WorldWideScience

Sample records for helping school districts

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  4. Inventory Control of Fixed Assets by School District Personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  6. Making Good Choices: Districts Take the Lead. Comprehensive School Reform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  7. Administration of the School District Risk Management Program. School Business Administration Publication No. 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  8. Income Segregation between Schools and School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  9. 403(b) Plans Help Schools Save Costs and Payroll Taxes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Bernadette

    2012-01-01

    There's not a school business official in the country who isn't dealing with budget cuts and trying to do more with less. This article shares some proven strategies to help school districts reduce spending and address personnel issues associated with retirement plans. Because public education employers are exempt from the Employee Retirement…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  11. School District Cash Management. Program Audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  13. Sexual Harassment Policies in Florida School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rivara Frederick P

    2006-01-01

    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.

  16. Excellence in Urban High Schools: An Emerging District/School Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Robert K.; And Others

    This report presents the preliminary findings of the District/Secondary School Study. The study had two purposes: (1) to identify ways of managing urban high schools to produce excellence, and (2) to recommend policy-relevant guidance to existing school and district administrators. The study design focused on the testing of two specific theories…

  17. Lessons Learned: A Strategic Alliance to Improve Elementary Physical Education in an Urban School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Hannah R; Haguewood, Robin; Tantoco, Nicole; Madsen, Kristine A

    2015-01-01

    Physical education (PE) can help to achieve important public health goals, but is often under-prioritized and lacking in schools. To detail the actions, impact, and successes of a strategic alliance formed by three collaborating organizations to improve PE in a large California school district. Semistructured interviews with alliance members, principals, and teachers in 20 elementary schools, 3 years after the alliance formation. Interviewees reported district-level increases in priority and funding for PE and attributed improvements to the alliance's collection and dissemination of local data on the status of PE. Common goals, trust, and open communication within the alliance were seen as critical to the alliance's success. However, changes in district- or school-level accountability measures for PE were not reported. This strategic alliance succeeded in promoting district-level priority and funding for PE. Ongoing alliance work will focus on increasing accountability measures for PE, which may take longer to implement.

  18. Your District's Got Talent: Technology Tools to Help Keep Good Employees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turk-Peterson, Cheryl

    2009-01-01

    Even in these extraordinary times of state budget shortfalls, furlough programs, and layoffs, school districts must still fill positions and compete for top talent among Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980) and Generation Y (those born in 1981 or later). Every day, school district leaders are challenged to cultivate, assess, and retain…

  19. Revisiting "Rodriguez v. Los Angeles Unified School District": A Case of Intra-District Inequities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinosa, Ruben W.

    2010-01-01

    The educational community and the courts continue to struggle with the challenges of intra-district resource inequality revealed by the California Supreme Court landmark case "Rodriguez v. Los Angeles Unified School District" (1992). Intra-district school resource inequality is one of the remaining bastions of major inequalities in the…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  1. Promoting, Guiding, and Surviving Change in School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  2. Marketing Techniques for School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, John J., Ed.

    Development of marketing plans can assist not only public school districts in meeting recent competition but will also improve educational processes, increase revenue, and restore confidence in schools. This collection of articles describes a new role for school administrators--particulary for business managers: administrators as "entrepreneurs."…

  3. Teachers' Coping Strategies for Teaching Science in a ``Low-Performing'' School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Felicia M.

    2007-10-01

    This study describes how teachers use their personal knowledge of a school district and their students to cope with teaching under stressful situations associated with economic, social, and institutional factors. The 3 teachers dealt with these issues in unique ways, focusing on helping students to overcome negative perceptions, value the importance of an education, and build strong relationships. A model of multicultural science professional development is proposed that complements the strengths that these teachers have. A task for science educators working with teachers and administration in schools and districts that are “critically low performing” is to support everyone in implementing pedagogical methods aimed at empowerment, social justice, and high achievement for all students.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  7. Know Your School District: Tips for Parents. PACER Center ACTion Information Sheets. PHP-c112

    Science.gov (United States)

    PACER Center, 2006

    2006-01-01

    Becoming familiar with the school district will help parents become active and involved partners in their child's education. Research has demonstrated that family involvement in children's education can boost their academic success. Knowing about the following areas, which are discussed in this information sheet, can help parental involvement at…

  8. Characteristics of Illinois School Districts That Employ School Nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Searing, Lisabeth M.; Guenette, Molly

    2016-01-01

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  10. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mesa Unified School District Reaps Economic

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  11. Salaryfax 1974-75 for Seven School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albuquerque Public Schools, NM.

    This study compares salaries as well as benefits of school district personnel in the seven metropolitan school districts that include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Wichita, Kansas; and Mobile, Alabama. The tables aggregate all the elements in the total compensation package for each category of employee and…

  12. Salaryfax for Eight School Districts 1973-1974.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albuquerque Public Schools, NM.

    This study compares salaries as well as benefits of school district personnel in the eight metropolitan school districts that include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; El Paso, Texas; Phoenix and Tuscon, Arizona; Wichita, Kansas; and Mobile, Alabama. The tables aggregate all the elements in the total compensation package for each category…

  13. Collaborative Strategic Decision Making in School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brazer, S. David; Rich, William; Ross, Susan A.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The dual purpose of this paper is to determine how superintendents in US school districts work with stakeholders in the decision-making process and to learn how different choices superintendents make affect decision outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This multiple case study of three school districts employs qualitative methodology to…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  18. NM School District Boundaries

    Data.gov (United States)

    Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — The dataset represents the boundaries of all public school districts in the state of New Mexico. The source for the data layer is the New Mexico Public Education...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  20. District-Wide Involvement: The Key to Successful School Improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  3. The Partnership Pact: Fulfilling School Districts' Research Needs with University-District Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralston, Nicole; Weitzel, Bruce; Waggoner, Jacqueline; Naegele, Zulema; Smith, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    There has been a recent shift in university-district partnership models from traditional transactional partnerships, which lack a shared purpose, to transformational partnerships that are mutually beneficial to both universities and school districts. These transformational research-practice partnerships have gained popularity in the United States…

  4. How School Districts Can Support Deeper Learning: The Need for Performance Alignment. Executive Summary. Deeper Learning Research Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honig, Meredith I.; Rainey, Lydia R.

    2015-01-01

    School district leaders nationwide aspire to help their schools become vibrant places for learning--where students have meaningful academic opportunities "and" develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the ability to communicate effectively, and other deeper learning capacities that are essential to success in later life.…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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:…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  8. State Policy Snapshot: School District Facilities and Public Charter Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simnick, Russ

    2015-01-01

    One of the greatest challenges to the health of the public charter school movement is access to adequate facilities in which the schools operate. Public charter school facilities are rarely funded on par with school district facilities. Over the years, more states have come to realize that they have an obligation to ensure that all public school…

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

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stock, Christiane; Bloomfield, Kim; Ejstrud, Bo

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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...

  10. Decision-Making Processes in Texas School Districts That Arm Personnel

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  11. A Study of Terrorism Emergency Preparedness Policies in School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  12. Allegheny County School District Boundaries

    Data.gov (United States)

    Allegheny County / City of Pittsburgh / Western PA Regional Data Center — This dataset demarcates the school district boundaries within Allegheny County If viewing this description on the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center’s open...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  14. School choice & social stratification: how intra-district transfers shift the racial/ethnic and economic composition of schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Kristie J R; Larsen, Elisabeth S; Hausman, Charles

    2015-05-01

    The liberation model hypothesizes that school choice liberates students from underperforming schools by giving them the opportunity to seek academically superior schooling options outside of their neighborhoods. Subsequently, school choice is hypothesized to diminish stratification in schools. Data from one urban school district is analyzed to test these hypotheses. We specifically examine which factors influence the propensity for parents to participate in choice, and how school choice changes the racial/ethnic and economic composition of schools. We further examine how school choice influences similar changes within distinct sociogeographic areas within the district. We find that families who are zoned to more racially/ethnically and economically diverse schools in sociogeographically diverse areas are more likely to participate in school choice. We also find that intra-district choice is associated with a slight increase in social stratification throughout the district, with more substantial stratification occurring in the most demographically diverse areas and schools. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Controlling Special Education Costs at the School District Level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, W. Daniel

    1992-01-01

    Describes the financing of a New York school district for emotionally disturbed children. Summarizes suggestions for controlling special education costs at the district level obtained from a nationwide sample of school business officials. Among the suggestions offered are to include a review of private placements and an annual caseload review,…

  16. New Mexico School District Profile: 1982-83 School Year.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavatta, Jerry C., Comp.; Borgrink, Henry, Comp.

    The purpose of this report is to provide a broad cross section of data on the operation and performance of New Mexico public schools. Data on school district characteristics (40-Day Average Daily Membership; and percent in kindergarten, bilingual, Chapter 1, and special education programs), teacher characteristics (pupil-teacher ratio, salaries,…

  17. Wireless Wide Area Networks for School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Prakash

    This paper considers a basic question that many schools districts face in attempting to develop affordable, expandable district-wide computer networks that are resistant to obsolescence: Should these wide area networks (WANs) employ wireless technology, stick to venerable hard-wired solutions, or combine both. This publication explores the…

  18. The Nation's Report Card Reading 2013 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), in partnership with the National Assessment Governing Board and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), created the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in 2002 to support the improvement of student achievement in the nation's large urban districts. NAEP TUDA results in mathematics…

  19. The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2013 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), in partnership with the National Assessment Governing Board and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), created the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in 2002 to support the improvement of student achievement in the nation's large urban districts. NAEP TUDA results in mathematics…

  20. The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2013 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), in partnership with the National Assessment Governing Board and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), created the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in 2002 to support the improvement of student achievement in the nation's large urban districts. NAEP TUDA results in mathematics…

  1. The Nation's Report Card Reading 2013 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), in partnership with the National Assessment Governing Board and the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), created the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in 2002 to support the improvement of student achievement in the nation's large urban districts. NAEP TUDA results in mathematics…

  2. How Small School Districts Can Organize to Afford Their Small Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Christine

    2010-01-01

    While the research continues to mount on the benefits of school downsizing and decentralizing efforts in urban areas, there exists a paradox for small school Administrators who continue to struggle against forces of consolidation. Small schools in rural and suburban districts have fought for their existence against the pressures of consolidation…

  3. Deficit Financing of Schools? The Impact of Statutory Change on School District Borrowing Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edlefson, Carla

    In the 70s and 80s, Ohio relaxed its balanced-budget laws to give school districts more options for borrowing over the end of the fiscal year. Two provisions that permit districts to borrow against next year's revenues in order to balance the current year's budget include the Emergency School Advancement program and the Spending Reserve. This…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  5. Home-School Relationships: Networking in One District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanat, Carolyn Louise

    2012-01-01

    This article describes parents' and educators' perceptions of home-school relationships that benefited children and their families in one school district. Family involvement literature and social network theory, especially Burt's (2001) structural holes, served as the theoretical framework. In semistructured interviews, 39 participants, including…

  6. Coordinated School Health and the Contribution of a District Wellness Coordinator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westrich, Lisa; Sanchez, Monika; Strobel, Karen

    2015-01-01

    Background: A San Francisco Bay Area school health initiative was established in fall 2010 to improve wellness programs in 4 local school districts using the Coordinated School Health (CSH) model. This study examines the role of district-wide wellness coordinators and the ways in which they contribute to intentional coordination of health and…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  9. Education Reform in New Orleans: Voices from the Recovery School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciolino, Max S.; Kirylo, James D.; Mirón, Luis; Frazier, Kelly

    2014-01-01

    In the post-Katrina education landscape in New Orleans, teachers in charter schools and district-run schools in the Recovery School District are uniquely situated to provide a direct eyewitness account of the successes and failures of the city's new direction in public education. This narrative presents the opinions of teachers in a critical…

  10. School District Revenues for Elementary and Secondary Education: 1997-98. Statistical Analysis Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Joel D.; Gregory, Barbra; Poirier, Jeffrey M.

    This report is an annual collection of school district financial data. Specifically, this report presents analyses of school district revenues from the 1997-98 school year. The report is designed to address the following questions about the financing of public elementary and secondary education at the state and district levels: How much money per…

  11. Budget Stability, Revenue Volatility, and District Relations: Determinants of Georgia ELOST Distribution to Municipal School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinagel, Tyler P.

    2014-01-01

    School districts across the United States are often forced into situations where limited public funds must be distributed among multiple districts. These are often reliant on distribution rates negotiated by district leadership and elected officials. An example of this is Georgia's 1% Education Local Option Sales Tax (ELOST). The tax is collected…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  13. Participation in Summer School and High School Graduation in the Sun Valley High School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Gabriel

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the effectiveness of a summer school credit recovery program in the Sun Valley High School District. Using logistic regression I assess the relationship between race, gender, course failure, school of origin and summer school participation for a sample of students that failed one or more classes in their first year of high…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  15. Accuracy of Principal and Teacher Knowledge of School District Policies on Sun Protection in California Elementary Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buller, David B; Reynolds, Kim D; Berteletti, Julia; Massie, Kim; Ashley, Jeff; Buller, Mary Klein; Meenan, Richard T

    2018-01-18

    Policy is a key aspect of school-based efforts to prevent skin cancer. We explored the extent and accuracy of knowledge among principals and teachers in California public school districts about the elements specified in their district's written sun safety policy. The sample consisted of California public school districts that subscribed to the California School Boards Association, had an elementary school, adopted Board Policy 5141.7 for sun safety, and posted it online. The content of each policy was coded. Principals (n = 118) and teachers (n = 113) in elementary schools were recruited from September 2013 through December 2015 and completed a survey on sun protection policies and practices from January 2014 through April 2016. Only 38 of 117 principals (32.5%) were aware that their school district had a sun protection policy. A smaller percentage of teachers (13 of 109; 11.9%) than principals were aware of the policy (F 108 = 12.76, P < .001). We found greater awareness of the policy among principals and teachers who had more years of experience working in public education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, F 106 = 4.71, P = .03) and worked in schools with more non-Hispanic white students (OR = 7.65, F 109 = 8.61, P = .004) and fewer Hispanic students (OR = 0.28, F 109 = 4.27, P = .04). Policy adoption is an important step in implementing sun safety practices in schools, but districts may need more effective means of informing school principals and teachers of sun safety policies. Implementation will lag without clear understanding of the policy's content by school personnel.

  16. Comparison of the enrollment percentages of magnet and non-magnet schools in a large urban school district.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Arcia

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Are magnet schools in a position to meet diversity ideals? As districts are declared unitary and released from court ordered desegregation, many are framing their commitments to fairness and equity in terms of diversity˜i.e., comparable rates of participation and comparable educational outcomes in all segments the student population. In this study, the enrollment statistics for magnet and contiguous non-magnet public schools in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, a large, urban district that had been released from court ordered desegregation, were compared to each other and to district enrollment averages at two time points: the year the district was declared unitary and four years hence. Findings indicated that within four years of being declared unitary, the gains that the magnet schools had made with regards to Black/non-Black desegregation had eroded substantially. Also, in the four year span, magnet schools had not made significant strides in meeting the diversity ideals adopted by the district at being released from supervision by the court. These findings highlight the difficulty of attaining diversity in student enrollment characteristics when quotas are not used and suggest that recruitment and enrollment policies must be crafted with care if districts are to achieve diversity goals.

  17. Correlation of Sex Education and the Racial Composition of a School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaa, Kelly

    The purpose of the project was to determine whether there was a correlation between the racial makeup of a school district and the decision to provide sex education in its schools. Interviews were conducted with six different school districts across Santa Clara County, California. After the interviews, it was determined that the racial diversity did not play a role in deciding if sex education would be taught. This researcher did learn that a lack of educational funding had an effect on the school districts and their decisions. Due to this lack of funding for schools, educational programs, such as sex education, were not being provided to the students.

  18. School Districts Move to the Head of the Class with Propane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2016-01-12

    School districts across the country are under pressure to reduce their cost of operations and ensure their budgets are spent wisely. School bus fleets operate more than 675,000 buses in the United States, and many school districts have found the answer to their budget woes in the form of propane, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Propane is a reliable, domestic fuel, and it's used in approximately 2% of school buses nationwide.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  20. Exploring the Space between: Social Networks, Trust, and Urban School District Leaders

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  1. The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

  2. The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

  3. The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

  4. The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

  5. School District Finance Survey, 2013-14

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Education — School District Finance Survey, 2013–14 (F-33 2013–14) is a study that is part of the Common Core of Data (CCD) program; program data is available since 1989–90 at ....

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  7. Access Denied: School Librarians' Responses to School District Policies on the Use of Social Media Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiScala, Jeffrey; Weeks, Ann Carlson

    2013-01-01

    Public school districts often block access to online social media tools. While considered a preventive measure to ensure student safety and limit district liability, this policy strips school librarians and their collaborating teachers of opportunities to instruct students in using social media tools creatively and responsibly. Using one school…

  8. Synergy among School and District Leaders in the Application of Quality Standards in Kuwaiti Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldaihani, Sultan Ghaleb

    2017-01-01

    This study sought to identify existing levels of synergy, or cooperation and compatibility, among school and district leaders and the impact of synergy on standards of quality in Kuwaiti schools. The researcher employed a qualitative methodology based on interviews with principals and administrators representing the six educational districts in…

  9. School Business Leadership: The Small School District Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefbauer, Christi J.

    2012-01-01

    Effective leadership is on everyone's mind this presidential election year as the country's citizens look for a strong candidate to guide them through the next four years. Effective leadership is just as critical in the nation's school districts where people prepare their young people to be the global citizens of tomorrow. In most school…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  11. School District Size and the Deployment of Personnel Resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daft, Richard L.; Becker, Selwyn W.

    1978-01-01

    The administrative component was found to receive a smaller proportion of salaries in large districts, while clerical and maintenance service proportions increased, producing a net effect of larger overhead costs in this study of high school districts in the midwestern U.S. (KR)

  12. School District Labour Conflict and Frame Analysis: A Field Study of Contentious Negotiations

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.…

  13. Nationwide survey of energy conservation in public school districts: Institutional, organizational, and technical characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Collins, N.E.; Ettinger, G.A.; Gaines, L.L.; Kier, P.H.; Miller, K.L. (Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)); Kammerud, R.C. (Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States))

    1987-09-01

    This report summarizes the responses to a mail survey sent to superintendents and other administrators of public school districts. The survey was part of an evaluation project for the USDOE Institutional Conservation Program (ICP). The goal of the project is to identify the most successful energy conservation measures (equipment and activities) available to the institutional buildings sector. To accomplish this goal, four specific research objectives were defined: To determine the impact of the ICP grants program on fostering energy efficiency and saving energy; to determine key characteristics of institutional conservation efforts outside the federal program; To determine the technical, organizational, and Institutional conditions that create the opportunity for energy conservation measures (ECMS) to be most effective; and to identify key technology transfer opportunities. This report focuses on those characteristics of school districts (and the schools within those districts) that might influence the identification, implementation, operation, and impacts of institutional energy conservation efforts. Information about institutional characteristics was gathered through a mail survey of public school districts and private schools. The first mailing resulted in responses from 90 of the 823 public school districts selected through a combination cluster-and-stratification sampling technique and 64 of the 1,700 private schools selected as a stratified random sample. Remaining project resources were used to collect data to achieve a statistically sound sample of a total of 250 public school districts by telephone interviews. In doing so, some questions had to be dropped. Responses from both the mall surveys and the telephone interviews of public school districts were combined into one data set. This report describes results for all 250 districts.

  14. Improving the Small Rural or Remote School: The Role of the District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Simon; Wildy, Helen

    2011-01-01

    There is a robust body of work highlighting distinctive challenges encountered by leaders of small schools in pursuit of school improvement but this work has focused on the school as the unit of change and neglects the role of the district. As the district potentially influences what principals know and how they use their knowledge, this article…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  17. School Autonomy and District Support: How Principals Respond to a Tiered Autonomy Initiative in Philadelphia Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinberg, Matthew P.; Cox, Amanda Barrett

    2017-01-01

    A tiered autonomy policy was recently implemented in Philadelphia, where select principals were granted autonomy to manage school operations while others were promised greater district support to improve school functioning. This article provides evidence on how principals used their autonomy and the extent of district support for non-autonomous…

  18. An evaluation of public school district tobacco policies in St. Louis County, Missouri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbero, Colleen; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Bach, Laura E; Cyr, Julianne

    2013-08-01

    One way to address tobacco use by youth is for primary and secondary schools to adopt and implement comprehensive tobacco policies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comprehensiveness of tobacco policies in St. Louis County, Missouri public school districts. We evaluated the strength of tobacco policies from all 23 public school districts located in the county using the Center for Tobacco Policy Research's School Tobacco Policy Index, a standardized tool for rating school tobacco policies. The districts averaged a score of 24.4 of 40 possible points on the Index. Policies scored highest on the Tobacco-Free Environment domain and lowest on the Enforcement domain. Policies averaged about half of the total possible points for the Prevention and Treatment Services and Policy Organization domains. Despite more than a decade of efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve school tobacco policies, this study shows that policies in St. Louis County districts have yet to meet the standard of comprehensiveness. It is recommended that schools adopt policies that are comprehensive and that address all domains of the School Tobacco Policy Index. © 2013, American School Health Association.

  19. Early Experiences Implementing Voluntary School District Mergers in Vermont

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, John D.; Glesner, Talia J.; Meyers, Herman W.

    2014-01-01

    This article describes the implementation of an initiative to encourage voluntary school district mergers in Vermont. The law was intended to increase educational opportunities for Vermont students while reducing costs. Three research activities were conducted to understand how districts and supervisory unions around the state responded to the new…

  20. Educational Technology in Public School Districts: Fall 2008. First Look. NCES 2010-003

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  1. Baylor University and Midway Independent School District: An Exemplary Partnership

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCall, Madelon; Howell, Leanne; Rogers, Rachelle; Osborne, Lisa; Goree, Krystal; Merritt, Brent; Cox, Herb; Fischer, Jay; Gardner, Paula; Gasaway, Jeff

    2017-01-01

    The National Association of Professional Development Schools recognized the partnership between Baylor University and Midway Independent School District as one of three partnerships to receive the 2017 Award for Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement. This Professional Development School partnership began in 2009 and places the…

  2. Food as a reward in the classroom: school district policies are associated with practices in US public elementary schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2012-09-01

    The use of food as a reward for good student behavior or academic performance is discouraged by many national organizations, yet this practice continues to occur in schools. Our multiyear cross-sectional study examined the use of food as a reward in elementary schools and evaluated the association between district policies and school practices. School data were gathered during the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 school years via mail-back surveys (N=2,069) from respondents at nationally representative samples of US public elementary schools (1,525 unique schools, 544 of which also participated for a second year). During every year, the corresponding district policy for each school was gathered and coded for provisions pertaining to the use of food as a reward. School practices did not change over time and as of the 2009-2010 school year, respondents in 42.1% and 40.7% of schools, respectively, indicated that food was not used as a reward for academic performance or for good student behavior. In multivariate logistic regression analyses controlling for school characteristics and year, having a district policy that prohibited the use of food as a reward was significantly associated with school respondents reporting that food was not used as a reward for academic performance (Preward than were respondents in the South and Northeast. As of 2009-2010, only 11.9% of the districts in our study prohibited the use of food as a reward. Strengthening district policies may reduce the use of food rewards in elementary schools. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Webinar: Healthy Schools, Healthy Students: Taking Action to Improve IAQ in Your School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    A page to register to view the first webinar in the IAQ Knowledge-to-Action Professional Training Webinar Series: Healthy Schools, Healthy Students: Taking Action to Improve IAQ in Your School District

  4. Research Evidence and School Board Deliberations: Lessons from Three Wisconsin School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asen, Robert; Gurke, Deb; Conners, Pamela; Solomon, Ryan; Gumm, Elsa

    2013-01-01

    This article analyzes the use of research evidence in school-board deliberations in three school districts in Wisconsin. In these settings, the circulation, meaning, and function of research depended importantly on the interests and backgrounds of advocates, the composition of audiences, and the values and contexts of decision-making. Board…

  5. Local Property Tax Limitations vs. School District Employee Pension Costs in Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, William T.; Shrom, Timothy J.

    2014-01-01

    In Pennsylvania as in many other states, employee pension costs are a significant source of financial pressure for school districts (Zeehandelaar and Northern 2013, Pennsylvania Public Employees' Retirement Commission 2013). In order to gain greater insight into the nature of Pennsylvania school districts' financial burden related to pension…

  6. Status of Higher Secondary School Libraries in Thiruvallur District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seenivasan, M.; Kumar, N. Ashok

    2014-01-01

    Libraries are the main sources of knowledge. They play a major role in fostering reading habit among school children. Hence, it is deemed interactive to study the status of higher secondary school libraries in Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu. For the Analysis 50 Higher Secondary Schools were selected randomly comprising of Government Higher…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  8. Building a Construction Curriculum for Your School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruder, Robert

    2010-01-01

    Embracing the notion of going green, an affluent school district in Pennsylvania spent $83 million as part of the high school's renovation and expansion project. The three-level addition is now equipped with self-dimming lights, energy-efficient windows, a rooftop solar water heater, and a geothermal cooling and heating system. As a bonus for…

  9. School Nurses Race to the Top: The Pilot Year of How One District's School Nurses Revised Their Evaluation Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haffke, Louise Marie; Damm, Paula; Cross, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    During the 2013-2014 school year, the Shaker Heights, Ohio City school district was mandated to change its evaluation process as part of the Race to the Top initiative. Although not required by the federal or state Departments of Education, the Shaker Heights City school district tasked all members of their faculty and staff, including school…

  10. States Eye Looser Rein on Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Linda

    2008-01-01

    The push to give school districts greater operating flexibility--a grassroots rallying cry eclipsed in recent years by the charter school movement--is seeing a resurgence, as states seek to spur innovation that will help raise student achievement. In Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue is proposing "performance contracts" that would free…

  11. Leading Change for the Implementation of Common Core State Standards in Rural School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  12. Perceptions of Relationships between District and School Level Administrators on Student Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brookins, Tyrone

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the extent to which perceived Using a case study of an urban school district, serving 40,000 students in the Midwest region of the United States, this study investigated district and school administrative leaders' perceptions of how their interactions influenced the achievement of black students.…

  13. Challenges Encountered by Connecticut Partner School Districts when Implementing Legislatively Required District Improvement Plans: An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, Meghan G.

    2010-01-01

    This research developed a survey that measures the degree to which challenges are experienced by school and district leaders, and teachers, when attempting to implement legislatively required District Improvement Plans (DIPs). The data indicate that there are certainly challenges when implementing DIPs and that teachers report experiencing a…

  14. Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction and Their Alignment with Current District Practices in a Suburban School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickens, Kimberly Rae

    2010-01-01

    School districts across the country make many decisions that impact teachers' satisfaction both positively and negatively. With statistics reporting a significant number of teachers leaving the profession in the first 5 years of experience, determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in shaping district practices to be more…

  15. Doing Business with Entrepreneurial America: Protecting School District Interests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCord, Robert S.; Mattocks, T. C.; Kops, Gerald

    This paper attempts to identify benchmark considerations when entertaining the question of private management of public school facilities. Management possibilities include contracting for services and charter conversion. The paper also highlights elements of contract law pertinent to formal agreements made between school districts and private…

  16. Children and School Districts--Victims of the Same System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montoya, Renee Marie

    1978-01-01

    The Colorado school finance system, which has been sued as unconstitutional because of disparities among school district expenditures per pupil, is described. Inequalities in taxation and in the provision of education to economically disadvantaged and minority group students throughout the country are discussed. (GC)

  17. The Relationship between Components of the Ohio Local School District Report Card and the Outcome of a School Tax Levy

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  18. The Readability and Complexity of District-Provided School-Choice Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Marc L.; Nagro, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Public school choice has become a common feature in American school districts. Any potential benefits that could be derived from these policies depend heavily on the ability of parents and students to make informed and educated decisions about their school options. We examined the readability and complexity of school-choice guides across a sample…

  19. Perceptions of the Leadership Practices of Principals in a High Performing School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinning, Molly

    2014-01-01

    The dissertation, "Perceptions Of The Leadership Practices Of Principals In A High Performing School District," explores the understandings of leadership practices from the perspective of parents, teachers, and principals in one high performing school district. The study addressed the leadership practices deemed important by the…

  20. The Effect of the Minimum Compensating Cash Balance on School District Investments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dembowski, Frederick L.

