Metamorphosis: Texas District Opts for Learner-Centered Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ellinger, Alan; Launius, Keri; Scott, Annette

2017-01-01

Like many districts across the United States, Galveston, Texas, is focused on building a culture of excellence. The district is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it is laced with opulent vacation homes and resort hotels used by out-of-town owners. On the other, the median household income level is $28,895, with 22% of the population living below…

School Library Policy and Legal Opinions of Texas Public School Principals and Certified Librarians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Shupala

2006-09-01

Full Text Available This study involved a survey of the attitudes of Texas public school principals and certified librarians, perceptions andexperiences with regard to school library policy for media selection, and procedures for responding to complaints againstlibrary media. Analysis of the data included a methodology of mixed-methods explanatory design. Selection of the principalsand certified librarians was proportionate and stratified according to the state's 20 Education Service Centerregions. Of the 1,036 independent school districts that employed the state population of 10,014 principals and certifiedlibrarians, 275 independent school districts (26.5 percent allowed participation in the survey. Although random samplingof the state population had not been possible, the demographic and employment characteristics of the study samplewere comparable to those of the state population. Two key findings were (a that the legal opinions of principals andcertified librarians were useful predictors of their opinions of library media selection policy and complaint proceduresand (b that the principals' appreciation of selection policy and complaint procedures sometimes differed from the librarians'because of the principals' different legal perspective of library selection policy and complaint procedures.

HB 2578--Relating to the School Meals Program. Testimony, 79th Texas State Legislature (April 26, 2005)

Science.gov (United States)

Hagert, Celia

2005-01-01

The Center for Public Policy Priorities supports HB 2574. Why encourage school districts to offer free meals to all students? The link between adequate nutrition and improved academic performance creates a clear incentive for Texas to increase participation in the school breakfast and lunch programs, particularly among low-income children.…

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…

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…

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2014-15

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2004-05 through 2014-15 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations…

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2015-16

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2005-06 through 2015-16 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations…

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2016-17

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2017

2017-01-01

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 2006-07 through 2016-17 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Student Data System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs.…

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…

Mathematics Preservice Teachers Are Literacy Educators Too: Learning How to Administer and Use Data from the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment to Plan Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks. Benita R.

2017-01-01

House Bill (HB) 2237 (80th Legislature), Section 6: Adolescent Reading Assessment requires districts and public charter schools to administer the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) or some other state approved alternative assessment to students in grade seven who do not demonstrate reading proficiency on the grade six state reading…

Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Surani, Salim; Hesselbacher, Sean; Surani, Saherish; Sadasiva, Sreevidya; Surani, Zoya; Surani, Sara S; Khimani, Amina; Subramanian, Shyam

2015-01-01

Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

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…

Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salim Surani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children’s Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

The Impact of Job Satisfaction on the Turnover Intent of Executive Level Central Office Administrators in Texas Public School Districts: A Quantitative Study of Work Related Constructs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnny O’Connor

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intent of executive level central office administrators in Texas public school districts. For the intent of this study, executive level central office administrators were defined as staff members who serve in one of the following roles in a school district: assistant, associate, area, or deputy superintendent. The data were collected from a random sample of 234 participants in which survey instruments of job satisfaction and turnover intent were used. Each instrument was created on a five-point Likert scale. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that a moderate inverse relationship exists between job satisfaction and turnover intent and job satisfaction explained 41.3% of an executive level central office administrator’s intent for turnover. Research related to this employee group is lacking. Therefore, not much is known regarding how it relates to their attitude towards work-related factors. Learning more about job satisfaction and turnover intention of these individuals could have long term implications since it relates to mitigating the shortage of superintendent candidates available to fill the growing number of vacancies as well as recruitment, retention, and increased work productivity of these staff.

Impact of Bilingual Education Programs on Limited English Proficient Students and Their Peers : Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Texas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chin, A.; Meltem Daysal, N.; Imberman, S.A.

2012-01-01

Abstract: Texas requires a school district to offer bilingual education when its enrollment of limited English proficient (LEP) students in a particular elementary grade and language is twenty or higher. Using school panel data, we find a significant increase in the probability that a district

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.

Effects of Year-Round Education on Texas Middle School Student Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Coopersmith, Michael

2011-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the year-round calendar on student performance in Texas middle schools as measured by achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. In the State of Texas, 15 schools served students in grades six through eight using the year-round calendar in 2009-2010. The 15…

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

A qualitative study of junior high school principals' and school food service directors' experiences with the Texas school nutrition policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Stephen M; Pobocik, Rebecca S; Deek, Rima; Besgrove, Ashley; Prostine, Becky A

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to learn about the experiences of principals and school food service directors with the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted to gain first hand reactions to the new nutrition policy. Data were gathered from Texas middle schools. Principals and food service directors from 24 schools randomly selected from 10 Texas Education regions were interviewed. Participants were interviewed about their reactions to the implementation of the Texas School Nutrition Policy. Two researchers, using thematic analysis, independently analyzed each interview. Differences in coding were reconciled and themes were generated. The themes that surfaced included resistance to the policy, policy development process, communication, government role, parental role, food rewards, fund raising, and leadership. Resistance to the policy was not extreme. In the future a wider array of school personnel who are affected by school food regulations should be included in the development of new policies. It is critical to communicate with all concerned parties about the policy.

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.…

Annual Report of the Texas Child Migrant Program, ESEA Title 1, 1974-75.

Science.gov (United States)

Nutt, Andrew T.; And Others

During 1974-75, 181 school districts in Texas operated programs aimed at eliminating some of the educational deprivation of 61,799 migrant children. The majority of these districts concentrated their greatest efforts in the basic subjects including reading, mathematics, and oral language. Programs were operated in grades K-12 and a special migrant…

Instructional Leadership Responsibilities of Assistant Principals in Large Texas High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Howard-Schwind, Michelle

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent secondary assistant principals in large Texas high schools demonstrate behaviors consistent with what the literature describes as instructional leadership. Three hundred seventy principals and assistant principals of large Texas high schools participated in this study. The Principal…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

The Impact of Regional Differences on Elementary School Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Their Students’ Use of Code Switching in a South Texas School District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guadalupe Nancy Nava Gómez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study focused on investigating whether the teachers' geographical distribution influences their attitudes towards their students' use of code switching. The study was guided by the following research question: Are there differences between teachers' opinions of the north elementary schools and teachers' opinions of the south elementary schools, which are predominantly Hispanic, towards their students' use of code switching? If so, why? A twenty-item structured survey was utilized. The population consisted of 279 elementary school teachers at seven Northern and seven Southern schools in the same South Texas region. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Findings showed that Southern teachers had more prejudices towards code switching than those from the North, who were more receptive to this socio-cultural and linguistic phenomenon due to the ethnic makeup of their classrooms.

