The Philadelphia School District's Ongoing Financial Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caskey, John; Kuperberg, Mark

2014-01-01

This article describes the budget crisis that the School District of Philadelphia has faced for the past few years. Three specific events triggered the 2012 crisis: an abrupt reduction in federal and state funding, the inability of the district to cut many of its costs, and political pressures on the district to spend available revenues in a given…

76 FR 18783 - United States et al.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... containers. Dean, Foremost, and other school milk suppliers often use distributors to supply and service school districts. Dairy processors generally use one distributor per service area. While school milk... capability to deliver to all of the schools in the district. Many require early morning or other specific...

Motivators of Classroom Technology Use and Types of Technology Being Used in Public Elementary Schools in an Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heffernan, Ruth M.

2012-01-01

Although the public school district under study values technology, the district did not have a measurement tool specifically designed to determine motivators of teacher usage of technology and what technology is being used. Such a tool could be used to make informed decisions about technology purchases and professional development opportunities.…

County Variation in Children's and Adolescent's Health Status and School District Performance in California

PubMed Central

Jung, Sunyoung

2008-01-01

Objectives. We examined the association between county-level estimates of children's health status and school district performance in California. Methods. We used 3 data sources: the California Health Interview Survey, district archives from the California Department of Education, and census-based estimates of county demographic characteristics. We used logistic regression to estimate whether a school district's failure to meet adequate yearly progress goals in 2004 to 2005 was a function of child and adolescent's health status. Models included district- and county-level fixed effects and were adjusted for the clustering of districts within counties. Results. County-level changes in children's and adolescent's health status decreased the likelihood that a school district would fail to meet adequate yearly progress goals during the investigation period. Health status did not moderate the relatively poor performance of predominantly minority districts. Conclusions. We found empirical support that area variation in children's and adolescent's health status exerts a contextual effect on school district performance. Future research should explore the specific mechanisms through which area-level child health influences school and district achievement. PMID:18309137

Health Services: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brener, Nancy D.; Wheeler, Lani; Wolfe, Linda C.; Vernon-Smiley, Mary; Caldart-Olson, Linda

2007-01-01

Background: The specific health services provided to students at school and the model for delivering these services vary across districts and schools. This article describes the characteristics of school health services in the United States, including state- and district-level policies and school practices. Methods: The Centers for Disease Control…

Elementary School Teachers' Reasons for Staying in Their Current Schools: A Comparison Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adrianzen, Luzmila B.

2012-01-01

This study examines elementary school teachers' reasons for staying in their current schools, specifically, comparing two schools, one from a low-income district and one from a high-income district. The researcher assesses similarities and differences among teacher's perceptions of these factors in these two schools. The researcher…

Within-District Resource Allocation and the Marginal Costs of Providing Equal Educational Opportunity: Evidence from Texas and Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.

2009-01-01

This study explores within-district fiscal resource allocation across elementary schools in Texas and Ohio large city school districts and in their surrounding metropolitan areas. Specifically, I ask whether districts widely reported as achieving greater resource equity through adoption of Weighted Student Funding (WSF) have in fact done so. I…

The Development and Evaluation of a New Student Orientation Program for a Growing School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

In 2009, district data revealed that new students at Appoquinimink School District (ASD) were struggling academically and socially. Several specific steps were taken to improve the outcomes of these new students. First, an in-depth review of the relevant data regarding new students in the district was conducted. A white paper on relevant research…

Educational Specifications, New Caney Independent School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston Univ., TX. Bureau of Educational Research and Services.

A year-long study of the communities encompassed by the New Caney Independent School District in Montgomery County, Texas, was conducted by the College of Education at the University of Houston. Educational facilities and program were surveyed. Planning data included--description of district, land usage, pupil residence, population density and…

The Plains City Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Olphen, Marcela; Rios, Francisco; Berube, William; Dexter, Robin; McCarthy, Robert

2006-01-01

This case study portrays a contemporary phenomenon that affects many U.S. school districts. Specifically, the authors address the challenges that the superintendent of the Plains City school district faced as a result of a change in the demographic distribution of his district. The gradual development of the pig farming industry in Plains City…

The use of biodiesel in a school transportation system: the case of Medford Township, New Jersey.

PubMed

Biluck, Joe

2007-09-01

A combination of high fuel prices, bus maintenance costs, and the health and safety of school children, along with a consideration of federal and state regulations, prompted Medford Township school district in southern New Jersey to explore the use of alternative fuels, specifically biodiesel. The school district owns and operates 62 school buses that transport 3500 children daily. The evolution of this switch from petroleum-based fuel to biodiesel is described. The district is the nation's longest continuous user of biodiesel in a school transportation system.

Lessons learned about collaborative evaluation using the Capacity for Applying Project Evaluation (CAPE) framework with school and district leaders.

PubMed

Corn, Jenifer O; Byrom, Elizabeth; Knestis, Kirk; Matzen, Nita; Thrift, Beth

2012-11-01

Schools, districts, and state-level educational organizations are experiencing a great shift in the way they do the business of education. This shift focuses on accountability, specifically through the expectation of the effective utilization of evaluative-focused efforts to guide and support decisions about educational program implementation. In as much, education leaders need specific guidance and training on how to plan, implement, and use evaluation to critically examine district and school-level initiatives. One specific effort intended to address this need is through the Capacity for Applying Project Evaluation (CAPE) framework. The CAPE framework is composed of three crucial components: a collection of evaluation resources; a professional development model; and a conceptual framework that guides the work to support evaluation planning and implementation in schools and districts. School and district teams serve as active participants in the professional development and ultimately as formative evaluators of their own school or district-level programs by working collaboratively with evaluation experts. The CAPE framework involves the school and district staff in planning and implementing their evaluation. They are the ones deciding what evaluation questions to ask, which instruments to use, what data to collect, and how and to whom results should be reported. Initially this work is done through careful scaffolding by evaluation experts, where supports are slowly pulled away as the educators gain experience and confidence in their knowledge and skills as evaluators. Since CAPE engages all stakeholders in all stages of the evaluation, the philosophical intentions of these efforts to build capacity for formative evaluation strictly aligns with the collaborative evaluation approach. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Operational Issues and Practices of School Nutrition Programs in Large School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nettles, Mary Frances; Carr, Deborah H.; Johnson, James T.; Federico, Holly A.

2008-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose was to explore issues associated with school nutrition (SN) programs in large school districts. Specific objectives were to identify operational issues and practices SN directors encounter and describe characteristics of SN directors and their programs. Methods: A panel of seven SN professionals from large school…

The use of point-of-sale machines in school cafeterias as a method of parental influence over child lunch food choices.

PubMed

Andrepont, Emmy; Cullen, Karen W; Taylor, Wendell C

2011-05-01

Computerized point-of-sale (POS) machine software that allows parents to place restrictions on their child's school meal accounts is available. Parents could restrict specific foods (eg, chips), identify specific days the child can purchase extra foods, or set monetary limits. This descriptive study examines the use of parental restrictions on student cafeteria POS accounts in a convenience sample of 2 school districts. POS alerts, with student gender, grade, ethnicity, and students' free or reduced-price meal eligibility, were obtained from 2 school food service departments for the 2007-2008 school year. The alerts were coded into 5 categories: financial, medical, restrictions, snacks OK, and extras OK. The distribution of alerts by district, students, and demographics was then tabulated. District A (4839 students) had more students with alerts (n = 789, 16%) than District B (8510 students; n = 217, 2.6%), and 94 District A students had a second alert. District A parents had to provide written permission for their child to purchase snacks (n = 654, 13.5%) and extra meal items (n = 113, 2.3%). Most alerts were for full-pay students in both districts (74% and 66%) and varied by demographics of the students. Few parents actually used this system to limit student purchases of foods outside the school meal. Future studies should investigate the influence of these restrictions on student food choices. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Asbestos: From Beginning to End.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullin, Richard C.; Cain, Gary K.

In conjunction with a bond proposal for energy related items, the North County Public Schools (Missouri) undertook the task of removing friable asbestos Missouri school district undertook the task of removing friable asbestos from schools. Specifications for asbestos abatement prepared by the district administrative office were reviewed by the…

Healthier Fundraising in U. S. Elementary Schools: Associations between Policies at the State, District, and School Levels

PubMed Central

Turner, Lindsey; Chriqui, Jamie F.; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2012-01-01

Objectives We examined whether state laws and district policies pertaining to nutritional restrictions on school fundraisers were associated with school policies as reported by administrators in a nationally-representative sample of United States public elementary schools. Methods We gathered data on school-level fundraising policies via a mail-back survey during the 2009–10 and 2010–11 school years. Surveys were received from 1,278 public elementary schools (response rate = 60.9%). Data were also gathered on corresponding school district policies and state laws. After removing cases with missing data, the sample size for analysis was 1,215 schools. Results After controlling for school characteristics, school policies were consistently associated with state laws and district policies, both those pertaining to fundraising generally, as well as specific restrictions on the sale of candy and soda in fundraisers (all Odds Ratios >2.0 and Ps<.05). However, even where district policies and state laws required fundraising restrictions, school policies were not uniformly present; school policies were also in place at only 55.8% of these schools, but were more common at schools in the West (77.1%) and at majority-Latino schools (71.4%), indicating uneven school-level implementation of district policy and state law. Conclusions District policies and state laws were associated with a higher prevalence of elementary school-level fundraising policies, but many schools that were subject to district policies and state laws did not have school-level restrictions in place, suggesting the need for further attention to factors hindering policy implementation in schools. PMID:23166788

Healthier fundraising in U. S. elementary schools: associations between policies at the state, district, and school levels.

PubMed

Turner, Lindsey; Chriqui, Jamie F; Chaloupka, Frank J

2012-01-01

We examined whether state laws and district policies pertaining to nutritional restrictions on school fundraisers were associated with school policies as reported by administrators in a nationally-representative sample of United States public elementary schools. We gathered data on school-level fundraising policies via a mail-back survey during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years. Surveys were received from 1,278 public elementary schools (response rate = 60.9%). Data were also gathered on corresponding school district policies and state laws. After removing cases with missing data, the sample size for analysis was 1,215 schools. After controlling for school characteristics, school policies were consistently associated with state laws and district policies, both those pertaining to fundraising generally, as well as specific restrictions on the sale of candy and soda in fundraisers (all Odds Ratios >2.0 and Ps<.05). However, even where district policies and state laws required fundraising restrictions, school policies were not uniformly present; school policies were also in place at only 55.8% of these schools, but were more common at schools in the West (77.1%) and at majority-Latino schools (71.4%), indicating uneven school-level implementation of district policy and state law. District policies and state laws were associated with a higher prevalence of elementary school-level fundraising policies, but many schools that were subject to district policies and state laws did not have school-level restrictions in place, suggesting the need for further attention to factors hindering policy implementation in schools.

School Catchment Area Evasion: The Case of Berlin, Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noreisch, Kathleen

2007-01-01

This paper seeks to examine the ways in which school segregation plays out in a pure catchment area system and to what extent residential composition is directly mirrored in schools. The research examines the data for the districts in Berlin and, more specifically at the school level, for the district of Tempelhof-Schoneberg. The research is based…

Academic ROI: What Does the Most Good?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levenson, Nathan

2012-01-01

The author, who has served as a school board member and district superintendent, advocates that school districts use an academic return on investment approach to evaluate and make decisions about spending, specifically in special education. This approach requires that schools formally evaluate all programs, efforts, and strategies by multiple…

A Descriptive Analysis of Louisiana Public School Districts' Anti-Bullying Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, Brandy Elise Robinson

2013-01-01

The researcher proposed to determine the expansiveness of Louisiana's public school districts' anti-bullying policies. Specifically, student codes of conduct and board polices were analyzed to determine the extent to which schools define, outline reporting procedures, keep written records of, investigate, and render disciplinary sanctions against…

How They Decide: A Case Study Examining the Decision Making Process for Keeping or Cutting Music Education in a K-12 Public School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Marci L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine and understand the decision making process for keeping or cutting music programs in one selected public school district. Berkley School District, in the Detroit suburb of Berkley, Michigan, has not made extreme cuts to the music program in over ten years, nor have they specifically targeted their music…

How They Decide: A Case Study Examining the Decision-Making Process for Keeping or Cutting Music in a K-12 Public School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Marci L.

2013-01-01

This study was designed to examine the decision-making process for keeping or cutting the music program in one selected public school district. Lekbery School District, in the Detroit suburb of Lekbery, Michigan, had not made extreme cuts to the music program in over 10 years, nor had it specifically targeted the music program when budgets cuts…

Organizing English Learner Instruction in New Immigrant Destinations: District Infrastructure and Subject-Specific School Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Megan; Lowenhaupt, Rebecca; Sweet, Tracy M.

2015-01-01

In the context of shifting demographics and standards-based reform, school districts in new immigrant destinations are charged with designing infrastructures that support teaching and learning for English learners (ELs) in core academic subjects. This article uses qualitative data and social network analysis to examine how one district in the…

Association and Diffusion of Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies on the State and District Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taber, Daniel R.; Chriqui, Jamie F.; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2012-01-01

Background: School district wellness policies designed to reduce obesity and promote student health and well-being often lack specific requirements or any mandate that schools comply with the policy. Researchers, educators, and policymakers have called for states to take an active role in shaping district policies. The objective of this study was…

The Decision-Making Process Used by Central Office Administrators as They Implement Full Day Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palte, Suzanne C.

2014-01-01

The State of Michigan, as of 2012-2013, requires school districts to enroll students in full day kindergarten to receive full funding. This study investigated the decision-making process that was used by public school districts to determine kindergarten programs in their district. Specifically, how did administrators and staff members use the…

Dissemination of School Finance Services in Urban School Districts. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goertz, Margaret E.

The project described in this paper was designed to test specific ways of improving the dissemination of school finance information in two big city school districts (St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri), in order to enable them to compete more effectively for State aid. Part I presents the political and fiscal environment in which Kansas City and…

Squashing the Millennium Bug: A Year 2000 Compliance Guide for Elementary/Secondary Schools and School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Root, Mark; Carlson, Robert; Dexter, David; Karinch, Samantha; Kaplan, Heather

This guide was developed to assist the nation's elementary and secondary schools and school districts address their Year 2000 (Y2K) problem. The guide is divided into three sections: Squashing the Millennium Bug Step-by-Step; Remediating Specific Types of Systems; and Appendix. The first chapter presents the following steps for tackling the Year…

A Research Study on Special College Counseling for Non-White and Disadvantaged Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Sodonia M.

The first follow-up study of the Special College Counseling Program had four objectives: (1) to show specifically what has happened to graduates in three high schools in the district in one year; (2) to show specifically what has happened to graduates in all high schools in the district in one year; (3) to evaluate counseling effectiveness by…

Assessing American Indian Needs in New Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Laurence; And Others

This paper focuses on New Mexico's high-risk Indian children and programs. Specifically, Western New Mexico University has been involved with the Gallup/McKinley public school district, the largest school district (5,000 square miles) in the United States (larger than New Jersey) with a school population that is 73% Indian. This paper examines…

In Health-Related Tasks, Where Does the School Nurse Function?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, Beryl; And Others

1973-01-01

The study provided a composite picture of health-related tasks performed in one school district. Nurses were able to evaluate their current practices and recommend specific improvements in nursing actions. Other school districts seeking a profile of their involvement in health-related tasks may request copies of the questionnaire or the entire…

Building Bridges between Knowledge and Practice: A University-School District Leadership Preparation Program Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanzo, Karen L.; Myran, Steve; Clayton, Jennifer K.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a Year 1 account of a partnership between a university and rural school district focusing specifically on how the project has helped to bridge the theory to practice divide and strengthen university-district ties. Design/methodology/approach: A design-based research paradigm was utilized to…

Elementary Foreign Language Program in the Grand Blanc Community Schools, 1993-1994 (K-3): A Practical Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemke, Laura A.

The guide is designed as a resource to help elementary school administrators and teachers in the Grand Blanc (Michigan) Community School district understand the rationale for beginning an elementary foreign language program, program types, and specifics of the district's model and philosophy. Chapters address the following topics: the rationale…

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…

Developing Employee Assistance Programs: New Roles for School Psychologists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allie, Stephen M.

In the spring of 1988 an independent school district in Texas formed a 30-member strategic planning team which gathered data on factors impacting the school district at that time and into the foreseeable future. Planning was facilitated by the appointment of 15 action teams formed to write specific plans to fulfill various targets and strategies.…

Reference Values of Within-District Intraclass Correlations of Academic Achievement by District Characteristics: Results from a Meta-Analysis of District-Specific Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, E. C.; Hedges, Larry V.

2014-01-01

Randomized experiments are often considered the strongest designs to study the impact of educational interventions. Perhaps the most prevalent class of designs used in large scale education experiments is the cluster randomized design in which entire schools are assigned to treatments. In cluster randomized trials (CRTs) that assign schools to…

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2013-14 (Fiscal Year 2014). First Look. NCES 2016-303

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornman, Stephen Q.

2017-01-01

This First Look report presents data on public elementary and secondary education revenues and expenditures at the local education agency (LEA) or school district level for fiscal year (FY) 2014.1 Specifically, this report includes findings from the following types of school finance data: (1) Revenue and expenditure totals by state and the 100…

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2012-13 (Fiscal Year 2013). First Look. NCES 2015-303

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornman, Stephen Q.

2016-01-01

This First Look report presents data on public elementary and secondary education revenues and expenditures at the local education agency (LEA) or school district level for fiscal year (FY) 2013. Specifically, this report includes findings from the following types of school finance data: (1) revenue and expenditure totals by state and the 100…

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2011-12 (Fiscal Year 2012). First Look. NCES 2014-303

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornman, Stephen Q.

2015-01-01

This First Look report presents data on public elementary and secondary education revenues and expenditures at the local education agency (LEA) or school district level for fiscal year (FY) 2012.1. Specifically, this report includes findings from the following types of school finance data: (1) Revenue and expenditure totals by state and the 100…

Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2012

2012-01-01

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's Year 1 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation to date. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) manages the District of Columbia…

Inclusion in Middle Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salter, Derrick; Ashley, Mandi; Hayes, Brandalyn

2013-01-01

The overall purpose of this study was to provide school districts within Tennessee with more research about how weekly hours of inclusion impact student achievement. Specifically, researchers examined which models of inclusion were in use in two school districts in Tennessee, administrators' and teachers' perceptions of inclusion, and whether or…

Mix Master

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters, John K.

2008-01-01

Data integration is one of the single most challenging tasks any district can face. Fortunately for school districts throughout the country with data scattered in disparate systems, an open specification known as the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) is mitigating that challenge. SIF has emerged as a cornerstone of K-12 data warehousing,…

The Development of a Subdivision Within the Parkway School District. Environmental Ecological Education Project. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkway School District, Chesterfield, MO.

This unit, designed for use with junior high school students, focuses on the factors involved in subdivision design and planning. Although it is specifically constructed for use in the Parkway School District, Chesterfield, Missouri, it could be adapted for use in any suburban area where subdivisions (multiple and/or single family units) exist. It…

Have You Smelled the Elephant's Foot?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudoin, Bonnie

2014-01-01

A museum belonging to a school district demonstrates how teachers integrate museum resources into classroom curricula. A former teacher reflects on her experience with the Karshner Memorial Museum in the Puyallup School District (WA), and explains how the museum's exhibitions and artifacts are curriculum resources, specifically tied to grade level…

Granite School District's Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program in Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Judy

This paper discusses the development of the Utah Model for Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance, and specifically, its application in the Granite School Districts Guidance Program. This model adopted the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) competencies as its desired program content, which focuses on student outcomes.…

Copernicus Project: Learning with Laptops: Year 1 Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouts, Jeffrey T.; Stuen, Carol

The Copernicus Project is a multi-district effort designed to incorporate technology, specifically the laptop computer, into the instructional and learning process of the public schools. Participants included six school districts in Washington state, the Toshiba and Microsoft Corporations, and parents. The project called for a 1 to 1…

Internal vs External Promotion: Advancement of Teachers to Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckman, David Garland; Johnson, Arvin D.; Alexander, Donna L.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine selection practices of school districts by capturing the promotion of teachers to assistant principal positions to determine if: there is a relationship between employability and assistant principal promotion (within-school, within-district, and external); and if the state-specific educational…

Levels of Trust in Districts with Exemplary Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

Students from schools with greater levels of trust have higher levels of academic achievement. This study specifically examined the levels of trust that teachers have in each other, their principals, their students, and their students' families. Teachers from four school districts in which the superintendent won the state superintendent of the…

Educational Specifications: Linking Design of School Facilities to Educational Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Div. of School Facilities Planning.

The California Department of Education, directed to formalize regulations governing standards for new school design and construction, has prepared a guide to help school districts develop specifications based on the architectural principle that form follows function. This guide discusses the meaning of educational specifications and their…

School district wellness policy quality and weight-related outcomes among high school students in Minnesota

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Pamela K.; Davey, Cynthia S.; Larson, Nicole; Grannon, Katherine Y.; Hanson, Carlie; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2016-01-01

Weight-related outcomes were examined among high school students in Minnesota public school districts according to the quality of district wellness policies. Wellness policy strength and comprehensiveness were scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for 325 Minnesota public school districts in 2013. The associations between WellSAT scores and district-level means of high school student responses to a statewide survey of health behaviors were examined in this ecologic study. WellSAT Total Strength and Total Comprehensiveness scores were positively associated with both student mean Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile (Strength: P = 0.018, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.031) and mean percent overweight or obese (Strength: P = 0.008, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.026), but only in districts with >50% of students eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunches (FRPLs), or ‘high FRPL districts’. WellSAT Physical Education and Physical Activity subscale scores were also positively associated with the mean days per week students engaged in physical activity for ≥ 60 min in high FRPL districts (Strength: P = 0.008, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.003) and in low FRPL districts (<35% eligible) for Strength score: (P = 0.027). In medium FRPL districts (35–50% eligible), Nutrition Education and Wellness Promotion Strength and Comprehensiveness subscale scores were positively associated with, respectively, daily servings of vegetables (P = 0.037) and fruit (P = 0.027); and WellSAT Total scores were positively associated with daily vegetable servings (Strength: P = 0.037, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.012). Administrators of economically disadvantaged school districts with a higher percentage of overweight students may be recognizing the need for stronger wellness policies and the specific importance of implementing policies pertaining to physical activity as a means to improve student health. PMID:26850060

Tempering the Normative Demands of Professional Learning Communities with the Organizational Realities of Life in Schools: Exploring the Cognitive Dilemmas Faced by Educational Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruse, Sharon D.; Johnson, Bob L.

2017-01-01

This work explores how mindful leadership practice can inform school and district leadership specifically as it occurs in professional learning communities (PLC). When school and district leaders create PLC cultures that encourage rich thinking and intentional practice, individual and organizational mindfulness is present. As leaders work to craft…

The successful implementation of STEM initiatives in lower income schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakshi, Leena

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership strategies utilized by superintendents, district administrators and school principals and the impact of these identified strategies on implementing STEM initiatives specifically for lower-income students. This study set out to determine (a) What role does district leadership play in the implementation of STEM initiatives in lower income secondary schools; (b) What internal systems of accountability exist in successful lower income secondary schools' STEM programs; (c) What leadership strategies are used to implement STEM curriculum initiatives; (d) How do school and district leadership support staff in order to achieve student engagement in STEM Initiative curriculum. This study used a mixed-methods approach to determine the impact of leadership strategies utilized by superintendents, district administrators and school principals on implementing STEM initiatives. Quantitative data analyzed survey questionnaires to determine the degree of correlation between the school districts that have demonstrated the successful implementation of STEM initiatives at the school and district levels. Qualitative data was collected using highly structured participant interviews and purposeful sampling of four district superintendents, one district-level administrator and five school leaders to capture the key strategies in implementing STEM initiatives in lower income secondary schools. Through the process of triangulation, the results of the study revealed that superintendents and principals should consider the characteristics of effective STEM initiatives that have shown a considerable degree of correlation with positive outcomes for lower income students. These included the leadership strategies of personnel's making decisions about the district's and school's instructional direction and an emphasis on the conceptual development of scientific principles using the Next Generation Science Standards coupled with the Common Core State Standards across the grade levels. It also emphasized the importance of establishing community partnerships as a primary resource. This study highlighted the criteria district and school leadership should include in implementing STEM initiatives and designing professional development models that result in meaningful instructional practices of STEM curriculum for secondary lower income students. Overall, this study provides insight for superintendents, district leaders and school administrators that can play an integral role in implementing STEM initiatives with access for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project: Financing Options for Solar Installations on K-12 Schools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coughlin, J.; Kandt, A.

This report focuses on financial options developed specifically for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in three California public school districts. Solar energy systems installed on public schools have a number of benefits that include utility bill savings, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and other toxic air contaminants, job creation, demonstrating environmental leadership, and creating learning opportunities for students. In the 2011 economic environment, the ability to generate general-fund savings as a result of reducing utility bills has become a primary motivator for school districts trying to cut costs. To achieve meaningful savings, the size of the photovoltaic (PV)more » systems installed (both individually on any one school and collectively across a district) becomes much more important; larger systems are required to have a material impact on savings. Larger PV systems require a significant financial commitment and financing therefore becomes a critical element in the transaction. In simple terms, school districts can use two primary types of ownership models to obtain solar installations and cost savings across a school district. The PV installations can be financed and owned directly by the districts themselves. Alternatively, there are financing structures whereby another entity, such as a solar developer or its investors, actually own and operate the PV systems on behalf of the school district. This is commonly referred to as the 'third-party ownership model.' Both methods have advantages and disadvantages that should be weighed carefully.« less

Career Oriented Curriculum of the D.C. School System. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Governmental Efficiency and the District of Columbia of the Committee on Governmental Affairs. United States Senate, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs.

The subject of this hearing was the partnership between the District of Columbia's public schools and several private companies. This partnership resulted in the establishment of a school curriculum giving high school students exposure to specific career training and also orientation to the workplace. The training was in the fields of…

School Districts of South Carolina: Organization and Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuckey, Dale C.; Haines, Preston B.

This publication is an update and expansion of earlier studies on the legal organization and administration of school districts in South Carolina. The treatment of this topic progresses from the general to the specific and includes detailed data about the geographical, organizational, financial, and legal aspects of the topic. The report attempts…

University/School District Collaboration Changes a Kindergarten Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer-Vida, Louisa; Levitt, Roberta; Kelly, Susan P.