    Banks are usually reimbursed for their checking account services either by a fixed service charge or by requiring a minimum or minimum-average compensating cash balance. This paper demonstrates how to determine the optimal minimum balance for a school district to maintain in its account. It is assumed that both the bank and the school district use…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  2. Discipline for Students with Disabilities in the Recovery School District (RSD) of New Orleans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffers, Elizabeth K.

    2014-01-01

    This article focuses on special education in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. After Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana's Recovery School District (RSD) took over 102 of the city's 128 schools with the stated goal of creating a "choice district" for parents. This "choice distric"' is made up of RSD direct-run schools, Orleans…

  3. Developing Practitioner-Scholars through University-School District Research Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralston, Nicole C.; Tarasawa, Beth; Waggoner, Jacqueline M.; Smith, Rebecca; Naegele, Zulema

    2016-01-01

    University-community partnerships have gained popularity in the United States as a means of extending university research resources and collaborative opportunities. However, research-driven partnerships between universities and K-12 school districts that prioritize the research needs of K-12 schools are unique. Recently, education scholars have…

  4. Students Need Libraries--In HISD and Every School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hand, Dorcas

    2018-01-01

    Catalyst: Another newspaper article ("Ranks of School Librarians Dwindle in HISD, Statewide" in the October 7, 2013, "Houston Chronicle") detailing another decision by a Houston Independent School District (HISD) campus principal to eliminate the librarian (Mellon 2013). In response to this article, Dorcas Hand, an experienced…

  5. Oregon School Bond Manual. Fifth Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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 bonds. The document describes the proper time sequence of the bonding procedure, including elections, school board authorizations, necessary certificates, bond registration…

  6. School Climate Improvement Action Guide for District Leaders. School Climate Improvement Resource Package

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, 2017

    2017-01-01

    Improving school climate takes time and commitment from a variety of people in a variety of roles. This document outlines key action steps that district leaders--including superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of student support services, or others--can take to support school climate improvements. Key action steps are provided for…

  7. Did School Finance Equalization Increase Revenue Instability for School Districts?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balu, Rekha

    2011-01-01

    This study uses an Interrupted Time Series analysis with a non-equivalent comparison group to estimate the causal effect of school finance equalization on district revenue instability. The author applies a microeconomic framework to an understudied problem in education finance and policy. In so doing, she illustrates how policies can sometimes…

  8. Growing a Waldorf-Inspired Approach in a Public School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedlaender, Diane; Beckham, Kyle; Zheng, Xinhua; Darling-Hammond, Linda

    2015-01-01

    This report documents the practices and outcomes of Alice Birney, a public K-8 Waldorf-Inspired School in Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). This study highlights how such a school addresses students' academic, social, emotional, physical, and creative development. Birney students outperform similar students in SCUSD on several…

  9. An Excel Spreadsheet Model for States and Districts to Assess the Cost-Benefit of School Nursing Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li Yan; O'Brien, Mary Jane; Maughan, Erin D

    2016-11-01

    This paper describes a user-friendly, Excel spreadsheet model and two data collection instruments constructed by the authors to help states and districts perform cost-benefit analyses of school nursing services delivered by full-time school nurses. Prior to applying the model, states or districts need to collect data using two forms: "Daily Nurse Data Collection Form" and the "Teacher Survey." The former is used to record daily nursing activities, including number of student health encounters, number of medications administered, number of student early dismissals, and number of medical procedures performed. The latter is used to obtain estimates for the time teachers spend addressing student health issues. Once inputs are entered in the model, outputs are automatically calculated, including program costs, total benefits, net benefits, and benefit-cost ratio. The spreadsheet model, data collection tools, and instructions are available at the NASN website ( http://www.nasn.org/The/CostBenefitAnalysis ).

  10. The Reincarnation of the Effective Schools Research: Rethinking the Literature on District Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Tina

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the district effectiveness literature. It begins by summarizing the school effectiveness research, the correlates of effective schools, and the conceptual and methodological characteristics of this field. It then describes the findings from a review of 50 studies of district effectiveness, the most…

  11. School District Policymaking Responses to Demographic Change in New Immigrant Destinations

    OpenAIRE

    Turner, Erica Owyang

    2011-01-01

    Since the early 1990s, immigrants from Latin America and Asia have been arriving in parts of the United States that have had little recent experience with immigration. How school district leaders respond to these demographic changes has significant consequences for students, families and communities. Yet, there is little research on why and how school district leaders are coming to enact some policies, and not others, in response to their changing demographics. This study examines policymakin...

  12. Implementation Recommendations for School Districts. GASB Statement No. 34.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA.

    Statement 34 is the most significant change in the history of governmental accounting. It is a dramatic change in the way school districts report and present financial information. This new reporting model affects every public-school organization that issues financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).…

  13. Factors Affecting Teacher Satisfaction in an Urban School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halpert, Michael A.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to distinguish factors that influence the satisfaction levels of teachers in urban school districts. This work also distinguished factors that directly impacted teachers' level of satisfaction towards their work and their attitude towards the administration of their schools. Forty-one teachers from two kindergarten…

  14. "Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garret F.": School Districts Must Pay for Nursing Services under the IDEA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Charles J.

    1999-01-01

    In "Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garrett F." (1999), the U.S. Supreme Court decided that continuous nursing constitutes a "related service" under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The case involved a 16-year-old who has been paralyzed since early childhood. Cost per student could be $20,000 to…

  15. The Perceptions of Administrators from Quality Award-Winning School Districts and a Comparison of Student Academic Achievement in Quality Award-Winning Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jauch, Kevin

    2010-01-01

    This research project served two main purposes. The first was to uncover the perceptions of district administrators from Quality award-winning school districts in regard to the use of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program as a management framework. This was accomplished by using the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium's…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gross, Alan

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

  17. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

    2015-01-01

    Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes. PMID:27417367

  18. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

    2015-07-21

    Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes.

  19. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Twichell

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94% felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%. Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82% and allergen-free tables (44% should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55% and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%. Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes.

  20. Hidalgo Sets Sail: A School District Supports All Students in Earning College Credits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nodine, Thad R.

    2011-01-01

    In 2005, the Hidalgo Independent School District made an ambitious commitment. In partnership with nearby University of Texas-Pan American, the University of Texas System, the Communities Foundation of Texas/Texas High School Project, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the district promised that all of its students, not just a select…

  1. Organizing for Improvement in an Urban School District: Shifting From a Culture of Compliance to a Culture of Collective Responsibility

    OpenAIRE

    Kovacic, Kelly Anne

    2015-01-01

    There is high demand for understanding the ways in which a central office can best support school improvement and student growth. This Capstone examines how a cross-functional senior leadership team collaborated to design a district-wide school improvement planning process with the goal of improving the quality of teaching and learning for all students. In particular, the analysis focuses on the functions of teaming and strategic improvement planning as drivers to help an organization achieve...

  2. Understanding school food service characteristics associated with higher competitive food revenues can help focus efforts to improve school food environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Joanne F; Newman, Constance; Ralston, Katherine; Prell, Mark; Ollinger, Michael

    2012-08-01

    Many school food services sell extra foods and beverages, popularly referred to as “competitive foods,” in addition to USDA school meals. On the basis of national survey data, most competitive foods and beverages selected by students are of low nutritional value. Recent federal legislation will allow schools that participate in USDA school meal programs to sell competitive foods only if the food items they sell meet nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Concerns have been raised about the potential effects of limiting competitive foods on local school food service finances. However, national data indicate that only in a subset of schools do food services receive large amounts of revenues from competitive foods. These food services are typically located in secondary schools in more affluent districts, serving higher proportions of students who do not receive free or reduced price meals. Compared to other food services, these food services couple higher competitive food revenues with lower school meal participation. Increasing school meal participation could increase meal revenues to offset any loss of competitive food revenues. Replacing less-healthful competitive items with healthier options could also help maintain school food service revenues while improving the school food environment. Nationally consistent nutrition standards for competitive foods may encourage development and marketing of healthful products.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  4. "Forest Grove School District v. T.A." Supreme Court Case: Implications for School Psychology Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Shauna G.; Eusebio, Eleazar C.; Turton, William J.; Wright, Peter W. D.; Hale, James B.

    2011-01-01

    The 2009 "Forest Grove School District v. T.A." United States Supreme Court case could have significant implications for school psychology practice. The Court ruled that the parents of a student with a disability were entitled to private school tuition reimbursement even though T.A. had not been identified with a disability or previously…

  5. The Relation among School District Health, Total Quality Principles for School Organization and Student Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Jon; Pritchard, Ruie; Gunderson, Betsey

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the congruence among W. E. Deming's 14 points for Total Quality Management (TQM), the organizational health of school districts, and student achievement. Based on Kanter's (1983) concept of a Culture of Pride with a Climate of Success, healthy districts were defined as having an organizational culture…

  6. School District Program Cost Accounting: An Alternative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hentschke, Guilbert C.

    1975-01-01

    Discusses the value for school districts of a program cost accounting system and examines different approaches to generating program cost data, with particular emphasis on the "cost allocation to program system" (CAPS) and the traditional "transaction-based system." (JG)

  7. Computer conferencing: the "nurse" in the "Electronic School District".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Billings, D M; Phillips, A

    1991-01-01

    As computer-based instructional technologies become increasingly available, they offer new mechanisms for health educators to provide health instruction. This article describes a pilot project in which nurses established a computer conference to provide health instruction to high school students participating in an electronic link of high schools. The article discusses computer conferencing, the "Electronic School District," the design of the nursing conference, and the role of the nurse in distributed health education.

  8. Association between district and state policies and US public elementary school competitive food and beverage environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chriqui, Jamie F; Turner, Lindsey; Taber, Daniel R; Chaloupka, Frank J

    2013-08-01

    Given the importance of developing healthy eating patterns during early childhood, policies to improve the elementary school food and beverage environments are critical. To examine the association between district and state policy and/or law requirements regarding competitive food and beverages and public elementary school availability of foods and beverages high in fats, sugars, and/or sodium. Multivariate, pooled, cross-sectional analysis of data gathered annually during elementary school years 2008-2009 through 2010-2011 in the United States. Survey respondents at 1814 elementary schools (1485 unique) in 957 districts in 45 states (food analysis) and 1830 elementary schools (1497 unique) in 962 districts and 45 states (beverage analysis). EXPOSURES Competitive food and beverage policy restrictions at the state and/or district levels. Competitive food and beverage availability. RESULTS Sweets were 11.2 percentage points less likely to be available (32.3% vs 43.5%) when both the district and state limited sugar content, respectively. Regular-fat baked goods were less available when the state law, alone and in combination with district policy, limited fat content. Regular-fat ice cream was less available when any policy (district, state law, or both) limited competitive food fat content. Sugar-sweetened beverages were 9.5 percentage points less likely to be available when prohibited by district policy (3.6% vs 13.1%). Higher-fat milks (2% or whole milk) were less available when prohibited by district policy or state law, with either jurisdiction's policy or law associated with an approximately 15 percentage point reduction in availability. Both district and state policies and/or laws have the potential to reduce in-school availability of high-sugar, high-fat foods and beverages. Given the need to reduce empty calories in children's diets, governmental policies at all levels may be an effective tool.

  9. A Systems Theory Approach to the District Central Office's Role in School-Level Improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  10. 76 FR 17843 - Intent To Compromise Claim Against the District of Columbia Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-31

    ... District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) now pending before the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Intent To Compromise Claim Against the District of Columbia Public Schools... Application for Review of this PDL with the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) on September 10, 2007...

  11. School Districts Move to the Head of the Class with Propane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-01-01

    Propane has been a proven fuel for buses for decades. For the first time in 2007, Blue Bird rolled out a propane school bus using direct liquid injection, which was later followed by Thomas Built Buses and Navistar. Because this new technology is much more reliable than previous designs, it is essentially reintroducing propane buses to many school districts. During this same time period, vehicle emissions standards have tightened. To meet them, diesel engine manufacturers have added diesel particulate filters (DPF) and, more recently, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems. As an alternative to diesel buses with these systems, many school districts have looked to other affordable, clean alternatives, and they've found that propane fits the bill.

  12. Court Cases Involving Contracts for School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, L. Hank

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to analyze trends in the United States regarding contract disputes that exist in school districts. Court cases were identified at the state and federal level to determine the outcomes and the fact patterns of contract disputes. To gain the knowledge of how courts handle cases of contractual breach, contracts…

  13. City Schools: How Districts and Communities Can Create Smart Education Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothman, Robert, Ed.

    2007-01-01

    In "City Schools," Robert Rothman and his colleagues at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University put forward a vision of "smart education systems" that link a highly functioning and effective school district with a comprehensive and accessible web of supports for children, youth, and families. One-third of…

  14. Collaboration Is Not Meeting with the Enemy: An Analysis of a Successful University-School District Relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  15. The "Post-Racial" Politics of Race: Changing Student Assignment Policy in Three School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermott, Kathryn A.; Frankenberg, Erica; Diem, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Many school districts have recently revised, or tried to revise, their policies for assigning students to schools, because the legal and political status of racial and other kinds of diversity is uncertain, and the districts are facing fiscal austerity. This article presents case studies of politics and student assignment policy in three large…

  16. H2O: A Hampton University-Hampton School District Outreach Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gueye, Paul; Young, William

    2011-04-01

    For many years, Hampton University (HU, Hampton, VA) has been collaborating with local schools of the Hampton City School District (HCS) in various areas that foster science education. This partnership between an HBCU and a local school district has been extended to a new level through a novel K-12 initiative:Hampton University-Hampton School District Outreach (H2O) program. This effort will target 9 schools out of the 34 schools from HCS, involve a total of 25 graduate students (5/year), 25 junior and senior undergraduate students (5/year) and 102 teachers (3/school). Faculty and students from seven STEM fields at HU will contribute by reaching out to Departments offering MS and PhD degrees in these areas. In addition to providing teaching experience to students, H2O will infuse research within the classrooms and offer a teacher professional development program, G5-12 students will present some research conducted throughout the year at a dedicated conference at HU and at the National Society of Black Physicists annual meeting, and a dedicated 2-day workshop in the fall with K-12 educators will provide a platform to share some outcomes of H2O. This program has reached out to several societies (NSBP, NSHP, APS, AAPT and AAPM) as a vehicle for teacher professional training, along with including an international component with Canada, France and Senegal. A review of recent collaborations and outcomes from this partnership will be provided and the status of the H2O program will be presented.

  17. Improving Immunization Coverage in a Rural School District in Pierce County, Washington

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Robin M.; Cook, Carolyn; Yerxa, Mary E.; Marshall, James H.; Pulos, Elizabeth; Rollosson, Matthew P.

    2012-01-01

    Washington State has some of the highest percentages of school immunization exemptions in the country. We compared school immunization records in a rural school district in Pierce County, Washington, to immunization records in the state immunization information system (IIS) and parent-held records. Correcting school immunization records resulted…

  18. Successful School Turnarounds: Seven Steps for District Leaders. Issue Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowal, Julie; Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Hassel, Bryan C.

    2009-01-01

    President Obama and Secretary Duncan have called upon states, districts, and education leaders to change the lives of millions of children by dramatically improving the nation's 5,000 lowest performing schools. These chronically failing schools will require intensive intervention to turn around performance that has fallen short of expectations for…

  19. Managing Smallness: Promising Fiscal Practices for Rural School District Administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freitas, Deborah Inman

    Based on a mail survey of over 100 rural school administrators in 34 states, this handbook outlines common problems and successful strategies in the financial management of rural, small school districts. Major problems are related to revenue and cash flow, increasing expenditures, providing quality education programs, and staffing to handle the…

  20. Expanding School-District/University Partnerships to Advance Health Promoting Schools Implementation and Efficacy in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chieh-Hsing; Chang, Fong-Ching; Liao, Li-Ling; Niu, Yu-Zhen; Cheng, Chi-Chia; Shih, Shu-Fang; Chang, Tzu-Chau; Chou, Hsin-Pei

    2015-01-01

    In 2011, the Taiwan government expanded its support of school-district/university partnership programs that promote the implementation of the evidenced-based Health Promoting Schools (HPS) program. This study examined whether expanding the support for this initiative was effective in advancing HPS implementation, perceived HPS impact and perceived…

  1. 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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  2. Getting beyond Traditional Measures of District Financial Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, Ronald E.

    1995-01-01

    Discusses balance sheets and income statements for private-sector companies and the ratios that have been developed to guide corporate decision makers. Discusses the various public-sector reports that school districts create and how they can be used to create information via ratios to help school administrators and policymakers in directing and…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  4. Effects of school district factors on alcohol consumption: results of a multi-level analysis among Danish adolescents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stock, Christiane; Ejstrud, Bo; Vinther-Larsen, Mathilde

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Area-level socio-economic factors are significantly related to a population's health. This study investigates how school district-level factors affect the initiation of alcohol drinking of Danish adolescents. METHODS: A survey sample of 11,223 female and male pupils in the 7th grade...... buildings. Other school district factors were not associated with drinking initiation when controlled for individual level factors. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of socio-economic variables at school district level seems to be smaller in the welfare state of Denmark than known for other countries. However...... from 447 schools across Denmark was analysed for the outcome variable drinking initiation and a number of individual level predictors. Aggregated variables on school district level were created from national registry data for education, occupational level and household savings of residents, type...

  5. Bully Proofing: What One District Learned about Improving School Climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berkey, Leonard G.; Keyes, Barbara J.; Longhurst, James E.

    2001-01-01

    Collaborating with school officials, a group of concerned parents implemented a bully-proofing program throughout their school district. After two years, the results are encouraging; it was received with enthusiasm at the elementary level. Further study will be needed to determine how these principles might be applied at the secondary level. (MKA)

  6. Perceptions of Crisis Management in a K-12 School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Joy

    2012-01-01

    This multiple-case qualitative study was conducted to examine the perceptions of community members, students, and staff regarding school crisis management following a 2006 tornado and 2010 bus accident in a small rural school district in Missouri. Online surveys were collected from 66 participants, and 10 follow-up interviews were completed with…

  7. Continuous Improvement in Schools and Districts: Policy Considerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, Jane; Dunlap, Allison

    2014-01-01

    Discussions about improving public education often focus on outcomes without considering how schools and districts can accomplish those outcomes. Research shows that using a continuous improvement process has proven successful in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, and may hold potential for use in education as well. This brief defines and…

  8. Equity in School Financing: District Power Equalizing. Fastback Series, No. 57.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, James W.

    Behind the concept of power equalization is the assumption that at any specified tax rate every school district in a State, regardless of wealth, has the same dollar resource level per pupil. A State established schedule of local district funding level choices related to tax rates is essential; however, tax levels are always a product of the…

  9. The Sustained Reduction of Youth Suicidal Behavior in an Urban, Multicultural School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zenere, Frank J.; Lazarus, Philip J.

    2009-01-01

    An 18-year longitudinal case study of the suicide rates of students attending a large, urban, multicultural school district between 1989 and 2006 is described. The high rate of suicide (5.5 per 100,000 students ages 5-19) in the district during the period 1980-1988 led to the development and implementation of a district-wide Youth Suicide…

  10. RECRUITING NEW TEACHERS TO URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS: WHAT INCENTIVES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANTHONY T. MILANOWSKI

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Many urban districts in the United States have difficulty attracting and retaining quality teachers, yet they are often themost in need of them. In response, U.S. states and districts are experimenting with financial incentives to attract andretain high-quality teachers in high-need, low-achieving, or hard-to-staff urban schools. However, relatively little isknown about how effective financial incentives are for recruiting new teachers to high-need urban schools. This researchexplores factors that are important to the job choices of teachers in training. Focus groups were held with students atthree universities, and a policy-capturing study was done using 64 job scenarios representing various levels of pay andworking conditions. Focus group results suggested that: a many pre-service teachers, even relatively late in their preparation,are not committed to a particular district and are willing to consider many possibilities, including high needschools; b although pay and benefits were attractive to the students, loan forgiveness and subsidies for further educationwere also attractive; and c small increments of additional salary did not appear as important or attractive as otherjob characteristics. The policy-capturing study showed that working conditions factors, especially principal support, hadmore influence on simulated job choice than pay level, implying that money might be better spent to attract, retain, ortrain better principals than to provide higher beginning salaries to teachers in schools with high-poverty or a high proportionof students of color.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-01-01

    Background: 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…

  12. Evaluation in School Districts; Organizational Perspectives. CSE Monograph Series in Evaluation, 10.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, Adrianne, Ed.; Williams, Richard C., Ed.

    This monograph focuses on educational evaluation and how it occurs within a specific setting--school districts' central administrative offices--examining the relationships between evaluation activities and district organizational features that impinge upon such activities. The various chapter authors worked with the Center for the Study of…

  13. Leading Effective Educational Technology in K-12 School Districts: A Grounded Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Lara Gillian C.

    2011-01-01

    A systematic grounded theory qualitative study was conducted investigating the process of effectively leading educational technology in New Jersey public K-12 school districts. Data were collected from educational technology district leaders (whether formal or non-formal administrators) and central administrators through a semi-structured online…

  14. Districts Neglecting Programs for ELLs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zehr, Mary Ann

    2010-01-01

    The author reports on state and independent reviews that cite shortcomings in four urban systems. According to the reviews of those school systems over the past two years, four urban districts--in Boston, Massachusetts; Buffalo, New York; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington--did not provide special help to learn English to all students…

  15. Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    The information available here is presented as a tool to help school districts and facility planners design the next generation of learning environments so that the school facility will help, rather than hinder, schools in achieving their core mission

  16. 29 CFR 1602.43 - Commission's remedy for school systems' or districts' failure to file report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...' failure to file report. Any school system or district failing or refusing to file report EEO-5 when... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Commission's remedy for school systems' or districts' failure to file report. 1602.43 Section 1602.43 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) EQUAL...

  17. Research or "Cheerleading"? Scholarship on Community School District 2, New York City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lois Weiner

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available This article examines data on student achievement and school demographics not explored by the researchers who have promoted Community School District 2 (CSD 2 as a model of urban school reform that should be replicated elsewhere. Data on achievement indicate a remarkable degree of social and racial stratification among CSD 2's schools and levels of achievement that closely correlate with race, ethnicity, and poverty. In addition, when CSD 2's scores on state and city tests of mathematics are compared with results from CSD 25 in Queens, a school district that serves a population demographically similar, the superiority of its functioning becomes questionable. The article explains why the design of research on CSD 2 illustrates the perils to both research and policy when university-based researchers assume the role of “cheerleader” (Cuban, 1988, promoting reforms they have aided in implementing and assessing.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  19. How to Help When Personal Problems Stymie Your Staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Wandalyn

    1983-01-01

    A number of school districts have set up employee assistance programs (EAP) that offer help for employees having personal or family problems that affect their job performance. Guidelines for establishing an EAP are offered. (MLF)

  20. Helping Students on the Margin Succeed in Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenfeld, Michelle Schoen; Cumming, Brenda

    1996-01-01

    Addresses how Apple Valley High School (Minnesota) has been able to help marginal students succeed in school. The fundamental actions that contributed to the effectiveness of study-team efforts to help marginal students are discussed, and what has been learned through these efforts is considered. (GR)

  1. Income Segregation between School Districts and Inequality in Students' Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owens, Ann

    2018-01-01

    Large achievement gaps exist between high- and low-income students and between black and white students. This article explores one explanation for such gaps: income segregation between school districts, which creates inequality in the economic and social resources available in advantaged and disadvantaged students' school contexts. Drawing on…

  2. The Impact of Tobacco-Free School Policies on Youth Smoking Rates in Florida Public School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Amanda; Zhang, Ning Jackie

    2016-02-01

    Developing and implementing policies to curb and prevent youth tobacco use is of the utmost importance. In Florida, public school districts were authorized to develop tobacco-free school policies through an amendment to the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act in 2011. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of tobacco-free school policies on smoking rates among youth in Florida. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and a multiple regression analysis were used to determine whether the comprehensiveness and enforcement of tobacco-free school policies affect the youth smoking rates within Florida public school districts. The 2010 and 2014 youth smoking rates were calculated based on the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey results. The 2010 youth smoking rate and the inclusion of the enforcement component with provision of cessation resources were statistically significant predictors of the 2014 youth smoking rate. However, the comprehensiveness level of a policy and the inclusion of an enforcement component were not statistically significant predictors. The inclusion of an enforcement component with provision of cessation resources is important in efforts to reduce youth smoking rates. The content of the tobacco-free school policies seems to be less relevant to their effectiveness than the enforcement of the policies. © 2016, American School Health Association.

  3. School canteens in the Federal District, Brazil and the promotion of healthy eating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erika Blamires Santos Porto

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To characterize the school cafeterias in the Federal District of Brazil with respect to the promotion of healthy eating in schools. Methods: This is a descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study, with a representative sample of schools with cafeterias in the Federal District, Brazil (n=202. The data were collected from April to November 2010 by means of on-site interviews and a structured questionnaire. The Pearson's chi-squared and Student's t tests were used. Results: A higher prevalence of outsourcing, and few employees and dieticians were observed. The prevailing foods were baked sausage, cheese, or chicken rolls or pastries. It was also found that 42.2% of the schools influence the menu of the cafeterias, and 58.6% of the representatives believe in the possibility of influencing the students' eating habits. However, 68.0% of the respondents do not believe in the economic feasibility of completely healthful school cafeterias. Approximately 30.0% of the respondents carry out activities to promote healthy eating. Conclusion: Most of the school cafeterias in the Federal District do not encourage healthful eating. The high prevalence of outsourced services with little interference from the school community gives high autonomy to the cafeteria's owner, whose priority is the pursuit of profit at the expense of the students' nutritional education. Improving the nutritional quality of school foods should be a continuous interactive effort of the food suppliers, principals, students, parents, and government authorities.

  4. An Accident of History: Breaking the District Monopoly on Public School Facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Nelson

    2012-01-01

    Traditional public school districts hold a monopoly over the financing and ownership of public education facilities. With rare exceptions, public charter schools have no legal claim to these buildings. This monopoly is an accident of history. It would never have developed had there been substantial numbers of other public schools, not supervised…

  5. Pupil Home Background Characteristics and Academic Performance in Senior Secondary Schools: A Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Kitwe District, Zambia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakumbi, Zonic; Samuel, Elizabeth B.; Mulendema, Peter J.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate pupil background characteristics and academic performance in senior secondary schools in Kitwe district with a view of recommending on how to improve pupils' performance. The study was conducted in Kitwe district because in the past years pupils' performance in senior secondary schools has been…

  6. A Case for Sustainable Food Service & Nutrition Education--CONVAL School District (NH)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curriculum Review, 2008

    2008-01-01

    When former chef and food broker, Tony Geraci was invited by his district superintendent to review New Hampshire's largest school food service program, he never imagined that he would be responsible for running one of the nation's most successful sustainable food service programs. The CONVAL District sustainable food program, create by Geraci and…

  7. Intestinal parasitosis in school children of Lalitpur district of Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandukar, Sarmila; Ansari, Shamshul; Adhikari, Nabaraj; Shrestha, Anisha; Gautam, Jyotshana; Sharma, Binita; Rajbhandari, Deepak; Gautam, Shikshya; Nepal, Hari Prasad; Sherchand, Jeevan B

    2013-11-09

    Enteric parasites are the most common cause of parasitic diseases and cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries like Nepal. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasitic infections among school going children of Lalitpur district of Nepal. A total of 1392 stool samples were collected from school children of two government, two private and two community schools of the same district. The stool samples were examined for evidence of parasitic infections by direct microscopy and confirmed by concentration methods (formal ether sedimentation technique or floatation technique by using Sheather's sugar solution). Modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining was performed for the detection of coccidian parasites. Prevalence of intestinal parasitosis was found to be 16.7%. The highest prevalence rate was seen with Giardia lamblia (7.4%) followed by Entamoeba histolytica (3.4%) and Cyclospora cayetanensis (1.6%). Children aged 11-15 years and the ones belonging to family of agriculture workers were most commonly affected. Hand washing practice and type of drinking water also showed significant difference. The burden of parasitic infections among the school children, coupled with the poor sanitary conditions in the schools, should be regarded as an issue of public health priority and demands for effective school health programs involving periodic health education and screening.