The Partnership in Teacher Excellence Program: A District-University Collaboration to Create Teacher Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Nathan; Goodwin, Marilyn; Summers, Emily

2013-01-01

This article describes the conditions for establishing an advanced master's degree program that focuses on teacher leadership. The creation of the model is examined from the perspective of nine administrators from Eanes Independent School District in Austin, Texas, and Texas State University-San Marcos. These administrators collaborated to design…

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.

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…

School Insurance.

Science.gov (United States)

1964

The importance of insurance in the school budget is the theme of this comprehensive bulletin on the practices and policies for Texas school districts. Also considered is the development of desirable school board policies in purchasing insurance and operating the program. Areas of discussion are: risks to be covered, amount of coverage, values,…

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,…

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…

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."…

Relationship between Leadership Behaviors of High School Principals and Teacher Retention in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Aiken, Debra L.

2010-01-01

The study investigated the relationship between leadership behaviors of high school principals and teacher retention in Texas. A total of 88 Texas high school principals participated in the survey. Leadership behaviors were measured using the Culturally Adapted Leadership for Inspired Business Excellence and Results (CALIBER) Leadership Assessment…

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.

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…

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…

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…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2013-14. IDRA Infographic

Science.gov (United States)

Intercultural Development Research Association, 2014

2014-01-01

This infographic shows how Texas public schools are losing one out of four students. The statistics show that schools are twice as likely to lose Hispanic students and Black students before they graduate, and universal high school education is at least a quarter of a century away. The flyer also provides information on getting informed, getting…

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…

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

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…

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…

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…

Teachers Already Armed in Some Districts

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Nirvi

2013-01-01

Shooting instructor Johnny Price looked at the teachers lined up in front of him. Mr. Price, the owner of Big Iron Concealed Handgun Training in Waco, Texas, spent two days this month training teachers and staff members from the Clifton school district in all they need to know to earn licenses to carry weapons out of sight. There is no indication…

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…

Sound Levels in East Texas Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Aaron Lynn

A survey of sound levels was taken in several Texas schools to determine the amount of noise and sound present by size of class, type of activity, location of building, and the presence of air conditioning and large amounts of glass. The data indicate that class size and relative amounts of glass have no significant bearing on the production of…

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…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2011-12. IDRA Report

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Roy L.; Montes, Felix

2012-01-01

This document contains 3 statistical reports. The first report, "Attrition Rate Decline Seems Promising--Though High Schools are Still Losing One in Four Students" (by Roy L. Johnson), presents results of long-term trend assessments of attrition data in Texas public high schools. The second report, "Slow Declining Pace Keeps Zero…

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2015-16

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Education Agency, 2017

2017-01-01

This annual report provides information for the 2015-16 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; race/ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and economic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are…

Idle reduction programs and potential benefits to schools

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

School districts in Texas and many other states have, in recent years, increased the walk zones : surrounding schools to a 2-mile perimeter. Inside this perimeter, either no school bus service is : offered, or service is offered only with a fee...

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…

33 CFR 165.804 - Snake Island, Texas City, Texas; mooring and fleeting of vessels-safety zone.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Snake Island, Texas City, Texas... Guard District § 165.804 Snake Island, Texas City, Texas; mooring and fleeting of vessels—safety zone. (a) The following is a safety zone: (1) The west and northwest shores of Snake Island; (2) The...

Developing Employee Assistance Programs: New Roles for School Psychologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Allie, Stephen M.

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

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…

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.…

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...

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…

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)

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,…

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,…

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…

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…

The 1968 Edcouch-Elsa High School Walkout: Chicano Student Activism in a South Texas Community

Science.gov (United States)

Barrera, James B.

2004-01-01

A nonviolent school boycott by 192 Chicanola students in 1968 at Edcouch-Elsa high school in the Rio Grande Valley region of Deep South Texas is examined. This walkout was the first major Chicano student protest in South Texas, and was a product of the 1960s Chicano movement.

Square Pegs in Round Holes: Montessori Principals' Perceptions of Science Education in Texas Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, Lindsey

2013-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of Texas public Montessori school principals as instructional leaders in science. Twelve public Montessori school principals were interviewed for this study. Two research questions were used: How do public Montessori principals perceive Texas science standards in public…

At-Risk Student Mobility in an Urban Elementary School: Effects on Academic Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Shoho, Alan R.; Oleszewski, Ashley

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of at-risk student mobility on academic achievement in an urban elementary school. Math and reading scores from the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) of 172 third, fourth, and fifth grade students from an urban school district in South Central Texas were examined to determine whether…

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:…

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…

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…

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

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…

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...

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…

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...

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…

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.

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,…

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…

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,…

An analysis of factors that influence secondary science teachers in an urban school district in South Texas to remain in the teaching profession

Science.gov (United States)

Montoya, Bonnie

This quantitative study is an examination of personal and professional factors that contribute to science teachers continuing to teach science in an urban area in South Texas despite the growing demands of the profession. This study examines why teachers in general leave the profession but focuses on what factors influenced these teachers to stay. Personal retention factors measured included being an effective teacher and positive rapport with students. Professional retention factors included administrative support and adequate time to meet professional obligations. There are 149 secondary science teachers in this large urban school district. Data was gathered from 109 of these educators to analyze factors personal and professional factors in regards to why these teachers remain in the field. For the purposes of this study a secondary science teacher will be any teacher who teaches science in grades 6-12, which is considered middle (6 through 8) and high school (9 through 12) in this area. The data for this quantitative study was collected by a paper survey (N=109) that was distributed at a professional learning session at the beginning of the school year. A Principal Component Analysis was run followed by three multiple regression analyses of the pertinent components to determine if there is any relationship between the demographics of the participants and personal and professional factors that cause these teachers to remain in the field. The results of this study will contribute to the literature regarding teacher education and theory that examines teacher practice affecting change. The results showed that professional factors like the amount of resources and the quality of those resources to assist teachers with job efficacy mattered as much as the personal factors such as positive teaching experience and an intrinsic sense of being an effective educator. Further implications of this study include an exploration of Generalist certifications at the middle grades

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…

Changing Deficit Narratives about Young Latino Men in Texas through a Research-Based Mentorship Program

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Emmet E.; Van Ryn, Rebekah; Davidson, Ty J.

