SCSEEC Successful School Attendance Strategies Evidence-Based Project: Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014

2014-01-01

Governments, schools and communities throughout Australia are working to improve school attendance among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using strategies such as incentive programs, improvement to literacy and numeracy skills, school-family partnerships, transport to school, attendance monitoring, ensuring that school is a welcoming…

SCSEEC Successful School Attendance Strategies Evidence-Based Project: Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014

2014-01-01

Governments, schools and communities throughout Australia are working to improve school attendance among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students using strategies such as incentive programs, improvement to literacy and numeracy skills, school-family partnerships, transport to school, attendance monitoring, ensuring that school is a welcoming…

Investigating Promising School Leadership Practices in Two California Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Grace

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and to explore programs related to school leadership in two California charter schools. Four research questions guided this study: (a) What policies, programs, and processes are used to improve teacher and administrative leadership (school leadership) in charter schools? (b) How are resources used to…

The United States National Library Power School Program: Research Evaluation and Implications for Professional Development and Library Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Dianne McAfee; Zweizig, Douglas L.

The Library Power program is a school improvement initiative of the DeWitt-Wallace Reader's Digest Fund that began in 1988, designed to promote the full integration of the school library media program into the school curriculum in public elementary and junior high/middle schools. With a total investment exceeding $45 million, Library Power is the…

Improving the Transition of Students Moving into Sixth-Grade through a Middle School Orientation and Peer Helper Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettit, Nancy

An orientation and peer helper program was developed at a public middle school in a rural community to reduce the problems associated with sixth-grade students transferring into the school during the school year. Transfer students and their parents or guardians were provided with a video and brochure that explained the school's services, programs,…

The SMART Goal Framework: Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning and Teacher Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Sigrid S.

2014-01-01

Most states require that schools engage in school improvement programs to meet accountability mandates which necessitates that teachers develop the skills necessary to accomplish school improvement efforts. The problem is that classroom practitioners lack the skills necessary to achieve effective school improvement. Limited research exists with…

Schools behind Bars: Windham School System and Other Prison Education Programs. A Performance Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MGT of America, Inc., Tallahassee, FL.

This report presents results of a performance review undertaken to develop recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the Windham School System (WSS) and educational programs in the four privately operated prison units in Texas. (WSS provides educational programs for inmates who do not possess a high school diploma.) Chapter 1 is an…

Fidelity of After-School Program Implementation Targeting Adolescent Youth: Identifying Successful Curricular and Programmatic Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajan, Sonali; Basch, Charles E.

2012-01-01

Background: This study consisted of a formative evaluation of an after-school health education program designed for adolescent females, entitled Girls on Track. Evidence-based after-school programs have potential to supplement the traditional school day, encourage social and emotional skill development, improve the quality of student health, and…

Does Competition Improve Public Schools? New Evidence from the Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figlio, David; Hart, Cassandra M. D.

2011-01-01

Programs that enable students to attend private schools, including both vouchers and scholarships funded with tax credits, have become increasingly common in recent years. This study examines the impact of the nation's largest private school scholarship program on the performance of students who remain in the public schools. The Florida Tax Credit…

An after-school dance and lifestyle education program reduces risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in elementary school children

PubMed Central

Hogg, Jeannette; Diaz, Alejandro; Cid, Margareth Del; Mueller, Charles; Lipman, Elizabeth Grace; Cheruvu, Sunita; Chiu, Ya-lin; Vogiatzi, Maria; Nimkarn, Saroj

2013-01-01

Background Forty-three percent of New York City's (NYC) school-age children are overweight or obese, placing them at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Objective The objective of this study was to determine if an intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program would reduce risk factors for heart disease, T2DM, and improve lifestyle choices. Subjects Subject include 64 fourth- and fifth-grade students at an elementary school in NYC. Methods Students received freestyle dance and lifestyle classes for 16 weeks and were evaluated for changes in body composition, endurance, biochemical measurements, and lifestyle choices. Results Significant improvements in BMI percentiles were found among children in the overweight and obese categories as well as in endurance and biochemical measurements that reflect heart disease and diabetes risk. Improvement was also reported in lifestyle choices. Conclusion An intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program can reduce risk factors for heart disease and T2DM and improve lifestyle choices among elementary school children. PMID:22876547

Are Low-Performing Schools Adopting Practices Promoted by School Improvement Grants? NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2015-4001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrmann, Mariesa; Dragoset, Lisa; James-Burdumy, Susanne

2014-01-01

The federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) program aims to improve student achievement by promoting the implementation of four school intervention models: transformation, turnaround, restart, and closure. Previous research provides evidence that low-performing schools adopt some practices promoted by the four models, but little is known about how…

Contributions of After School Programs to the Development of Fundamental Movement Skills in Children.

PubMed

Burrows, E Jean; Keats, Melanie R; Kolen, Angela M

Fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency or the ability to perform basic skills (e.g., throwing, catching and jumping) has been linked to participation in lifelong physical activity. FMS proficiency amongst children has declined in the previous 15 years, with more children performing FMS at a low-mastery level. These declines may help explain the insufficient levels of participation in health promoting physical activity seen in today's youth. The after school time period (e.g., 3 to 6 p.m.), is increasingly considered an opportune time for physical activity interventions. To date, little research has examined the potential for after school programming to improve FMS proficiency. Participants (n=40, 6-10 years) of two existent physical activity based after school programs, a low-organized games and a sports-based program, were pre- and post-tested for FMS proficiency using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) over an 11-week period. The sports-based program participants showed no improvement in FMS over the 11-week study ( p =0.91, eta 2 =0.00) and the games-based program participants significantly improved their proficiency ( p =0.00, eta 2 =0.30). No significant ( p =0.13, eta 2 = 0.06), differences were found in change in FMS scores between the low-organized games program participants and the sport-based program participants. These results suggest that after school programs with a low-organized games-based focus may support a moderate improvement in FMS proficiency in young children. Better training of after school program leaders on how to teach FMS may be necessary to assist children in acquiring sufficient proficiency in FMS.

Contributions of After School Programs to the Development of Fundamental Movement Skills in Children

PubMed Central

BURROWS, E. JEAN; KEATS, MELANIE R.; KOLEN, ANGELA M.

2014-01-01

Fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency or the ability to perform basic skills (e.g., throwing, catching and jumping) has been linked to participation in lifelong physical activity. FMS proficiency amongst children has declined in the previous 15 years, with more children performing FMS at a low-mastery level. These declines may help explain the insufficient levels of participation in health promoting physical activity seen in today’s youth. The after school time period (e.g., 3 to 6 p.m.), is increasingly considered an opportune time for physical activity interventions. To date, little research has examined the potential for after school programming to improve FMS proficiency. Participants (n=40, 6–10 years) of two existent physical activity based after school programs, a low-organized games and a sports-based program, were pre- and post-tested for FMS proficiency using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) over an 11-week period. The sports-based program participants showed no improvement in FMS over the 11-week study (p=0.91, eta2=0.00) and the games-based program participants significantly improved their proficiency (p=0.00, eta2=0.30). No significant (p=0.13, eta2 = 0.06), differences were found in change in FMS scores between the low-organized games program participants and the sport-based program participants. These results suggest that after school programs with a low-organized games-based focus may support a moderate improvement in FMS proficiency in young children. Better training of after school program leaders on how to teach FMS may be necessary to assist children in acquiring sufficient proficiency in FMS. PMID:27293501

Comprehensive School Reform and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. Educator's Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education (NJ3), 2008

2008-01-01

Which comprehensive school reform programs have been proven to help elementary and secondary students achieve? To find out, this review summarizes evidence on comprehensive school reform (CSR) models in elementary and secondary schools. Comprehensive school reform models are programs used schoolwide to improve student achievement. They typically…

A School-Based Program to Improve Life Skills and to Prevent HIV Infection in Multicultural Transgendered Youth in Hawai'i

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bopp, P. Jayne; Juday, Timothy R.; Charters, Cloudia W.

2004-01-01

Chrysalis is a weekly after-school drop-in group on O'ahu high school campuses for transgendered and questioning youth. Nine Chrysalis members, nine demographically matched TG youth, and five key informants participated in a study to evaluate program effectiveness in improving life skills and preventing HIV infection. Chrysalis members scored…

Relationships between the Family Environment and School-Based Obesity Prevention Efforts: Can School Programs Help Adolescents Who Are Most in Need?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, K. W.; Neumark-Sztainer, D.; Hannan, P. J.; Fulkerson, J. A.; Story, M.

2011-01-01

Identifying factors that contribute to students' behavior and weight improvements during school-based obesity prevention interventions is critical for the development of effective programs. The current study aims to determine whether the support and resources that adolescent girls received from their families were associated with improvements in…

Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) position statement: SBM urges Congress to preserve and increase the financing of federally funded nutrition assistance programs and services.

PubMed

Behrman, Pamela; Demirci, Jill; Yanez, Betina; Beharie, Nisha; Laroche, Helena

2018-05-03

Deep cuts have been proposed to federally funded nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and federally subsidized school breakfast and lunch programs. Yet, these programs help parents afford healthy meals for their families, pregnant and postpartum mothers access supplemental foods and health services for themselves and their infants and young children, and children obtain the nutrition necessary for optimal school performance. Participation in these programs is linked with reductions in perinatal morbidity and mortality, improved childhood growth trajectories, enhanced school performance, and reductions in food insecurity and poverty. Given these compelling health and economic benefits, the Society of Behavioral Medicine urges Congress to protect and increase funding for federally funded nutrition assistance programs, specifically SNAP, WIC, and school breakfast and lunch programs. Per the recent (2017) recommendations of the School Nutrition Association, Congress should also resist any attempts to "block-grant" subsidized school breakfast and lunch programs, which could reduce access to these programs. It is further recommended that Congress improve the scope of implementation- and outcomes-based assessments of these programs. Finally, we recommend efforts to increase awareness of and participation in SNAP, WIC, and federally funded school meal programs for eligible individuals, children, and families.

Improving University Principal Preparation Programs: Five Themes from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendels, Pamela, Ed.

2016-01-01

What is the state of university-based principal preparation programs? How are these essential training grounds of future school leaders viewed--by themselves as well as by the school districts that hire their graduates? Do the programs need to improve? If so, by what means? This publication seeks to help answer those questions by bringing together…

Leadership Development: An Assessment of the Aspiring Leaders Program in Seven Delaware School Districts and One Charter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brittingham, Sharon

2009-01-01

Since 2000, The Wallace Foundation, nationally recognized for its involvement in educational programs, has supported efforts to improve the training and conditions of school leaders to better enable them to improve student achievement. One of these efforts in Delaware was the development of district level aspiring leadership development programs.…

The Indiana Choice Scholarship Program: Legal Challenges, Program Expansion, and Participation. Informing Policy and Improving Practice. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cierniak, Katherine; Billick, Rebecca; Ruddy, Anne-Maree

2015-01-01

School choice programs can take a variety of forms, from the provision of various public school options, such as charter schools, to programs which provide funds to offset the cost of students' attendance at a private school. The provision of funds is most often accomplished in two ways: through the provision of state educational funds to be used…

[Effectiveness of a school weight control program].

PubMed

Huang, Hsiu-Mei; Wu, Mei-Chan; Chen, Kuei-Hsiang

2010-06-01

School-based health promotion programs have been shown to reduce the incidence of obesity in students and improve student physical fitness. However, few longitudinal evaluations of the effectiveness of such programs have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an in-school weight control program. Data was collected prior to and after the school's summer vacation period. The study utilized a one-group pretest-posttest design. Overweight and obese children from the fifth grade in an elementary school in Taipei City were selected as purposive samples. The study, which was conducted between March and June 2007, introduced general obesity concepts, taught basic nutrition education, and organized a physical activity program that comprised two 45-min exercise sessions during the week and one 30-min session activity each weekend. The obesity index assessed the body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), with physical fitness tests conducted before and after student summer vacations to assess achieved weight control results. The nonparametric test and repeat measure were used to assess weight control program effectiveness. After the weight control program, significant declines in BMI and WHtR (p < .001), significant improvements in 800-m run/walk (p < .01) and 1-minute sit-up tests (p < .05) were recorded. However, no significant comparative improvement was achieved on either obesity index or physical fitness test. Weight control programs represent an effective approach to reduce BMI and WHtR and improve physical fitness. An appropriate diet and exercise are important for school-aged children to maintain effective weight control and physical fitness health.

Building Teacher Capacity to Support English Language Learners in Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2015-4004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Andrea; Golden, Laura; Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer; Harris, Barbara; Wissel, Sarah

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). This brief focuses on 11 of these SIG schools with high proportions of English Language Learner (ELL)…

A Focused Look at Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants That Have Percentages of English Language Learner Students. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Laura; Harris, Barbara; Mercado-Garcia, Diana; Boyle, Andrea; Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). This evaluation brief focuses on 11 of these SIG schools with high proportions of English Language…

A holistic school-based intervention for improving health-related knowledge, body composition, and fitness in elementary school students: an evaluation of the HealthMPowers program

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Over the past 30 years, obesity in the United States has increased twofold in children and threefold in adolescents. In Georgia, nearly 17% of children aged 10 – 17 are obese. In response to the high prevalence of child obesity in Georgia and the potential deleterious consequences that this can have, HealthMPowers was founded in 1999 with the goal of preventing childhood obesity by improving health-enhancing behaviors in elementary schools, utilizing a holistic three-year program. This study measures the effectiveness of the HealthMPowers program in improving the school environment, student knowledge, behavior, cardiovascular fitness levels, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Methods The present analysis utilizes data from 40 schools that worked with HealthMPowers over the course of the 2012 – 2013 school year (including schools at each of the three years of the intervention period) and provided information on demographics, student knowledge and behaviors, BMI, performance on the PACER test of aerobic capacity, and school practices and policies (measured via school self-assessment with the HealthMPowers-developed instrument “Continuous Improvement Tracking Tool” or CITT), measured at the beginning and end of each school year. Paired two-sample T tests were used to compare continuous variables (e.g., student knowledge scores, BMI-for-age Z scores), while chi-squared tests were used to assess categorical variables (e.g., trichotomized PACER performance). Results Students across all grades and cohorts demonstrated improvements in knowledge and self-reported behaviors, with particularly significant improvements for third-graders in schools in the second year of the HealthMPowers program (p < 0.0001). Similarly, decreases were observed in BMI-for-Age Z scores for this cohort (and others) across grades and gender, with the most significant decreases for students overweight or obese at baseline (p < 0.0005). Students also showed significant increases in performance on the PACER test across grades and cohorts (p < 0.0001). Lastly, schools tended to improve their practices over time, as measured via the CITT instrument. Conclusions The present report demonstrates the effectiveness of the HealthMPowers program in producing positive change in school policies and practices, student knowledge and behaviors, and student fitness and BMI, supporting the use of holistic interventions to address childhood obesity. PMID:24969618

School policies and practices that improve indoor air quality.

PubMed

Everett Jones, Sherry; Smith, Alisa M; Wheeler, Lani S; McManus, Tim

2010-06-01

To determine whether schools with a formal indoor air quality management program were more likely than schools without a formal program to have policies and practices that promote superior indoor air quality. This study analyzed school-level data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study, a national study of school health programs and policies at the state, district, and school levels. Using chi-square analyses, the rates of policies and practices that promote indoor air quality were compared between schools with and schools without a formal indoor air quality program. The findings of this study show that 51.4% of schools had a formal indoor air quality management program, and that those schools were significantly more likely than were schools without a program to have policies and use strategies to promote superior indoor air quality. These findings suggest that schools with a formal indoor air quality program are more likely support policies and engage in practices that promote superior indoor air quality.

National Assessment of School Resource Officer Programs. Final Project Report. Document Number 209273

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Peter; McDevitt, Jack

2005-01-01

There has been a growing interest in placing sworn police officers in schools as SROs to improve school safety. The purpose of the National Assessment was to identify what program "models" have been implemented, how programs have been implemented, and what the programs' possible effects may be. To obtain this information, Abt Associates conducted…

When science and politics listen to each other: good prospects from a new school breakfast program in Peru.

PubMed

Jacoby, E R; Cueto, S; Pollitt, E

1998-04-01

This article provides an overview of a school breakfast program implemented in 1993 in the Peruvian Andes. The program, designed by the Instituto de Investigación Nutricional in Lima and supported by the government of Peru, constitutes a clear departure from previous school feeding programs, which were heavily politicized and poorly documented. From the program's inception, nutritionists, managers, and social scientists have collaborated to produce a sound nutritional design, efficient distribution mechanisms, and effective evaluation methods. During the program's first year, controlled evaluations conducted in several Andean regions documented improved dietary intake and a significant decline in the prevalence of anemia. An educational evaluation also found improved verbal skills, higher school attendance, and lower dropout rates among recipients of the school breakfast. The results have prompted the Peruvian government to continue supporting the program, thus setting a new standard for the effective management of social expenditure in the context of economic adjustment.

78 FR 33398 - Applications for New Awards; School Leadership Program (CFDA Number 84.363A); Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; School Leadership Program (CFDA Number 84.363A); Correction AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice... applications for new awards under the School Leadership Program. This notice corrects a typographical error in...

An Inexpensive School/Home Intervention Program To Raise Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Thomas; And Others

A comprehensive strategy targeted to raise student achievement is arguably one of the most important components of any school's vision for improvement. This paper describes a comprehensive intervention program at The San Alejo American School, Honduras (student enrollment: <100). This program was aimed toward raising students' achievement…

Program Evaluation: Where Instruction and School Business Meet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayers, Steven V.

2011-01-01

In this article, the author talks about program evaluation, a strategy commonly used by instructional leaders that can help school business officials improve their budget process. As districts struggle to develop budgets in these challenging economic times, school business officials might consider turning to program evaluation for help. Program…

Creatively Financing and Resourcing Catholic Schools: Conversations in Excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Regina, Ed.; O'Keefe, Joseph, Ed.

Ten exemplary program descriptions arose from the 1998 conference hosted by Selected Programs for Improving Catholic Education (SPICE), an organization created to assist Catholic school leaders to choose and replicate programs that successfully meet the needs of the contemporary Catholic school. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the annual…

Responding to Accountability Requirements while Promoting Program Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guillen-Woods, Blanca Flor; Kaiser, Monica A.; Harrington, Maura J.

2008-01-01

The impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is usually understood in relation to schools and districts, but the legislation has also affected community-based organizations that operate school-linked programs. This case study of an after-school program in California demonstrates how educational accountability systems that emphasize students' academic…

Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satcher, David; Bradford, Margie Tudor

2003-01-01

Discusses how schools can improve student achievement through the adoption of comprehensive school health programs that include regular exercise and better nutrition. Describes successful student health program at McComb Separate School System in McComb, Mississippi. Provides examples of how districts have obtained state support in developing…

Voices from the field--a qualitative analysis of classroom, school, district, and state health education policies and programs.

PubMed

Pateman, B; Grunbaum, J A; Kann, L

1999-09-01

This study provides a qualitative analysis of responses from classroom-, school-, district-, and state-level educators and administrators to open-ended questions about school health education. These questions were posed as part of the School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1994, and elicited a range of responses about the status of school health education programs and factors that facilitated and hindered the delivery of such programs. To improve school health education in the United States, respondents cited the need to increase the value and priority of health education in the school curriculum and advocated for 1) professional preparation in health education for persons teaching health-related courses, 2) health education course curricula to address important and timely issues, 3) student testing in health education, 4) improved resources and support for health education, and 5) increased communication and collaboration within their schools and communities related to health education.

Effect of Nutrition Changes on Foods Selected by Students in a Middle School-Based Diabetes Prevention Intervention Program: The HEALTHY Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mobley, Connie C.; Stadler, Diane D.; Staten, Myrlene A.; El Ghormli, Laure; Gillis, Bonnie; Hartstein, Jill; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Virus, Amy

2012-01-01

Background: The HEALTHY primary prevention trial developed an integrated multicomponent intervention program to moderate risk factors for type 2 diabetes in middle schools. The nutrition component aimed to improve the quality of foods and beverages served to students. Changes in the School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program…

Urban School District's Preparing New Principals Program 2008-2011: Perceptions of Program Completers, Supervising Principals, and Senior Level School District Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Rosemarye T.; Pelletier, Kelly; Trimble, Todd; Ruiz, Eddie

2014-01-01

The purpose of these three parallel mixed method studies was to measure the effectiveness of an urban school district's 2011 Preparing New Principals Program (PNPP). Results supported the premise that preparing principals for school leadership in 2013 must develop them as instructional leaders who can improve teacher performance and student…

Development of Teacher Leadership: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Bringing about Improvements in Rural Elementary Schools in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Takbir

2014-01-01

This article reports on a school improvement initiative undertaken by a private university in Pakistan. The Whole School Improvement Programme, designed with the purpose to improve the quality of education appropriate to children and teachers of poor communities, is being implemented in selected elementary schools. Central to the program is…

34 CFR 200.36 - Communication with parents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.36 Communication with parents. (a) Throughout the school improvement process, the State, LEA, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school. (b) The State, LEA, or school must ensure that...

34 CFR 200.36 - Communication with parents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.36 Communication with parents. (a) Throughout the school improvement process, the State, LEA, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school. (b) The State, LEA, or school must ensure that...

34 CFR 200.36 - Communication with parents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.36 Communication with parents. (a) Throughout the school improvement process, the State, LEA, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school. (b) The State, LEA, or school must ensure that...

34 CFR 200.36 - Communication with parents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.36 Communication with parents. (a) Throughout the school improvement process, the State, LEA, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school. (b) The State, LEA, or school must ensure that...

34 CFR 200.36 - Communication with parents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies Lea and School Improvement § 200.36 Communication with parents. (a) Throughout the school improvement process, the State, LEA, or school must communicate with the parents of each child attending the school. (b) The State, LEA, or school must ensure that...

Designing Effective School Improvement Strategies. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2009

2009-01-01

Across the country, educators in schools that have not met their targets for improved student learning are considering next steps. As a first step, a school improvement plan that is grounded in data and based on a comprehensive needs assessment can provide a framework for effecting change for a school's programming, student support systems, and…

Initiative for Future Agricultural Food Systems (IFAFS) From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School Meals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kish, Stacy

2008-01-01

Improving the nutritional value of school meals is a growing priority among school systems across the United States. To assist in this effort, the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) funded a coalition, which developed a new program called "From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School…

Coordinated school health program and dietetics professionals: partners in promoting healthful eating.

PubMed

Gross, Sandra M; Cinelli, Bethann

2004-05-01

Although research indicates that school meal programs contribute to improved academic performance and healthier eating behaviors for students who participate, fewer than 60% of students choose the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. School meal programs have a difficult time competing with foods that are marketed to young people through sophisticated advertising campaigns. Youth's preferences for fast foods, soft drinks, and salty snacks; mixed messages sent by school personnel; school food preparation and serving space limitations; inadequate meal periods; and lack of education standards for school foodservice directors challenge school meal programs as well. A coordinated school health program offers a framework for meeting these challenges and provides children and adolescents with the knowledge and skills necessary for healthful eating. This article identifies challenges facing school foodservice directors in delivering healthful meals and acquaints dietetics professionals with the coordinated school health program to be used as a tool for addressing unhealthful weight gain and promoting healthful eating.

Brief report: Moving prevention into schools: The impact of a trauma-informed school-based intervention.

PubMed

Mendelson, Tamar; Tandon, S Darius; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Leaf, Philip J; Ialongo, Nicholas S

2015-08-01

Adolescents in disadvantaged communities have high rates of exposure to stress and trauma, which can negatively impact emotion regulation and executive functioning, increasing likelihood of school problems. This pilot study evaluated RAP Club, a 12-session school-based trauma-informed group intervention co-facilitated by a mental health counselor and young adult community member that utilizes evidence-based cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness strategies. Seventh and eighth graders at two urban public schools serving low-income communities were assigned to receive RAP Club (n = 29) or regular school programming (n = 20). RAP Club improved teacher-rated emotion regulation, social and academic competence, classroom behavior, and discipline. Higher program dose predicted improvements in several teacher-rated outcomes. Student self-report outcomes, however, did not vary by study group or dose. Even students with low baseline depression showed improvement in teacher-rated outcomes following program participation, supporting a model of universal program delivery to all students. Findings suggest RAP Club merits further study. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Democratic School Turnarounds: Pursuing Equity and Learning from Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Tina; Renee, Michelle

2012-01-01

In 2009, the Obama Administration announced its intention to rapidly "turn around" 5,000 of the nation's lowest-performing schools. To do so, it relied on the School Improvement Grant program (SIG) to provide targeted funding for states and schools, and to mandate drastic, school-level reforms. While the program channels grants to…

75 FR 28789 - Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

... Schools Program (CSP) Grants for Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools; Notice... purpose of the CSP is to increase national understanding of the charter school model and to expand the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation by providing financial...

The School Success Program: Improving Maltreated Children's Academic and School-Related Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallett, Christopher A.