  8. Environmental Assessment for the Bison School District Heating Plant Project, Institutional Conservation Program (ICP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    This environmental assessment analyzes the environmental impacts of replacing the Bison, South Dakota School District's elementary school and high school heating system consisting of oil-fired boilers and supporting control system and piping

  9. Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2010-11 (Fiscal Year 2011). First Look (Provisional Data). NCES 2013-344

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornman, Stephen Q.; Keaton, Patrick; Glander, Mark

    2013-01-01

    This report presents data from the School District Finance Survey (F-33) of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system for school year (SY) 2010-11, fiscal year 2011 (FY 11). The F-33 survey is a school district-level financial survey that consists of data submitted annually to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the…

  10. GASB's New Standard on Reporting Entity for School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harmer, W. Gary

    1991-01-01

    Explains the impact on school district financial reporting of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 14, "The Financial Reporting Entity." One of Statement 14's objectives is for financial report users to be able to distinguish between the primary government and its component units. (MLF)

  11. Information Security Management Practices of K-12 School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyachwaya, Samson

    2013-01-01

    The research problem addressed in this quantitative correlational study was the inadequacy of sound information security management (ISM) practices in K-12 school districts, despite their increasing ownership of information assets. Researchers have linked organizational and sociotechnical factors to the implementation of information security…

  12. New Britain, Conn. School District will Benefit from $125,000 EPA Rebate for Clean Emission School Buses

    Science.gov (United States)

    The New Britain, Conn. school district will benefit from a $125,000 US EPA rebate that will pay for retrofitted engines on seven older school buses so they would emit fewer pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma and lung damage.

  13. An ecological study of food desert prevalence and 4th grade academic achievement in New York State school districts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seth E. Frndak

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. This ecological study examines the relationship between food desert prevalence and academic achievement at the school district level. Design and methods. Sample included 232 suburban and urban school districts in New York State. Multiple open-source databases were merged to obtain: 4th 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.Results. 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. Conclusions. 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.

  14. Magnets Adjust to New Climate of School Choice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Nora

    2012-01-01

    Once considered a way to help integrate racially divided districts, magnet schools today have been forced to evolve, given increasing pressure to provide more public school choices and legal barriers against using race to determine school enrollment. In a post-desegregation era, many large districts like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Baltimore County…

  15. Using a Strategic Plan to Promote Technology in Rural School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanSciver, James H.

    1994-01-01

    About six years ago, a rural Delaware school district formed a community/staff long-range planning committee to craft a strategic plan that would identify school system values and reallocate resources. As vision and mission statements emerged, technology evolved as a major value, with three goals related to funding and accessibility. Collaborative…

  16. Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention in a Suburban Georgia School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Denise G.

    2008-01-01

    An investigation of the relationship between job satisfaction and retention among elementary, middle, and high school teachers in a suburban school district in Georgia was addressed in this mixed-methods study. The focus of the study was to determine the level of job satisfaction among the nine subscales of the Teacher Job Satisfaction…

  17. The Healthy Class of 2010: Utilization of the School Health Index to Build Collaboration Between a University and an Urban School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fryer, Craig S.; Reed, Ernestine A.; Thomas, Stephen B.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND Insufficient attention has been paid to the process of conducting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index (SHI) to promote collaboration between universities and urban school districts when developing adolescent health promotion initiatives. This article provides an overview of the real world contextual challenges and opportunities this type of collaboration can pose. METHODS The SHI and selected collaboration principles were used to facilitate partnership and increase stakeholder buy-in, which led to developing and implementing an eight year health promotion campaign, The Healthy Class of 2010 (HC 2010). RESULTS The focus on planning brought together key stakeholders and allowed for HC 2010 programming to take place despite the competing demands on the schools. The SHI allowed for input from stakeholders to develop campaign activities and inform school- and district-wide policy. Universities and school districts desiring to develop and implement school-based, adolescent health promotion programs should: 1) identify the hierarchical structure of the school district; 2) establish credibility for the program and the university staff; 3) emphasize the benefits to all partners; 4) maintain a cooperative partnership with teachers and administrators; 5) appreciate the need for planning; and, 6) provide as many resources as possible to on an already overburdened school system. CONCLUSIONS Promoting healthy behaviors among students is an important part of the fundamental mission of schools. HC 2010 underscored the significance of collaboration using the SHI in the development and implementation of this health promotion campaign with input from students, teachers, administrators and university partners. PMID:22070509

  18. Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2008-09 (Fiscal Year 2009). First Look. NCES 2012-313

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornman, Stephen Q.; Noel, Amber M.

    2011-01-01

    This report presents data from the School District Finance Survey (F-33) of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system for school year (SY) 2008-09 (fiscal year [FY] 2009). The F-33 is a district-level financial survey that consists of data submitted annually to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Governments Division of…

  19. PDP-11 Meeting School District Administrative Data Processing Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Technological Horizons in Education, 1983

    1983-01-01

    Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 (Illinois) is currently using a Digital PDP-11/70 computer system and administrative software to handle administrative functions with ease and efficiency. These functions include production of reports and payroll, student scheduling, reporting grades and student progress, and maintaining student…

  20. The Search for Equity in School Finance: Michigan School District Response to a Guaranteed Tax Base.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Rolla Edward; Carroll, Stephen J.

    Part of a three-volume report on the effects of school finance reform, this volume examines the effects of reform on Michigan school districts' budgets from 1971 to 1976. Econometric models were used. Researchers found a very small "price" effect--an elasticity of -.02. The data provide no evidence that state matching grants stimulate…

  1. Vaccination perceptions of school employees in a rural school district.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macintosh, Janelle; Luthy, Karlen E; Beckstrand, Renea L; Eden, Lacey M; Orton, Jennifer

    2014-08-20

    There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their views on mandatory vaccination policies. A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items and theme identification for qualitative items. Only 51% of school employees were adequately vaccinated for influenza. Reasons for noncompliance with the influenza vaccine included inconvenience, lack of perceived need, and questionable vaccine efficacy. There were 39.3% school employees who had not received an MMR during adulthood, which was commonly attributed to lack of knowledge regarding the need for this vaccine. Almost half (45.7%) of school employees believed a mandatory vaccination policy should be instituted, although 24.2% of school employees were opposed to mandatory adult vaccination policies. Reasons for opposing vaccination mandates included violation of personal choice, lack of perceived vaccination safety and efficacy, lack of perceived need for adult vaccines, and vaccine cost. Suboptimal vaccination rates of school employees may negatively affect the health and well-being of individuals in the school environment. School employees report a variety of beliefs regarding the influenza and MMR vaccines. While over half of school employees support mandatory vaccination policies for adults working in the school environment, those opposing such a policy report concerns regarding violation of personal choice. Public health officials and school administrators should coordinate efforts to increase vaccination

  2. Evaluation of Clark County School District's Alternative Route to Licensure Program from the Program Participants' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, James J., Jr.

    2013-01-01

    This evaluation assesses the Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) program of the Clark County School District (CCSD), in Clark County, Nevada from the program participants' perspectives. The program was implemented to reduce teacher shortages in the school district and allow persons with non-education-related Bachelor's Degrees to obtain teaching…

  3. Food Defense Practices of School Districts in Northern U.S. States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klitzke, Carol J.

    2013-01-01

    This study assessed implementation of food defense practices in public schools in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The first phase involved a qualitative multi-site case study: one-day visits were made to five school districts in the states of Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. A principal,…

  4. Comal County, Texas: Preparing for Life after High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Frank

    2018-01-01

    Comal County, Texas, may be rural but its students face many of the same challenges as students in urban districts. Communities In Schools of South Central Texas works with the local school district to identify student needs and provide critical supports to help young people prepare for life after high school.

  5. Investigating the Impact of the Cisco 21st Century Schools Initiative on Hattiesburg Public School District. Summative Report

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2009-01-01

    The Hattiesburg Public School District (HPSD) is a small urban school system located in southern Mississippi. Of the almost 4,500 students enrolled in its nine schools, 92 percent are African American and 90 percent receive free or reduced lunch. Currently, HPSD employs 34 administrators, 375 teachers, and 11 technology specialists. When the 21st…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2009-01-01

    There are 21 schools in the Harrison County School District (HCSD), located in southern Mississippi, in the Gulfport/Biloxi metropolitan area. Of those, only Harrison Central 9th Grade (HC9) and Harrison County High School (HCHS) participated in the Cisco 21S Initiative--therefore, this summary will focus on only administrators, teachers,…

  7. Prospects for Public School Revenues and Local School District Reorganization in Illinois in the 1980s.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geske, Terry G.

    Prospects for Illinois public school revenues and school district reorganization in the 1980's, considered in the context of prospects for the Great Lakes region as a whole, are affected by fundamental demographic and economic changes. The region has had a lower population growth rate since 1970 than the rest of the country, and a slower growth in…

  8. The Impact of Tobacco-Free School Policies on Youth Smoking Rates in Florida Public School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Amanda; Zhang, Ning Jackie

    2016-01-01

    Background: Developing and implementing policies to curb and prevent youth tobacco use is of the utmost importance. In Florida, public school districts were authorized to develop tobacco-free school policies through an amendment to the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act in 2011. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of tobacco-free school…

  9. Tips for School Districts: GASB's New Fund Balance Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Dean Michael

    2010-01-01

    In March 2009, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 54, "Fund Balance Reporting and Governmental Fund Type Definitions." School districts that prepare financial reports based on generally accepted accounting principles are required to implement this standard no later than the first fiscal year that starts after…

  10. Resources for Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    The information available here is presented as a tool to help school districts and facility planners design the next generation of learning environments so that the school facility will help schools in achieving their core mission of educating children.

  11. Demographic and financial characteristics of school districts with low and high à la Carte sales in rural Kansas Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nollen, Nicole L; Kimminau, Kim S; Nazir, Niaman

    2011-06-01

    Reducing à la carte items in schools-foods and beverages sold outside the reimbursable meals program-can have important implications for childhood obesity. However, schools are reluctant to reduce à la carte offerings because of the impact these changes could have on revenue. Some foodservice programs operate with limited à la carte sales, but little is known about these programs. This secondary data analysis compared rural and urban/suburban school districts with low and high à la carte sales. Foodservice financial records (2007-2008) were obtained from the Kansas State Department of Education for all public K-12 school districts (n=302). χ² and t tests were used to examine the independent association of variables to à la carte sales. A multivariate model was then constructed of the factors most strongly associated with low à la carte sales. In rural districts with low à la carte sales, lunch prices and participation were higher, lunch costs and à la carte quality were lower, and fewer free/reduced price lunches were served compared to rural districts with high à la carte sales. Lunch price (odds ratio=1.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 1.4) and free/reduced price lunch participation (odds ratio=3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 9.8) remained in the multivariate model predicting low à la carte sales. No differences were found between urban/suburban districts with low and high à la carte sales. Findings highlight important factors to maintaining low à la carte sales. Schools should consider raising lunch prices and increasing meal participation rates as two potential strategies for reducing the sale of à la carte items without compromising foodservice revenue. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: School Year 2009-10 (Fiscal Year 2010): First Look. NCES 2013-307

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornman, Stephen Q.

    2013-01-01

    This report presents data from the School District Finance Survey (F-33) of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system for school year (SY) 2009-10, fiscal year 2010 (FY 10). The F-33 is a district-level financial survey that consists of data submitted annually to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Governments Division of…

  13. Comparison of Transformational Leadership Practices: Implications for School Districts and Principal Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quin, Jeff; Deris, Aaron; Bischoff, Greg; Johnson, James T.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership practices needed to improve academic achievement and generate positive change in school organizations. The study was also conducted to provide insight to principal preparation programs and school districts about effective transformational leadership practices. A quantitative research method…

  14. School Shootings: Law Enforcement and School District Networking

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-01

    communication media (print, television, radio, computer, and film ) can play an important role in helping to prevent violence in the schools and the media can...also have drawbacks, such as those exposed to the media will try to mimic the violent act, desensitize viewers to the horrors of violence...something%E2%84%A2-campaign. 164 Paul QuinJudge, “Dark Memories One Year on, the Horror of the School Siege Still Haunts Beslan—and Russia,” Time

  15. Suggestions for Local School District Compliance with Title IX Rules and Regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arizona State Dept. of Education, Phoenix.

    This guidebook is designed to help local districts determine how well they comply with the spirit of the Title IX requirements against sex discrimination, which in turn could aid in compliance with the letter of the law. The document's first section presents samples of required antidiscrimination policy statements issued by two districts. The…

  16. State but not District Nutrition Policies Are Associated with Less Junk Food in Vending Machines and School Stores in US Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    KUBIK, MARTHA Y.; WALL, MELANIE; SHEN, LIJUAN; NANNEY, MARILYN S.; NELSON, TOBEN F.; LASKA, MELISSA N.; STORY, MARY

    2012-01-01

    Background Policy that targets the school food environment has been advanced as one way to increase the availability of healthy food at schools and healthy food choice by students. Although both state- and district-level policy initiatives have focused on school nutrition standards, it remains to be seen whether these policies translate into healthy food practices at the school level, where student behavior will be impacted. Objective To examine whether state- and district-level nutrition policies addressing junk food in school vending machines and school stores were associated with less junk food in school vending machines and school stores. Junk food was defined as foods and beverages with low nutrient density that provide calories primarily through fats and added sugars. Design A cross-sectional study design was used to assess self-report data collected by computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires from state-, district-, and school-level respondents participating in the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006. The School Health Policies and Programs Study, administered every 6 years since 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is considered the largest, most comprehensive assessment of school health policies and programs in the United States. Subjects/setting A nationally representative sample (n = 563) of public elementary, middle, and high schools was studied. Statistical analysis Logistic regression adjusted for school characteristics, sampling weights, and clustering was used to analyze data. Policies were assessed for strength (required, recommended, neither required nor recommended prohibiting junk food) and whether strength was similar for school vending machines and school stores. Results School vending machines and school stores were more prevalent in high schools (93%) than middle (84%) and elementary (30%) schools. For state policies, elementary schools that required prohibiting junk food

  17. State but not district nutrition policies are associated with less junk food in vending machines and school stores in US public schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubik, Martha Y; Wall, Melanie; Shen, Lijuan; Nanney, Marilyn S; Nelson, Toben F; Laska, Melissa N; Story, Mary

    2010-07-01

    Policy that targets the school food environment has been advanced as one way to increase the availability of healthy food at schools and healthy food choice by students. Although both state- and district-level policy initiatives have focused on school nutrition standards, it remains to be seen whether these policies translate into healthy food practices at the school level, where student behavior will be impacted. To examine whether state- and district-level nutrition policies addressing junk food in school vending machines and school stores were associated with less junk food in school vending machines and school stores. Junk food was defined as foods and beverages with low nutrient density that provide calories primarily through fats and added sugars. A cross-sectional study design was used to assess self-report data collected by computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires from state-, district-, and school-level respondents participating in the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006. The School Health Policies and Programs Study, administered every 6 years since 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is considered the largest, most comprehensive assessment of school health policies and programs in the United States. A nationally representative sample (n=563) of public elementary, middle, and high schools was studied. Logistic regression adjusted for school characteristics, sampling weights, and clustering was used to analyze data. Policies were assessed for strength (required, recommended, neither required nor recommended prohibiting junk food) and whether strength was similar for school vending machines and school stores. School vending machines and school stores were more prevalent in high schools (93%) than middle (84%) and elementary (30%) schools. For state policies, elementary schools that required prohibiting junk food in school vending machines and school stores offered less junk food than

  18. Contract Management Monitoring And Evaluation Of Ghana School Feeding Programme At Atwima Kwanwoma District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrews Osei Mensah

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Ghana School Feeding Programme was introduced at Atwima Kwanwoma District and other parts of the country in 2008 to alleviate hunger and to provide good nutrition for pupils in the public basic schools. Caterers were given contract to provide food to the school pupils on every school-going day under Ghana school feeding programme. Some years have lapsed and there is the need to look back and evaluate this programme taking into consideration the award and management of those contracts. The study also examined how the programme is monitored and evaluated. Data was collected from 80 respondents comprising 29 school pupils and 51 other actors through the use of questionnaire and interview guide It was realised that caterers who are well experience in catering services were awarded contracts based on their past experience and financial abilities through submission of their certificates but not necessarily through bidding. The main component of managing the caterers contract included monitoring payment of debt and problems solving as well as supervision through visiting the schools on quarterly basis. The programme has helped to increase enrolment and retaining pupils in school. It was found out that food giving to the pupils was not served on time not regularly bases and was not sufficient to the pupils as well. The health component of the programme has not been successful as expected. It is recommended that fruits and variety of foods need to be introduced together with de-worming the pupils.

  19. A Systematic Approach to Bilingual Assessment: Development of a Handbook for School District Administrators and School Psychologists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parres, Laura

    2017-01-01

    English language learners (ELLs) are a significant and growing subset of the school age population across the United States. The projected growth of ELL students is significant and poses unique challenges for school districts when assessing bilingual students for special education. The state of California has the most ELL students in the nation…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  1. Teachers' and School Administrators' Attitudes and Beliefs of Teacher Evaluation: A Preliminary Investigation of High Poverty School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Linda A.; Dudek, Christopher M.; Peters, Stephanie; Alperin, Alexander; Kettler, Ryan J.; Kurz, Alexander

    2018-01-01

    This study examined attitudes and beliefs regarding teacher evaluation of teachers and their school administrators in the state of New Jersey, USA. The sample included 33 school administrators and 583 Pre-K through 12th grade teachers from four high-poverty urban school districts (22 schools). Participant attitudes and beliefs were assessed using…

  2. Changing District Priorities for School-Business Collaboration: Superintendent Agency and Capacity for Institutionalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Jeffrey V.; Thompson, Hugh C.

    2011-01-01

    Background: School district superintendents continue to favor collaborative relationships with their local business communities amid concerns over free-market competition, maintaining public legitimacy, and scarce financial resources. Prior research is inadequate regarding the development, implementation, and institutionalization of school and…

  3. Chicopee, Mass. School District will Benefit from $200,000 EPA Rebate to Clean Up Emissions from School Buses

    Science.gov (United States)

    A school district in Chicopee., Mass. will benefit from $200,000 from the US EPA that will pay for rebates to retrofit the engines on 10 older school buses so they would emit fewer pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma & lung damage.

  4. A survey of California public school districts' ant and weed management practices and a review of their use of IPM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, Carole; Sutherland, Sandra; Brattesani, Madeline; Wilhoit, Larry; Messenger, Belinda

    2012-04-01

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages school officials to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce children's exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. In California, the Healthy Schools Act of 2000 (HSA) establishes right-to-know requirements for pesticide use in public schools; requires school districts to designate an IPM coordinator; and requires the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to collect pesticide-use information from pest control businesses, conduct IPM training workshops, and promote least-toxic pest management practices. DPR periodically surveys school districts statewide to measure compliance with the HSA and the use of least-toxic management practices compatible with IPM and to guide DPR's training and outreach efforts. Results from three surveys, conducted in 2001, 2002, and 2004, show that an increasing number of districts use ant management practices compatible with IPM; however, fewer districts use IPM-compatible weed management practices. DPR's California School IPM program plans to develop technical materials and to conduct training workshops that will provide districts with more information about how to use an IPM program to prevent and manage weeds.

  5. Demographic Differences in District-Level Policies Related to School Mental Health and Social Services--United States, 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demissie, Zewditu; Brener, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Background: Mental health conditions among youth are a major concern. Schools can play an important role in supporting students affected by these conditions. This study examined district-level school health policies related to mental health and social services to determine if they varied by district demographic characteristics. Methods: The School…

  6. Nutrition Quality of US School Snack Foods: A First Look at 2011-2014 Bid Records in 8 School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Y. Claire; Hsiao, Amber; Chamberlin, Peter; Largay, McKenzie; Archibald, Abbie; Malone, Andrew; Stevelos, JoAnn

    2017-01-01

    Background:As part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, snacks, and desserts sold in K-12 schools as of the 2014-2015 school year are required to meet the "Smart Snacks" nutritional guidelines. Although studies exist in tracking progress in local and national efforts, the proportion of snack food procured by school districts compliant…

  7. Association between School District Policies That Address Chronic Health Conditions of Students and Professional Development for School Nurses on Such Policies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, S. Everett; Brener, Nancy D.; Bergren, Martha Dewey

    2015-01-01

    Supportive school policies and well-prepared school nurses can best address the needs of students with chronic health conditions. We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study to examine whether districts with policies requiring that schools provide health services to students with chronic…

  8. Effectiveness of the Solar Panels in the Castro Valley Unified School District Based on Projected Amount of Energy to be Produced

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparks, J. R.; Palmer, T. C.; Siegel, A. P.

    2014-12-01

    In recent years Americans have warmed to the idea of installing solar panels to their homes and businesses. These panels help reduce the cost of receiving energy from power plants that lose a lot of energy in transportation. These power plants provide energy by burning gas or coal producing emissions that add to the growing problem of pollution and global warming. In 2010 the Castro Valley Unified School District decided to add solar panels to Canyon Middle School, Castro Valley High School, and Castro Valley Adult School. We researched whether the solar panels reached their projected amount of energy (74%) for the sites where the panels were placed. The solar panels at all three sites were found to exceed these projected amounts. The solar panels at each site produce a little over 74% for the each school.

  9. GASB's New Financial Reporting Model: Implementation Project for School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bean, David; Glick, Paul

    1999-01-01

    In June 1999, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued its statement on the structure of the basic financial reporting model for state and local governments. Explains the new financial reporting model and reviews the implementation issues that school districts will need to address. (MLF)

  10. Washington Manual: A New Tool for Local School Accounting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Federal Aid Planner, 1972

    1972-01-01

    An advance glimpse of the revised financial accounting methods for school districts recommended in a new manual from the U. S. Office of Education. The manual is designed to help school districts modernize their financial accounting procedures and their entire range of fiscal management practices. (Author/DN)

  11. EPIC: Helping School Life and Family Support Each Other.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, David

    1992-01-01

    Born out of a 1981 murder, Buffalo (New York) Public Schools' EPIC (Effective Parenting Information for Children) program successfully combines parenting, effective teaching, and community programs to help family and school life support each other. Under EPIC, teachers are advised to help students acquire 23 skills involving self-esteem, rules,…

  12. Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    Education Resource Strategies (ERS) works with school and district leaders to help them more strategically use resources--people, time, and money--to improve student performance. They have found that many school districts begin creating small high schools without a clear sense of how much they will spend or how to ensure that small schools…

  13. Y2K Survey Results: Counties, Cities, School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petro, Jim

    Survey data obtained in recent audits updated Ohio's local government units' assessment of Year 2000 (Y2K) readiness. The survey was developed with three intended objectives: (1) to provide an accurate assessment of the efforts to remediate the Y2K problem in Ohio's school districts, cities and counties; (2) to identify issues that could affect…

  14. Clinical Education Partnership: A Model for School District and College of Nursing Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreulen, Grace J.; Bednarz, Patricia K.; Wehrwein, Teresa; Davis, James

    2008-01-01

    Collaboration between school districts and universities has potential to increase the level of health services available in schools while providing quality public health clinical nursing placements for universities. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Clinical Education Partnership Model (CEPM), a dynamic…

  15. School District Superintendents' Response to Ethical Dilemmas: A Grounded Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprouse, Fay Simpson

    2009-01-01

    Ethical dilemmas, situations involving a conflict between values or principles, often arise when employees of school districts violate laws or professional codes of behavior. Ethical dilemmas also occur when there are inequities in educational programming, resulting in missed opportunities for students. This qualitative study, conducted with the…

  16. Association between State Assistance on the Topic of Indoor Air Quality and School District-Level Policies That Promote Indoor Air Quality in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett Jones, Sherry; Doroski, Brenda; Glick, Sherry

    2015-01-01

    Nationally representative data from the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study examined whether state assistance on indoor air quality (IAQ) was associated with district-level policies and practices related to IAQ and integrated pest management (IPM). Districts in states that provided assistance on IAQ were more likely than districts not…

  17. Factors Influencing Teacher Job Satisfaction and Their Alignment with Current District Practices in a Rural School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Taneal Marie

    2010-01-01

    School districts' decisions across the country are influencing the satisfaction level of teachers, in both positive and negative ways. With statistics reporting as high as fifty percent of teachers leaving the profession in the first five years of experience (Ingersoll, 2003), determining the reasons for teacher dissatisfaction are important in…

  18. Small prizes increased healthful school lunch selection in a Midwestern school district.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegel, Robert; Lockhart, Mary Kate; Barnes, Allison S; Hiller, Elizabeth; Kipp, Roger; Robison, Debora L; Ellsworth, Samantha C; Hudgens, Michelle E

    2016-04-01

    As obesity has become a pressing health issue for American children, greater attention has been focused on how schools can be used to improve how students eat. Previously, we piloted the use of small prizes in an elementary school cafeteria to improve healthful food selection. We hoped to increase healthful food selection in all the elementary schools of a small school district participating in the United States Department of Agriculture Lunch Program by offering prizes to children who selected a Power Plate (PP), which consisted of an entrée with whole grains, a fruit, a vegetable, and plain low-fat milk. In this study, the PP program was introduced to 3 schools sequentially over an academic year. During the kickoff week, green, smiley-faced emoticons were placed by preferred foods, and children were given a prize daily if they chose a PP on that day. After the first week, students were given a sticker or temporary tattoo 2 days a week if they selected a PP. Combining data from the 3 schools in the program, students increased PP selection from 4.5% at baseline to 49.4% (p small prizes as rewards dramatically improves short-term healthful food selection in elementary school children.

  19. Levels of Leadership: Effects of District and School Leaders on the Quality of School Programs of Family and Community Involvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, Joyce L.; Galindo, Claudia L.; Sheldon, Steven B.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This study tests key constructs of sociocultural and organizational learning theories with quantitative methods to better understand the nature and impact of district and school leadership and actions on the quality of programs of family and community involvement. Research Design: Survey data from a "nested" sample of 24 districts and 407…

  20. Malnutrition and clinical manifestations in school going children at district tharparkar, sindh, pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapoor, A.; Channa, N.A.; Soomro, A.M.; Tunio, S.A.; Khand, T.U.; Memon, N.

    2017-01-01

    Malnutrition and clinical manifestation in school going children of Tharparkar District Methodology: The study subjects were school going children of class VI to X from different boys and girls schools at Mithi, District Tharparkar. A total number of 300 children with age range of 12-17 years, were included, out of which 150 (50%) were girls and 150 (50%) were boys. General physical examination was carried out for all the subjects. Estimated nutrient intake of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat and iron was calculated by one week recall method. Anthropometric measurements such as weight, and height, were taken by using the standard operating procedures. Results: General physical examination revealed generalized weakness, recurrent infection and anemia were the most commonly seen in the school going children at district Tharparkar. Nutritional status of children according to the age for height showed 32% girls and 34% boys were stunt whereas the of age for weight showed 34% girls and 39% boys were underweight. The body mass index for age showed 16% girls and 34% boys were thin. Only 2.6 % girls and boys were overweight, but we didn't find any obese children. Conclusion: It is concluded that energy (caloric) carbohydrates, protein, and iron are below recommended daily allowance, which reflects the malnutrition in children. Inadequate intake of nutrients has the effect on height, weight and body mass index. (author)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  2. Racial Diversity in the Suburbs: How Race-Neutral Responses to Demographic Change Perpetuate Inequity in Suburban School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diem, Sarah; Welton, Anjalé D.; Frankenberg, Erica; Jellison Holme, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Suburbs across the US are experiencing dramatic demographic shifts, yet there is little research available on how suburban school districts are dealing with these changes. In this article, we examine the discourses surrounding race and demographic change in three suburban school districts that have been undergoing rapid demographic changes and…

  3. High School Peer Helping: A Program Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilgariff, Lisa; Solomon, Mindy; Zanotti, Mary; Chambliss, Catherine

    Peer helpers can act as liaisons to high school guidance departments by identifying problems, making appropriate referrals, and encouraging others to obtain professional help if necessary. An active program can help ensure that in the future students are better prepared to handle conflicts that arise within marriage, career, and family. This study…

  4. Increased sexual abstinence among in-school adolescents as a result of school health education in Soroti district, Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuey, D A; Babishangire, B B; Omiat, S; Bagarukayo, H

    1999-06-01

    A school health education programme in primary schools aimed at AIDS prevention in Soroti district of Uganda emphasized improved access to information, improved peer interaction and improved quality of performance of the existing school health education system. A cross-sectional sample of students, average age 14 years, in their final year of primary school was surveyed before and after 2 years of interventions. The percentage of students who stated they had been sexually active fell from 42.9% (123 of 287) to 11.1% (31 of 280) in the intervention group, while no significant change was recorded in a control group. The changes remained significant when segregated by gender or rural and urban location. Students in the intervention group tended to speak to peers and teachers more often about sexual matters. Increases in reasons given by students for abstaining from sex over the study period occurred in those reasons associated with a rational decision-making model rather than a punishment model. A primary school health education programme which emphasizes social interaction methods can be effective in increasing sexual abstinence among school-going adolescents in Uganda. The programme does not have to be expensive and can be implemented with staff present in most districts in the region.