2018-01-01

Austin Independent School District (AISD) and the University of Texas's Project MALES began a partnership to design a mentoring system for young men of color in hopes of improving the the matriculation and sustainability of this group in college by addressing the social, economic, and cultural obstacles impacting these young men. This strong…

Impact of Texas high school science teacher credentials on student performance in high school science

Science.gov (United States)

George, Anna Ray Bayless

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between the credentials held by science teachers who taught at a school that administered the Science Texas Assessment on Knowledge and Skills (Science TAKS), the state standardized exam in science, at grade 11 and student performance on a state standardized exam in science administered in grade 11. Years of teaching experience, teacher certification type(s), highest degree level held, teacher and school demographic information, and the percentage of students who met the passing standard on the Science TAKS were obtained through a public records request to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Analysis was performed through the use of canonical correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that a larger percentage of students met the passing standard on the Science TAKS state attended schools in which a large portion of the high school science teachers held post baccalaureate degrees, elementary and physical science certifications, and had 11-20 years of teaching experience.

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

School Library Policy and Legal Opinions of Texas Public School Principals and Certified Librarians

OpenAIRE

Andrew Shupala

2006-01-01

This study involved a survey of the attitudes of Texas public school principals and certified librarians, perceptions andexperiences with regard to school library policy for media selection, and procedures for responding to complaints againstlibrary media. Analysis of the data included a methodology of mixed-methods explanatory design. Selection of the principalsand certified librarians was proportionate and stratified according to the state's 20 Education Service Centerregions. Of the 1,036 ...

Rising Above the Storm: DIG TEXAS

Science.gov (United States)

Ellins, K. K.; Miller, K. C.; Bednarz, S. W.; Mosher, S.

2011-12-01

For a decade Texas educators, scientists and citizens have shown a commitment to earth science education through planning at the national and state levels, involvement in earth science curriculum and teacher professional development projects, and the creation of a model senior level capstone Earth and Space Science course first offered in 2010 - 2011. The Texas state standards for Earth and Space Science demonstrate a shift to rigorous content, career relevant skills and use of 21st century technology. Earth and Space Science standards also align with the Earth Science, Climate and Ocean Literacy framework documents. In spite of a decade of progress K-12 earth science education in Texas is in crisis. Many school districts do not offer Earth and Space Science, or are using the course as a contingency for students who fail core science subjects. The State Board for Educator Certification eliminated Texas' secondary earth science teacher certification in 2009, following the adoption of the new Earth and Space Science standards. This makes teachers with a composite teacher certification (biology, physics and chemistry) eligible to teach Earth and Space Science, as well other earth science courses (e.g., Aquatic Science, Environmental Systems/Science) even if they lack earth science content knowledge. Teaching materials recently adopted by the State Board of Education do not include Earth and Space Science resources. In July 2011 following significant budget cuts at the 20 Education Service Centers across Texas, the Texas Education Agency eliminated key staff positions in its curriculum division, including science. This "perfect storm" has created a unique opportunity for a university-based approach to confront the crisis in earth science education in Texas which the Diversity and Innovation in the Geosciences (DIG) TEXAS alliance aims to fulfill. Led by the Texas A&M University College of Geosciences and The University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences, with

A Heart as Big as Texas: Small-Town Roots Nurture a Houston Music Teacher's Success

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Patience

2011-01-01

Teaching music to nearly a thousand elementary students each week would make any educator break a sweat. But one would never know that from talking to MaryElla Neeley Stevens. After 30-plus years teaching K-4 music in the Aldine Independent School District of Houston, Texas, she still radiates positivity. Whether it's mentoring and training…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2013-14. IDRA Report

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Roy L.; Montes, Felix

2014-01-01

Since 1986, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) has conducted an annual attrition study to track the number and percent of students in Texas who are lost from public secondary school enrollment prior to graduation. The study builds on the series of studies that began when IDRA conducted the first comprehensive study of school…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2016-17. IDRA Report

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Roy L.; Montes, Felix

2017-01-01

Since 1986, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) has conducted an annual attrition study to track the number and percent of students in Texas who are lost from public secondary school enrollment prior to graduation. The study builds on the series of studies that began when IDRA conducted the first comprehensive study of school…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2014-15. IDRA Report

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Roy L.; Montes, Felix

2015-01-01

Since 1986, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) has conducted an annual attrition study to track the number and percent of students in Texas who are lost from public secondary school enrollment prior to graduation. The study builds on the series of studies that began when IDRA conducted the first comprehensive study of school…

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2015-16. IDRA Report

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Roy L.; Montes, Felix; Hinojosa, David

2016-01-01

Since 1986, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) has conducted an annual attrition study to track the number and percent of students in Texas who are lost from public secondary school enrollment prior to graduation. The study builds on the series of studies that began when IDRA conducted the first comprehensive study of school…

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…

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…

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

Science.gov (United States)

Still, Maridale

2017-01-01

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

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…

Teaching the Culturally Different: A Multicultural Framework for School Curricula.

Science.gov (United States)

Whalon, Constance; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

A multicultural framework for school curricula directed toward the culturally different was developed for implementation of court ordered multicultural education goals at the H. S. Thompson Learning Center of the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District. The philosophy of multicultural education suggests that ethnic diversity and cultural…

Measurement of flows for two irrigation districts in the lower Colorado River basin, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Coplin, L.S.; Liscum, Fred; East, J.W.; Goldstein, L.B.