2012-01-01

Many victims of childhood maltreatment experience difficulties in school and with academic performance. This article reviews the evidence on the connection between childhood maltreatment and school performance and presents an evaluation of a unique program established by Children's Services in Lorain County, Ohio. Since 2001, the School Success…

Usage of Policies and Practices Promoted by Race to the Top and School Improvement Grants: Executive Summary. NCEE 2015-4017

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James-Burdumy, Susanne

2015-01-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 injected $7 billion into two of the Obama administration's signature competitive education grant programs: Race to the Top (RTT) and School Improvement Grants (SIG). While RTT focused on state policies and SIG focused on school practices, both programs promoted related policies and practices,…

Hours of Opportunity, Volume 2: The Power of Data to Improve After-School Programs Citywide. Monograph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCombs, Jennifer Sloan; Orr, Nate; Bodilly, Susan J.; Naftel, Scott; Constant, Louay; Scherer, Ethan; Gershwin, Daniel

2010-01-01

High-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs have a positive effect on youth development, but many cities have found it difficult to address the challenges of expanding and improving the quality of programs offered to underserved and high-need students. In response, The Wallace Foundation sponsored an initiative to help five cities increase…

A Framework for School Change--The School Portfolio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhardt, Victoria L.

The "Education for the Future Initiative" is a national, privately-funded program initially sponsored by the Telesis Foundation and recently joined by Arthur Andersen & Co. to help schools undertake continuous improvement. The Initiative has pioneered a framework for school improvement in the form of a school portfolio. This document offers a…

School Library Media Programs and the National Program for Library and Information Services. Related Paper No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franckowiak, Bernard M.

The nature of the instructional process, with emphasis on student involvement in the use of materials, makes it essential that excellent school library media programs be provided at the school building level. The National Program for Library and Information Services could provide substantial improvement in the provision of information services to…

Evaluation of the healthy schools program: Part I. Interim progress.

PubMed

Beam, Margaret; Ehrlich, Ginny; Donze Black, Jessica; Block, Audrey; Leviton, Laura C

2012-01-01

Federal and state policies identify schools as a setting to prevent childhood obesity, but schools need better health-promoting strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate interim progress in schools receiving hands-on training from the Healthy Schools Program, the nation's largest school-based program aimed at preventing childhood obesity. The 4-year program targets schools with predominantly low-income, African American, or Hispanic students. In 2010 we assessed schools that enrolled in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 school years. School representatives completed an inventory of 8 content areas: policy and systems, school meals, competitive foods and beverages, health education, physical education, physical activity outside of physical education, before- and after-school programs, and school employee wellness. Schools' baseline inventory was compared by t test with the most recent inventory available. Schools made significant changes in all content areas, and effect sizes were moderate to large. Participating schools improved environmental policies and practices to prevent childhood obesity. The program is a resource to implement recent federal and state policies.

Final Report of the Impacts of the National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program on High School Students' Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Dan; Li, Yibing; Darwin, Marlene; Taylor, Suzanne; Song, Mengli

2017-01-01

The National Math + Science Initiative's (NMSI's) College Readiness Program (CRP) is an established program whose goal is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in high schools to improve students' readiness for college. It provides teacher, student, and school supports to promote high school students' success in…

Merit Pay in Arkansas: An Evaluation of the Cobra Pride Incentive Program in the Fountain Lake School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Nathan C.

2012-01-01

Starting in the 2010-11, administrators at the Fountain Lake School District implemented the Cobra Pride Incentive Program (CPIP), a merit pay program designed to financially reward all school employees with year-end bonuses primarily for significant improvements in student achievement. At the conclusion of the 2010-11 school year, over $800,000…

Implementation and Early Outcomes of the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) Program. Doc # 2004-15

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPointe, Michelle; Stullich, Stephanie

2004-01-01

The Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) program provides financial assistance to help schools develop and implement systematic approaches to schoolwide improvement that are grounded in scientifically based research and effective practices. The goal of the program is to enable all children to meet challenging state academic content and achievement…

The Star Schools Distance-Learning Program: Results from the Mandated Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tushnet, Naida C.; And Others

The Star Schools Assistance Program has been funding activities since 1988. It provides projects with seed money to develop distance learning programming and equip sites. In addition, Star Schools has served as a focal point for demonstrating innovative uses of technology to advance educational opportunity and improvement. This paper represents…

Students Create Art: Expanding an After-School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Diane C.; Pace, Darra

2008-01-01

For the past 4 years the special education program at History University has partnered with a Long Island, New York school district in an after-school tutorial program for eighth grade students receiving special education services or considered "at risk." This partnership emerged as a result of a state improvement grant offered to…

The Power of the Site: Support for Professionalism in a School-College Collaborative Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Hazel M.

2011-01-01

This article demonstrates how a well-designed and collaboratively supported program engages school faculty in improving at-risk student retention and transition to college. Using the "power of the site" principle, the program designers envisioned a very different high school culture that focuses on a collaborative and supportive relationship…

Managing to Change: How Schools Can Survive (and Sometimes Thrive) in Turbulent Times. Series on School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatch, Thomas

2009-01-01

This book shows how school improvement efforts are often undermined by the changing conditions around schools, as well as by some of the very policies and programs designed to help them make improvements. Hatch argues that schools cannot wait around for conditions to improve or for policymakers to figure out how to provide the "right" support.…

Assessment at AACSB Schools: A Survey of Deans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeling, Barbara M.; Miller, Donald S.; Slocombe, Thomas E.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research was to document the extent to which Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)-accredited business schools have implemented strategies to improve students' ability to achieve program learning objectives. Assessment of academic programs is increasingly important at AACSB schools. Compliance with…

Facilitating Certification and Professional Development for Small Schools. ERIC Digest: Small Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Doug

Addressing the problems of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers for small and rural schools, this digest outlines improvements that could be made by teacher education programs, state education agencies, school superintendents, and teachers themselves. Suggested guidelines for teacher education programs stress nontraditional approaches that…

Joining Forces. A Team Approach to Secondary School Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Rima; Corcoran, Thomas B.

This manual is designed to guide the implementation of the Joining Forces Program, a comprehensive improvement process for secondary schools. Implementation of the program requires the cooperative effort of the local school district, state and local education associations, and the administration and staff of participating schools. Joining Forces…

77 FR 13304 - Application for New Awards; Charter Schools Program (CSP); Grants for Replication and Expansion...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

... for each school managed by the applicant, including compliance issues in the areas of student safety... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Application for New Awards; Charter Schools Program (CSP); Grants for Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement...

The effectiveness of web-programming module based on scientific approach to train logical thinking ability for students in vocational high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nashiroh, Putri Khoirin; Kamdi, Waras; Elmunsyah, Hakkun

2017-09-01

Web programming is a basic subject in Computer and Informatics Engineering, a program study in a vocational high school. It requires logical thinking ability in its learning activities. The purposes of this research were (1) to develop a web programming module that implement scientific approach that can improve logical thinking ability for students in vocational high school; and (2) to test the effectiveness of web programming module based on scientific approach to train students' logical thinking ability. The results of this research was a web-programming module that apply scientific approach for learning activities to improve logical thinking ability of students in the vocational high school. The results of the effectiveness test of web-programming module give conclusion that it was very effective to train logical thinking ability and to improve learning result, this conclusion was supported by: (1) the average of posttest result of students exceeds the minimum criterion value, it was 79.91; (2) the average percentage of students' logical thinking score is 82,98; and (3) the average percentage of students' responses to the web programming module was 81.86%.

Federal Efforts to Promote Innovative Schooling: Can They Succeed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wortham, Sue C.

It is doubtful that federal programs are effective in initiating and maintaining improvements in education. Longitudinal studies of Head Start children and other studies commissioned by the Department of Education have indicated no proof that schools improved as a result of these federally funded programs. Project Developmental Continuity (PDC),…

Instructional Improvement in Maryland: Impact on Educators and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Jane M. E.; Kenney, Jane L.

The impact of the School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program in Maryland schools was evaluated. The program encourages application of research on planned change to implement one or more of four instructional models: (1) Active Teaching--emphasis on direct instruction, review and discussion of homework, individually supervised…

Improving Leadership Preparation Programs Through a School, University, and Professional Organization Partnership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peel, Henry A.; Wallace, Corinna; Buckner, Kermit G.; Wrenn, Steven L.; Evans, Ralph

1998-01-01

A North Carolina school system worked with NASSP and an area university to develop an improved administrator-preparation plan. Created by NASSP to unite key preparation elements, the "Potential Administrator Development Program" stresses field-based experiences via theory-to-practice classroom activities, mentoring opportunities,…

Improving Instruction with School-Site Support Teams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallejo Unified School District, CA.

A program to improve classroom instruction through the use of Instructional Support Teams composed of principals and teachers is described. An overview of the program is presented followed by a more detailed description. The following information is provided: (1) background of the school district; (2) history of the district's staff development…

Getting It Right: Designing Principal Preparation Programs That Meet District Needs for Improving Low-Performing Schools. A Technical Report on Innovative Principal Preparation Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry-Ahearn, Betty; Collins, David

2016-01-01

A grant from the School Leadership Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education during 2008-14 provided the opportunities and resources for SREB to bring together its cutting-edge knowledge base, field experience, and substantial bank of publications and training materials in the closely related fields of school improvement and school…

Measles high school vaccination program, 2014-2015: online survey of parents in NSW, Australia.

PubMed

Nicholl, Sonya; Seale, Holly; Campbell-Lloyd, Sue

2018-06-14

In 2014, a high school-based measles supplementary immunisation activity (SIA) took place in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in response to a large number of adolescents being identified as undervaccinated or unvaccinated against measles. The program focused on areas of NSW where previous measles outbreaks had occurred and where large numbers of undervaccinated adolescents lived. More than 11 000 students were vaccinated in 2014, and the program continued in 2015, when more than 4000 students in Years 11 and 12 were vaccinated. Parents of students vaccinated during the program were surveyed to determine their level of satisfaction with the program. An online link to the anonymous survey with instructions was sent in a text message between August 2015 and May 2016 to parents of students who had consented or been vaccinated during the 2014 and 2015 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs). Responses were received from parents in all Local Health Districts (LHDs), and response rates ranged from <1% to 21% across different districts with 59% of the total number of complete responses from three LHDs. Overall, parents were satisfied with the MMR program, its resources and how it was implemented. Suggestions were received to improve consent processes, increase student involvement and increase school staff accountability. More than half of the parents reported difficulty finding their child's previous vaccination record. Improving vaccination record access and management was highlighted as an area of improvement in the program. Although response rates were low, the survey has generated important ideas that may help to further improve implementation of school vaccination programs, including allowing electronic consent, increasing student engagement, improving access to previous vaccination records and increasing school staff accountability.

75 FR 13735 - Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP): State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-23

... financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools, and to... process for the denial of an application for a charter school. Priority 4--High Degree of Autonomy (10 points). The State ensures that each charter school has a high degree of autonomy over the charter school...

Research-Based Recommendations to Improve Child Nutrition in Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs. Research-to-Results Brief. Publication #2009-27

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wandner, Laura D.; Hair, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

This brief discusses aspects of healthy diets for children in elementary and middle school. It summarizes the current guidelines and recommendations for child nutrition and provides information for schools and out-of-school time programs about how to measure child nutrition. (Contains 27 endnotes.)

The Social Battleground of School Improvement: When a Troubled School Is Impacted by an Intensive Renewal Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sudderth, Charlotte R.

Long considered by its community and the Richmond County Schools' district administration "the worst middle school in the distict," the school (unnamed in the study) began a process of change in spring 1987. The instructional staff embraced a schoolwide staff development program designed to help both student achievement and school…

Strategies for Addressing Asthma within a Coordinated School Health Program, with Updated Resources. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006

2006-01-01

This publication offers concrete suggestions for schools working to improve the health and school attendance of students with asthma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified six strategies for schools and districts to consider when addressing asthma within a coordinated school health program. The six strategies detailed…

M-Health, New Prospect for School Health Education through Mobile Technologies at Lebanese School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabbour, Khayrazad Kari

2013-01-01

Supporting school health programs to improve the emotionally and physically health status of Lebanese students has never been more important. The use of mobile and wireless technologies to promote school health programs has the potential to transform the school health education and service delivery in Lebanon. This article explores the possibility…

"The Crux and the Magic": The Political History of Boston Magnet Schools, 1968-1989

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelber, Scott

2008-01-01

This study analyzes public perceptions of Boston's magnet school program. Typically evaluated in terms of their impact on racial integration, magnet schools also were designed to improve the tarnished image of the Boston school system. While promoting voluntary integration at a handful of schools, the magnet program struggled to change the…

75 FR 43510 - Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-26

... Schools Program (CSP) Grants to Non-State Educational Agencies for Planning, Program Design, and..., program design, and implementation, and non-SEA grants for dissemination provide funds for these purposes.... Non-SEA eligible applicants that propose to use grant funds for planning, program design, and...

Football to Improve Math and Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Klaveren, Chris; De Witte, Kristof

2015-01-01

Schools frequently increase the instructional time to improve primary school children's math and reading skills. There is, however, little evidence that math and reading skills are effectively improved by these instruction-time increases. This study evaluates "Playing for Success" (PfS), an extended school day program for underachieving…

Unique medical education programs at Nippon Medical School.

PubMed

Shimura, Toshiro; Yoshimura, Akinobu; Saito, Takuya; Aso, Ryoko

2008-08-01

In an attempt to improve the content of the educational programs offered by Nippon Medical School and to better prepare our students to work in the rapidly changing world of medicine, the school has recently revamped its teaching methodology. Particular emphasis has been placed on 1) simulator-based education involving the evaluation of students and residents in a new clinical simulation laboratory; 2) improving communication skills with the extensive help of simulated patients; 3) improving medical English education; 4) providing early clinical exposure with a one-week clinical nursing program for the first year students to increase student motivation at an early stage in their studies; 5) a new program called Novel Medical Science, which aims to introduce first-year students to the schools fundamental educational philosophy and thereby increase their motivation to become ideal physicians. The programs have been designed in line with 2006 guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to allow flexibility for students to take part in education outside their own departments and year groups as part of the Ministry's program to encourage distinctive education at Japanese universities.

Site-Based Management in Education: Rochester City School District Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Alan

This paper describes outcomes of a partnership between the Rochester City School District (New York) and the Kodak 21st Century Learning Challenge consulting program for improving school-based planning team (S-BPT) operations. The purpose of the school-based planning team is to involve the entire school community in improving school effectiveness.…

In Quest of the NCA Commission on Schools Standard: A Journey for Students and Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gose, Kenneth; Wenger, Gene

1998-01-01

Describes five major criteria, set by the North Central Association Commission on Schools (NCA), that must be present in order for a school to maintain accreditation. Reviews three endorsements provided by the NCA--school improvement, outcomes, and transitions--that attempt to help schools engage in a continuous improvement program. (JDI)

Evaluation of Environmental Education in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connect, 1984

1984-01-01

This newsletter discusses the evaluation of environmental education (EE) in schools, highlighting an introductory chapter of a proposed Unesco-United Nations environmental program guide on evaluating such programs. The benefits of evaluating an EE program (including program improvement, growth in student learning, better environment, and program…

Improving health-related fitness in children: the Fit-4-Fun randomized controlled trial study protocol.

PubMed

Eather, Narelle; Morgan, Philip J; Lubans, David R

2011-12-05

Declining levels of physical fitness in children are linked to an increased risk of developing poor physical and mental health. Physical activity programs for children that involve regular high intensity physical activity, along with muscle and bone strengthening activities, have been identified by the World Health Organisation as a key strategy to reduce the escalating burden of ill health caused by non-communicable diseases. This paper reports the rationale and methods for a school-based intervention designed to improve physical fitness and physical activity levels of Grades 5 and 6 primary school children. Fit-4-Fun is an 8-week multi-component school-based health-related fitness education intervention and will be evaluated using a group randomized controlled trial. Primary schools from the Hunter Region in NSW, Australia, will be invited to participate in the program in 2011 with a target sample size of 128 primary schools children (age 10-13). The Fit-4-Fun program is theoretically grounded and will be implemented applying the Health Promoting Schools framework. Students will participate in weekly curriculum-based health and physical education lessons, daily break-time physical activities during recess and lunch, and will complete an 8-week (3 × per week) home activity program with their parents and/or family members. A battery of six health-related fitness assessments, four days of pedometery-assessed physical activity and a questionnaire, will be administered at baseline, immediate post-intervention (2-months) and at 6-months (from baseline) to determine intervention effects. Details of the methodological aspects of recruitment, inclusion criteria, randomization, intervention program, assessments, process evaluation and statistical analyses are described. The Fit-4-Fun program is an innovative school-based intervention targeting fitness improvements in primary school children. The program will involve a range of evidence-based behaviour change strategies to promote and support physical activity of adequate intensity, duration and type, needed to improve health-related fitness. Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12611000976987.

School Health: Policy Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Constance M.

1994-01-01

Despite data suggesting a relationship between investment in children's health and improved academic performance, school health financing is inadequate, inequitable, and fragmented. Strategies for improving school health programs include leadership from the nursing profession; collaboration among health professionals; consolidation of funding…

In Pursuit of Goal Six: A Statewide Initiative To Improve School Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yap, Kim O.; And Others

National Education Goal Six calls for all schools to have safe environments conducive to teaching and learning by year 2000. In 1989, the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction initiated the School Security Enhancement Program, which provides competitive grants to school districts to develop or improve school-based…

Planning and Financing School Improvement and Construction Projects. NOLPE Monograph Series, No. 57.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bittle, Edgar H., Ed.

Suggestions and guidelines to help school administrators, business officials, board members, and others interested in improving school facilities are presented in this book. Chapter 1, "School Building Programs, Equipment Acquisition: The Anatomy of School Debt Financing" (Edgar H. Bittle), provides an overview of the legal and planning issues…

Many Eligible Children Don't Participate in School Nutrition Programs: Reauthorization Offers Opportunities to Improve. National Issue Brief Number 85

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Jessica A.

2015-01-01

This brief uses data from the 2013 Current Population Survey's Food Security Supplement to document levels of participation in two of the largest programs authorized by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010--the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program--by region and place type (rural, suburban, and city), to identify…

High School E.C.I.A. Chapter 1, Part B, Institutionalized Facilities Program 1989-90. State Report. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

This report describes and evaluates high school programs funded under Chapter 1, Part B, of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) and administered by the Institutionalized Facilities Program of the New York City Public Schools in 1989-90. The program is designed to address the educational needs of students in facilities for…

The Effects of School-Based Maum Meditation Program on the Self-Esteem and School Adjustment in Primary School Students

PubMed Central

Yoo, Yang Gyeong; Lee, In Soo

2013-01-01

Self-esteem and school adjustment of children in the lower grades of primary school, the beginning stage of school life, have a close relationship with development of personality, mental health and characters of children. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify the effect of school-based Maum Meditation program on children in the lower grades of primary school, as a personality education program. The result showed that the experimental group with application of Maum Meditation program had significant improvements in self-esteem and school adjustment, compared to the control group without the application. In conclusion, since the study provides significant evidence that the intervention of Maum Meditation program had positive effects on self-esteem and school adjustment of children in the early stage of primary school, it is suggested to actively employ Maum Meditation as a school-based meditation program for mental health promotion of children in the early school ages, the stage of formation of personalities and habits. PMID:23777717

Implementation of Turnaround Strategies in Chronically Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnbull, Brenda J.; Arcaira, Erikson R.

2012-01-01

There is some evidence to indicate that chronically low-performing schools, whether improving student performance or not, often report pursuing substantially similar policies, programs, and practices. However, while chronically low-performing schools may pursue similar school improvement strategies, there is some evidence that the level and…

Improving Instruction with School-Site Support Teams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guilkey-Amado, Judy; And Others

This paper describes a program at the Vallejo (California) School District involving the use of instructional support teams composed of principals and teachers from each school to promote instructional improvement by increasing school-site leadership and teamwork between administrators and teachers. First, background information is given to…

How Did Successful High Schools Improve Their Graduation Rates?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Janna Siegel; Smith, Robert W.; Rinka, Jason

2016-01-01

The researchers surveyed 23 North Carolina high schools that had markedly improved their graduation rates over the past five years. The administrators reported on the dropout prevention practices and programs to which they attributed their improved graduation rates. The majority of schools reported policy changes, especially with suspension. The…

A Coherent Approach to High School Improvement: A District and School Self-Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryer, Lindsay; Johnson, Amy

2012-01-01

High school improvement initiatives often focus on specific intervention strategies, programs, or priority topics (e.g., dropout intervention, dual enrollment, freshman academies). However, research shows that systemic and sustainable improvement can be achieved only when initiatives are implemented with consideration for the broader education…

Evaluation and Report on Consumer and Homemaking Program in Depressed Areas. Utterback Junior High School Program. Wakefield Junior High School Program. June and July, 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noon, Madeline Estella; Hanson, Connie

The document describes the consumer and home economics summer programs for grade 7 and grade 8 girls in two junior high schools. The programs provided opportunities to learn basic sewing and cooking skills, as well as personal improvement such as grooming, hygiene, posture, and modeling. A number of field trips to supplement the class instruction…

A Program Evaluation of a Credit Recovery Program to Improve Graduation Rates for At-Risk High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, David R.

2011-01-01

Research has shown that low graduation rates are a problem in high schools across the United States. The problem is significant at a small, inner-city charter high school in a southwestern US state that had a 2008 graduation rate of 34%. After assessing the situation, educators at this school developed the Credit Retrieval Program (CRP) to help…

Physical Activity Intensity, Lesson Context, and Teacher Interactions during an Unstructured Afterschool Physical Activity Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrens, Timothy K.; Miller, Daniel J.; Schuna, John M.; Liebert, Mina L.

2015-01-01

Background: Afterschool programs are promising arenas to improve youth physical activity (PA) levels. During the school year for 2012-2013, 5 elementary schools from a low-socioeconomic status (SES) school district in southern Colorado participated in evaluation of the afterschool program entitled Keep It Moving! (KIM). Methods: In this…

Quality Improvement and School-Based Mental Health Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nabors, Laura; Weist, Mark; Acosta, Olga; Tashman, Nancy

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that reviewed activities to ensure quality of care for adolescents receiving mental health services in the School Mental Health Program (SMHP), based in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. For this program a team of clinicians, as well as trainees in each…

Exploring Children's Perceptions of Two School-Based Social Inclusion Programs: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Sally; McPherson, Amy C.; Aslam, Henna; McKeever, Patricia; Wright, Virginia

2013-01-01

Background: Although social exclusion among typically developing school-aged children has been well explored, it is under-researched for children with disabilities even though they are at a higher risk for being excluded. While there are a number of different programs available to improve social inclusion at school, the appeal of these programs to…

The Child First Authority After-School Program: A Descriptive Evaluation. Report No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fashola, Olatokunbo S.

The Child First Authority (CFA) is a Baltimore (Maryland) community-wide after-school program that seeks to improve the quality of life in low socioeconomic status communities. The CFA, which is funded by local government agencies and coordinated by Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), established after-school programs in 10…

Evaluations of School Readiness Initiatives: What Are We Learning? SERVE's Expanded Learning Opportunities National Leadership Area Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elizabeth G.; Scott-Little, Catherine

Encouraged by evidence linking quality early care/education programs and improved student outcomes, a variety of school readiness programs and initiatives have been created. This report reviews and synthesizes evaluation studies conducted on early childhood interventions, focusing on programs emphasizing a school readiness goal. The report…

Improving America's Schools Act

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cradler, John; Bridgforth, Elizabeth

1995-01-01

The Improving America's Schools ACT (IASA) emphasizes coherent systemic education reform, with Goals 2000 setting common standards for IASA and the recently authorized School-to-Work Program. IASA addresses the need to raise academic achievement, increase opportunities to learn, improve professional development, increase community involvement, utilize instructional applications of technology, and improve assessment, and allow more local flexibility in the use of funds.

Data Analysis and Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategies Implemented by Elementary Teachers in Selected Exited Program Improvement Safe Harbor Schools in Southern California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senger, Karen

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to investigate and describe how elementary teachers in exited Program Improvement-Safe Harbor schools acquire student achievement data through assessments, the strategies and reflections utilized to make sense of the data to improve student achievement, ensure curriculum and instructional goals are aligned,…

Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in School Lunches: A Policy Analysis.

PubMed

Schultz, Celeste; Thorlton, Janet

2018-01-01

Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables helps to reduce childhood obesity and improves academic achievement and attendance. However, providing fresh fruits and vegetables is challenging for some schools due to cost, administrative burden, and concern for food waste. To address these challenges, the Fruit and Vegetable Access for Children Act proposes to allow federally funded programs to substitute fresh fruits and vegetables with canned, frozen, or pureed versions. In this policy analysis, we propose options for providing fresh fruits and vegetables to children enrolled in the National School Lunch Program. We recommend that school nurses actively facilitate the process of obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables by being appointed members of Team Nutrition giving them authority to collaborate with local famers, entrepreneurs, and land-grant universities in Farm to School Programs. This strategy empowers school nurses in promoting healthy eating habits, reducing obesity, and improving academic performance and school attendance.