  5. The Four Day School Week. Research Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir, Mike

    2013-01-01

    Can four-day school weeks help districts save money? How do districts overcome the barriers of moving to a four-day week? What is the effect of a four-day week on students, staff and the community? This paper enumerates the benefits for students and teachers of four-day school weeks. Recommendations for implementation of a four-day week are also…

  6. Teachers' Perceptions of Technology Integration in a Unified School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloodman, Suzette L.

    2014-01-01

    A unified school district (USD) continues to invest millions of dollars into its technology integration initiatives with minimal academic gains. Since teachers are essential to effective technology integration, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to analyze the perceptions of 13 teachers within the USD relative to how they could more…

  7. Comparison of Students with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders as Classified by Their School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattison, Richard E.

    2015-01-01

    This study of 182 secondary special education students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders investigated their classification by their school districts, in particular how well they were distinguished and represented by their federal categories. The districts used four classification groups (emotional disturbance, other health impairment…

  8. How Database Management Systems Can Be Used To Evaluate Program Effectiveness in Small School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Tony

    Sophisticated database management systems (DBMS) for microcomputers are becoming increasingly easy to use, allowing small school districts to develop their own autonomous databases for tracking enrollment and student progress in special education. DBMS applications can be designed for maintenance by district personnel with little technical…

  9. Policy Poison or Promise: Exploring the Dual Nature of California School District Collective Bargaining Agreements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strunk, Katharine O.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This study examines policies set in the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) negotiated between teachers' unions and school boards and explores what kinds of districts have contract provisions that restrict district administrators, enhance administrative flexibility, and/or improve teachers' professional work lives and that have…

  10. Helping Nevada School Children Become Sun Smart

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    This podcast features Christine Thompson, Community Programs Manager at the Nevada Cancer Coalition, and author of a recent study detailing a school-based program to help Nevada school children establish healthy sun safety habits and decrease UV exposure. Christine answers questions about her research and what impact her what impact the program had on children's skin health.

  11. Promoting the Construction of an Optimal Nurse's Office Facility: One School District's Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKibben, Cynthia; DiPaolo, Sonja J.

    1997-01-01

    Details recommendations for updating or constructing nurses' offices based upon a descriptive study done in one midwestern school district. Suggestions are provided on size, location, and equipment needed. Also addressed is the communication process needed to persuade a board of education and school administrators that nursing facilities must be a…

  12. Prevalence of dental caries among school-going children in Namakkal district: A cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramachandran Karunakaran

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of dental caries in primary teeth among 4-6 years old school going children in the Namakkal District. Materials and Methods: The study covered a total of 850 school going children in a total of 26 schools in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. The age group selected for this study ranged from 4 to 6 years of age. Each child was examined in their respective schools by one of the four calibrated examiners and decay, missing and filled teeth (dmft index was recorded along with demographic details. This study was done in September-October 2013 in a span of 1 month duration. Results: Of 850 children examined, 560 (65.88% children had dental caries. Mean dmft score was 2.86. Prevalence of dental caries was higher in boys (69.6% than in girls (61.5%. The untreated decay teeth accounted for 92.4%. Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries among 4-6 years old children is high in the Namakkal district. The need for the creation of dental awareness among children and their primary caregivers is crucial and the need for developing immediate oral health promotion strategies including an increase in school dental health programs is recommended.

  13. Criteria for Centralized Warehousing Procedures in Public School Districts. Summary Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsythe, Ralph A.; Thomson, Leland A.

    This survey of opinions of architects, certified public accountants, and educators (who have written concerning, shown leadership in, or have specialized knowledge about warehousing) covers the planning, organizing, material handling, and paper processing of presently operated school district central warehouses. All recommendations concerning…

  14. Effective School-Community Relations as a Key Performance Indicator for the Secondary School Administrator in Aba South District, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, Nath. M.; Ememe, Ogbonna N.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates Effective School-Community Relations as a key Performance Indicator (KPI) of Secondary Schools Administrator in Aba South District, Nigeria. Descriptive survey method was adopted. All the 248 teachers made up the population and sample in a purposive sampling technique representing 100% of the entire population as sample. A…

  15. Sticking Points: How School Districts Experience Implementing the Portfolio Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lake, Robin; Posamentier, Jordan; Denice, Patrick; Hill, Paul

    2016-01-01

    The portfolio strategy is a change strategy for public education in a district or metropolitan area. It is founded on the idea of re-missioning government agencies from rigid bureaucratic entities that mostly manage compliance requirements and interest group politics to a new role: overseeing performance and a diverse range of school choices…

  16. Effects of help-seeking in a blended high school Biology class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deguzman, Paolo

    Distance learning provides an opportunity for students to learn valuable information through technology and interactive media. Distance learning additionally offers educational institutions the flexibility of synchronous and asynchronous instruction while increasing enrollment and lowering cost. However, distance education has not been well documented within the context of urban high schools. Distance learning may allow high school students to understand material at an individualized pace for either enrichment or remediation. A successful high school student who participates in distance learning should exhibit high self regulatory skills. However, most urban high school students have not been exposed to distance learning and should be introduced to proper self regulatory strategies that should increase the likelihood of understanding the material. To help facilitate a move into distance learning, a blended distance learning model, the combination of distance learning and traditional learning, will be used. According to O'Neil's (in preparation) revised problem solving model, self regulation is a component of problem solving. Within the Blended Biology course, urban high school students will be trained in help-seeking strategies to further their understanding of genetics and Punnett Square problem solving. This study investigated the effects of help-seeking in a blended high school Biology course. The main study consisted of a help-seeking group (n=55) and a control group (n=53). Both the help-seeking group and the control group were taught by one teacher for two weeks. The help-seeking group had access to Blended Biology with Help-Seeking while the control group only had access to Blended Biology. The main study used a pretest and posttest to measure Genetics Content Understanding, Punnett Square Problem Solving, Adaptive Help-Seeking, Maladaptive Help-Seeking, and Self Regulation. The analysis showed no significant difference in any of the measures in terms of

  17. Decentralization and Participatory Decision-Making: Implementing School-Based Management in the Abbott Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Elaine M.

    2000-01-01

    This study examined issues faced during implementation of school-based management (SBM) in New Jersey's special needs or Abbott districts, using a literature review, surveys of K-12 schools, and focus groups with central office administrators. The study examined forms of SBM, team operations, local autonomy versus state power, skills required to…

  18. The School District's Liability in Cases of Violent Attacks on Students and Employees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maze, Jerry G.

    The school's responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for students is examined in this paper. Failure to take preventative measures may result in loss of government tort immunity and charges of negligence liability. A review of case law indicates a trend toward successful litigation by plaintiffs against school districts--a decline in…

  19. Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Executive Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    Education Resource Strategies (ERS) works with school and district leaders to help them more strategically use resources--people, time, and money--to improve student performance. They have found that many school districts begin creating small high schools without a clear sense of how much they will spend or how to ensure that small schools…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quillin, Jessica

    2012-01-01

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

  1. Improving Racial and Ethnic Distribution and Intergroup Relations; An Advisory Report to the Board of Education, Vallejo Unified School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunsky, Frederic R.; And Others

    As the result of field observation and a review of school data, this report presents the findings of a study of minority-group education and intergroup relations in the Vallejo Unified School District in California. It analyzes the racial and ethnic distribution o f students in the school district and describes the amount of equal educational…

  2. School District Information Technology Disaster Recovery Planning: An Explanatory Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Shaun L.

    2017-01-01

    Despite research and practitioner articles outlining the importance information technology disaster plans (ITDRPs) to organizational success, barriers have impeded the process of disaster preparation for Burlington County New Jersey school districts. The purpose of this explanatory qualitative case study was to understand how technology leader…

  3. Social Determinants of Overweight and Obesity Rates by Elementary School in a Predominantly Hispanic School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Richard; Huerta, Gabriel; Karki, Menuka; Cantarero, Andrea

    This study analyzes the social determinants associated with the overweight or obesity prevalence of 85 elementary schools during the 2010-11 academic year in a predominantly Hispanic school district. A binomial logistic regression is used to analyze the aggregate overweight or obesity rate of a school by the percent of Hispanic students in each school, selected school and neighborhood characteristics, and its geographical location. The proportion of Hispanic enrollment more readily explains a school's aggregate overweight or obesity rate than social determinants or spatial location. Number of fast food establishments and the academic ranking of a school appear to slightly impact the aggregate prevalence rate. Spatial location of school is not a significant factor, controlling for other determinants. An elementary school's overall overweight or obesity rate provides a valuable health indicator to study the social determinants of obesity among Hispanics and other students within a local neighborhood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Experiences of Leaders in One Texas School District Integrating Social Media as a Communication Medium: Bounded Phenomenological Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Bradley D.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this bounded phenomenological case study was to investigate the experiences of leaders in one Texas school district integrating social media into communication practices. The participants in this study were twelve campus leaders, four district level leaders, and the superintendent of schools. The focus groups consisted of three…

  5. Collaboration Is Not Meeting with the Enemy; An Analysis of a Successful University-School Districts' Relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozeman, William C.; Rothberg, Robert A.

    1991-01-01

    College of education and school district relationships often resemble a battlefield. Partnerships between schools and other public organizations, including universities, can contribute to the overall success of school improvement activities. This paper identifies relationships and significant programs resulting from a cooperative venture involving…

  6. Factors Influencing Belize District Primary School Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusive Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKay, Maxine

    2012-01-01

    Inclusive education continues to be a reoccurring challenge as various factors affect to what extent teachers or educators are willing to educate children with disabilities in the regular education setting alongside their non-disabled peers. This quantitative study examined factors influencing Belize District Primary School teachers' attitudes…

  7. Perceptions of Psychological Contract Violations in School Districts that Serve Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lilly, Julianna D.; Reed, Dianne

    2004-01-01

    This study examined issues of psychological contract violation between parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and school districts that serve them. As such, the sampling strategy was to focus on parents who were dissatisfied with the educational services their child was receiving from the school district so that the parents' "lived…

  8. Career Advancement Experiences of Hispanic Secondary Principals in Suburban School Districts: A Phenomenological Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Rick

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of Hispanic secondary school principals who work in suburban school districts regarding their career advancement. Moreover, the objective of this research was to understand these Hispanic principals' motivational drivers and barriers regarding their career choices,…

  9. Work/Life Practices and the Recruitment and Retention of Large School Districts' Foodservice Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Mary Kate

    2010-01-01

    With the forthcoming retirement of school foodservice directors, the increasing pressures faced by employees at home and work, and the financial constraints of school districts, recruiting and retaining skilled and diverse employees will be challenging. Marketing work/life benefits to potential employees and supporting these policies to current…

  10. Financial and Staffing Ratio Analysis: Predicting Fiscal Distress in School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Robert Alan

    1983-01-01

    From analysis of data from 579 school districts it is concluded that financial ratios have the ability to forecast fiscal distress a year in advance. Liquidity ratios and salary and fringe benefit ratios were found to be strong forecasters, while per pupil expenditure data had little predictive value. (MJL)

  11. Entry-Year Administrator Induction: A State and Local School District Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drury, William R.

    1988-01-01

    The Dayton (Ohio) City School District initiated a very successful pilot induction program for entry-year administrators in January 1987. Nine special workshops were planned to train both volunteer mentors and entry-year administrators in such areas as personal development, conflict management, problem identification and solution, time management,…

  12. Description of Clean and Healthy Behavior of Food Borne Disease Among by School Children Age in Babat Jerawat I Elementary School, District Pakal Surabaya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidayat Heny Sholikhah

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Incidence of food borne disease, such as diarrhea, typhoid and hookworm infection in school childrenwere still sufficient susceptible. Lack of clean and healthy behavior became primary cause, so that the agent can easilyenter to the body through the food consumed. The purpose of this study was to descript the clean and healthy behaviors by school children age at Babat Jerawat I Elementary School, District Pakal Surabaya. Methods: This study was a crosssectional study. The sample of this study were 112 of fifth grade students at Babat Jerawat I Elementary school, District Pakal Surabaya, selected by purposive sampling of 121 students who met the inclusion criteria. Data of clean and healthy behavior were collected by observation and interviews focused on a group of school children using questionnaires, checklists and interview guides. Data analysis was done by using descriptive analysis. Results: The results showed that the clean and healthy behaviors about food borne disease, the majority of school children in Elementary school Babat Jerawat I District Pakal Surabaya included in good criteria (51.8% and small portion of these included less category (48.2%. Conclusion:Clean and Healthy Behavior of food borne disease in school children age had good criteria, but still need attention formany factors that influence it, such as the availability of facilities, affordability snacks outside of school and examples ofunhealthy behaviors in family environment. Recommendation: Improve the cooperation between the school and localhealth officials to tighten rules on the management of snack vending around schools, and do continuous education both within the school and the child’s school community.

  13. Capistrano unified school district works with San Onofre NGS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osterfield, M.A.; Cramer, E.N.

    1992-01-01

    A unique arrangement has the science coordinator for Capistrano Unified School District's (CUSD) grades kindergarten through eight (K-8) as a part-time contract employee at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The purpose is to assess the science capabilities at SONGS useful to CUSD teachers and to assist in making them available. This is different from the usual single-teacher renewal program or from part-time employment. This creates several unique situations for SONGS and the 23 K-8 schools in CUSD, supplementing the existing program of optional science field trips to SONGS. This approach also interests the developing mind in science before being turned off by uninteresting, user-unfriendly, bookish approaches

  14. Decision-Making Quandaries that Superintendents Face in Their Work in Small School Districts Building Democratic Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Touchton, Debra; Acker-Hocevar, Michele

    2011-01-01

    Superintendents of small school districts describe how they give voice, involve and listen to others, and solicit various publics to build democratic communities. Superintendents make sense of leadership through their constructed role, leadership orientation, and district size. Findings suggest the following when superintendents involve, listen,…

  15. Engaging the community in the process of changing school start times: experience of the Cherry Creek School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer, Lisa J; McNally, Janise; Plog, Amy E; Siegfried, Scott A

    2017-12-01

    Despite growing evidence of the positive impact of later school start times on adolescent health and academic outcomes, relatively few districts have changed start times due to concerns about transportation, child care, and athletics/extracurricular activities. This paper provides a case study of the Cherry Creek School District's (CCSD) successful efforts to change start times. The CCSD is a diverse district with an enrollment of almost 55,000 students in suburban Denver. As part of CCSD's strategic plan, a multi-disciplinary task force was formed to examine the impact of start times on student achievement, and recommend a start time schedule driven by best practices on adolescent sleep patterns, balanced with family and community needs. Over 18 months the task force's work included engaging the community through meetings, as well as conducting a large survey (n = 24,574) of parents, teachers, and students, and gathering online feedback. An iterative process utilized feedback at every stage to refine the final recommendation given to the Board of Education. Survey results, implementation considerations, outcome evaluation plans, and lessons learned are discussed. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Charting a Path to Graduation. The Effect of Project GRAD on Elementary School Student Outcomes in Four Urban School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snipes, Jason C.; Holton, Glee Ivory; Doolittle, Fred

    2006-01-01

    In the past decade, school districts around the country have sought to improve struggling urban high schools, where high dropout rates, poor student achievement, and low rates of graduation and college-going remain all too prevalent. In a field crowded with reform initiatives, Project Graduation Really Achieves Dreams (GRAD) stands out as…

  17. Estimating Resource Costs of Levy Campaigns in Five Ohio School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingle, W. Kyle; Petroff, Ruth Ann; Johnson, Paul A.

    2011-01-01

    Using Levin and McEwan's (2001) "ingredients method," this study identified the major activities and associated costs of school levy campaigns in five districts. The ingredients were divided into one of five cost categories--human resources, facilities, fees, marketing, and supplies. As to overall costs of the campaigns, estimates ranged…

  18. Alternative Methods in the Evaluation of School District Cash Management Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dembowski, Frederick L.

    1980-01-01

    Empirically evaluates three measures of effectiveness of school district cash management: the rate of return method in common use and two new measures--efficiency rating and Net Present Value (NPV). The NPV approach allows examination of efficiency and provides a framework for evaluating other areas of educational policy. (Author/IRT)

  19. School District Fiscal Strain: Implications for State and Federal Financial Assistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hentschke, Guilbert; Yagielski, John

    1982-01-01

    Uses a model portraying school district decision makers as "consumers" to analyze fiscal strain's causes (enrollment decline, input price increases, and changes in input mix) as variants of the general consumer model. Measures the impact of each cause of fiscal strain and discusses implications for state and federal aid. (Author/RW)

  20. Problems in Determining School District Need for Hurd Aid and Alternatives to the Revenue Shortfall Approach for Determining Need.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curley, John R.

    In New York State there is an uneven distribution of wealth and an unequal tax burden among the small city school districts. Because of the tax limits and rising costs for goods and services, many of these school districts have found it difficult to support their educational programs without emergency aid from the state. Such aid is frequently…

  1. Financial Crisis Now Striking Home for School Districts: Project Delays, Worries About Cash Flow Result of Tight Credit Markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Michelle R.

    2008-01-01

    This article reports that the crisis besetting U.S. and world financial markets is hitting school districts hard, as they struggle to float the bonds needed for capital projects, borrow money to ensure cash flow, and get access to investment funds locked up in troubled institutions. Some schools districts depend heavily on borrowed money to pay…

  2. Inverse relationship between urban green space and childhood autism in California elementary school districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jianyong; Jackson, Laura

    2017-10-01

    Green space has a variety of health benefits. However, little is known about its impact on autism, the fastest-growing neurodevelopmental disorder in children. This study examined the relationship between green space and childhood autism prevalence. Autism count data in 2010 were obtained for 543 of ~560 public elementary school districts in California. Multiple types of green space were measured in each school district, including percentages of forest, grassland, and average tree canopy and near-road tree canopy. Their associations with autism prevalence were evaluated with negative binomial regression models and spatial regression models. We observed inverse associations between several green space metrics and autism prevalence in school districts with high road density, the highly urbanized areas, but not in others. According to negative binomial regression models, adjusted rate ratios (RR) for the relationships in these school districts between autism prevalence and green space metrics in 10% increments were as follows: for forest, RR=0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84-0.95); for grassland, RR=0.90 (95% CI: 0.83-0.97); for average tree canopy, RR=0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95), and for near-road tree canopy, RR=0.81 (95% CI: 0.73-0.91). These results suggest that increases of 10% in forest, grassland, average tree canopy and near-road tree canopy are associated with a decrease in autism prevalence of 10%, 10% 11% and 19%, respectively. In contrast, urban land and road density were positively associated with autism prevalence. The results of spatial regression models were consistent with those obtained by negative binomial models, except for grassland. Our study suggests that green space, specifically tree cover in areas with high road density, may influence autism prevalence in elementary school children beneficially. Further studies are needed to investigate a potential causal relationship, and the major mechanisms that may underlie the beneficial associations

  3. Job Sharing in the Schools: A Study of Nine Bay Area Districts. A Preliminary Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    New Ways to Work, Palo Alto, CA.

    Under job sharing, two people share responsibility for one full-time position. Each person has a permanent, part-time job with salary and fringe benefits prorated according to hours worked. Job sharing has been available in some Bay Area school districts for the last four years. For this preliminary report, nine districts--Alum rock, Fremont,…

  4. Dental caries among disabled individuals attending special schools in Vhembe district, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemutandani, M S; Adedoja, D; Nevhuhlwi, D

    2013-11-01

    To determine the prevalence of dental caries among disabled individuals attending special schools in Vhembe districts. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January to June 2012 among disabled individuals receiving special care in four specialised schools of Vhembe District. The research protocol had been approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Limpopo, Polokwane Campus. Informed consent was obtained from the parents of the participants and from the respective school principals. Oral health examinations took place at the school under natural light, with participants seated on an ordinary chair/wheelchair. Dental caries examinations were carried out, using a mirror and wooden spatula in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria and methods. Decayed, missing and filled primary and permanent teeth (dmft, DMFT) were recorded. All disabled individuals who were available during a screening period, were included. Those who were not available, as well as those whose health conditions could be compromised by dental examinations, were excluded. The number of decayed teeth ranged from 0-7 in children below 6 years, 0-12 in children below 11 years; and 0-17 among young adults. The mean decay scores and the numbers of missing teeth increased with age. Only 3 (0.04%) individuals had dental fillings. The mean dmft score of children under 6 years was 5.51 (+/- 2.1), ranging from zero to 8. The mean DMFT's of the 11-18 and 19 years and older groups were 7.38 (+/- 3.22) and 10.24 (+/- 2.97) respectively. Disabled individuals exhibited higher caries prevalence and unmet dental needs than the same age general population in Limpopo. Preventive measures and dental treatment should be considered urgent requirements at special needs schools in the Vhembe District.

  5. The Press Relations of a Local School District: An Analysis of the Emergence of School Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Jon R.; Guenter, Cornelius

    Press coverage of a suburban midwest school district is analyzed as a set of time series of observations including the amount and quality of coverage. Possible shifts in these series because of the emergence of controversial issues are analyzed statistically using the Integrated Moving Average Time Series Model. Evidence of significant shifts in…

  6. Towards the Development of More Comprehensive Measures of School District Wealth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornton, Robert J.

    The author tests several ways in which income can be added to property wealth to improve the measurement of school-district fiscal capacity. His first chapter discusses the economic and legal reasons for this improvement, notes that seven states already combine income and property, and distinguishes adding income and property together from…

  7. The impact of a school health programme on the prevalence and morbidity of urinary schistosomiasis in Mwera Division, Pangani District, Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Magnussen, P; Ndawi, B; Sheshe, A K

    2001-01-01

    in class 5 (median age 14 years, range 11-17) by urine filtration techniques. Treatment was administered as 40 mg/kg praziquantel in a single dose at the beginning of the school year. The programme was implemented by schoolteachers and coordinated by the District Health Management Team in collaboration......The prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in Pangani District (Tanzania) was assessed rapidly by a questionnaire approach. Based on the results, a strategy of selective treatment with praziquantel was adopted. Eleven primary schools in Mwera Division, Pangani District...... parents pay for the treatment of children with episodes of visible haematuria during the school year. Communities also participated in the improvement of sanitary installations at the schools....

  8. Replace or Modernize? The Future of the District of Columbia's Endangered Old and Historic Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twenty-First Century School Fund, Washington, DC.

    This report addresses the decision-making process for replacing or modernizing the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) as proposed in the DCPS facility master plan. The three-section document discusses old and historic schools and their future; the schools' historical and architectural value; cost of replacement and modernization; design;…

  9. Establishing the SECME model in the District of Columbia. Quarterly report, 1 January 1994--31 March 1994

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vikers, R.G.

    1994-05-01

    During this quarter, many program activities were held to help SECME teachers and counselors implement, improve and strengthen SECME school programs in the District of Columbia. Teachers were actively engaged in enhanced instructional techniques, ideas, processes and resources to help them enrich their students` learning experience. Students are busily participating in hands-on instructional activities and preparing for the SECME competition where they are learning to excel in a competitive environment designed to help them make the most of their school experience.

  10. Raising Their Voices: Engaging Students, Teachers, and Parents to Help End the High School Dropout Epidemic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgeland, John M.; Balfanz, Robert; Moore, Laura A.; Friant, Rebecca S.

    2010-01-01

    High dropout rates continue to be a silent epidemic afflicting the nation's schools. Although some measurable progress is being made in some school districts and states to raise high school graduation rates, and federal, state, and local policies and practices are changing to meet the dropout challenge, the nation's progress is too slow and the…

  11. The Impact of Low, Moderate, and High Military Family Mobility School District Transfer Rates on Graduating Senior High School Dependents' Achievement and School Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, Jeffrey K.

    2012-01-01

    The results of this study suggest that there were no significant differences in the academic performance of military dependents' with low (n = 20), moderate (n = 20), and high (n = 20) mobility school district transfer rates compared to non-military control students (n = 20) before completing high school. The findings were not consistent with…

  12. Group 12: Related Service Providers. IMPACT: The District of Columbia Public Schools Effectiveness Assessment System for School-Based Personnel, 2012-2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    District of Columbia Public Schools, 2012

    2012-01-01

    The 2012-2013 school year represents a pivotal juncture for DC Public Schools. Last spring, Mayor Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson introduced "A Capital Commitment," their ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate student achievement in the district over the next five years by providing all of their students with a safe, academically…

  13. School District Regionalization in Rhode Island: Relationship with Spending and Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masterson, Jason R.

    2012-01-01

    In Rhode Island, unless costs for education are controlled, taxpayers could face increased property taxes, increased sales tax on goods and services, and tax increases to existing fees to raise revenue (NEEP, 2010). Reducing the number of school districts was cited as the number two solution by the New England Economic Partnership in 2010 to…

  14. Comparison of Indoor Air Quality Management Strategies between the School and District Levels in New York State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shao; Kielb, Christine L.; Reddy, Amanda L.; Chapman, Bonnie R.; Hwang, Syni-An

    2012-01-01

    Background: Good school indoor air quality (IAQ) can affect the health and functioning of school occupants. Thus, it is important to assess the degree to which schools and districts employ strategies to ensure good IAQ management. We examined and compared the patterns of IAQ management strategies between public elementary schools and their school…

  15. Computerizing Maintenance Management Improves School Processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conroy, Pat

    2002-01-01

    Describes how a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), a centralized maintenance operations database that facilitates work order procedures and staff directives, can help individual school campuses and school districts to manage maintenance. Presents the benefits of CMMS and things to consider in CMMS selection. (EV)

  16. [Work-related stress in nursery school educators in the Venice and Marghera districts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camerino, Donatella; Fichera, G P; Punzi, Silvia; Campanini, P; Conway, P M; Prevedello, Laura; Costa, G

    2011-01-01

    Based on an investigation on organizational well-being in the Municipality of Venice (2009), we examined 110 public nursery school and preschool teachers working in the Venice and Marghera districts. The aim of this study was to develop and implement a procedure for work-related stress assessment and management in Municipality of Venice, in the light of Law 81/2008. Occupational stress and its impact on teachers' well-being and health were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive analyses were conducted to compare teachers' data with those concerning employees operating in other services in the Venice and Marghera districts. According to the results, while nursery school and preschool teachers work with considerable commitment, vigor, dedication and involvement, problems were observed related to: assignment of administrative tasks without appropriate support from the district offices; difficult access to support services; shortage of temporary teachers and auxiliary personnel and, limited to some facilities, lack of adequate physical space devoted to teaching activities. Such adverse conditions result in an increase in vigilance levels required to ensure children's safety. Personnel also suffer from a lack of career prospects, with scarce opportunities for contact with other facilities in the area and inadequate involvement in the decisional processes at Municipality level. Improving such adverse conditions could solve the current marginalization of public nursery school and preschool teachers and encourage mutual exchange of information, which would in turn favour more appropriate methods of managing each single facility.

  17. The Issues of Self-Funding Benefits for Texas Independent School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cryar, Virginia P.

    This paper examines whether self-funding health benefit plans for employees are appropriate for Texas school districts. In a self-funding plan, the cost of benefits is funded directly by the employer without the protection of an insurance contract. Proponents of the self-funding plan argue that it: (1) controls costs and improves the cash flow;…

  18. Child Care Funding Sources for California School Districts. CRB 08-014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Lisa K.