1996-01-01

The Lower Colorado River Authority sells and distributes water for irrigation of rice farms in two irrigation districts, the Lakeside district and the Gulf Coast district, in the lower Colorado River Basin of Texas. In 1993, the Lower Colorado River Authority implemented a water-measurement program to account for the water delivered to rice farms and to promote water conservation. During the rice-irrigation season (summer and fall) of 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey measured flows at 30 sites in the Lakeside district and 24 sites in the Gulf Coast district coincident with Lower Colorado River Authority measuring sites. In each district, the Survey made essentially simultaneous flow measurements with different types of meters twice a day once in the morning and once in the afternoon at each site on selected days for comparison with Lower Colorado River Authority measurements. One-hundred pairs of corresponding (same site, same date) Lower Colorado River Authority and U.S. Geological Survey measurements from the Lakeside district and 104 measurement pairs from the Gulf Coast district are compared statistically and graphically. For comparison, the measurement pairs are grouped by irrigation district and further subdivided by the time difference between corresponding measurements less than or equal to 1 hour or more than 1 hour. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (to indicate whether two groups of paired observations are statistically different) on Lakeside district measurement pairs with 1 hour or less between measurements indicate that the Lower Colorado River Authority and U.S. Geological Survey measurements are not statistically different. The median absolute percent difference between the flow measurements is 5.9 percent; and 33 percent of the flow measurements differ by more than 10 percent. Similar statistical tests on Gulf Coast district measurement pairs with 1 hour or less between measurements indicate that the Lower Colorado River Authority and U.S. Geological

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

Full Text Available Abstract Background Federal nutritional guidelines apply to school foods provided through the national school lunch and breakfast programs, but few federal regulations apply to other foods and drinks sold in schools (labeled "competitive foods", which are often high in calories, fat and sugar. Competitive food policies among school districts are increasingly viewed as an important modifiable factor in the school nutrition environment, particularly to address rising rates of childhood overweight. Congress passed legislation in 2004 requiring all school districts to develop a Wellness Policy that includes nutrition guidelines for competitive foods starting in 2006–2007. In addition, the Institute of Medicine (IOM recently published recommendations for schools to address childhood obesity. Methods Representatives of school districts with the largest student enrollment in each state and D.C. (N = 51 were interviewed in October-November 2004 about each school district's nutrition policies on "competitive foods." District policies were examined and compared to the Institute of Medicine's recommendations for schools to address childhood obesity. Information about state competitive food policies was accessed via the Internet, and through state and district contacts. Results The 51 districts accounted for 5.9 million students, representing 11% of US students. Nineteen of the 51 districts (39% had competitive food policies beyond state or federal requirements. The majority of these district policies (79% were adopted since 2002. School district policies varied in scope and requirements. Ten districts (53% set different standards by grade level. Most district policies had criteria for food and beverage content (74% and prohibited the sale of soda in all schools (63%; fewer policies restricted portion size of foods (53% or beverages (47%. Restrictions more often applied to vending machines (95%, cafeteria à la carte (79%, and student stores (79% than

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…

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…

Staying Power: The Relationship of Public School Superintendent Tenure to Leadership Frames

Science.gov (United States)

Elliff, Doyne Scott

2012-01-01

The study examined the types of leadership frames ("human resource," "structural," "political," and "symbolic") (Bolman & Deal, 1997) most often used by public school superintendents in Texas, the relationship of leadership frames to the length of superintendent tenure in a single school district, and…

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.

Charter school education in Texas: Student achievement on the exit level assessment in math and science

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Jeffery E.

Public schools in the state of Texas are held accountable for performance and quality of education. Accountability is important to all schools, but it is critical to open-enrollment charter schools to remain in good standing. The current economic situation in Texas public education has brought attention as well as the need for alternative education programs such as charter schools. It is of the utmost importance for charter schools to illustrate that they are meeting the academic needs of the target market. This study addressed student achievement, as well as expenditure per student in both charter schools and traditional schools in the Region 10 educational service center. The datum for the study were obtained from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website, specifically the Academic Excellence Indicator System Data (AEIS) files for the 2011-2012. The study sample included 30 open-enrollment charters schools and 30 traditional high schools within the Region 10 educational service center during the school year of 2011-2012. The research study determined significant statistical differences between open-enrollment charter schools and traditional high schools. The potential for the study was to gain additional knowledge and insight along with additional data for the open-enrollment charter schools and traditional schools in the Region 10 Educational Service Center. The study has potentially increased the information for researchers and practitioners in education. In addition this study has proved charter schools are a viable and an effective educational tool for the future.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 ....

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…

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…

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…

Promoting Energy-Balance Behaviors among Ethnically Diverse Adolescents: Overview and Baseline Findings of the Central Texas CATCH Middle School Project

Science.gov (United States)

Springer, Andrew E.; Kelder, Steven H.; Byrd-Williams, Courtney E.; Pasch, Keryn E.; Ranjit, Nalini; Delk, Joanne E.; Hoelscher, Deanna M.

2013-01-01

The Central Texas Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) Middle School Project is a 3.5-year school-based project aimed at promoting physical activity (PA), healthy eating, and obesity prevention among public middle school students in Texas. This article describes the CATCH intervention model and presents baseline findings from spring 2009.…

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…

Can Texas' Physicians Be as Diverse as Texas?

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Sean

2017-07-01

The United States and Texas have a chronic shortage of doctors, but the shortage of minority physicians is even more acute. To address this, and the health disparities that come with it, Texas medical schools are working to increase minority enrollment, but challenges remain.

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…

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)

Rural Teacher's Perceptions of Safety on Texas High School Campuses

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Ronald J., Jr.

2015-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to explore the perceptions of safety of rural Texas high school teachers as it related to a campus intruder or active shooter. The investigator utilized Creswell's (2012) six steps in analyzing and interpreting the qualitative data. The results of the study showed that…

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.…

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.

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…

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.