Class Size Reduction in a Large Urban School District: A Mixed Methodology Evaluation Research Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.

This study evaluated the Class Size Reduction (CSR) program in 34 elementary schools in Kentucky's Jefferson County Public Schools. The CSR program is a federal initiative to help elementary schools improve student learning by hiring additional teachers. Qualitative data were collected using unstructured interviews, site observations, and document…

Public Relations Programs. The Best of ERIC, Number 36.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

This bibliography contains annotations of 11 documents and journal articles covering various aspects of school public relations, including how to start a PR program, how to improve information dissemination and information gathering, the PR aspects of school violence, the role of the school business manager in PR, school publications, the PR…

Implementing Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Wayne State University Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centeio, Erin E.; McCaughtry, Nate

2017-01-01

Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) have been highlighted by numerous public health and education agencies for their potential to improve the health and academic achievement of American youth. A CSPAP integrates physical activity throughout the school environment before, during and after school by engaging educators, children,…

The Full-Time School Program in Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zermeño, Marcela Georgina Gómez; Fahara, Manuel Flores; de la Garza, Lorena Alemán

2014-01-01

The Full-time Schools Program in Mexico ("Programa Escuelas de Tiempo Completo," PETC), began in the 2007-2008 school year with the aim of improving the learning opportunities of basic education students by extending the school day to eight hours a day, in order to offer an innovative and flexible pedagogical proposal that includes six…

School Reform behind the Scenes. The Series on School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Joseph P.; Hatch, Thomas; Kirby, Edward; Ames, Nancy; Haynes, Norris M.; Joyner, Edward T.

This book is intended for those who are worried about the state of schools and who want to improve them. It focuses on the Authentic Teaching, Learning and Assessment (ATLAS) program, which brought together the most successful ideas and practices of four partner organizations (Education Development Center, School Development Program, Harvard…

78 FR 40625 - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-08

... Monitoring Branch, Child Nutrition Division, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. SUPPLEMENTARY... in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. These improvements to the school meal programs, largely based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of...

The Vulnerability of Urban Elementary School Arts Programs: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Ryan D.

2018-01-01

With the intent of improving understanding of cuts to elementary arts programs, the purpose of this research was to investigate how one urban school district (Lansing School District in Lansing, Michigan) eliminated its elementary arts specialists. Research questions were (1) What policy conditions enabled the Lansing School District's decision to…

Efficacy of an Evidence-Based Literacy Preparation Program for Young Children Beginning School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheldall, Robyn; Glenn, Katharine; Arakelian, Sarah; Madelaine, Alison; Reynolds, Meree; Wheldall, Kevin

2016-01-01

This study aimed to provide evidence regarding the efficacy of an early literacy preparation program, "PreLit", designed to improve the skills of young Australian children. Participants comprised 240 children in eight schools attending their first year of schooling. Children in the four experimental group schools received instruction in…

"We Don't Recruit, We Educate": High School Program Marketing and International Baccalaureate Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Martha K.; Lakes, Richard D.

2017-01-01

Public education reformers have created a widespread expectation of school choice among school consumers. School leaders adopt rigorous academic programs, like the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) and Career Programme (CP), to improve their market position in the competitive landscape. While ample research has investigated…

Rocking the Baltimore Boat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington-Lueker, Donna

1994-01-01

Intelligent, abrasive, and combative, Baltimore County School Superintendent Stuart Berger is committed to fighting hard for change. Charged with implementing the district's ambitious educational objectives, Berger has pushed for all-day kindergartens, school breakfast programs, an office of family services, improved middle school programs, and a…

Health promoting schools.

PubMed

1998-01-01

Promoting the health of children through schools has long been an important task of the WHO. Guided by the recommendations of the Expert Committee on Comprehensive School Health Education and Promotion, the Initiative seeks to strengthen health promotion and education activities at the local, national, regional, and global levels. It aims to increase the number of schools that can truly be called "Health-Promoting Schools". The four strategies undertaken by WHO in creating Health-Promoting Schools are: 1) strengthening the ability to advocate for improved school health programs, 2) creating networks and alliances for the development of Health-Promoting Schools, 3) strengthening national capacities, and 4) research to improve school health program. Finally, WHO recognizes that the success of the Global School Health Initiative lies on the extent to which partnerships can be formed at local, national, and international levels.

Putting It All Together: A Minority Transition Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sacramento City Coll., CA.

Sacramento City College (SCC) created a transfer opportunity program to implement joint activities with four-year colleges and high schools, establish an academic skills program for potential minority transfers, improve telecommunications with local four-year institutions, expand its existing junior high school program. and continue its formalized…

An Integrated Theatre Production for School Nutrition Promotion Program

PubMed Central

Bush, Robert; Box, Selina; McCallum, David; Khalil, Stephanie

2018-01-01

In the context of stubbornly high childhood obesity rates, health promotion activities in schools provide a potential avenue to improve children’s nutritional behaviours. Theatre production has a rich history as a health behaviour promotion strategy but lacks sound, outcome-based evaluation. This study evaluated the effect of an integrated, two-part, place-based theatre performance program with 212 students in five schools in a regional urban and semi-rural area. The program included a theatre performance and a healthy eating competition. A brief survey assessed student healthy eating knowledge and attitudes at three time points. Nutrition behaviour was measured by scoring the contents of children’s lunch boxes before, during and up to six weeks after the intervention. Statistical analysis tested change over time on five variables (Knowledge, Attitude, Sometimes foods, Everyday foods, Overall lunch box score). Results showed that both components of the integrated program improved nutrition knowledge and that the theatre performance improved children’s healthy eating attitudes. All three lunch box scores peaked after the integrated program and remained significantly higher than baseline at 4–6 weeks follow-up. Interaction effects were identified for school catchment area on four of the five dependent variables. Evaluation of this integrated theatre production program indicates the potential benefit of taking a “super-setting” approach. It demonstrates an effect from students taking home information they had learned and incorporating it into lunch box preparation. It also showed consistent effects for school geographical catchment. This study suggests that, with careful, theory-based design, theatre productions in schools can improve student nutritional activities. PMID:29498690

An Integrated Theatre Production for School Nutrition Promotion Program.

PubMed

Bush, Robert; Capra, Sandra; Box, Selina; McCallum, David; Khalil, Stephanie; Ostini, Remo

2018-03-02

In the context of stubbornly high childhood obesity rates, health promotion activities in schools provide a potential avenue to improve children's nutritional behaviours. Theatre production has a rich history as a health behaviour promotion strategy but lacks sound, outcome-based evaluation. This study evaluated the effect of an integrated, two-part, place-based theatre performance program with 212 students in five schools in a regional urban and semi-rural area. The program included a theatre performance and a healthy eating competition. A brief survey assessed student healthy eating knowledge and attitudes at three time points. Nutrition behaviour was measured by scoring the contents of children's lunch boxes before, during and up to six weeks after the intervention. Statistical analysis tested change over time on five variables (Knowledge, Attitude, Sometimes foods, Everyday foods, Overall lunch box score). Results showed that both components of the integrated program improved nutrition knowledge and that the theatre performance improved children's healthy eating attitudes. All three lunch box scores peaked after the integrated program and remained significantly higher than baseline at 4-6 weeks follow-up. Interaction effects were identified for school catchment area on four of the five dependent variables. Evaluation of this integrated theatre production program indicates the potential benefit of taking a "super-setting" approach. It demonstrates an effect from students taking home information they had learned and incorporating it into lunch box preparation. It also showed consistent effects for school geographical catchment. This study suggests that, with careful, theory-based design, theatre productions in schools can improve student nutritional activities.

Mexico: perspectives in school health.

PubMed

Allensworth, D M; Greene, A G

1990-09-01

The school health program in Mexico, directed by the Office of School Hygiene (la Unidad de Higiene Escolar), is in a state of flux. The program will change substantially if an initiative between the national offices of health and education is enacted. The initiative would establish a national commission to be replicated at state, county, and district levels. Commissions would oversee integration of the health services component, social participation, and research into the school health program which currently only focuses on health instruction and a healthy school environment. The initiative would restore and improve a former model that incorporated health services as a part of the school health program. The history of the school health program, which can trace its roots to 1861 and President Benito Juarez, is provided.

Finding Funding: A Guide to Federal Sources for Out-of-School Time and Community School Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reder, Nancy D.

Noting the increasing need for improved access to quality after-school services, this guide to federal funding sources for out-of-school time programs and community schools (OST/CS) is designed to assist program leaders, policymakers, and others in nonprofit, public, and private organizations in taking advantage of federal funding opportunities.…

Key Strategies for Improving School Nutrition: A Case Study of Three School Nutrition Program Innovators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sacheck, Jennifer M.; Morgan, Emily H.; Wilde, Parke; Griffin, Timothy; Nahar, Elizabeth; Economos, Christina D.

2012-01-01

Purpose/Objective: This case study identified common elements of three diverse New England school districts that were real-world models of improving school meals. Methods: School districts that had greater than 1,000 students, [greater than or equal to]3 schools, and [greater than or equal to]40% of students who qualified for free- or…

Democracy at Work: The Struggle To Renorm One Middle Level Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Ronald

Disagreement exists about the role and function of middle schools. Demand for improved student achievement, greater accountability, improved test scores, and greater responsiveness to parents characterize tensions. This paper reports on the efforts of one community to examine its middle-school program and reposition it to become more effective at…

The Development and Implementation of an Absentee Improvement Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Robert K.

For decades, educators have been concerned with the problem of truancy. Accordingly, this report focuses on an absentee improvement program at a rural, lower-middle class, predominantly white elementary school with 722 students that had a history of high truancy, as verified by teachers, the administration, the school counselor, staff, and…

Improving Empathy and Communication Skills of Visually Impaired Early Adolescents through a Psycho-Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Mehmet Ali; Duy, Baki

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an interpersonal communication skills psycho-education program to improve empathy and communication skills of visually impaired adolescents. Participants of the study were sixteen early adolescents schooling in an elementary school for visually impaired youth in Diyarbakir. The…

How Small Schools Grew Up and Got Serious (but Didn't Lose Their Spunk)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oxley, Diana; Luers, Katie Whitney

2011-01-01

After providing technical assistance to the federal Smaller Learning Community Program grantees, the authors developed five lessons for successful programs: 1) A strong vision of improved instruction needs to drive high school reorganization; 2) A strong vision of improved instruction focuses on strengthening the instructional core; 3)…

Improving the School Program through the Effective Use of Federal Funds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Dan

This pamphlet shows school personnel how to apply successfully for Federal grants to finance improvements in educational programs. Advice is given on the importance of evaluating needs, objectives, and procedures as a prerequisite to writing a proposal. Next, suggestions for writing a good proposal are made, including references to the need for…

Effectiveness of an Intervention Program for Improving School Atmosphere: Some Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, A. M.; Rivas, M. T.; Trianes, M. V.

2006-01-01

This work describes the results of the "Programa de Desarrollo Social y Afectivo" [Social and Affective Development Program] (Trianes & Munoz, 1994; Trianes, 1996), under way during four years at a public school in a disadvantaged area Malaga, earmarked for special educational resources. The intervention is meant to improve classroom…

From In-Service Teacher Development to School Improvement: Factors of Learning Transfer in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dreer, Benjamin; Dietrich, Julia; Kracke, Bärbel

2017-01-01

In-service teacher development programs are perceived as a common way to foster school improvement. Nevertheless, program evaluation to date ends with the assessment of acquired knowledge, skills, and motivation, frequently disregarding the actual learning transfer and its conditions. This study aimed to investigate how individual and situational…

Using "Kaizen" to Improve Graduate Business School Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emiliani, M. L.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To illustrate the applicability of "kaizen" in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: "Kaizen" process was used for ten courses contained in a part-time executive MS degree program in management. Findings: "Kaizen" was found to be an effective process for improving graduate business school courses and the value proposition for…

Transformation of children's mental health services: the role of school mental health.

PubMed

Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Weist, Mark; Kataoka, Sheryl; Adelsheim, Steven; Mills, Carrie

2007-10-01

The New Freedom Commission has called for a transformation in the delivery of mental health services in this country. The commission's report and recommendations have highlighted the role of school mental health services in transforming mental health care for children and adolescents. This article examines the intersection of school mental health programs and the commission's recommendations in order to highlight the role of school mental health in the transformation of the child and adolescent mental health system. Schools are uniquely positioned to play a central role in improving access to child mental health services and in supporting mental health and wellness as well as academic functioning of youths. The New Freedom Commission report articulated several goals related to school mental health: reducing stigma, preventing suicide, improving screening and treating co-occurring disorders, and expanding school mental health programs. The authors suggest strategies for change, including demonstrating relevance to schools, developing consensus among stakeholders, enhancing community mental health-school connections, building quality assessment and improvement, and considering the organizational context of schools.

Design for Success: New Configurations and Governance Models for Catholic Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Regina M.

2010-01-01

The 2008 Selected Programs for Improving Catholic Education (SPICE), a national diffusion network, shares school configurations and related governance models that may improve the sustainability of Catholic schools. This article describes how these model schools are successfully addressing their challenges. The structure and authority of their…

Meeting the Challenge of Involving Parents in School. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005

2005-01-01

Parent involvement continues to challenge practitioners engaged in school reform despite being a required component of many school improvement initiatives--from Title I Schoolwide Programs to federally mandated school improvement plans. The benefits of parent involvement are clear: A growing body of research shows that successful parent…

Greener on the Other Side: Cultivating Community and Improvement through Sustainability Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterrett, William L.; Kensler, Lisa; McKey, Tania

2016-01-01

Sustainability practices that lead to greener schools are often overlooked in leadership preparation programs and in school improvement efforts. An urban middle school principal recognizes the potential to build community, foster a healthy learning environment, and redefine her school through focusing on sustainability practices in a collaborative…

Mathematics: Program Assessment and Improvement Planning Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Nancy C.; And Others

This document provides a model for assessing a school's mathematics program and planning for program improvement. A systematic process for instructional improvement focuses upon students' needs and the identification of successful instructional strategies to meet these needs. The improvement plan and the implementation of intervention strategies…

Improving the Attendance Rate for African American Male Students in an After School Reading Program through Parental Involvement, Positive Male Role Models, and Tutorial Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanksley, Mary Dennard

This practicum was designed to improve the attendance rate for African American male students in the After School Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program. The attendance rate for male students was far below that of female students. The following strategies to increase male participation in the reading program were developed: local businesses and…

National Science Resources Center Project to Improve Science Teaching in Elementary Schools with Special Emphasis on Department of Defense Dependents Schools and Other Schools Serving Children of Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

science and mathematics education: • DOD Apprenticeship Programs * DOD Teacher Internship Programs * DOD Partnership Programs * DOD Dependents Schools ...corporate sponsors. curriculum and instruction in school mathematics For further information about the project or for were developed in a comprehensive... students develop critical thinking skills and to enhance their ability to solve problems through hands-on activities. The staff and participants were most

The Impact of the NISL Executive Development Program on School Performance in Massachusetts: Cohort 2 Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunnery, John A.; Ross, Steven M.; Chappell, Shanan; Pribesh, Shana; Hoag-Carhart, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

School leaders are increasingly being asked, whether by rhetoric or policy, to measurably improve student achievement. The resultant need to assist school leaders in their ability to improve teaching and learning for all students in their schools led to the establishment of the National Institute of School Leadership's (NISL's) Executive…

Response of School Personnel to Student Threat Assessment Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Korrie; Cornell, Dewey; Lorek, Edward; Sheras, Peter

2008-01-01

School safety has become an important area of concern for school improvement. This study examined the effects of staff training as means of improving school responses to student threats of violence. A multidisciplinary sample of 351 staff from 2 school divisions completed pre-post training surveys as part of a 1-day training program using the…

Improving School Bus Driver Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Ernest

This reference source is intended to assist the school bus driver training instructor in course preparation. Instructional units for program planning each contain pertinent course questions, a summary, and evaluation questions. Unit 1, "Introduction to the School Bus Driver Training Program," focuses on basic course objectives and…

What Do We Know about School-Based Management?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrinos, Harry Anthony; Fasih, Tazeen; Barrera, Felipe; Garcia-Moreno, Vicente A.; Bentaouet-Kattan, Raja; Baksh, Shaista; Wickramasekera, Inosha

2007-01-01

Impact evaluations of school-based management (SBM) programs, or any other kind of program, are important because they can demonstrate whether or not the program has accomplished its objectives. Furthermore, these evaluations can identify ways to improve the design of the program. These evaluations can also make successful interventions…

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Computer-Assisted Reading Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bippert, Kelli; Harmon, Janis

2017-01-01

Middle schools often turn to computer-assisted reading intervention programs to improve student reading. The questions guiding this study are (a) in what ways are computer-assisted reading intervention programs utilized, and (b) what are teachers' perceptions about these intervention programs? Nineteen secondary reading teachers were interviewed…

Making the Case for Sustainable K-12 School Environmental Health Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belle, Kara; Utebay, Kudret; McArthur, Ashley

2012-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers resources to help a school or school district improve the environmental health and energy performance of its facilities, and in many cases, apply the savings generated through improved energy efficiency toward facility improvements, for the betterment of students, faculty, and staff. As an…

A Coherent Approach to High School Improvement: A School and District Needs Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National High School Center, 2010

2010-01-01

High school improvement initiatives often focus on specific intervention strategies, programs, or priority topics (e.g., dropout intervention). However, research shows that systemic and sustainable improvement can only be achieved when initiatives are implemented with consideration for the broader education contexts in which they operate. The…

Scaling and Sustaining Effective Early Childhood Programs Through School-Family-University Collaboration.

PubMed

Reynolds, Arthur J; Hayakawa, Momoko; Ou, Suh-Ruu; Mondi, Christina F; Englund, Michelle M; Candee, Allyson J; Smerillo, Nicole E

2017-09-01

We describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive preschool to third grade prevention program for the goals of sustaining services at a large scale. The Midwest Child-Parent Center (CPC) Expansion is a multilevel collaborative school reform model designed to improve school achievement and parental involvement from ages 3 to 9. By increasing the dosage, coordination, and comprehensiveness of services, the program is expected to enhance the transition to school and promote more enduring effects on well-being in multiple domains. We review and evaluate evidence from two longitudinal studies (Midwest CPC, 2012 to present; Chicago Longitudinal Study, 1983 to present) and four implementation examples of how the guiding principles of shared ownership, committed resources, and progress monitoring for improvement can promote effectiveness. The implementation system of partners and further expansion using "Pay for Success" financing shows the feasibility of scaling the program while continuing to improve effectiveness. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Research in Child Development.

Home, School, and the IEP. ESEA Title IV Part C Project Report, Final Evaluation Report, 1981-82.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Educational Evaluation.

The "Home, School and the IEP (Individualized Education Program)" program was developed in order to provide counseling and training to the parents of autistic children in public schools in Brooklyn, New York, and to improve the behavior and achievement of the children themselves. This report briefly describes and evaluates the program in…

Simple Interactions: Piloting a Strengths-Based and Interaction-Based Professional Development Intervention for Out-of-School Time Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiva, Thomas; Li, Junlei; Martin, Kelly M.; Horner, Christy Galletta; McNamara, Anne R.

2017-01-01

Background: Adult-child relational interactions constitute an essential component of out-of-school-time programs, and training staff to effectively interact with children is key to improving program quality. Efficient staff training, that meets the limited time availability of out-of-school time staff, is particularly needed. Objective: This pilot…

The Impact of the Stanford Math Intervention Program and School Climate on Mathematics Achievement Levels of Female Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carwell, Tamika L.

2012-01-01

The study's focus was to determine whether or not there was a significant statistical relationship between improved student performance scores from the Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) Stanford Math Intervention Program and Discovery Formative Assessment mathematics mean scores of female middle school students. An additional focus of…

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2009

2009-01-01

The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program offers secondary school students who are considered at risk of dropping out the opportunity to serve as tutors in elementary schools. By having these at-risk students serve as tutors, the program aims to improve their basic academic skills and self-esteem, with the goal of keeping them enrolled in school. The…

Challenges in Serving Rural American Children through the Summer Food Service Program. Issue Brief No. 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wauchope, Barbara; Stracuzzi, Nena

2010-01-01

Many families rely on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded school lunch and breakfast programs to make the family's food budget stretch, improving their food security throughout the school year. These programs feed about 31 million students annually. During the summer where schools are not in session, food security decreases. The USDA…

Out-of-School-Time Academic Programs to Improve School Achievement: A Community Guide Health Equity Systematic Review.

PubMed

Knopf, John A; Hahn, Robert A; Proia, Krista K; Truman, Benedict I; Johnson, Robert L; Muntaner, Carles; Fielding, Jonathan E; Jones, Camara Phyllis; Fullilove, Mindy T; Hunt, Pete C; Qu, Shuli; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K; Milstein, Bobby

2015-01-01

Low-income and minority status in the United States are associated with poor educational outcomes, which, in turn, reduce the long-term health benefits of education. This systematic review assessed the extent to which out-of-school-time academic (OSTA) programs for at-risk students, most of whom are from low-income and racial/ethnic minority families, can improve academic achievement. Because most OSTA programs serve low-income and ethnic/racial minority students, programs may improve health equity. Methods of the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used. An existing systematic review assessing the effects of OSTA programs on academic outcomes (Lauer et al 2006; search period 1985-2003) was supplemented with a Community Guide update (search period 2003-2011). Standardized mean difference. Thirty-two studies from the existing review and 25 studies from the update were combined and stratified by program focus (ie, reading-focused, math-focused, general academic programs, and programs with minimal academic focus). Focused programs were more effective than general or minimal academic programs. Reading-focused programs were effective only for students in grades K-3. There was insufficient evidence to determine effectiveness on behavioral outcomes and longer-term academic outcomes. OSTA programs, particularly focused programs, are effective in increasing academic achievement for at-risk students. Ongoing school and social environments that support learning and development may be essential to ensure the longer-term benefits of OSTA programs.

Out-of-School-Time Academic Programs to Improve School Achievement: A Community Guide Health Equity Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Knopf, John A.; Hahn, Robert A.; Proia, Krista K.; Truman, Benedict I.; Johnson, Robert L.; Muntaner, Carles; Fielding, Jonathan E.; Jones, Camara Phyllis; Fullilove, Mindy T.; Hunt, Pete C.; Qu, Shuli; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K.; Milstein, Bobby

2015-01-01

Context Low-income and minority status in the United States are associated with poor educational outcomes, which, in turn, reduce the long-term health benefits of education. Objective This systematic review assessed the extent to which out-of-school-time academic (OSTA) programs for at-risk students, most of whom are from low-income and racial/ethnic minority families, can improve academic achievement. Because most OSTA programs serve low-income and ethnic/racial minority students, programs may improve health equity. Design Methods of the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used. An existing systematic review assessing the effects of OSTA programs on academic outcomes (Lauer et al 2006; search period 1985–2003) was supplemented with a Community Guide update (search period 2003–2011). Main Outcome Measure Standardized mean difference. Results Thirty-two studies from the existing review and 25 studies from the update were combined and stratified by program focus (ie, reading-focused, math-focused, general academic programs, and programs with minimal academic focus). Focused programs were more effective than general or minimal academic programs. Reading-focused programs were effective only for students in grades K-3. There was insufficient evidence to determine effectiveness on behavioral outcomes and longer-term academic outcomes. Conclusions OSTA programs, particularly focused programs, are effective in increasing academic achievement for at-risk students. Ongoing school and social environments that support learning and development may be essential to ensure the longer-term benefits of OSTA programs. PMID:26062096

Bridging the Divide: The Potential Role of Contemporary Geographical Research in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackie, Peter; Kazmierczak, Aleksandra

2017-01-01

This article examines the implementation and impacts of a program intended to improve research-led teaching in schools. Little consideration is given to the role of research-led teaching in schools; the argument is that this is a consequence of fractures between schools and universities. A program was developed to bring contemporary geographical…

A Follow-up Study of the Graduates of MiraCosta Adult High School Diploma Program 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pereira, Cecelia

Selected characteristics and conditions of MiraCosta Adult High School Diploma Program graduates were investigated. Data were gathered from 129 respondents by a 35-item mailed questionnaire. Questions pertained to graduates' current status, analysis of their high school experience, and recommendations for improving the adult high school diploma…

Reducing Aggressive Behavior and Increasing Motivation in School: The Evolution of an Intervention to Strengthen School Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudley, Cynthia; Graham, Sandra; Taylor, April

2007-01-01

The pervasive links between problem behaviors and school adjustment suggest that effective intervention programs to enhance school adjustment must focus both on decreasing the motivation to aggress and increasing the motivation to achieve. We describe a program of intervention research to improve social behavior and academic motivation in…

Incorporating Early Learning Strategies in the School Improvement Grants (SIG) Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Tadros, Lori; Dunn, Lenay; Martella, Jana; McCauley, Carlas

2015-01-01

The Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) and the Center on School Turnaround (CST) collaborated to develop case studies of three selected schools receiving SIG funds that have, with the support of their districts, promoted the use of early childhood programming (PK-3) as a key strategy in their schools' turnaround models. The goal…

Evaluating School Violence Programs. Urban Diversity Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaxman, Erwin, Ed.