    2008-01-01

    School districts are central players in the child care delivery system: they operate a mix of child care centers and programs, serve a range of children of different ages, and fund their programs from a variety of federal, state, and local sources. This report provides a range of programmatic and fiscal information about the federal and state…

  19. Examining the Role of Professional Development in a Large School District's iPad Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Min; Ko, Yujung; Willmann, Amanda; Fickert, Cynda

    2018-01-01

    This study examined 342 teachers' views of professional development (PD) provided by a large school district to support its iPad initiative. We were interested in investigating teachers' perceptions of this district-provided PD, any change in teachers' views, and how they used iPads in their instruction while/after receiving PD. The findings,…

  20. Supervision of Special Education Instruction in Rural Public School Districts: A Grounded Theory

    OpenAIRE

    Bays, Debora Ann

    2001-01-01

    The grounded theory presented in this study describes how the supervision of special education instruction occurs in public elementary schools in rural settings. Grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) was employed in this study. Nine elementary schools in three rural districts in the state of Virginia participated in the study. Interview data were collected from 34 participants, including special and general education teachers, principals, and directors of special education. Obs...

  1. Prevalence, Disparities, and Trends in Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Students in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, School District, 2006–2010

    OpenAIRE

    Robbins, Jessica M.; Mallya, Giridhar; Polansky, Marcia; Schwarz, Donald F.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction Epidemic increases in obesity negatively affect the health of US children, individually and at the population level. Although surveillance of childhood obesity at the local level is challenging, height and weight data routinely collected by school districts are valuable and often underused public health resources. Methods We analyzed data from the School District of Philadelphia for 4 school years (2006–2007 through 2009–2010) to assess the prevalence of and trends in obesity and...

  2. Nutrition Services and Foods and Beverages Available at School: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Toole, Terrence P.; Anderson, Susan; Miller, Clare; Guthrie, Joanne

    2007-01-01

    Background: Schools are in a unique position to promote healthy dietary behaviors and help ensure appropriate nutrient intake. This article describes the characteristics of both school nutrition services and the foods and beverages sold outside of the school meals program in the United States, including state- and district-level policies and…

  3. Using Digital Storytelling to Help First-Grade Students' Adjustment to School

    OpenAIRE

    Fokides, Emanuel

    2015-01-01

    When coming to school for the first time, children might face a number of adjustment problems. The study presents the results of a project which used digital storytelling for helping first-grade primary school students during this transitional period. It was examined whether, through the development of the digital stories, students could understand how the school functions and whether this process helped them to change their attitudes and behaviors, thus achieving a smoother adaptation to the...

  4. Attainable Alternatives: Decisions for the 80's. A District Manual on Substance Use, Abuse, and Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bay-Borelli, Michael; And Others

    This manual is designed to help school district personnel assess the extent of substance abuse and to develop policies and procedures for dealing with the problem through the cooperation of schools, parents and communities. The effect of social change on adolescents is discussed and trends in developmental distress are noted. Roles and…

  5. Primary School Environment Trend, Class-Ratio and Head Teachers Overcrowded Classrooms Management Strategies in Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babatunde, Ehinola Gabriel

    2015-01-01

    Primary school Enrolment Trend, Class-Ratio and Head Teachers overcrowded classrooms management strategies in Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria was investigated. The purpose of the study is to examine the current enrolment trend in public primary schools in northern senatorial District of Ondo State. Also, is to ascertain the…

  6. Parental concerns in parents of children attending pre- and primary school: analysis of the Portuguese population by District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana Algarvio

    Full Text Available Objective: In this study, our aim was to assess and analyze parental concerns by Portuguese District. Methods: The participants were 3842 parents of children between 3 and 10 years old, attending preschool and primary school, from 820 public schools in 18 Portuguese Districts. Parents completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, and a Parental Concerns Scale, composed by 5 subscales, family and school problems; feeding, sleep and physical complaints; preparation; fears; and negative behaviors. Results: Portuguese parents concerned about all the dimensions considered in this study. The highest level of concern was obtained in family and school problems, and the lowest level of concern about their children’s fears. There were significant differences between Districts, parents from Porto and Bragança showed the highest levels of concern. Parents from Coimbra, Évora, Beja e Portalegre, presented the lowest levels of concern. Conclusion: Parental concerns are an aspect of general parenting and must be considered by health professionals to promote healthier parents-children relationships. Geographic differences should be further investigated.

  7. Rodriquez V. San Antonio Independent School District: Gathering the Ayes of Texas--The Politics of School Finance Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yudof, Mark G.; Morgan, Daniel C.

    1974-01-01

    An historical account is given of movements toward educational finance reform in Texas, culminating in the Rodriquez v. San Antonio Independent School District case and its aftermath. The role of political pressures applied by various interest groups is traced and the prospects for future reform assessed. (EH)

  8. Cyber-Security Concerns Mount as Student Hacking Hits Schools: Districts Straining to Safeguard Online Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borja, Rhea R.

    2006-01-01

    While schools rightly fear break-ins to their computer systems by professional criminals, students are increasingly giving educators almost as much to worry about. Reports of students' gaining access to school networks to change grades, delete teachers' files, or steal data are becoming more common, experts say, and many districts remain highly…

  9. Perception of epilepsy among the urban secondary school children of Bareilly district

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hari Shanker Joshi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is a lack of knowledge about epilepsy among the students and the population in general, with consequent prejudice and discrimination toward epileptic patients. Objectives: Knowledge, behavior, attitude and myth toward epilepsy among urban school children in Bareilly district was studied. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students of 10 randomly selected secondary schools of the urban areas in Bareilly district. A structured, pretested questionnaire was used to collect data regarding sociodemographic characteristics and assess the subject′s knowledge, behavior, attitude and myth toward epilepsy. Results: Of the 798 students (533 boys and 265 girls studied, around 98.6% had heard of epilepsy. About 63.7% correctly thought that epilepsy is a brain disorder while 81.8% believed it to be a psychiatric disorder. Other prevalent misconceptions were that epilepsy is an inherited disorder (71.55% and that the disease is transmitted by eating a nonvegetarian diet (49%. Most of them thought that epilepsy can be cured (69.3 and that an epileptic patient needs lifelong treatment (77.2. On witnessing a seizure, about 51.5% of the students would take the person to the hospital. Majority (72.31% of the students thought that children with epilepsy should study in a special school. Conclusions: Although majority of the students had reasonable knowledge of epilepsy, myths and superstitions about the condition still prevail in a significant proportion of the urban school children. It may be worthwhile including awareness programs about epilepsy in school education to dispel misconceptions about epilepsy.

  10. Yes You Can...Help Your Teenager Succeed in School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamek, Sue; And Others

    Ways parents can help their teenagers succeed in school are offered by teachers in the Minnetonka (Minnesota) Public Schools. Sections of the parent guide concern: (1) encouragement--encouraging the student through generous praise, encouraging best efforts, communicating love, making education a family priority, avoiding pressuring the teen,…

  11. Teachers' Perceptions of School Nutrition Education's Influence on Eating Behaviours of Learners in the Bronkhorstspruit District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kupolati, Mojisola D.; Gericke, Gerda J.; MacIntyre, Una E.

    2015-01-01

    Qualitative investigation can provide invaluable information towards understanding the influence of school nutrition education (NE). The study explored teachers' perceptions of the immediate impact of NE on learners' eating behaviours. Twenty-four primary school teachers in the Bronkhorstspruit district, Gauteng, South Africa, who taught nutrition…

  12. Appendix N. Implementation of the RUPS System in a Total School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Charles; And Others

    The implementation in a school district of the Research Utilization and Problem Solving (RUPS) System is demonstrated. RUPS is an instructional system for an inservice program designed to provide the needed competencies for an entire staff to engage in systems analysis and systems synthesis procedures prior to assessing educational needs and…

  13. 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and do better in school. You can help boost your child's attention span, concentration, and memory by ... interested in his or her education. Keep in mind, though, that while some middle school students like ...

  14. "Hired Guns" and "Legitimate Voices": The Politics and Participants of Levy Campaigns in Five Ohio School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingle, William Kyle; Johnson, Paul Andrew; Petroff, Ruth Ann

    2012-01-01

    Background: In Ohio, levy campaigns are a burdensome task for district administrators and stakeholders alike. To date, there is little research on the districts' role in crafting school budget referenda campaigns. Purpose: This study asked three research questions: How did the macropolitical contexts shape stakeholders' decision making in terms of…

  15. Helping Nevada School Children Become Sun Smart

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2017-11-28

    This podcast features Christine Thompson, Community Programs Manager at the Nevada Cancer Coalition, and author of a recent study detailing a school-based program to help Nevada school children establish healthy sun safety habits and decrease UV exposure. Christine answers questions about her research and what impact her what impact the program had on children’s skin health.  Created: 11/28/2017 by Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 11/28/2017.

  16. A public school district's vending machine policy and changes over a 4-year period: implementation of a national wellness policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han-Markey, T L; Wang, L; Schlotterbeck, S; Jackson, E A; Gurm, R; Leidal, A; Eagle, K

    2012-04-01

    The school environment has been the focus of many health initiatives over the years as a means to address the childhood obesity crisis. The availability of low-nutrient, high-calorie foods and beverages to students via vending machines further exacerbates the issue of childhood obesity. However, a healthy overhaul of vending machines may also affect revenue on which schools have come to depend. This article describes the experience of one school district in changing the school environment, and the resulting impact on food and beverage vending machines. Observational study in Ann Arbor public schools. The contents and locations of vending machines were identified in 2003 and surveyed repeatedly in 2007. Overall revenues were also documented during this time period. Changes were observed in the contents of both food and beverage vending machines. Revenue in the form of commissions to the contracted companies and the school district decreased. Local and national wellness policy changes may have financial ramifications for school districts. In order to facilitate and sustain school environment change, all stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, students and healthcare providers, should collaborate and communicate on policy implementation, recognizing that change can have negative financial consequences as well as positive, healthier outcomes. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Conflict Management in Declining School Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, William Lowe; Wheaton, Dennis R.

    1983-01-01

    Professional literature about managing conflicts associated with declining enrollments indicates the existing tension in this area. A research study shows that, while upper-middle class districts may succeed using a rational approach to decision making, lower class districts, for various reasons, may not. Special problems of urban districts are…

  18. District Allocation of Human Resources Utilizing the Evidence Based Model: A Study of One High Achieving School District in Southern California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Amber Marie

    2013-01-01

    This study applies the Gap Analysis Framework to understand the gaps that exist in human resource allocation of one Southern California school district. Once identified, gaps are closed with the reallocation of human resources, according to the Evidenced Based Model, requiring the re-purposing of core classroom teachers, specialists, special…

  19. TIGER/Line Shapefile, 2014, Series Information for the Current Elementary School Districts State-based Shapefile

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce — School Districts are single-purpose administrative units within which local officials provide public educational services for the area's residents. The Census Bureau...

  20. TIGER/Line Shapefile, 2014, Series Information for the Current Unified School Districts State-based Shapefile

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce — School Districts are single-purpose administrative units within which local officials provide public educational services for the area's residents. The Census Bureau...

  1. Acceptable Use Policies in a Web 2.0 & Mobile Era: A Guide for School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Consortium for School Networking (NJ1), 2011

    2011-01-01

    Web 2.0 applications and mobile Internet devices have added new issues to the safety/access situation for schools. The purpose of this guide is to assist school districts in developing, rethinking, or revising Internet policies as a consequence of the emergence of Web 2.0, and the growing pervasiveness of smart phone use. The Consortium for School…

  2. How Should School Districts Shape Teacher Salary Schedules? Linking School Performance to Pay Structure in Traditional Compensation Schemes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grissom, Jason A.; Strunk, Katharine O.

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the relative distribution of salary schedule returns to experience for beginning and veteran teachers. We argue that districts are likely to benefit from structuring salary schedules with greater experience returns early in the teaching career. To test this hypothesis, we match salary data to school-level student performance…

  3. Environmental Assessment and FONSI for the Bison School District Heating Plant Project (Institutional Conservation Program [ICP]).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    This paper examines the environmental impacts of replacing the Bison, South Dakota School District's elementary and high school heating system consisting of oil-fired boilers, and supporting electrical components with a new coal-fired boiler and supporting control system piping. Various alternative systems are also examined, including purchasing a…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  6. Colleges of Education/Arts and Sciences and Local School Districts: Collaborative Efforts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Barbara J.; Jarchow, Elaine

    The New Mexico State University Teacher Intern Program provides for 20 beginning teachers to receive half the salary of a beginning teacher for one year and to complete a 32 credit Master's Degree program in two summers and one academic year. Ten master teachers from participating school districts assist the interns in becoming successful teachers…

  7. The Transition of Special Needs Students to Kayenta from Outlying Communities: Partnerships between Schools and Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimbecker, Connie; Bradley-Wilkinson, Evangeline; Begay, Mary Helen; Bradley, Brian; McCarty, Nellie; Nelson, Jacob; Gamble, Armanda; Medina, Catherine; Nelson, Bernita; Pettigrew, Bobbie; Sealander, Karen; Smith, Jody; Snyder, Maria; White, Sherri; Whitehair, Marsha; Redsteer, Denise; Prater, Greg

    A study examined the challenges faced by Kayenta Unified School District (KUSD) and outlying communities on the Navajo Reservation in their efforts to adequately provide educational opportunities for their transfer students with special needs. Interviews were conducted with six students from 4th grade through high school; seven parents; special…

  8. Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program Community School District 3. Final Evaluation Report, 1993-94. OER Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duque, Diana L.

    The Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program, an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its second year of operation, functioned at seven schools in a community school district of Manhattan (New York). The project served 195 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) whose native languages were Albanian,…

  9. Availability of human immunodeficiency virus prevention services in secondary schools in Kabarole District, Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jane Namuddu

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the level of availability of HIV prevention strategies in secondary schools in Kabarole district, Uganda in order to inform the design of interventions to strengthen HIV Prevention and psychosocial support. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in eight secondary schools in Kabarole district to establish available HIV prevention and psychosocial support services. Questionnaires were administered to 355 students 12-24 years old. In addition, 20 Key Informant interviews were held with education service providers. Quantitative data was analyzed using Epi-data and qualitative data were analyzed by thematic content analysis. Seven of the eight schools had at least one HIV prevention strategy. Two teachers in each of the five schools had been trained in HIV prevention. No school had a nurse trained in HIV prevention, care and support. Education service providers had limited knowledge of HIV prevention support and care of students living with HIV. We found out that students had knowledge on how one can acquire HIV. HIV prevention services reported by students in schools included: talks from teachers and guests (19%, drama with HIV prevention related messages (16%, peer education clubs (15%, workshops and seminars on HIV (8%, sensitization about HIV/AIDS (7%, guidance and counseling (6%, talking compounds- (5%, abstinence talks (6%, keeping students busy in sports (4%, straight talk (4%. Sixty three percent reported receiving HIV reading materials from various sources. Preventing HIV infection among students in schools is still demanding with limited interventions for students. Efforts to support school interventions should focus on including HIV Prevention in the school curriculum, working with peer educators as well as education service providers who spend much of the time with the students while at school.

  10. Strategic Plan for Sustainable Energy Management and Environmental Stewardship for Los Angeles Unified School District

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walker, A.; Beattie, D.; Thomas, K.; Davis, K.; Sim, M.; Jhaveri, A.

    2007-11-01

    This Strategic Plan for Sustainable Energy Management and Environmental Stewardship states goals, measures progress toward goals and how actions are monitored to achieve continuous improvement for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

  11. The Ohio Schools Pest Management Survey: A Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001

    In 2001, the Environmental Studies Senior Capstone Seminar class at Denison University helped the state of Ohio work to prevent harmful pesticide use in schools. In cooperation with Ohio State University's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools Program, Denison conducted a statewide survey of school districts to determine current pest…

  12. Re-Conceptualizing Extra Help for High School Students in a High Standards Era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balfanz, Robert; McPartland, James; Shaw, Alta

    The push for higher academic standards has resulted in an increase in the numbers of high school students needing extra help. The need for extra help is most pervasive in high-poverty areas and most high school students need extra help not in traditional basic elementary skills but in reading, mathematics, and advanced reasoning skills. Most…

  13. School-Based Health Promotion Initiative Increases Children's Physical Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cluss, Patricia; Lorigan, Devin; Kinsky, Suzanne; Nikolajski, Cara; McDermott, Anne; Bhat, Kiran B.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Childhood obesity increases health risk, and modest physical activity can impact that risk. Schools have an opportunity to help children become more active. Purpose: This study implemented a program offering extra school-day activity opportunities in a rural school district where 37% of students were obese or overweight in 2005 and…

  14. Challenges to Successful Total Quality Management Implementation in Public Secondary Schools: A Case Study of Kohat District, Pakistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suleman, Qaiser; Gul, Rizwana

    2015-01-01

    The current study explores the challenges faced by public secondary schools in successful implementation of total quality management (TQM) in Kohat District. A sample of 25 heads and 75 secondary school teachers selected from 25 public secondary schools through simple random sampling technique was used. Descriptive research designed was used and a…

  15. Getting down to Dollars and Cents: What Do School Districts Spend to Deliver Student-Centered Learning?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Lawrence J.; Gross, Betheny; Ouijdani, Monica

    2012-01-01

    In the era of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, school districts are under increasing pressure from policymakers to hold all students to high performance standards. In response, a growing number of schools are embracing the principles of student-centered learning (SCL). SCL is a contemporary approach that combines progressive and…

  16. Prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection and the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel among school children in Manna District, Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitiku Bajiro

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Intestinal schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical parasitic diseases caused by Schistosoma mansoni. Currently, the control measures for the disease are mainly based on mass drug administration (MDA with praziquantel (PZQ targeting the school-age children. In Ethiopia, the potential foci for schistosomiasis and therapeutic efficacy of PZQ among school-age children remain poorly explored. Therefore, we determined both the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infection and the therapeutic efficacy of PZQ among school children in the Manna District (new foci for S. mansoni, Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among the school children aged between 6 and 18 years in three primary schools in Manna district from March to April 2014. For diagnosis of S. mansoni, a single stool sample was obtained from each child and processed using single Kato Katz and examined under light microscopy. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information of the school children participated in the study. School children excreting eggs of S. mansoni were administered with 40 mg/kg of PZQ and re-examined after three weeks post-treatment. The therapeutic efficacy of PZQ against S. mansoni was evaluated by means of cure rate and egg reduction rate. Results The overall prevalence of S. mansoni among the school children in the three primary schools in Manna District was 24.0 %. Higher prevalence was recorded for males 25.6 % (61/238 than for females 22.5 % (59/262. Majority (27.5 % of infection intensity was light with mean faecal egg count (FEC of 202 eggs per gram (EPG. The therapeutic efficacy of PZQ at a dose of 40 mg/kg was highly efficient (cure rate of 99.1 % and egg reduction rate of 99.9 % among the school children in the three primary schools in Manna District. Conclusions The school children in the three primary schools of Manna District, Jimma Zone were at moderate risk of the

  17. Districts Embrace the Community to Benefit All Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  18. Diabetes Awareness of Low-Income Middle School Students Participating in the Help a Friend, Help Yourself Youth Diabetes Awareness Education Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wroten, Kathryn; Reames, Elizabeth S.; Tuuri, Georgianna

    2012-01-01

    The study reported here investigated the effectiveness of the LSU AgCenter Help a Friend, Help Yourself youth diabetes education curriculum to increase knowledge and awareness of diabetes and its symptoms in low-income middle school students participating in the Boys and Girls Club after-school program. The curriculum includes four lessons with…

  19. The Development and Validation of the Ethical Climate Index for Middle and High Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulte, Laura E.; Thompson, Franklin; Talbott, Jeanie; Luther, Ann; Garcia, Michelle; Blanchard, Shirley; Conway, Laraine; Mueller, Melanie

    2002-01-01

    Describes the School Ethical Climate Index (SECI), an instrument to measure the ethical climate of a school. The SECI could be used in school districts to assess areas for school improvement and thereby help reduce school disorder and violence. (Contains 4 tables and 39 references.) (Author/WFA)

  20. TIGER/Line Shapefile, 2014, Series Information File for the Current Secondary School Districts State-based Shapefile

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce — School Districts are single-purpose administrative units within which local officials provide public educational services for the area's residents. The Census Bureau...

  1. Defining the "Good Mother" and the "Professional Teacher": Parent-Teacher Relationships in an Affluent School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landeros, Mary

    2011-01-01

    This article examines the challenges of parent-teacher relationships in an affluent school district, drawing on 30 in-depth interviews of mothers and elementary school teachers in the USA. Professional women who have put their careers on hold to care for their children are apt to define being a good mother in terms of the academic achievement of…

  2. Stakeholder Experiences in District-University Administrator Preparation Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanzo, Karen L.; Wilson, Jacob McKinley, III

    2016-01-01

    Our qualitative study explores the lived experiences of district stakeholders in university-district leadership preparation programs. Collaborative partnerships between school districts and universities focused on developing quality school leader are a part of recent efforts to provide the field of public education with exemplary leadership. The…

  3. Return on Educational Investment: 2014. A District-by-District Evaluation of U.S. Educational Productivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boser, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, the Center of American Progress (CAP) released the first-ever attempt to evaluate the productivity of almost every major school district in the country. That project developed a set of relatively simple productivity metrics in order to measure the achievement that a school district produces relative to its spending, while controlling for…

  4. A Tale of Two Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Mark

    2012-01-01

    These days, everyone seems to be wringing their hands about how to construct new evaluation systems that will make teachers better. This unnecessary angst has led to crazy experiments in reform that have embraced churn for the sake of churn, put school districts at risk, and demoralized many of the most talented teachers. A few school districts,…

  5. Helping Foster Children in School: A Guide for Foster Parents, Social Workers and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeGarmo, John

    2015-01-01

    "Helping Foster Children in School" explores the challenges that foster children face in schools and offers positive and practical guidance tailored to help the parents, teachers and social workers supporting them. Children in care often perform poorly at school both in terms of their behavior and their academic performance, with many…

  6. District Finds the Right Equation to Improve Math Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    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%…

  7. National Best Practices Manual for Building High Performance Schools (Revised)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2007-10-01

    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.

  8. District Fiscal Policy and Student Achievement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gary G. Huang

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available School restructuring raises questions about the role of school districts in improving student learning. Centralization by state governments and decentralization to individual schools as proposed in systemic reform leave districts' role unsettled. Empirical research on the district role in the context of ongoing reform is inadequate. This analysis of combined data from the NAEP and the Common Core of Data (CCD was intended to address the issue. We analyzed 1990, 1992, and 1996 NAEP 8th grade mathematics national assessment data in combination with CCD data of corresponding years to examine the extent to which student achievement was related to districts' control over instructional expenditure, adjusting for relevant key factors at both district and student levels. Upon sample modification, we used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM to estimate the relationships of student achievement to two district fiscal policy indictors, current expenditure per pupil (CEPP and districts' discretionary rates for instructional expenditure (DDR. Net of relevant district factors, DDR was found unrelated to districts' average 8th grade math performance. The null effect was consistent in the analysis of the combined NAEP-CCD data for 1990, 1992, and 1996. In contrast, CEPP was found related to higher math performance in a modest yet fairly consistent way. Future research may be productive to separately study individual states and integrate the findings onto the national level.

  9. To Be Alone or in a Group: An Exploration into How the School-Based Experiences Differ for Black Male Teachers across One Urban School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bristol, Travis J.

    2018-01-01

    One urban district administered the Black Male Teacher Environment Survey (BMTES) to each of its Black male teachers to measure their school-based experiences. This article highlights descriptive statistics from the 86 Black male teacher respondents. Findings suggest that participants' background characteristics and school-based experiences varied…

  10. Prevalence of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke among Higher Secondary School Students in Ernakulam District, Kerala, Southern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakesh, P S; Lalu, Jishnu Satheesh; Leelamoni, K

    2017-01-01

    The association between secondhand smoke and health outcomes, such as frequent respiratory infections, ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, and stroke, has long been established. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of secondhand smoking exposure among higher secondary school students in Ernakulam district, Kerala, Southern India. A structured questionnaire was administered to all students from four randomly selected higher secondary schools in Ernakulam district. Descriptive statistics was done using frequencies and percentages. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done for factors associated with household exposure to tobacco smoke generating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 629 students participated in the study. The prevalence of ever smokers was 11.9% and of current smokers was 5.2%. Among the study participants, 23.2% were exposed to secondhand smoking from a family member and 18.8% from friends. Lower educational status of father was associated with the household exposure to secondhand smoke (adjusted OR 4.51 [95% CI 1.66-12.22]). More than half of the study participants (56.3%) reported that they were exposed to cigarette smoke in past 1 week in a public place and 10.2% in closed public places. Nearly one-third of the students reported that they have seen somebody smoking inside school campus in the past 30 days. Exposure to secondhand smoke at home, schools, and public places was higher among the late adolescent higher secondary school students in Ernakulam district. The findings underscore the urgent need for increased efforts to implement the strategies to reduce secondhand smoke exposure among adolescents.

  11. AEL Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire. User Manual and Technical Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, Merrill L.; Cowley, Kimberly S.; Craig, James R.; Balow, Nancy; Childers, Robert D.

    The Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire (CSIQ) developed by the AEL helps a school staff gauge its performance on six dimensions related to continuous school improvement. Each member of the staff responds to the CSIQ individually. Although results might be used at the district or regional level, the most widely intended unit for applying…

  12. Comprehensive District Reform: Philadelphia's Grand Experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Useem, Elizabeth; Balfanz, Robert

    2002-01-01

    This report describes "Philadelphia's Grand Experiment" in comprehensive school district reform, from its conception through its initial months of implementation. In 2001, as part of the remedy for low student performance, the governor ordered the state to take over governance of the Philadelphia School District, with a substantial…

  13. Salaryfax for Nine Districts 1972-73.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albuquerque Public Schools, NM.

    This study compares salaries as well as benefits of school district personnel in the nine metropolitan school districts that include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; El Paso, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Wichita, Kansas; and Mobile, Alabama. The tables aggregate all the elements in the total compensation…

  14. Views of teenagers on termination of pregnancy at Muyexe high school in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramakuela, Nditsheni J; Lebese, Tsakani R; Maputle, Sonto M; Mulaudzi, Lindiwe

    2016-05-31

    Teenage pregnancy is a global social health concern especially because of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, sexually transmitted infections, high rate of termination of pregnancy (TOP), adolescents' parenthood and decreased level of contraceptives. To explore the views of teenagers on the TOP at Muyexe high school in a rural village of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. Muyexe high school in a rural village of Mopani District, Limpopo Province, in South Africa. A qualitative method using explorative and descriptive designs was used to find in-depth description and understanding of teenagers' views on TOP. The target population was girls aged 15-19 years at Muyexe high school in Mopani District. Non-probability, convenient sampling was used to select high school teenage girls who had undergone TOP for the study. Data were collected using individual self-report technique (interview). Tesch's eight steps of qualitative data analysis were used. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical considerations were observed. Two major themes were revealed: (1) Views of teenagers regarding TOP (poverty, relationship problems and single parenthood, negative impact on the teen's life while attending school) and (2) teenager's fears regarding pregnancy (stigma, fear of parents and friends, rape and incest and fear of giving birth). Majority of participants had knowledge about TOP; some had experiences about TOP while others held inadequate knowledge. Recommendations were based on the findings by teaching dangers of TOP and various contraceptive methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies and TOP.