"In the middle of an orange grove, across the street from the tortilla factory": The Science Academy of South Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Canter, Anna Rudolph

2004-12-01

The Science Academy of South Texas, one of four magnet schools in The South Texas Independent School District (STISD), opened in 1989 to bring educational opportunities in mathematics and science to students in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. STISD serves three counties and offers enrollment to any student who applies from any of the twenty-eight feeder districts. The Science Academy is the only mathematics and science magnet school in the Rio Grande Valley. Over years, Science Academy has developed partnerships with major colleges and universities in Houston, Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. University partnerships have provided funding for programs at the school and have created continuing summer study programs for Science Academy students. Graduates have been accepted to and/or attended some of the most prestigious colleges and universities across the United States, despite personal challenges including low socioeconomic status, English as their second language, and being the first in their family to attend college. This historical study seeks to answer two basic questions. How has the Science Academy faced its academic, political, and social challenges over the years? What factors appear to have contributed to its establishment, survival, and success? Chapter One, "Significance of the Study and Research Methods" describes the study's significance within the scholarly literature and the research methods used for this study. Chapter Two, "The Science Academy of South Texas" presents the history of STISD and the events which precipitated Science Academy's establishment. Chapter Three, "The Administration, Faculty and Staff of Science Academy," discusses administration and faculty of the Science Academy. Its focus is Science Academy teachers and their educational beliefs as well as the administrators and staff and their beliefs. Chapter Four, "Curriculum Continuity and Change at the Science Academy," focuses on the curriculum history of Science Academy and

The impact of school socioeconomic status on student lunch consumption after implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition policy

Science.gov (United States)

This study compared the impact of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy on lunch consumption of low- and middle-income students in sixth through eighth grades. Students in one middle socioeconomic status (SES), and one low SES school completed lunch food records before (2001/2002), and after (200...

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…

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.

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…

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…

A Comparison of Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, and Acanthosis Nigricans in School-Age Children

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Debra E.; Wang, Xiaohui; Tijerina, Sandra L.; Reyna, Maria Elena; Farooqi, Mohammad I.; Shelton, Margarette L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this retrospective quantitative study was to examine the relationships among acanthosis nigricans (AN), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), school grade, and gender in children attending elementary school located in South West Texas. Data were collected by attending school district nurses. Researchers reviewed 7,026…

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…

School Social Workers in Texas: A Comparative Demographic Analysis of the Texas-Mexico Border and Non-Border Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Garza, Cecilia; Landeck, Michael

2007-01-01

This study examines the role of school social workers as potential agents of change in the educational system, with a special focus on their major demographic characteristics in Texas and along the Mexico border region. The border region of the state has chronic poverty and limited educational attainment levels and demonstrates a need for…

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.

Typhus in Texas

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

Dr. Kristy Murray, an associate professor in pediatrics and assistant dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, discusses increased cases of typhus in southern Texas.

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

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…

An Internet Web-Site To Enhance Communication with School Personnel and Parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Jayne; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

This document represents a Web site for Chisholm Trail Intermediate School (Keller Independent School District (KISD), Fort Worth, Texas). The first part of the document provides an introduction that discusses the importance of the communication environment and the sense of community that can be created within education. This section also…

Huelga Schools in Houston: Community-Based Education in the Struggle for Legal Recognition, 1970

Science.gov (United States)

San Miguel, Guadalupe, Jr.

2016-01-01

This essay provides an overview of the huelga schools established in Houston, Texas, in 1970. For 2 years, from 1970 to 1972, the Mexican American community opposed the Houston Independent School District's plan to integrate the schools by pairing so-called White Mexican Americans with African American students. While they protested this decision,…

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…

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…

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.

The Impact of School Socioeconomic Status on Student Lunch Consumption after Implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Cullen, Karen Weber; Watson, Kathleen B.; Fithian, Ashley R.

2009-01-01

Background: This study compares the impact of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy on lunch consumption of low- and middle-income students in sixth through eighth grades. Methods: Students in 1 middle socioeconomic status (SES) and 1 low SES school completed lunch food records before (2001/2002) and after (2005/2006) implementation of the…

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…

A Study of the Aquaculture Industry in Texas to Assist in Establishing Aquaculture as a Course Offering in Agricultural Science and Technology. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Dillingham, John; And Others

A 1989-90 project determined the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the aquaculture industry. The study identified technical materials and other resources available in private industry and higher education institutions. Two surveys determined the status of aquaculture in Texas school districts and identified tasks performed by…

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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)

Educational and Occupational Aspirations and Expectations of El Paso High School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Venegas, Moises

The purpose of this study was to make a comprehensive survey of the educational and occupational aspirations and expectations of high school sophomores and seniors in the El Paso and Ysleta school districts (El Paso, Texas). Group-administered questionnaires were used to obtain the information from the 590 randomly sampled students (5% of the…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

Antecedents and consequences of residential choice and school transfer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toni Falbo

2005-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines the antecedents and consequences of residential choice and school transfers within one of the eight largest urban school districts in Texas. This study is based on survey data from a representative sample of parents of K-12 students enrolled in this district. In addition to demographic characteristics of the family, the parent decision-making model of Schneider, Teske, & Marschall (2000 was examined to determine if aspects of this model were useful in understanding the school choices made at the beginning of the school year and the parents' motivation to move to another school at the end. The results provide some support for the view that residential choice is related to enhanced achievement and satisfaction; while, within-district transfers were used more by better educated White parents who did not qualify as low income. Parents' motivation to move their children to another school was greater when they perceived the school as less receptive to their involvement and their children as less successful in school.

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…

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…

Delivery of workshops on corridor management and preservation in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

This report summarizes the delivery and outcome of a series of workshops conducted at 23 Texas : Department of Transportation (TxDOT) districts across the state on corridor management and preservation : in Texas. The workshops served as follow-up imp...

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…

Educator Sexual Misconduct and Texas Educator Discipline Database Construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, Catherine E; Thompson, David P

2018-05-24

The purpose of this research is to describe Texas educator sexual misconduct (ESM) by examining 8 years of sanctions issued to educators (N = 1415) for either sexual misconduct or inappropriate relationships with students or minors. We first examine Texas ESM from the perspective of quality database construction and then describe the demographic characteristics of educators sanctioned for ESM between 2008 and 2016. Differences in the demographic characteristics of educators sanctioned for ESM vary according to the definition of ESM employed by the state education agency. Younger and early career educators are more likely to engage in inappropriate relationships with students or minors, whereas older and later-career teachers are more likely to engage in sexual misconduct as that term is defined by the state education agency. Over one-third of educators sanctioned for ESM were either new to the profession or new to their school district when sanctioned. Recommendations are offered for database construction, policy, and practice.