2012-01-01

On their way to a state English board meeting, Susan Kelly, a curriculum director, and Louisa Kramer-Vida, a university professor, used their travel time as an opportunity to converse about pedagogy (McAdamis 2010). Specifically, they reflected about enhancing K-12 writing in a suburban, middle class school district. "We need to introduce a…

An Investigation of District Leaders' Perceptions of Forces That Complicate Efforts to Succeed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, George J.; Kelly, Victoria L.; Reimer, Catherine N.; Mosunich, Daniel; Thompson, Debra

2009-01-01

This study explored the perspectives of 350 California superintendents from various-sized school districts in relation to their ability to support student learning while addressing the numerous and complex personnel, social, and economic challenges faced by schools. Specifically, this study investigated the attitudes and opinions of district…

Teachers' Use of Student Data Systems to Improve Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Means, Barbara; Gallagher, Lawrence; Padilla, Christine

2007-01-01

Using data from national surveys of teachers and school districts, this brief provides the first national estimates of the prevalence of K-12 teachers' access to and use of electronic student data management systems. Specifically, the brief seeks to determine how broadly student data systems are being implemented in districts and schools; the…

Inconvenient Truth? Do Collective Bargaining Agreements Help Explain the Mobility of Teachers within School Districts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Lavery, Lesley; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We utilize detailed teacher-level longitudinal data from Washington State to investigate patterns of teacher mobility in districts with different collective bargaining agreement (CBA) transfer provisions. Specifically, we estimate the log odds that teachers of varying experience and effectiveness levels transfer out of their schools to other…

Examining statewide capacity for school health and mental health promotion: a post hoc application of a district capacity-building framework.

PubMed

Maras, Melissa A; Weston, Karen J; Blacksmith, Jennifer; Brophy, Chelsey

2015-03-01

Schools must possess a variety of capacities to effectively support comprehensive and coordinated school health promotion activities, and researchers have developed a district-level capacity-building framework specific to school health promotion. State-level school health coalitions often support such capacity-building efforts and should embed this work within a data-based, decision-making model. However, there is a lack of guidance for state school health coalitions on how they should collect and use data. This article uses a district-level capacity-building framework to interpret findings from a statewide coordinated school health needs/resource assessment in order to examine statewide capacity for school health promotion. Participants included school personnel (N = 643) from one state. Descriptive statistics were calculated for survey items, with further examination of subgroup differences among school administrators and nurses. Results were then interpreted via a post hoc application of a district-level capacity-building framework. Findings across districts revealed statewide strengths and gaps with regard to leadership and management capacities, internal and external supports, and an indicator of global capacity. Findings support the utility of using a common framework across local and state levels to align efforts and embed capacity-building activities within a data-driven, continuous improvement model. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Gendered Distances: A Methodological Inquiry into Spatial Analysis as an Instrument for Assessing Gender Equality in Access to Secondary Schools in Mukono District, Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wawro, Patrick R.

2010-01-01

This study focused on how accessibility to secondary schools in the Mukono District of Uganda is related to the sex and gender of the student and the distance that separates the student's home from the school they attend. This research is a methodological inquiry exploring the use of spatial analysis, specifically how cognitive and metric…

School district wellness policy quality and weight-related outcomes among high school students in Minnesota.

PubMed

Hoffman, Pamela K; Davey, Cynthia S; Larson, Nicole; Grannon, Katherine Y; Hanson, Carlie; Nanney, Marilyn S

2016-04-01

Weight-related outcomes were examined among high school students in Minnesota public school districts according to the quality of district wellness policies. Wellness policy strength and comprehensiveness were scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for 325 Minnesota public school districts in 2013. The associations between WellSAT scores and district-level means of high school student responses to a statewide survey of health behaviors were examined in this ecologic study. WellSAT Total Strength and Total Comprehensiveness scores were positively associated with both student mean Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile (Strength: P = 0.018, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.031) and mean percent overweight or obese (Strength: P = 0.008, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.026), but only in districts with > 50% of students eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunches (FRPLs), or 'high FRPL districts'. WellSAT Physical Education and Physical Activity subscale scores were also positively associated with the mean days per week students engaged in physical activity for ≥ 60 min in high FRPL districts (Strength: P = 0.008, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.003) and in low FRPL districts (< 35% eligible) for Strength score: (P = 0.027). In medium FRPL districts (35-50% eligible), Nutrition Education and Wellness Promotion Strength and Comprehensiveness subscale scores were positively associated with, respectively, daily servings of vegetables (P = 0.037) and fruit (P = 0.027); and WellSAT Total scores were positively associated with daily vegetable servings (Strength: P = 0.037, Comprehensiveness: P = 0.012). Administrators of economically disadvantaged school districts with a higher percentage of overweight students may be recognizing the need for stronger wellness policies and the specific importance of implementing policies pertaining to physical activity as a means to improve student health. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Universalist and Differentialist Approaches to Instruction for High-School-Age Immigrants: Tensions in Practice and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stritikus, Tom; Nguyen, Diem

2010-01-01

Drawing on data from a 3-year qualitative study on the transition of immigrant youth, we seek to understand the connections among district programming and policy, teacher perspectives, and the ways in which students experience initial schooling. Specifically, this article examines the following research questions: How does district leadership…

Response to Intervention: A Study of Practices, Beliefs, and Procedural Changes in One School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Miriam

2009-01-01

The rising numbers of special education referrals have resulted in national debate and subsequent new legislation regarding the methods school districts have traditionally used to identify specific learning disabilities. The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) now allows the use of a student's response…

Characteristics of English Language Learners in the School District of Philadelphia. PERC Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Joshua; Hughes, Rosemary; Long, Daniel; Kim, Dae

2016-01-01

As a group, English Language Learners (ELLs) are diverse and come from a variety of home languages, cultures, educational backgrounds, and educational needs. This brief focuses on descriptive characteristics of the ELL students served by the School District of Philadelphia in 2014-2015. Specifically, this brief highlights the diversity of the ELL…

Effects of State Policies on Facilities Planning and Construction in Rural Districts. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Barbara Kent

State policies greatly affect the decisions rural districts make about building or renovating school facilities. State, federal, and local mechanisms for funding school facilities are briefly described. Some states require a specific percentage of growth or decline in student population or a minimum number of students as a prerequisite for…

Lessons Learned about Collaborative Evaluation Using the Capacity for Applying Project Evaluation (CAPE) Framework with School and District Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corn, Jenifer O.; Byrom, Elizabeth; Knestis, Kirk; Matzen, Nita; Thrift, Beth

2012-01-01

Schools, districts, and state-level educational organizations are experiencing a great shift in the way they do the business of education. This shift focuses on accountability, specifically through the expectation of the effective utilization of evaluative-focused efforts to guide and support decisions about educational program implementation. In…

Homegrown Rural School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Dorian Dawn

2017-01-01

Background: Research on rural educational leadership is often overlooked in educational research, specifically within the context of homegrown leaders, or leaders who have been lifelong residents in the districts where they were students, teachers, and now lead as principal. Rural districts face many challenges that differ from urban districts.…

Defining the Undefinable: Operationalization of Methods to Identify Specific Learning Disabilities among Practicing School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cottrell, Joseph M.; Barrett, Courtenay A.

2016-01-01

Accurate and consistent identification of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) is crucial; however, state and district guidelines regarding identification methods lack operationalization and are inconsistent throughout the United States. In the current study, the authors surveyed 471 school psychologists about "school" SLD…

The Role of School District Science Coordinators in the District-Wide Appropriation of an Online Resource Discovery and Sharing Tool for Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Victor R.; Leary, Heather M.; Sellers, Linda; Recker, Mimi

2014-06-01

When introducing and implementing a new technology for science teachers within a school district, we must consider not only the end users but also the roles and influence district personnel have on the eventual appropriation of that technology. School districts are, by their nature, complex systems with multiple individuals at different levels in the organization who are involved in supporting and providing instruction. Varying levels of support for new technologies between district coordinators and teachers can sometimes lead to counterintuitive outcomes. In this article, we examine the role of the district science coordinator in five school districts that participated in the implementation of an online resource discovery and sharing tool for Earth science teachers. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted and coded interviews with district coordinators and teachers to examine the varied responsibilities associated with the district coordinator and to infer the relationships that were developed and perceived by teachers. We then examine and discuss two cases that illustrate how those relationships could have influenced how the tool was adopted and used to differing degrees in the two districts. Specifically, the district that had high support for online resource use from its coordinator appeared to have the lowest level of tool use, and the district with much less visible support from its coordinator had the highest level of tool use. We explain this difference in terms of how the coordinator's promotion of teacher autonomy took distinctly different forms at those two districts.

The Year-Two Experiment: Exploring Teachers' Experiences of a 1:1 Technology Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uy, Jan Michael

2017-01-01

This study examined the impact of 1:1 device initiatives in U.S. education K-12 school districts. Specifically, the problem addressed in this research was that studies of the second year of 1:1 technology programs in K-12 school districts had documented challenges among teachers with this change initiative leading to discontent and even…

The Impact of Educational Leadership Decisions on the Delivery of Special Education Services in School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Brian S.

2012-01-01

The number of children (ages 3-21) in the United States designated as having a specific learning disability is over seven (7) million. Providing the programs, services and funding necessary to deliver appropriate programs and services to this special population is a challenge in virtually all school districts across the country. The role of school…

Promoting Student Achievement: A Case Study of Change Actions Employed by an Urban School Superintendent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bealer, David E.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the change strategies and actions taken by an urban district superintendent to improve student achievement. In a qualitative case study of a large urban school district, one research question and three subquestions focused on: 10 specific reform strategies to improve student achievement, how the quality and…

Specifications for the First CSP Building System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Detroit Public Schools, MI.

The specifications cover the construction of additions to four schools in the Detroit School District. The Construction Systems Program (CSP) was utilized in an attempt to (1) reduce the cost of school construction and provide improved value for the building dollar in terms of function, environment, first cost, and maintenance cost; (2) accelerate…

A School Social Worker's Impact on a Human Sexuality Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crolley-Simic, Josie; Vonk, M. Elizabeth; Ellsworth, William

2007-01-01

This study examines the roles and skills of a school social worker assisting a school district in developing a human sexuality education program. Specific challenges faced by the social worker are discussed, and alternatives to several of the social worker's decisions are explored. Specifically, decisions made by the social worker regarding…

Using sunshine for elementary space science education: A model for IHY scientist teacher partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldwin, M. B.; Fiello, D.; Harter, E.; Holman, G.; Nagumo, N.; Pryharski, A.; Takunaga, C.

2008-12-01

An elementary science education professional development partnership between Culver City Unified School District teachers and UCLA has been formed. The project was designed to assist teachers to comfortably present introductory space science concepts, to support them in their efforts, and to aid them in encouraging their students to develop inquiry skills related to space sciences. The project encourages teacher use of observational science techniques in their classrooms, the use of NASA solar mission images and enhanced use of astronomical observation to facilitate discovery learning. The integrated approach of the project has fostered collegial learning activities among the participating teachers and offered them opportunities for continued renewal and professional development of teacher competencies in astronomy and space science. The activities used in the classroom were developed by others, classroom tested, and specifically address National Science Education and California Science Content Standards. These activities have been sustained through on-going collaboration between the scientist and the teachers, a summer Research Experience for Teachers program, and on-going, grade-specific, district-sponsored workshops. Assessment of the value of the program is done by the school district and is used to continuously improve each workshop and program component. Culver City (California) Unified School District is a small urban school district located on the Westside of Los Angeles. This paper describes the program and the plans for incorporating IHY-themed science into the classroom.

Perceptions of School Nurses regarding Obesity in School-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyers, Pamela; Bugle, Linda; Jackson, Elaine

2005-01-01

Obesity is epidemic in the nation's school-age population with African American and Hispanic children and adolescents specifically at risk. School nurses at elementary and middle public schools in the Missouri 8th Congressional District were surveyed regarding their perceptions of childhood obesity. School nurses supported preventive interventions…

Carpet Aids Learning in High Performance Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurd, Frank

2009-01-01

The Healthy and High Performance Schools Act of 2002 has set specific federal guidelines for school design, and developed a federal/state partnership program to assist local districts in their school planning. According to the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), high-performance schools are, among other things, healthy, comfortable,…

Playing Hardball with Facilities Expenses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fickes, Michael

1997-01-01

Describes one school district manager's tactics for successfully controlling district costs and increasing capital improvements while only marginally increasing the facilities maintenance budget. Highlights guidelines for controlling personnel requirements and cost-reduction methods. Discusses specific cost-control measures involving telephone…

Commercial Activities in Schools: Use of Student Data is Limited and Additional Dissemination of Guidance Could Help Districts Develop Policies. GAO-04-810

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Government Accountability Office, 2004

2004-01-01

The No Child Left Behind Amendment (NCLBA ) established new safeguards about the use of student data for marketing or selling purposes. Specifically, NCLBA amended the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) of 1994 addressing pupil privacy by requiring school districts to develop a policy on the collection, disclosure, and use of personal…

Healthy Schools Initiative: Implementation Study in Four San Mateo County School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westrich, Lisa; Sanchez, Monika; Strobel, Karen; Duong, Nina

2012-01-01

The Sequoia Healthcare District (SHD), in collaboration with four local school districts--Belmont-Redwood Shores School District (BRSSD), Redwood City School District (RCSD), San Carlos School District (SCSD), and Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD)--launched the Healthy Schools Initiative (HSI) in August 2010. This three-year initiative is…

Evaluation of Massachusetts Office of District and School Turnaround Assistance to Commissioner's Districts and Schools: Impact of School Redesign Grants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LiCalsi, Christina; Citkowicz, Martyna; Friedman, Lawrence B.; Brown, Megan

2015-01-01

The Massachusetts Office of District and School Turnaround (ODST) assists the Commissioner's Districts (the 10 largest districts in the state) and schools within those districts. The assistance focuses on turning around the lowest performing schools in the district while building district capacity to support improvement in other district schools.…

Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 2: School Year 2011-2012. [State-Specific Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2013

2013-01-01

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's Year 2 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation from approximately September 2011 through September 2012. Despite the delays, the Office of the State…

Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 4: School Year 2013-2014. [State-Specific Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2015

2015-01-01

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's annual Race to the Top implementation. The Year 4 report for Phase 2 grantees highlights successes and accomplishments, identifies challenges, and provides lessons learned from implementation from approximately September 2013 through September 2014. Given that…

Processes and Challenges in Identifying Learning Disabilities among Students Who Are English Language Learners in Three New York State Districts. Issues & Answers. REL 2010-No. 085

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Maria Teresa; Parker, Caroline; Akbayin, Bercem; McTigue, Anna

2010-01-01

Using interviews with district and school personnel and documents from state and district web sites in three districts in New York State, the study examines practices for identifying learning disabilities among students who are English language learners and the challenges that arise. Specifically, two research questions guided the project: (1)…

The Structure and Climate of Size: Small Scale Schooling in an Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeChasseur, Kimberly

2009-01-01

This study explores mechanisms involved in small scale schooling and student engagement. Specifically, this study questions the validity of arguments for small scale schooling reforms that confound the promised effects of small scale schooling "structures" (such as smaller enrollments, schools-within-schools, and smaller class sizes)…

Elementary School Educational Specifications: Facilities Planning Standards. Edition III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferson County School District R-1, Denver, CO.

The Jefferson County School District (Denver, Colorado) has published this model standard for the planning and designing of new elementary schools, and the remodeling and modernizing existing schools. It describes the facility requirements to accommodate the instructional program, activities, and support functions to assist architects, school…

Professional Development for Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Alex; Healey, Tim

2011-01-01

Every secondary school leader in the United States is aware of the importance of a successful transition from middle to high school. Schools and districts have implemented many programs specifically designed to help rising freshmen successfully make the transition to high school, such as ninth-grade academies, mandatory interventions, small…

Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 3: School Year 2012-2013. [State-Specific Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2014

2014-01-01

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's annual Race to the Top implementation. The Year 3 report for Phase 1 and 2 grantees highlights successes and accomplishments, identifies challenges, and provides lessons learned from implementation from approximately September 2012 through September 2013. In…

Asbestos Removal Case History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Stanley J.

1986-01-01

The engineer for a California school district describes the asbestos removal from the ceilings of El Camino High School. Discusses forming a design team, use of consultants, specifications, relations with contractors, and staff notification. (MLF)

School superintendents' perceptions of schools assisting students in obtaining public health insurance.

PubMed

Rickard, Megan L; Price, James H; Telljohann, Susan K; Dake, Joseph A; Fink, Brian N

2011-12-01

Superintendents' perceptions regarding the effect of health insurance status on academics, the role schools should play in the process of obtaining health insurance, and the benefits/barriers to assisting students in enrolling in health insurance were surveyed. Superintendents' basic knowledge of health insurance, the link between health and learning, and specific school system practices for assisting students were also examined. A 4-page questionnaire was sent to a national random sample of public school superintendents using a 4-wave postal mailing. Only 19% of school districts assessed the health insurance status of students. School districts' assistance in helping enroll students in health insurance was assessed using Stages of Change theory; 36% of superintendents' school districts were in the action or maintenance stages. The schools most often made health insurance materials available to parents (53%). The perceived benefits identified by more than 80% of superintendents were to keep students healthier, reduce the number of students with untreated health problems, reduce school absenteeism, and improvement of students' attention/concentration during school. The 2 most common perceived barriers identified by at least 50% of superintendents were not having enough staff or financial resources. Most superintendents believed schools should play a role in helping students obtain health insurance, but the specific role was unclear. Three fourths of superintendents indicated overwhelmingly positive beliefs regarding the effects of health insurance status on students' health and academic outcomes. School personnel and public policy makers can use the results to support collaboration in getting students enrolled in health insurance. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Existing School Buildings: Incremental Seismic Retrofit Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC.

The intent of this document is to provide technical guidance to school district facility managers for linking specific incremental seismic retrofit opportunities to specific maintenance and capital improvement projects. The linkages are based on logical affinities, such as technical fit, location of the work within the building, cost saving…

Critical Issues in School Law.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Larry

This publication summarizes and explains education-related court decisions in an effort to supply school people with guidelines in determining how school law applies to specific situations in their school districts. Although there is some emphasis on Oklahoma law, cases cited originated in all parts of the United States. Cases cited concern civil…

Safe and Participatory Public Schools. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, John

2010-01-01

The California State Assembly is presently considering AB 2034 which would prohibit school districts, county offices of education (COEs), or charter schools that elect to fingerprint volunteers from allowing individuals who have been convicted of specific sex, drug or violent offenses to volunteer in schools. This policy brief aims to inform…

School Improvement Grants: Progress Report from America's Great City Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of the Great City Schools, 2015

2015-01-01

This report measures trends in performance among urban schools receiving federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) awards as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Council of the Great City Schools aims to document how member districts of the Council of the Great City Schools implemented SIG and specifically what…

Thinking Big about Getting Small: An Ideological Genealogy of Small-School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafka, Judith

2008-01-01

Background: Support for small schools, and specifically for the creation of small, autonomous schools of choice, has grown considerably in the past decade--particularly in the context of urban schooling. Funded by private and public monies, small-school initiatives have been implemented in most of the nation's city school districts and have become…

Services for children with autism spectrum disorder in three, large urban school districts: Perspectives of parents and educators

PubMed Central

Iadarola, Suzannah; Hetherington, Susan; Clinton, Christopher; Dean, Michelle; Reisinger, Erica; Huynh, Linh; Locke, Jill; Conn, Kelly; Heinert, Sara; Kataoka, Sheryl; Harwood, Robin; Smith, Tristram; Mandell, David S; Kasari, Connie

2015-01-01

This study used qualitative methods to evaluate the perceptions of parents, educators, and school administrators in three large, urban school districts (Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Rochester) regarding services for children with autism spectrum disorder within the context of limited district resources. Facilitators followed a standard discussion guide that contained open-ended questions regarding participants’ views on strengths and limitations of existing services and contextual factors that would facilitate or inhibit the process of introducing new interventions. Three primary themes were identified: (1) tension between participant groups (teachers and paraprofessionals, staff and administration, teachers and parents, special education and general education teachers), (2) necessity of autism spectrum disorder–specific and behavioral training for school personnel, and (3) desire for a school culture of accepting difference. These themes highlight the importance of developing trainings that are feasible to deliver on a large scale, that focus on practical interventions, and that enhance communication and relationships of school personnel with one another and with families. PMID:25192859

The challenges of staffing urban schools with effective teachers.

PubMed

Jacob, Brian A

2007-01-01

Brian Jacob examines challenges faced by urban districts in staffing their schools with effective teachers. He emphasizes that the problem is far from uniform. Teacher shortages are more severe in certain subjects and grades than others, and differ dramatically from one school to another. The Chicago public schools, for example, regularly receive roughly ten applicants for each teaching position. But many applicants are interested in specific schools, and district officials struggle to find candidates for highly impoverished schools. Urban districts' difficulty in attracting and hiring teachers, says Jacob, means that urban teachers are less highly qualified than their suburban counterparts with respect to characteristics such as experience, educational background, and teaching certification. But they may not thus be less effective teachers. Jacob cites recent studies that have found that many teacher characteristics bear surprisingly little relationship to student outcomes. Policies to enhance teacher quality must thus be evaluated in terms of their effect on student achievement, not in terms of conventional teacher characteristics. Jacob then discusses how supply and demand contribute to urban teacher shortages. Supply factors involve wages, working conditions, and geographic proximity between teacher candidates and schools. Urban districts have tried various strategies to increase the supply of teacher candidates (including salary increases and targeted bonuses) and to improve retention rates (including mentoring programs). But there is little rigorous research evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies. Demand also has a role in urban teacher shortages. Administrators in urban schools may not recognize or value high-quality teachers. Human resource departments restrict district officials from making job offers until late in the hiring season, after many candidates have accepted positions elsewhere. Jacob argues that urban districts must improve hiring practices and also reevaluate policies for teacher tenure so that ineffective teachers can be dismissed.

THE BASSET CONTINUOUS PROGRESS HIGH SCHOOL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EISMAN, EDWARD

A CITIZENS COMMITTEE FROM THE BASSETT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FELT THAT A CHILD'S INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AND HIS SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE FOSTERED. SINCE MANY CRITICISMS OF EDUCATION WERE RELATED TO DIFFICULTIES ORGANIZATIONAL IN NATURE, THE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATED SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO…

A Descriptive Study of the Factors Influencing Middle School Choice in a Diverse Magnet School District in Northern New Jersey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anemone, Alex

2008-01-01

Since their creation over two centuries ago, public schools have been coupled with students via geographical zones. Bolstered by compulsory attendance laws, public schools have a very consistent clientele. Based solely on where they resided, students were required to attend specific schools between Kindergarten and Grade 12. Schools have, in…

An Evaluation of Primary School Students' Views about Noise Levels in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulunuz, Nermin; Bulunuz, Mizrap; Orbak, Ali Yurdun; Mulu, Nejla; Tavsanli, Ömer Faruk

2017-01-01

Effective education and teaching requires keeping classroom noise levels within specific limits. The purpose of this study is to evaluate students' views about the noise level in school, its effects, and control of it at two primary schools (one public school and one private school) located in a district of Bursa--within the scope of the TÜBITAK…

School Improvement Change Grant Community Survey, Final Report. A Report to Toluca Community Unit School District #2, El Paso Community Unit School District #375, Lowpoint-Washburn Community Unit School District #21, Minonk-Dana-Rutland Community Unit School District #108, and Roanoke-Benson Community Unit School District #60.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connell, Patricia A.; And Others

This report presents the results of a collaborative study undertaken by five rural, unit school districts in Illinois to provide data to be used in planning for school improvement. Information was gathered from on-site visits by teams of constituents from other districts and through a survey of perceptions of local community persons regarding…

Placement and Achievement of Urban Hispanic Middle Schoolers with Specific Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrocas, Lisa; Cramer, Elizabeth D.

2014-01-01

This study examined achievement gains in reading and math for Hispanic middle school students with specific learning disabilities in inclusive versus segregated settings in a large urban school district. The authors report learning gains for students with and without disabilities in inclusive versus segregated settings. Results indicate no…

Teacher Perceptions of One-to-One Mobile Devices in Middle School Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Still, Maridale

2017-01-01

Middle school reading teachers in a south Texas school district were surveyed to obtain a clearer understanding of one-to-one mobile device usage in the middle school reading classroom specifically regarding collaborative and active learning environments. The theoretical framework reviewed emerging learning theories that have steered effective…

Charter School Contracts. Policy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cass, Rebecca

2009-01-01

The charter school concept was first introduced in 1991 when the Minnesota Legislature passed the nation's first charter school law. As of this writing in 2009, 40 states and the District of Columbia have charter school legislation. While the specific characteristics and nuances of these laws vary from state to state, almost every state law…

Joint Use Policies: Are they related to adolescent behavior?

PubMed Central

Chriqui, Jamie; Chaloupka, Frank J.; Johnston, Lloyd

2014-01-01

Objective Joint use policies (JUP) encourage shared facility use, usually between schools and a city or private organization, for both physical activity-related and non-physical activity-related programs. Little is known about JUP’s impact on physical activity (PA). This study examined whether more specific JUPs were associated with increased PA and decreased sedentary behavior (SB) in adolescents. Methods Data on PA, sports participation, and SB were taken from annual cross-sectional nationally representative samples of 51,269 8th, 10th and 12th grade public school students nested in 461 school districts in the US from 2009–2011. JUP measures were constructed using information obtained from corresponding school district JU policies. Multivariable analyses were conducted, controlling for individual demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and clustering at the district level. Results Results showed small associations between more specific JUPs and increased PA (IRR 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.02). Closer examination of specific JUP provisions indicates that specifying what times facilities are available for use was associated with vigorous exercise and prioritizing school or affiliated organizations’ use and which spaces were available for use were associated with vigorous exercise and more frequent PA participation, which includes participation in sports or athletics. No associations were found between more specific JUPs and SB. Conclusions JUPS may have small influences on adolescent physical activity behavior. Future longitudinal studies should be conducted to examine the impact of JUPs in conjunction with other physical activity-related policies and environmental changes to determine what impact they have on overall adolescent physical activity and sedentary behavior. PMID:25199731

Reducing children's exposure to school bus diesel exhaust in one school district in North Carolina.

PubMed

Mazer, Mary E; Vann, Julie C Jacobson; Lamanna, Beth F; Davison, Jean

2014-04-01

Children who are exposed to diesel exhaust from idling school buses are at increased risk of asthma exacerbation, decreased lung function, immunologic reactions, leukemia, and increased susceptibility to infections. Policies and initiatives that aim to protect school children from the harmful effects of exposure to diesel exhaust range from general environmental air quality standards to more specific legislation that targets diesel exhaust near school children. School nurse standards of practice specify that school nurses should attain current knowledge of environmental health concepts, implement environmental health strategies, and advocate for environmental health principles. This article provides a description of the professional responsibilities of school nurses in protecting children from harmful environmental exposures, provides an overview of legislative initiatives intended to protect school children from diesel exhaust exposure, and summarizes one school district's effort to reduce diesel exhaust exposure among school children.

From Districts to Schools: The Distribution of Resources across Schools in Big City School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubenstein, Ross; Schwartz, Amy Ellen; Stiefel, Leanna; Amor, Hella Bel Hadj

2007-01-01

While the distribution of resources across school districts is well studied, relatively little attention has been paid to how resources are allocated to individual schools inside those districts. This paper explores the determinants of resource allocation across schools in large districts based on factors that reflect differential school costs or…

Due Process Hearing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bateman, David F.