The essays in this collection review information, resources, and guidelines on the basic principles of internal evaluations of school violence programs. This information can help staff with program definition, planning, implementation, continuous improvement, and measurement of outcomes. "Introduction" (Erwin Flaxman) examines types of…

If We Build It, We Will Come: Impacts of a Summer Robotics Program on Regular Year Attendance in Middle School. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mac Iver, Martha Abele; Mac Iver, Douglas J.

2014-01-01

Recognizing the importance of both keeping middle school students engaged and improving their math skills, Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) developed a summer school STEM program involving not only math and science instruction but also the experience of building a robot and competing with those robots in a city-wide tournament.…

Challenges to collaboration in school mental health and strategies for overcoming them.

PubMed

Weist, Mark D; Mellin, Elizabeth A; Chambers, Kerri L; Lever, Nancy A; Haber, Deborah; Blaber, Christine

2012-02-01

This article reviews challenges to collaboration in school mental health (SMH) and presents practical strategies for overcoming them. The importance of collaboration to the success of SMH programs is reviewed, with a particular focus on collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Challenges to effective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals in SMH are considered. Strategies for overcoming challenges to effective collaboration are presented. Marginalization of the SMH agenda, limited interdisciplinary teamwork, restricted coordination mechanisms, confidentiality concerns, and resource and funding issues are key challenges to collaboration. Strategies targeted toward each of these challenges may help improve the effectiveness of SMH programs and ultimately student outcomes. Collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals is critical to the success of SMH programs. Despite its promise, the success of SMH programs can be jeopardized by ineffective collaboration between school- and community-employed professionals. Strategies to overcome marginalization, promote authentic interdisciplinary teamwork, build effective coordination mechanisms, protect student and family confidentiality, and promote policy change and resource enhancements should be addressed in SMH improvement planning. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Validation of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Early Care and Education and School-Age Care. Research-to-Policy, Research-to-Practice Brief. OPRE 2012-29

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellman, Gail L.; Fiene, Richard

2012-01-01

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) for early care and education and school age care programs are designed to collect information about quality and to use that information to produce program-level ratings, which are the foundation of a QRIS. The ratings are intended to make program quality transparent for parents and other stakeholders…

Farm to School Program. Nourishing News. Volume 4, Issue 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Department of Education, 2009

2009-01-01

The Idaho Farm to School Program works towards having Idaho grown food served to students in Idaho Child Nutrition Programs. This important program is emerging at meal times across Idaho and nationwide. Child Nutrition programs are buying fresh food directly from local farmers as a way of improving the quality and taste of their meals. These Farm…

All That Glitters Is Not Gold: School Reform in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Stephen Samuel; Mickelson, Roslyn Arlin

2000-01-01

Compared the progress of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, North Carolina, in improving student outcomes with progress in two other North Carolina school districts and the entire state. There was no evidence that the sweeping program of school reform in Charlotte-Mecklenburg improved academic outcomes except in a few advanced placement…

Improving Schools' Partnership Programs in the National Network of Partnership Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Mavis; Sheldon, Steven; Epstein, Joyce

2005-01-01

The current wave of educational reform includes an emphasis on family and community involvement as a strategy for school improvement. Yet, to effectively engage families and communities in the educational process, educators need assistance and support. In 1996, the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) was established to build the…

A Statewide Collaborative Effort to Create School Leadership that Supports Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddle, Jerry L.; Murphy, Carole H.

2007-01-01

With the evidence that improved leadership in schools produces increased student learning and with the accountability demands of No Child Left Behind and the Missouri School Improvement Program, it is imperative that school leaders in Missouri be prepared to support student learning at its highest level. Therefore, Missouri has made a substantial…

Elements for Successful Collaboration between K-8 School, Community Agency, and University Partners: The Lead Peace Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosma, Linda M.; Sieving, Renee E.; Ericson, Annie; Russ, Pamela; Cavender, Laura; Bonine, Mark

2010-01-01

Background: Researchers, schools, and community organizations are increasingly interested in forming partnerships to improve health and learning outcomes for adolescents. School-based service learning programs with young adolescents have been shown to improve students' health and educational outcomes. Quality school-based service learning practice…

A.I.D.P. Part Time Jobs 1988-89. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mei, Dolores M.; And Others

The Part-Time Jobs portion of the Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Program in New York City provided job-readiness training and job placements in an effort to motivate students to improve academic achievement and school attendance. Programs were implemented at schools with a student attendance rate at or below the citywide median…

Implementing a Portfolio Assessment System for Chapter 1 Program Improvement: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leitner, David; Trevisan, Mike

This paper presents findings of a case study that documented the implementation of a portfolio assessment system in response to mandated program improvement and assessed its impact on teacher and student behaviors. The sample included elementary and middle school teachers and students from three Chapter 1 schools in a rural California school…

School-Based Mentoring Programs: Using Volunteers to Improve the Academic Outcomes of Underserved Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayer, Amanda; Grossman, Jean Baldwin; DuBois, David L.

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that school-based mentoring programs like those offered by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) yield small but statistically significant improvements in the academic performance of mentored students and in their beliefs in their own scholastic efficacy. The present study uses data from a randomized control trial…

Comparative Effectiveness on Cognitive Asthma Outcomes of the SHARP Academic Asthma Health Education and Counseling Program and a Non-Academic Program

PubMed Central

Kintner, Eileen; Cook, Gwendolyn; Marti, C. Nathan; Stoddard, Debbie; Gomes, Melissa; Harmon, Phyllis; Van Egeren, Laurie A.

2018-01-01

Asthma morbidity and mortality is higher among older school-age children and early adolescents than other age groups across the lifespan. NIH recommended expanding asthma education to schools and community settings to meet cognitive outcomes that have an impact on morbidity and mortality. Guided by the acceptance of asthma model, an evidence-guided, comprehensive school-based academic health education and counseling program, Staying Healthy—Asthma Responsible & Prepared™ (SHARP), was developed. The program complements existing school curricula by integrating biology, psychology, and sociology content with related spelling, math, and reading and writing assignments. Feasibility, benefits, and efficacy have been established. We compared the effectiveness of SHARP to a non-academic program, Open Airways for Schools, in improving asthma knowledge and reasoning about symptom management. A two-group, cluster-randomized, single-blinded design was used with a sample of 205 students in grades 4–5 with asthma and their caregivers. Schools were matched prior to randomization. The unit of analysis was the student. Certified elementary school teachers delivered the programs during instructional time. Data were collected from student/caregiver dyads at baseline and at 1, 12, and 24 months after the intervention. In multilevel modeling, students enrolled in the academic SHARP program demonstrated significant (p<.001) improvement in asthma knowledge and reasoning over students enrolled in the non-academic program. Knowledge advantages were retained at 24 months. Findings support delivery in schools of the SHARP academic health education program for students with asthma. PMID:26296595

Comparative Effectiveness on Cognitive Asthma Outcomes of the SHARP Academic Asthma Health Education and Counseling Program and a Non-Academic Program.

PubMed

Kintner, Eileen; Cook, Gwendolyn; Marti, C Nathan; Stoddard, Debbie; Gomes, Melissa; Harmon, Phyllis; Van Egeren, Laurie A

2015-12-01

Asthma morbidity and mortality is higher among older school-age children and early adolescents than other age groups across the lifespan. NIH recommended expanding asthma education to schools and community settings to meet cognitive outcomes that have an impact on morbidity and mortality. Guided by the acceptance of asthma model, an evidence-guided, comprehensive school-based academic health education and counseling program, Staying Healthy-Asthma Responsible & Prepared™ (SHARP), was developed. The program complements existing school curricula by integrating biology, psychology, and sociology content with related spelling, math, and reading and writing assignments. Feasibility, benefits, and efficacy have been established. We compared the effectiveness of SHARP to a non-academic program, Open Airways for Schools, in improving asthma knowledge and reasoning about symptom management. A two-group, cluster-randomized, single-blinded design was used with a sample of 205 students in grades 4-5 with asthma and their caregivers. Schools were matched prior to randomization. The unit of analysis was the student. Certified elementary school teachers delivered the programs during instructional time. Data were collected from student/caregiver dyads at baseline and at 1, 12, and 24 months after the intervention. In multilevel modeling, students enrolled in the academic SHARP program demonstrated significant (p< .001) improvement in asthma knowledge and reasoning over students enrolled in the non-academic program. Knowledge advantages were retained at 24 months. Findings support delivery in schools of the SHARP academic health education program for students with asthma. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Making an IMPACT: effect of a school-based pilot intervention.

PubMed

Muth, Natalie Digate; Chatterjee, Avik; Williams, Donna; Cross, Alan; Flower, Kori

2008-01-01

Poor nutrition and inactivity are widespread and contribute to the epidemic problem of childhood obesity. This study examined the effectiveness of a school-based pilot program to improve nutrition and activity in elementary (ES) and high school (HS) students. The Improving Meals and Physical Activity in Children and Teens (IMPACT) school-based curriculum used a train-the-trainer model to improve activity and nutrition. Nine students were recruited from one rural North Carolina high school and trained in the IMPACT curriculum and leadership skills. Four 4th grade classes at a neighboring elementary school were randomized to receive the IMPACT curriculum delivered by the HS students over 12 weeks (two classrooms, 38 students) versus the standard curriculum (two classrooms, 37 students). Pre- and post-intervention surveys were used to assess program effectiveness. ES students in the intervention classes reported increased fruit and vegetable intake (+0.85 servings/day compared with controls; p < 0.05) and improved knowledge of the food group in which to eat the most servings (p < 0.01). ES students who participated in the IMPACT curriculum also reported increased intake of calcium-rich foods and grains, though these results were not statistically significant. Similar though nonsignificant improvements in diet behaviors were reported by the HS students who assisted in delivering the 4th grade curriculum. Study limitations include small sample size, risk of cross-contamination, and short program duration. ES students who participated in the IMPACT curriculum reported improved dietary behaviors and knowledge. School-based curricula such as IMPACT may help improve nutrition among ES students.

Comparison of administrators' and school nurses' perception of the school nurse role.

PubMed

Green, Rebecca; Reffel, Jim

2009-02-01

The current tenuous status of public education funding requires that school nurses be proactive in advocacy efforts on behalf of their school nursing programs. Advocating for nursing practice within an educational setting presents unique challenges. Lack of state or national consensus for support of school nurse services creates an opportunity for school nurse advocates to develop quantitative tools to evaluate their school nurse program. Identifying commonalities and differences between school administrators' and school nurses' perceptions of the school nurse role will provide information that can be used to strengthen programs and facilitate the understanding of school personnel about what school nurses do. This study compared school administrator and school nurse perceptions of the role of the school nurse using a tool based on the National Association of School Nurses' "Advocacy Talking Points." Analysis of responses identified specific areas in which schools could improve their school nurse program and enhance school administrators' understanding of the school nurse role.

School Meal Programs: More Systematic Development of Specifications Could Improve the Safety of Foods Purchased through USDA's Commodity Program. Report to the Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives. GAO-11-376

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shames, Lisa

2011-01-01

Through its commodity program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides commodity foods at no cost to schools taking part in the national school meals programs. Commodities include raw ground beef, cheese, poultry, and fresh produce. Like federal food safety agencies, the commodity program has taken steps designed to reduce microbial…

How effective are family-based and institutional nutrition interventions in improving children's diet and health? A systematic review.

PubMed

Black, Andrew P; D'Onise, Katina; McDermott, Robyn; Vally, Hassan; O'Dea, Kerin

2017-10-17

Effective strategies to improve dietary intake in young children are a priority to reduce the high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases in adulthood. This study aimed to assess the impact of family-based and school/preschool nutrition programs on the health of children aged 12 or younger, including the sustainability of these impacts and the relevance to socio-economic inequalities. A systematic review of literature published from 1980 to December 2014 was undertaken. Randomised controlled trials involving families with children aged up to 12 years in high income countries were included. The primary outcomes were dietary intake and health status. Results were presented in a narrative synthesis due to the heterogeneity of the interventions and outcomes. The systematic search and assessment identified 39 eligible studies. 82% of these studies were set in school/preschools. Only one school study assessed the impact of involving parents systematically. The family-based programs which provided simple positive dietary advice to parents and regular follow-up reduced fat intake significantly. School and family-based studies, if designed and implemented well, increased F&V intake, particularly fruit. Effective school-based programs have incorporated role-models including peers, teachers and heroic figures, rewards and increased access to healthy foods. School nutrition programs in disadvantaged communities were as effective as programs in other communities. Family and school nutrition programs can improve dietary intake, however evidence of the long-term sustainability of these impacts is limited. The modest overall impact of even these successful programs suggest complementary nutrition interventions are needed to build a supportive environment for healthy eating generally.

A Strategy for Chapter I Planning and Evaluation in School-Based vs. District-Based Projects: Spinoffs from the School Effectiveness Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slaughter, Helen B.; And Others

Although many large districts have centrally organized their Chapter 1 (Education Consolidation and Improvement Act) compensatory programs at the district and project levels, elementary school improvement efforts are strongly tied to local school autonomy and principal leadership. This paper analyzes the Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District's…

School Improvement Grants: Analyses of State Applications and Eligible and Awarded Schools. NCEE 2012-4060

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurlburt, Steven; Therriault, Susan Bowles; Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson

2012-01-01

The School Improvement Grants (SIG) program was first authorized in 2001 under Title I section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and provides formula-based federal funds to states that then competitively award these funds to districts applying for SIG on behalf of their low-performing schools. These schools use the funds…

Case Studies of Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. Final Report. NCEE 2016-4002

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer; Birman, Beatrice; Hurlburt, Steven; Nayfack, Michelle; Halloran, Clare; Boyle, Andrea; Brown, Seth; Mercado-Garcia, Diana; Goff, Rose; Rosenberg, Linda; Hulsey, Lara

2016-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround (SST) examines the change process in a diverse, purposive sample of schools receiving federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) from 2010-11 to 2012-13. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the SIG program underwent three major shifts. First, ARRA boosted total SIG funding in…

School Accounting, Budgeting and Finance Challenges. Programs to Help Your School District Improve Its Accounting Procedures, Budgeting Methods and Financial Reporting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolberg, Charles G., Ed.

To help improve school district financial management, the Association of School Business Officials at its 1980 annual meeting held a special session consisting of 20 "mini-workshops" about successful, field-proven practices in school budgeting, accounting, auditing, and other financial tasks. This document provides summaries of the…

A review of elementary school-based substance use prevention programs: identifying program attributes.

PubMed

Hopfer, S; Davis, D; Kam, J A; Shin, Y; Elek, E; Hecht, M L

2010-01-01

This article takes a systematic approach to reviewing substance use prevention programs introduced in elementary school (K-6th grade). Previous studies evaluating such programs among elementary school students showed mixed effects on subsequent substance use and related psychosocial factors. Thirty published evaluation studies of 24 elementary school-based substance use prevention programs were reviewed. The study selection criteria included searching for program evaluations from 1980 to 2008. Among 27 evaluation studies that examined program effects on substance use, 56% (n = 15) found significant decreases. In addition, programs most often demonstrated effects on increasing negative substance use attitudes, increasing knowledge, decreasing perceptions of prevalence rates (i.e., descriptive norms), and improving resistance skills. These results have implications for the appropriateness and value of introducing substance use prevention programs to youth in elementary school.

Process of Continual Improvement in a School of Nursing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Linda D.; Lutenbacher, Melanie

1996-01-01

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing used the Batalden model of systems improvement to change its program. The model analyzes services and products, customers, social community need, and customer knowledge to approach improvements in a systematic way. (JOW)

The Power of Play: A Literature-based after School Sports Program for Urban Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zierk, Tom

2000-01-01

A program that combines sports and literature can improve students' reading, writing, and comprehension skills, promoting links between children's personal development and self-esteem and forging links between sports, literature, and daily life. Describes one such program, Sports PLUS After School, noting: program goals, components, and structure;…

More than attendance: the importance of after-school program quality.

PubMed

Hirsch, Barton J; Mekinda, Megan A; Stawicki, Julieann

2010-06-01

A central theme of the articles featured in this issue is the need to improve the quality of after-school programs. In this commentary, we discuss why student engagement, program characteristics and implementation, staff training, and citywide policy are key considerations in the effort to define and achieve high quality programs for youth.

Public School, Inc.: Baltimore's Risky Enterprise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Norman J.

1995-01-01

Analyzes the Baltimore Public School District's contract with a private for-profit company to manage the instructional programs of nine schools. It shows that the award of the contract was solely a political consideration; no financial experts were involved. Additionally, the program has not improved test scores and is being challenged by the…

Title IV Indian Education Program Evaluation, 1985-86.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albuquerque Public Schools, NM. Planning, Research and Accountability.

Public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, used a Title IV Part A grant to assist American Indian elementary and secondary school students in receiving passing grades and improving school-related behaviors. Canoncito Navajo Reservation, the Isleta Pueblo, and urban Indian students in Albuquerque participated in the program. Personnel consisted of…

Developing & Managing Your School Guidance & Counseling Program. Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gysbers, Norman C.; Henderson, Patricia

2012-01-01

Five phases for establishing and improving Pre-K-12 comprehensive guidance and counseling programs serve as the organizational framework for this enduring, influential textbook written for counselor educators and their students, school leaders, practicing school counselors, and state or district supervisors. The fifth edition of this bestseller…

School Desegregation in Seattle: A Historical and Contemporary Synopsis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Constance

1977-01-01

Seattle's voluntary desegregation plans have included a voluntary racial transfer program, a plan to improve middle schools in the central area, and a magnet school program. Their ineffectiveness has led civil rights organizations to complain to the federal government. Community sentiment against court-ordered desegregation revolves around the…

Sharing Resources in the Small School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uxer, John E.

Improved strategies for sharing resources are absolutely essential to the survival of small schools. Although not all, or even a major portion, of school programs should be provided by a cooperative delivery system, a discerning superintendent and board will mobilize every resource available to them in conducting their educational programs.…

Investing in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Daniel G.

2012-01-01

Strapped for cash, a Massachusetts high school creates its own venture capital fund to incentivize teachers to create programs that improve student learning. The result has been higher test scores and higher job satisfaction. One important program is credited with helping close the achievement gap at the school, while others have helped ambitious…

The School, Family, and Community Partnership Program: Initial Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treder, David; Kutash, Krista; Duchnowski, Albert J.; Rudo, Zena; Sumi, W. Carl; Harris, Karen M.; Nelson, Steven L.

The School, Family, and Community Partnership Program is an integrated, school-based intervention for improving the outcomes of students served in classrooms for children who have emotional and behavioral disabilities. This report briefly describes the intervention, the characteristics of the children, and initial results of measuring fidelity to…

A Summative Report of the Leadership Training Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buikema, Lolita; Many, Wesley

An ESEA Title III program to improve leadership capabilities of educators was conducted in both actual and model school settings during 1966-69. Participants included staff personnel, consultants, administrative and teaching personnel from cooperating school districts, and board of education members from a consortium school. This report discusses…

Portraits of the Changes, the Players, and the Contexts. A Study of Dissemination Efforts Supporting School Improvement. People, Policies, and Practices: Examining the Chain of School Improvement, Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loucks, Susan F.; And Others

Based on a local site sample of 146 school districts, this volume (the second in a series of 10) describes school improvement efforts supported by 4 different federal strategies and representative programs: interpersonal linkage of validated practices (National Diffusion Network), commercial distribution (Bureau of Education for the Handicapped…

Impact of Experience Corps(®) participation on school climate.

PubMed

Parisi, Jeanine M; Ramsey, Christine M; Carlson, Michelle C; Xue, Qian-Li; Huang, Jin; Romani, William A; McGill, Sylvia; Seeman, Teresa E; Tanner, Elizabeth K; Barron, Jeremy; Tan, Erwin J; Gruenewald, Tara L; Diibor, Ike; Fried, Linda P; Rebok, George W

2015-07-01

We examined the impact of the Experience Corps(®) (EC) program on school climate within Baltimore City public elementary schools. In this program, teams of older adult volunteers were placed in high intensity (>15 h per week), meaningful roles in public elementary schools, to improve the educational outcomes of children as well as the health and well-being of volunteers. During the first year of EC participation, school climate was perceived more favorably among staff and students in EC schools as compared to those in comparison schools. However, with a few notable exceptions, perceived school climate did not differ for staff or students in intervention and comparison schools during the second year of exposure to the EC program. These findings suggest that perceptions of school climate may be altered by introducing a new program into elementary schools; however, research examining how perceptions of school climate are impacted over a longer period is warranted.

Impact of Experience Corps® Participation on School Climate

PubMed Central

Parisi, Jeanine M.; Ramsey, Christine M.; Carlson, Michelle C.; Xue, Qian-Li; Huang, Jin; Romani, William A.; McGill, Sylvia; Seeman, Teresa E.; Tanner, Elizabeth K.; Barron, Jeremy; Tan, Erwin; Gruenewald, Tara L.; Diibor, Ike; Fried, Linda P.; Rebok, George W.

2015-01-01

We examined the impact of the Experience Corps® (EC) program on school climate within Baltimore City public elementary schools. In this program, teams of older adult volunteers were placed in high intensity (>15 hours per week), meaningful roles in public elementary schools, to improve the educational outcomes of children as well as the health and well-being of volunteers. During the first year of EC participation, school climate was perceived more favorably among staff and students in EC schools as compared to those in comparison schools. However, with a few notable exceptions, perceived school climate did not differ for staff or students in intervention and comparison schools during the second year of exposure to the EC program. These findings suggest that perceptions of school climate may be altered by introducing a new program into elementary schools; however, research examining how perceptions of school climate are impacted over a longer period is warranted. PMID:25708453

A Case Study of High School Teachers' Technology Use through Social Studies Data Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson-Cortez, Lauretta

2013-01-01

Many schools placed under Program Improvement because they have not met the AYP requirements of the NCLB mandate are required to build in time during the school day for teachers' professional collaboration to improve their performance in the classrooms. A lack of research exists to explore how professional collaboration improves teaching and…

School Improvement Plans and Student Achievement: Preliminary Evidence from the Quality and Merit Project in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caputo, Andrea; Rastelli, Valentina

2014-01-01

This study provides preliminary evidence from an Italian in-service training program addressed to lower secondary school teachers which supports school improvement plans (SIPs). It aims at exploring the association between characteristics/contents of SIPs and student improvement in math achievement. Pre-post standardized tests and text analysis of…

A Report on Asbestos Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centifonti, Gary J.; Gerber, Donald R.

1997-01-01

A series of studies in New Jersey schools documented asbestos abatement and management activities in 17 schools representing 20 abatement sites. Findings demonstrate that school officials must increase their awareness of asbestos issues, improve the oversight of asbestos abatement and management programs, and improve lines of communication among…

Voices from the Field: The Perceptions of Teachers and Principals on the Class Size Reduction Program in a Large Urban School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.; Portes, Pedro R.

A class size reduction (CSR) program was implemented in a large low-performing urban elementary school district. The CSR program helps schools improve student learning by hiring additional teachers so that children in the early elementary grades can attend smaller classes. This study used a participant-oriented evaluation model to examine the…

INSERVICE EDUCATION OF HIGH SCHOOL MATEMATICS TEACHER. (REPORT OF A CONFERENCE UNDER THE JOINT AUSPICES OF THE U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS, WASHINGTON, MARCH 17-19,1960).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BROWN, KENNETH E.; SNADER, DANIEL W.

A CONFERENCE OF EDUCATORS WAS CALLED TO DEAL WITH THE NEED FOR IMPROVED HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHING. SPECIFICALLY THE CONFERENCE CONSIDERED THE NEED FOR INSERVICE EDUCATION FOR TEACHING NEW IMPROVED PROGRAMS, THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS NOW IN PROGRESS, AND THE ROLE OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN IMPLEMENTING THEM. INCLUDED ARE THE ADDRESSES AND THE…

First Steps Toward Improving DoD STEM Workforce Diversity: Response to the 2012 Department of Defense STEM Diversity Summit

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

student achievement or par- ticipation in STEM fields. For example, facilitators of a middle school student program...Assessment Annual Cost navy Seaperch Middle school Middle school robotics competition 45% 35,000 students , 4,000 teachers missing number of annual...participating in Seaperch increased interest in studying engineering in 25% of middle school and 30% of high school students program

Program Quality Review Training Materials for Elementary and Middle School Levels. Overhead Transparencies, Readings, Handouts, Samples of Student Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Office of School Improvement.