  15. Unintended costs and consequences of school closures implemented in preparation for Hurricane Isaac in Harrison County School District, Mississippi, August-September 2012.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yenlik Zheteyeva

    Full Text Available School closures, while an effective measure against the spread of disease during a pandemic, may carry unintended social and economic consequences for students and families. We evaluated these costs and consequences following a 4-day school closure in Mississippi's Harrison County School District (HCSD.In a survey of all households with students enrolled in HCSD, we collected information on difficulties related to the school closure, including interruption of employment and pay, loss of access to subsidized school meals, and arrangement of alternative childcare. We analyzed this information in the context of certain demographic characteristics of the survey respondents and households, such as race, level of education, and income. We also estimated the average number of lost work days and documented the childcare alternatives chosen by households affected by the school closure.We received 2,229 (28.4% completed surveys from an estimated 7,851 households eligible to participate. About half (1,082 [48.5%] of the households experienced at least some difficulty during the closure, primarily in three areas: uncertainty about duration of the closure, lost income, and the effort of arranging alternate childcare. Adults working outside the home, particularly the major wage earner in the household, were more likely to suffer lost income while schools were closed, an effect mitigated by paid leave benefits. Difficulty arranging childcare was reported most frequently by respondents with lower levels of education and households with younger children. Beyond the top three concerns expressed by households in HCSD, the survey also shed light on the issue of food insecurity when subsidized school meals are not available. Reported by 17.9% of households participating in the subsidized school lunch program, difficulty providing meals during the closure was associated with higher numbers of dependent children, selection of "other" as the race of the household

  16. An Environmental Scan Tool to Assess District and School Readiness to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Todd A.; Springborg, Heidi; Lagerstrom, Leslie

    2017-01-01

    It is important that districts and schools do everything they can to create and maintain school climates and environments that are sensitive and responsive to the various educational, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of transgender and gender diverse students, regardless of the actual presence of a student who identifies as something other…

  17. Professional Learning Community Process in the United States: Conceptualization of the Process and District Support for Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olivier, Dianne F.; Huffman, Jane B.

    2016-01-01

    As the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process becomes embedded within schools, the level of district support has a direct impact on whether schools have the ability to re-culture and sustain highly effective collaborative practices. The purpose of this article is to share a professional learning community conceptual framework from the US,…

  18. Social Goals and Willingness to Seek Help for School Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yablon, Yaacov B.

    2012-01-01

    The relation between students' social goals and their willingness to seek help for school violence was examined. Four hundred and sixty-two students from sixth, eighth, and tenth grades responded to vignettes used to assess willingness to seek help from teachers and friends for dealing with relational and physical violence. Intimacy goals enhanced…

  19. Help provided by school counsellor to teachers and students in behaviour management at secondary school

    OpenAIRE

    Atıcı, Meral; Çekici, Ferah

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of teachers, school counsellors, and students on counsellor help for dealing with misbehaviour at school. Qualitative data were collected from counsellors, teachers and students using interviews to address the research questions. Five counsellors, 20 teachers and 35 students in five high schools with a low socioeconomic level in Adana, Turkey, participated in the study. Data were analysed by using a content analysis technique. Results sho...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doyle, Richard; And Others

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

  2. The TEAMS Report, 1987. The Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills in the Austin Independent School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangino, Evangelina

    The Texas Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) is a mandated criterion-referenced test administered to students in grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 in Texas public schools. This report by the Austin Independent School District (AISD) contains an executive summary of TEAMS results, an analysis of performance, and attachments. Among the major findings…

  3. Federal Contributions to High-Income School Districts: The Use of Tax Deductions for Funding K-12 Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loeb, Susannna; Socias, Miguel

    2004-01-01

    The federal role in education finance is commonly seen as compensatory. The federal government gives large sums of money to low-income schools and school districts through programs such as Title 1. Yet, this view of federal aid is based solely on direct educational expenditures. The federal government and state governments also support schools…

  4. Gender Gap in Mathematics and Physics in Chinese Middle Schools: A Case Study of A Beijing's District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Manli; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Yihan

    2017-01-01

    This study examines the gender gaps in mathematics and physics in Chinese middle schools. The data is from the Education Bureau management database which includes all middle school students who took high school entrance exam in a district of Beijing from 2006-2013. The ordinary least square model and quantile regression model are applied. This…

  5. Series Information File for the 2015 TIGER/Line Shapefile, Current Secondary School Districts Shapefile State-based Shapefile

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce — School Districts are single-purpose administrative units within which local officials provide public educational services for the area's residents. The Census Bureau...

  6. How to implement the Science Fair Self-Help Development Program in schools

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menicucci, D.

    1994-01-01

    This manual is intended to act as a working guide for setting up a Science Fair Volunteer Support Committee at your school. The Science Fair Volunteer Support Committee, or SFVSC, is the key component of the Science Fair Self-Help program, which was developed by Sandia National Laboratories and is designed to support a school`s science activities. The SFVSC is a team of parents and community volunteers who work in concert with a school`s teaching staff to assist and manage all areas of a school Science and Engineering Fair. The main advantage of creating such a committee is that it frees the science teachers from the organizational aspects of the fair and lets them concentrate on their job of teaching science. This manual is based on information gained through a Self-Help Development pilot program that was developed by Sandia National Laboratories during the 1991--92 school year at three Albuquerque, NM, middle schools. The manual describes the techniques that were successful in the pilot program and discusses how these techniques might be implemented in other schools. This manual also discusses problems that may be encountered, including suggestions for how they might be resolved.

  7. Prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke among higher secondary school students in Ernakulam District, Kerala, Southern India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P S Rakesh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The association between secondhand smoke and health outcomes, such as frequent respiratory infections, ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, and stroke, has long been established. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of secondhand smoking exposure among higher secondary school students in Ernakulam district, Kerala, Southern India. Materials and Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to all students from four randomly selected higher secondary schools in Ernakulam district. Descriptive statistics was done using frequencies and percentages. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done for factors associated with household exposure to tobacco smoke generating odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs. Results: A total of 629 students participated in the study. The prevalence of ever smokers was 11.9% and of current smokers was 5.2%. Among the study participants, 23.2% were exposed to secondhand smoking from a family member and 18.8% from friends. Lower educational status of father was associated with the household exposure to secondhand smoke (adjusted OR 4.51 [95% CI 1.66–12.22]. More than half of the study participants (56.3% reported that they were exposed to cigarette smoke in past 1 week in a public place and 10.2% in closed public places. Nearly one-third of the students reported that they have seen somebody smoking inside school campus in the past 30 days. Conclusion: Exposure to secondhand smoke at home, schools, and public places was higher among the late adolescent higher secondary school students in Ernakulam district. The findings underscore the urgent need for increased efforts to implement the strategies to reduce secondhand smoke exposure among adolescents.

  8. Enterobiasis in primary schools in Bang Khun Thian District, Bangkok, Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Changsap, B; Nithikathkul, C; Boontan, P; Wannapinyosheep, S; Vongvanich, N; Poister, C

    2002-01-01

    A study of enterobiasis and its correlation with various factors that could potentially influence the rate of infection was conducted among 3,621 primary school children (five to ten years old), drawn from sixteen schools in Bang Khun Thian District, Bangkok. Diagnosis was by the transparent tape swab technique, which was used to recover Enterobius vermicularis eggs from the perianal region. The transparent tape swabs were then placed on slides for examination by light microscopy. The average rate of infection for the group was 21.57%. No statistically significant differences were found between the male and female children. The younger children had a higher rate of infection. Subjects from schools located in industrial and metropolitan areas showed slightly higher rates of infection than those from agricultural areas. Data from the questionnaires in the study indicated that factors such as parental socio-economic status (occupational, income and education) and the children's personal hygiene contributed to the varying rates of infection.

  9. Attitudes of Stakeholders towards Physical Punishment on Pupils of International and National Schools in Kampala District, Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulinga, Damien Mbikyo

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes an applied research study conducted to find solutions for the problem of the use of physical punishment in schools in the Kampala District of Uganda. In this study stakeholders were requested to state their actions and feelings towards the use of physical punishment in schools. The objective of the study was to investigate…

  10. The Effects of the Great Recession on Educational Attainment: Evidence from a Large Urban High School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mordechay, Kfir

    2017-01-01

    Economic crises are a recurrent phenomenon in American society, yet there is little knowledge of the impacts on educational opportunity. Using data from a large high school district as a case study, this research explores the impact of the Great Recession (2007-2009) on high school senior graduation rates in an area at the epicenter of the…

  11. Emergency epinephrine use for food allergy reactions in Chicago Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeSantiago-Cardenas, Lilliana; Rivkina, Victoria; Whyte, Stephanie A; Harvey-Gintoft, Blair C; Bunning, Bryan J; Gupta, Ruchi S

    2015-02-01

    Given the increase in childhood food allergy, national and local policies have been developed to encourage schools to stock undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors in case of an anaphylactic emergency. To describe the use of epinephrine auto-injectors in Chicago Public Schools during the 2012-2013 school year, specifically for food-induced allergic reactions. District-issued epinephrine auto-injectors were distributed to all public and charter schools in Chicago prior to the start of the 2012-2013 school year. Data on their use were collected, and frequencies were computed in the autumn of 2013. Thirty-eight district-issued epinephrine auto-injectors were administered during the inaugural year of the Chicago Public Schools initiative. Epinephrine auto-injectors were administered to students (92.1%) and school staff (7.9%). Most district-issued epinephrine auto-injectors were administered in elementary schools (63.2%) and on Chicago's North-Northwest Side (36.8%). More than half (55.0%) of all district-issued epinephrine auto-injectors were administered for first-time anaphylactic events. Food-induced reactions accounted for more than half (55.3%) of all reactions requiring epinephrine auto-injector use, whereas the trigger of more than one third (34.2%) of all reactions requiring the use of an epinephrine auto-injector remained unknown. Chicago Public Schools is the first large, urban school district in the U.S. to develop and implement the District-Issued Emergency Epinephrine Initiative, which helped 38 students and staff avoid potential morbidity and mortality. The impact of this initiative during its first year underscores the need for stocking undesignated epinephrine in schools across the country. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

  12. Students' perception of school environment and life satisfaction at Sinhala-medium secondary schools in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nonaka, Daisuke; Gunawardena, Nalika S; Indrawansa, Susantha; Nanri, Akiko; Rajapakse, Lalini; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Samarasinghe, Diyanath

    2012-11-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the associations between students' perception of physical and psychosocial school environment and satisfaction with life among secondary school students in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Data were collected from 20 Sinhala-medium secondary schools between January and February in 2010. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with students in grade seven (n = 342) and grade ten (n = 446). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for confounding variables, was used to assess the associations between students'satisfaction with life measured by Cantril ladders, and scores of perceived physical and psychosocial school environment that focused on school cleanliness and attractiveness, relations with teachers and peers, satisfaction with school and bullying. Students in the highest quartile of school environment score were significantly more likely to have high life satisfaction, compared to those in the lowest quartile (adjusted odds ratio 2.32; 95% confidence interval 1.35-3.99). Odds ratio of high life satisfaction increased with increasing school environment scores (p for trendenvironment were significantly more likely to have high life satisfaction. Positive changes in the focused areas of school environment have the potential to lead to improved life satisfaction of students.

  13. District Consolidation: Rivals Coming Together

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mart, Dan

    2011-01-01

    District consolidation is a highly emotional process. One key to success is sticking to the facts. In Iowa, school districts facing financial difficulties or enrollment concerns do not have to move directly to consolidation. In many cases, districts begin by developing sharing agreements. These sharing agreements may start with simple sharing of…

  14. Views of teenagers on termination of pregnancy at Muyexe high school in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nditsheni J. Ramakuela

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Teenage pregnancy is a global social health concern especially because of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, sexually transmitted infections, high rate of termination of pregnancy (TOP, adolescents’ parenthood and decreased level of contraceptives. Aim: To explore the views of teenagers on the TOP at Muyexe high school in a rural village of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. Setting: Muyexe high school in a rural village of Mopani District, Limpopo Province, in South Africa. Methodology: A qualitative method using explorative and descriptive designs was used to find in-depth description and understanding of teenagers’ views on TOP. The target population was girls aged 15–19 years at Muyexe high school in Mopani District. Non-probability, convenient sampling was used to select high school teenage girls who had undergone TOP for the study. Data were collected using individual self-report technique (interview. Tesch’s eight steps of qualitative data analysis were used. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical considerations were observed. Results: Two major themes were revealed: (1 Views of teenagers regarding TOP (poverty, relationship problems and single parenthood, negative impact on the teen’s life while attending school and (2 teenager’s fears regarding pregnancy (stigma, fear of parents and friends, rape and incest and fear of giving birth. Conclusion: Majority of participants had knowledge about TOP; some had experiences about TOP while others held inadequate knowledge. Recommendations were based on the findings by teaching dangers of TOP and various contraceptive methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies and TOP. Keywords: Views, teenagers and termination of pregnancy

  15. "Forest Grove School District v. T.A.": The Supreme Court and Unilateral Private Placements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yell, Mitchell L.; Katsiyannis, Antonis; Collins, Terri S.

    2010-01-01

    On June 22, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case "Forest Grove School District v. T.A." (hereafter "Forest Grove"). In "Forest Grove," the High Court answered the question of whether the parents of students with disabilities are entitled to reimbursement for the costs associated with placing…

  16. Influence of Leadership Styles on Teachers' Job Satisfaction: A Case of Selected Primary Schools in Songea and Morogoro Districts, Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machumu, Haruni J.; Kaitila, Mafwimbo M.

    2014-01-01

    This study reports on the kind of school leadership style that best suits for promoting teachers' job satisfaction in primary schools in Tanzania. The study employed cross sectional research design with samples of 200 teachers from 20 selected primary schools in Songea and Morogoro districts. Interviews, documentary analysis and questionnaires…

  17. Series Overview. Sustaining School Turnaround at Scale. Brief 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Education Resource Strategies, 2012

    2012-01-01

    Members of the non-profit organization Education Resource Strategies (ERS) have worked for over a decade with leaders of urban school systems to help them organize talent, time and technology to support great schools at scale. One year into the Federal program they are noticing significant differences in district turnaround approaches, engagement…

  18. Prevalence of gingival diseases, malocclusion and fluorosis in school-going children of rural areas in Udaipur district

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhar V

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available High prevalence of dental diseases has been recorded in Rajasthan, however, not much work has been done to ascertain the prevalence of dental diseases in Udaipur district. This study was conducted among 1,587 government school children of Udaipur district in the age group of 5-14 years for recording the prevalence of gingival diseases, fluorosis and malocclusion. Gingivitis was found in 84.37% of children, malocclusion in 36.42% and fluorosis in 36.36%.

  19. How can I help the student who is returning to school after a brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patrick, Kathleen

    2011-01-01

    The school nurse plays an important role in helping students with a brain injury be successful in school by advocating for the student in the classroom, providing case management and helping families access appropriate resources.

  20. A project for recovering mercury from fluorescent tubes from schools in the Grand Erie District School Board

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-10-15

    Mercury is a persistent, toxic substance that poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. Mercury compounds can be carried hundreds of kilometers once airborne and inhaling mercury vapours or ingesting mercury can cause serious injury or death. In Canada, mercury is regularly found in thousands of products such as fluorescent lamps, thermostats, fever thermometers and button batteries, as well as a variety of industrial applications. This report discussed a project that was undertaken by the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) that targeted schools, within the Grand Erie District School Board (GEDSB), to pilot a program over a period of 3 months to track, collect and recycle sufficient number of fluorescent tubes. The purpose was to successfully divert 2200 mgs of mercury that may otherwise be destined for landfill. The primary objective of the pilot project was to establish an operating system to collect and recycle fluorescent tube lighting and develop recycling guidelines for the GEDSB that would be transferable to other school districts. The report discussed why fluorescent lamp recycling was needed and outlined the project partners. One recycling partner's recycling process, Fluorescent Lamp Recyclers (FLR) was described. The report also discussed regulations affecting the handling and disposal of fluorescent lamps in Ontario. GEDSB's, RCO's and FLR's responsibilities in the project were outlined. The methodology and florescent lamp collection process were described. The report also presented the collection schedule and results. It was concluded that with very little effort, significant amounts of fluorescent lamps could be diverted, preventing mercury from entering landfills. refs., tabs., figs., appendices.

  1. Districts Speak with One Voice: Clarity and Coherence Come from Professional Learning Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Many, Tom; King, Dennis

    2008-01-01

    How do some school districts not only attain excellence but sustain it over time in the face of remarkable challenges? Two districts--Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas, and Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois--have managed to do just that by functioning as professional…

  2. Learning for Life: How One School District Created a Resurgence in the Love of Teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Peter; Robertson, Brad

    2000-01-01

    Interest by a few principals in brain-based learning led to several workshops on best educational practices and the application of neuroscience to teaching methods. Consequently, their entire Ontario school district became energized to learn about new teaching strategies. Presents nine tips, based on the principals' experiences, for facilitating…

  3. A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study of the Merger That Formed Twin Rivers Unified School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crowe, Christopher Hugh

    2013-01-01

    The history of public education in America is a history of school district mergers. Population growth and improvements in transportation and communication brought isolated communities together. Financial pressures and promises of economies of scale overcame reluctance to merger. In more recent times, federal and state legislation has provided…

  4. Technology Integration in Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Classrooms in a Florida School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittman, Tiffani; Gaines, Trudi

    2015-01-01

    Third, fourth and fifth grade teachers have the potential to shape the way their students will begin to view and use technology. This study investigated the nature of technology usage among third, fourth and fifth grade teachers in a Florida school district as well as the relationship between the level of technology usage factors such as available…

  5. Building, Maintaining, and Ending Relationships: An Urban School District and a Technical Assistance Team. Documentation and Technical Assistance in Urban Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, Manford L.

    This paper describes the nature of the relationships developed between the technical assistance team of the Documentation and Technical Assistance (DTA) Project and members of a Chicago (Illinois) school district staff with whom the DTA worked. First, the methodology with which the technical assistance work was studied is described, as is the…

  6. The Role of District Office Leaders in the Adoption and Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Elementary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Francesca T.; Lawson, Hal A.; Wilcox, Kristen Campbell; Schiller, Kathryn S.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This multiple case study investigated district leaders' orientations and strategies as their elementary schools proceeded with state-mandated implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). We identified differences between schools achieving above-predicted outcomes on state CCSS assessments ("odds-beaters") and…

  7. Rural Navajo Students in Kayenta Unified School District's Special Education Programs: The Effects of Home Location and Language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimbecker, Connie; Bradley-Wilkinson, Evangeline; Nelson, Bernita; Smith, Jody; Whitehair, Marsha; Begay, Mary H.; Bradley, Brian; Gamble, Armanda; McCarty, Nellie; Medina, Catherine; Nelson, Jacob; Pettigrew, Bobbie; Sealander, Karen; Snyder, Maria; White, Sherri; Redsteer, Denise; Prater, Greg

    In Kayenta Unified School District (KUSD) on the Navajo Reservation, 92 percent of students come from homes where Navajo is the primary language, but many students entering school are not fluent in either English or Navajo. A survey of 23 educators examined the effects of language and culture on the likelihood that a student would be placed in…

  8. Geographic disparities in state and district policies targeting youth obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2011-10-01

    States and school districts nationwide have enacted policies targeting youth obesity, but many policies lack specific requirements or enforcement language. Geographic disparities in youth obesity could worsen if policies are weaker in areas with higher obesity prevalence. To determine if state or district policy strength varies with youth obesity prevalence across Census divisions. Policies in five domains related to nutrition and physical activity in schools were obtained from all states and nationally representative samples of 578 and 592 public school districts in the 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 school years, respectively. Policy language strength was rated on a 0-100 scale on both the state and district level. Regression models were used to determine if mean 2006-2007 strength scores, and changes in mean scores from 2006-2007 to 2008-2009, were associated with youth obesity prevalence across Census divisions. Analyses were conducted in 2010. State and district policies governing foods sold outside of school meal programs ("competitive foods") were stronger in 2006-2007 in the two divisions with the highest youth obesity prevalence (East South Central, West South Central). Furthermore, mean competitive food policy strength increased the most from 2006-2007 to 2008-2009 in these divisions. The West South Central had the weakest district physical education policies in 2006-2007, however, and was the only division in which average strength of district school meal policies decreased. State and districts in Census divisions with the highest youth obesity prevalence are taking steps to restrict competitive foods in schools, but many have not targeted other policy domains as aggressively. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Assessing the State of Servant Leadership, Teacher Morale, and Student Academic Performance Outcomes in a Florida Elementary School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    EL-Amin, Abdul

    2013-01-01

    This descriptive research study was conducted to determine the state of perceived teacher morale and student academic performance as measured by fourth-grade reading and math scores among four elementary schools defined by the servant leadership score of each principal in this Florida elementary school district. While related research from other…

  10. Women of Color School Leaders: Leadership Schools Should Not Ignore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haar, Jean M.; Robicheau, Jerry W.

    2009-01-01

    School districts are faced with challenges resulting from the changing demographics of the student population. Consequently, school districts are creating positive, multicultural learning environments. School districts intent on establishing multicultural learning environments should consider the contributions people of color, specifically women…

  11. Case Study - Propane School Bus Fleets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laughlin, M; Burnham, A.

    2014-08-31

    As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) effort to deploy transportation technologies that reduce U.S. dependence on imported petroleum, this study examines five school districts, one in Virginia and four in Texas, successful use of propane school buses. These school districts used school buses equipped with the newly developed liquid propane injection system that improves vehicle performance. Some of the school districts in this study saved nearly 50% on a cost per mile basis for fuel and maintenance relative to diesel. Using Argonne National Laboratory’s Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) Tool developed for the DOE’s Clean Cities program to help Clean Cities stakeholders estimate petroleum use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollutant emissions and cost of ownership of light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, the results showed payback period ranges from 3—8 years, recouping the incremental cost of the vehicles and infrastructure. Overall, fuel economy for these propane vehicles is close to that of displaced diesel vehicles, on an energy-equivalent basis. In addition, the 110 propane buses examined demonstrated petroleum displacement, 212,000 diesel gallon equivalents per year, and GHG benefits of 770 tons per year.

  12. America's Most Financially Disadvantaged School Districts and How They Got That Way: How State and Local Governance Causes School Funding Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Bruce D.

    2014-01-01

    This report explores some of the most financially disadvantaged school districts in the country and identifies a typology of conditions that have created or reinforced their disadvantage. This report looks at why this happens--and what can be done about it. First, this report lays out a typology of conditions that lead to severe fiscal…

  13. Tourette's syndrome in a special education population: a pilot study involving a single school district.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurlan, R; Whitmore, D; Irvine, C; McDermott, M P; Como, P G

    1994-04-01

    To determine whether children requiring special education represent a high-risk group for identifying Tourette's syndrome (TS), we performed direct examinations for the presence of tics in 35 special education and 35 regular classroom students from a single school district. Of the special education students, nine (26%) had definite or probable tics as compared with only two (6%) of the regular classroom students. About one-third of the students with tics currently meet diagnostic criteria for TS and probably more will do so in the future. About one-half of the subjects with tics have evidence of obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCB) or an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For three randomly selected students with definite tics, direct examinations of first-degree relatives revealed the presence of tics in all families. Subjects to the limitations of this pilot study, we conclude that TS and related tic disorders are commonly associated with the need for special education in this single school district. TS might also be an important contributor to school problems in the childhood population at large and may be a highly prevalent condition. In addition, we conclude that childhood tics are associated with OCB and ADHD, are genetically determined, and are part of the TS clinical spectrum.

  14. District Governance and Student Learning in Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    Pradhan, Menno; de Ree, Joppe

    2014-01-01

    We document the likely importance of district governance and teacher management policies in relation to student learning in Indonesian primary schools. As the responsibility to deliver primary education has been decentralized to district governments, we expect district specific variations in teacher management policies. Consequently, we also expect variations in learning trajectories across districts. We document substantial heterogeneity in learning gains across districts. Furthermore, we sh...

  15. Metacognitive Ability Relationship with Test Result of Senior High School of Biology Teacher Competence in Sijunjung District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardi, A.; Fadilah, M.; Ichsani, W.

    2018-04-01

    This research aimed to reveal how the relationship between metacognitive ability and the test result of biology teacher competence in Sijunjung District. The population of this descriptive research were all high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District, and sample is all teachers who are members of the population, which is 23 biology teachers. The instrument used in this research are a questionnaire of research on teacher's metacognitive ability and document about teacher competence test result. The questionnaire was validated first by two lecturers of biology and one lecturer of English. Data analysis using Pearson Product Moment's. Based on the results of research and discussion that have been described, it can generally be concluded that there is a low relationship between metacognitive ability with competence test results of high school biology teachers in Sijunjung District. Partially, the relationship of metacognitive ability with the test result of professional competence of biology teacher showed significant result, with correlation coefficient 0,46 and t table 1,72 while titung 2,37. The contribution of metacognitive ability to the competence test result of the teacher is 21.6%, while the other 78.4% have not been revealed in this research.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belle, Kara; Utebay, Kudret; McArthur, Ashley

    2012-01-01

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

  17. Perceived Implementation Barriers of a One-to-One Computing Initiative in a Large Urban School District: A Qualitative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Brandon; Martin, Florence

    2016-01-01

    One-to-One Computing initiatives are K-12 Educational environments where student and teacher have Internet-connected, wireless computing devices in the classroom and optimally at home as well (Penuel, 2006). One-to-one computing has gained popularity in several schools and school districts across the world. However, there is limited research…

  18. No Child Left Behind and Administrative Costs: A Resource Dependence Study of Local School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neely, Stephen R.

    2015-01-01

    This study considers the impact of federal funding on the administrative expenditures of local school districts since the passage of the No-Child-Left-Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. Under NCLB, federal education funds were made contingent upon a variety of accountability and reporting standards, creating new administrative costs and challenges for…

  19. Residential Property Composition of School Districts: Its Effect on Tax Rate and Per Pupil Revenue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundeen, Virginia; And Others

    This study related tax rate and per pupil revenue to residential assessed valuation, percent residential of total assessed valuation, and selected socioeconomic independent variables for school districts in Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties in Illinois. Findings suggest that for homeowners and the students of these counties in 1976,…

  20. Districts Adjust to Growth in Older Population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparks, Sarah D.

    2012-01-01

    The 1,000-student Allegheny Valley district in Pennsylvania boasts generations of alumni and a community so involved with the schools that high school graduation becomes an open celebration in downtown Springdale Borough. Yet the district hasn't asked for a tax increase in three years, and it is pushing out a message to older residents about…

  1. Assessing drivers and barriers of energy-saving measures in Oklahoma’s public schools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castleberry, Becca; Gliedt, Travis; Greene, J. Scott

    2016-01-01

    Implementing energy conservation initiatives within public schools, including both behavioral changes as well as building retrofits, can generate cost saving and educational benefits. However, the level of energy efficiency improvements that can be achieved may depend on the socio-economic characteristics of the school or the underlying district. The purpose of this research is to identify and examine the factors that have a role in influencing the adoption of energy-saving practices and/or building retrofits within Oklahoma’s public schools. In order to investigate these factors, a survey was administered to public school administrators across the state. The results illustrate different factors that drive schools to make decisions associated with energy conservation and retrofitting efforts. A comparative analysis between different types of schools (e.g., rural vs. urban, low- vs. high-income) was also conducted to discover the combination of characteristics that are associated with energy-saving measures. The findings could help school administrators and teachers understand how they might adopt new behaviors or technologies. - Highlights: • Energy performance improvements depend on characteristics of a school district. • Districts with environmental science classes more likely to take energy measures. • Cost savings motivated energy measures in high-income/large-population districts. • A cluster analysis revealed geographic patterns of energy saving measures.

  2. A Study on Nutritional Status of Rural School going Children in Kavre District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansur, D I; Haque, M K; Sharma, K; Mehta, D K; Shakya, R

    2015-01-01

    Background Childhood is a time of active growth in terms of physical size, mental, emotional and psychological development. Normal growth is dependent on adequate nutrition and encompasses major transformations from birth to adulthood. Nutrition is a focal point for health and well being; and has special significance in countries with disadvantages in socioeconomic and hygienic standards. Objective The objective of the present study was to assess the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness among rural school going children. Method The present study was cross-sectional study, conducted on 438 rural school going children (169 male and 259 female) with the age group 4-16 years, during the period from April 2014 to July 2014. Age was recorded in year; height and weight were measured in centimeter and kilogram respectively. BMI was calculated by using standard equation. Result The present study concluded that the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness were found to be 30.85%, 24.54% and 10.05% respectively among rural school going children of Kavre district. It was revealed that 37.87% was underweight, 29.59% was stunted and 11.25% was thinness among male children whereas in female children, 26.27% was underweight, 21.24% was stunted and 9.27% was thinness. Hence, high prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness were observed in male than in female children. Conclusion The present study has successfully documented the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness among the rural school going children of Kavre district. The results of the present study will be useful for policy makers in their endeavor to formulate various developmental and health care programs.