2008-01-01

Greg is 13 years old, and currently in seventh grade; he entered an unnamed District ("the District") school in fourth grade as a student with a specific learning disability; he had been identified as eligible for special education programming and services during second grade. During fifth and sixth grade Greg was provided services…

Development of Computerized Monitoring of Education Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, J. Weldon; And Others

The District of Columbia Public Schools initiated a multiyear planning process in 1983. Among other activities, the process calls for the computerized monitoring of the critical tasks of each of the district's major offices. These tasks, defined by the offices, are designed to facilitate the achievement of specific objectives designated in the…

The Tensions between Shared Governance and Advancing Educational Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castagno, Angelina E.; Hausman, Charles

2017-01-01

This article examines the relationship between shared governance and one school district's (in)ability to advance educational equity. Specifically, we consider the district's policies, discourse, and practice around equity within the context of site-based management and shared decision making. We suggest that if equity is indeed a major district…

Little Association Between Wellness Policies and School-Reported Nutrition Practices

PubMed Central

Lucarelli, Jennifer F.; Alaimo, Katherine; Belansky, Elaine S.; Mang, Ellen; Miles, Richard; Kelleher, Deanne K.; Bailey, Deborah; Drzal, Nicholas B.; Liu, Hui

2017-01-01

Background The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 mandated written school wellness policies. Little evidence exists to evaluate the impact of such policies. This study assessed the quality (comprehensiveness of topics addressed and strength of wording) of wellness policies and the agreement between written district-level policies and school-reported nutrition policies and practices in 48 low-income Michigan school districts participating in the School Nutrition Advances Kids study. Method Written wellness policy quality was assessed using the School Wellness Policy Evaluation Tool. School nutrition policies and practices were assessed using the School Environment and Policy Survey. Analysis of variance determined differences in policy quality, and Fisher’s exact test examined agreement between written policies and school-reported practices. Results Written wellness policies contained ambiguous language and addressed few practices, indicating low comprehensiveness and strength. Most districts adopted model wellness policy templates without modification, and the template used was the primary determinant of policy quality. Written wellness policies often did not reflect school-reported nutrition policies and practices. Conclusions School health advocates should avoid assumptions that written wellness policies accurately reflect school practices. Encouraging policy template customization and stronger, more specific language may enhance wellness policy quality, ensure consistency between policy and practice, and enhance implementation of school nutrition initiatives. PMID:25249567

District wellness policies and school-level practices in Minnesota, USA.

PubMed

Larson, Nicole; Davey, Cynthia; Hoffman, Pamela; Kubik, Martha Y; Nanney, Marilyn S

2016-01-01

To compare the strength of district wellness policies with corresponding school-level practices reported by principals and teachers. District-level wellness policy data were collected from school district websites and, if not available online, by requests made to district administrators in the autumn of 2013. The strength of district policies was scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool. School-level data were drawn from the 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles principal and teacher surveys and the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core Data. Generalized estimating equations which accounted for school-level demographics and the nesting of up to two schools within some districts were used to examine ten district policy items and fourteen school-level practices of relevance to nutrition standards, nutrition education and wellness promotion, and physical activity promotion. State-wide sample of 180 districts and 212 public schools in Minnesota, USA. The mean number of energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack foods and beverages available for students to purchase at school was inversely related to the strength of district wellness policies regulating vending machines and school stores (P=0·01). The proportion of schools having a joint use agreement for shared use of physical activity facilities was inversely related to the strength of district policies addressing community use of school facilities (P=0·03). No associations were found between the strength of other district policies and school-level practices. Nutrition educators and other health professionals should assist schools in periodically assessing their wellness practices to ensure compliance with district wellness policies and environments supportive of healthy behaviours.

District wellness policies and school-level practices in Minnesota

PubMed Central

Larson, Nicole; Davey, Cynthia; Hoffman, Pamela; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2015-01-01

Objective To compare the strength of district wellness policies with corresponding school-level practices reported by principals and teachers. Design District-level wellness policy data was collected from school district websites and, if not available online, by requests made to district administrators in the fall of 2013. The strength of district policies was scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool. School-level data were drawn from the 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles principal and teacher surveys and National Center for Education Statistics Common Core Data. Generalized estimating equations which accounted for school-level demographics and the nesting of up to two schools within some districts were used to examine 10 district policy items and 14 school-level practices of relevance to nutrition standards, nutrition education and wellness promotion, and physical activity promotion. Setting/Subjects Statewide sample of 180 districts and 212 public schools in Minnesota. Results The mean number of energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack foods and beverages available for students to purchase at school was inversely related to the strength of district wellness policies regulating vending machines and school stores (p=0.01). The proportion of schools having a joint use agreement for shared use of physical activity facilities was inversely related to the strength of district policies addressing community use of school facilities (p=0.03). No associations were found between the strength of other district policies and school-level practices. Conclusions Nutrition educators and other health professionals should assist schools in periodically assessing their wellness practices to ensure compliance with district wellness policies and environments supportive of healthy behaviors. PMID:25990324

Recovery High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogel, Carl

2009-01-01

This article discusses recovery high schools which are designed specifically to serve students who have been through a professional substance abuse treatment program and are working to stay away from drugs and alcohol. The schools typically serve multiple districts and are funded from both the per-pupil state funds that follow a student and what…

Procedures Handbook for Elementary School IMC Clerks. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Christine

This training manual describes and explains the variety of tasks performed by library clerks in the Riverside (California) Unified School District's elementary school instructional media centers (IMCs). It is noted that the job responsibilities of these clerks fall into four areas with specific duties relating to each: maintenance of the…

Analysis of School Food Safety Programs Based on HACCP Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Kevin R.; Sauer, Kevin; Sneed, Jeannie; Kwon, Junehee; Olds, David; Cole, Kerri; Shanklin, Carol

2014-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how school districts have implemented food safety programs based on HACCP principles. Specific objectives included: (1) Evaluate how schools are implementing components of food safety programs; and (2) Determine foodservice employees food-handling practices related to food safety.…

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…

Toward Assessment Leadership: Study of Assessment Practices among School and Classroom Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Carrie Elizabeth Eubank

2017-01-01

Traditionally, models of instructional leadership espouse data-informed decision making in response to student assessment outcomes as one of the core school leader behaviors. In recent years, rising expectations from accountability policies and related assessment practices have myriad implications for school districts, specifically in the areas of…

Transforming School Funding: A Guide to Implementing Student-Based Budgeting (SBB)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, David; Gordon, Jeff; Hsu, Betty

2014-01-01

Student-Based Budgeting (sometimes called Weighted Student Funding, or Fair Student Funding, depending on the district) differs fundamentally from the traditional funding model, which distributes resources to schools in the form of staff and dollars designated for specific purposes. Student-Based Budgeting (SBB) allocates dollars to schools based…

What Data Do States Collect Related to School Nurses, School Health, and the Health Care Provided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selekman, Janice; Wolfe, Linda C.; Cole, Marjorie

2016-01-01

School nurses collect data to report to their school district and state agencies. However, there is no national requirement or standard to collect specific data, and each state determines its own set of questions. This study resulted from a joint resolution between the National Association of State School Nurse Consultants and the National…

Schools and Research: Are They Interested? The Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vukotich, Charles J., Jr.; Stebbins, Samuel

2011-01-01

Lack of trust is an issue in doing research with schools. A School-Based Research and Practice Network was established by the University of Pittsburgh to create a regional research agenda. Over the past two years, Network staff held meetings with school staff in 43 districts to determine specific research needs, interests, and concerns. The most…

High Hopes--Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California. Summary Report & Recommendations. Strengthening Science Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd, 2011

2011-01-01

This report summarizes research findings on science education in California's elementary schools from multiple sources of data collected during 2010-11, specifically, surveys of district administrators, elementary school principals, and elementary school teachers; case studies of elementary schools; analysis of statewide secondary data sets; and…

The Politics of Health as a School-Sponsored Ethic: Foucault, Neoliberalism, and the Unhealthy Employee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Schee, Carolyn

2008-01-01

This article describes the emergence of health policies targeted at the unhealthy school employee by examining how these are manifest in a Nevada school district. The analysis draws on the work of Foucault, specifically his writings on governmentality. The purpose of this critical appraisal is to problematize school-sponsored health policies by…

Rural-Specific Concerns and Strategies in the Budget Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jerry; Malhoit, Greg; Shope, Shane

2012-01-01

Nationally, rural students represent about a quarter of all students attending public school; nearly a third of all schools are located in rural areas. Those rural schools and students have a number of unique characteristics and needs. For example, the smaller size of many rural schools and districts can sometimes lead to per-pupil expenditures…

A Phenomenological Study of Autonomous Management Performance Schools (AMPS) in the Chicago Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Forrest W.

2009-01-01

The primary objective of this qualitative study is to explore the impact of autonomy on the relationship between schools and districts of the school level across governance, operations, curriculum and instruction and the decision making that accompanies the each of these factors. More specifically, this study focuses the impact of autonomy within…

A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Elementary School Absences and Fine Particulate Air Pollution

PubMed Central

Hales, Nicholas M.; Barton, Caleb C.; Ransom, Michael R.; Allen, Ryan T.; Pope, C. Arden

2016-01-01

Abstract Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) has been associated with many adverse health outcomes including school absences. Specifically, a previous study in the Utah Valley area, conducted during a time with relatively high air pollution exposure, found significant positive correlations between school absences and air pollution. We examined the hypothesis that ambient PM2.5 exposures are associated with elementary school absences using a quasi-natural experiment to help control for observed and unobserved structural factors that influence school absences. The Alpine, Provo, and Salt Lake City school districts are located in valleys subject to daily mean PM2.5 concentrations almost twice as high as those in the Park City School District. We used seminonparametric generalized additive Poisson regression models to evaluate associations between absences and daily PM2.5 levels in the 3 districts that were exposed to the most pollution while using Park City absences as a quasi-control. The study covered 3 school years (2011/12-2013/14). School absences were most strongly associated with observed structural factors such as seasonal trends across school years, day-of-week effects, holiday effects, weather, etc. However, after controlling for these structural factors directly and using a control district, a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with an approximately 1.7% increase in daily elementary school absences. Exposure to ambient air pollution can contribute to elementary school absences, although this effect is difficult to disentangle from various other factors. PMID:26945391

An Analysis of a High Performing School District's Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corum, Kenneth D.; Schuetz, Todd B.

2012-01-01

This report describes a problem based learning project focusing on the cultural elements of a high performing school district. Current literature on school district culture provides numerous cultural elements that are present in high performing school districts. With the current climate in education placing pressure on school districts to perform…

Assessing School Wellness Policies and Identifying Priorities for Action: Results of a Bi-State Evaluation.

PubMed

Harvey, Susan P; Markenson, Deborah; Gibson, Cheryl A

2018-05-01

Obesity is a complex health problem affecting more than one-third of school-aged youth. The increasing obesity rates in Kansas and Missouri has been particularly concerning, with efforts being made to improve student health through the implementation of school wellness policies (SWPs). The primary purpose of this study was to conduct a rigorous assessment of SWPs in the bi-state region. SWPs were collected from 46 school districts. The Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) was used to assess comprehensiveness and strength. Additionally, focus group discussions and an online survey were conducted with school personnel to identify barriers and supports needed. Assessment of the SWPs indicated that most school districts failed to provide strong and specific language. Due to these deficiencies, districts reported lack of enforcement of policies. Several barriers to implementing the policies were reported by school personnel; supports needed for effective implementation were identified. To promote a healthful school environment, significant improvements are warranted in the strength and comprehensiveness of the SWPs. The focus group discussions provided insight as to where we need to bridge the gap between the current state of policies and the desired beneficial practices to support a healthy school environment. © 2018, American School Health Association.

Analysis of County School Districts in Arkansas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budd, Karol B.; Charlton, J.L.

The 1948, Arkansas School District Reorganization Act was passed in an effort to reduce the 1589 small school districts to a smaller number. Those districts not consolidated would form county districts. As of the 1967-68 school year, 26 of these county districts remained. The purpose of this study was to provide information drawing attention to…

Due Process Hearing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bateman, David F.

2008-01-01

Ben is a 16-year-old student who resides with his family in an unnamed School District. He is eligible for special education by reason of specific learning disability and ADHD. His parents requested a due process hearing, alleging that the District failed to provide him with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and requesting reimbursement…

Gaining Equalization Leverage by Diverting Property Tax Revenues to the State Basic Aid Fund.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gensemer, Bruce L.

Under Ohio's existing educational finance plan, the power of school districts to purchase the educational resources commensurate with each district's educational needs is far from equal. Consideration of four specific potential reforms, separately and in combination, indicates that greater equity can be obtained. If Ohio is to avoid substantial…

Can State Policy Deliver Equitable and Adequate Funding?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Rand; Steinberg, Matthew P.

2015-01-01

Sooner or later, talk of closing achievement gaps turns to education finance--specifically, fixing widespread disparities in school funding within individual states. The difference between the resources that a district needs to educate all students and the amount the district actually spends is called an adequacy gap. The availability and use of…

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.…

School Board Policy As a Control Mechanism in Curriculum Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adler, Louise

1993-01-01

This journal article examines how school board policies are used to control the controversies that often surround curriculum challenges. Specific key provisions of model policies and actual policies from California are analyzed to suggest ideal policy provisions. In a longitudinal study, over 42 percent of the 1,000-plus school districts in…

Suspension, a Wake-Up Call: Rural Educators' Attitudes toward Suspension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Joan; Friedland, Billie

Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for…

eReaders in School Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Amy

2013-01-01

This article explores the possibility of using eReaders in the schools of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), specifically the Barnes and Noble Nook Pilot Project. HSID initially approved only an eReading device that was not wireless since it is very strict on the devices granted access to the wireless network. The biggest roadblock…

An Examination of Differences in Consequences of Punishment among PK-12 School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randle, Dawn DuBose

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the administering of punishment procedures for violations of a school district's Code of Student Conduct among school-based administrators. Specifically, this study was concerned with the impact of the socio-demographic variables of: gender, years of administrative experience,…

911! A Manual for Schools and the Media during a Campus Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Digitale, Robert

School district communications planning rarely includes ways to work with the media during an emergency. This short guide is aimed at providing both school officials and media professionals with specific perspectives and recommendations for cooperating to deliver crucial information to parents and the community during a crisis on campus. The…

Taking School Reform Success to "Scale": Governance and Leadership Issues in Two Restructuring Elementary Buildings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Paul; Tindal, Gerald

This paper explores the difficulties of extending good, workable educational ideas to entire schools or districts. Two restructured schools that participated in a 4-year collaborative project that involved multi-age primary classrooms, inclusion of special-needs students in regular classrooms, and increasing specificity in assessing student…

The 2008-2009 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Handbook for Assessment Coordinators: Writing, Reading and Mathematics, Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

This handbook describes the responsibilities of district and school assessment coordinators in the administration of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). This updated guidebook contains the following sections: (1) General Assessment Guidelines for All Assessments; (2) Writing Specific Guidelines; (3) Reading and Mathematics…

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…

An Analysis of a Plan to Improve Graduation Rates in Johnston County Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renfrow, David Ross

2015-01-01

There have been limited qualitative case studies exploring effective strategies designed to improve graduation rates in rural school districts. Specifically, few studies have presented information based solely upon the voices of practitioners themselves in solving the graduation crisis in America's public schools. This study will add to the…

"They Might as Well Be Black": The Racialization of Sa'moan High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaught, Sabina Elena

2012-01-01

This article explores the processes of racialization imposed on Sa'moan youth through policy and practice in one urban, US school district and at one high school in particular. Specifically, I use the methodological practices of defamiliarization and counter-storytelling to examine the contradictory practices of racialization and the…

Online School Psychology: Blueprint to Higher Education Conversations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Robert J.

2018-01-01

The author is convinced that the school psychology profession needs to develop innovative programs to address the shortages of school psychologists across the nation, specifically, online programs that can reach the rural and underserved districts of each state. Current educators seeking to expand their skill set can be the untapped answer to…

Using Restorative Practices to Teach and Uphold Dignity in an American School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High, Anna Jane

2017-01-01

The protection and promotion of dignity is a foundational objective of restorative justice. Dignity-enhancing restorative justice practices, which are rooted in the traditional practices of Indigenous people groups, have been widely adopted in schools reactively, as a response to specific infractions. A growing number of schools are adopting…

The Interrelationship of School District Expenditures and Student Academic Achievement in Oklahoma Public Elementary School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Glenn M.

2012-01-01

Purpose and Method of Study. The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the relationship between school district expenditures and student academic achievement in 102 public elementary school districts in the state of Oklahoma. The secondary purpose was to investigate the relationship between school district expenditures and…

Leading Implementation of 21st Century Skills: Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blattner, David Craig

2012-01-01

A qualitative case study was conducted on the Mooresville Graded School Districts's (MGSD) digital conversion for the entire school district. MGSD is a semi-rural small suburban school district with 5,450 students kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school district consists of three elementary schools, two intermediate schools, one middle…

Oregon School Bond Manual. Seventh Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

To help school districts comply with Oregon's school bond laws, this manual provides guidelines for school district attorneys and personnel in the issuance and sale of school district bonds. The manual deals with the three primary types of Oregon school district borrowings: (1) general obligation bonds; (2) tax and revenue anticipation notes; and…

Strippers, Beer, and Bachelorette Parties: Regulating Teachers' Out-of-School Conduct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckes, Suzanne E.

2013-01-01

Some courts have upheld school districts' decisions to discipline teachers for their behaviors outside of school if there was a connection back to the school. Specifically, many courts have adopted a nexus theory that suggests that a teacher's off-duty conduct might have a negative impact on his or her teaching effectiveness.…

Providing Options for At-Risk Youth: The Health and Media Academies in Oakland. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, Larry F.; And Others

The Health Academy and the Media Academy, two innovative high school intervention programs for at-risk youth in Oakland (California), are examined. A collaborative effort of the school district, business, and community, the academies are school-within-a-school programs that engage about 120 at-risk students each in specific academic curricula for…

Differences in Food and Beverage Marketing Policies and Practices in US School Districts, by Demographic Characteristics of School Districts, 2012

PubMed Central

Michael, Shannon; Brener, Nancy D.; Coffield, Edward; Kingsley, Beverly S.; Zytnick, Deena; Blanck, Heidi

2016-01-01

Introduction Foods and beverages marketed in schools are typically of poor nutritional value. School districts may adopt policies and practices to restrict marketing of unhealthful foods and to promote healthful choices. Students’ exposure to marketing practices differ by school demographics, but these differences have not yet been examined by district characteristics. Methods We analyzed data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study to examine how food and beverage marketing and promotion policies and practices varied by district characteristics such as metropolitan status, size, and percentage of non-Hispanic white students. Results Most practices varied significantly by district size: a higher percentage of large districts than small or medium-sized districts restricted marketing of unhealthful foods and promoted healthful options. Compared with districts whose student populations were majority (>50%) non-Hispanic white, a higher percentage of districts whose student populations were minority non-Hispanic white (≤50% non-Hispanic white) prohibited advertising of soft drinks in school buildings and on school grounds, made school meal menus available to students, and provided families with information on school nutrition programs. Compared with suburban and rural districts, a higher percentage of urban districts prohibited the sale of soft drinks on school grounds and used several practices to promote healthful options. Conclusion Preliminary findings showing significant associations between district demographics and marketing policies and practices can be used to help states direct resources, training, and technical assistance to address food and beverage marketing and promotion to districts most in need of improvement. PMID:27978408

Differences in Food and Beverage Marketing Policies and Practices in US School Districts, by Demographic Characteristics of School Districts, 2012.

PubMed

Merlo, Caitlin L; Michael, Shannon; Brener, Nancy D; Coffield, Edward; Kingsley, Beverly S; Zytnick, Deena; Blanck, Heidi

2016-12-15

Foods and beverages marketed in schools are typically of poor nutritional value. School districts may adopt policies and practices to restrict marketing of unhealthful foods and to promote healthful choices. Students' exposure to marketing practices differ by school demographics, but these differences have not yet been examined by district characteristics. We analyzed data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study to examine how food and beverage marketing and promotion policies and practices varied by district characteristics such as metropolitan status, size, and percentage of non-Hispanic white students. Most practices varied significantly by district size: a higher percentage of large districts than small or medium-sized districts restricted marketing of unhealthful foods and promoted healthful options. Compared with districts whose student populations were majority (>50%) non-Hispanic white, a higher percentage of districts whose student populations were minority non-Hispanic white (≤50% non-Hispanic white) prohibited advertising of soft drinks in school buildings and on school grounds, made school meal menus available to students, and provided families with information on school nutrition programs. Compared with suburban and rural districts, a higher percentage of urban districts prohibited the sale of soft drinks on school grounds and used several practices to promote healthful options. Preliminary findings showing significant associations between district demographics and marketing policies and practices can be used to help states direct resources, training, and technical assistance to address food and beverage marketing and promotion to districts most in need of improvement.

Breathing Easier.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolkin, Rachel

2003-01-01

Describes use of Environmental Protection Agency's Tools for Schools tool kit to improve indoor air quality aimed specifically at eliminating asthma triggers such as dust mites and mold. Includes several examples of school district efforts to reduce or eliminate student health problems associated with poor indoor air quality. (PKP)

Drawing the Line: Student Reassignment Policies in South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Naomi Rachel

2013-01-01

This study investigates the complex nature of student reassignment plans developed between 2006 and 2008 in three South Carolina school districts: York School District 3, Dorchester School District 2, and Greenville School District. The study is guided by the following research question: How are the district policies for student reassignment…

School District Mergers: What One District Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingston, Kathleen

2009-01-01

Throughout the planning process for a school district merger in a northwestern Pennsylvania school district, effective communication proved to be a challenge. Formed in 1932, this school district of approximately 1400 students was part of a utopian community; one established by a transportation system's corporation that was a major industrial…

Data-Driven Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaFee, Scott

2002-01-01

Describes the use of data-driven decision-making in four school districts: Plainfield Public Schools, Plainfield, New Jersey; Palo Alto Unified School District, Palo Alto, California; Francis Howell School District in eastern Missouri, northwest of St. Louis; and Rio Rancho Public Schools, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Includes interviews with the…

School District Wellness Policy Quality and Weight-Related Outcomes among High School Students in Minnesota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Pamela K.; Davey, Cynthia S.; Larson, Nicole; Grannon, Katherine Y.; Hanson, Carlie; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2016-01-01

Weight-related outcomes were examined among high school students in Minnesota public school districts according to the quality of district wellness policies. Wellness policy strength and comprehensiveness were scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for 325 Minnesota public school districts in 2013. The associations between…

An Analysis of Florida's School Districts' Attendance Policies and their Relationship to High School Attendance Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Ryan Turner

2008-01-01

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to determine the relationship between the type of attendance policies in the high schools of the 67 Florida school districts, the size of the school district (number of high school students), the socioeconomic status SES) of the school district, and the average daily attendance rate of…

School Leaders' Perceptions of School Counselors as Leaders as Part of the District Leadership Team and Impact on the District Wide Change Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, James S., Jr.

2013-01-01

This exploration focuses on school leaders' perceptions of school counselors as leaders and their involvement with district wide change. This study explores school counselor leadership, school counselors' role in district level change, and barriers to school counselor leadership. This is a qualitative study utilizing grounded theory design.…

A Research Report of Small/Rural School Districts in New Mexico Compared to School Districts of Similiar Size Nationwide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Bruce O.; Muse, Ivan D.

A 1982-83 survey produced data used to compare 17 small/rural K-12 New Mexico school districts (900 students or fewer) with 642 similar districts nationwide. Of New Mexico's 88 school districts, 43 were identified as qualifying (48.9%, enrolling 16,648 students), for comparison to 4,125 similar districts nationwide. A questionnaire mailed to…

One Approach to Increasing Revenues for Your School District. (A Small School District's Successful Struggle).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dombrowski, Richard J.

In 1983, Channahon School District 17 in Illinois was $1.3 million in debt. Real estate taxes constituted the school district's chief source of revenue, but because the state's oil industry kept its assessed valuations below the actual value of its property through the use of experts and lawyers, the school district was denied much of its income.…

Achieving Competitive Advantage in Human Resource Management in General School District of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al dakeel, Taghreed M.; Almannie, Mohamed A.

2015-01-01

The general school district of Riyadh is one of largest in the country of (45) school districts in Saudi Arabia. The school districts play an important roles in the development of education, therefore the objective of the study is to examine the roles of the management in the school districts to see if it is achieving competitive advantage. After…

State and district policy influences on district-wide elementary and middle school physical education practices.

PubMed

Chriqui, Jamie F; Eyler, Amy; Carnoske, Cheryl; Slater, Sandy

2013-01-01

To examine the influence of state laws and district policies on district-wide elementary school and middle school practices related to physical education (PE) time and the percentage of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time during PE. Multivariate, cross-sectional analysis of state laws, district wellness and PE policies, and district PE practices for school year 2010-2011 controlling for district-level urbanicity, region, size, race/ethnicity of students, and socioeconomic status and clustered on state. One hundred ninety-five public school districts located in 42 states. District-level PE coordinators for the included districts who responded to an online survey. Minutes and days of PE per week and percent time spent in MVPA during PE time. District PE coordinators reported significantly less PE time than national standards-82.9 and 189.6 minutes at the elementary school and middle school levels, respectively. Physical education was provided an average of 2.5 and 3.7 days per week, respectively; and the percentage of MVPA time in PE was 64.4% and 65.7%, respectively. At the elementary school level, districts in either states with laws governing PE time or in a state and district with a law/policy reported significantly more days of PE (0.63 and 0.67 additional days, respectively), and districts in states with PE time laws reported 18 more minutes of PE per week. At the middle school level, state laws were associated with 0.73 more days of PE per week. Neither state laws nor district policies were positively associated with percent MVPA time in PE. State laws and district policies can influence district-level PE practices-particularly those governing the frequency and duration of PE-although opportunities exist to strengthen PE-related laws, policies, and practices.

Technology Finds Its Place in Silicon Valley Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hundley, Paula; Scigliano, Marie

2012-01-01

Technology today is poised to usher in the best of times. Exploring what other districts do highlights the common themes as well as the unique challenges. Three very different districts in Silicon Valley--Portola Valley School District, Campbell Union School District and San Jose Unified School District--explain the strategies they use to enhance…

Small Districts in Big Trouble: How Four Arizona School Systems Responded to Charter Competition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Frederick; Maranto, Robert; Milliman, Scott

2001-01-01

Examined the responses to charter school competition of four small Arizona school districts. Overall, districts lost students to charter schools because they did not satisfy significant constituencies. Their responses depended on overall enrollment trends, quality of charter competition, quality of district leadership, and district size. Responses…

The South Carolina Comprehensive Career Development Program for Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia.

This document presents a model Comprehensive Career Development Program for grades K-12 developed for the state of South Carolina. The model provides the framework for local school districts to evolve a program that will meet the specific career development needs for their district's students. The model is planned to organize, expand, and extend…

Redesigning Urban Districts in the USA: Mayoral Accountability and the Diverse Provider Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Kenneth K.

2011-01-01

In response to public pressure, urban districts in the USA have initiated reforms that aim at redrawing the boundaries between the school system and other major local institutions. More specifically, this article focuses on two emerging reform strategies. We will examine an emerging model of governance that enables big-city mayors to establish…

The Way We See It: A Survey of Teacher Evaluation Policies and Practices Operant in the State of Washington.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buck, James J., Comp.; Parsley, James F., Jr., Comp.