This guidebook contains training materials to be used by California elementary and middle-level schools in conducting the Program Quality Review (PQR). The PQR process of curriculum self-review enables the school community to focus, through extensive discussion, on how the school's curriculum and instruction can be improved so that all students…

Achievement Trends of Schools and Students in Arizona's Title I School Improvement Program. REL Technical Brief. REL 2011-No. 017

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Eric W.; Barrat, Vanessa X.; Huang, Min

2011-01-01

This technical brief responds to an Arizona Department of Education request to study academic performance in schools receiving funding through the federal Title I compensatory education program, the section of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 governing resources for schools and districts serving disadvantaged populations. The brief describes…

Environmental Literacy Comparison between Students Taught in Eco-Schools and Ordinary Schools in the Madeira Island Region of Portugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinola, H.

2015-01-01

The main goal of environmental education is to improve environmental literacy, including not just more knowledge but also a better attitude toward the environment and a higher prevalence of pro-environmental behaviours. The Eco-School Program is considered the world largest environmental education program for schools, but it keeps growing without…

The Boston Middle School-Corner Store Initiative: Development, Implementation, and Initial Evaluation of a Program Designed to Improve Adolescents' Beverage-Purchasing Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Jessica A.; Morris, Vivien; Cook, John

2009-01-01

The Boston Middle School Corner Store Initiative (CSI) brought together schools, businesses, and community partners to develop, implement, and evaluate a multicomponent pilot program designed to promote healthier beverage purchasing at corner stores among 3,500 middle school students living in Boston, Massachusetts. Healthy drinks were defined for…

West Virginia Safe and Supportive (S3) Schools Project: Year 2 Implementation Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whisman, Andy

2013-01-01

The 4-year federal Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) program supports targeted interventions to improve and measure conditions for learning at the high school level. For 2011-2012 (Year 2), two evaluation questions were investigated: (EQ1) To what extent do participating schools implement the program with fidelity relative to the WV Model for…

A National Assessment of the Impact of the Institutes for Higher Education Academy on School Health Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huelskamp, Amelia C.; Dake, Joseph A.; Telljohann, Susan K.; Tappe, Marlene K.; Jordan, Timothy

2016-01-01

Background: Many school health teacher preparation programs do not train teacher candidates in the use of online resources available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some CDC resources, such as the School Health Index, could significantly improve the quality of school health programs. To address this, the CDC and the…

Review of "Promising Start: An Empirical Analysis of How EdChoice Vouchers Affect Ohio Public Schools"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubienski, Christopher

2008-01-01

A Friedman Foundation report attempts to find empirical support for the contention that competition from private schools, through voucher programs, improves the effectiveness of public schools. In the first year of Ohio's new EdChoice voucher program, the report claims to have found substantial academic gains at public schools exposed to the…

A Quasi-Randomized Trial of a School-Wide Universal Prevention Program: Results and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodin, Maria C.; South, Sandra H.; Ingemarson, Maria

2016-01-01

Prevention in School (PS) is a comprehensive program which aims to improve the learning climate and reduce problem behavior in elementary schools. Core components are teaching of school rules, praise and rewards to support prosocial behavior, and a forum involving parents. This trial investigated the effects of PS on its intended outcomes, and…

Effectiveness of a first-aid intervention program applied by undergraduate nursing students to preparatory school children.

PubMed

Wafik, Wagida; Tork, Hanan

2014-03-01

Childhood injuries constitute a major public health problem worldwide. First aid is an effective life-preservation tool at work, school, home, and in public locations. In this study, the effectiveness of a first-aid program delivered by undergraduate nursing students to preparatory school children was examined. This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 100 school children in governmental preparatory schools in Egypt. The researchers designed a program for first-aid training, and this was implemented by trained nursing students. The evaluation involved immediate post-test and follow-up assessment after two months. The results showed generally low levels of satisfactory knowledge and inadequate situational practice among the school students before the intervention. Statistically-significant improvements were shown at the post- and follow-up tests. Multivariate regression analysis identified the intervention and the type of school as the independent predictors of the change in students' knowledge score, while the intervention and the knowledge score were the predictors of the practice score. The study concluded that a first-aid training program delivered by nursing students to preparatory school children is effective in improving their knowledge and practice. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Career/Vocational Preparation for Students with Disabilities: A Program Improvement Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodden, Robert A.

This program improvement guide is designed to assist district and school level interdisciplinary planning teams to improve career/vocational programs for students with disabilities. Its focus is on the integration of best practices within the educational program continuum to achieve positive student outcomes. The guide includes three sections.…

All That Glitters Isn't Gold--Four Steps to School Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huddle, Eugene

1987-01-01

Outlines findings from a study by the United States Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement of successful school improvement programs. The findings are categorized under four stages: initiation, initial implementation, full implementation, and institutionalization. (MD)

Improving health-related fitness in children: the fit-4-Fun randomized controlled trial study protocol

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Declining levels of physical fitness in children are linked to an increased risk of developing poor physical and mental health. Physical activity programs for children that involve regular high intensity physical activity, along with muscle and bone strengthening activities, have been identified by the World Health Organisation as a key strategy to reduce the escalating burden of ill health caused by non-communicable diseases. This paper reports the rationale and methods for a school-based intervention designed to improve physical fitness and physical activity levels of Grades 5 and 6 primary school children. Methods/Design Fit-4-Fun is an 8-week multi-component school-based health-related fitness education intervention and will be evaluated using a group randomized controlled trial. Primary schools from the Hunter Region in NSW, Australia, will be invited to participate in the program in 2011 with a target sample size of 128 primary schools children (age 10-13). The Fit-4-Fun program is theoretically grounded and will be implemented applying the Health Promoting Schools framework. Students will participate in weekly curriculum-based health and physical education lessons, daily break-time physical activities during recess and lunch, and will complete an 8-week (3 × per week) home activity program with their parents and/or family members. A battery of six health-related fitness assessments, four days of pedometery-assessed physical activity and a questionnaire, will be administered at baseline, immediate post-intervention (2-months) and at 6-months (from baseline) to determine intervention effects. Details of the methodological aspects of recruitment, inclusion criteria, randomization, intervention program, assessments, process evaluation and statistical analyses are described. Discussion The Fit-4-Fun program is an innovative school-based intervention targeting fitness improvements in primary school children. The program will involve a range of evidence-based behaviour change strategies to promote and support physical activity of adequate intensity, duration and type, needed to improve health-related fitness. Trial Registration No Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12611000976987 PMID:22142435

Evaluating a Small-Group Counseling Program--A Model for Program Planning and Improvement in the Elementary Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostick, Dee; Anderson, Ron

2009-01-01

School counselors are under increasing pressure to evaluate their programs in a manner consistent with teachers and other educators. A small-group counseling intervention was used by a school counselor as part of a three-level program planning initiative that illustrated best research practices to evaluate program outcomes. Forty-nine third-grade…

Achieving World-Class Schools: Mastering School Improvement Using a Genetic Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmelman, Paul L.; Kroeze, David J.

In providing its program for education reform, this book uses, as an analogy, the genetic model taken from the Human Genome project. In the first part, "Theoretical Underpinnings," the book explains why a genetic model can be used to improve school systems; describes the critical components of a world-class school system; and details the…

Snapshot of SIG: A Look at Four States' Approaches to School Turnaround

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quillin, Jessica

2012-01-01

Thousands of schools across the country are chronically low performing, and they operate within districts and states that are struggling to help them improve. The School Improvement Grants (SIG) program is designed to channel federal funds to states and districts facing the task of turning around struggling schools. SIG, a part of the Elementary…

The Student-to-Student Chemistry Initiative: Training High School Students To Perform Chemistry Demonstration Programs for Elementary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voegel, Phillip D.; Quashnock, Kathryn A.; Heil, Katrina M.

2004-05-01

The Student-to-Student Chemistry Initiative is an outreach program started in the fall of 2001 at Midwestern State University (MSU). The oncampus program trains high school science students to perform a series of chemistry demonstrations and subsequently provides kits containing necessary supplies and reagents for the high school students to perform demonstration programs at elementary schools. The program focuses on improving student perception of science. The program's impact on high school student perception is evaluated through statistical analysis of paired preparticipation and postparticipation surveys. The surveys focus on four areas of student perception: general attitude toward science, interest in careers in science, science awareness, and interest in attending MSU for postsecondary education. Increased scores were observed in all evaluation areas including a statistically significant increase in science awareness following participation.

The Effect of a State Department of Education Teacher Mentor Initiative on Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruitt, Stephen L.; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2012-06-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a southern state's department of education program to improve science achievement through embedded professional development of science teachers in the lowest performing schools. The Science Mentor Program provided content and inquiry-based coaching by teacher leaders to science teachers in their own classrooms. The study analyzed the mean scale scores for the science portion of the state's high school graduation test for the years 2004 through 2007 to determine whether schools receiving the intervention scored significantly higher than comparison schools receiving no intervention. The results showed that all schools achieved significant improvement of scale scores between 2004 and 2007, but there were no significant performance differences between intervention and comparison schools, nor were there any significant differences between various subgroups in intervention and comparison schools. However, one subgroup, economically disadvantaged (ED) students, from high-level intervention schools closed the achievement gap with ED students from no-intervention schools across the period of the study. The study provides important information to guide future research on and design of large-scale professional development programs to foster inquiry-based science.

A comment on Scherr et al. "A multicomponent, school-based intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, improves nutrition-related outcomes"

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We write in response to the article by Scherr et al. entitled "A multicomponent, school-based intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, improves nutrition-related outcomes." We admire Scherr et al. for undertaking such a challenging study on so important a topic, and for wisely using a rand...

Extrinsic Motivation for Large-Scale Assessments: A Case Study of a Student Achievement Program at One Urban High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmett, Joshua; McGee, Dean

2013-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to discover the critical attributes of a student achievement program, known as "Think Gold," implemented at one urban comprehensive high school as part of the improvement process. Student achievement on state assessments improved during the period under study. The study draws upon perspectives on…

An Ineffective Preparation? The Scarce Effect in Primary School Principals' Practices of School Leadership Preparation and Training in Seven Countries in Latin America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstein, José; Azar, Ariel; Flessa, Joseph

2018-01-01

Latin American educational policy has relied on the assumption that better preparation can help school leaders improve their professional performance, thus improving quality of schools. Training programs for present or future school leaders have proliferated in the region, often publicly financed, but without enough evidence of their impact. Using…

The effects of a family fitness program on the physical activity and nutrition behaviors of third-grade children.

PubMed

Hopper, Chris A; Munoz, Kathy D; Gruber, Mary B; Nguyen, Kim P

2005-06-01

This study examined the efficacy of a school-based exercise and nutrition program with a parent component. Third-grade children (N = 238) from six elementary schools participated in the study, with three schools randomly assigned to a program group and the other three schools to a control group. The program group received a health-related fitness school-based program and a home program that required parents and children to complete activities and earn points for nutrition and exercise activities. The control group received their traditional physical education and nutrition education program. Univariate analysis of variance on pre- and posttest scores were completed on the following variables: height, weight, body mass index, skinfold, blood cholesterol, mile run, exercise and nutrition knowledge, calories, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, fiber, sodium, percentage of calories from carbohydrates, and percentage of calories from fat. At pretest, the treatment and control groups did not significantly differ on the measures using schools as the unit of analysis. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on skinfold and pretest knowledge. At posttest, the treatment group scored significantly higher than the control group on exercise and nutrition knowledge and significantly lower than the control group on total fat intake, using schools as the unit of analysis. There was no improvement in physiological measures, including blood cholesterol. The study demonstrated that schools can adjust curriculum to meet some health needs of students and achieve modest changes in exercise and nutrition knowledge and diet. The family component of the program provided a practical approach to improving physical activity and nutrition behaviors for elementary school teachers who teach many participants in a crowded curriculum.

Potential reach of effective smoking prevention programmes in vocational schools: determinants of school directors' intention to adopt these programmes.

PubMed

Veldwijk, J; Hoving, C; van Gelder, B M; Feenstra, T L

2012-04-01

Investigating the current, intended and potential reach of two effective smoking prevention programs in Dutch vocational schools and identifying determinants of school directors' intention to adopt these programs. Cross-sectional survey. Two questionnaires were developed based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory and the I-Change model, focussing on either the 'Healthy School and Stimulants program' (HSS program) or the 'Out-of-school Computer Tailoring program' (CT program). The questionnaires were distributed amongst all Dutch vocational school directors (n = 452) of which 34% completed the questionnaire. The potential reach of the HSS program was 29% whereas the potential reach of the CT program was 5%. Regression analyses revealed that being female, perceiving a higher percentage of smoking students in school, having a personality more open towards change, perceiving a low need for a smoking prevention program, fewer disadvantages of the program, a higher level of self-efficacy towards adopting the program and a more positive social norm towards adopting a smoking prevention program from other school directors resulted in a positive intention towards adopting either program. The present study showed that the reach of effective smoking prevention programs is fairly low. School-based smoking prevention efforts are likely to improve if schools choose to use programs that are proven to be effective, which can be encouraged by adapting existing and newly designed programs to school directors' characteristics and providing easy access to reliable information regarding available programs. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Advanced Placement English Program in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratopoulos, Irene Chachas

The main purposes in examining and evaluating the Advanced Placement English Program in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts were to identify the essential curriculum features of the program, to make suggestions for curriculum improvement, and to determine whether or not the quality of the AP English Program surpassed that of the conventional…

Austin Independent School District Office of Program Evaluation Agenda 1998-99. Publication Number 98.01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin Independent School District, TX. Office of Program Evaluation.

The Office of Program Evaluation (OPE) of the Austin Independent School District (Texas) (AISD) is charged with evaluating federally, locally, and state funded programs in the AISD. OPE staff carry out mandated reporting for federal and state grants and are increasingly involved in formative evaluations designed for program improvement and…

Improving Mandatory Tutoring: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baggett, Brooks

2009-01-01

In recent years, the local school leadership in a suburban southern U.S. high school adopted innovative academic intervention programs to assist underperforming students but did not develop formal methods to evaluate program effectiveness. This gap in the professional practice continued with the inception of mandatory tutoring (MT), an…

Sequence and Uniformity in the High School Literature Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauer, Edwin H.

A good, sequential literature program for secondary school students should deal simultaneously with literary forms, with the chronological development of literature, and with broad themes of human experience. By employing the abundance of teaching aids, texts, and improved foreign translations available today, an imaginatively planned program can…

Guide to Magnet School Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blank, Rolf K.; And Others

In this guide, the results and findings of a major survey of magnet schools are organized into a practical manual for school districts to use in planning, developing, and implementing new magnet programs or improving those already in existence. The guide is divided into three sections: (1) key steps in magnet program development (an outline of…

Passing the Torch: A Model School-Community Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Arlene F.; Robinson, Donald

During the 1988-89 school year, a Bicentennial Model Site Program was conducted by the American Bar Association's Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship. This program was designed to improve students' understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights by forging partnerships between schools and communities at the local…

Evaluation of a Universally-Free School Breakfast Program Demonstration Project: Central Falls, Rhode Island.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, John T.; Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Kelly, Gayle Leitch

In early 1994, Central Falls, Rhode Island's Kids First, a collaborative partnership between the Central Falls School Department and local community leaders, launched a pilot universally-free school breakfast program (UF-SBP) called "Operation Breakfast." One of the goals of Operation Breakfast was to improve SBP participation; school…

Advancing English Literacy by Improving ASL Skills: A Residential School's Quest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolman, David; Rook, Laurie

2017-01-01

This article describes and evaluates one residential school for the deaf and hard of hearing, Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf (ENCSD), and their experience in implementing the Fairview Learning program. The program consists of five components (Schimmel & Edwards, 2003). Two of the components--phonemic awareness and literature-based…

Study Sheds Light on Qualities of Best Training for Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Lynn

2007-01-01

It is widely accepted that principals are vital to school success, but few studies have closely examined how to train effective school leaders. Now, a report has identified the common features of exemplary programs for preparing principals who can guide instruction and foster school improvement. The study examined eight programs, chosen on the…

Comprehensive School Reform: A Multi-Site Replicated Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterbinsky, Allan; Ross, Steven; Redfield, Doris

For schools to spend Title I funds on comprehensive school reform (CSR) programs under the No Child Left Behind Act, there must be empirical evidence of significant improvement in the academic achievement of CSR students. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of convincing evidence that CSR programs have a positive impact on student achievement. Over a…

An Accident Prevention Program for School Shops and Laboratories; A Suggested Guide for School Administrators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, William A.

Effective and realistic planning and improvement of the educational environment can prevent accidents and injuries in school shops and laboratories. This guide makes specific recommendations for organizing and administering such a program and suggests methods and techniques for implementing the recommendations. Chapters cover organizing,…

Energy Conservation in Our Schools--A Practical Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewin, C. Edwin; Racich, Matthew J.

A practical approach designed to reduce energy waste by schools is to improve the knowledge and upgrade the skills of school building custodians. This paper discusses an operation and maintenance training program for custodians developed by the Will County (Illinois) educational service region. The major parts of the program consist of skill…

Check & Connect: The Importance of Relationships for Promoting Engagement with School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Amy R.; Christenson, Sandra L.; Sinclair, Mary F.; Lehr, Camilla A.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the closeness and quality of relationships between intervention staff and students involved in the Check & Connect program were associated with improved student engagement in school. Participants included 80 elementary and middle school students referred to the Check & Connect program for poor…

Business and the Schools: A Guide to Effective Programs. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Aid to Education, New York, NY.

This guidebook contains information to help business leaders and others interested in developing and supporting effective programs to improve American educational quality. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the business/school relationship, which sets the context for corporate involvement in school reform activities at the local, state, and federal…

Scaling and Sustaining Effective Early Childhood Programs through School-Family-University Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Arthur J.; Hayakawa, Momoko; Ou, Suh-Ruu; Mondi, Christina F.; Englund, Michelle M.; Candee, Allyson J.; Smerillo, Nicole E.

2017-01-01

We describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive preschool to third grade prevention program for the goals of sustaining services at a large scale. The Midwest Child-Parent Center (CPC) Expansion is a multilevel collaborative school reform model designed to improve school achievement and parental involvement from ages…

Accountability for the Education of Disadvantaged Groups through the Disadvantaged Schools Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randell, Shirley K.

Financial, educational, and political accountability issues involved in the Disadvantaged Schools Program, initiated by the Schools Commission to improve the learning outcomes of children from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in Australia, are the focus of this paper. Consideration is given to the views of the Commission in its published…

Boston Public Schools K1 and K2 Programs Needs Assessment. Internal Report to the Department of Early Childhood, Boston Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Nancy L.; Roberts, Joanne; Mills, Linda

2006-01-01

The Boston Public Schools (BPS) Department of Early Childhood commissioned a needs assessment of current kindergarten (K2) and preschool (K1) programs (1) to inform the BPS Department of Early Childhood about professional development needs to improve the quality of existing K1 and K2 programs; and (2) to inform the Department of additional…

An Analysis of the Organizational Characteristics of the Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program. The Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program Research and Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saint Cloud State Univ., MN.

The Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program (MEEP) was authorized by legislative act in 1983 and has been operational since 1984. MEEP is a school-based education improvement process. As of January 1991, MEEP serves 593 schools, representing 244, or 54 percent, of the 430 school districts in Minnesota. The design of the MEEP process is based…

Utilizing the Cultivating Awareness and Resiliance in Education Program to Enhance Social and Emotional Competence in Preschool and Elementary School Teachers: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hraha, Sarah D.

2012-01-01

The following is a pilot study examining the impact of the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) program on a group of pre-school and elementary school teachers (n = 11). CARE is a professional development program that utilizes mindfulness practices and emotional awareness skills designed to reduce stress and improve teaching…

Comprehensive School Health Education National Programs. Abstracts of the 1989 Awards and Key Contact Directory. Presented at the National Conference (1st, December 10-12, Washington, D.C., 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musick, Cindy, Ed.

This collection of abstracts describes in broad terms the scope and objectives of the 1989 Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching (FIRST) Program in Comprehensive School Health Education and includes names and addresses of recipients. Key groups conducting these innovative programs include five state agencies, seven…

A Program Evaluation of a College and Career Program Created to Improve High School Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington-Brown, Bianca

2013-01-01

Journey to College and Career (JTCC) is a PreK-12 program implemented at the research site to help students graduate from high school and plan for their future. JTCC had not been evaluated for its effectiveness at the research site regarding high school retention by determining (a) whether the goals and objectives of JTCC were being met and (b)…

An After School Education Program on the Tohono O'odham Nation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparks, R. T.; Garmany, K.; Siquieros, J. M.; Austin, C. L.; Pompea, S. M.; Walker, C. E.

2013-04-01

The Education and Public Outreach Group (EPO) group of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory has started a partnership with Indian Oasis Baboquivari Unified School District (IOBUSD) on the Tohono O'odham Nation to participate in after school science education programs. IOBUSD has started an after school program for K-5 students as part of their state mandated school improvement program. The first semester has approximately 50 students in K-5 participating in the after school program from Monday through Thursday. Several organizations are working with IOBUSD to provide after school educational programs focusing on a variety of topics including study skills, art, nutrition, bullying, study skills and science. NOAO has been working primarily with the fourth and fifth grade students during the spring of 2012 once a week providing science programs in optics, dark skies and astronomy. We are currently planning to continue this partnership in the fall of 2012 when the school district is planning to invite more students to join the program. We will discuss many the challenges of working with a school district in a remote location as well as the activities we have been using with the students. We will also outline plans for future directions in the program.

Studying the teaching of kindness: A conceptual model for evaluating kindness education programs in schools.

PubMed

Kaplan, Deanna M; deBlois, Madeleine; Dominguez, Violeta; Walsh, Michele E

2016-10-01

Recent research suggests that school-based kindness education programs may benefit the learning and social-emotional development of youth and may improve school climate and school safety outcomes. However, how and to what extent kindness education programming influences positive outcomes in schools is poorly understood, and such programs are difficult to evaluate in the absence of a conceptual model for studying their effectiveness. In partnership with Kind Campus, a widely adopted school-based kindness education program that uses a bottom-up program framework, a methodology called concept mapping was used to develop a conceptual model for evaluating school-based kindness education programs from the input of 123 middle school students and approximately 150 educators, school professionals, and academic scholars. From the basis of this model, recommendations for processes and outcomes that would be useful to assess in evaluations of kindness education programs are made, and areas where additional instrument development may be necessary are highlighted. The utility of the concept mapping method as an initial step in evaluating other grassroots or non-traditional educational programming is also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A randomized controlled trial of a public health nurse-delivered asthma program to elementary schools.

PubMed

Cicutto, Lisa; To, Teresa; Murphy, Suzanne

2013-12-01

Childhood asthma is a serious and common chronic disease that requires the attention of nurses and other school personnel. Schools are often the first setting that children take the lead in managing their asthma. Often, children are ill prepared for this role. Our study evaluated a school-based, multifaceted asthma program that targeted students with asthma and the broader school community. A randomized trial involving 130 schools with grades 1-5 and 1316 children with asthma and their families was conducted. Outcomes of interest for the child, at 1 year, were urgent care use and school absenteeism for asthma, inhaler technique, and quality of life, and for the school, at 14 months, were indicators of a supportive school environment. Improvements were observed at the child and school level for the intervention group. Fewer children in the intervention group had a school absence (50% vs 60%; p < .01), required urgent care for asthma (41% vs 51%; p < .0001), or reported a day of interrupted activity (51% vs 63%; p < .01), and had improved quality of life (5.8 ± 1.2 vs 5.4 ± 1.4; p < .0001). Schools in the intervention group were more likely to have practices supporting an asthma-friendly environment. Implementation of a multifaceted school-based asthma program can lead to asthma-friendly schools that support children with asthma to be successful managers of their asthma and experience improved quality of life and decreased disease associated burden. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Promoting diversity through program websites: A multicultural content analysis of school psychology program websites.

PubMed

Smith, Leann V; Blake, Jamilia J; Graves, Scott L; Vaughan-Jensen, Jessica; Pulido, Ryne; Banks, Courtney

2016-09-01

The recruitment of culturally and linguistically diverse students to graduate programs is critical to the overall growth and development of school psychology as a field. Program websites serve as an effective recruitment tool for attracting prospective students, yet there is limited research on how school psychology programs use their websites to recruit diverse students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether school psychology program websites include sufficient levels of diversity-related content critical for attracting diverse applicants. The website content of 250 professional psychology programs (165 school psychology training programs and 85 clinical and counseling psychology programs) were examined for the presence of themes of diversity and multiculturalism that prospective racially/ethnically and linguistically diverse students deem important for selecting a graduate program. Results indicated that school psychology programs had less diversity-related content on their program's website relative to clinical and counseling psychology programs.' Implications for improving recruitment of racially/ethnically and linguistically diverse students through websites are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Using social-emotional and character development to improve academic outcomes: a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial in low-income, urban schools.