  3. Oral cleanliness of 12-13-year-old and 15-year-old school children of Sunsari District, Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yee R

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate the oral cleanliness of school children in the District of Sunsari, Nepal. A multi-stage random sampling oral epidemiological survey was conducted in private and government, urban, rural town and rural village schools in 15 illakas of Sunsari District, Eastern Nepal. A total of 600, 12-13-year-old and 600 15-year-old school children were examined by trained examiners using the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S. The average age-group, debris and calculus index scores were combined to obtain the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S. The mean OHI-S scores were compared and evaluated using the parametric t-test for two independent samples. The mean OHI-S for urban 12-13-year-old school children was 0.98 compared to 1.34 for school children of rural towns and 1.44 for school children of rural villages and these differences in mean OHI-S were statistically significant ( P < 0.005. In the 15-year-old age group, urban school children had a mean OHI-S score of 1.00 compared to 1.37 for rural towns and 1.43 for rural villages. The variance in the mean OHI-S scores were statistically significant ( P < 0.005. The overall level of cleanliness in the school children surveyed was good. Children of urban schools had the lowest scores followed by school children from rural towns and then rural villages. When the mean OHI-S scores were compared with the DMFT scores, there was an inverse relationship between oral cleanliness and dental caries. Frequency of sugar consumption and the availability and affordability of fluoridated toothpaste may be important factors in the development of dental caries than oral cleanliness.

  4. Reading a District Budget: Reporter Guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeil, Michele

    2013-01-01

    Every school budget tells a story--about a district's spending plan, its priorities, goals, and financial health. The challenge is to wade through the jargon and numbers to unlock that story. Although budgets can vary significantly from district to district, and state to state, this primer seeks to introduce reporters to the fundamental components…

  5. A Manual for the Anchorage School District Bilingual Education Program Revised Scope and Sequence, K-3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrich, Maria Nieves Bumanlag Lilagan

    The manual offers a systematic set of procedures and relevant information to facilitate effective use of the Anchorage school district (ASD) bilingual education program (BEP). The historical background of the program's development is presented, available manuals for teaching English to limited English proficiency (LEP) students and related…

  6. The Impact of Debt Limitations and Referenda Requirements on the Cost of School District Bond Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Mary H.; Munley, Vincent G.

    2011-01-01

    One distinction between the markets for corporate and municipal bonds involves institutional constraints that apply to some municipal bond issues. This research focuses on how public finance institutions, in particular explicit debt limits and referenda requirements, affect the borrowing cost of individual school district bond issues. The…

  7. Prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in Johor Bahru District school children--comparing three geographical areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheah, Y C; Kadir, A B; Jeyarajah, S

    1997-06-01

    This is a cross sectional community study in Johor Bahru District. The aim of this study is to estimate the overall prevalence of emotional and behavioural deviance among the school children in three different geographical areas, and to identify their correlates. This paper presents the findings of phase one of a two-stage procedure involving a total of 589 children aged 10-12 years. Using the cut-off point validated locally, the prevalence of deviance on the parental scale was 40% in the rural school, 30.2% in the agricultural resettlement (Felda) school and 32.3% in the urban school. On the teachers' assessment, the prevalence of deviance was 40.8% in the rural school, 10.8% in the Felda School and 8.9% in the urban school. There was significantly higher prevalence of deviance in the rural school on the teachers' scale. In the rural school, significantly higher prevalence of deviance was found among boys.

  8. A Longitudinal Study of School Districts' Sustained Improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, Pauline M.

    2011-01-01

    In this longitudinal study of one region in the state of Texas, there was an examination of district leadership and the sustaining of high student achievement for their districts. The results of this study suggest that sustained improvement of student achievement is very difficult. The districts that had sustained improvement had stable district…

  9. Why Rural Community Day Secondary Schools Students' Performance in Physical Science Examinations Is Poor in Lilongwe Rural West Education District in Malawi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mlangeni, Angstone Noel J. Thembachako; Chiotha, Sosten Staphael

    2015-01-01

    A study was conducted to investigate factors that affect students' poor performance in physical science examinations at Malawi School Certificate of Education and Junior Certificate of Education levels in Community day secondary schools (CDSS) in Lilongwe Rural West Education District in Malawi. Students' performance was collected from schools'…

  10. Extent of Parent-Teacher Association Involvement in the Implementation of Universal Basic Education Program in Primary Schools in Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chidi Nnebedum

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Pupil’ absenteeism and lateness to school, dilapidated and shortage of relevant facilities in primary schools in the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State seems to suggest lapses in parent-teacher association involvement in school affairs. This prompted the researchers to ascertain the extent of parent-teacher association (PTA involvement in the implementation of universal basic education program in primary schools in the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State. Three research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were tested. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was comprised of all 250 head teachers and all PTA members at all 250 primary schools in the Northern Senatorial District. Multiple stage sampling technique was used to sample 205 respondents made up of 75 head teachers and 130 PTA members. The researchers developed an instrument titled “Parent-Teacher Association Involvement in School Questionnaire (PTAISQ” which was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach alpha and it yielded an overall reliability coefficient value of .76. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed among others that the extent of PTA involvement in maintenance of facilities in the implementation of universal basic education program in primary schools in the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State was high. Based on the findings, recommendations were made and conclusions were drawn.

  11. Going to Scale with TQM. The Pinellas County Schools' Journey toward Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipley, Jim; Collins, Chris

    Quality improvement, or Total Quality Management (TQM), has been used for years in the corporate world to help companies achieve better customer satisfaction, increase market share, and improve profitability. More recently, TQM has emerged as a promising strategy for school improvement and educational reform. In 1991, the school district of…

  12. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Cool and Humid Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  13. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Hot and Humid Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  14. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Temperate and Humid Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  15. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Cool and Dry Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  16. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Hot and Dry Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  17. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Cold and Humid Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  18. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Temperate and Mixed Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-06-01

    School districts around the country are finding that the smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans,

  19. Human Development across the Lifespan. A Pilot Intergenerational Project in Three Pennsylvania School Districts. Final Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Christopher R.; Balavage, Valerie

    An evaluation determined the impact on participants of pilot intergenerational programs in the Central Greene, Quaker Valley, and Titusville school districts in western Pennsylvania. It examined how participation in project activities changed students' attitudes about older adults and aging. A four-part questionnaire consisted of the following:…

  20. Saudi Parents' Perceptions of the Kind of Help They Offer to Their Primary School Kids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoud, Salameh S.

    2018-01-01

    Parents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia usually help their kids in early school years especially in English language. This help varies according to the parents' level of education, the degree of difficulty of the curriculum and the type of school their kids join. Sometimes they give the right kind of help that matches the teachers' strategies and…

  1. Dropout Prevention Programs in Nine Mid-Atlantic Region School Districts: Additions to a Dropout Prevention Database. Issues & Answers. REL 2011-No. 103

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burzichelli, Claudia; Mackey, Philip E.; Bausmith, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    The current study replicates work of Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northeast and Islands. It describes dropout prevention programs in nine Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) school districts serving communities with populations of 24,742-107,250 (as of July 2008). All nine…

  2. School Music Advocates Go Straight to Video: Online Services like SchoolTube Offer Far-Reaching Possibilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Block, Debbie Galante

    2009-01-01

    A few years ago, Bill Pendziwiatr of Crestwood School District in Pennsylvania helped create a video documenting six local music programs, including snippets of rehearsals and performances by choirs, traditional bands, jazz and rock ensembles, orchestras, even a clapping class. His goal was to distribute the video all over the state so that…

  3. Hidden in Plain Sight: A Music Therapist and Music Educator in A Public School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Jacqueline C.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to clarify the roles of a music educator and music therapist in a North American public school district. This case was unique because some of the students with special needs received both music instruction and music therapy services, yet there was little collaboration between the two disciplines. In an…

  4. Modernizing "San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez": How Evolving Supreme Court Jurisprudence Changes the Face of Education Finance Litigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, Matthew

    2011-01-01

    This article aims to "modernize" the current legal debate over inequitable public school funding at the state and local level. The 1973 Supreme Court case of "San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez" established precedent, allowing for property-tax based education funding programs at the state-level--a major source…

  5. Promoting Awareness of a High School Peer Helping Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fielding, Sarah; Pili, Chris; Chambliss, Catherine

    Peer helping has recently been adopted by many schools, but use of these services remains mixed. The different ways in which peer helpers can be selected are described and examples of effective programs already in place are offered. The two types of cognitive processes used to evaluate advertising campaigns--automatic and strategic--are discussed…

  6. A Coordinated Mental Health Crisis Response: Lessons Learned from Three Colorado School Shootings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crepeau-Hobson, Franci; Sievering, Kathryn S.; Armstrong, Charlotte; Stonis, Julie

    2012-01-01

    This article describes a crisis response framework based on the authors' first-hand experience following three Colorado school shootings. During each crisis response, one or more of the authors joined school and/or district crisis teams, providing direct assistance and leadership. The authors' experiences helped guide subsequent responses and…

  7. Modeling Student Performance in Mathematics Using Binary Logistic Regression at Selected Secondary Schools a Case Study of Mtwara Municipality and Ilemela District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mabula, Salyungu

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the performance of secondary school students in Mathematics at the Selected Secondary Schools in Mtwara Municipality and Ilemela District by Absenteeism, Conduct, Type of School and Gender as explanatory Factors. The data used in the study was collected from documented records of 250 form three students with 1:1 gender…

  8. The Perceptions of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Their Efforts to Help Students Utilize Student-to-Student Discourse in Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craddock, Jennifer Lovejoy

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers who teach science as opposed to science teacher specialists regarding their efforts to help students use student-to-student discourse for improving science learning. A growing body of research confirms the importance of a) student-to-student discourse for making meaning of science ideas and b) moving students' conceptual development towards a more scientific understanding of the natural world. Based on those foundations, the three research questions that guided this study examined the value elementary teachers place on student-to-student discourse, the various approaches teachers employ to promote the use of student-to-student discourse for learning science, and the factors and conditions that promote and inhibit the use of student-to-student discourse as an effective pedagogical strategy in elementary science. Data were gathered from 23 elementary teachers in a single district using an on-line survey and follow-up interviews with 8 teachers. All data were analyzed and evolving themes led to the following findings: (1) elementary teachers value student-to-student discourse in science, (2) teachers desire to increase time using student-to-student discourse, (3) teachers use a limited number of student-to-student discourse strategies to increase student learning in science, (4) teachers use student-to-student discourse as formative assessment to determine student learning in science, (5) professional development focusing on approaches to student-to-student discourse develops teachers' capacity for effective implementation, (6) teachers perceive school administrators' knowledge of and support for student-to-student discourse as beneficial, (7) time and scheduling constraints limit the use of student-to-student discourse in science. Implications of this study included the necessity of school districts to focus on student-to-student discourse in science, provide teacher and

  9. Trends in Early Childhood Obesity in a Large Urban School District in the Southwestern United States, 2007-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantarero, Andrea; Myers, Orrin; Scharmen, Thomas; Kinyua, Peter; Jimenez, Elizabeth Yakes

    2016-06-02

    Although recent studies indicate that rates of childhood obesity and severe obesity may be declining, few studies have reported prevalence trends in early childhood or differences in trends across sociodemographic groups. The primary aim of this study was to report trends in prevalence of early childhood obesity and severe obesity 2007 through 2014 in a diverse, metropolitan school district in the southwestern United States and determine whether these trends vary by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability status. We analyzed height, weight and demographic data from 43,113 kindergarteners enrolled in a large, urban school district in the southwestern United States for 7 school years. Adjusted odds of obesity and severe obesity were calculated to assess changes in prevalence for non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and American Indian students; free or reduced-price lunch participants and nonparticipants; and students with and without disabilities. To test for differences in obesity trends, interaction terms were added to the logistic regressions between school year and sex, race/ethnicity, free or reduced-price lunch participation, and disability status. The adjusted prevalence of both obesity (from 13.1% in 2007-2008 to 12.0% in 2013-20014) and severe obesity (from 2.4% in 2007-2008 to 1.2% in 2013-2014) declined overall. We found no significant interactions between the adjusted prevalence of obesity over time and any of the sociodemographic subgroups. Obesity prevalence declined more among American Indian students than among Hispanic or non-Hispanic white students. In this district, from 2007 through 2014, severe obesity decreased and obesity did not increase, overall and across all sociodemographic subpopulations for kindergarten students.

  10. The Impact of a Technology Integration Academy on Instructional Technology Integration in a Texas School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkholder, Karla

    2013-01-01

    This applied dissertation was designed to determine the impact of a technology integration professional development on high school teachers' technology integration and students' use of computers in core content areas. The District invested in technology for all classrooms, as well as 1:1 technology for all secondary students with an expectation…

  11. Making the Most of Opportunities to Learn What Works: A School District's Guide. REL 2014-048

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akers, Lauren; Resch, Alexandra; Berk, Jillian

    2014-01-01

    This guide for district and school leaders shows how to recognize opportunities to embed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) into planned policies or programs. Opportunistic RCTs can generate strong evidence for informing education decisions--with minimal added cost and disruption. The guide also outlines the key steps to conduct RCTs and responds…

  12. Potable water quality monitoring of primary schools in Magura district, Bangladesh: children's health risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Aminur; Hashem, Abul; Nur-A-Tomal, Shahruk

    2016-12-01

    Safe potable water is essential for good health. Worldwide, school-aged children especially in the developing countries are suffering from various water-borne diseases. In the study, drinking water supplies for primary school children were monitored at Magura district, Bangladesh, to ensure safe potable water. APHA standard analytical methods were applied for determining the physicochemical parameters of the water samples. For determination of the essential physicochemical parameters, the samples were collected from 20 randomly selected tube wells of primary schools at Magura. The metal contents, especially arsenic (As), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), in the water samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The range of physicochemical parameters found in water samples were as follows: pH 7.05-9.03, electrical conductivity 400-2340 μS/cm, chloride 10-640 mg/L, hardness 200-535 mg/L as CaCO 3 , and total dissolved solids 208-1216 mg/L. The level of metals in the tube well water samples were as follows: As 1 to 55 μg/L, Fe 40 to 9890 μg/L, and Mn 10 to 370 μg/L. Drinking water parameters of Magura district did not meet the requirement of the World Health Organization drinking water quality guideline, or the Drinking Water Quality Standards of Bangladesh.

  13. Parent Involvement in Elementary School Libraries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copeland, Michele Rzewski

    2012-01-01

    In the 21st century, school libraries are under pressure to innovate. Library budgets are frequently slashed as districts struggle with limited fiscal resources, while library personnel are increasingly expected to provide students with resources they need to help them pass high stakes tests. In an effort to meet student needs with limited…

  14. Reaction to "Observations on School District and Service Consolidation in Michigan." Working Paper #17 by David Arsen. Working Paper #18

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakrani, Sharif M.

    2011-01-01

    The author's "School District Consolidation Study in 10 Michigan Counties" study was published in August, 2010 by The Education Policy Center at Michigan State University. It was intended to measure the financial impact of consolidation of schools at the county level akin to other states like Virginia, Florida and Maryland. The study was…

  15. Prevalence of refractive error and visual impairment among rural school-age children of Goro District, Gurage Zone, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kedir, Jafer; Girma, Abonesh

    2014-10-01

    Refractive error is one of the major causes of blindness and visual impairment in children; but community based studies are scarce especially in rural parts of Ethiopia. So, this study aims to assess the prevalence of refractive error and its magnitude as a cause of visual impairment among school-age children of rural community. This community-based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March 1 to April 30, 2009 in rural villages of Goro district of Gurage Zone, found south west of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. A multistage cluster sampling method was used with simple random selection of representative villages in the district. Chi-Square and t-tests were used in the data analysis. A total of 570 school-age children (age 7-15) were evaluated, 54% boys and 46% girls. The prevalence of refractive error was 3.5% (myopia 2.6% and hyperopia 0.9%). Refractive error was the major cause of visual impairment accounting for 54% of all causes in the study group. No child was found wearing corrective spectacles during the study period. Refractive error was the commonest cause of visual impairment in children of the district, but no measures were taken to reduce the burden in the community. So, large scale community level screening for refractive error should be conducted and integrated with regular school eye screening programs. Effective strategies need to be devised to provide low cost corrective spectacles in the rural community.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  17. Nation, Districts Step up Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Nirvi

    2013-01-01

    President Barack Obama's announcement last week of a wide-ranging anti-violence plan in response to the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings comes as many districts are adopting new and sometimes dramatic measures--including arming teachers and volunteers--intended to prevent similar tragedies in their own schools. School safety experts warn…

  18. Federal School Improvement Grants (SIGs): How Capacity and Local Conditions Matter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yatsko, Sarah; Lake, Robin; Bowen, Melissa; Cooley Nelson, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    In 2009, the federal government committed over $3 billion nationwide to help states and districts turn around their worst-performing schools. The U.S. Department of Education intended for the School Improvement Grants (SIGs) to spur dramatic change.This report looks at the results of a field study of the first-year implementation of those grants…

  19. High burden of Schistosoma mansoni infection in school-aged children in Marolambo District, Madagascar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Stephen A; Penney, James M St John; Russell, Hannah J; Howe, Anthony P; Linder, Cortland; Rakotomampianina, Andriamahitsisambatra L D; Nandimbiniaina, Anjara M; Squire, S Bertel; Stothard, J Russell; Bustinduy, Amaya L; Rahetilahy, Alain M

    2017-06-24

    A school-based survey was undertaken to assess prevalence and infection intensity of schistosomiasis in school-aged children in the Marolambo District of Madagascar. School-aged children from six purposively selected schools were tested for Schistosoma haematobium by urine filtration and Schistosoma mansoni using circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) and Kato-Katz stool analysis. The investigators did not address soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in this study. Of 399 school-aged children screened, 93.7% were infected with S. mansoni based on CCA analysis. Kato-Katz analysis of stool revealed S. mansoni infection in 73.6% (215/ 292). Heavy infections (> 400 eggs per gram) were common (32.1%; 69/ 215), with a mean of 482 eggs per gram of stool. Moderate infection intensities were detected in 31.2% (67/ 215) and light infection intensities in 36.7% (79/ 215) of infected participants. No infection with S. haematobium was detected by urine filtration. Intestinal schistosomiasis appears a considerable public health issue in this remote area of Madagascar where there is a pressing need for mass drug administration.

  20. Perceptions about availability and adequacy of drinking water in a large California school district.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Rabin, Alexa; Schuster, Mark A

    2010-03-01

    Concerns about the influence of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on obesity have led experts to recommend that water be freely available in schools. We explored perceptions about the adequacy of drinking water provision in a large California school district to develop policies and programs to encourage student water consumption. From March to September 2007, we used semistructured interviews to ask 26 California key stakeholders - including school administrators and staff, health and nutrition agency representatives, and families - about school drinking water accessibility; attitudes about, facilitators of, and barriers to drinking water provision; and ideas for increasing water consumption. Interviews were analyzed to determine common themes. Although stakeholders said that water was available from school drinking fountains, they expressed concerns about the appeal, taste, appearance, and safety of fountain water and worried about the affordability and environmental effect of bottled water sold in schools. Stakeholders supported efforts to improve free drinking water availability in schools, but perceived barriers (eg, cost) and mistaken beliefs that regulations and beverage contracts prohibit serving free water may prevent schools from doing so. Some schools provide water through cold-filtered water dispensers and self-serve water coolers. This is the first study to explore stakeholder perceptions about the adequacy of drinking water in US schools. Although limited in scope, our study suggests that water available in at least some schools may be inadequate. Collaborative efforts among schools, communities, and policy makers are needed to improve school drinking water provision.

  1. More Districts Factoring Poverty into Student-Assignment Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zehr, Mary Ann

    2010-01-01

    A growing number of school districts are trying to break up concentrations of poverty on their campuses by taking students' family income into consideration in school assignments. Some of the districts replaced race with socioeconomic status as a determining indicator after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that using race as the primary factor…

  2. High School Graduate Participation Rates: Proportions of Sacramento Area High School Graduates Enrolled in Los Rios Community College District, Fall 1998-Fall 1994.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Los Rios Community Coll. District, Sacramento, CA. Office of Planning and Research.

    This report profiles the enrollment patterns of recent high school graduates of the Greater Sacramento Metropolitan Area who attend Los Rios colleges (California). This summary and the full data report provide the District and its colleges with research information on rates of participation by students who graduated from Los Rios Community College…

  3. Preparing Secondary Stem Teachers for High-Need Schools: Challenges of an Urban Residency Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garza, Rubén; Duchaine, Ellen L.; Reynosa, Raymond

    2013-01-01

    Teaching residency programs that blend coursework with clinical experiences have emerged nationwide to prepare aspiring teachers for the demanding reality of teaching in high-need urban schools. The Teaching Residency Program for Critical Shortage Areas was created to help urban school districts with the challenge of recruiting and retaining…

  4. School nurse evaluations: making the process meaningful and motivational.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDaniel, Kathryn H; Overman, Muriel; Guttu, Martha; Engelke, Martha Keehner

    2013-02-01

    The professional standards of school nursing practice provide a framework to help school nurses focus on their unique mission of promoting health and academic achievement for all students. Without the standards, the nurse's role can become task oriented and limited in scope. By using an evaluation tool that reflects the standards, nurses not only become aware and begin to understand the standards; they also become directly accountable for meeting them. In addition, developing an evaluation process based on the standards of school nurse practice increases the visibility of school nurses and helps school administrators understand the role of the school nurse. This article describes how one school district integrated the scope and standards of school nursing into the job description and performance evaluation of the nurse. The process which is used to complete the evaluation in a manner that is meaningful and motivational to the school nurse is described.

  5. Staffing Alternatives: Use of Retired Persons, Flex-Time, Job Sharing and Other Suggestions. Suggested Personnel Policy Guidelines for School Districts. [Revised].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

    This report addresses three alternatives in employing certified and classified staff in school districts: early retirement, flexible working hours, and (in the most detail) job sharing. It is noted that financial reductions make it difficult for schools to meet both their budgets and rising community/parental expectations, while declining…

  6. Preliminary Report Regarding State Allocation Board Funding of the Los Angeles Unified School District's Belmont Learning Complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armoudian, Maria; Carman, Georgann; Havan, Artineh; Heron, Frank

    A preliminary report of the California Legislature's Joint Legislative Audit Committee presents findings on the construction team selection process for the Los Angeles Unified School District's (LAUSD's) Belmont Learning Complex. Evidence reveals a seriously flawed process that directly conflicted with existing law and practice. The report…

  7. Redesigning the District Operating System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodas, Steven

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we look at the inner workings of a school district through the lens of the "district operating system (DOS)," a set of interlocking mutually-reinforcing modules that includes functions like procurement, contracting, data and IT policy, the general counsel's office, human resources, and the systems for employee and family…

  8. Dropout Prevention Programs in Nine Mid-Atlantic Region School Districts: Additions to a Dropout Prevention Database. Summary. Issues & Answers. REL 2011-No. 103

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burzichelli, Claudia; Mackey, Philip E.; Bausmith, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    The current study replicates work of Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northeast and Islands. It describes dropout prevention programs in nine Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) school districts serving communities with populations of 24,742-107,250 (as of July 2008). All nine…

  9. District Results for the 2013 Mathematics and Reading Assessments. Executive Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

    2013-01-01

    NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) results in mathematics and reading are based on representative samples of 1,100 to 2,300 public school students at grade 4 and 900 to 2,100 public school students at grade 8 in each participating urban district in 2013. Twenty-one urban districts participated in the 2013 assessments. The assessments…

  10. Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools Initiative after Four Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.…

  11. The Role of Guidance and Counseling in Enhancing Student Discipline in Secondary Schools in Koibatek District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salgong, Victor Kipkemboi; Ngumi, Owen; Chege, Kimani

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine the role of guidance and counseling in enhancing student discipline in secondary schools in Koibatek district. The study was guided by Alfred Adler (1998) theory of personality, and humanistic theory of Albert Bandura (1995) social learning model. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design.…

  12. How to Launch an Energy Star Energy Efficiency Competition for K-12 Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utebay Kudret; McArthur, Ashley

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, schools have been forced by rising costs and shrinking budgets to stretch their resources further than ever before in order to meet the educational needs of today's students. EPA's ENERGY STAR program helps K-12 schools and districts improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs and redirect critical resources into the…

  13. Cancellation of the Annual Facility Grant Creates More Shortfalls for School Districts. BCTF Research Report. Section V. 2009-EF-02

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Margaret

    2009-01-01

    The Ministry of Education recently announced the cancellation of the Annual Facility Grant (AFG) for 2009-10, resulting in a loss of $110 million dollars in revenue to school districts. This decision comes after Boards of Education submitted their 2009-10 balanced budgets by June 30, based on expected revenues for the coming school year. Boards of…

  14. Making Good Choices: A Guide for Schools and Districts. Revised Edition. [with CD-ROM].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Maria

    This guide was designed to help schools develop effective programs in comprehensive school reform (CSR). It emphasizes that a school's CSR approach should be based on its needs, keeping in mind that one model may not provide every aspect of a school's comprehensive reform effort. Even so, a CSR model that meets the U.S. Department of Education's…

  15. Prevalence of Ocular Morbidity Among School Adolescents of Gandhinagar District, Gujarat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prakash Prajapati,

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the prevalence of ocular morbidity (abnormal condition and various factors affecting it among school attending adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to study abnormal ocular conditions like refractive errors, vitamin A deficiency, conjunctivitis, trachoma, ocular trauma, blephritis, stye, color blindness and pterygium among school adolescents of 10-19 years age in rural and urban areas of Gandhinagar district from January to July, 2009. Systematic sampling was done to select 20 schools having 6th to 12th standard education including 12 schools from rural and 8 from urban areas. Six adolescents from each age year (10-19 were selected randomly to achieve sample size of 60 from each school. In total, 1206 adolescents including 691 boys and 515 girls were selected. Information was collected from selected adolescents by using proforma. Visual acuity was assessed using a Snellen’s chart and all participants underwent an ophthalmic examination carried out by a trained doctor. Results: Prevalence of ocular morbidity among school adolescents was reported 13% (7.8% in boys, 5.6% in girls; with 5.2% have moderate visual impairment. Refractive error was most common ocular morbidity (40% both among boys and girls. Almost 30% of boys and girls reported vitamin A deficiency in various forms of xerophthalmia. Prevalence of night blindness was 0.91% and of Bitot`s spot 1.74%. Various factors like, illiterate or lower parents’ education, lower socio-economic class and malnutrition were significantly associated with ocular morbidity. Conclusion: Ocular morbidity in adolescents is mainly due to refractive error, moderate visual impairment and xerophthalmia.

  16. Austin Community College District's P-16 Initiative Graduates America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hensley, Mary; Madsen, Gary

    2010-01-01

    Austin Community College (ACC) District's P-16 Initiative supports partnerships with 30 school districts--reaching traditionally underserved students and bridging the gap between high school and college--so more Texas students can reach their educational goals. The P-16 Initiative is a constellation of efforts designed to provide broad-based…

  17. Innovation That Sticks Case Study Report: Ottawa Catholic School Board. Leading and Learning for Innovation, A Framework for District-Wide Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canadian Education Association, 2016

    2016-01-01

    A Canadian Education Association (CEA) Selection Jury chose the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) out of 35 School District applicants from across Canada to participate in the 2015 "Innovation that Sticks" Case Study Program. From September to December 2015--through an Appreciative Inquiry interview process--the CEA researched how the…

  18. Crafting Legitimacy in District-Community Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lechasseur, Kimberly

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: Partnering across districts, schools, and other community organizations has become ubiquitous as a policy for promoting change. Despite growing attention to and scholarship on district-community partnerships, there is little examination of the organizational mechanisms involved in sustaining them. Purpose/Objectives: This study…

  19. School Closings in Philadelphia

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  20. Iodine nutritional status and goiter prevalence in primary school children aged 6-12 of Panchmahal district, Gujarat, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vihang Mazumdar

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD create major public health problems in India, including Gujarat. Panchmahal district is known for endemic iodine deficiency. The present study was conducted to (1 estimate the prevalence of goiter in primary school children, (2 determine median urinary iodine concentration, (3 assess the level of iodine in salt samples at the household and retail shop level, and (4 profile of salt sold at retail shops in Panchmahal district, Gujarat. Methods: A total of 70 students including five boys and five girls from 1st to 7th standard who were present on the day of the first visit were selected randomly for goiter examination from each village. Urine samples were collected from one boy and one girl from each standard in each cluster. From the community, at least 28 students, including two boys and two girls from each standard in the same age group, were examined, and salt samples were tested from their households. A total of 2100 students were examined in schools and 928 students were examined in the selected villages. From each village, one retail shop was visited, and salts purchased from those shops were immediately tested for iodine with spot kits.Results: Among young primary school children, goiter prevalence was 23.35% (grade 1—18.35%, grade 2—5.0%. As the ages increase, goiter prevalence also increases except for 9-year-olds. The median urinary iodine excretion level was 110 µg/L. An iodine level >15 ppm was found in 78.3% of the salt samples tested at household level. Conclusion: The present study showed considerable goiter prevalence in primary school children in Panchmahal district of Gujarat and an inadequate iodine content of salt at the household level.