This paper assesses teacher evaluation policies and practices operant in First Class School Districts in the state of Washington. The data, submitted from mailed questionnaires, deal with a district's assessment policy and specifically include concerns relating to evaluative personnel, procedures, and an evaluative instrument or model.…

Make or Buy? That's Really Not the Question

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peurach, Donald J.; Glazer, Joshua L.; Lenhoff, Sarah Winchell

2012-01-01

Conventional thinking holds that districts and schools face a strategic decision between two fundamentally different alternatives: make or buy? The former refers to planning, designing, and enacting school-specific improvement initiatives. The latter refers to contracting with external providers of schoolwide improvement programs. However, there…

76 FR 2410 - Call for Nominations for Advisory Groups

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

... Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, and management options for specific National Landscape...-large; or area school officials or teachers. Individuals may nominate themselves or others. Nominees... Winn, 777 NW Garden Valley Blvd., Roseburg, Oregon 97470, (541) 440-4930; and Salem District: Richard...

School District Income Taxes and School Inputs: The Case of Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong

2014-01-01

This study is the first to explore the relationship between school district income taxes and school inputs (expenditures and student-teacher ratios) using Ohio as a case study. The study employed reduced-form expenditure functions on a data panel of 609 school districts between 1990 and 2010. Treating for the endogeneity of school district income…

Creating Working Partnerships: How Can School Districts and Charter Schools Work Together Effectively? Knowledge Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izu, JoAnn

Drawing on the Los Angeles Unified School District's experiences with charter schools, this brief highlights the difficulties in balancing the twin needs of charter-school autonomy and accountability, and their implications for the way in which charter schools and districts can work together. It identifies key challenges in district-school…

Bond Feasibility Study. Project Identification Committee Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wichita Public Schools, KS.

A committee, appointed by the Board of Education, was requested to make a comprehensive study of the school building needs of Unified School District No. 259. In an attempt to determine the feasibility of a general bond election to upgrade the public schools, the specific charge to the committee was to evaluate the needs for physical plant…

Research to Practice: Developing an Integrated Anaphylaxis Education Curriculum for School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Rebecca; Strickland, C. June

2011-01-01

The numbers of school-aged children with life-threatening allergies that cause anaphylaxis continues to increase. Many states, including Washington, have responded to this by developing specific guidelines for school districts to follow in order to provide a safe learning environment for children with medical conditions that put them at risk for…

Systems Impact: Issues and Trends in Improving School Outcomes for All Learners through Multitier Instructional Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chard, David J.

2013-01-01

The majority of school districts implementing response to intervention use a systemwide, multitier model of delivery. This article describes the common features of multitier models and discusses the emerging evidence of their effectiveness. In addition, specific factors that schools should consider to enhance effective implementation of systemic,…

Developing School Leaders: Practitioner Growth during an Advanced Leadership Development Program for Principals and Administrator-Trained Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne-Ferrigno, Tricia

2007-01-01

This article shares findings from an exploratory case study about an advanced school leadership development program designed specifically for practicing principals and administrator-trained teachers. The program was designed to help a high-need rural district transform its principalship from school management into learner-center leadership while…

Considering the Social Context of Schools: A Framework for Investigating New Teacher Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pogodzinski, Ben

2012-01-01

This work presents a conceptual framework rooted in social capital theory which can be utilized to guide future research of new teacher induction, as well as inform school and district leaders about important elements of a school's social context which may mediate the effects of new teacher induction. Specifically, this work elaborates on the…

Principals Supporting Teachers in Providing Language Instruction to English Learners in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munguia, Celia

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the systems of support that principals establish at their school sites to support teachers with the academic achievement of the English learner population. Two schools from a single district were selected. Specific strategies, structures, and processes that support teachers and principals of English learners…

Swine-Flu Plans Put E-Learning in the Spotlight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Michelle R.; Ash, Katie

2009-01-01

Last school year, many educators were caught unprepared when schools closed in response to cases of swine flu. This time around, both the federal government and school districts are putting specific online-learning measures in place to get ready for possible closures or waves of teacher and student absences because of a flu outbreak. To prepare…

The Meanings of Hebrew: Defining Bilingual Education in a Dual-Language Charter School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avni, Sharon

2015-01-01

Using a discourse analytic framework that draws on theories of language ideologies, this paper analyzes the semiotics of a heritage language as it moves from the context of parochial education to the realm of public schooling. Specifically, it examines how Hebrew undergoes resemioticization when a Hebrew language charter school in the District of…

Measuring Up: Educational Improvement & Opportunity in 50 Cities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeArmond, Michael; Denice, Patrick; Gross, Betheny; Hernandez, Jose; Jochim, Ashley

2015-01-01

This report provides a new resource for understanding the state of urban public schools in the U.S. Geared specifically toward city leaders who want to evaluate how well traditional district and charter schools are serving all their city's children and how their schools compare to those in other cities, the report measures outcomes for all public…

Effects of Livestock Herd Migration on Child Schooling in Marsabit District, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mburu, Samuel

2017-01-01

To throw light on the challenge of providing education to pastoral households in the context of social and economic change, this study investigates the effects of herd migration on child schooling in Northern Kenya. Specifically, the analysis uses both household panel data and community-level focus-group data to identify the barriers to schooling,…

A Correlational Study of Teacher Efficacy and Culturally Responsive Teaching Techniques in a Southeastern Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaway, Roberta F.

2017-01-01

This study was conducted in the fall of 2015 in a large, urban school district located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. There are 33 elementary schools, one kindergarten through eighth grade school, eight middle schools, and five high schools in the district; three of the five high schools in the district participated. The district…

A Guide for Starting and Improving Gifted and Talented High School Programs: Program Options, Teaching Strategies, Models, Forms and Examples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Dept. of Education. Special Education Section.

This manual is designed to help Idaho school districts establish or improve programs for gifted and talented (G/T) high school students. It describes specific program options and administrative issues relating to gifted education. Chapter 1, "Starting and Administering a G/T High School Program," answers common questions about G/T high…

Reforming Districts: How Districts Support School Reform. A Research Report. Document R-03-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Milbrey; Talbert, Joan

2003-01-01

School districts have participated in multiple rounds of education reform activity in the past few decades, yet few have made headway on system-wide school improvement. This paper addresses the questions of whether districts matter for school reform progress and what successful "reforming" districts do to achieve system change and to…

Equity for Rural School Districts: The Final Report of the Countryside Council's School Finance Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Steve

Soaring values of agricultural land have created inequities in funding between urban and rural school districts in Minnesota. The state's Foundation Aid to school districts is formulated so that districts of high property valuation receive less Foundation Aid than those districts with low property valuation. In recent years inflation has had…

State-Level Guidance and District-Level Policies and Practices for Food Marketing in US School Districts.

PubMed

Merlo, Caitlin L; Michael, Shannon; Brener, Nancy D; Blanck, Heidi

2018-06-07

State agencies play a critical role in providing school districts with guidance and technical assistance on school nutrition issues, including food and beverage marketing practices. We examined associations between state-level guidance and the policies and practices in school districts regarding food and beverage marketing and promotion. State policy guidance was positively associated with districts prohibiting advertisements for junk food or fast food restaurants on school property. Technical assistance from states was negatively associated with 2 district practices to restrict marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages, but positively associated with 1 practice to promote healthy options. These findings may help inform the guidance that states provide to school districts and help identify which districts may need additional assistance to address marketing and promotion practices.

Charter Schools and Urban Education Improvement: A Comparison of Newark's District and Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Jason M.; Sadovnik, Alan R.; Visconti, Louisa

2006-01-01

This article compares student achievement of fourth graders in charter schools and district public schools in Newark, New Jersey. We find that Newark and New Jersey's charter schools mirror the educational inequalities of the state as a whole, as well as its Abbott Districts. The data indicate that charter schools are similar to district urban…

An Analysis of Local Education Foundations as Alternative Revenue Streams for Public School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Douglas M.

2012-01-01

As school district revenues are reduced by state allocating agencies, local school district administrators and school boards frequently evaluate alternative sources of possible revenue. One emerging source of revenue that many school districts explore is a local education foundation. Local education foundations are 501(c)(3) nonprofit…

No One Way: Differentiating School District Leadership and Support for School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Stephen E.; Mascall, Blair; Stiegelbauer, Suzanne; Park, Jaddon

2012-01-01

This article examines findings from a qualitative investigation of how school district administrators in four mid to large sized urban school districts (10,000-50,000) identify and address differences in school performance. The analysis explores the interaction between district policies and actions that centralize and standardize expectations for…

Michigan School Privatization Survey 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohman, James M.; Imhoff, Eric R.

2009-01-01

With Michigan's public school districts facing a decline in per-pupil funding, more districts are contracting out for at least one of the three major school support services--food, custodial and transportation--than ever before. This year's survey of school districts found that 44.6 percent of all Michigan school districts contract out for at…

Culture: The Missing Link to Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, Nathan; Howard, Kathleen; Pearson, Carl

2013-01-01

A high functioning school and district culture is an essential underpinning to all improvement efforts. Yet school and district culture can be difficult to assess. Culture is the cornerstone of all good districts and schools. It is the foundation for all school improvement efforts. As one looks deeper into the culture of a school or district, one…

Characteristics of Public School Districts in the United States: Results from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey. First Look. NCES 2013-311

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Lucinda; Bitterman, Amy; Goldring, Rebecca

2013-01-01

This report presents selected findings from the Public School District Data File of the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). SASS is a nationally representative sample survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. School districts associated with public schools and library…

School Bond Referenda Reloaded: An Examination of a School District in Passing a Subsequent Bond Referendum after Failing to Pass Previous Bond Referenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benzaquen, Eitan Yacov

2016-01-01

In April 2008, the Wisconsin Erie School District attempted and failed to pass a school bond referendum to renovate its high school. In November 2008, again the school district did not pass a referendum. Interestingly, in the 2009-2010 school year, the district was successful in passing a bond referendum. Although the original bond measure called…

100 Years of Change for Better Schools: A Short Report of Buffalo Township, Winnebago County, Iowa and Its Schools from 1895 to 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dreier, William H.; Pilgrim, Ronald

In Winnebago County, Iowa, the earliest school district was the township, organized with ungraded one-room schools. The town of Buffalo Center worked with its township school district to become, in 1895, a town independent school district with its service area being the township. In 1896 the new district offered graded elementary and high schools.…

Evaluating Non-Randomized Educational Interventions: A Graphical Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theobald, Roddy; Richardson, Thomas

2014-01-01

A central goal of the education literature is to demonstrate that specific educational interventions--instructional interventions at the student or classroom level, structural interventions at the school level, or funding interventions at the school district level, for example--have a "treatment effect" on student achievement. This paper…

Creating a Culture of Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Frank, Valerie, Ed.

2008-01-01

This compilation of articles from NSDC's newsletters and JSD is a comprehensive resource on creating a positive school culture. The collection includes descriptions of healthy cultures and specific information about how district and school leaders can take actions to create more positive environments, beginning with the audits provided and…

Foreign Language Immersion Programs and School Policy: Conflicting Agendas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson Beal, Heather K.; Haj-Broussard, Michelle; Boudreaux, Nicole

2012-01-01

In this position article, we explore what happens when school district policies regarding desegregation, accountability, and foreign language immersion education collide. Specifically, we contrast 2 immersion programs that experienced distinct outcomes as a result of the conflicting agendas underlying these 3 policies. One program, originally…

Someone at School Has AIDS. 2001 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Katherine; Bogden, James F.

This policy guide explains that every state and school district needs policies addressing serious issues raised by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Chapter 1, "Developing Policy," discusses why policies are valuable, at what level policy belongs, and whether policies should be specific to HIV. Chapter 2, "Policy…

S.O.S.--Students Offering Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thralls, Sharon

1989-01-01

This newsletter describes the features and cites potential obstacles to implementation of high school student community volunteer services for credit programs. Specifically, it documents the genesis of the Students Offering Service (SOS) in the Pasadena (California) Unified School District for the purpose of demonstrating the importance of such…

From Discrepancy to Consistency: Improving SLD Eligibility Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kristin

2017-01-01

This article explains a process for improving specific learning disabilities (SLD) eligibility guidelines in a special education cooperative in Nebraska. The Central Nebraska Support Services Program (CNSSP) is a special education cooperative that serves four public school districts and seven parochial schools in central Nebraska. Children birth…

The Rural Superintendency and the Need for a Critical Leadership of Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rey, Janeil C.

2014-01-01

This article examines how school superintendents and parents in high-needs rural districts conceptualized educational quality. Specifically, this comparative case study of two rural school superintendents presents a contextualized understanding of rural superintendents' and other educators' mainstream views of educational quality, parents and…

The healthy learner model for student chronic condition management--part I.

PubMed

Erickson, Cecelia DuPlessis; Splett, Patricia L; Mullett, Sara Stoltzfus; Heiman, Mary Bielski

2006-12-01

A significant number of children have chronic health conditions that interfere with normal activities, including school attendance and active participation in the learning process. Management of students' chronic conditions is complex and requires an integrated system. Models to improve chronic disease management have been developed for the medical system and public health. Programs that address specific chronic disease management or coordinate school health services have been implemented in schools. Lacking is a comprehensive, integrated model that links schools, students, parents, health care, and other community providers. The Healthy Learner Model for chronic condition management identifies seven elements for creating, implementing, and sustaining an efficient and effective, comprehensive community-based system for improving the management of chronic conditions for school children. It has provided the framework for successful chronic condition management in an urban school district and is proposed for replication in other districts and communities.

Dropout policies and trends for students with and without disabilities.

PubMed

Kemp, Suzanne E

2006-01-01

Students with and without disabilities are dropping out of school at an alarming rate. However, the precise extent of the problem remains elusive because individual schools, school districts, and state departments of education often use different definitional criteria and calculation methods. In addition, specific reasons why students drop out continues to be speculative and minimal research exists validating current dropout prevention programs for students with and without disabilities. This study examined methods secondary school principals used to calculate dropout rates, reasons they believed students dropped out of school, and what prevention programs were being used for students with and without disabilities. Results indicated that school districts used calculation methods that minimized dropout rates, students with and without disabilities dropped out for similar reasons, and few empirically validated prevention programs were being implemented. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Elementary and Secondary Civil Rights Survey, 1984. District Summary Volumes 1 and 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DBS Corp., Arlington, VA.

This 1984 survey was conducted to obtain data on the characteristics of public school students in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 3,510 school districts selected to participate were statistically sampled from approximately 16,000 U.S. school districts, and the schools within the selected districts were subsampled: (1) all special…

Competition for Students in a Local School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisesi, Lawrence J.

2015-01-01

I study how competition played out between elementary schools in a Colorado school district. When the school board approved new schools without catchments, schools faced with declining catchment populations responded. Some schools adapted by altering programming away from the standard district curriculum. I model a school's success in recruiting…

Blue Valley School District: Kansas District Extends Growth Measurement to the Early Grades, Experiences Measurable Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Blue Valley, the fourth largest school district in Kansas, covers 91 square miles. More than 20,000 K-12 students attend its 34 schools ( five high schools, nine middle schools, and 20 elementary schools). Of the district's students, 8% qualify for free and reduced lunch and about 3% are English Language Learners. Blue Valley began using Measures…

Challenge and Opportunity: The Impact of Charter Schools on School Districts. A Report of the National Study of Charter Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ericson, John; Silverman, Debra; Berman, Paul; Nelson, Beryl; Solomon, Debra

This report examines the operational and educational changes that school administrators attribute to charter schools. It is part of the U.S. Department of Education's 4-year study to document and analyze the charter-school movement. The study asked two questions: What changes have districts made in district operations and district education that…

Elementary and Secondary Schools Civil Rights Survey, 1984. State Summaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DBS Corp., Arlington, VA.

This 1984 survey was conducted to obtain data on the characteristics of public school students in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 3,510 school districts selected to participate were statistically sampled from approximately 16,000 U.S. school districts, and the schools within the selected districts were subsampled: (1) all special…

The Condition of Rural Education in Kentucky: A Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coe, Pam; And Others

In Kentucky, 105 of 178 school districts, or 59%, are classified as rural. State law and administrative regulations presume that most school districts are both rural and isolated. The environment for rural schools in the state is heavily influenced by the fact that the majority of school districts are rural. Each school district must have a…

Collaborative School Improvement: Eight Practices for District-School Partnerships to Transform Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Trent E.; Grimm, Emily Dolci; Miller, Allison E.

2012-01-01

How can districts bring instructional improvement to scale within and across schools? The authors of "Collaborative School Improvement" argue that districts can play a powerful part in helping schools build the capacity to engage in inquiry-based reform--but that this effort requires a shift in districts' traditional role as a professional…

A Political Analysis of Community Influence over School Closure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finnigan, Kara S.; Lavner, Mark

2012-01-01

This study seeks to understand community member participation in and influence over an urban school district's school closure process. Data from interviews with School Board members, district administrators, and community members, as well as district documents and newspaper articles suggest that district administrators limited participation…

Are characteristics of the school district associated with active transportation to school in Danish adolescents?

PubMed

Stock, Christiane; Bloomfield, Kim; Ejstrud, Bo; Vinther-Larsen, Mathilde; Meijer, Mathias; Grønbæk, Morten; Grittner, Ulrike

2012-06-01

This study sought to determine the influence of individual factors on active transportation to school among Danish seventh graders and whether school district factors are associated with such behaviour independently of individual factors. Mixed effects logistic regression models determined the effects of individual (gender, family affluence, enjoyment of school and academic performance) and school district factors (educational level, household savings, land use and size) on active transportation to school (by foot, bicycle or other active means) among 10 380 pupils aged 13-15 years nested in 407 school districts. Of all students, 64.4% used active transportation to school daily. Boys, those with perceived higher school performance and those with lower family affluence were more likely to use active transportation to school. After adjustment for all individual factors listed above, high household savings at the school district level was associated with higher odds of active transportation to school. As factors of land use, low level of farming land use and high proportion of single houses were associated with active transportation to school. Policies aiming at reducing social inequalities at the school district level may enhance active transportation to school. School districts with farming land use face barriers for active transportation to school, requiring special policy attention.

Ed-Excel Assessment of Secondary School Student Culture Tabulations by School District and Race/Ethnicity: Responses from Middle School, Junior High and High School Students in Districts of the Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN), 2000-2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Ronald F.

This survey presents statistics on secondary school student culture by school district and race/ethnicity, using data from approximately forty thousand secondary school students in Minority Student Achievement Network districts. Information is presented in six areas: (1) "Family Background Resources and Living Arrangements (racial/ethnic…

Response of School Districts to the New York State Concussion Awareness and Management Act: Review of Policies and Procedures.

PubMed

Kajankova, Maria; Oswald, Jennifer M; Terranova, Lauren M; Kaplen, Michael V; Ambrose, Anne F; Spielman, Lisa A; Gordon, Wayne A

2017-06-01

By 2014, all states implemented concussion laws that schools must translate into daily practice; yet, limited knowledge exists regarding implementation of these laws. We examined the extent to which concussion management policies and procedure (P&P) documents of New York State school districts comply with the State's Concussion Awareness and Management Act (the Act). We also aimed to identify barriers to compliance. Forty-seven school districts provided P&P documents. We examined compliance with the Act and the relationship between compliance and each district's demographics. Compliance varied across school districts, with higher overall compliance in large city school districts compared to county districts. However, there was low compliance for several critical items. We found no statistically significant relationship between compliance and demographics. School districts need to increase compliance with concussion legislation to ensure the adequate implementation necessary for the law to impact health and educational outcomes. The results provide important information to individuals charged with the responsibility of implementation and ultimately reducing the negative outcomes associated with brain injuries in schools. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Perceived Importance of District Developed Teacher Evaluation Standards and Criteria as Measured by Teacher Values Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Jan Ellen Pfeiffer

2011-01-01

In 2009, a PK-12 public school district board of education approved a teacher evaluation tool developed by a volunteer team of teachers and administrators. The Learning Based Teacher Evaluation (LBTE) was constructed with six broad standards and fifteen specific criteria. The standards and criteria were assumed important to professional practice,…

School and district wellness councils and availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense vending fare in Minnesota middle and high schools.

PubMed

Kubik, Martha Y; Lytle, Leslie A; Farbakhsh, Kian

2011-01-01

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required school districts participating in the federal school meals program to establish by the start of the 2006-2007 school year policies that included nutrition guidelines for all foods sold on school campus during the school day and policy development involving key stakeholders. For many schools, policy development was done by wellness councils. This study examined the association between having a wellness council and availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods/beverages in school vending machines following enactment of the federal legislation. In 2006-2007, Minnesota middle (n=35) and high (n=54) school principals reported whether their school and district had a wellness council. Trained research staff observed foods/beverages in vending machines accessible to students. Low-nutrient, energy-dense foods/beverages (snacks >3 g fat or >200 calories/serving, and soda, fruit/sport drinks and reduced-fat/whole milk) were grouped into seven categories (eg, high-fat baked goods) and a food score was calculated. Higher scores indicated more low-nutrient, energy-dense vending fare. Multivariate linear regression, adjusted for school characteristics, was used to examine associations between scores and a three-category council variable (district-only; district and school; no council). Among schools, 53% had district-only councils, 38% district and school councils, and 9% had no council. Schools with both a district and school council had a significantly lower mean food score than schools without councils (P=0.03). The potential of wellness councils to impact availability of low-nutrient, energy-dense vending fare is promising. There may be an added benefit to having both a school and district council. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strength and Comprehensiveness of District School Wellness Policies Predict Policy Implementation at the School Level

PubMed Central

Henderson, Kathryn E; Falbe, Jennifer; Novak, Sarah A.; Wharton, Christopher; Long, Michael; O'Connell, Meghan L.; Fiore, Susan S.

2013-01-01

Background In 2006, all local education agencies in the United States participating in federal school meal programs were required to establish school wellness policies. The aim of this study was to document the strength and comprehensiveness of one state's written district policies using a quantitative coding tool, and test whether the strength and comprehensiveness of the written policy predicted school level implementation and practices. Methods School wellness policies from 151 Connecticut districts were evaluated using a quantitative coding system. In each district, school principal surveys were collected before and after the writing and expected implementation of wellness policies. Socio-demographic variables were assessed for each district, including enrollment, population density, political climate, racial composition and socio-economic status. Changes in school-level policy implementation before and after the federal wellness policy requirement were compared across districts by wellness policy strength, and policies were compared based on district-level demographic factors. Results Statewide, fuller implementation of nutrition and physical activity policies at the school level was reported after adoption of written policies in 2006. Districts with stronger, more comprehensive policies were more successful in implementing those policies at the school level. Some socio-demographic characteristics predicted the strength of wellness policies; larger, urban districts and districts with a greater ratio of registered Democrats to Republicans wrote stronger policies. Conclusions Written school wellness policies have the potential to promote significant improvements in the school environment. Future regulation of school wellness policies should focus on the importance of writing strong and comprehensive policies. PMID:22568461

Cost-Efficacy Analysis of Out-of-District Special Education Placements: An Evaluative Measure of Behavior Support Intervention in Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Robert F.; Luiselli, James K.; Sennett, Kenneth; Malonson, Joanne

2002-01-01

Evaluation of out-of-district special education placement costs in the 15 largest Massachusetts public school districts found the criterion school district (which had developed a system-wide approach to behavioral intervention) had the lowest per capita cost, lowest percentage of total school budget consumed by out-of-district placements, and the…

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Minnesota School District Finds Cost

Science.gov Websites

Savings, Cold-Weather Reliability with Propane Buses Minnesota School District Finds Cost Center: Minnesota School District Finds Cost Savings, Cold-Weather Reliability with Propane Buses on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Minnesota School District Finds Cost Savings, Cold

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic

Science.gov Websites

and Environmental Benefits with Propane Buses Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic and School District Reaps Economic and Environmental Benefits with Propane Buses on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic and Environmental Benefits with

Estimating the Efficiency of Michigan's Rural and Urban Public School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maranowski, Rita

2012-01-01

This study examined student achievement in Michigan public school districts to determine if rural school districts are demonstrating greater financial efficiency by producing higher levels of student achievement than school districts in other geographic locations with similar socioeconomics. Three models were developed using multiple regression…

Improving School Climate Through School/Community Interaction: Needs Assessment Through Community Participation. Teacher Corps Developmental Training Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barros, Ricardo

The initial year (1978) of the five year program, the Chama Valley Independent School District (CVISD)/University of New Mexico (UNM) Teacher Corps Project, involved an intensive collaborative effort to define and delineate specific project requirements and objectives of the remaining 4 years of the project's duration. The major tool for this…

Guided Occupation Orientation Project: Syracuse City School District. 1972-73 School Year Informal Evaluation and Recommendation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holder, Harold D.; And Others

The report is designed primarily for internal use by administrators and staff members of the Guided Occupational Orientation Project in Syracuse, New York, and contains a summary evaluation for the 1972-73 school year activities associated with the project. One section of the report discusses and displays specific outcomes compared with goals…

Fruit and Vegetable Plate Waste among Students in a Suburban School District Participating in the National School Lunch Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handforth, Kellyn M.; Gilboy, Mary Beth; Harris, Jeffrey; Melia, Nicole

2016-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this project was to assess fruit and vegetable plate waste, examine patterns of selection and consumption of specific fruit and vegetable subgroups, and analyze for differences across gender, grade level, and school. Methods: A previously-validated digital photography method was used to collect plate waste data…

Business and Education Transition Alliance (BETA): Opening Doors to Career Opportunities for At-Risk Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroup, Phillip

1996-01-01

The Business and Education Transition Alliance (BETA) is a model school-to-work transition program that was developed to facilitate the school-to-work transition of at-risk youth in the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado. Among the BETA program's specific goals are the following: increase students' knowledge/understanding of demands of the…

Black, White, Green, Red. The Politics of Education in Ethnic America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bresnick, David; And Others

The upheaval in large city school systems during the late 1960s and early 1970s is examined in this book. Most of the specific examples are drawn from school districts in New York City, such as Ocean Hill-Brownsville and Canarsie. The problems of growing demands for community control, ethnic and racial conflicts, and school decentralization are…

Selecting Growth Measures for School and Teacher Evaluations. Working Paper 80

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlert, Mark; Koedel, Cory; Parsons, Eric; Podgursky, Michael

2012-01-01

The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used to evaluate schools and teachers is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this paper we take up the question of model choice and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular student growth percentiles (SGPs)…

Comparing Student Achievement in Single-Gender and Coeducational Classrooms Using the Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, La Sandra M.

2016-01-01

Schools across the nation are faced with an increased urgency to seek innovative strategies to improve low academic performance of students as mandated by No Child Left Behind Legislation (Friend, 2006). Specifically, in the state of Tennessee in schools such as those located in the Shelby County Schools District who have experienced low student…

Responding To Infectious Disease: Multiple Cases of Staph Infections in a Rural School District. Lessons Learned From School Crises and Emergencies, Volume 3, Issue 3, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

"Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue focuses on an incident involving several cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at a rural high school. MRSA is a specific strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (often called staph)…

841 Square Miles of Commitment: Districtwide Plan Makes Professional Learning a Priority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slabine, Nancy Ames

2012-01-01

Without adequate time and resources, it is impossible for school districts and schools to support professional learning that leads to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. That's why one of the seven new standards in Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning focuses specifically on…

Appointed and Elected Superintendents in Florida's Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habersham, Candace L.