PubMed

Bavarian, Niloofar; Lewis, Kendra M; Dubois, David L; Acock, Alan; Vuchinich, Samuel; Silverthorn, Naida; Snyder, Frank J; Day, Joseph; Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R

2013-11-01

School-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) programs can influence not only SECD but also academic-related outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of one SECD program, Positive Action (PA), on educational outcomes among low-income, urban youth. The longitudinal study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design. Student-reported disaffection with learning and academic grades, and teacher ratings of academic ability and motivation were assessed for a cohort followed from grades 3 to 8. Aggregate school records were used to assess standardized test performance (for entire school, cohort, and demographic subgroups) and absenteeism (entire school). Multilevel growth-curve analyses tested program effects. PA significantly improved growth in academic motivation and mitigated disaffection with learning. There was a positive impact of PA on absenteeism and marginally significant impact on math performance of all students. There were favorable program effects on reading for African American boys and cohort students transitioning between grades 7 and 8, and on math for girls and low-income students. A school-based SECD program was found to influence academic outcomes among students living in low-income, urban communities. Future research should examine mechanisms by which changes in SECD influence changes in academic outcomes. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Program Costing in a Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balinsky, Warren; Burns, John

1975-01-01

This paper discusses improving the budget control process for a community college by use of program cost accounting. The authors suggest that adoption of such a program will improve resource allocation and program evaluation, aid planning, and better inform the public about the purposes, costs, and results of school programs. (JG)

Attrition from after school programs: characteristics of students who drop out.

PubMed

Weisman, S A; Gottfredson, D C

2001-09-01

A goal of many after-school programs is to provide supervision to youths who might potentially engage in delinquent activities during the afternoon hours. By comparing students who remained in a sample of Maryland after-school programs to students who withdrew prior to the end of the school year, this study provides evidence that after-school programs are serving a lower-risk population than intended. Findings indicate that prior to dropping out of the programs, dropouts scored in the more at-risk direction on 11 out of 12 indicators examined in this study and had significantly more peer drug models and days absent from school than students who stayed in the programs. Census data indicate that dropouts came from neighborhoods characterized by higher levels of social disorganization than students who stayed in the programs. Program attendance is also related to several of the risk-factors examined. The results suggest the need for improved communication with parents and further creativity in program planning as a means of retaining high-risk students.

[Evolution of food supply (apart from school catering) between 2004/2005 and 2009/2010 in middle- and high-schools of Aquitaine, France].

PubMed

Langevin, C; Carriere, C; Delmas, C; Péchaud, M; Barberger-Gateau, P; Maurice, S; Thibault, H

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to assess the evolution of food supply (apart from school catering) between school years 2004/2005 and 2009/2010, in middle- and high-schools from the Aquitaine region (southwest France), in order to evaluate the impact of actions conducted within the framework and the program Nutrition, Prevention and Health of children and adolescents in Aquitaine (southwest France). Two surveys were carried out among all middle- and high-schools of the Aquitaine region in 2004/2005 (n=536) and 2009/2010 (n=539) within the framework of a regional multidisciplinary public health program "Nutrition, prevention and health of children and teenagers in Aquitaine". For both 2004/2005 and 2009/2010, data were collected using the same questionnaire and dealt with school characteristics and modalities of food supply (apart from school catering). Response rate was 84.1% in 2004/2005 and 79.6% in 2009/2010. The proportion of schools offering food to pupils (apart from school catering) significantly decreased in 5 years (from 80.1% to 50.1%, P<0.001). Between 2004/2005 and 2009/2010, we observed a stabilization in the proportion of schools offering free food (from 19.7 to 17%, P=0.3), a significant decrease of those selling food (from 62.8 to 37.1, P<0.001), offering vending machines (from 43.5 to 7.2, P<0.001) and a significant increase of those offering water supply (from 8.2 to 44%, P<0.001). The composition of each modality of food supply (apart from school catering) has also been improved: less sweet and fat food, more bread and fruits. This study shows an overall improvement of food supply apart from school catering (food sale, free food and vending machines) in middle- and high-schools from the Aquitaine region (southwest France) between 2004/2005 and 2009/2010. This improvement is related to the proportion of schools offering food (quantitative improvement), as well as to the composition of food supply (qualitative improvement). These results show an improvement of food supply (apart from school catering), suggesting that actions implemented in the framework of the program "Nutrition, prevention and health of children and adolescents in Aquitaine" may have led to these improvements. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 11, Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States (NJ3), 2010

2010-01-01

States, districts and schools are now being offered unprecedented opportunities to develop programs that will improve student performance and turn around underperforming schools. An understanding of how reducing chronic early absence helps those efforts will go a long way to assure that innovative school improvement policies and practices will be…

SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT STUDY. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FEHR, HOWARD F.

THIS SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT STUDY GROUP (SSMCIS), COMPOSED OF BOTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN EDUCATORS, WAS GUIDED BY TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES--(1) TO CONSTRUCT AND EVALUATE A UNIFIED SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS PROGRAM FOR GRADES 7-12 THAT WOULD TAKE THE CAPABLE STUDENT WELL INTO CURRENT COLLEGE MATHEMATICS, AND (2) DETERMINE…

Can After-School Programs and Private Tutoring Help Improve Students' Achievement? Revisiting the Effects in Korean Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ha, Yeojin; Park, Hyun-Jeong

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the causal effects of after-school programs (ASPs) and private tutoring on Korean secondary school students' academic achievement. The students' data from the Gyeonggi Education Panel Study were used in this study for the actual data analysis. The study attempted to adjust for possible selection bias toward…

Oregon Schools for the 21st Century: Oregon Report Card 1993-94. An Annual Report to the State Legislature on Oregon's Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

The Oregon Report Card is an annual portrait of the state's public schools. The first five sections describe statewide progress toward implementing Oregon's Educational Act for the 21st Century, some of the state's exemplary school-improvement programs, and the clear relationship between Oregon's program and national education goals. The remaining…

More Time for Learning: Student Participation in Extended Day Programming at the UCCS Donoghue Campus during the 2009-10 School Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lesnick, Joy; Hart, Bonnie; Spielberger, Julie

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation of students in extended day programming at Donoghue Elementary School, a University of Chicago Charter School, during the 2009-2010 school year and explore whether participation was related to academic performance and improvement. Using the available written records, the authors found that…

Multiple Intelligences: Theory to Practice in New York City Schools. Middle School/High School. [Manual and Video Guide].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leopold, Marjorie

This program is a self-guided professional development experience that explains how to use multiple intelligences (MI) theory to improve teaching, learning, and achievement in middle and high school classrooms. The program consists of one manual and six VHS videos, each of which corresponds to one of the six modules listed in the table of…

Improving Elementary School Quality through the Use of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program: A Matched-Pair, Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial in Hawai'i

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Frank J.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac J.; Flay, Brian R.

2012-01-01

Background: School safety and quality affect student learning and success. This study examined the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-wide social-emotional and character education program, Positive Action, on teacher, parent, and student perceptions of school safety and quality utilizing a matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled…

Sustaining school-based asthma interventions through policy and practice change.

PubMed

Carpenter, Laurie M; Lachance, Laurie; Wilkin, Margaret; Clark, Noreen M

2013-12-01

Schools are an ideal setting for implementation of asthma interventions for children; however, sustaining school-based programs can be challenging. This study illustrates policy and practice changes brought about through the Childhood Asthma Linkages in Missouri (CALM) program to sustain such programs. Researchers analyzed caregiver-reported quantitative data regarding asthma-related outcomes in preintervention and postintervention surveys and qualitative data regarding sustainability efforts in schools reported by CALM grantees. A grounded theory approach was used to identify key concepts and themes that emerged. In 330 children, significant improvements were seen in asthma symptoms, rescue inhaler use, health care utilization, school absenteeism, and activity limitations. Overall, 27 school-based policy and practice changes supporting program sustainability were reported, with policy changes most often concerning the assessment and/or monitoring of children with asthma in the school setting, and practice changes most often regarding institution of regular asthma education programs for students and school personnel. Sustaining school-based asthma programs is challenging, but can be realized through the participation of diverse partners in enacting policy and practice changes that support the institutionalization of programs into the day-to-day processes of the schools. © 2013, American School Health Association.

77 FR 4087 - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-26

...This final rule updates the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule requires most schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. These improvements to the school meal programs, largely based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, are expected to enhance the diet and health of school children, and help mitigate the childhood obesity trend.

Effect of Nutrition Changes on Foods Selected by Students in a Middle School-based Diabetes Prevention Intervention Program; the HEALTHY Experience

PubMed Central

Mobley, Connie C.; Stadler, Diane D.; Staten, Myrlene A; ghormli, Laure El; Gillis, Bonnie; Hartstein, Jill; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Virus, Amy

2011-01-01

BACKGOUND The HEALTHY primary prevention trial developed an integrated multi-component intervention program to moderate risk factors for type 2 diabetes in middle schools. The nutrition component aimed to improve the quality of foods and beverages served to students. Changes in the School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and a la carte venues are compared to the experience of control schools. METHODS The intervention was implemented in 21 middle schools from winter 2007 through spring 2009 (following a cohort of students from sixth through eighth grades); 21 schools acted as observed controls. The nutrition component targeted school food service environmental change. Data identifying foods and nutrients served (selected by students for consumption) were collected over a 20-day period at baseline and end of study. Analysis compared end of study values for intervention versus control schools. RESULTS Intervention schools more successfully limited dessert and snack food portion size in NSLP and a la carte and lowered fat content of foods served. Servings of high fiber grain-based foods and/or legumes were improved in SBP but not NSLP. Intervention and control schools eliminated >1% fat milk and sugar added beverages in SBP, but intervention schools were more successful in NSLP and a la carte. CONCLUSION The HEALTHY program demonstrated significant changes in the nutritional quality of foods and beverages served in the SBP, NSLP, and a la carte venues, as part of an effort to decrease childhood obesity and support beneficial effects in some secondary HEALTHY study outcomes. PMID:22239133

Building school health partnerships to improve pediatric asthma care: the School-based Asthma Management Program.

PubMed

Kakumanu, Sujani; Antos, Nicholas; Szefler, Stanley J; Lemanske, Robert F

2017-04-01

Children with asthma require care that is seamlessly coordinated so that asthma symptoms are recognized and managed at home and at school. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent consensus recommendations in school-based asthma care. The School-based Asthma Management Program (SAMPRO) provides a widely endorsed framework to coordinate care with schools and consists of four components: establishing a circle of support around the child with asthma; facilitating bidirectional communication between clinicians and schools; comprehensive asthma education for schools; and assessment and remediation of environmental asthma triggers at school. SAMPRO standardizes recommendations for school-based asthma care coordination and provides a toolkit with websites and resources useful for the care of children with asthma in the school setting. The review will discuss the need for coordinated school asthma partnerships, the inception and development of SAMPRO, and its vision to improve pediatric asthma care coordination within the circle of support, comprising clinicians, school nurses, families, and communities.

Evaluation of the Florida coordinated school health program pilot schools project.

PubMed

Weiler, Robert M; Pigg, R Morgan; McDermott, Robert J

2003-01-01

The Florida Department of Education, with CDC funding, designed the Florida Coordinated School Health Program Pilot Schools Project (PSP) to encourage innovative approaches to promote coordinated school health programs (CSHP) in Florida schools. Each of eight pilot schools received $15,000 in project funding, three years of technical assistance including on-site and off-site assistance, a project office resource center, mailings of resource materials, needs assessment and evaluation assistance, and three PSP Summer Institutes. Project evaluators created a context evaluation, approaching each school independently as a "case study" to measure the school's progress in meeting goals established at baseline. Data were collected using the How Healthy is Your School? needs assessment instrument, a School Health Portfolio constructed by each school team, a Pilot Schools Project Team Member Survey instrument, midcourse team interviews, final team interviews, and performance indicator data obtained from pilot and control schools. The PSP posed two fundamental questions: "Can financial resources, professional training, and technical assistance enable individual schools to create and sustain a coordinated school health program?" and "What outcomes reasonably can one expect from a coordinated school health program, assuming programs receive adequate support over time?" First, activities at the eight schools confirmed that a coordinated school health programs can be established and sustained. Program strength and sustainability depend on long-term resources, qualified personnel, and administrative support. Second, though coordinated school health programs may improve school performance indicators, the PSP yielded insufficient evidence to support that belief. Future projects should include robust measurement and evaluation designs, thereby producing conclusive evidence about the influence of a coordinated school health program on such outcomes.

Effect of Olympic and traditional resistance training on vertical jump improvement in high school boys.

PubMed

Channell, Brian T; Barfield, J P

2008-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a ballistic resistance training program of Olympic lifts with those of a traditional resistance training program of power lifts on vertical jump improvement in male high school athletes. Twenty-seven male student athletes were recruited from a high school football program at a small, rural school in the Southeast. The subjects were divided into an Olympic training group (OT, n = 11), a power training group (PT, n = 10), and a control group (n = 6). Analysis of variance was used to determine whether a significant mean difference existed among groups on vertical jump improvement after 8 weeks of group-specific training. Effect size of vertical jump improvement between groups, and correlations between strength and vertical jump performance, were also examined. There was no significant mean difference (p >or= 0.05) among OT, PT, and control groups, but large effect sizes between OT and control (d = 1.06) and PT and control (d = 0.94) demonstrate that both OT and PT are effective in improving vertical jump performance in male high school athletes. Moderate to high correlations were noted between squat score and vertical jump after adjusting for body weight (r = 0.42) and between power clean and vertical jump after adjusting for body weight (r = 0.75). Findings from the current study indicate that Olympic lifts as well as power lifts provide improvement in vertical jump performance and that Olympic lifts may provide a modest advantage over power lifts for vertical jump improvement in high school athletes.

The effectiveness of a school-based adolescent depression education program.

PubMed

Swartz, Karen L; Kastelic, Elizabeth A; Hess, Sally G; Cox, Todd S; Gonzales, Lizza C; Mink, Sallie P; DePaulo, J Raymond

2010-02-01

In an effort to decrease the suicide rate in adolescents, many interventions have focused on school-based suicide prevention programs. Alternatively, depression education in schools might be effective in decreasing the morbidity, mortality, and stigma associated with adolescent depression. The Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) developed a 3-hour curriculum to teach high school students about the illness of depression. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the ADAP curriculum in improving high school students' knowledge about depression. From 2001 to 2005, 3,538 students were surveyed on their knowledge about depression before and after exposure to the ADAP curriculum. The number of students scoring 80% or higher on the assessment tool more than tripled from pretest to posttest (701 to 2,180), suggesting the effectiveness of the ADAP curriculum. Further study and replication are required to determine if improved knowledge translates into increased treatment-seeking behavior.

Differences in the Policies, Programs, and Practices (PPPs) and Combination of PPPs across Turnaround, Moderately Improving, and Not Improving Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Rebecca; Huberman, Mette

2012-01-01

The TALPS study aims to build on the existing research base to develop promising methodologies to identify chronically low-performing and turnaround schools, as well as to identify promising strategies for turning around chronically low-performing schools. By looking specifically at schools identified as turnaround, in comparison to nonturnaround…

School Improvement Grants: Education Should Take Additional Steps to Enhance Accountability for Schools and Contractors. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-12-373

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2012-01-01

The School Improvement Grant (SIG) program funds reforms in low performing schools. Congress provided $3.5 billion for SIG in fiscal year 2009, and a total of about $1.6 billion was appropriated in fiscal years 2010-2012. SIG requirements changed significantly in 2010. Many schools receiving SIG funds must now use the funding for specific…

School Nurses' Experiences and Perceptions of Healthy Eating School Environments.

PubMed

Muckian, Jean; Snethen, Julia; Buseh, Aaron

School nurses provide health promotion and health services within schools, as healthy children have a greater potential for optimal learning. One of the school nurses' role is in encouraging healthy eating and increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables in the school. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe school nurses' perceptions of their role in promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. One avenue to increased availability of fruits and vegetables in schools is Farm to School programs mandated by the Federal government to improve the health of school children. School nurses are optimally positioned to work with Farm to School programs to promote healthy eating. A secondary aim was to explore school nurses' knowledge, experiences and/or perceptions of the Farm to School program to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: If There Were More of Me, I Could Do More; Food Environment in Schools; School Nurses Promote Health. School nurses reported that they addressed health issues more broadly in their roles as educator, collaborator, advocate and modeling healthy behaviors. Most of the participants knew of Farm to School programs, but only two school nurses worked in schools that participated in the program. Consequently, the participants reported having little or no experiences with the Farm to School programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of school-based mental health literacy education for secondary school students to be delivered by school teachers: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Ojio, Yasutaka; Yonehara, Hiromi; Taneichi, Setsuko; Yamasaki, Syudo; Ando, Shuntaro; Togo, Fumiharu; Nishida, Atsushi; Sasaki, Tsukasa

2015-09-01

Improving knowledge and beliefs about mental health (or mental health literacy [MHL]) may promote appropriate help-seeking by adolescents who are suffering from mental health problems. We developed a concise, school-staff-led MHL program and examined its effects. The participants comprised 118 grade-9 students (61 boys and 57 girls). The program consisted of two 50-min sessions, and was given by a schoolteacher. The effects of the program were evaluated before, immediately after and 3 months after the program, using a self-report questionnaire. Knowledge of mental health/illnesses and desirable behavior for help-seeking were significantly improved immediately after (post-test, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively) and 3 months after the program (3-month follow up, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), compared with the test before the delivery of the program (pre-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Proportions of the correct diagnoses of vignette cases of major depression and schizophrenia were significantly (P < 0.001) elevated from 38.3% and 19.1% (pre-test) to 94.7% and 93.6% (post-test), and 91.5% and 86.2% (3-month follow up). Intentions to seek help and to provide peers with help with mental health problems were also significantly (P < 0.001) elevated at post-test and at 3 months compared with the pre-test. A concise, school-staff-led program may have a significant effect on the improvement of MHL in secondary school students. © 2015 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2015 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Improving Music Experiences for Emotionally Handicapped Children in Public School Programs. Proceedings of a Special Study Institute (Rochester, New York, October 23-25, 1969).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany.

Included in the proceedings of the study institute on Improving Music Experiences for Emotionally Handicapped Children in Public School Programs are statements of greeting (Charles Matkowski, Harvey Granite), an overview by Donald Hayden, and the key note address by Mrs. Theresa Goodell. From the second session are included statements from three…

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program participation in elementary schools in the United States and availability of fruits and vegetables in school lunch meals.

PubMed

Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Turner, Lindsey; Chaloupka, Frank J

2012-06-01

Dietary intake among children in the United States falls short of national recommendations. Schools can play an important role in improving children's preferences and food consumption patterns. The US Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) aims to improve children's nutrient intake patterns by offering fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks outside the reimbursable meals programs in elementary schools that serve large numbers of low-income children. Using a nationally representative sample of public elementary schools, this cross-sectional study investigated FFVP participation patterns among schools by demographic and school characteristics. Further, the study investigated the association between FFVP participation and availability of fresh fruits, salads, and vegetables at lunch as reported by school administrators and foodservice staff. Data collected via a mail-back survey from 620 public elementary schools participating in the National School Lunch Program during 2009-2010 were analyzed. Almost 70% of the FFVP-participating schools had a majority of students (>50%) eligible for free and reduced-cost meals. Participating in US Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition Program and having a registered dietitian or a nutritionist on staff were significantly associated with FFVP participation. Based on the results from logistic regression analyses schools participating in the FFVP were significantly more likely (odds ratio 2.07; 95% CI 1.12 to 3.53) to serve fresh fruit during lunch meals. Slightly >25% of public elementary schools across the United States participated in the FFVP, and participation was associated with healthier food availability in school lunches. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addressing engagement, anger and aggression through the Rock Water Program: Rural adolescent males' perceptions.

PubMed

Edwards, Paul; van de Mortel, Thea; Stevens, John

2017-08-01

The Rock and Water Program (RWP) has been implemented in some Australian schools as a means of addressing school disengagement, anger and aggression, which are significant determinants of mental illness. However, much of the evidence supporting the RWP is anecdotal. This project explored rural adolescent males' perceptions of the RWP. Questionnaires were used to gather data about the students prior to their commencement in the RWP. Focus group interviews were conducted with students at weeks 5 and 9 of the 9-week program. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The RWP was facilitated in four schools in rural NSW over three terms for a total of 12 program deliveries. One hundred and eighty-seven rural adolescent males participated in the focus groups. The participants were identified by their school as disengaged in schoolwork and either perpetrators and/or victims of anger and aggression. Participants liked the 'learning by doing' action-oriented approach, and reported learning strategies that could reduce aggression in the school and wider community. The focus groups provided insight into why these adolescent boys engaged with this program when generally engagement in school, overall, was reported as poor. Suggestions for program improvement included more or longer sessions, and the inclusion of girls. This study found that the RWP engaged rurally based boys, who spoke positively about the action-oriented program. Future research could examine if this translates into reduced incidents of anger and violence at school and improved school engagement and overall physical and mental health. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Perceptions of middle school educators in Hawai'i about school-based gardening and child health.

PubMed

Ahmed, Ameena T; Oshiro, Caryn E; Loharuka, Sheila; Novotny, Rachel

2011-07-01

Childhood obesity prevention is a national priority. School-based gardening has been proposed as an innovative obesity prevention intervention. Little is known about the perceptions of educators about school-based gardening for child health. As the success of a school-based intervention depends on the support of educators, we investigated perceptions of educators about the benefits of gardening programs to child health. Semi-structured interviews of 9 middle school educators at a school with a garden program in rural Hawai'i were conducted. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Perceived benefits of school-based gardening included improving children's diet, engaging children in physical activity, creating a link to local tradition, mitigating hunger, and improving social skills. Poverty was cited as a barrier to adoption of healthy eating habits. Opinions about obesity were contradictory; obesity was considered both a health risk, as well as a cultural standard of beauty and strength. Few respondents framed benefits of gardening in terms of health. In order to be effective at obesity prevention, school-based gardening programs in Hawai'i should be framed as improving diet, addressing hunger, and teaching local tradition. Explicit messages about obesity prevention are likely to alienate the population, as these are in conflict with local standards of beauty. Health researchers and advocates need to further inform educators regarding the potential connections between gardening and health.

A systematic review of school-based suicide prevention programs.

PubMed

Katz, Cara; Bolton, Shay-Lee; Katz, Laurence Y; Isaak, Corinne; Tilston-Jones, Toni; Sareen, Jitender

2013-10-01

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among youth today. Schools are a cost-effective way to reach youth, yet there is no conclusive evidence regarding the most effective prevention strategy. We conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature on school-based suicide prevention programs. Studies were identified through MEDLINE and Scopus searches, using keywords such as "suicide, education, prevention and program evaluation." Additional studies were identified with a manual search of relevant reference lists. Individual studies were rated for level of evidence, and the programs were given a grade of recommendation. Five reviewers rated all studies independently and disagreements were resolved through discussion. Sixteen programs were identified. Few programs have been evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing suicide attempts. Most studies evaluated the programs' abilities to improve students' and school staffs' knowledge and attitudes toward suicide. Signs of Suicide and the Good Behavior Game were the only programs found to reduce suicide attempts. Several other programs were found to reduce suicidal ideation, improve general life skills, and change gatekeeper behaviors. There are few evidence-based, school-based suicide prevention programs, a combination of which may be effective. It would be useful to evaluate the effectiveness of general mental health promotion programs on the outcome of suicide. The grades assigned in this review are reflective of the available literature, demonstrating a lack of randomized controlled trials. Further evaluation of programs examining suicidal behavior outcomes in randomized controlled trials is warranted. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

From Guide to Practice: Improving Your After School Science Program to Increase Student Academic Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, J.

2013-12-01

Numerous science organizations, such as NASA, offer educational outreach activities geared towards after school. For some programs, the primary goal is to grow students' love of science. For others, the programs are also intended to increase academic achievement. For those programs looking to support student learning in out-of-school time environments, aligning the program with learning during the classroom day can be a challenge. The Institute for Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, put together a 'Practice Guide' for maximizing learning time beyond the regular school day. These practice guides provide concrete recommendations for educators supported by research. While this guide is not specific to any content or subject-area, the recommendations provided align very well with science education. After school science is often viewed as a fun, dynamic environment for students. Indeed, one of the recommendations to ensure time is structured according to students' needs is to provide relevant and interesting experiences. Given that our after school programs provide such creative environments for students, what other components are needed to promote increased academic achievement? The recommendations provided to academic achievement, include: 1. Align Instruction, 2. Maximize Attendance and Participation, 3. Adapt Instruction, 4. Provide Engaging Experiences, and 5. Evaluate Program. In this session we will examine these five recommendations presented in the Practice Guide, discuss how these strategies align with science programs, and examine what questions each program should address in order to provide experiences that lend themselves to maximizing instruction. Roadblocks and solutions for overcoming challenges in each of the five areas will be presented. Jessica Taylor will present this research based on her role as an author on the Practice Guide, 'Improving Academic Achievement in Out-of-School Time' and her experience working in various informal science programs for NASA.