  1. Measuring the Wealth of School Districts for the Apportionment of Aid to Public Schools in New York State: Full Valuation vs. Personal Income.

    Science.gov (United States)

    New York State Div. of the Budget, Albany.

    The purpose of this study was to assess the merit of using personal income in the determination of a school district's fiscal capacity for the apportionment of New York state aid. Both personal income and full valuation of real property suffer from technical weaknesses, but improvements in the data are possible if the state is willing to…

  2. The extent to which school district competitive food and beverage policies align with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: implications for federal regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Linda M; Schermbeck, Rebecca M; Chriqui, Jamie F; Chaloupka, Frank J

    2012-06-01

    The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorized the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture to establish science-based nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold in school that are, at a minimum, aligned with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), while still providing districts with discretion in regulating the competitive food and beverage environment. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which district competitive food and beverage policies had specific and required limits aligned with 2010 DGA recommendations, and to inform US Department of Agriculture efforts as they develop competitive food and beverage standards. Competitive food and beverage policies were compiled for the 2009-2010 school year from a nationally representative sample of 622 districts. Each policy was double-coded for compliance with selected 2010 DGA recommendations (ie, restrictions on sugars, fats, trans fats, and sodium in foods and restrictions on regular soda, other sugar-sweetened beverages, and fat content of milk). Descriptive statistics were computed, clustered to account for the sample design, and weighted to account for districts nationwide. District nutrition policies were strongest for elementary schools. Nationwide, content of foods and soda availability were more commonly addressed. Areas that require attention include stronger nutrition standards at the secondary level, limits on trans fats, sodium, sugar-sweetened beverages other than soda, and fat content of milk, and greater availability of produce and whole grains at all sale locations. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Tuberculosis awareness program and associated changes in knowledge levels of school students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayashree S Gothankar

    2013-01-01

    Conclusions: Health education program by medical students helped significantly to improve the knowledge of school students regarding tuberculosis. Thus, medical college students can be involved to some extent for conducting health-related behavioral change communication (BCC activities in schools during their Community Medicine morning posting. Collaboration of private medical colleges, schools, and district tuberculosis units (DTUs can be ideally achieved under public private partnership (PPP for health awareness programs.

  4. Free Primary Education Policy: Coping Strategies in Public Primary Schools in Kakamega South District, Kakamega County, Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulinya, Lidoro Charles; Orodho, John Aluko

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the challenges of implementing free primary education and copping strategies in public primary schools in Kakamega South District, Kakamega County, Kenya. The study was premised on the demand and supply theory. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The sample comprised 23 headteachers, 92 teachers and one Ministry…

  5. Macho-Man in School: Toward the Role of Gender Role Self-Concepts and Help Seeking in School Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessels, Ursula; Steinmayr, Ricarda

    2013-01-01

    This study seeks to understand boys' lower academic success by analysing the relationship between sex, gender role self-concept, help seeking attitudes, and school performance in a sample of 182 German 11th grade students (83 girls, 99 boys), age 16. Grades at two points in time, intelligence test data, help-seeking attitudes, gender role…

  6. The Problem: Low-Achieving Districts and Low-Performing Boards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David E. Lee

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Effective school districts maintain superintendent and school board collegiality which can foster success and connectedness among members. Delagardelle and Alsbury (2008 found that superintendents and board members are not consistent in their perceptions about the work the board does, and Glass (2007 found that states do not require boards to undergo evaluation for effectiveness. In the current study, 115 board meetings were observed using the School Board Video Project (SBVP survey, which was created in 2012 by researchers to uncover school board meetings’ effectiveness. MANOVA, Univariate ANOVA, and Pearson Chi-Square test results revealed significant differences between low-, medium-, and high-performing districts’ school board meetings. Evidence indicated that low-performing districts’ board meetings were: less orderly; had less time spent on student achievement; lacked respectful and attentive engagement across speakers; had board meeting members who seemed to advance their own agenda; had less effective working relationships among the governance team; had fewer board members who relied on the superintendent for advice and input; had one member, other than the board president, stand out for taking excessive time during meetings; and did not focus on policy items as much as high- and medium-performing school districts. The research concluded that more school board members from low-performing districts needed training to improve their effectiveness. Furthermore, highly refined and target-enhanced school board training programs might lead to lasting governance success and more effective teaming that could improve district, and ultimately, student achievement.

  7. Effect of hand sanitizer use on elementary school absenteeism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, B; Ali, Y; Fendler, E; Dolan, M; Donovan, S

    2000-10-01

    Several studies have indicated a connection between handwashing and illness-related absenteeism in school settings. The difficulty of ensuring consistent and effective handwashing among student populations has also been noted. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer in the classroom to help decrease the illness-related absentee rate for elementary school students. This study involved 5 individual school districts, 16 individual schools, and more than 6000 students in Delaware, Ohio, Tennessee, and California. Individual schools in each district were paired into product and control groups. In the product group schools, an alcohol gel hand sanitizer was used by the students and staff when entering and leaving the classroom. Absenteeism due to infection was recorded, and the data were statistically analyzed. The overall reduction in absenteeism due to infection in the schools included in this study was 19.8% for schools that used an alcohol gel hand sanitizer compared with the control schools (P sanitizer was used. Elementary school absenteeism due to infection is significantly reduced when an alcohol gel hand sanitizer is used in the classroom as part of a hand hygiene program.

  8. Profiles of Merit Pay Provisions in Ohio School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Chris; Ingle, W. Kyle

    2018-01-01

    A small number of districts in Ohio from a variety of locales have adopted merit pay provisions. Using Springer's (2009) taxonomy of teacher compensation, we analyzed compensation provisions of these districts. We asked: What are the characteristics of these districts? What criteria are used to determine merit? Who is determining who receives…

  9. A Formative Evaluation of Healthy Habits, Healthy U: A Collaborative School-Based Cancer Education Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Alicia; Spear, Caile; Pritchard, Mary; George, Kayla; Young, Kyle; Smith, Carrie

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Healthy Habits, Healthy U (HHHU) is a two-day school-based primary prevention cancer education program that uses interactive classroom presentations designed to help students learn how to reduce their cancer risks. HHHU is a collaboration between a local cancer hospital, school district and university. HHHU incorporates real cancerous and…

  10. The Influence of Scale on School Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Bickel

    2000-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we investigate the joint influence of school and district size on school performance among schools with eighth grades (n=367 and schools with eleventh grades in Georgia (n=298. Schools are the unit of analysis in this study because schools are increasingly the unit on which states fix the responsibility to be accountable. The methodology further develops investigations along the line of evidence suggesting that the influence of size is contingent on socioeconomic status (SES. All previous studies have used a single-level regression model (i.e., schools or districts. This study confronts the issue of cross-level interaction of SES and size (i.e., schools and districts with a single-equation-relative-effects model to interpret the joint influence of school and district size on school performance (i.e., the dependent variable is a school-level variable. It also tests the equity of school-level outcomes jointly by school and district size. Georgia was chosen for study because previous single-level analysis there had revealed no influence of district size on performance (measured at the district level. Findings from this study show substantial cross-level influences of school and district size at the 8th grade, and weaker influences at the 11th grade. The equity effects, however, are strong at both grade levels and show a distinctive pattern of size interactions. Results are interpreted to draw implications for a "structuralist" view of school and district restructuring, with particular concern for schooling to serve impoverished communities. The authors argue the importance of a notion of "scaling" in the system of schooling, advocating the particular need to create smaller districts as well as smaller schools as a route to both school excellence and equity of school outcomes.

  11. Teachers' Attitude towards Special Need Students in Secondary Schools in North Senatorial District of Edo State, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Offor, Dianarose Iyeoma; Akinlosotu, Nathaniel Toyosi

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated attitude towards special need students (SNS) among teachers in public secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial District. The study was undertaken to determine the teachers' attitude and the influence of gender, educational specialisation and experience on their attitude towards SNS. A total of 369 (50%) of the 739…

  12. School District Cabinet Member Task and Relationship Conflict Behavior during Budget Development in a State Fiscal Crisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickerson, John

    2009-01-01

    Purpose. The first purpose of this study was to determine to what extent task and relationship conflict occurred in school district cabinets during budget development in a state budget crisis. The second purpose was to determine which cabinet member task and relationship conflict behaviors were demonstrated during budget development in a state…

  13. Beyond Backpacks and Bus Tokens: Next Steps for a District Homeless Student Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallett, Ronald E.; Low, Justin A.; Skrla, Linda

    2015-01-01

    How policies get translated and enacted by school districts frame how students experience reforms associated with federal law. This qualitative case study of a Northern California school district explores the importance of integrating homeless student initiatives within all aspects of the district functioning. Drawing from the equity framework of…

  14. Examining Stakeholder Perceptions of Accessibility and Utilization of Computer and Internet Technology in the Selinsgrove Area School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Lorinda M.

    2014-01-01

    This study utilized a mixed methods approach to examine the issue of how parents, students, and teachers (stakeholders) perceive accessibility and the utilization of computer and Internet technology within the Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania Area School District. Quantitative data was collected through the use of questionnaires distributed to the…

  15. Participative leadership practice in junior high schools and actions to improve the practice : a case study of Sekyere south district, Ghana

    OpenAIRE

    Gyasi, Kwame

    2015-01-01

    Gyasi, Kwame. 2015. Participative leadership practice in junior high schools and actions to improve the practice: a case study of Sekyere south district, Ghana Master's Thesis in Education. University of Jyväskylä. Department of Education Participative leadership practice is seen as the kind of school leadership which recognizes parents’ contribution and teachers’ ability and talents in leadership by sharing with them roles and responsibilities in the school administrative process. Th...

  16. A Study of At-Risk Students' Perceptions of an Online Academic Credit Recovery Program in an Urban North Texas Independent School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckley, Mychl K.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this research study was to describe and analyze at-risk high school students' perceptions of their experiences with online academic credit recovery classes offered to them through an urban school district's dropout prevention department. The review of literature concerning curricula for online programs revealed that the variety of…

  17. Intestinal helminths and protozoa in children in pre-schools in Kafue district, Zambia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Siwila, J.; Phiri, I. G. K.; Enemark, Heidi L.

    2010-01-01

    Intestinal parasitic infections are among the most widespread of human infections in developing countries, and children are the most vulnerable. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the protozoa Cryptosporidium and Giardia, as well as prevalence and intensity of intestinal...... helminths in children attending pre-school or day-care centres in Kafue District, Zambia. Single stool samples were collected from 403 children from 10 pre-schools and Were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears to identify and quantify helminths. A commercial immunofluorescence kit was used...... to identify Cryptosporidium- and Giardia-positive samples. The overall prevalence of helminth infection was 17.9%. Ascaris lumbricoides was found in 12.0%, hookworm in 8.3%, Taenia spp. in 0.9%, Hymenolepis nano in 0.6% and Schistosoma mansoni in 0.3%. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia...

  18. The New York State Public School Superintendency: The Effects of Personal, Career and District Factors on Perceptions of Job Satisfaction for Women in Superintendent Positions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camasso, Eileen L.

    2010-01-01

    Women have entered the New York State public school district superintendency in increasing numbers over the past two decades. Traditionally a male dominated field, these women have successfully addressed various personal, career and district factors to obtain these positions. In this study, 121 actively employed women superintendents were surveyed…

  19. How to Defuse Censorship: Implementing 404.2 of the Standards for Accreditation of Montana Schools, 4th Ed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bechtold, Brian; And Others

    To help defuse censorship efforts, this booklet identifies issues and strategies for handling censorship efforts and provides the instructional materials selection policies of two Montana school districts. The booklet also includes sample forms for a citizen requesting reconsideration of materials and for a school media committee's reconsideration…

  20. Associations between Grades and Physical Activity and Food Choices: Results from YRBS from a Large Urban School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snelling, Anastasia; Belson, Sarah Irvine; Beard, Jonathan; Young, Kathleen

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between television viewing time, physical activity level, food consumption patterns, and academic performance of adolescents in a large urban school district in the USA where health disparities are prevalent, particularly among minority residents. Design/Methodology/Approach: The…

  1. Teacher Certification and Academic Growth among English Learner Students in the Houston Independent School District. REL 2018-284

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz de Castilla, Verónica

    2018-01-01

    Aware of the challenges set before the Houston Independent school District by rapid growth in the numbers of English learner students, and a critical shortage of teachers with bilingual certification for more than a decade, members of Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest's English Learners Research Alliance sought information that districts…

  2. Traits and Talents of Giftedness in Minority and Low Socioeconomic Fourth Grade Students in a Georgia School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrea Ragon

    2013-01-01

    The potential traits and talents of giftedness in students are multidimensional; yet, some school districts in Georgia perpetuate barriers for students from minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds by relying solely on standardized test scores for gifted identification. The purpose of this case study was to explore the multidimensionality of…

  3. Relationship between Geography-Tourism and Tourism's Effects According to High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koca, Nusret; Yildirim, Ramazan

    2018-01-01

    This research was designed in the screening model to determine the opinions of high school students on tourism effects and geography-tourism relations. The data were gathered from 760 students who were educated in high schools in the central district of Kütahya, identified by cluster sampling method. The data were collected with the help of a…

  4. Highway/Railroad Accident Report: Collision Of Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (METRA) Train And Transportation Joint Agreement School District 47/155 School Bus At Railroad/Highway Grade Crossing In Fox River Grove, Illinois, On

    Science.gov (United States)

    1996-10-29

    This report explains the collision of a Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation commuter train with a Transportation Joint Agreement School District 47/155 school bus that was stopped at a railroad/highway grade crossing in Fox Rive...

  5. From IDs to Ice Cream to "I, Claudius": Security Is in the Cards at Cleveland Hill Union Free School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passmore, Cheryl

    2002-01-01

    Describes the use of plastic identity badges with photographs and barcodes issued to all administrators, teachers, staff members, and students in grades 6-12 at the Cleveland Hill Union Free School District in Cheektowaga, New York. (PKP)

  6. The Relationship between Teacher-Related Factors and Students' Attitudes towards Secondary School Chemistry Subject in Bureti District, Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chepkorir, Salome; Cheptonui, Edna Marusoi; Chemutai, Agnes

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between teacher-related factors and student's attitudes towards Chemistry subject in secondary schools in Kenya. The paper is based on a study conducted in Bureti District in Kericho County, Kenya. This paper highlights issues on the teaching methods used by chemistry teachers, the teachers' availability to…

  7. Breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and practice among school teachers in Abha female educational district, southwestern Saudi Arabia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Binali Ali Mohamed

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inadequate knowledge, or inappropriate practice, of breastfeeding may lead to undesirable consequences. The aim of this study was to assess breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP among female teachers in the Abha Female Educational District and identify factors that may affect breastfeeding practice in the study population. Methods A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among school teachers in Abha Female Educational District during the months of April to June, 2011. Breastfeeding KAP of participants who had at least one child aged five years or younger at the time of the study were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire, based on their experience with the last child. Results A total of 384 women made up of 246 (61.1% primary-, 89 (23.2% intermediate- and 49 (12.8% high-school teachers participated in the study. One hundred and nineteen participants (31% started breastfeeding their children within one hour of delivery, while exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months was reported only by 32 (8.3% participants. Insufficient breast milk and work related problems were the main reasons given by 169 (44% and 148 (38.5% of participants, respectively, for stopping breastfeeding before two years. Only 33 participants (8.6% had attended classes related to breastfeeding. However, 261 participants (68% indicated the willingness to attend such classes, if available, in future pregnancies. Conclusions This study revealed that breast milk insufficiency and adverse work related issues were the main reasons for a very low rate of exclusive breastfeeding among female school teachers in Abha female educational district, Saudi Arabia. A very low rate of attending classes addressing the breastfeeding issues during pregnancy, and an alarming finding of a high percentage of babies receiving readymade liquid formula while still in hospital, were also brought out by the present study. Such

  8. School dropout susceptibility mapping with fuzzy logic – a study in the District of Purulia, India

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    Mukunda Mishra

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Multi-input prediction models are gradually finding their places in the arena of social and economic sciences to assess, locate and address the complicated socio-economic issues arising around the globe. These models treat the problems as the output aroused from a complex interaction between a range of variables linked with physical, socio-cultural, economic as well as ambient political systems. The discussion on dropout from the education system belongs to the core of the educational researchers. The researchers within this domain are attempting to develop the ‘tools and techniques’ for efficiently demarcating the space with a given degree of susceptibility. The scope is to drop out and examine the internal functions of the interactive variables associated with the process. In the present study, we try to apply the fuzzy logic in mapping the spatial variation of the susceptibility of school dropout in the district of Purulia, a backwards district in India regarding achieved level of human development. The training datasets for building the fuzzy model based on the available secondary data from different reports published by the Government and a range of primary data collected through a socio-economic survey. The model output is an index, namely the Index of Susceptibility of School Drop Out (ISDO which reflects the levels of susceptibility to school dropout at different parts of the study area. The proposed model should allow the success within the larger social and economic system.

  9. The State of Girl-Child’s Education in Zambia : The Case of Chongwe District

    OpenAIRE

    Mwanza, Peggy

    2015-01-01

    This paper discusses the importance of education with specific reference to Girl-Child’s education, and gender inequality1 and inequity2 in education in Zambia, focusing on one of the rural areas, Chongwe District. Many International Conferences are suggesting that educating girls is one of the ways of achieving gender equality in education thereby helping in achieving Education for All in primary and secondary schooling. In Zambia, with many economic and social problems, this is a particular...

  10. Financing Energy Upgrades for K-12 School Districts: A Guide to Tapping into Funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Improvements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goggio Borgeson, Merrian [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Zimring, Mark [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division

    2013-04-01

    This guide focuses on clean energy financing options for school administrators, facility managers, and other K-12 school decision makers who are considering investments in high performance school projects. This guide explicitly focuses on comprehensive energy upgrades, those that involve multiple measures and are targeted toward achieving significant energy savings. Successful implementation of clean energy upgrades in schools is a matter of understanding the opportunity, making the commitment, and creatively tapping into available financing. This guide attempts to provide the foundation needed for successful projects in U.S. schools. It walks through the financing options available to K-12 schools and provides case studies of six school districts from around the country.

  11. Development of school energy policy and energy education plans: A comparative case study in three Wisconsin school communities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lane, Jennie F.; Floress, Kristin; Rickert, Melissa

    2014-01-01

    Through a qualitative comparative case study, this investigation examined the process by which three school districts in Wisconsin, U.S.A., developed a school energy policy and complementary energy education plan. To guide the process, the researchers created an outline of recommended steps for the districts to follow. Although there were variations in the sequence and perceived ease of the steps, the Energy Task Force members involved in the process found the outline to be a supportive guide. Further analysis of the cases involved interviewing members of the Energy Task Forces to identify facilitating and obstructing factors. The study concluded that factors such as level of environmental literacy, along with aspects of the school culture and leadership, interacted to influence the successful drafting of school energy policies and education plans. In addition to introducing an outline of recommended steps that can be used by other school policy development teams interested in promoting energy efficiency, this study adds insights into the analysis of energy policy work within the context of a school setting. - Highlights: • School energy policy and complementary energy education plans can be successfully developed with guidelines for policy team membership. • Teacher agency, including environmental literacy, helps overcome barriers in developing school policy and energy education plans. • Administrative support of energy conservation is a key to the development of school energy policies and complementary energy education plans

  12. School IPM Recognition and Certification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schools and school districts can get support and recognition for implementation of school IPM. EPA is developing a program to provide recognition for school districts that are working towards or have achieved a level of success with school IPM programs.

  13. SCHOOL and WORK. HOW TO HELP TEACHERS AND STUDENTS COPE WITH CHANGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Anca COLIBABA

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The School and Work project (2014-1-UK01-KA204-000071, co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme, intends to capitalise the existing results of previous European projects addressing the early school leaving issue with a view to establish a more concrete and effective cooperation between schools and the world of work, which will enhance students’motivation to learn and complete their studies. The article introduces e-learning resources focusing on strategies teachers could use in order to help students unveil their interests and aptitudes. This will enable teachers plan and implement personalized educational paths and guidance services and valorize students' talents through curricular and extracurricular activities , which will motivate students to stay at school.

  14. Human sexuality education in the middle grades classroom: A review of curricula in a sample of Florida school districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myrick, Melinda D.

    2007-12-01

    This study examined the extent to which human sexuality topics are covered in Florida middle school science classrooms and the process by which curricular decisions are made regarding human sexuality education on a county-wide basis. Primary data included interviews with county-level administrators who oversee curricular decisions related to the middle-grades science curriculum or health curriculum in twelve school districts within the state. These districts represented four geographic locations and districts of various sizes. Administrators from four of the twelve studies in the sample chose to provide information regarding their human sexuality education curriculum. In two cases, teacher leads were identified and were interviewed to understand the implementation of the curriculum within the classroom. Additional data were collected from the district curriculum guides for human sexuality education and the adopted middle-grades science textbook for each county. The interview and documentary data were analyzed by comparison to established criteria for a comprehensive human sexuality education curriculum. The analysis revealed that the scope of human sexuality education varied considerably within the sample and that much of the curricula in place failed to include topics and activities that have been identified as important in a successful human sexuality education program. These findings are limited because few counties chose to fully participate. Additional research is clearly needed to examine the effectiveness of existing human sexuality education curricula in Florida. In addition, research is needed to understand the characteristics, values, and beliefs of successful human sexuality education instructors across the state.

  15. Building Energy-Efficient Schools in New Orleans: Lessons Learned (Brochure)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-12-01

    This case study presents the lessons learned from incorporating energy efficiency in the rebuilding and renovating of New Orleans K-12 schools after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hurricane Katrina was the largest natural disaster in the United States, striking the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, and flooding 80% of New Orleans; to make matters worse, the city was flooded again only three weeks later by the effects of Hurricane Rita. Many of the buildings, including schools, were heavily damaged. The devastation of schools in New Orleans from the hurricanes was exacerbated by many years of deferred school maintenance. This case study presents the lessons learned from incorporating energy efficiency in the rebuilding and renovating of New Orleans K-12 schools after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The experiences of four new schools-Langston Hughes Elementary School, Andrew H. Wilson Elementary School (which was 50% new construction and 50% major renovation), L.B. Landry High School, and Lake Area High School-and one major renovation, Joseph A. Craig Elementary School-are described to help other school districts and design teams with their in-progress and future school building projects in hot-humid climates. Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had 128 public schools. As part of the recovery planning, New Orleans Public Schools underwent an assessment and planning process to determine how many schools were needed and in what locations. Following a series of public town hall meetings and a district-wide comprehensive facility assessment, a Master Plan was developed, which outlined the renovation or construction of 85 schools throughout the city, which are expected to be completed by 2017. New Orleans Public Schools expects to build or renovate approximately eight schools each year over a 10-year period to achieve 21st century schools district-wide. Reconstruction costs are estimated at nearly $2 billion.

  16. District Leaders' Framing of Educator Evaluation Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woulfin, Sarah L.; Donaldson, Morgaen L.; Gonzales, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Educator evaluation systems have recently undergone scrutiny and reform, and district and school leaders play a key role in interpreting and enacting these systems. This article uses framing theory to understand district leaders' interpretation and advancement of a state's new educator evaluation policy. Research Methods: The article…

  17. Virtual School Startups: Founder Processes in American K-12 Public Virtual Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Brett D.; McNair, Delores E.

    2018-01-01

    Traditional school districts do not have a lot of experience with virtual schools and have lost students to state and charter virtual schools. To retain students and offer alternative learning opportunities, more public districts are starting their own virtual schools. This study was an examination of foundational processes at three California…

  18. Teachers' perceptions of school nutrition education's influence on eating behaviours of learners in the Bronkhorstspruit District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojisola D Kupolati

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Qualitative investigation can provide invaluable information towards understanding the influence of school nutrition education (NE. The study explored teachers' perceptions of the immediate impact of NE on learners' eating behaviours. Twenty-four primary school teachers in the Bronkhorstspruit district, Gauteng, South Africa, who taught nutrition topics to grades four to seven learners, participated in three focus group discussions. Transcript data obtained was analysed using the thematic approach of the framework method. Findings indicated that school support for NE was limited, which undermined the capacity of school NE to influence healthy eating behaviours of learners. The need to strengthen teachers' capacity to model positive eating behaviours was identified. Learners were perceived as being not completely ignorant of healthy eating, with limited capacity to effect changes within the resource-constrained environment. Negative influences like unhealthy choices of food from food vendors and peer influences were identified as needing to be discouraged. Positive influences like the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP and the school vegetable garden were to be encouraged. Understanding the prevailing school situation and environment and teachers' perceptions and roles in school NE is important in addressing issues that weaken the influence of NE on learners' eating behaviours.

  19. The relationship between teacher-related factors and students' attitudes towards secondary school chemistry subject in Bureti district, Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salome Chepkorir

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the relationship between teacher-related factors and student’s attitudes towards Chemistry subject in secondary schools in Kenya. The paper is based on a study conducted in Bureti District in Kericho County, Kenya. This paper highlights issues on the teaching methods used by chemistry teachers, the teachers’ availability to attend to various needs of students on the subject, their use of teaching and learning resources in teaching, teachers’ personal levels of skills and knowledge of the subject matter in Chemistry and the impact of students’ negative attitudes towards Chemistry on teachers’ effectiveness. The research design used in the study was descriptive survey. The target population comprised Form Four students in ten selected secondary schools in Bureti District of Rift Valley Province Kenya. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the study sample. Schools were selected from the following categories: Girls’ schools, Boys’ schools and Co-educational schools. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents from Form Four classes as well as a teacher in each school. In all, one hundred and eighty-nine students and ten teachers filled the questionnaires. The data collection instruments were questionnaires based on the Likert scale and document analysis. Data was analyzed descriptively using frequency tables, means and percentages while hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance. From the study findings, a number of indicators revealed that there are some factors influencing students’ attitudes towards Chemistry, including lack of successful experiences in Chemistry, poor teaching. It was recommended that science teachers’ should encourage development of positive self-concept of ability among students. Among other recommendations, the study suggests that guidance and counselling of students in schools should be encouraged, to ensure positive attitudes towards and full

  20. Walking school bus programs in U.S. public elementary schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2013-07-01

    Active transportation to school provides an important way for children to meet physical activity recommendations. The "walking school bus" (WSB) is a strategy whereby adults walk with a group of children to and from school along a fixed route. This study assessed whether school-organized WSB programs varied by school characteristics, district policies, and state laws. School data were gathered by mail-back surveys in nationally representative samples of U.S. public elementary schools during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years (n = 632 and 666, respectively). Corresponding district policies and state laws were obtained. Nationwide, 4.2% of schools organized a WSB program during 2008-2009, increasing to 6.2% by 2009-2010. Controlling for demographic covariates, schools were more likely to organize a WSB program where there was a strong district policy pertaining to safe active routes to school (OR = 2.14, P law requiring crossing guards around schools (OR = 2.72, P laws are associated with an increased likelihood of elementary schools organizing these programs. Policymaking efforts may encourage schools to promote active transportation.