2012-01-01

When a specific system is chosen, in reference to selecting a school superintendent, contention between constituents who oppose such system ensues. Such issues range from demographics and differences in management style to which superintendent is more credentialed. In Florida, each county is considered a school district and has its own school…

Why Leadership Matters: Empowering Teachers to Implement Formative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingworth, Liz

2012-01-01

Purpose: The focus of this research is to understand the role of the district superintendent, the building principal, and the school leadership team of classroom teachers as catalysts for innovation in instruction and classroom assessment. School characteristics and structures designed to specifically support professional learning communities are…

An Analysis of Factors Contributing to Achievement in Physics of Secondary Students in Mississippi Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harpole, Sandra H.; And Others

Designed to examine the factors that contribute to student achievement, this study focused specifically on the relationship between physics achievement and selected teacher characteristics, student characteristics, and school and district characteristics. Questionnaires and attitude surveys were completed by 39 randomly selected Mississippi…

Structural Validity of the WISC-IV for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Styck, Kara M.; Watkins, Marley W.

2016-01-01

The structural validity of the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition" (WISC-IV) was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis for a clinical sample of 1,537 students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities (SLD) by school psychologists in two large southwestern school districts. Results indicated that a…

Advisory on Relocatable and Renovated Classrooms. IAQ Info Sheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Health Services, Berkeley.

Many California school districts, in complying with the Class Size Reduction Program, will obtain relocatable classrooms directly from manufacturers who are under no specific guidelines or codes relative to indoor air quality (IAQ). This document, designed to aid school facility managers in minimizing potential IAQ problems, summarizes the indoor…

Open Enrollment: Overview and 2016 Legislative Update. Policy Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wixom, Micah Ann

2017-01-01

Open-enrollment policies allow students to transfer from one public school to another of their choice. While open-enrollment policies involve students transferring to another school or district, the specifics of these policies vary significantly across states. States' open-enrollment policies may allow for voluntary or mandatory participation at…

Contract Management Mentality--Are You Ready for the Spotlight?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiddon, Philip

1994-01-01

Contract management of school maintenance and operations is a growing trend. In-house departments need to be prepared to justify their positions. Describes a Texas school district's request for proposal for contract management and includes the specifications for bidding with comments about the wording of the document. (MLF)

Demystifying Remote Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Grant

2009-01-01

With money tight, more and more districts are considering remote access as a way to reduce expenses and budget information technology costs more effectively. Remote access allows staff members to work with a hosted software application from any school campus without being tied to a specific physical location. Each school can access critical…

German Curriculum, Junior and Senior High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Lorenzo A.; And Others

The curriculum guide for German outlines the general and specific objectives and content of the courses to be offered in the Jefferson County (Colorado) public junior and senior high schools. An introductory section describes the district's comprehensive and second language education goals and philosophy, summarizes findings of the President's…

Using Differentiated Instruction to Increase Mathematics Achievement in Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faulkner, Jennifer H.

2013-01-01

As evidenced by the poor mathematics performance in American schools, specifically in the school district in the current study, providing identical educational opportunities for diverse students does not necessarily increase academic achievement for everyone. Differentiation is an instructional method that has been found to be successful in…

District Readiness to Support School Turnaround: A Users' Guide to Inform the Work of State Education Agencies and Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Player, Daniel; Hambrick Hitt, Dallas; Robinson, William

2014-01-01

This guide provides state education agencies (SEAs) and districts (LEAs) with guidance about how to assess the district's readiness to support school turnaround initiatives. Often, school turnaround efforts focus only on the school's structure and leadership. Rarely do policymakers or practitioners think about school turnaround as a system-level…

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…

Becoming a Community School: A Study of Oakland Unified School District Community School Implementation, 2015-2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fehrer, Kendra; Leos-Urbel, Jacob; Messner, Erica; Riley, Nicole

2016-01-01

Since 2014, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has partnered with the Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University (Gardner Center) to support OUSD's efforts to assess, enhance, and scale their community schools work. They began by working with the district to develop a System Strategy Map to articulate the district's…

REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SAUSALITO SCHOOL DISTRICT, ON ETHNIC PROBLEMS IN THE SAUSALITO SCHOOL DISTRICT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

RACIAL IMBALANCE IN THE SAUSALITO SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS LEGAL SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. THE SCHOOL POPULATION COMES FROM THREE MAJOR COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THE SCHOOLS MUST COPE WITH THE DISCONTINUITY OF A PUPIL ENROLLMENT PATTERN CAUSED BY THE CONSTANT TURNOVER OF PERSONNEL AT THE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE AREA.…

Opening the Schoolhouse Door: Helping Charter Schools Access Space in District-Owned Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Sean; Maas, Tricia

2017-01-01

This paper is part of a series on district-charter cooperation, which has been studied by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) for more than five years. School choice is growing in cities with the addition of charter schools, and more district leaders are adopting a portfolio approach to schooling: giving district schools autonomy…

Oakland Unified School District Community Schools: Understanding Implementation Efforts to Support Students, Teachers, and Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fehrer, Kendra; Leos-Urbel, Jacob

2015-01-01

In 2010, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) launched an initiative to transform all district schools into full service community schools. The community school design provides integrated supports to students and fosters a school climate conducive to academic, social, and emotional learning. Interventions span in-school and out-of-school time,…

Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services Staffing: Policies in U.S. School Districts.

PubMed

Brener, Nancy; Demissie, Zewditu

2018-06-01

Schools are in a unique position to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of children and adolescents because approximately 95% of young people aged 7-17 years attend school. Little is known, however, about policies related to counseling, psychological, and social services staffing in school districts. This study analyzed the prevalence of such policies in public school districts in the U.S. Data from four cycles (2000, 2006, 2012, and 2016) of the School Health Policies and Practices Study, a national survey periodically conducted to assess policies and practices for ten components of school health, were analyzed in 2017. The survey collected data related to counseling, psychological, and social services among nationally representative samples of school districts using online or mailed questionnaires. Sampled districts identified respondents responsible for or most knowledgeable about the content of each questionnaire. The percentage of districts with a district-level counseling, psychological, and social services coordinator increased significantly from 62.6% in 2000 to 79.5% in 2016. In 2016, 56.3% of districts required each school to have someone to coordinate counseling, psychological, and social services at the school. Fewer districts required schools at each level to have a specified ratio of counselors to students (16.2% for elementary schools, 16.8% for middle schools, and 19.8% for high schools), and the percentage of districts with these requirements has decreased significantly since 2012. Increases in the prevalence of district-level staffing policies could help increase the quantity and quality of counseling, psychological, and social services staff in schools nationwide, which in turn could improve mental and behavioral health outcomes for students. This article is part of a supplement entitled The Behavioral Health Workforce: Planning, Practice, and Preparation, which is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Need for District Support for School Reform: What the Researchers Say. Research Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appelbaum, Deborah

This article focuses on the school district's role in implementing Comprehensive School Reform (CSR). Research shows that effective district support for CSR varies from district to district. This is due, in part, to the fact that many prior models bypassed the district, operating under the belief that reform would be more effective if it targeted…

Report card on school snack food policies among the United States' largest school districts in 2004–2005: Room for improvement

PubMed Central

Greves, H Mollie; Rivara, Frederick P

2006-01-01

Background Federal nutritional guidelines apply to school foods provided through the national school lunch and breakfast programs, but few federal regulations apply to other foods and drinks sold in schools (labeled "competitive foods"), which are often high in calories, fat and sugar. Competitive food policies among school districts are increasingly viewed as an important modifiable factor in the school nutrition environment, particularly to address rising rates of childhood overweight. Congress passed legislation in 2004 requiring all school districts to develop a Wellness Policy that includes nutrition guidelines for competitive foods starting in 2006–2007. In addition, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently published recommendations for schools to address childhood obesity. Methods Representatives of school districts with the largest student enrollment in each state and D.C. (N = 51) were interviewed in October-November 2004 about each school district's nutrition policies on "competitive foods." District policies were examined and compared to the Institute of Medicine's recommendations for schools to address childhood obesity. Information about state competitive food policies was accessed via the Internet, and through state and district contacts. Results The 51 districts accounted for 5.9 million students, representing 11% of US students. Nineteen of the 51 districts (39%) had competitive food policies beyond state or federal requirements. The majority of these district policies (79%) were adopted since 2002. School district policies varied in scope and requirements. Ten districts (53%) set different standards by grade level. Most district policies had criteria for food and beverage content (74%) and prohibited the sale of soda in all schools (63%); fewer policies restricted portion size of foods (53%) or beverages (47%). Restrictions more often applied to vending machines (95%), cafeteria à la carte (79%), and student stores (79%) than fundraising activities (47%). Most of the policies did not address more comprehensive approaches to the school nutrition environment, such as nutrition education (32%) or advertising to students (26%), nor did they include guidelines on physical education (11%). In addition, few policies addressed monitoring (32%) or consequences for non-compliance (11%). No policy restricted foods sold for after-school fundraising or required monitoring physical health indicators (e.g. BMI). Conclusion When compared to the Institute of Medicine's recommendations for schools' role in preventing obesity, none of the nutrition policies among each state's largest school district had addressed all the recommendations by 2004–2005. Nutritionists, nurses, pediatricians, parents, and others concerned about child health have an unprecedented opportunity to help shape and implement more comprehensive school district nutrition policies as part of the Congressional requirement for a "Wellness Policy" by 2006–2007. PMID:16390544

How State Takeover School Districts Shake Up Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennington, Kaitlin

2014-01-01

Over the past few decades, many state departments of education have taken over low-performing schools or districts as a school turnaround strategy. Recently, that strategy has shifted to creating new districts--managed by the state--that include schools and parts of districts that face challenges in performance. The governance structure brings…

Comprehensive Profile of the San Antonio Indepentent School District 1983-1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Antonio Independent School District, TX.

This report presents statistical data about the San Antonio (Texas) Independent School District for the 1983-1984 school year. Trends for five or ten year groupings of past years are also presented. The report consolidates both district and individual school information from regular reports by the different district departments. The data is…

Governing Urban School Districts: Efforts in Los Angeles to Effect Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augustine, Catherine H.; Epstein, Diana; Vuollo, Mirka

2006-01-01

Many urban school district students are dropping out and few of the remaining ones reach state or district achievement goals. These problems make governing urban schools both difficult and important. In 2005-06, the governance structure of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was examined, debated, criticized, and praised by several…

Research Use by Leaders in Canadian School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Amander; Levin, Ben

2013-01-01

This paper, part of a larger study, investigates the ways research is used by leaders in Canadian schools and districts, an area in which there is relatively little empirical evidence. The paper analyzes survey results from 188 education leaders in 11 school districts across Canada about school and district practices related to the use of…

Projecting Enrollment in Rural Schools: A Study of Three Vermont School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grip, Richard S.

2004-01-01

Large numbers of rural districts have experienced sharp declines in enrollment, unlike their suburban counterparts. Accurate enrollment projections are required, whether a district needs to build new schools or consolidate existing ones. For school districts having more than 600 students, a quantitative method such as the Cohort-Survival Ratio…

Charter and Direct Run Schools of the Recovery School District (RSD) and Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) Comparison of High Stakes Tests and Dropout Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andry, Beverly Guillory

2011-01-01

The city of New Orleans has embarked on an historic experiment reinventing its schools--once considered among the worst in the country--from a centralized, single district model of education to a two district model in which both the Recovery School District (RSD) and the preexisting Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) both operate direct run and…

The Teacher Strike: School District Protection Procedures. A Manual for School District Officials on How to Handle a Teachers' Strike.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Igoe, Joseph A.; DiRocco, Anthony P.

This booklet is designed to give practical and realistic advice to school district officials faced with the possibility of a teachers' strike. It is intended for use both by school district administrators and school board members. The booklet is organized into four sections that focus in turn on signs of a pending teachers' strike, union…

Rearranging Deck Chairs in Dallas: Contextual Constraints and Within-District Resource Allocation in Urban Texas School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.

2012-01-01

The goal of this study is to simultaneously explore resource allocation across schools within large urban school districts and across all schools within major metropolitan areas that include those urban districts in the state of Texas. This study uses a three-year panel, from 2005 to 2007, for Texas elementary schools in the Houston, Dallas,…

Review of the Organizational Structure and Operations of the Los Angeles Unified School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of the Great City Schools, 2006

2006-01-01

The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest public school system in the United States, and one of the largest organizations of any kind in the country. As with urban school systems across the country, the Los Angeles school district is under enormous pressure to improve. The district is under public scrutiny and is the subject of…

National Implications for Urban School Systems: Strategic Planning in the Human Resource Management Department in a Large Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Clarence; Kritsonis, William Allan

2007-01-01

This article addresses several key ongoing issues in a large urban school district. Literature focuses on what make a large urban school district effective in Human Resource Management. The effectiveness is addressed through recruitment and retention practices. A comparison of the school district with current research is the main approach to the…

School District Personnel Describe One Example of Effective Change Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Toni Griego

Three large urban school districts located in the Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast regions were involved in a study designed to reveal district personnel's perceptions of change within their school district. After describing the study, this document analyzes perceptions of change related to one district's new bilingual program that was…

Analysis of Superintendent Longevity in Large School Districts: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mouton, Nikki Golar

2013-01-01

School district leadership matters, as evidenced by a meta-analysis of 27 reports and 1,210 districts conducted by Waters and Marzano (2006) which highlights a statistically significant correlation between district leadership and student achievement. Because this relationship is significant, it is important for school districts to have effective…

School District Employment Reductions Slow. Get the Facts. #1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tallman, Mark

2012-01-01

Kansas school districts reduced employment by 327 full-time equivalent positions this school year, the smallest reduction in three years of cuts to district operating budgets. Districts reduced positions by 561 in FY 2010 and 1,626 in FY 2011. Districts eliminated nearly 400 "regular" teaching positions this year, but added 114 special…

Preschool Guidelines: Rural Model (Trimble Local School District).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Educational Services.

The purpose of this handbook is to guide rural school districts intending to establish a preschool program. The program described was established in the Trimble Local School District in the rural Appalachian area of northern Athens County, the third poorest district in Ohio. Contents concern: (1) the district's beliefs about children; (2)…

Income Segregation between Schools and School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Ann; Reardon, Sean F.; Jencks, Christopher

2016-01-01

Although trends in the racial segregation of schools are well documented, less is known about trends in income segregation. We use multiple data sources to document trends in income segregation between schools and school districts. Between-district income segregation of families with children enrolled in public school increased by over 15% from…

School District Response to the Ohio Local Option Income Tax.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, Jess E.

Ohio State Senate Bill 28 allows school districts, with voter approval, to impose a tax on the incomes of district residents. This paper examines the early response of school districts to the opportunity presented by the legislation. The paper explains the Ohio system for funding public schools, with a focus on revenue growth, describes features…

Elementary and Secondary Civil Rights Survey, 1984. National Summaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DBS Corp., Arlington, VA.

This 1984 survey was conducted to obtain data on the characteristics of public school students in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 3,510 school districts selected to participate were statistically sampled from approximately 16,000 U.S. school districts, and the schools within the selected districts were subsampled: (1) all special…

A Model for Determining School District Cash Flow Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dembowski, Frederick L.

This paper discusses a model to optimize cash management in school districts. A brief discussion of the cash flow pattern of school districts is followed by an analysis of the constraints faced by the school districts in their investment planning process. A linear programming model used to optimize net interest earnings on investments is developed…

A Sense of Balance: District Aligns Personalized Learning with School and System Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donsky, Debbie; Witherow, Kathy

2015-01-01

This article addresses the challenge of personalizing learning while also ensuring alignment with system and school improvement plans. Leaders of the York Region District School Board in Ontario knew that what took their high-performing school district from good to great would not take it from great to excellent. The district's early model of…

Little Reason for Being: A Case of School District Dissolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Pam

In 1980, Tonnelly Central School District became the first school district in New York State to be dissolved pursuant to Section 1505 of Education Law, marking the first use of dissolution and annexation as a means by which to address the programmatic and management problems encountered in the operation of a central school district. Problems faced…

School District Personnel Selection Practices: Exploring the Effects of Demographic Factors on Rural Values within a Person-Organization Fit Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Paula S.; Miller, Stephen K.

A study examined the extent to which demographic factors predict rural values in Kentucky public school district hiring officials. Among the demographic factors considered were school district metropolitan classification, school district size, community racial composition, decision makers' position in the organizational hierarchy, and decision…

Challenges Faced by Maine School Districts in Providing High Quality Public Education. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvernail, David L.; Linet, Sarah R.

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to: (1) identify challenges faced by Maine school districts in providing high quality public education; (2) describe the magnitude of the challenges; and (3) identify areas where school districts were experiencing some success in meeting these challenges. The School Districts Challenge Survey was distributed online to…

The Determinants of School District Salary Incentives: An Empirical Analysis of, Where and Why

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Stephanie M.

2010-01-01

Most public school districts in the United States use a salary schedule to determine compensation for teachers within the district. However, some school districts have implemented incentive pay schemes that allow flexibility at the school or even individual teacher level. These compensation schemes in some ways may more closely approximate a…

The perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on third- through fifth-grade elementary science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinsler, Angela V.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on elementary science classrooms in 3 Northeast Tennessee school districts. Quantitative descriptive methodology was used to document how No Child Left Behind impacts instructional methodology, professional development, administrative support, materials and resources, and assessment in 3rd through 5th grades. Data were collected using a survey developed by the researcher. The survey consisted of a demographic section, 28 statements, and 2 open-ended questions. The 51 participants included elementary-school science teachers in 8 schools in 3 upper East Tennessee school districts. Data analysis was based on the following demographics: differing levels of teaching experience, No Child Left Behind school status, and small and large schools. Findings included: The 3 greatest concerns of the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act were the pressures felt by teachers to increase test scores, the manner in which it impacted at-risk or disadvantaged students, and the lack of inservice, specifically for science. Findings also revealed that low-scoring schools or grades were receiving extra assistance and teachers reported they feel that their school or district fosters and supports change. An analysis of the open-ended questions emphasized the stress teachers reported feeling along with the loss of science instruction time to math and language arts.

A whole school approach: collaborative development of school health policies, processes, and practices.

PubMed

Hunt, Pete; Barrios, Lisa; Telljohann, Susan K; Mazyck, Donna

2015-11-01

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model shows the interrelationship between health and learning and the potential for improving educational outcomes by improving health outcomes. However, current descriptions do not explain how to implement the model. The existing literature, including scientific articles, programmatic guidance, and publications by national agencies and organizations, was reviewed and synthesized to describe an overview of interrelatedness of learning and health and the 10 components of the WSCC model. The literature suggests potential benefits of applying the WSCC model at the district and school level. But, the model lacks specific guidance as to how this might be made actionable. A collaborative approach to health and learning is suggested, including a 10-step systematic process to help schools and districts develop an action plan for improving health and education outcomes. Essential preliminary actions are suggested to minimize the impact of the challenges that commonly derail systematic planning processes and program implementation, such as lack of readiness, personnel shortages, insufficient resources, and competing priorities. All new models require testing and evidence to confirm their value. District and schools will need to test this model and put plans into action to show that significant, substantial, and sustainable health and academic outcomes can be achieved. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of School Health published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American School Health Association.

Desegregation Activities: Administration of Education Grant Funds at the Cleveland School District. Report to the Honorable Louis Stokes, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Div. of Human Resources.

An examination was made of the U.S. Department of Education grants awarded to the Cleveland School District for desegregation activities, including how Department of Education funds were used by the school district and how the department administered and monitored Magnet School grants awarded to the school district for fiscal years 1986 and 1987.…

Boston Public Schools: Family Guide to the Pilot, Horace Mann, and Innovation Schools, 2011-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Collaborative Education, 2012

2012-01-01

A Pilot School is a public school in the Boston Public School district with teachers who are members of the Boston Teachers Union. A Horace Mann Charter School is a public school under a Massachusetts state charter that operates within a regular school district and serves the students and families enrolled in that district. An Innovation School, a…

A Phenomenological Study of Superintendents' and School Board Presidents' Perceptions Related to the Influence of School Boards on School District Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moten, Anthony C.

2015-01-01

This phenomenological narrative study was designed to investigate superintendents' and school board presidents' perception related to the influence of school boards on school district performance. Participants were three superintendents and three school board presidents whose districts were recognized as met standards for the 2014-2015 academic…

Determining Dropout Rates in Large City School Districts: Problems and Accomplishments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frymier, Jack

As part of an effort to reduce high school dropout rates in large city school districts, Phi Delta Kappa, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Council of Great City Schools, and a group of large city school districts undertook an effort to determine baseline statistics in high schools in large cities by using standardized…

Helping Teachers Become Inservice Facilitators. A Training Program to Develop School-Based Inservice Planning Teams. Seventh Edition. Inservice Series No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Mary Alice B.

This manual is designed for the training of inservice facilitator teams, which include regular and special education teachers, administrators, and other school district staff. Inservice facilitator teams are defined as teams which develop inservice programs for their school system. Each chapter focuses on a specific skill for the training teams;…

Engaging High School Students in Advanced Math and Science Courses for Success in College: Is Advanced Placement the Answer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley-Kemple, Thomas; Proger, Amy; Roderick, Melissa

2011-01-01

The current study provides an in-depth look at Advanced Placement (AP) math and science course-taking in one school district, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Using quasi-experimental methods, this study examines the college outcomes of students who take AP math and science courses. Specifically, this study asks whether students who take AP math…

Sexual Harassment Policies in Florida School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienzo, Barbara A.; Moore, Michele Johnson

1998-01-01

Investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendations for addressing sexual harassment in schools. Surveys of district equity coordinators and analysis of policies indicated that most districts approved sexual harassment policies incorporating many FDOE…

Characteristics of Illinois School Districts That Employ School Nurses.

PubMed

Searing, Lisabeth M; Guenette, Molly

2016-08-01

Research indicates that school nursing services are cost-effective, but the National Association of School Nurses estimates that 25% of schools do not have a school nurse (SN). The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of Illinois school districts that employed SNs. This was a secondary data analysis of Illinois School Report Card system data as well as data obtained from district websites regarding SNs. Employment of an SN was determined for 95% of the 862 existing districts. Binary logistic regression analysis found that district size was the largest significant predictor of employment of an SN. Other factors included the type of district and diversity of the teaching staff as well as the percentage of students receiving special education services or with limited English proficiency. These findings indicate where to focus advocacy and policy efforts to encourage employment of SNs. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Ins and Outs of Access Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longworth, David

1999-01-01

Presents basic considerations when school districts plan to acquire an access-control system for their education facilities. Topics cover cards and readers, controllers, software, automation, card technology, expandability, price, specification of needs beyond the canned specifications already supplied, and proper usage training to cardholders.…

Early Returns on District of Columbia Charter Schools. Capital Campaign

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mead, Sara

2005-01-01

In this report for the Progressive Policy Institute's 21st Century Schools Project, the author examines charter schooling in Washington, D.C., including the region's unique history of charter schooling and the challenges these schools face. She is optimistic about the future of the District's charter school movement, but argues that District and…

Income Segregation between Schools and School Districts. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Ann; Reardon, Sean F.; Jencks, Christopher

2016-01-01

Although trends in the racial segregation of schools are well documented, less is known about trends in "income" segregation. We use multiple data sources to document trends in income segregation between schools and school districts. Between-district income segregation of families with children enrolled in public school increased by over…

Strategies to Maintain School District Financial Solvency: Illinois School Business Officials' Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Ann C.; Kersten, Thomas A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify financial management strategies that school business officials have found most successful in achieving school district financial stability. To accomplish, 208 Illinois school business officials in six counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, excluding Chicago School District 299,…

Human Resource Support for School Principals in Two, Urban School Districts: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lochmiller, Chad R.

2010-01-01

School districts are increasingly focused on instructional practice in classrooms. Many urban school districts have shifted decision-making responsibility to school principals in order to improve instruction. This reform strategy has been referred to as decentralization or school-based management. Decentralization has a significant influence on…

District of Columbia Public Schools: Student Enrollment Count Remains Vulnerable to Errors. Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on the District of Columbia, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is one of the largest public school districts in the United States. Since 1989-90, there have been questions about several aspects of DCPS's enrollment-count process. A valid enrollment-count process and an accurate count are critical to DCPS's district- and school-level planning, staffing, funding,…

Manual of Educational Risk Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cody, Frank J.; Dise, John H., Jr.

This is the first risk management publication for school administrators that attempts to be comprehensive by addressing all potential areas of risk to school districts and offering specific guidelines on how to manage those areas. Chapter 1 gives directions on how to use the manual. Chapter 2 contains a complete overview of risk management,…

Exploring the Educational Involvement of Parents of English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vera, Elizabeth M.; Israel, Marla Susman; Coyle, Laura; Cross, Joanna; Knight-Lynn, Laura; Moallem, Isabel; Bartucci, Gina; Goldberger, Nancy

2012-01-01

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the relationships among a range of specific barriers and facilitators of parent involvement and a variety of types of school involvement within a diverse group of immigrant parents of English Learners (ELs) in four elementary school districts. In-home types of educational involvement such as…

Racing to the Top with Leaders in Rural High Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fusarelli, Bonnie C.; Militello, Matt

2012-01-01

This article describes an innovative approach, developed by North Carolina State University, to prepare leaders specifically for work in rural schools in high poverty districts. Operating with Race-to-the-Top funding, the Northeast Leadership Academy is a selective program with embedded practice and focused summer community internships. The…

Financing Public School Facilities in Texas: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawn, Lisa

A case study is presented of a Texas educational facilities program that was developed to provide long-term state assistance to school districts for the construction or renovation of their facilities by providing equal access to revenue for the specific purpose of repaying debt issued to finance instructional facilities. This report presents a…

How to Improve the Design and Delivery of High-Quality Technical Assistance. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2005

2005-01-01

Educators often use the term technical assistance to define services delivered or received in the pursuit of school- and district-improvement initiatives. More specifically, technical assistance can be defined as any assistance that identifies, selects, or designs research-based solutions and practices to support school improvement (Mattson &…

High School Administrative Staffing in Washington State: Principal Perspectives on Resource Needs and Utilization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steach, John C.

2011-01-01

This mixed methods study explored how high school principals prioritize their work and utilize available human resources to adjust to inadequate administrative staffing. Analysis of staffing levels across the state of Washington and specifically inside two eastern Washington districts framed interview questions for central office administration…

Anglo-Saxon Ideologies in the 1920s-1930s: Their Impact on the Segregation of Mexican Students in California.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menchaca, Martha; Valencia, Richard R.

1990-01-01

Traces the development of Anglo-Saxon superiority theories from the nineteenth century onward and demonstrates their impact on social conditions in the southwest, specifically on school segregation in Santa Paula School District (California) from the 1920s to the present. (DM)

Professional Development Implementation: Perceptions of Elementary and Middle-School Teachers and Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topley, Brenda M.