An Early Start: WPA Emergency Nursery Schools in Texas, 1934-1943

Science.gov (United States)

Burlbaw, Lynn Matthew

2009-01-01

This paper begins with an overview of the location and types of nursery schools reported to be operating in Texas between 1934 and 1943. The author reports on the results of the analysis of the photographs used in this study. The analysis is supported and contextualized by the use of references from federal documents and other publications…

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…

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...

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).…

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…

"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…

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…

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.…

The Texas Ten Percent Plan's Impact on College Enrollment

Science.gov (United States)

Daugherty, Lindsay; Martorell, Paco; McFarlin, Isaac, Jr.

2014-01-01

The Texas Ten Percent Plan (TTP) provides students in the top 10 percent of their high-school class with automatic admission to any public university in the state, including the two flagship schools, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M. Texas created the policy in 1997 after a federal appellate court ruled that the state's previous…

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

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.

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.

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

"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…

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…

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)

An Analysis of Laboratory Safety in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Edward J.; Picucci, Ali Callicoatte; Collins, James W.; Swann, Philip

This paper reports on a survey to discover the types of laboratory accidents that occur in Texas public schools, the factors associated with such accidents, and the practices of schools with regard to current laboratory safety requirements. The purpose of the survey is to better understand safety conditions in Texas public schools and to help…

Confronting the Graduation Rate Crisis in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Losen, Daniel; Orfield, Gary; Balfanz, Robert

2006-01-01

The most accurate method for tracking high school graduation rates is to provide each student with a single lifetime school identification number that would follow him or her throughout his or her entire school career. Texas has this system in place, but this report demonstrates that the official rates Texas has historically reported dramatically…

Comparative description of migrant farmworkers versus other students attending South Texas schools: demographic, academic, and health characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Sharon P; Weller, Nancy F; Fox, Erin E; Cooper, Sara R; Shipp, Eva M

2005-08-01

Little is known about academic performance, health, and social functioning of youth from migrant farmworker families. This study was designed to compare demographic, academic, health, and social data between migrant and nonmigrant youth residing in South Texas. Anonymous cross-sectional survey data were collected from 6954 middle and 3565 high school students. About 5% of South Texas middle and high school students reported belonging to a migrant family. Compared with nonmigrant students, migrant youth were more likely to miss and arrive late to school, sleep in class, and study fewer hours weekly. Migrant students reported fewer hours of nightly sleep, fewer hours spent with their friends, and more minor illnesses than nonmigrant youth. These results demonstrate the need for interventions specifically targeted to this vulnerable adolescent population.

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.

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.

Numero Uno.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmaffy, Tyce

1998-01-01

Describes the Ysleta School District, El Paso (Texas), which has, despite high poverty and a constant inflow of immigrants with limited English skills, the best test scores of any urban district in Texas. In spite of the district's accomplishments, the school board seems determined to oust the current superintendent. (SLD)

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,…

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...

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

Landsat sattelite multi-spectral image classification of land cover and land use changes for GIS-based urbanization analysis in irrigation districts of lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas

Science.gov (United States)

The Lower Rio Grande Valley in the south of Texas is experiencing rapid increase of population to bring up urban growth that continues influencing on the irrigation districts in the region. This study evaluated the Landsat satellite multi-spectral imagery to provide information for GIS-based urbaniz...

Public Outreach of the South Texas Health Physic Society and Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, R. O.

2003-01-01

In a cooperative effort of the members of the South Texas Chapter of the Heath Physics Society (STC-HPS) and the Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department, great efforts have been made to reach out and provide educational opportunities to members of the general public, school age children, and specifically teachers. These efforts have taken the form of Science Teacher Workshops (STW), visits to schools all over the state of Texas, public forums, and many other educational arenas. A major motivational factor for these most recent efforts can be directly tied to the attempt of the State of Texas to site a low-level radioactive waste facility near Sierra Blanca in West Texas. When the State of Texas first proposed to site a low level radioactive waste site after the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 was passed, many years of political struggle ensued. Finally, a site at Sierra Blanca in far West Texas was selected for study and characterization for a disposal site for waste generated in the Texas Compact states of Maine, Vermont and Texas. During this process, the outreach to and education of the local public became a paramount issue

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…

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…

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…

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…

Sociotechnical Narratives in Rural, High-Poverty Elementary Schools: Comparative Findings from East Texas and South India

Science.gov (United States)

Byker, Erik J.

2014-01-01

The article's purpose is to compare case studies of computer technology use at two rural elementary schools across two international settings. This study uses the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) theory to guide this comparative investigation of how elementary school teachers and students in East Texas and South India construct meaning for…

Typhus in Texas

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2017-07-06

Dr. Kristy Murray, an associate professor in pediatrics and assistant dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, discusses increased cases of typhus in southern Texas.  Created: 7/6/2017 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 7/6/2017.

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…

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...

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)

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…

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.

Ready Texas: Stakeholder Convening. Proceedings Report

Science.gov (United States)

Intercultural Development Research Association, 2016

2016-01-01

With the adoption of substantial changes to Texas high school curricula in 2013 (HB5), a central question for Texas policymakers, education and business leaders, families, and students is whether and how HB5 implementation impacts the state of college readiness and success in Texas. Comprehensive research is needed to understand the implications…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

The Myth of the Texas Miracle in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walt Haney

2000-08-01

Full Text Available I summarize the recent history of education reform and statewide testing in Texas, which led to introduction of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS in 1990-91. A variety of evidence in the late 1990s led a number of observers to conclude that the state of Texas had made near miraculous progress in reducing dropouts and increasing achievement. The passing scores on TAAS tests were arbitrary and discriminatory. Analyses comparing TAAS reading, writing and math scores with one another and with relevant high school grades raise doubts about the reliability and validity of TAAS scores. I discuss problems of missing students and other mirages in Texas enrollment statistics that profoundly affect both reported dropout statistics and test scores. Only 50% of minority students in Texas have been progressing from grade 9 to high school graduation since the initiation of the TAAS testing program. Since about 1982, the rates at which Black and Hispanic students are required to repeat grade 9 have climbed steadily, such that by the late 1990s, nearly 30% of Black and Hispanic students were "failing" grade 9. Cumulative rates of grade retention in Texas are almost twice as high for Black and Hispanic students as for White students. Some portion of the gains in grade 10 TAAS pass rates are illusory. The numbers of students taking the grade 10 tests who were classified as "in special education" and hence not counted in schools' accountability ratings nearly doubled between 1994 and 1998. A substantial portion of the apparent increases in TAAS pass rates in the 1990s are due to such exclusions. In the opinion of educators in Texas, schools are devoting a huge amount of time and energy preparing students specifically for TAAS, and emphasis on TAAS is hurting more than helping teaching and learning in Texas schools, particularly with at-risk students, and TAAS contributes to retention in grade and dropping out. Five different sources of evidence about

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...