A Study of Opinions and Preferences Regarding the Adult Education Program of the Brandywine (Michigan) School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitsko, Suzanne; And Others

A compilation and categorization of adult and child interests in the various educational activities and programs of the Brandywine School District (Michigan), the study has implications for improvement of the Brandywine adult education program. A lack of participation in the adult education program has created a need for revision. A questionnaire…

The Ed.D. Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago: Using Continuous Improvement to Promote School Leadership Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosner, Shelby; Tozer, Steve; Smylie, Mark

2012-01-01

This article describes the process of replacing a modest Master's level school leader preparation program with an innovative Ed.D. program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The new doctoral program is intensive, highly selective, intellectually rigorous, and field-based. The authors provide side-by-side comparisons of the difference…

A Pilot Evaluation of Small Group Challenging Horizons Program (CHP): A Randomized Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langberg, Joshua M.; Smith, Bradley H.; Bogle, Kristin E.; Schmidt, Jonathan D.; Cole, Wesley R.; Pender, Carolyn A. S.

2007-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of an after-school program, the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP), that met four days a week and focused on improving organization, academic skills, and classroom behavior. The CHP was compared with a community control that included involvement in a district-run after-school program that met one to three days a…

Evaluation of Title I Program, Community School Distrlct 31, New York City. 1978-79 School Year. Final Report, E.D.L. Reading Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Michael E.

This program was designed to improve reading skills and to provide intensive remediation for students in grades six through nine. Specialized materials and equipment were provided by Educational Development Laboratories (EDL). The EDL Reading Laboratory utilized the Learning 100 program, a multi-modality developmental and remedial program. Small…

Teaching children about bicycle safety: an evaluation of the New Jersey Bike School program.

PubMed

Lachapelle, Ugo; Noland, Robert B; Von Hagen, Leigh Ann

2013-03-01

There are multiple health and environmental benefits associated with increasing bicycling among children. However, the use of bicycles is also associated with severe injuries and fatalities. In order to reduce bicycle crashes, a bicycling education program was implemented in selected New Jersey schools and summer camps as part of the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Program. Using a convenience sample of participants to the program, an opportunistic study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two bicycle education programs, the first a more-structured program delivered in a school setting, with no on-road component, and the other a less structured program delivered in a summer camp setting that included an on-road component. Tests administered before and after training were designed to assess knowledge acquired during the training. Questions assessed children's existing knowledge of helmet use and other equipment, bicycle safety, as well as their ability to discriminate hazards and understand rules of the road. Participating children (n=699) also completed a travel survey that assessed their bicycling behavior and their perception of safety issues. Response to individual questions, overall pre- and post-training test scores, and changes in test scores were compared using comparison of proportion, t-tests, and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression. Improvements between the pre-training and post-training test are apparent from the frequency distribution of test results and from t-tests. Both summer camps and school-based programs recorded similar improvements in test results. Children who bicycled with their parents scored higher on the pre-training test but did not improve as much on the post-training test. Without evaluating long-term changes in behavior, it is difficult to ascertain how successful the program is on eventual behavioral and safety outcomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitigating Negative Externalities Affecting Access and Equity of Education in Low-Resource Countries: A Study Exploring Social Marketing as a Potential Strategy for Planning School Food Programs in Malawi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magreta-Nyongani, Martha

2012-01-01

School feeding programs enhance the efficiency of the education system by improving enrollment, reducing dropouts and increasing perseverance. They also have the potential to reach the poor, directly making them an effective social safety net. In many low-resource countries, school feeding programs are designed to protect children from the effects…

Modification of school attendance for an elementary population

PubMed Central

Barber, Robert M.; Kagey, J. Robert

1977-01-01

The staff and students of a school composed of Grades 1 through 3 participated in a program to increase school attendance. Children earned the opportunity to attend part or all of a monthly party by their attendance. Immediate feedback occurred each morning by placing stars on a classroom chart for each child present. The school's attendance during the program was compared both with attendance during preceding years and with attendance at other schools. The experimental school's attendance improved dramatically to become the best of all elementary schools in the system. PMID:16795547

Immediate Effects of a Program to Promote School Readiness in Low-Income Children: Results of a Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Pears, Katherine C.; Healey, Cynthia V.; Fisher, Philip A.; Braun, Drew; Gill, Colt; Conte, Holly Mar; Newman, Judy; Ticer, Sara

2014-01-01

Children from low-income backgrounds demonstrate poorer school readiness skills than their higher-income peers. The Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program was developed to increase early literacy, social skills, and self-regulatory skills among children with inadequate school readiness. In the present study, 39 families participated in a pilot efficacy trial conducted through a community collaboration to examine the feasibility and impact of the KITS program with families from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Participating families were demographically representative of the larger populations in the participating school districts. Children who received the intervention demonstrated significantly greater improvements in letter naming, initial sound fluency, and understanding of concepts about print than their peers who did not participate in the intervention, as well as decreases in aggressive responses to peer provocation and increases in self-regulation skills. Results suggest that a brief, focused school readiness intervention is feasible to conduct with low-income families and may improve critical skills. PMID:25382932

A Portrait of School Improvement Grantees. Charts You Can Trust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jambulapati, Padmini

2011-01-01

In the last year, the federal government has invested $3.5 billion dollars in an effort to fix the nation's bottom 5 percent of public schools. In the coming months, it will roll out another $546 million dollars to do the same. The School Improvement Grant (SIG) program is the largest pot of federal funds ever aimed at improving a discrete set of…

Stakeholder Perspectives on Optimizing Communication in a School-Centered Asthma Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snieder, Hylke M.; Nickels, Sarah; Gleason, Melanie; McFarlane, Arthur; Szefler, Stanley J.; Allison, Mandy A.

2017-01-01

Background: School-centered asthma programs (SAPs) can be an effective intervention to improve asthma control for underserved populations but little is known about how key stakeholders communicate within these programs. Therefore, our aim was to identify key components of effective communication in a SAP. Methods: Primary care providers (PCPs),…

Dilemmas of Prescriptive Practices and Perceived Alignment in Program Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Mollie; Patrick, Susan Kemper; Goldring, Ellen B.

2017-01-01

This paper studies the early implementation of a school improvement effort in two high schools. We examine what explains variation in the teacher adoption of program practices. Our findings highlight the tension between encouraging immediate adoption of program practices and the longer term goals of schoolwide culture change. We find that highly…

Integrating Multimedia Technology in a High School EFL Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayora, Carlos A.

2006-01-01

The author describes a Technologically Enhanced Language Learning program in Venezuela and how it helped improve high school EFL instruction. The author presents six challenges of teaching EFL and describes the context for the program. The author then provides a rationale for using multimedia in language teaching, based on theoretical frameworks.…

Evaluating Inclusive Educational Practices for Students with Severe Disabilities Using the Program Quality Measurement Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushing, Lisa S.; Carter, Erik W.; Clark, Nitasha; Wallis, Terry; Kennedy, Craig H.

2009-01-01

Recent legislative and school reform efforts require schools to evaluate and improve educational practices for students with severe disabilities. The authors developed the "Program Quality Measurement Tool" (PQMT) to enable administrators and educators to evaluate the educational programming provided to students with severe disabilities against…

Evaluation of the Truancy Court Diversion Program in the District of Columbia, 2011-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Meagan; Liberman, Akiva

2012-01-01

An evaluation of the Truancy Court Diversion Program (TCDP) found that despite significant implementation challenges, parent-child communication and youths' attitudes towards school both improved. A voluntary program for middle school students at risk for chronic truancy, TCDP involves judicially-led sessions that address student attitudes…

Evaluating Active Parental Consent Procedures for School Programming: Addressing the Sensitive Topic of Suicide Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Totura, Christine M. Wienke; Kutash, Krista; Labouliere, Christa D.; Karver, Marc S.

2017-01-01

Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents. Whereas school-based prevention programs are effective, obtaining active consent for youth participation in public health programming concerning sensitive topics is challenging. We explored several active consent procedures for improving participation rates. Methods: Five…

SELECTED REPORTS AND STATISTICS ON SCHOOL DROPOUTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BAYLEY, MONICA; AND OTHERS

FOUR ARTICLES ARE PRESENTED. THE FIRST, "A RENEWED EFFORT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DROPOUT," BY MONICA BAYLEY, DISCUSSES PROGRAMS IN SEVERAL CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FOUR IN NEW YORK ARE STEP, CO-OP PROGRAM, OPERATION RETURN, AND HIGHER HORIZONS. IMPROVEMENT OF THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS IS BEING UNDERTAKEN IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, CHICAGO,…

Establishing a Student Research and Publishing Program in High School Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eales, Jonathan; Laksana, Sangob

2016-01-01

Student learning in science is improved by authentic personal experience of research projects and the publication of findings. Graduate students do this, but it is uncommon to find student research and publishing in high school science programs. We describe here the Student Research and Publishing Program (SRPP) established at International School…

The National School Lunch Program--Is It Working? Report to the Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

The National School Lunch Program is designed to safeguard schoolchild health by improving and/or maintaining levels of nutrition, and strengthen the agricultural economy by stimulating food demand. The General Accounting Office (GAO) examined whether the program is meeting its legislative objectives and analyzed available information on what is…

The Role of Teachers' Guided Reflection in Effecting Positive Program Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Lynn Allington; Au, Kathryn H. P.

Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP), in Hawaii, and Rough Rock (which serves Navajo students in Arizona) are dedicated to strengthening the school success of students who have not thrived in traditional mainstream school settings. Both programs have rooted change efforts in the belief that students would experience improved school…

Designing Reading Instruction for Cultural Minorities: The Case of the Kamehameha Early Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calfee, Robert C.; And Others

This is a report on the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP), a research and development project designed to find ways of improving the school performance of educationally disadvantaged Hawaiian children. The project, implemented in a laboratory school setting and continuously monitored, is described as a reading instruction program for…

FY2015 Analysis of the Teamwork USA Program. Memorandum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Mark

2015-01-01

The Department of Research and Evaluation (DRE) has completed an analysis of the performance of students who participated in the Teamwork USA Program, administered in FY2014 at three District schools. Teamwork USA hopes to improve student achievement at select Title I elementary schools via its Instrumental Music Program grant. This memorandum to…

North Carolina Primary Reading Program Evaluation. 1977. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Research.

The Primary Reading Program was initiated in 117 classrooms in 40 North Carolina schools, to improve the reading achievement of the primary school students. The same number of control classrooms were also selected for comparison. Features of the program included increased funding for instructional materials; use of volunteers and teacher aides for…

Developing School Laboratories To Promote the Establishment of Individual Experience Programs. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valley Springs School District 2, AR.

A project was conducted to promote and develop individual Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs in Arkansas through the development of laboratories. It was felt that strong SAE programs enhance the instructional portion of agriculture education, serve as a motivational tool, and improve the relations between the local school and…

PRE-SCHOOL PARENT AIDE PROGRAM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakland Unified School District, CA.

THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE (1) TO IMPROVE SCHOOL-HOME COMMUNICATION, (2) TO MEDIATE THE CHILD'S TRANSITION TO SCHOOL, (3) TO PROVIDE MORE ADULT CONTACTS, (4) TO GIVE PARENTS NEW KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND NEW IDEAS OF WAYS FOR WORKING WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN, AND (5) TO RELIEVE THE TEACHER OF SOME NONTEACHING ACTIVITIES. THE PARENTS WHO…

The Role of Local Action Teams in School Improvement. Linking R&D with Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kell, Diane; Louis, Karen Seashore

Intended as a guide for educators in shared decision-making, this report summarizes the structures, procedures, and activities of local action teams in 49 schools involved in the National Institute of Education's Research and Development Utilization (RDU) program. Local action teams in the RDU program consisted of formal groups of teachers and…

Evaluation in the Seventies: What We Have Learned About Program Development and Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Freda M.

This paper, generated by the Austin, Texas, Independent School District's Office of Research and Evaluation, offers a set of working hypotheses about what a school district must do in the implementation of programs to improve the cost/effectiveness ratio of educational innovations. The author draws on three years of the Austin school district's…

Identifying Key Early Literacy and School Readiness Issues: Exploring a Strategy for Assessing Community Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Daniel J.; Martin, Sally S.

2006-01-01

Much effort has been expended in developing intervention programs to help improve the early literacy and school readiness skills of young children. This article presents the results of a needs assessment project aimed at identifying priorities for community intervention programs aimed at ensuring that young children enter school ready to learn. A…

Effective Partnerships in School Reform: Lessons Learned from the Midwest Child-Parent Center Expansion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayakawa, Momoko; Englund, Michelle M.; Candee, Allyson; Lease, Erin; Sullivan, Molly; Warner-Richter, Mallory; Reynolds, Arthur J.

2015-01-01

The Midwest Expansion of the Child-Parent Center Education Program (MCPC) is a pre-K to 3rd grade intervention program aimed at improving economically disadvantaged children's school success by enhancing continuity in instruction and increasing parental involvement. Opened in Chicago in the 1960s, this school reform model has undergone significant…

Sending Farmers Back to School: The Impact of Farmer Field Schools in Indonesia. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feder, Gershon; Murgai, Rinku; Quizon, Jaime B.

A study evaluated the impact of Farmer Field Schools in Indonesia, an intensive participatory training program emphasizing integrated pest management. Focus was on whether program participation improved yields and reduced pesticide use among graduates and neighbors who gained knowledge through informal communications. It used a modified…

Corrective Reading Services in Nonpublic Schools, ESEA Title I 1974-1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almeida, Cynthia H.; O'Shaughnessy, Thomas

This document presents a description and evaluation of the Corrective Reading Services Program designed to serve approximately 13,769 eligible, educationally deprived pupils in 229 nonpublic schools of New York City during the 1974-1975 school year. The purpose of the program was to improve the reading level of the students through a corrective…

The Community Transition Program: Experiences Starting a Community-Based Program for Students Aged 18-21

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baska, Llara; Kaufman, Anne; Gaumer, Amy

2003-01-01

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990 and the subsequent reauthorization in 1997 mandate school districts to provide transition services for students with disabilities in order to improve post-school outcomes for these youth. To help meet the requirements for transition, many school districts have developed…

Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program Becomes Independent and Its Performance Improves. OPPAGA Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Pam; Pardue, Don

The Jobs for Florida's Graduates (JFG) program targets high school students and provides services to help these students graduate and to continue their education or find meaningful employment within one year of graduation. School managers and "job specialists" serve as mentors, identify at-risk high school students, and provide them with…

Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: First Year Report on Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Patrick; Eissa, Nada; Puma, Michael

2005-01-01

The District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 was passed by Congress in January 2004. The Act provided funds for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) improvement activities and charter school facility acquisitions. Most notably, the statute established what is now called the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program?the first federal…

Energy Smart Schools: Creating a Sustainable Learning Environment in Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio Energy Project, Lewis Center.

In 1999, the Ohio Energy Project (OEP) was awarded a grant through Rebuild America, under the U.S. Department of Energy, to develop an EnergySmart Schools Program for Ohio. Together with its partners, this program serves to empower students to improve the conditions of their school buildings through education, thus increasing scientific literacy…

Defining, Measuring and Supporting Success: Meeting the Challenges of Comprehensive School Reform Research. CSR Connection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appelbaum, Deborah; Schwartzbeck, Terri Duggan

Many educators believe that comprehensive school reform (CSR) holds real promise for improving schools, as many CSR programs are based in research and have documented success. However, in the past year, there has been increased emphasis on CSR programs' evidence of effectiveness and scrutiny of CSR evaluations' degree of rigor. Questions exist…

Effects of self-esteem improvement program on self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children with observed problematic behaviors.

PubMed

Park, Kyung Min; Park, Heeok

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a self-esteem improvement program on self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children with observed problematic behaviors. This study is a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-post-test design. A total of 47 fourth grade elementary school students participated in this study. The program was provided for 45 minutes once a week; a total of 12 sessions were completed with a group in the classroom for the experimental group. Child Problem-Behavior Screening Questionnaire was used to measure problematic behavior. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Questionnaire, and peer attachment was measured using the Inventory of Parent and Attachment. Measuring was performed right after the program was done (post 1) and 1 month after the program was finished (post 2). To compare the differences in self-esteem and peer attachment between groups, repeated measures analysis of variance was used. Most participants in the experimental group were 10 years old (62.5%, range 10-11), male (52.0%) and with middle grade point average (64.0%). The self-esteem scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (F = 26.64, p < .001). The peer attachment scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (F = 6.48, p = .014). The self-esteem improvement program in this study improved the self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children. The self-esteem program helped acknowledge the peer's name and increased their connections. The program needs to be considered as a formal and consistent program. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Developing a nutrition and health education program for primary schools in Zambia.

PubMed

Sherman, Jane; Muehlhoff, Ellen

2007-01-01

School-based health and nutrition interventions in developing countries aim at improving children's nutrition and learning ability. In addition to the food and health inputs, children need access to education that is relevant to their lives, of good quality, and effective in its approach. Based on evidence from the Zambia Nutrition Education in Basic Schools (NEBS) project, this article examines whether and to what extent school-based health and nutrition education can contribute directly to improving the health and nutrition behaviors of school children. Initial results suggest that gains in awareness, knowledge and behavior can be achieved among children and their families with an actively implemented classroom program backed by teacher training and parent involvement, even in the absence of school-based nutrition and health services.

Improving ISTEP Scores through Remediation: An Evaluation of the Language Arts Remediation at Chauncey Rose Middle School, Vigo County School Corporation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmert, Bryan E.

A study examined the effects of a remediation program initiated at Chauncey Rose Middle School, Terre Haute, Indiana, during the 1996-97 school year. After the ISTEP test was administered to the sixth-grade class, a pull-out program for remediation was started the following year using grant monies. Subjects were 14 sixth graders, selected because…

Mental health predicts better academic outcomes: a longitudinal study of elementary school students in Chile.

PubMed

Murphy, J Michael; Guzmán, Javier; McCarthy, Alyssa E; Squicciarini, Ana María; George, Myriam; Canenguez, Katia M; Dunn, Erin C; Baer, Lee; Simonsohn, Ariela; Smoller, Jordan W; Jellinek, Michael S

2015-04-01

The world's largest school-based mental health program, Habilidades para la Vida [Skills for Life (SFL)], has been operating on a national scale in Chile for 15 years. SFL's activities include using standardized measures to screen elementary school students and providing preventive workshops to students at risk for mental health problems. This paper used SFL's data on 37,397 students who were in first grade in 2009 and third grade in 2011 to ascertain whether first grade mental health predicted subsequent academic achievement and whether remission of mental health problems predicted improved academic outcomes. Results showed that mental health was a significant predictor of future academic performance and that, overall, students whose mental health improved between first and third grade made better academic progress than students whose mental health did not improve or worsened. Our findings suggest that school-based mental health programs like SFL may help improve students' academic outcomes.

Does Teacher Evaluation Improve School Performance? Experimental Evidence from Chicago's Excellence in Teaching Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Matthew P.; Sartain, Lauren

2015-01-01

Chicago Public Schools initiated the Excellence in Teaching Project, a teacher evaluation program designed to increase student learning by improving classroom instruction through structured principal-teacher dialogue. The pilot began in forty-four elementary schools in 2008-09 (cohort 1) and scaled up to include an additional forty-eight…

Selecting and Preparing Teachers and School Leaders to Improve Educational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastian, Kevin C.

2013-01-01

In the following three studies we explore ways to improve the quality of school-based personnel by identifying characteristics and training of effective teachers and principals. First, to enhance the selection and hiring of teachers into preparation programs and/or school districts, we examine whether teachers' non-cognitive characteristics…

Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools Initiative after Four Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratos, Kati; Wolford, Tonya; Reitano, Adrienne

2015-01-01

In 2010-2011, the School District of Philadelphia (the District) launched its Renaissance Schools Initiative, a program designed to dramatically improve student achievement in the District's lowest performing schools. Some schools became Promise Academies, based on the federal turnaround model, and remained District-operated neighborhood schools.…

Exploring strategies to promote middle school student participation in the school breakfast program

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Providing a school breakfast to students may be a practical intervention that improves energy balance, nutrient intake, and school academic achievement variables. The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the ecological factors influencing middle school student school breakfast participation a...

District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program: Additional Policies and Procedures Would Improve Internal Controls and Program Operations. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-08-9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashby, Cornelia M.; Franzel, Jeanette M.

2007-01-01

The D.C. School Choice Incentive Act created the first private kindergarten-through-grade-12 school-choice program supported by federal funds. The program was named the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to assess the (1) accountability mechanisms governing the use of…

School-based asthma disease management.

PubMed

Tinkelman, David; Schwartz, Abby

2004-06-01

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness and the leading cause of missed school days. School is a potential location for establishing an asthma education program for children and their parents/caregivers designed to improve disease management. To determine whether a comprehensive, school-based asthma management program, in addition to a conventional disease management program, can reduce measures of asthma control, student absenteeism, and caregiver lost workdays. School nurses recruited parents/caregivers of students with asthma from three urban elementary and middle schools. Children were identified as having asthma by a previous diagnosis from their personal physician. Parents were invited to attend educational sessions about the program. Students received peak flow meters and training in their use and had access to an interactive asthma diary to record symptoms, peak flow, and medicine usage. They received monthly asthma education at school and had access to an online asthma education program and additional handouts. Parents received several educational calls regarding asthma and had a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week emergency number to call if problems arose. At 6 months, missed school days and unscheduled doctor visits were reduced by two thirds (n = 41; p< 0.01 for each). Caregivers' perception of children's activity level increased by 11% (n = 26; p = 0.037). Daytime and nighttime frequency of symptoms dropped by 62% and 34%, respectively (n = 32; p < 0.007 and p<0.03 for each). These trends continued at 12 months, although only reduction in frequency of symptoms attained statistical significance. A comprehensive, school-based asthma management program can successfully improve asthma control and reduce absenteeism in elementary and middle school students and caregiver lost workdays.

Changes in Body Mass Index During a 3-Year Elementary School-Based Obesity Prevention Program for American Indian and White Rural Students.

PubMed

Vogeltanz-Holm, Nancy; Holm, Jeffrey

2018-04-01

Childhood obesity is a significant but largely modifiable health risk, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged, racial/ethnic minority, and rural children. Elementary school-aged children typically experience the greatest increases in excess weight gain and therefore are important targets for reducing adolescent and adult obesity while improving children's health. Our study evaluated outcomes of a 3-year elementary school-based program for reducing obesity in American Indian and White students attending eight rural schools in the U.S. upper Midwest. Researchers measured body mass indexes (BMI) and other health indicators and behaviors of 308 beginning third-grade students and then again at the end of students' third, fourth, and fifth grades. The primary focus of this study is a mixed multilevel longitudinal model testing changes in age- and gender-adjusted BMI z scores ( zBMI). There was a significant decrease in zBMI across the 3-year study period. Ethnicity analyses showed that White students had overall decreases in zBMI whereas American Indian students' zBMIs remained stable across the program. Comparisons with children from an age- and cohort-matched national sample provided support for the effectiveness of the school program in reducing BMI and obesity during the study period. An elementary school-based health program that addresses a range of students' obesity-related health behaviors, the school health environment, and that involves educators and parents is an effective intervention for reducing or stabilizing BMI in rural White and American Indian students. School health programs for students living in rural communities may be especially effective due to greater school and community cohesiveness, and valuing of the school's primary role in improving community health.

Supporting Success: Why and How to Improve Quality in After-School Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, Jessica; Hopkins, Leigh

2008-01-01

This report examines the program improvement strategies, step-by-step, that allowed The James Irvine Foundation's Communities Organizing to Advance Learning (CORAL) initiative to achieve the levels of quality needed to boost the academic success of participating students, and makes policy and funding suggestions for improving program performance.…

Adaptations Associated With an After-School Strength and Conditioning Program in Middle-School-Aged Boys: A Quasi-Experimental Design.