2010-01-01

In a Midwestern school district, teachers and administrators have specific concerns and opinions about professional development (PD) related to differentiated instruction. Carol Ann Tomlinson, the guru of differentiated instruction (DI), refers to DI as meeting the needs of students by adjusting instruction in order to address how they learn…

New York City Bilingual Technical Assistance Center (BETAC), 1987-88. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; Sjostrom, Barbara R.

The New York City Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Center provided technical assistance and training to members of the instructional and administrative staffs working with limited-English-proficient (LEP) students throughout the city's 32 community school districts and the division of high schools. Specifically, in 1987-88 the program…

5. What Can Schools Do to Motivate Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usher, Alexandra

2012-01-01

This is the fifth in a series of six papers from the Center on Education Policy exploring issues related to students' motivation to learn. While past papers in this series have examined broad strategies to improve academic motivation that could be implemented across a school, district, or state, this paper focuses specifically on changes within…

Countering Plutocracies: Increasing Autonomy and Accountability through Culturally Relevant Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCray, Carlos R.; Beachum, Floyd D.

2014-01-01

In urban school districts across the USA there are mandates to implement zero tolerance policies. As this occurs, there is an increasing number of students, specifically students of colour, who are being jettisoned out of the educative process. When school principals have little autonomy regarding how they handle disciplinary infractions within…

"A Technical Assistance Report" on Computer Technology Applications. Smithville School District, Smithville, Massachusetts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrimack Education Center, Chelmsford, MA.

This report of the Technical Assistance Study provided to the Smithville Public Schools by the Technology Lighthouse of the Merrimack Education Center offers information for use in planning computer technology applications over a 3-year period. It provides specific guidelines and criteria for planning and development, equipment considerations,…

Standards-Based Curriculum, Differentiated Instruction, and End of Course Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartnell, Benjamin Jeffry

2011-01-01

Differentiated instruction, standards-based curriculum, and end of course assessments (ECAs) are not mandated in most high schools across the United States. As such, classroom grades do not accurately reflect district report cards. In particular, grades at the study site, a suburban high school, do not show the specific standards and benchmarks…

Who's the Goat. A UNIPAC for the Teacher, School Year 1968-1969.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evanston School District 65, IL.

Developed during a 1968 summer institute for assisting educators of Evanston, Illinois School District 65 to develop some common understandings about crucial integration issues, this set of instructional materials on "Who's the Goat" forms one of a series of teacher "Unipacs." The specific purpose of this Unipac is to help…

Administrators' Perceptions of Physical Education Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Jason M.; van der Mars, Hans; Kulinna, Pamela; Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey

2017-01-01

Purpose: Using a mixed methods approach, this study aimed to develop a better understanding of school administrators' perceptions of teacher evaluation systems, specific to physical education (PE). Method: This study used two sources of data collection: (a) a survey sent to administrators (n = 19) in one urban school district and (b) a formal…

Physical education policy compliance and Latino children’s fitness: Does the association vary by school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage?

PubMed Central

Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V.; Goldman Rosas, Lisa; Fernández-Peña, José Ramón; Baek, Jonggyu; Egerter, Susan; Sánchez, Brisa N.

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate the contribution of school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage to the association between school-district physical education policy compliance in California public schools and Latino students’ physical fitness. Methods Cross-sectional Fitnessgram data for public-school students were linked with school- and district-level information, district-level physical education policy compliance from 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, and 2000 United States Census data. Multilevel logistic regression models examined whether income and education levels in school neighborhoods moderated the effects of district-level physical education policy compliance on Latino fifth-graders’ fitness levels. Results Physical education compliance data were available for 48 California school districts, which included 64,073 Latino fifth-graders. Fewer than half (23, or 46%) of these districts were found to be in compliance, and only 16% of Latino fifth-graders attended schools in compliant districts. Overall, there was a positive association between district compliance with physical education policy and fitness (OR, 95%CI: 1.38, 1.07, 1.78) adjusted for covariates. There was no significant interaction between school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage and physical education policy compliance (p>.05): there was a positive pattern in the association between school district compliance with physical education policy and student fitness levels across levels of socioeconomic advantage, though the association was not always significant. Conclusions Across neighborhoods with varying levels of socioeconomic advantage, increasing physical education policy compliance in elementary schools may be an effective strategy for improving fitness among Latino children. PMID:28591139

Adapting Scheduling Programs for Educational Specifications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Thomas E.

1984-01-01

Planners of a new Arizona school used the district's existing computerized master scheduling program to identify instructional spaces needed. Total classroom needs by subject were translated into total square footage requirements. (MLF)

A Cooperative Program Between a City School District and a Suburban School District. Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rochester City School District, NY.

An urban-suburban interdistrict program is described in which efforts were made to correct racial imbalance in both districts. In 1965 free transportation was provided for 25 first grade children who were sent voluntarily from a Rochester, N.Y. public school to six schools in the West Irondequoit district. This longitudinal metropolitan approach…

University of Georgia and Clarke County School District: Creating a Dynamic and Sustainable District-Wide Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dresden, Janna; Gilbertson, Erica; Tavernier, Mark

2016-01-01

The UGA/CCSD Professional Development School District (PDSD) partnership began in 2009 with one school, and has grown to serve all schools in the district. The premise of the PDSD is that equity is achieved by providing high quality education for all students through programs and processes that are emergent, organic, dynamic and collaborative. All…

The Politics of School-Based Management: Understanding the Process of Devolving Authority in Urban School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Elaine M.

2002-01-01

Studied the implementation of school-based management in 30 of the poorest school districts in New Jersey (the Abbott districts). Findings show that genuine autonomy has been usurped by increased state power and authority, and that state elites allow little opportunity for capacity building at the district level. The level of democratization has…

The Case for District-Based Reform: Leading, Building, and Sustaining School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supovitz, Jonathan A.

2006-01-01

In 1999, the Duval County (Fla.) school system set out to improve every school in the district. Over the next five years, the district achieved stunning results that have drawn nationwide attention. Jonathan A. Supovitz uses the unfolding story of Duval County to develop a sophisticated and thoughtful analysis of the role of the school district in…

From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. States and School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kull, Ryan M.; Kosciw, Joseph G.; Greytak, Emily A.

2015-01-01

"From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. States and School Districts," examines the anti-bullying policies of all 13,181 school districts across the country. It provides the prevalence of anti-bullying policies in all U.S. school districts and whether state laws and guidance are being implemented at the…

Financing Facilities in Rural School Districts: Variations among the States and the Case of Arkansas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Mary F.

This chapter examines the main challenges that rural school districts face in school facilities funding and illustrates these problems with a case study of Arkansas. Most rural school districts serve only a small number of students, which tends to limit the funds available for construction or renovation. In addition, rural districts are likely to…

Examining the relationship between school district size and science achievement in Texas including rural school administrator perceptions of challenges and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Matthew James

Rural and small schools have almost one-third of all public school enrollment in America, yet typically have the fewest financial and research based resources. Educational models have been developed with either the urban or suburban school in mind, and the rural school is often left with no other alternative except this paradigm. Rural based educational resources are rare and the ability to access these resources for rural school districts almost non-existent. Federal and state based education agencies provide some rural educational based programs, but have had virtually no success in answering rural school issues. With federal and state interest in science initiatives, the challenge that rural schools face weigh in. To align with that focus, this study examined Texas middle school student achievement in science and its relationship with school district enrollment size. This study involved a sequential transformative mixed methodology with the quantitative phase driving the second qualitative portion. The quantitative research was a non-experimental causal-comparative study conducted to determine whether there is a significant difference between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8 th grade science results and school district enrollment size. The school districts were distributed into four categories by size including: a) small districts (32-550); b) medium districts (551-1500); c) large districts (1501-6000); and d) mega-sized districts (6001-202,773). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the district averages from the 2010 TAKS 8th grade science assessment results and the four district enrollment groups. The second phase of the study was qualitative utilizing constructivism and critical theory to identify the issues facing rural and small school administrators concerning science based curriculum and development. These themes and issues were sought through a case study method and through use of semi-structured interviews with successful rural school administrators who serve campuses currently rated recognized or higher on the Texas Education Agency accountability system. The qualitative data analysis employed the coding of interviews and observations that allowed for and sought emergent themes and alternative rural perspectives.

A Multilevel, Statewide Investigation of School District Anti-Bullying Policy Quality and Student Bullying Involvement.

PubMed

Gower, Amy L; Cousin, Molly; Borowsky, Iris W

2017-03-01

Although nearly all states in the United States require school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies, little research examines the effect of these policies on student bullying and health. Using a statewide sample, we investigated associations between the quality of school district anti-bullying policies and student bullying involvement and adjustment. School district anti-bullying policies (N = 208) were coded for their quality based on established criteria. District-level data were combined with student reports of bullying involvement, emotional distress, and school connectedness from a state surveillance survey of 6th, 9th, and 12th grade students (N = 93,437). Results indicated that policy quality was positively related to bullying victimization. Furthermore, students reporting frequent perpetration/victimization who also attended districts with high-quality policies reported more emotional distress and less school connectedness compared with students attending districts with low quality policies. Although statistically significant, the magnitude of these associations was small. Having a high-quality school district anti-bullying policy is not sufficient to reduce bullying and protect bullying-involved young people. Future studies examining policy implementation will inform best practices in bullying prevention. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Perspectives of Key Central Office Staff and School Principals Regarding Resource Allocation Policies and Procedures. A Report Prepared for Los Angeles Unified School District. SSFR Research Report #02 (LAUSD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Jay G.; Jubb, Steve; Manship, Karen; Rosas, Rigo; Brown, James R.

2010-01-01

This report summarizes the perspectives and attitudes of a selected set of district and school site administrators whom the authors interviewed in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) during the fall and winter of the 2009-2010 school year. The authors carried out interviews with selected district administrators and a series of focus groups…

Quakertown Community School District: A Systematic Approach to Blended Learning That Focuses on District Leadership, Staffing, and Cost-Effectiveness. From the Field. Digital Learning Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Jiye Grace; Ableidinger, Joe; Hassel, Bryan C.; Jones, Rachel; Wolf, Mary Ann

2013-01-01

The Quakertown Community School District, or QCSD, is a traditional K-12 public school district in rural southeastern Pennsylvania, located in Bucks County, about an hour north of Philadelphia. QCSD has ten schools, including one high school, and serves approximately 5,500 students, 24 percent of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch…

WWC Quick Review of the Report "Charter School Performance in Los Angeles Unified School District: A District and Neighborhood Matched Comparison Analysis"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2008

2008-01-01

The study examined whether charter schools have higher growth in student achievement than traditional public schools. The study analyzed data on 79 charter schools and 593 traditional public elementary, middle, and high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2005-06 to 2006-07. School-level academic achievement was measured using…

District of Columbia Charter Schools: Criteria for Awarding School Buildings to Charter Schools Needs Additional Transparency. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-11-263

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2011-01-01

Almost 40 percent of all public school students in the District of Columbia (D.C. or District) were enrolled in charter schools in the 2010-11 school year. The D.C. School Reform Act established the Public Charter School Board (PCSB) for the purpose of authorizing and overseeing charter schools. Congress required GAO (US Government Accountability…

The Relationship between Schools' Costs per Pupil and Nevada School Performance Framework Index Scores in Clark County School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, John; Huang, Min

2015-01-01

Clark County School District (CCSD) asked the Western Regional Education Laboratory (REL West) to examine the relationship between spending per pupil and Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) index scores in the district's schools. Data were examined from three school years (2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14) and for three types of schools…

Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in Middle School Students Following the Implementation of a School District Wellness Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Kathleen D.; Snelling, Anastasia; Maroto, Maya; Young, Katherine A.

2013-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: In 2010, a large urban school district implemented a district-wide school wellness policy that addressed childhood obesity by requiring schools to increase health and physical education contact hours for students and to improve the nutritional standards of school meals. Schools were required to serve a different fruit and…

Annual Estimated Minimum School Program of Utah School Districts, 1984-85.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City. School Finance and Business Section.

This bulletin presents both the statistical and financial data of the Estimated Annual State-Supported Minimum School Program for the 40 school districts of the State of Utah for the 1984-85 school year. It is published for the benefit of those interested in research into the minimum school programs of the various Utah school districts. A brief…

Promoting Children's and Adolescents' Social and Emotional Development: District Adaptations of a Theory of Action.

PubMed

Kendziora, Kimberly; Osher, David

2016-01-01

This article contributes to the broader discussion of promotion, prevention, and intervention in child and adolescent mental health by describing implementation and early outcomes of an 8-school district demonstration project aimed at making the promotion of social and emotional learning a systemic part of school districts' practice. Eight districts are 2-3 years in to their participation in the 6-year project. The districts are large, are predominantly urban, and serve many students who are at disadvantage. The evaluation involved collection of qualitative data to measure the degree to which the districts realized the goals established in the initiative's theory of action, as well as school climate data, extant student records, and surveys of students' social and emotional competence. To date, results show that districts have followed highly individual pathways toward integrating social and emotional learning systemically, and all have made progress over time. Although school-level implementation remains at moderate levels, 2 districts in which we could examine school climate showed gains from preinitiative years. Four of 6 measured districts showed improvement in social and emotional competence for students in Grade 3, and achievement and discipline showed overall improvements across all districts. Overall findings show that implementation of the initiative's theory of action by school districts is feasible, even in times of budgetary stress and leadership turnover. This establishes the potential for school districts to serve as a lever of change in the promotion of students' social and emotional development and mental wellness.

Circles of Leadership: Oregon District Redefines Coaching Roles to Find a Balance between School and District Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petti, Amy D.

2010-01-01

In this article, the author describes how an Oregon district redefines coaching roles to find a balance between school and district goals. As director of improvement for North Clackamas School District in Milwaukie, Oregon, near Portland, the author's role of coaching the coach was new, and the coaches welcomed the immediate feedback. Through the…

Anchorage School District Profile of Performance, 1999-2000. Part 1 District Overview. Assessment and Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anchorage School District, AK.

This profile is the report card of the Anchorage, Alaska, School District on the academic achievement of Anchorage students. Part 1 provides a summary of performance across the entire district on a variety of important indicators of success. Part 2, published separately, profiles each of the district's schools. Part 1 contains an overview of the…

Standards-Based Assessment, Grading, and Reporting in Classrooms: Can District Training and Support Change Teacher Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMunn, Nancy; Schenck, Patricia; McColskey, Wendy

Whether school district support and training in standards-based assessment, grading, and reporting in classrooms can change teacher practice in these areas was studied in a Florida school district. This district, Bay District Schools of Panama City, has been working with the SERVE Regional Educational Laboratory on a project that involves teachers…

Small Rural School District Consolidation in Texas: An Analysis of Its Impact on Cost and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooley, Dwight A.; Floyd, Koy A.

2013-01-01

Historically, the number of public school districts in the United States has decreased despite a dramatic increase in the number of students enrolled. Although public school district consolidation has impacted districts of all sizes, since the late 1930's smaller rural districts facing dwindling community resources have merged or consolidated with…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each district that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 Trial Urban District Assessment in reading receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. This report presents the results for Austin Independent School District's student achievement in reading. In 2009,…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each district that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 Trial Urban District Assessment in reading receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. This report presents the results for Austin Independent School District's student achievement in reading. In 2009,…

Rural School Busing. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Aimee; Howley, Craig

This digest summarizes information suggesting that long bus rides are part of the hidden costs of school and district consolidation. Rural school districts spend more than twice per pupil what urban districts spend on transportation. A review of studies shows that rural school children were more likely than suburban school children to have bus…

School District Effects and Efficiency. Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Austin D.; Engert, Frank

This paper describes efforts to develop indices of student achievement, school district effort, and school district efficiency. The challenge was to develop measures that are simple to understand, yet allow comparison among districts that are not distorted by socioeconomic differences. Measures were developed for average student achievement,…

Strength and Comprehensiveness of School Wellness Policies in Southeastern US School Districts.

PubMed

Cox, Melissa J; Ennett, Susan T; Ringwalt, Christopher L; Hanley, Sean M; Bowling, James M

2016-09-01

In 2004, Congress passed legislation mandating that all public school districts participating in federal school meal programs develop a school wellness policy (SWP) to direct efforts related to nutrition and physical activity. We examined the extent to which SWPs varied in comprehensiveness and strength in a representative sample of school districts in the southeastern United States, the area of the country with the highest rates of childhood obesity. Policies were assessed using an established 96-item coding tool by 2 raters to ascertain the comprehensiveness and strength of the policies as a whole, and across distinct subsections specified by federal legislation. In addition, variability in SWP comprehensiveness and strength was assessed based on district sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, SWPs in the southeastern states are weakly written, fragmented, and lack requirements necessary for healthy school environments. District size, which was the only sociodemographic factor related to policy characteristics, yielded an inverse association. To encourage continued promotion of healthy school environments, school districts will require technical support to improve the quality of their school wellness policies. © 2016, American School Health Association.

The Study of Literacy Reinforcement of Science Teachers in Implementing 2013 Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi, W. S.; Festiyed, F.; Hamdi, H.; Sari, S. Y.

2018-04-01

This research aims to study and collect data comprehensively, new and actual about science literacy to improve the ability of educators in implementing the 2013 Curriculum at Junior High School Padang Pariaman District. The specific benefit of this research is to give description and to know the problem of science literacy problem in interaction among teacher, curriculum, facilities and infrastructure, evaluation, learning technology and students. This study uses explorative in deep study approach, studying and collecting data comprehensively from the interaction of education process components (curriculum, educator, learner, facilities and infrastructure, learning media technology, and evaluation) that influence the science literacy. This research was conducted in the districts of Padang Pariaman consisting of 17 subdistricts and 84 junior high schools managed by the government and private. The sample of this research is science teachers of Padang Pariaman District with sampling technique is stratified random sampling. The instrument used in this study is a questionnaire to the respondents. Research questionnaire data are processed by percentage techniques (quantitative). The results of this study explain that the understanding of science teachers in Padang Pariaman District towards the implementation of 2013 Curriculum is still lacking. The science teachers of Padang Pariaman District have not understood the scientific approach and the effectiveness of 2013 Curriculum in shaping the character of the students. To improve the understanding of the implementation of Curriculum 2013, it is necessary to strengthen the literacy toward science teachers at the Junior High School level in Padang Pariaman District.

Challenges of Asthma Management for School Nurses in Districts with High Asthma Hospitalization Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liberatos, Penny; Leone, Jennifer; Craig, Ann Marie; Frei, Elizabeth Mary; Fuentes, Natalie; Harris, India Marie

2013-01-01

Background: School nurses play a central role in assisting elementary school children in managing their asthma, especially those in higher-risk school districts that are at increased risk of uncontrolled asthma. Study purposes are to (1) identify barriers to asthma management by school nurses in higher-risk school districts; and (2) assess the…

Community and School Characteristics and Voter Behavior in Ohio Rural School District Property Tax Elections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Matt; McCracken, J. David

This study explores the relationships between the percentage of successful property tax issues and community and school characteristics in rural school districts in Ohio. Data were obtained for 74 rural school districts between 1984 and 1988; sources were government statistics and a questionnaire survey of school principals. The dependent variable…

Ohio School & District Results, 2013-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Richard A.

2014-01-01

The 2014 Ohio School Report Card grades schools on more measures, offering Ohioans an even clearer picture of how well their schools and districts are doing. With its new data, this year's report card shows parents where their schools need to improve. It includes grades of A through F for up to nine measures, depending on the school or district.…

Reinventing School: Becoming a District of Choices. Michigan's Schools of Innovation // Berrien Springs Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Beek, Michael

2013-01-01

In this latest installment of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy's new "Schools of Innovation" series, we discuss how Berrien Springs school district is reinventing public school. This study examines how the district has become more racially diverse, enrollment is growing rapidly, and they are using that growth to inject some much…

Concussion evaluation methods among Washington State high school football coaches and athletic trainers.

PubMed

Murphy, Ashley; Kaufman, Marla S; Molton, Ivan; Coppel, David B; Benson, John; Herring, Stanley A

2012-06-01

To evaluate awareness of concussion assessment methods and to determine whether there are differences among Washington State high school football coaches and athletic trainers in urban versus rural school districts. A Catalyst WebQ survey link was randomly sent by e-mail to varsity head football coaches, athletic trainers, and athletic directors in Washington State school districts. Survey participants were high school varsity head football coaches and athletic trainers from a total of 106 Washington State high schools. A 12-item questionnaire on Catalyst WebQ was distributed via e-mail. The survey inquired about use of the methods of concussion assessment, both on the field and for follow-up; participants' concussion education training; and familiarity with Washington State's Zackery Lystedt Law. The survey examined differences in concussion management practices between rural and urban school districts and also between coaches and athletic trainers in Washington State, specifically regarding the use of the Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (SCAT2) and neurocognitive testing (NCT). Twenty-seven of 48 respondents (56%) used the SCAT2 for on-the-field assessment; urban respondents were significantly more likely to use SCAT2 (P < .05). The difference between coaches and athletic trainers with respect to SCAT2 use was not significant (P = .08). NCT was used by 18 of 58 respondents (31%). This was more commonly used by those in urban districts (P < .01) and by athletic trainers (P < .01). Eleven of these 18 individuals (61%) reported that a neuropsychologist interpreted the results; the rest used other providers not specifically trained in neuropsychology. There was no statistically significant correlation between years of experience and use of the SCAT2, but those with more than 10 years of experience were less likely to use NCT (P < .01). All respondents reported being familiar with Washington State's Zackery Lystedt Law, but only 44.1% reported that the law changed their concussion management. There were statistically significant differences between SCAT2 and NCT use for respondents from urban and rural districts, and also between coaches and athletic trainers, as well as NCT use among respondents with varying years of experience. Further understanding and identification of barriers that limit identification and management of concussions in high school athletes are crucial to prevent serious permanent injury. Additional education is necessary to ensure that athletic trainers and coaches are aware of current recommendations within the medical literature for the evaluation and management of concussions. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of the New Jersey Public School District School Bond Referendum Process: A Historical Case Study of the Egg Harbor Township School District Bond Referendum of 2004-05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werner, Michael J.

2012-01-01

This dissertation presents a historical case study of the Egg Harbor Township School District bond referendum that passed with an exceptionally high 92 percent of votes in January 2005. The methodology used in this study resulted in both an examination of the components of the New Jersey Public School District bond referendum process as well as an…

The Motivators That Contribute to the Migration of African American Educators from Suburban School Districts to Urban School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGary, Ostrova Dewayne

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceived motivators contributing African American educators' decision to migrate from a suburban school district to an urban school district. The case study approach was used in an effort to capture the participants' voices and the motivators contributing to their decision to migrate to an…

Use of Data to Support Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Two School Districts. ACT Research Report Series, 2015 (1)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Chrys

2015-01-01

This report summarizes how school and district leaders and academic coaches in two Texas school districts used assessment and other types of data to assess the quality of teaching and learning, to coach and supervise teachers, and to guide management decisions. The report also describes how district and school leaders supported teachers' use of…

Private Sector Adds to the Menu.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Sharon

1997-01-01

Two school districts, Kennewick School District WA and Salem-Keizer School District OR, are leveraging their food service contractor's resources to establish work-based courses stressing sophisticated management, culinary, and life skills. Under these instructional partnerships, the contractor, cooperating with school officials, develops the…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Best Practices Manual was written as a part of the promotional effort for EnergySmart Schools, provided by the US Department of Energy, to educate school districts around the country about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Written specifically for architects and engineers, The Best Practices Manual is designed to help those who are responsible for designing or retrofitting schools, as well as their project managers. This manual will help design staff make informed decisions about energy and environmental issues important to the school systems and communities.

The Impact of a State Takeover on Academic Achievement, School Performance, and School Leadership in a Rural South Carolina School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Janice Zissette

2009-01-01

This case study on the impact of a state takeover in one of South Carolina's most rural school districts ("referred to as the County School District") was completed using a quasi-experimental mixed methods design to examine the impact on academic achievement, school performance, and school leadership as a result of the South Carolina…

Using School Performance Data to Drive School and Education District Office Accountability and Improvement: The Case of Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prew, Martin; Quaigrain, Kenneth

2010-01-01

This article looks at a school management tool that allows school managers and education district offices to review the performance of their schools and use the broad-based data to undertake orchestrated planning with districts planning delivery based on the needs of schools and in support of school improvement plans. The review process also…

Investigating the Impact of the Cisco 21st Century Schools Initiative on Forrest County School District. Summative Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ba, Harouna; Meade, Terri; Pierson, Elizabeth; Ferguson, Camille; Roy, Amanda; Williams, Hakim

2009-01-01

Located in southern Mississippi, the Forrest County School District (FCSD) consists of six schools: three K-6 elementary schools, two K-8 elementary-middle schools, and one high school (grades 9-12), all of which have been involved in the Cisco Initiative since its inception. The district employed 16 administrators, 7 technology staff members, and…

The Role of School District Science Coordinators in the District-Wide Appropriation of an Online Resource Discovery and Sharing Tool for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Victor R.; Leary, Heather M.; Sellers, Linda; Recker, Mimi

2014-01-01

When introducing and implementing a new technology for science teachers within a school district, we must consider not only the end users but also the roles and influence district personnel have on the eventual appropriation of that technology. School districts are, by their nature, complex systems with multiple individuals at different levels in…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each district that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 Trial Urban District Assessment in reading receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. This report presents the results for San Diego Unified School District's student achievement in reading. In 2009,…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each district that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 Trial Urban District Assessment in reading receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. This report presents the results for San Diego Unified School District's student achievement in reading. In 2009,…

Understanding School District Budgets: A Guide For Local Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Mary

2005-01-01

A school district budget is more than numbers. It is a record of a district?s past decisions and a spending plan for its future. It shows a district?s priorities whether they have been clearly articulated or simply occurred by default. And it is a communications document that can tell constituents a lot about the district?s priorities and goals. A…

Institutionalizing Sex Education in Diverse U.S. School Districts.

PubMed

Saul Butler, Rebekah; Sorace, Danene; Hentz Beach, Kathleen

2018-02-01

This paper describes the Working to Institutionalize Sex Education (WISE) Initiative, a privately funded effort to support ready public school districts to advance and sustain comprehensive sexuality programs, and examines the degree to which WISE has been successful in increasing access to sex education, removing barriers, and highlighting best practices. The data for this study come from a set of performance indicators, guidance documents, and tools designed for the WISE Initiative to capture changes in sex education institutionalization at WISE school districts. The evaluation includes the analysis of 186 school districts across 12 states in the U.S. As a result of the WISE Initiative, 788,865 unique students received new or enhanced sex education in school classrooms and 88 school districts reached their sex education institutionalization goals. In addition to these school district successes, WISE codified the WISE Method and toolkit-a practical guide to help schools implement sex education. Barriers to implementing sexuality education can be overcome with administrative support and focused technical assistance and training, resulting in significant student reach in diverse school districts nationwide. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilities Expense Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Deborah P.