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.

Trends in Algebra II Completion and Failure Rates for Students Entering Texas Public High Schools. REL 2018-289

Science.gov (United States)

Stoker, Ginger; Mellor, Lynn; Sullivan, Kate

2018-01-01

This study examines Algebra II completion and failure rates for students entering Texas public high schools from 2007/08 through 2014/15. This period spans the time when Texas students, beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, were required to take four courses each in English, math (including Algebra II), science, and social studies (called the…

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.

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…

TEXAS TAXES: A COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES

OpenAIRE

Stallmann, Judith I.; Jones, Lonnie L.

1998-01-01

This document is part of an educational series on Texas taxes. State and local taxes in Texas are compared with those of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Taxes are compared per capita and per $1,000 of personal income. The taxes include: all state and local taxes, property taxes, sales and gross receipts taxes, personal income taxes, corporate income taxes and corporate franchise taxes. For each tax the national average, median, maximum and minimum are given along with the corre...

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…

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.

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.

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…

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…

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…

Tornado from Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Vail, Kathleen

1996-01-01

Santa Fe School Superintendent Yvonne Gonzales, the "Texas Tornado," was hired to fix a 40% student-dropout rate and a white/Hispanic gap in achievement test scores. Gonzales is an avid integrationist; relies on humor, appeasement, and persuasion tactics; and has alienated some school employees by increasing central office…

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.

Teacher Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Middle School Students in South Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra, Fred R., Jr.; Brown, Michelle S.

2012-01-01

This quantitative study examined the knowledge levels middle school teachers in South Texas have in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study specifically compared teacher knowledge levels among three specific ADHD knowledge areas: (a) general knowledge of ADHD, (b) knowledge of symptoms/diagnosis of ADHD, and (c)…

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

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…

Ground-water resources of the Houston district, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

White, Walter N.; Rose, N.A.; Guyton, William F.

1944-01-01

This report covers the current phase of an investigation of the supply of ground water available for the Houston district and adjacent region, Texas,- that has been in progress during the past 10 years. The field operations included routine inventories of pumpage, measurements of water levels in observation wells and collection of other hydrologic data, pumping tests on 21 city-owned wells to determine coefficients of permeability and storage, and the drilling of 13 deep test wells in unexplored parts of the district. Considerable attention has been given to studies of the location of areas or beds of sand that contain salt water. The ground water occurs in beds of sand, sandstone, and gravel of Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene age. These formations crop out in belts that dip southeastward from their outcrop areas and are encountered by wells at progressively greater depths toward the southeast. The beds throughout the section are lithologically similar, and there is little agreement among geologists as to their correlation. -In this investigation, however, the sediments, penetrated by the wells are separated into six zones, chiefly on the basis of electrical logs. Most of the water occurs in zone 3, which ranges in thickness from 800 to 1,200 feet. Large quantities of ground water are pumped in three areas in the Houston district, as follows: The Houston tromping area, which includes Houston and the areas immediately adjacent; the Pasadena pumping area, which includes the industrial section extending along the ship channel from the Houston city limits eastward to Deer Park; and the Katy pumping area, an irregular-shaped area of several hundred square miles, which is roughly centered around the town of Katy, 30 miles west of Houston. In 1930 the total combined withdrawal of ground water in the Houston and Pasadena pumping areas averaged about 50 million gallons a day. It declined somewhat during 1932 and 1933 and then gradually increased, until in 1935 the total

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)

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…

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.

Nearly 50 Years Post-Jim Crow: Persisting and Expansive School Segregation for African American, Latina/o, and ELL Students in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez Heilig, Julian; Holme, Jennifer Jellison

2013-01-01

This study addresses the segregation of English language learner (ELL) students in schools across Texas. We descriptively analyze levels of racial, economic, and linguistic isolation experienced by ELL students across the state of Texas. We also examine the association between segregation by race/ethnicity, economic disadvantage, and language…

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.

Critical Thinking Skills among Elementary School Students: Comparing Identified Gifted and General Education Student Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kettler, Todd

2014-01-01

Education reform efforts, including the current adoption of Common Core State Standards, have increased attention to teaching critical thinking skills to all students. This study investigated the critical thinking skills of fourth-grade students from a school district in Texas, including 45 identified gifted students and 163 general education…

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…

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…

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

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…

Texas Heart Institute

Science.gov (United States)

... of seminars and conferences. Resources Texas Heart Institute Journal Scientific Publications Library & Learning Resources Resources for Physicians Fellowships & Residencies School of Perfusion Technology THI Spotlight Check out the ...

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…

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…

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

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…

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,…

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…

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,…

The InterCon network: a program for education partnerships at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, G A; Bouldin, P A; Farver, D W; Maugans, L A; Sanders, L C; Booker, J

1999-04-01

The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center (UT-Houston) has created programs and activities to address the state's pressing needs in minority education. Through InterCon, a network of universities and K-12 schools, UT-Houston works with its partners to identify competitive candidates in the current pool of minority graduates with bachelor's degrees and to help them--along with their non-minority counterparts--progress in their education. Another objective is to expand the pool of minorities underrepresented in medicine who complete high school and go to college. In 1994 UT-Houston and Prairie View A&M University created a collaborative venture to provide new educational opportunities at UT-Houston for Prairie View's predominantly African American students. A three-track summer internship program--a result of that collaboration--has since been expanded to partnerships with other minority and majority universities throughout Texas. In 1998, for example, 108 undergraduate students from these universities (and 40 other universities nationwide) participated in research, professional, and administrative summer internships at UT-Houston. The InterCon network also has partnerships with K-12 schools. UT-Houston works with inner-city, suburban, and rural school districts to develop education models that can be transferred throughout the state. The partnerships deal with helping to teach basic academic skills and computer literacy, improve science-related instruction, meet demands for health promotion materials and information for school-initiated health and wellness programs, and develop distance-learning paradigms. UT-Houston views InterCon as a program helping Texas institutions to engage and adapt to the socioeconomic factors, demographic changes, and technology explosion that currently challenge public education.