PubMed

Thompson, Brennan J; Stock, Matt S; Mota, Jacob A; Drusch, Alexander S; DeFranco, Ryan N; Cook, Tyler R; Hamm, Matthew A

2017-10-01

High-intensity strength and conditioning programs aimed at improving youth performance are becoming increasingly prevalent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 16-week after-school strength and conditioning program on performance and body composition in middle-school-aged boys. Subjects in the training group (n = 16, mean age = 11.8 years) performed 90 minutes of supervised plyometric and resistance training twice weekly for 16 weeks. A group of control subjects (n = 9, age = 12.1 years) maintained their current activity levels. Sprint speed, 5-10-5 proagility, jump height, isometric peak torque of the leg extensors and flexors, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition were examined during pretesting and posttesting. Data were analyzed by performing independent samples t-tests on the absolute change scores between groups. The primary findings were that the training intervention elicited significant improvements in 20-m sprint times (p = 0.03; mean change for training group = -0.17 seconds) and body-fat percentage (p = 0.03; 2.5% absolute improvement), the latter of which was a function of reduced fat mass (p = 0.06; -0.84 kg). Between-group differences were not noted for agility, jump height, lean mass, or strength measures; however, effect sizes generally showed greater improvements for the training group. In contrast to findings in longitudinal studies performed in collegiate athletes, sprint speed may be particularly adaptable during adolescence. In addition to potentially improving sport performance, high-intensity plyometric and resistance training programs offer the added benefit of improved body composition. These programs appear less effective for agility and jump performance and do not elicit substantial improvements in muscle mass above maturation.

How on Earth Did You Hear About Us? A Study of Exemplary Rural School Practices in the Upper Midwest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Amico, Joseph J.

As part of ongoing research into rural school improvement, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) at the request of its Rural Advisory Council set out to find, examine, and profile exemplary, successful school improvement programs in rural schools and districts in the upper Midwest. This paper is a summary of the first year…

Use of Documentary and Face to Face Interaction in Working Toward School Improvement. Draft. Documentation and Technical Assistance in Urban Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Manford

This paper compares the usefulness of documentary (written materials) versus face to face delivery of information in helping to bring about urban school improvement. The paper is based on the experiences of the Documentation and Technical Assistance Project (DTA) of the Center for New Schools (Chicago, Illinois), a program that aims to increase…

Improving Special Education in the Boston Public Schools: Report of the Strategic Support Team of the Council of the Great City Schools, Spring 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of the Great City Schools, 2009

2009-01-01

This report presents the Council of the Great City Schools' findings and recommendations for improving the general education intervention and special education services of the Boston Public Schools. The report places special emphasis how the instructional program serves students with disabilities districtwide. The process that the Council used to…

Putting Children's Sleep Problems to Bed: Using Behavior Change Theory to Increase the Success of Children's Sleep Education Programs and Contribute to Healthy Development.

PubMed

Blunden, Sarah; Benveniste, Tessa; Thompson, Kirrilly

2016-07-01

Sleep is critical for the healthy development of children, yet most children simply don't get enough. Whilst school based sleep education programs have been developed for parents and their children, they have had mixed success. We consider how use of behavior change theory in existing school-based sleep education programs can be improved by applying and apply a broader model to these programs. We find that the mixed success of school-based sleep education programs may be due to a plausible but misleading assumption that simply increasing information about the importance of sleep and the risks of insufficient and/or inefficient sleep will necessarily result in improved sleep behaviors. We identify the potential benefits of using behavior change theory in the development of sleep education programs but in particular, there is a need for theories incorporate the multiple biological, environmental and social impacts on children's sleep. Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological model is presented to illustrate how one such behavior change theory could significantly improve the success of sleep education programs and ultimately support the healthy development of children.

Narrative Review of Culinary Interventions with Children in Schools to Promote Healthy Eating: Directions for Future Research and Practice

PubMed Central

Muzaffar, Henna; Metcalfe, Jessica J; Fiese, Barbara

2018-01-01

Abstract Policymakers, scientists, and food and nutrition practitioners suggest that there is a societal decline in culinary skills, which is predictive of poor dietary habits contributing to childhood obesity. A narrative review was conducted to critically evaluate culinary skill interventions for children ages 5–12 y in schools to identify specific programs and programmatic factors associated with improvement in the quality of diet, body mass index (BMI), and positive changes in psychosocial variables. The culinary interventions were implemented in urban and rural areas in the United States, Australia, and England. PubMed and Medline, the Cochrane database, and a hand-search of publications identified 131 articles; 6 articles were selected for further examination on the basis of the inclusion criteria. Study designs included 1 randomized controlled trial and 5 quasi-experimental studies. Three interventions were grounded in behavioral theory, of which 2 incorporated the Social Cognitive Theory framework. The target population and setting included children and early adolescents in schools. The study methodology primarily included cooking classes combined with nutrition education lessons, parent and community components, gardening classes, tasting sessions, school lunchroom components, trips to a farmers market, or visits to a restaurant. Qualitative evaluations of the programs indicated positive findings in terms of program appeal and improvement in cooking skills and healthy eating. Quantitative analysis indicated improvement in food preferences, cooking skills, cooking self-efficacy, cooking behavioral intentions, food-preparation frequency, knowledge, healthy dietary intake, BMI, and blood pressure. The findings from this review support a positive relation between culinary interventions with children in schools and improvement in cooking skills, consumption of a healthy diet, and positive changes in anthropometric assessments. This review also suggests that integration with the academic curriculum and school lunch program may be potential avenues to explore for improving the longevity and success of the cooking programs. Further research should emphasize rigorous methodologic standards, develop theory-based standardized frameworks, and evaluate long-term effects of culinary interventions.

The short-term impacts of a schooling conditional cash transfer program on the sexual behavior of young women.

PubMed

Baird, Sarah; Chirwa, Ephraim; McIntosh, Craig; Ozler, Berk

2010-09-01

Recent evidence suggests that conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs for schooling are effective in raising school enrollment and attendance. However, there is also reason to believe that such programs can affect other outcomes, such as the sexual behavior of their young beneficiaries. Zomba Cash Transfer Program is a randomized ongoing CCT intervention targeting young women in Malawi that provides incentives (in the form of school fees and cash transfers) to current schoolgirls and recent dropouts to stay in or return to school. An average offer of US$10/month conditional on satisfactory school attendance - plus direct payment of secondary school fees - led to significant declines in early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and self-reported sexual activity among program beneficiaries after just one year of program implementation. For program beneficiaries who were out of school at baseline, the probability of getting married and becoming pregnant declined by more than 40 and 30%, respectively. In addition, the incidence of the onset of sexual activity was 38% lower among all program beneficiaries than the control group. Overall, these results suggest that CCT programs not only serve as useful tools for improving school attendance but may also reduce sexual activity, teen pregnancy, and early marriage. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Physical Activity Intensity, Lesson Context, and Teacher Interactions During an Unstructured Afterschool Physical Activity Program.

PubMed

Behrens, Timothy K; Miller, Daniel J; Schuna, John M; Liebert, Mina L

2015-12-01

Afterschool programs are promising arenas to improve youth physical activity (PA) levels. During the school year for 2012-2013, 5 elementary schools from a low-socioeconomic status (SES) school district in southern Colorado participated in evaluation of the afterschool program entitled Keep It Moving! (KIM). In this cross-sectional analysis we sought to evaluate the relationships among participant PA, teacher interaction, and lesson context during an unstructured afterschool PA program. Participants were third-fifth grade students enrolled in the KIM program at the 5 participating elementary schools and were assessed utilizing accelerometers and direct observation with the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). Program participants wore the accelerometer 37.1 ± 5.4 min session(-1). Approximately half of the time was spent in light PA (LPA) and 15.7 ± 5.3 min session(-1) in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Game play was positively associated with LPA and negatively associated with MVPA. When teachers did not promote PA with students there was a positive association with sedentary activity (SA) and a negative association with MVPA. Lesson context and teacher interactions may be important factors associated with PA intensity of afterschool PA programming. Future research should address whether structured PA curricula may improve quality of afterschool PA programming. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Using social-emotional and character development to improve academic outcomes: a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial in low-income, urban schools

PubMed Central

Lewis, Kendra M.; DuBois, David L.; Acock, Alan; Vuchinich, Samuel; Silverthorn, Naida; Snyder, Frank J.; Day, Joseph; Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND School-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) programs can influence not only SECD, but also academic-related outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of one SECD program, Positive Action (PA), on educational outcomes among low-income, urban youth. METHODS The longitudinal study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design. Student-reported disaffection with learning and academic grades, and teacher ratings of academic ability and motivation were assessed for a cohort followed from grades 3 to 8. Aggregate school records were used to assess standardized test performance (for entire school, cohort, and demographic subgroups) and absenteeism (entire school). Multilevel growth-curve analyses tested program effects. RESULTS PA significantly improved growth in academic motivation and mitigated disaffection with learning. There was a positive impact of PA on absenteeism and marginally significant impact on math performance of all students. There were favorable program effects on reading for African American boys and cohort students transitioning between grades 7 and 8, and on math for girls and low-income students. CONCLUSIONS A school-based SECD program was found to influence academic outcomes among students living in low-income, urban communities. Future research should examine mechanisms by which changes in SECD influence changes in academic outcomes. PMID:24138347

A School-Based Quality Improvement Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rappaport, Lewis A.

1993-01-01

As one Brooklyn high school discovered, quality improvement begins with administrator commitment and participants' immersion in the literature. Other key elements include ongoing training of personnel involved in the quality-improvement process, tools such as the Deming Cycle (plan-do-check-act), voluntary and goal-oriented teamwork, and a worthy…

Colloquium on Large Scale Improvement: Implications for AISI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEwen, Nelly, Ed.

2008-01-01

The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) is a province-wide partnership program whose goal is to improve student learning and performance by fostering initiatives that reflect the unique needs and circumstances of each school authority. It is currently ending its third cycle and ninth year of implementation. "The Colloquium on…

"Cooking and Active Leisure" TAS Program, Spain: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Roura, Elena; Pareja, Sara Lucía; Milá, Raimon; Cinca, Núria

2014-09-01

The "Cooking and Active Leisure" Tu y Alícia por la Salud (CAL-TAS) Program is a school-based pilot that addresses healthy lifestyle needs of Spanish secondary school students with initiatives that research has proven to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors. The objectives were to perform a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis to describe key activities and processes of the CAL-TAS Program, identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs), and identify a suite of common indicators of healthy lifestyles to be applied across participant schools. The CAL-TAS Program designers and implementation team developed this PIP analysis through an iterative process and presented the results for feedback at the seven-country Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The team identified three PIP CCPs: teachers' motivation and training, changes in students' knowledge of healthy lifestyles, and changes in students' healthy lifestyle behavior. The selected indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles are adequacy of food intake, level of knowledge of healthy lifestyles gained, and adequacy of physical activity level according to World Health Organization recommendations. A clear definition of impact indicators, as well as collection of accurate data on healthy lifestyle behaviors and knowledge, is essential to understanding the effectiveness of this program before it can be scaled up. CAL-TAS is an effective secondary school-based program encouraging healthy lifestyles. The PIP analysis was instrumental in identifying CCPs to sustain and improve the quality of the program. The team hopes to sustain and improve the program through these program evaluation recommendations.

Body Mass Index and Sociodemographic Predictors of School Lunch Purchase Behavior during a Year-Long Environmental Intervention in Middle School.

PubMed

Greece, Jacey A; Kratze, Alyssa; DeJong, William; Cozier, Yvette C; Quatromoni, Paula A

2015-06-10

Modifying the school food environment is on the national agenda as one strategy to improve the nutritional quality of children's diets. Because few environmental-level interventions have been rigorously evaluated, the evidence base to inform programs and policies is limited. Of concern is the impact that changes to cafeteria offerings will have on participation in school meal programs. This study evaluates school lunch participation in the setting of a year-long middle school cafeteria intervention by examining the association between body mass index (BMI), sociodemographics, and the purchases of school lunch meals. IMOVE meals were healthier choices that met stringent nutritional criteria and were offered alongside standard lunch meals. Students who were overweight had a significantly higher purchase rate for both types of meals compared to those with a healthy BMI. Non-white race, younger age, being male, and low-income status were also significantly associated with participation in school lunch. Results indicate that nutritionally vulnerable students participate in school lunch and are equally likely to buy healthy alternatives or standard meals. This behavioral observation has important implications for school foodservice programs and policies. These results are timely given recent federal legislation to improve the school food environment to influence students' food choice behaviors.

Body Mass Index and Sociodemographic Predictors of School Lunch Purchase Behavior during a Year-Long Environmental Intervention in Middle School

PubMed Central

Greece, Jacey A.; Kratze, Alyssa; DeJong, William; Cozier, Yvette C.; Quatromoni, Paula A.

2015-01-01

Modifying the school food environment is on the national agenda as one strategy to improve the nutritional quality of children’s diets. Because few environmental-level interventions have been rigorously evaluated, the evidence base to inform programs and policies is limited. Of concern is the impact that changes to cafeteria offerings will have on participation in school meal programs. This study evaluates school lunch participation in the setting of a year-long middle school cafeteria intervention by examining the association between body mass index (BMI), sociodemographics, and the purchases of school lunch meals. IMOVE meals were healthier choices that met stringent nutritional criteria and were offered alongside standard lunch meals. Students who were overweight had a significantly higher purchase rate for both types of meals compared to those with a healthy BMI. Non-white race, younger age, being male, and low-income status were also significantly associated with participation in school lunch. Results indicate that nutritionally vulnerable students participate in school lunch and are equally likely to buy healthy alternatives or standard meals. This behavioral observation has important implications for school foodservice programs and policies. These results are timely given recent federal legislation to improve the school food environment to influence students’ food choice behaviors. PMID:26067683

Education for Better Living: The Role of the School in Community Improvement. 1957 Yearbook of Education around the World. Bulletin, 1956, No. 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education, US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1957

1957-01-01

The basic theme of this yearbook, "The Role of the Schools in the Improvement of Community Life," is open to a variety of interpretations. Many factors determine what role the schools will play in a particular country or area, and consequently, what part they may have in community improvement programs. Among the factors are the history…

Execution of Educational Mechanical Production Programs for School Children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Nobuhide; Itoh, Goroh; Shibata, Takayuki

The authors are conducting experience-based engineering educational programs for elementary and junior high school students with the aim to provide a chance for them to experience mechanical production. As part of this endeavor, we planned and conducted a program called “Fabrication of Original Magnet Plates by Casting” for elementary school students. This program included a course for leading nature laws and logical thinking method. Prior to the program, a preliminary program was applied to school teachers to get comments and to modify for the program accordingly. The children responded excellently to the production process which realizes their ideas, but it was found that the course on natural laws and logical methods need to be improved to draw their interest and attention. We will continue to plan more effective programs, deepening ties with the local community.

Advanced High School Biology in an Era of Rapid Change: A Summary of the Biology Panel Report from the NRC Committee on Programs for Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in American High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, William B.

2002-01-01

A recently released National Research Council (NRC) report, "Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools", evaluated and recommended changes in the Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and other advanced secondary school science programs. As part of this study,…

Farm-to-school programs: perspectives of school food service professionals.

PubMed

Izumi, Betty T; Alaimo, Katherine; Hamm, Michael W

2010-01-01

This qualitative study used a case study approach to explore the potential of farm-to-school programs to simultaneously improve children's diets and provide farmers with viable market opportunities. Semistructured interviews were the primary data collection strategy. Seven farm-to-school programs in the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. Seven school food service professionals, 7 farmers, and 4 food distributors recruited from 7 farm-to-school programs. Interviews probed why farmers, school food service professionals, and food distributors participate in farm-to-school programs and how they characterize the opportunities and challenges to local school food procurement. Data were analyzed using thematic coding and data displays. School food service professionals described 3 motivators for buying locally grown food for their cafeterias: (1) "The students like it," (2) "The price is right," and (3) "We're helping our local farmer." Students' preference for locally grown food was related to food quality, influence of school staff, and relationships with farmers. Buying food directly from farmers and wholesalers was associated with lower prices and flexible specifications, and the "local feel." Understanding school food service professionals' motivations for buying locally grown food is critical to the sustainability of farm-to-school programs. Copyright 2010 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Impact of a School-Based Helmet Promotion Program on Eligible Adolescent Drivers: Different Audiences, Different Needs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germeni, Evi; Lionis, Christos; Kalampoki, Vassiliki; Davou, Bettina; Belechri, Maria; Petridou, Eleni

2010-01-01

The school environment has been often identified as a prosperous venue for public health improvement. This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of a school-based helmet promotion program on knowledge, attitudes and practices of eligible adolescent drivers. Four public, four private and four vocational high schools…

The Private Sector Youth Connection. Volume 1: School to Work. A Planning Manual for Educators and Business People.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schilit, Henrietta; Lacey, Richard

This manual profiles 55 school-business cooperative programs being carried out in the United States for the purpose of improving access to employment for high school students, particularly minorities and the economically disadvantaged, before they graduate. Each of the manual's chapters is devoted to a particular type of cooperative program and…

Kindle the Spark: An Action Guide for Schools Committed to the Success of Every Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hergert, Leslie F.; And Others

Guidelines for transforming and improving the nation's public schools are presented in this book, with a focus on the regional laboratory's program for educational change. The program is organized around "designing schools for enhanced learning" and is based on three principles--a focus on learning, a systemic approach to change, and building a…

Extending the Learning Time for Disadvantaged Students: An Idea Book. Volume 1, Summary of Promising Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Policy Studies Associates, Inc., Washington, DC.

The Title I program, the federal government's largest elementary and secondary school program, has been redesigned in order to make improvements in the nation's poorest schools. This handbook comprises the first of two volumes that provide examples of schools and communities working together to provide children with more time to learn. The book…

Moving STEM beyond Schools: Students' Perceptions about an Out-of-School STEM Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baran, Evrim; Bilici, Sedef Canbazoglu; Mesutoglu, Canan; Ocak, Ceren

2016-01-01

Recent reports call for reformed education policies in Turkey in accordance with the need to develop students' knowledge and skills about STEM education and improving STEM workforce in the country. This research implemented an integrated out-of-school STEM education program for 6th grade students who come from disadvantaged areas in a large urban…

The Breathmobile[TM]: A Novel Comprehensive School-Based Mobile Asthma Care Clinic for Urban Underprivileged Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Otto; Morphew, Tricia; Amaro, Silvia; Galant, Stanley P.

2006-01-01

Urban minority children have higher rates of asthma morbidity due to multiple factors. Many school-based programs have been funded to improve asthma management, especially for these "high-risk" inner-city children with asthma. Here they report the outcomes of the Children's Hospital of Orange County Breathmobile program, which is a school-based…

Effects of "Safe School" Programs and Policies on the Social Climate for Sexual-Minority Youth: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Whitney W.; Fedewa, Alicia L.; Gonzalez, Kirsten A.

2012-01-01

Research indicates lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are a vulnerable population--a status that can be attributed to a hostile social climate at school. Intervention strategies, such as educational policies, programs, and a supportive environment, improve the social climate for LGBT students in secondary schools and…

A Big Apple for Educators: New York City's Experiment with Schoolwide Performance Bonuses. Final Evaluation Report. Monograph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Julie A.; Springer, Matthew G.; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Yuan, Kun; Epstein, Scott; Koppich, Julia; Kalra, Nidhi; DiMartino, Catherine; Peng, Art

2011-01-01

In the 2007-2008 school year, the New York City Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers jointly implemented the Schoolwide Performance Bonus Program in a random sample of the city's high-needs public schools. The program lasted for three school years, and its broad objective was to improve student performance through…

Minneapolis Human Relations Program: An Evaluation 1972-1973. No. C-72-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesset, Bonna; And Others

The first phase of the Minneapolis Public Schools' Desegregation/integration Plan involved a human relations oriented staff development program which focused on improving communication skills. The goal of the Human Relations Program for 1972-73 was to change the climate in the schools in preparation for desegregation and integration. The object of…

The Effects of the Elevate Math Summer Program on Math Achievement and Algebra Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snipes, Jason; Huang, Chun-Wei; Jaquet, Karina; Finkelstein, Neal

2016-01-01

To raise math success rates in middle school, many schools and districts have implemented summer math programs designed to improve student preparation for algebra content in grade 8. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these programs. While students who participate typically experience learning gains, there is little rigorous…

Preparing Students for Work in the 21st Century. Guidebook 7. Schools That Work: The Research Advantage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Columbia Univ., New York, NY. Inst. on Education and the Economy.

A series of eight videoconferences was designed to help educational professionals improve schools by applying knowledge gained from research. During the videoconference programs, which are transmitted by satellite to facilities with receiving capacity, viewers can interact by telephone with the program presenters. Each program covers a specific…

P.C.A.P. Project Profiles. Queensland Priority Country Area Program--Evaluation Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, C. F.; Peters, J. E.

Thirty-two projects designed to improve educational opportunities of rural Queensland children were funded as part of the Disadvantaged Schools Program in 1979 and 1980. This program resulted from a 1977-79 Schools Commission report which suggested that students in country areas may be disadvantaged compared to urban dwellers, with respect to…

Improving Student Preparation: Higher Education and the Schools Working Together.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornett, Lynn M.

Results of a survey of college-school activities related to student preparation for college are discussed, based on responses of more than 300 two-year and four-year institutions. General trends are reported, and brief descriptions of college programs are provided. Most of the programs are for talented students. Programs that are less common aim…

A High School Program in Human Ecology: Helping Everyone Live Productively. Student Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandywine School District, Claymont, DE.

The program's goal is to provide high school students an opportunity to become an active force in the advancement of the human condition and to develop positive attitudes to improve their effectiveness in dealing with their environment. The student handbook consists of eight chapters, including an introduction to the program in chapter I. Chapter…

Report of the Evaluation of the Race/Human Relations Program. Student and Staff Program and Long Range Goals. Baseline Year 1982-83. Evaluation Services Department Report No. 348.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomblin, Elizabeth A.; And Others

In response to a 1982 Superior Court order, a centrally developed, sequential program for improving race/human relations in the San Diego City Schools was developed and field tested or implemented during the 1982-83 school year. This systematic evaluation reports on the student program, "Conflict"; the staff program; and baseline data…

Measuring the Implementation Fidelity of the Response to Intervention Framework in Milwaukee Public Schools. REL 2017-192

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffini, Stephen J.; Miskell, Ryan; Lindsay, Jim; McInerney, Maurice; Waite, Winsome

2016-01-01

Many schools identified by states as needing improvement through their Elementary and Secondary Education Act waivers have selected Response to Intervention (RTI), a three-tiered instruction program sometimes referred to as tiered levels of instruction, as one of their main strategies for improving school performance and closing achievement gaps.…

9 Hard Things to Do in Order to Sustain School Reform. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005

2005-01-01

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement invited Ann Chafin to share her thoughts and ideas about sustaining school reform. Chafin, chief of Program Improvement and Family Support Branch of the Maryland State Department of Education, was a speaker at the annual Institute for CSR State Coordinators held May 9-10 in Washington,…

Exploring Lesson Study as an Improvement Strategy at a High-Stakes Accountability School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Alice Tae

2012-01-01

This study addressed the problem of chronic low student achievement in language arts at a Program Improvement 5+ school by implementing two cycles of facilitated lesson study. Using action research to facilitate and monitor change in instructional practices at a school that is currently undergoing a teacher-initiated turnaround reform effort, this…

Competing for School Improvement Dollars: State Grant-Making Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarin, Melissa

2012-01-01

In 2009 the Obama administration announced a focused commitment to turn around 5,000 of the United States' chronically lowest-performing public schools as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This commitment came with $3 billion in funding for the School Improvement Grant program, or SIG, along with new guidelines to ensure…

Teachers' professional development needs and current practices at the Alexander Science Center School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargus, Gerald Vincent

This investigation represents an in-depth understanding of teacher professional development at the Alexander Science Center School, a dependent charter museum school established through a partnership between the California Science Center and Los Angeles Unified School District. Three methods of data collection were used. A survey was distributed and collected from the school's teachers, resulting in a prioritized list of teacher professional development needs, as well as a summary of teachers' opinions about the school's existing professional development program. In addition, six key stakeholders in the school's professional development program were interviewed for the study. Finally, documents related to the school's professional development program were analyzed. Data collected from the interviews and documents were used to develop an understand various components of the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program. Teachers identified seven areas that had a high-priority for future professional development including developing skills far working with below-grade-level students, improving the analytical skills of student in mathematics, working with English Language Learners, improving students' overall reading ability levels, developing teachers' content-area knowledge for science, integrating science across the curriculum, and incorporating hands-on activity-based learning strategies to teach science. Professional development needs identified by Alexander Science Center School teachers were categorized based on their focus on content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, or curricular knowledge. Analysis of data collected through interviews and documents revealed that the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program consisted of six venues for providing professional development for teachers including weekly "banked time" sessions taking place within the standard school day, grade-level meetings, teacher support meetings, classroom coaching/Big Lab co-teaching, summer institutes, and off-campus conferences and seminars. Results indicated that the effectiveness of the six venues was closely tied to the level of collaborative planning that took place between the Alexander Science Center School and the associated California Science Center. Examination of teachers' and stakeholders opinions reflect that after a year-and-a-half of operations, the school's professional development program is perceived as disjointed and ineffective, but that the foundation of a sound program has been established.

Advanced Technological Education Program: 1995 Awards and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Directorate for Education and Human Resources.

The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program promotes exemplary improvement in advanced technological education at the national and regional level through support of curriculum development and program improvement at the undergraduate and secondary school levels, especially for technicians being educated for the high performance workplace of…