2001-01-01

Examines how deregulation has affected school district utility costs. Offers ideas that can help school districts save money and energy. Provides several examples of state-wide initiatives intended to help school districts control utility costs. (GR)

PK-12 Public Educational Facilities Master Plan Evaluation Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

21st Century School Fund, 2011

2011-01-01

Proper planning of school facilities is critical for all school districts no matter how large or small, whether major construction is in the works or the district is managing enrollment declines. When school districts properly plan for their school facilities they have better schools, more public use and higher value for public spending. This…

Promoting, Guiding, and Surviving Change in School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deal, Terrence E.; Nutt, Samuel C.

Compiled for school administrators who must initiate or respond to external mandate for change, this guide draws on the experiences of 10 rural school districts that participated in the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program for perspectives that can be used in the successful management of change efforts in school districts. Organized…

School Closings in Philadelphia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jack, James; Sludden, John

2013-01-01

In 2012, the School District of Philadelphia closed six schools. In 2013, it closed 24. The closure of 30 schools has occurred amid a financial crisis, headlined by the district's $1.35 billion deficit. School closures are one piece of the district's plan to cut expenditures and close its budget gap. The closures are also intended to make…

Designing a Transportation System for a Parent Choice School District: A Transportation Supervisor's Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paller, Alan; And Others

This study was commissioned to investigate the special transportation problems in parent-choice school districts and to prepare a handbook to assist transportation supervisors in overcoming these problems. Intended for school districts that have alternative schools, open enrollment plans, magnet schools, or other kinds of parent and student choice…

The Financial Equity Debate. Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies, Number 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooley, William W.; Pomponio, Debra

Discussion of inequity in funding of Pennsylvania schools has tended to focus on differences between wealthy and poor school districts. In Pennsylvania, 180 school districts have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the existing public school funding scheme. A study of the state's 500 school districts, grouped by market value of…

A Snapshot of Philadelphia's Accelerated Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmunds, Kimberly; Fonseca, Ean

2011-01-01

This snapshot is a guide to the School District of Philadelphia's (the District's) 13 accelerated high schools in the 2010-11 school year. The accelerated high schools were the result of a partnership between the District and Project U-Turn, a city-wide coalition dedicated to reducing student drop-out and increasing graduation rates and readiness…

The New Job Description Handbook for the School Business Office.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA.

The ways in which individual school districts view and staff their business functions vary greatly. This document presents organizational charts and job descriptions of professional positions in the school-business office collected from school districts throughout the United States and Canada. Over 100 job descriptions from 50 school districts are…

Examining Charter School Policy and Public School District Resource Allocation in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linick, Matthew A.

2016-01-01

This project focuses on the competitive pressure, or the threat of competitive pressure, generated by charter school policy. This paper uses longitudinal district-level data and multiple quasi-experimental designs to examine the relationship between two Ohio charter school policies and changes in public school district instructional resource…

Status of the District of Columbia Public Schools Readiness for the 1998-1999 School Year. Hearing before the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.

A Congressional hearing was held to discuss the readiness of the District of Columbia public schools for the 1998-99 school year. In the 1997-98 school year, the District's public schools had not been able to open on time because of repair work that was not completed. After opening remarks by Congress members Thomas M. Davis and Constance Morella,…

The Relationship of Fast ForWord Scientific Learning to North Carolina End of Grade Reading Scores at a Middle School in Anson County, North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benfield, Jamie Ledsinger

2012-01-01

Anson County School District wished to determine the relationship between Fast ForWord Scientific Learning data and North Carolina End of Grade reading scores at Anson Middle School in Anson County, North Carolina. The specific research questions that guided this study include: 1. How does the literacy intervention, Fast ForWord, affect EOG growth…

Medical Versus Nonmedical Immunization Exemptions for Child Care and School Attendance.

PubMed

2016-09-01

Routine childhood immunizations against infectious diseases are an integral part of our public health infrastructure. They provide direct protection to the immunized individual and indirect protection to children and adults unable to be immunized via the effect of community immunity. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have regulations requiring proof of immunization for child care and school attendance as a public health strategy to protect children in these settings and to secondarily serve as a mechanism to promote timely immunization of children by their caregivers. Although all states and the District of Columbia have mechanisms to exempt school attendees from specific immunization requirements for medical reasons, the majority also have a heterogeneous collection of regulations and laws that allow nonmedical exemptions from childhood immunizations otherwise required for child care and school attendance. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports regulations and laws requiring certification of immunization to attend child care and school as a sound means of providing a safe environment for attendees and employees of these settings. The AAP also supports medically indicated exemptions to specific immunizations as determined for each individual child. The AAP views nonmedical exemptions to school-required immunizations as inappropriate for individual, public health, and ethical reasons and advocates for their elimination. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

School District Leadership Styles and School Improvement: Evidence from Selected School Principals in the Eastern Cape Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moorosi, Pontso; Bantwini, Bongani D.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how leadership styles in the Eastern Cape school districts support school improvement. Mixed methods research was employed and data was collected through the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with school principals in various districts. The study was guided by the following questions:…

Beacon Charter School Needs a School: A Case of Capital Outlay of Charters in a Public District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wronowski, Meredith L.

2017-01-01

The case study presented below is a representation of a real-world, ongoing situation involving a public school district's capital outlay for charter schools within its boundaries. One particular charter, Beacon Charter School, was promised a permanent building by the public school district that also acts as its authorizer. However, recent events…

Eastern Utah Career Center at Price: Educational Specifications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capson, A. Maurice

Administrators and staff members of the College of Eastern Utah and the Carbon County School District along with specialists of the Utah State Department of Education developed specifications for a proposed career center, which were based on guidelines and decisions established by a vocational planning policy committee. The resulting…

Dysart Unified School District: How One School District Used Collaborative Planning to Improve Outcomes for All Students. From the Field. Digital Learning Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slaven, Chip; Hall, Sara; Schwartzbeck, Terri Duggan; Jones, Rachel; Wolf, Mary Ann

2013-01-01

The Dysart Unified School District (Dysart) in Arizona covers 140 square miles and serves numerous communities, including the cities of Surprise and El Mirage and some unincorporated areas of Maricopa County. At one time the fastest-growing school system in Arizona, Dysart has tripled in size since 2000. The district continues to grow, and in…

School District of Philadelphia Student Achievement as Related to 2008-2009 K-8 Teachers' Perceptions of Major Academic Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason-Dorman, Cheryl

2013-01-01

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP), established in 1818, is the eighth largest school district in the United States, with a student enrollment of 184,560 K-12 students. Like most of the other large urban school districts in the United States, its student population consists of more minority students than non-minority students. As the white…

The wheels on the bus go "buy buy buy": school bus advertising laws.

PubMed

Pomeranz, Jennifer L

2012-09-01

School buses, a practical necessity for millions of children, are at the center of new efforts to raise revenue. School bus advertising laws bring public health and commercialization concerns to the school setting. In doing so, they potentially expose school districts to First Amendment lawsuits. I examined various school bus advertising bills and laws. I reviewed First Amendment "forum analysis" as applied in the transit and school settings to clarify how this legal test may affect school districts subject to such laws. I have made recommendations for school districts to enact appropriate policies to ensure that such advertising does not undermine public health and to enable the districts to maintain control over their property.

Evaluation of the Howard Hughes Science Grant Project, Year One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolanin, Natalie; Wade, Julie

2015-01-01

The goal of the Howard Hughes Science Institute (HHMI) supported science program is to train one staff member to become a science lead within each of the elementary schools in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) district. The specific objectives of the first year of HHMI grant project were to: (1) provide approximately 20…

SLD Identification: A Survey of Methods Used by School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Michael D., Jr.; Simon, Joan B.; Nunnley, Lenora

2016-01-01

IDEA 2004 opened the door for states, and in some cases districts, to choose among three different methods for identifying children with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs). This study provides an in-depth look at SLD identification practices in a state that allows school psychologists to use any of the three methods. Eighty-four school…

Pieces of the Learning Puzzle: Aligned Goals Shape Learning for One and All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Tracy

2015-01-01

Educators are demanding learning specific to their needs, and there are more options than ever for school systems to personalize learning. Sometimes these personalized learning options go hand-in-hand with teacher effectiveness systems that districts use to identify areas for educator growth. At the same time, schools and teams set collective…

The Relationship between Weather and Lunar Changes on Student Achievement and Measures School Districts Utilize to Combat Potential Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Kendra

2013-01-01

Classroom disruptions present an obstacle to raising student achievement for teachers and school administrators. This study was designed to investigate potential relationships between weather, specifically barometric pressure, or the lunar cycle, and whether either had a direct correlation with student discipline referrals. The intent was to…

One Urban School's Implementation of a Systemic Response-to-Intervention (RTI) Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins Averill, Orla C.

2014-01-01

School districts have been attempting to implement the response-to-intervention (RTI) framework in an effort both to comply with federal legislation (i.e., IDEA 2004) and to improve teaching for all students. Extant research on this framework has focused on exploring assessment practices across tiers and the efficacy of specific interventions,…

Managing the Development of the Public Telecommunications Center, Spokane, Washington.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaar, Walter

When the city council of Spokane (Washington) decided in 1971 to establish a cable franchise, it created a citizens' committee to set cable specifications. Representing Spokane School District 81 and KSPS-TV (a public television station licensed to the public schools of Spokane), the author of this document served on the committee that set five…

Selecting Growth Measures for Use in School Evaluation Systems: Should Proportionality Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlert, Mark; Koedel, Cory; Parsons, Eric; Podgursky, Michael

2016-01-01

The specifics of how growth models should be constructed and used for educational evaluation is a topic of lively policy debate in states and school districts nationwide. In this article, we take up the question of model choice--framed within a policy context--and examine three competing approaches. The first approach, reflected in the popular…

The Alpha and Omega Syndrome: Is Intra-District Funding the next Ripeness Factor?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owings, William A.; Kaplan, Leslie S.

2010-01-01

Fiscal disparities within school districts may be the next area "ripe" for litigation. Equity and adequacy litigation have largely focused on between-district fiscal disparities. Research suggests that within-district disparities may be as unfair to high poverty schools. When the school funding pie is not growing, remedying…

School District Consolidation: The Benefits and Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncombe, William D.; Yinger, John M.

2010-01-01

School district consolidation is a striking phenomenon. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 117,108 school districts provided elementary and secondary education in 1939-1940. By 2006-2007, the number of districts had dropped to 13,862, a decline of 88 percent. The rate of consolidation has slowed in recent years, but at…

School District Cash Management. Program Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Legislative Commission on Expenditure Review, Albany.

New York State law permits school districts to invest cash not immediately needed for district operation and also specifies the kinds of investments that may be made in order to ensure the safety and liquidity of public funds. This audit examines cash management and investment practices in New York state's financially independent school districts.…

Increasing Poverty: How Do Leaders in One Suburban District Respond?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Jennifer Dawn

2014-01-01

This dissertation addresses the question of how suburban school district leaders in one large Midwestern school district respond to increasing student poverty. The purpose of this study was to determine how suburban school district leaders respond to increasing student poverty in their decision making and actions. Data for this study came from one…

An Investigation of the Relationship between the Components of School Climate and Leadership Behaviors on Student Achievement: Urban School Districts in the Mid-Atlantic Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Karmen J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship between the components of school climate and leadership behaviors on student achievement in an urban school district in the mid-atlantic region. School climate and leadership behaviors for the participating school districts was determined by the School Climate Survey (Corner…

Districts Embrace the Community to Benefit All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinzapfel, Patricia

2018-01-01

Moving from a traditional school district to one that embraces a community schools model requires fundamental shifts in organizational structure and practices. Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in southern Indiana and Vancouver Public Schools in Vancouver, Wash., are two districts that have navigated this change. Leaders from those…

Buckeye Union High School District. Report of Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arizona State Univ., Tempe. Bureau of Educational Research and Services.

Embracing 4 Arizona elementary school districts (Arlington, Buckeye, Liberty, and Palo Verde) visited by consultants for evaluative purposes, this report presents information about and recommendations for the elementary schools in the Buckeye Union High School District. Summaries on the educational programs (language arts, social studies,…

School District Energy Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA.

This manual serves as an energy conservation reference and management guide for school districts. The School District Energy Program (SDEP) is designed to provide information and/or assistance to school administrators planning to implement a comprehensive energy management program. The manual consists of 15 parts. Part 1 describes the SDEP; Parts…

A Report of Innovative Rural School Programs In the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Bruce O.; Muse, Ivan D.

Ten innovative rural school programs are briefly described. Included are North Dakota's Mott School District #6 (316 students), which cooperates in a Multi-District Vocational Mobile Program bringing vocational education opportunities to isolated, rural students; Washington's Liberty School District (180 secondary students), where supervised…

De-adoption of an evidence-based trauma intervention in schools: A retrospective report from an urban school district

PubMed Central

Nadeem, Erum; Ringle, Vanesa

2017-01-01

The de-adoption of evidence-based practices (EBPs) is a largely understudied topic. The present study examined factors related to the de-adoption of an EBP for students exposed to traumatic events in a large urban school district. Qualitative interviews conducted with school clinicians and district administrators two years after the district embarked on a large-scale roll-out of the EBP distinguished between factors that impacted partial de-adoption after one year (phase 1) and complete de-adoption by the district after two years (phase 2). Phase 1 factors included organizational consistency, workforce stability, prior success, positive student outcomes, school- and district- level supports, innovation-setting fit, and innovation-related issues. Phase 2 factors included district-level leadership changes, financial and workforce instability, and shifting priorities. Study results suggest that sustainment-enhancing strategies should be included in the early stages of program implementation to most effectively adapt to school- and system- level changes. PMID:28775793

Health insurance premium increases for the 5 largest school districts in the United States, 2004-2008.

PubMed

Cantillo, John R

2010-03-01

Local school districts are often one of the largest, if not the largest, employers in their respective communities. Like many large employers, school districts offer health insurance to their employees. There is a lack of information about the rate of health insurance premiums in US school districts relative to other employers. To assess the change in the costs of healthcare insurance in the 5 largest public school districts in the United States, between 2004 and 2008, as representative of large public employers in the country. Data for this study were drawn exclusively from a survey sent to the 5 largest public school districts in the United States. The survey requested responses on 3 data elements for each benefit plan offered from 2004 through 2008; these included enrollment, employee costs, and employer costs. The premium growth for the 5 largest school districts has slowed down and is consistent with other purchasers-Kaiser/Health Research & Educational Trust and the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program. The average increase in health insurance premium for the schools was 5.9% in 2008, and the average annual growth rate over the study period was 7.5%. For family coverage, these schools provide the most generous employer contribution (80.8%) compared with the employer contribution reported by other employers (73.5%) for 2008. Often the largest employers in their communities, school districts demonstrate a commitment to provide choice of benefits and affordability for employees and their families. Despite constraints typical of public employers, the 5 largest school districts in the United States have decelerated in premium growth consistent with other purchasers, albeit at a slower pace.

Health Insurance Premium Increases for the 5 Largest School Districts in the United States, 2004–2008

PubMed Central

Cantillo, John R.

2010-01-01

Background Local school districts are often one of the largest, if not the largest, employers in their respective communities. Like many large employers, school districts offer health insurance to their employees. There is a lack of information about the rate of health insurance premiums in US school districts relative to other employers. Objective To assess the change in the costs of healthcare insurance in the 5 largest public school districts in the United States, between 2004 and 2008, as representative of large public employers in the country. Methods Data for this study were drawn exclusively from a survey sent to the 5 largest public school districts in the United States. The survey requested responses on 3 data elements for each benefit plan offered from 2004 through 2008; these included enrollment, employee costs, and employer costs. Results The premium growth for the 5 largest school districts has slowed down and is consistent with other purchasers—Kaiser/Health Research & Educational Trust and the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program. The average increase in health insurance premium for the schools was 5.9% in 2008, and the average annual growth rate over the study period was 7.5%. For family coverage, these schools provide the most generous employer contribution (80.8%) compared with the employer contribution reported by other employers (73.5%) for 2008. Conclusions Often the largest employers in their communities, school districts demonstrate a commitment to provide choice of benefits and affordability for employees and their families. Despite constraints typical of public employers, the 5 largest school districts in the United States have decelerated in premium growth consistent with other purchasers, albeit at a slower pace. PMID:25126311

Factors That Influence School Board Policy Making: The Political Context of Student Diversity in Urban-Suburban Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diem, Sarah; Frankenberg, Erica; Cleary, Colleen

2015-01-01

Purpose: This article examines factors that affect school board policy making about student diversity within two southern urban-suburban school districts experiencing changing demographics: Jefferson County Public Schools and the Wake County Public School System. Both districts have a history of voluntary integration efforts, and research shows…

"Brown" Fades: The End of Court-Ordered School Desegregation and the Resegregation of American Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Sean F.; Grewal, Elena; Kalogrides, Demetra; Greenberg, Erica

2012-01-01

In this paper we investigate whether the school desegregation produced by court-ordered desegregation plans persists when school districts are released from court oversight. Over 200 medium-sized and large districts were released from desegregation court orders from 1991 to 2009. We find that racial school segregation in these districts increased…

School Emergency Preparedness in North Dakota Public School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swiontek, Steven Wayne

2009-01-01

The basis for this study was to determine: (1) If school districts in North Dakota have an emergency response plan; (2) How comprehensive their emergency response plan is; (3) How well prepared school districts in North Dakota are for any type of disaster; and (4) The extent to which North Dakota LEAD Center school emergency response training and…

Do Student Migrations Affect School Performance? Evidence from Wisconsin's Inter-District Public School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welsch, David M.; Zimmer, David M.

2012-01-01

This paper examines the competitive effects of a unique school choice program implemented in the late 1990s, Wisconsin's open enrollment program, which allows families to send their children to schools outside their home district. In contrast to other school choice programs, districts not only face negative consequences from losing students and…

Staffing Levels in the Dallas Independent School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of the Great City Schools, 2009

2009-01-01

The Board of Trustees of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) asked the Council of the Great City Schools, the nation's primary coalition of large urban school systems, to examine the staffing levels of the school system and determine whether the numbers of staff members employed were appropriate for a district serving as many students as…

Characteristics of Students in Traditional versus Alternative High Schools: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Enrollment in One Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perzigian, Aaron B.; Afacan, Kemal; Justin, Whitney; Wilkerson, Kimber L.

2017-01-01

Urban school districts are comprised of many diverse high school environments including comprehensive neighborhood schools as well as a variety of smaller alternative models that focus on innovative practices, behavior remediation, or academic recovery. In terms of enrollment distribution, urban school districts are increasingly offering…

Dropout Rates in Texas School Districts: Influences of School Size and Ethnic Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toenjes, Laurence A.

Longitudinal dropout rates (LDR's) for public school students and LDR's of pupil membership by ethnic group based on two Texas Education Agency reports are estimated. LDR's are calculated for the state, by school district size, for the 21 largest districts, and by average high school size. Findings dispel the prevalent perception of the dropout…

Portfolio District Reform Meets School Turnaround: Early Implementation Findings from the Los Angeles Public School Choice Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Julie A.; Strunk, Katharine O.; Bush, Susan

2013-01-01

Purpose: Despite the popularity of school "turnaround" and "portfolio district" management as solutions to low performance, there has been limited research on these strategies. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by exploring the strategic case of Los Angeles Unified School District's Public School Choice…

Implementing a Student-Based Funding Policy: Considerations for School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shambaugh, Larisa S.; Chambers, Jay G.

2009-01-01

As education budgets continue to tighten, increased attention is focused on how school districts can best distribute existing funds to schools and how schools can best use these funds. Student-based funding (SBF)--sometimes referred to as a weighted student formula--is one approach that school districts have taken during the past decade. SBF…

The Impact of Turnaround Reform on Student Outcomes: Evidence and Insights from the Los Angeles Unified School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Katharine O.; Marsh, Julie A.; Hashim, Ayesha K.; Bush-Mecenas, Susan; Weinstein, Tracey

2016-01-01

We examine the Los Angeles Unified School District's Public School Choice Initiative (PSCI), which sought to turnaround the district's lowest-performing schools. We ask whether school turnaround impacted student outcomes, and what explains variations in outcomes across reform cohorts. We use a Comparative Interrupted Time Series approach using…

Using School Reform Models to Improve Reading Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of Direct Instruction and Success for All in an Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Steven M.; Nunnery, John A.; Goldfeder, Elizabeth; McDonald, Aaron; Rachor, Robert; Hornbeck, Matthew; Fleischman, Steve

2004-01-01

This research examined the effectiveness in an urban school district of 2 of the most widely used Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) programs-Direct Instruction (DI), implemented in 9 district elementary schools, and Success for All (SFA), implemented in 2 elementary schools. In examining impacts on student achievement and school change outcomes…

Effective Schools Programs: Their Extent and Characteristics. Briefing Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Div. of Human Resources.

A national study of effective schools programs provides information on the extent and characteristics of these programs in the nation's school districts and schools. A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 1,685 school district superintendents. Findings are representative of the approximately 16,000 local school districts in the nation.…

Delivery of Special Education to Non-Public School Students by Public School Districts. FY 2006 Report to the Legislature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

The 2005 Minnesota First Special Session Laws, Chapter 5, Article 3, Section 17, established a Task Force on Delivery of Special Education to Non-Public School Students by Public School Districts to advise the commissioner on the delivery of special education to non-public school students by public school districts. The task force will make…

A Comparative Case Study of the Role of the School District in Influencing School Improvement: Supporting and Turning around Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Christopher

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the efforts of school districts in developing and sustaining their capacity to improve student achievement in response to increased accountability. The study sought to confirm what the research says regarding the role of the school district in influencing school improvement. While there is a significant…

Case Studies of a Behavior Inclusion Model in an Elementary School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa Cruz, Margaret Escobar

2017-01-01

School discipline practices have traditionally been reactive and punitive in nature. Students violating a school district's code of conduct were often met with exclusionary discipline policies such as out-of-school suspensions, long-term suspensions, and expulsions. Districts attempted to resolve these practices by creating alternative education…

School Safety and Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Sandra; Holland, Lana; Wesson, Suzanne

School districts in the Education Service Center, Region 2, (southern Texas) were surveyed to examine procedures the districts have put in place to identify threats of violence to school safety and security. The target population was 47 school districts. Data collection was done using mailed questionnaires with a simple yes/no answer format.…

A Study of Terrorism Emergency Preparedness Policies in School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umoh, Emmanuel

2013-01-01

The threat of terrorism is a concern in public facilities including schools. This study focused on school districts in a southwestern state. Terrorism emergency preparedness policies are well-documented as measures to protect students and staff in school districts from terrorism threats and vulnerabilities. However, those threats and…

Attitudes of School Board Members Toward Inter-School District Cooperation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fain, Robert P.

The purposes of this study were to determine the attitudes of selected public school district board members toward inter-school-district cooperation and the extent to which selected variables were related to board member attitudes. Data from questionnaires that sought demographic data, local-cosmopolitan orientation, and other information relevant…

Seeking Accountability through State-Appointed Emergency District Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arsen, David; Mason, Mary L.

2013-01-01

Michigan's Local Government and School District Accountability Act of 2011 empowers the governor to appoint emergency managers (EMs) in financially troubled school districts. EMs assume all powers of the superintendent and school board. They can reshape academic programs, nullify labor contracts, and open and close schools. This article analyzes…

Discipline for Democracy? School Districts' Management of Conflict and Social Exclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickmore, Kathy

2004-01-01

An examination of six urban Canadian school districts' policies and co-curricular programs for safe and inclusive schools shows contrasting implicit patterns of citizenship education. Peacekeeping-oriented districts relied heavily on standardized control and exclusion to achieve school safety and allocated few resources to affirming diversity.…

A Productive Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patt, Mary Johnson

2010-01-01

On April 7, 2009, as the nation agonized over a worsening economy, voters in western Wisconsin's Elk Mound Area School District passed a $9.3 million referendum to upgrade its three aging, overcrowded schools. On that same day, similar referendums in surrounding school districts failed. This article profiles Elk Mound Area School District and…

Michigan School Privatization Survey 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohman, James M.; Anderson, Dustin D.

2010-01-01

Privatization of support services has been a method that Michigan school districts have used for several years to lower costs. More than ever before, Michigan school districts are privatizing the three main support services they offer--food, custodial and transportation. The annual survey finds that 48.8 percent of Michigan school districts are…

Microcomputer Usage in Schools, 1984-1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quality Education Data, Inc., Denver, CO.

Results are presented for the fourth annual survey of all U.S. school districts by Quality Educational Data, Inc. Findings are displayed in tabular form and include information on the following: market penetration by major brands of microcomputers in school districts and buildings; school districts that use microcomputers and the brand or…

The Development Effectiveness Management Model for Sub-District Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butsankom, Akachai; Sirishuthi, Chaiyuth; Lammana, Preeda

2016-01-01

The purposes of this research were to study the factors of effectiveness management model for subdistrict secondary school, to investigate current situations and desirable situations of effectiveness management model for sub-district secondary school, to develop the effectiveness management model for sub-district secondary school and to study the…

Redefining the School District in America. Part Three of a Three-Part Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Nelson

2015-01-01

In "Redefining the School District in America," Nelson Smith reexamines existing recovery school districts (RSDs)--entities in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Michigan charged with running and turning around their state's worst schools--and assembles the most comprehensive catalog of similar initiatives underway and under consideration…

Decision-Making Processes in Texas School Districts That Arm Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domain, Melinda Willoughby

2014-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological study employed narrative inquiry to describe the decision-making processes that Texas school districts followed in enacting firearms policies that allow school employees to carry concealed weapons on district property. Exploration of the lived experiences of eight Texas superintendents in such schools contributed…

The CAI/Cooperative Learning Project. First Year Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyer, Francine S.

This report presents a first year evaluation of the Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)/ Cooperative Learning Project, a 3-year collaborative effort by two Pennsylvania school districts--the Pittston Area School District and the Hatboro-Horsham School District--and Research for Better Schools (RBS). The project proposed to integrate advanced…

Challenges of asthma management for school nurses in districts with high asthma hospitalization rates.

PubMed

Liberatos, Penny; Leone, Jennifer; Craig, Ann Marie; Frei, Elizabeth Mary; Fuentes, Natalie; Harris, India Marie

2013-12-01

School nurses play a central role in assisting elementary school children in managing their asthma, especially those in higher-risk school districts that are at increased risk of uncontrolled asthma. Study purposes are to (1) identify barriers to asthma management by school nurses in higher-risk school districts; and (2) assess the extent to which National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) recommendations are followed in these districts. School districts containing at least one zipcode with high asthma hospitalization rates among children (0-14 years) in a New York State county were identified. Nurses in 44 elementary schools were surveyed about asthma management during 2008. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Study nurses learned of children with asthma mainly through school records and when students presented with symptoms rather than through parents. The major obstacles to asthma management were communication with parents and parental support. Reluctance of some physicians to diagnose asthma in these children presented a barrier and contributed to the nurses' ability to gain parental cooperation. Adherence to the NAEPP school recommendations was inconsistent. Improvement in the communication among parents, school nurses, and providers is critical to the improvement of asthma management for children in high-risk school districts. © 2013, American School Health Association.

The Professional Development Needs of School-Based Leadership in Preparation for a District-Wide One-to-One Initiative in a Large Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Brandon Dean

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the professional development needs of school-based leadership in preparation for a district-wide one-to-one initiative in a large urban school district. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to answer the three research questions that drove the study. Research for this study was…

How do we actually put smarter snacks in schools? NOURISH (Nutrition Opportunities to Understand Reforms Involving Student Health) conversations with food-service directors.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Lindsay E; Cohen, Juliana Fw; Gorski, Mary T; Lessing, Andrés J; Smith, Lauren; Rimm, Eric B; Hoffman, Jessica A

2017-02-01

In autumn 2012, Massachusetts schools implemented comprehensive competitive food and beverage standards similar to the US Department of Agriculture's Smart Snacks in School standards. We explored major themes raised by food-service directors (FSD) regarding their school-district-wide implementation of the standards. For this qualitative study, part of a larger mixed-methods study, compliance was measured via direct observation of foods and beverages during school site visits in spring 2013 and 2014, calculated to ascertain the percentage of compliant products available to students. Semi-structured interviews with school FSD conducted in each year were analysed for major implementation themes; those raised by more than two-thirds of participating school districts were explored in relationship to compliance. Massachusetts school districts (2013: n 26; 2014: n 21). Data collected from FSD. Seven major themes were raised by more than two-thirds of participating school districts (range 69-100 %): taking measures for successful transition; communicating with vendors/manufacturers; using tools to identify compliant foods and beverages; receiving support from leadership; grappling with issues not covered by the law; anticipating changes in sales of competitive foods and beverages; and anticipating changes in sales of school meals. Each theme was mentioned by the majority of more-compliant school districts (65-81 %), with themes being raised more frequently after the second year of implementation (range increase 4-14 %). FSD in more-compliant districts were more likely to talk about themes than those in less-compliant districts. Identified themes suggest best-practice recommendations likely useful for school districts implementing the final Smart Snacks in School standards, effective July 2016.

K-12 Parents' Attitudes about Their School District's Mass Notification Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downing, Joe R.

2011-01-01

The study examined K-12 parents' attitudes about their school district's mass notification service. Survey data were collected from 146 parents with at least one child who attended school in the district. During an emergency, most parents surveyed wanted their district to expand its mass notification service from landline phone only to also…

Anchorage School District Profile of Performance, 1998-1999. Assessment and Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Ray

The "Profile of Performance" is the Anchorage School District, Alaska, report card to the School Board and community on academic achievement. Part 1 of the report provides a summary of performance across the entire district on a variety of indicators of achievement. It includes an overview of district performance and an examination of…

An Analysis of Staff Development Programs and Their Costs in Three Urban School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Donald R.; Hyde, Arthur A.

This report analyzes teacher staff development programs and their costs in three large urban school districts, and discusses research and policy implications of the research results. The districts were selected through a survey of school districts serving the 75 largest U.S. cities, and were chosen because of their respectively high, medium, and…

School District Labour Conflict and Frame Analysis: A Field Study of Contentious Negotiations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Gordon S.; Vesneske, Staci S.

2012-01-01

Labour conflict in school districts is a largely neglected area of educational research. This study examines the perceptions, actions, and decisions of union and district leaders using social movement theory to describe, analyze, and interpret contentious contract negotiations in three school districts in the Pacific Northwest region of the US.…

The Causes of Political Integration: An Application to School Districts. NBER Working Paper No. 12047

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Nora; Knight, Brian

2006-01-01

This paper examines the forces behind political integration through the lens of school district consolidations, which reduced the number of school districts in the United States from around 130,000 in 1930 to under 15,000 at present. Despite this large observed decline, many districts resisted consolidation before ultimately merging and others…

A Systems Theory Approach to the District Central Office's Role in School-Level Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mania-Singer, Jackie

2017-01-01

This qualitative case study used General Systems Theory and social network analysis to explore the relationships between the members of a district central office and principals of elementary schools within an urban school district in the Midwest. Findings revealed sparse relationships between members of the district central office and principals,…

Inventory Control of Fixed Assets by School District Personnel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Paul E.

By July 1, 1966, each school district in New York State was required to install a system of property accounting. This pamphlet provides a suggested method of property accounting to assist school districts in meeting this requirement. In addition, suggestions are made to help the districts record the information needed for fire insurance purposes.…

Elementary and Secondary Education: Flexibility Initiatives Do Not Address Districts' Key Concerns about Federal Requirements. Report to Congressional Requesters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

The Government Accounting Office (GAO) was asked to: (1) describe major federal requirements that affect school districts; (2) identify key issues school districts face in implementing these requirements; and (3) analyze the impact of the Department of Education's flexibility initiatives on school districts' ability to address these implementation…

District Finds the Right Equation to Improve Math Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmstrom, Annette

2010-01-01

The math problem is common to most U.S. school districts, and education leaders are well aware that U.S. math achievement lags far behind many other countries in the world. University Place (Washington) School District Superintendent Patti Banks found the conspicuous income gap for math scores even more disturbing. In her school district, only 23%…

Site-Based Budgeting: A New Age of District Finance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Mary

2013-01-01

The effects of linking school districts' funding directly to the students they serve and providing local school districts and communities with more control over how that money is spent could ripple through the entire K-12 system, from the state Capitol to the classroom. For district leaders anxious to improve their schools and better support…

The Impact of a Multi-Year, Multi-School District K-6 Professional Development Programme Designed to Integrate Science Inquiry and Language Arts on Students' High-Stakes Test Scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shymansky, James A.; Wang, Tzu-Ling; Annetta, Leonard A.; Yore, Larry D.; Everett, Susan A.

2013-04-01

This paper is a report of a quasi-experimental study on the impact of a systemic 5-year, K-6 professional development (PD) project on the 'high stakes' achievement test scores of different student groups in rural mid-west school districts in the USA. The PD programme utilized regional summer workshops, district-based leadership teams and distance delivery technologies to help teachers learn science concepts and inquiry teaching strategies associated with a selection of popular science inquiry kits and how to adapt inquiry science lessons in the kits to teach and reinforce skills in the language arts-i.e. to teach more than science when doing inquiry science. Analyses of the school district-level pre-post high-stakes achievement scores of 33 school districts participating in the adaptation of inquiry PD and a comparative group of 23 school districts revealed that both the Grade 3 and Grade 6 student-cohorts in the school districts utilizing adapted science inquiry lessons significantly outscored their student-cohort counterparts in the comparative school districts. The positive school district-level high-stakes test results, which serve as the basis for state and local decision making, suggest that an inquiry adaptation strategy and a combination of regional live workshop and distance delivery technologies with ongoing local leadership and support can serve as a viable PD option for K-6 science.

Perceptions of the preparedness of medical graduates for internship responsibilities in district hospitals in Kenya: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Muthaura, Patricia N; Khamis, Tashmin; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Hussain, Syeda Ra'ana

2015-10-21

Aga Khan University is developing its undergraduate medical education curriculum for East Africa. In Kenya, a 1 year internship is mandatory for medical graduates' registration as practitioners. The majority of approved internship training sites are at district hospitals. The purposes of this study were to determine: (1) whether recent Kenyan medical graduates are prepared for their roles as interns in district hospitals upon graduation from medical school; (2) what working and training conditions and social support interns are likely to face in district hospital; and (3) what aspects of the undergraduate curriculum need to be addressed to overcome perceived deficiencies in interns' competencies. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with current interns and clinical supervisors in seven district hospitals in Kenya. Perceptions of both interns and supervisors regarding interns' responsibilities and skills, working conditions at district hospitals, and improvements required in medical education were obtained. Findings included agreement across informants on deficiencies in interns' practical skills and experience of managing clinical challenges. Supervisors were generally critical regarding interns' competencies, whereas interns were more specific about their weaknesses. Supervisor expectations were higher in relation to surgical procedures than those of interns. There was agreement on the limited learning, clinical facilities and social support available at district hospitals including, according to interns, inadequate supervision. Supervisors felt they provided adequate supervision and that interns lacked the ability to initiate communication with them. Both groups indicated transition challenges from medical school to medical practice attributable to inadequate practical experience. They indicated the need for more direct patient care responsibilities and clinical experience at a district hospital during undergraduate training. Perception of medical graduates' unpreparedness seemed to stem from a failure to implement the apprenticeship model of learning in medical school and lack of prior exposure to district hospitals. These findings will inform curriculum development to meet stakeholder requirements, improve the quality of graduates, and increase satisfaction with transition to practice.

The Wheels on the Bus Go “Buy Buy Buy”: School Bus Advertising Laws

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

School buses, a practical necessity for millions of children, are at the center of new efforts to raise revenue. School bus advertising laws bring public health and commercialization concerns to the school setting. In doing so, they potentially expose school districts to First Amendment lawsuits. I examined various school bus advertising bills and laws. I reviewed First Amendment “forum analysis” as applied in the transit and school settings to clarify how this legal test may affect school districts subject to such laws. I have made recommendations for school districts to enact appropriate policies to ensure that such advertising does not undermine public health and to enable the districts to maintain control over their property. PMID:22742065

Menominee Indian Middle School: A Community School with Voice and Heart

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Principal Leadership, 2010

2010-01-01

The Menominee Indian School District is a K-12 public school district with 1,000 students that is located almost entirely on tribal lands in Wisconsin. This uniqueness has led the district and, in turn, the schools to recognize the cultural importance of the Menominee Nation and American Indians. To do this, Menominee culture is infused into daily…

The Four-Day School Week. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.

This paper provides an overview of the 4-day school week being utilized by 36 school districts in Colorado. These districts, which tend to be rural and sparsely populated, schedule 7.5 hours per day for 144 days of school instead of the normal 6 hours for 180 days. Colorado law requires school districts to schedule 1,080 hours per year of…

No More 1s: High Expectations Can Lead to High Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervone, Laureen; DiMartino, Lisa; Kerr, Kris

2010-01-01

The school district in Middletown, New York, in the state's Orange County, today serves close to 7,000 students in four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The district is classified by the state in the highest of three Need-to-Resource-Capacity groups, an urban or suburban school district with high student needs in…

The Relationship between Components of the Ohio Local School District Report Card and the Outcome of a School Tax Levy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheatley, Vicki Ann

2012-01-01

The relationship between components of the local school district report card, school district typology, and the outcome of public school tax levy requests were examined in this study. A correlation research design was used to measure the relationship between the independent variables (performance index, average yearly progress, value added,…

Are Bad Schools Immortal? The Scarcity of Turnarounds and Shutdowns in Both Charter and District Sectors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuit, David A.

2010-01-01

This study investigates the successes of the charter and district sectors in eliminating bad schools via dramatic turnarounds in performance and/or shutdowns. It identified 2,025 low-performing charter and district schools across ten states, each of which is home to a sizable number of charter schools. These particular schools were tracked from…

The Best of Both Worlds: Can District-Charter Co-Location Be a Win-Win?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeArmond, Michael; Nelson, Elizabeth Cooley; Bruns, Angela

2015-01-01

District schools and charter schools are often at odds. When the two school types share a school building--arrangements known as "co-locations"--the tensions can boil over. But what happens when district and charter leaders approach co-location as a tool to promote school improvement, rather than simply a real estate deal? Based on…

Neighborhoods and Schools: Using Charter School Policy to Foster District Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Ann

2010-01-01

This article presents the case of community leaders who used the charter school policy as a way to effect district change for the benefit of a neighborhood in need. The case represents the potential of charter school policy to reshape the political and institutional arrangements of urban school districts, and it reengages the idea of what makes…

Who, What, Where, When, and Why: Demographic and Ecological Factors Contributing to Hostile School Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosciw, Joseph G.; Greytak, Emily A.; Diaz, Elizabeth M.

2009-01-01

This study examines how locational (region and locale), community-level (school district poverty and adult educational attainment), and school district-level (district size and ratios of students to key school personnel) variables are related to indicators of hostile school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.…

Response-to-Intervention in California Public Schools: Has It Helped Address Disproportional Placement Rates for Students with Learning Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouman, Sam H.

2010-01-01

Response-to-intervention (RTI) as applied in several California school districts was investigated by analyzing responses to questionnaires completed by 190 school psychologists representing 142 school districts. This analysis targeted the depth and breadth of RTI in these public K-12 school districts. A majority (80.7%) of the respondents…

Operational Issues Encountered by School Nutrition Directors in School Districts with Less than 30,000 Student Enrollment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushing, Keith; Nettles, Mary Frances; Johnson, James T.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To identify operational issues and practices associated with operating school nutrition (SN) programs in school districts with less than 30,000 student enrollment. Method: The survey was adapted from a similar study that explored operational issues in school districts with enrollments of 30,000 or more students. The survey asked SN…

Former Principals' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards on Raising the Performance of African American Males on the State High School Graduation Test (GHSGT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ficklin, Henry Clay

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of former principals on the effect of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards in raising the performance of African American males on standardized tests, specifically the State High School Graduation Test (SHSGT) in a southern school district. Since the…

Gerrymandering Educational Opportunity: The Extent to which School Boundaries Foster or Hinder Efforts at Enhancing School Diversity Depends on the Motivation and Political Will of District Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Meredith P.

2017-01-01

"Gerrymandering" is known best as a tool to manipulate boundaries for voting districts, but school districts have long used the same tool to manipulate school boundaries. The author used geospatial techniques--mapping various kinds of demographic data onto school boundaries--to examine public school attendance zones and their effect on…

Characteristics of Public School Districts in the United States: Results From the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey. First Look. NCES 2009-320

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aritomi, Paola; Coopersmith, Jared; Gruber, Kerry

2009-01-01

This report presents selected findings from the school district data file of the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). SASS is a nationally representative sample survey of public, private, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded (BIE) K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The public school sample…

Fighting Fraud in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dessoff, Alan

2009-01-01

It's no surprise that school districts are as vulnerable to fraud as the private sector or any other segment of government. Crimes in districts include collusion with outside vendors who provide kickbacks to employees, misuse of district-issued credit cards, embezzlement of district funds, and theft of district property. "Fraud happens…

Effects of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Elementary School Standards Reform in an Underperforming California District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Bryce; Mason, DeWayne A.; Mendez, Memo; Nelsen, Gregg; Orwig, Russ

2005-01-01

In this article we describe how an underperforming school district used research and theory on curriculum, assessment, implementation, and school and classroom organization to develop and implement district standards and improve the achievement of elementary school students. Key reforms included teachers developing essential curriculum standards,…

The Effects of Charter School Competition on School District Resource Allocation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arsen, David; Ni, Yongmei

2012-01-01

Purpose: This article examines two questions: (a) How does resource allocation change in school districts experiencing sustained charter school competition? (b) Among districts exposed to charter competition, are there differences in the resource allocation adjustments between those that do and do not succeed in stemming further enrollment loss to…

Quality Management and System Change in Three Suburban Public School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obisesan, Anthonia A.

This report examines the potential of Quality Management (QM) to enhance system change by analyzing its implementation in three suburban public school districts. The paper assessed the capacity of QM to increase the efficiency and productivity of the school districts, validated the potential to sustain systemic change in a school organization, and…

Collaboration Is Not Meeting with the Enemy: An Analysis of a Successful University-School District Relationship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozeman, William C.; Rothberg, Robert A.

Although the literature proclaims the need for school district and university cooperation, there are few analyses of existing partnership projects or examinations of factors facilitating or impeding successful school-university linkages and cooperation. This paper focuses on the central Florida school districts' partnership with the University of…

Oregon School Bond Manual. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

The manual is intended to guide attorneys and officials of school districts in the issuance and sale of school district bonds. Purchasers of school district bonds rely on the recommendations of accredited bond attorneys who render opinions concerning the validity and legality of bond issues offered for sale. This manual is designed to assist in…

School Performance Review: Port Arthur Independent School District. A Report from the Texas Performance Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, John

This report provides a performance review of a Texas school district. For the review, investigators interviewed district employees, school-board members, students, parents, business leaders, and representatives from community organizations. The review team also held public forums, conducted focus-group sessions and personal interviews, surveyed…

Integrating Districts in Comprehensive School Reform in the Middle-Grades: Lessons from Middle Start CSR

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gopalan, Pritha

2004-01-01

This report compares district leaders' perspectives on changes in school capacity, student outcomes and district policy over three years of implementation of Middle Start (MS), a comprehensive school reform program to demonstrate the potential for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of CSR at the school level through integrating…

Character Education by Design: A Blueprint for Successful District and School Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Department of Education, 2007

2007-01-01

Designed for district- and school-level character education committees, "Character Education by Design: A Blueprint for Successful District and School Initiatives" is a how-to guide for developing an effective character education initiative, one that will not only enhance the climate of the school and social behavior of the students, but…

Right Game, Wrong Field? The Pursuit of School Funding Equity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertert, Linda

1995-01-01

District-level fiscal equity, when achieved, will not necessarily result in a fairer distribution of educational resources. School-level inequities generally exceed those found at the district level in most states. If districts were required to distribute funds to schools on a per-pupil basis, school-level equalization could be accomplished…

Making Good Choices: Districts Take the Lead. Comprehensive School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL.

Public schools across the country are aiming to improve student performance by engaging in comprehensive school reform (CSR). This guide was created to help school districts make CSR an integral part of their strategies for improving student achievement. Five components for CSR are described: (1) Strategizing, whereby the district supports CSR by…

Administration of the School District Risk Management Program. School Business Administration Publication No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Association of School Business Officials, Sacramento.

This publication is designed to provide school district administrators and boards of education with information they can use in developing, administering, and evaluating their district's risk management needs. In particular, it is meant to help school officials 1) identify local insurance needs consistent with California's statutory requirements,…

Reorganizing a Countywide School District: A Critical Analysis of Politics and Policy Development toward Decentralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diem, Sarah; Sampson, Carrie; Browning, Laura Gavornik

2018-01-01

Policymakers and educational leaders continue to use school district decentralization as a reform effort that attempts to shift power and authority from central office administration to school-level leadership. In 2015, the Nevada Legislature passed legislation to restructure the Clark County School District (CCSD), the state's largest school…

Oakland Unified School District Community Schools: Supporting Students, Teachers, and Families. Knowledge Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, 2015

2015-01-01

Oakland is home to one of the most demographically diverse populations in the country, with residents of different racial, ethnic, national, linguistic, and other cultural groups. In response to these vast disparities, in 2010, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) launched an initiative to transform all district schools into full service…

Creating Technology Infrastructures in a Rural School District: A Partnership Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Dennis

Rural schools face significant challenges in upgrading their technology infrastructures. Rural school districts tend to have older school buildings that have multiple problems and lack climate control, adequate space, and necessary wiring. In rural districts, it may be difficult to find the leadership and expertise needed to provide professional…

Strategies and Factors Influencing Public School District Referendums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stauffacher, Alan N.

2012-01-01

Many school districts are in need of a successful plan of action for school district referendums. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the perceived effectiveness between factors and strategies surrounding referendums and the passage of those measures meant to improve school funding and facilities. The findings from Johnson and…

Small Districts, Big Problems: Making School Everybody's House.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmuck, Richard A.; Schmuck, Patricia A.

During a 6-month odyssey over America's back roads, 80 schools in 25 small school districts in 21 states were visited, in hopes of finding effective schools where smallness facilitated participation by all. District size ranged from 450 to 2,000 students. Data collection included observation of classes and meetings; group interviews of classes;…

Knowing the Odds: Parameters that Predict Passing or Failing School District Bonds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alex J.; Metzger, Scott Alan; Militello, Matthew

2010-01-01

This study investigates parameters affecting the likelihood of passing school facility construction bonds by local district election. Using statewide data from Michigan, this study analyzes school bond data for urban (n = 30), suburban (n = 164), small town (n = 70), and rural (n = 241) school districts that held capital improvement bond elections…

The Exit Poll: An Environmental Scanning Technique for School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, Jess E.

1989-01-01

Exit polling of school district election returns is a form of environmental scanning that can provide information needed for strategic planning and be used to increase the effectiveness of school election campaigns. This technique is recommended for all school districts dependent on voter approval to meet revenue needs. (11 references) (MLH)

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…

Review of "The Louisiana Recovery School District: Lessons for the Buckeye State"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buras, Kristen L.

2012-01-01

In "The Louisiana Recovery School District: Lessons for the Buckeye State," the Thomas B. Fordham Institute criticizes local urban governance structures and presents the decentralized, charter-school-driven Recovery School District (RSD) in New Orleans as a successful model for fiscal and academic performance. Absent from the review is…

Grant Funding to Implement PREPaRE Training in Your School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paige, Leslie Z.

2010-01-01

Implementing an effective crisis management program in a school district has associated costs. The most precious resource in a school system is time. Time is necessary for acquiring and practicing new skills, and for developing and implementing strategies to introduce and expand the change throughout a school or district. Implementing an effective…

District-Wide Involvement: The Key to Successful School Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundell, Scott; Babich, George

1989-01-01

Describes the self-study process used by the Marana Unified School District to meet accreditation requirements with minimal expense, to emphasize curriculum development, and to improve the school. Considers the key feature of the cyclical review model to be the personal involvement of nearly every faculty member in the 10-school district. (DMM)

Taking a Strengths-Based Focus Improves School Climate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tschannen-Moran, Megan; Tschannen-Moran, Bob

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to learn whether focusing on strengths through appreciative inquiry would be related to measurable changes in school climate and trust within a small urban school district. The district studied was a beleaguered, underperforming school district in the Midwest Rust Belt. Through an appreciative inquiry initiative, the…

The Impact of Centralization on Local School District Governance in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galway, Gerald; Sheppard, Bruce; Wiens, John; Brown, Jean

2013-01-01

Across Canada there have been numerous recent examples of incidents where the political and ideological interests of provincial governments have run counter to the mandates of school districts. In this pan-Canadian study, focus groups were conducted with school board trustees and school district superintendents to examine the relationships between…

Seeking Accountability through State-Appointed Emergency District Management. Working Paper #28

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arsen, David; Mason, Mary L.

2012-01-01

Michigan's Local Government and School District Accountability Act of 2011 empowers the governor to appoint emergency managers (EMs) in financially-troubled school districts. EMs assume all powers of the superintendent and school board. They can reshape academic programs, nullify labor contracts, and open and close schools. This paper analyzes the…

Against the Odds: Insights from One District's Small School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuban, Larry; Lichtenstein, Gary; Evenchik, Arthur; Tombari, Martin; Pozzobini, Kristen

2010-01-01

"Against the Odds" offers an in-depth look at the Mapleton, Colorado, school district's transformation of two traditional high schools into seven small schools, each enrolling fewer than four hundred students. This even-handed account chronicles both the heartening successes and frequent frustrations of a district-wide embrace of the…

An ecological study of food desert prevalence and 4th grade academic achievement in new york state school districts.

PubMed

Frndak, Seth E

2014-12-02

This ecological study examines the relationship between food desert prevalence and academic achievement at the school district level. Sample included 232 suburban and urban school districts in New York State. Multiple open-source databases were merged to obtain: 4(th) grade science, English and math scores, school district demographic composition (NYS Report Card), regional socioeconomic indicators (American Community Survey), school district quality (US Common Core of Data), and food desert data (USDA Food Desert Atlas). Multiple regression models assessed the percentage of variation in achievement scores explained by food desert variables, after controlling for additional predictors. The proportion of individuals living in food deserts significantly explained 4th grade achievement scores, after accounting for additional predictors. School districts with higher proportions of individuals living in food desert regions demonstrated lower 4th grade achievement across science, English and math. Food deserts appear to be related to academic achievement at the school district level among urban and suburban regions. Further research is needed to better understand how food access is associated with academic achievement at the individual level. Significance for public healthThe prevalence of food deserts in the United States is of national concern. As poor nutrition in United States children continues to spark debate, food deserts are being evaluated as potential sources of low fruit and vegetable intake and high obesity rates. Cognitive development and IQ have been linked to nutrition patterns, suggesting that children in food desert regions may have a disadvantage academically. This research evaluates if an ecological relationship between food desert prevalence and academic achievement at the school district level can be demonstrated. Results suggest that food desert prevalence may relate to poor academic performance at the school district level. Significant variation in academic achievement among urban and suburban school districts is explained by food desert prevalence, above additional predictors. This research lays the groundwork for future studies at the individual level, with possible implications for community interventions in school districts containing food desert regions.

Outdoor Play and Learning: Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burriss, Kathleen; Burriss, Larry

2011-01-01

This study describes national school district policy and practice regarding elementary school children's outdoor learning and play. District representatives from 173 randomly selected school districts completed questionnaires describing policy and practice related to recess, outdoor play, outdoor curricular studies, playground materials, ADA…

Home-Town Values and High Accountability: A Texas Recipe for Districtwide Success in an Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skrla, Linda; McKenzie, Kathryn Bell; Scheurich, James Joseph; Dickerson, Kimberly L.

2011-01-01

This article reports the findings from a case study of urban school district effectiveness taken from a larger, multistate study. The case study district, Galena Park Independent School District in Galena Park, Texas, was chosen for inclusion in the study based on quantitative analysis of student achievement data in Texas. An education production…

Educational Technology in Public School Districts: Fall 2008. First Look. NCES 2010-003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Lucinda; Lewis, Laurie

2009-01-01

This report provides national data on the availability and use of educational technology in public school districts during fall 2008. The data are the results of a national district-level survey that is one of a set that includes district, school, and teacher surveys on educational technology. Every year between 1994 and 2005 (with the exception…

Exploring the Space between: Social Networks, Trust, and Urban School District Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daly, Alan J.; Finnigan, Kara S.

2012-01-01

A number of scholars are exploring the district context in which schools are embedded. These studies suggest the importance of the district office as a support or constraint to the work of schools and offer strategies for building relations between district and site leaders. While this is an important task, what is frequently overlooked is that…

Organizing Districts for Better Schools: A Summary of School District Reorganization Policies and Procedures. Bulletin, 1958, No. 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzwater, C. O.

1958-01-01

The establishment of soundly organized local districts for administering the schools has long been a major problem in American education. Methods of dealing with this problem have varied greatly ranging from compulsory reorganization of districts by legislative decree to dependence upon highly permissive laws to be used or ignored as local people…

Goals: Coherence and Relevance: 3 Districts Focus on Quality of Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2016-01-01

For more than a century, teachers in Tennessee's Loudon County School District have come together before the start of the school year for a professional development day. For the first time this year, professional learning in the district will be based at each individual school -- a result of the district's use of a new rubric, which states that…

Mississippi School Districts: Factors in the Disestablishment of Dual Systems. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, James M.

This research is basically a search for a model to explain why some districts achieved a higher degree of desegregation than others in their efforts to disestablish the dual system. The population studied consists of all of the school districts in Mississippi, and the unit of analysis was the local school district. Three types of variables were…

Educational Resource Allocation at the Elementary Level: A Case Study of One Elementary School District in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Dominic

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the dispersion of human capital resources within one school district in southern California and compare the use of personnel at each school to the desired allocation informed by the district's strategies and staffing formula. The district's resource distribution was also compared to that of the Evidence…

Leading Change for the Implementation of Common Core State Standards in Rural School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Paul; Wise, Donald

2015-01-01

Rural school districts across the nation, with their limited resources, face daunting challenges posed by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. This article presents a recent study of 13 rural school districts in the Central Valley of California and how these districts are responding to those challenges. A total of 352 teachers…