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

Tracking the Career Paths of Physics Teachers in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, Jennifer; Marshall, Jill; Fuller, Edward

2013-10-01

In Texas, and some other states, there is a documented shortage of physics teachers, in terms of both number and qualifications. The shortage in Texas is due as much to teachers leaving the field (attrition) as to a lack of teachers entering. There are efforts under way to prepare more and better-qualified physics teachers who will stay in the field longer,2 but increasing the overall supply and retention will not necessarily address localized teacher shortages. To investigate this issue, we obtained a database cataloging every teacher who taught science in Texas public schools from 2003 to 2008, indicating the school where they taught during each of those years, the subjects they taught, and their route to certification. This allowed us to track not only teachers entering and leaving the public school system, but also migration between schools within the system. We found that migration poses a much bigger problem than attrition for some schools. We also found patterns in the movement of physics teachers in Texas that we would not necessarily have predicted and that varied substantially depending on certification.

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…

Texas Science Teacher Characteristics and Conceptual Understanding of Newton's Laws of Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Busby, Karin Burk

Misconceptions of Newtonian mechanics and other physical science concepts are well documented in primary and pre-service teacher populations (Burgoon, Heddle, & Duran, 2009; Allen & Coole, 2012; Kruger, Summers, & Palacio, 1990; Ginns & Watters, 1995; Trumper, 1999; Asikainen & Hirovonen, 2014). These misconceptions match the misconceptions held by students, leaving teachers ill-equipped to rectify these concepts in the classroom (Kind, 2014; Kruger et al., 1990; Cochran & Jones, 1998). Little research has been devoted to misconceptions held by in-service secondary teachers, the population responsible for teaching Newtonian mechanics. This study focuses on Texas in-service science teachers in middle school and high school science, specifically sixth grade science, seventh grade science, eighth grade science, integrated physics and chemistry, and physics teachers. This study utilizes two instruments to gauge conceptual understanding of Newton's laws of motion: the Force Concept Inventory [FCI] (Hestenes, Wells, & Swackhamer, 1992) and a custom instrument developed for the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (Urquhart, M., e-mail, April 4, 2017). Use of each instrument had its strengths and limitations. In the initial work of this study, the FCI was given to middle and high school teacher volunteers in two urban school districts in the Dallas- Fort Worth area to assess current conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics. Along with the FCI, each participant was asked to complete a demographic survey. Demographic data collected included participant's sex, years of service in teaching position, current teaching position, degrees, certification type, and current certifications for science education. Correlations between variables and overall average on the FCI were determined by t-tests and ANOVA tests with a post-hoc Holm-Bonferroni correction test. Test questions pertaining to each of Newton's three laws of motion were

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

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

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…

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…

Education Outreach Associated with Technology Transfer in a Colonia of South Texas: Green Valley Farms Science and Space Club for Middle School Aged Children in Green Valley Farms, San Benito, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Potess, Marla D.; Rainwater, Ken; Muirhead, Dean

2004-01-01

Texas colonias are unincorporated subdivisions characterized by inadequate water and wastewater infrastructure, inadequate drainage and road infrastructure, substandard housing, and poverty. Since 1989 the Texas Legislature has implemented policies to halt further development of colonias and to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs in existing and new colonias along the border with Mexico. Government programs and non-government and private organization projects aim to address these infrastructure needs. Texas Tech University's Water Resources Center demonstrated the use of alternative on-site wastewater treatment in the Green Valley Farms colonia, San Benito, Texas. The work in Green Valley Farms was a component of a NASA-funded project entitled Evaluation of NASA's Advanced Life Support Integrated Water Recovery System for Non-Optimal Conditions and Terrestrial Applications. Two households within the colonia are demonstration sites for constructed wetlands. A colonia resident and activist identified educational opportunities for colonia children as a primary goal for many colonia residents. Colonia parents view education as the door to opportunity and escape from poverty for their children. The educational outreach component of the project in Green Valley Farms was a Science and Space Club for middle-school age students. Involved parents, schoolteachers, and school administrators enthusiastically supported the monthly club meetings and activities. Each month, students participated in interactive learning experiences about water use and reuse in space and on earth. Activities increased knowledge and interest in water resource issues and in science and engineering fields. The Institute for the Development and Enrichment of Advanced Learners (IDEAL) at Texas Tech University provided full scholarships for five students from Green Valley Farms to attend the Shake Hands With Your Future camp at Texas Tech University in June 2003. The educational outreach

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…

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.

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.

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…

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…

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…

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)

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.

Sign me up! Determining motivation for high school chemistry students enrolling in a second year chemistry course

Science.gov (United States)

Camarena, Nilda N.

A sample of 108 Pre-AP Chemistry students in Texas participated in a study to determine motivational factors for enrolling in AP Chemistry and University Chemistry. The factors measured were academic attitude, perceptions of chemistry, confidence level in chemistry, and expectations/experiences in the chemistry class. Students completed two questionnaires, one at the beginning of the year and one at the end. Four high school campuses from two school districts in Texas participated. Two campuses were traditional high schools and two were smaller magnet schools. The results from this study are able to confirm that there are definite correlations between academic attitudes, perceptions, confidence level, and experiences and a student's plans to enroll in AP and University Chemistry. The type of school as well as the student's gender seemed to have an influence on a student's plan to enroll in a second year of chemistry.

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…

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…

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…

Musculoskeletal Fitness Measures Are Not Created Equal: An Assessment of School Children in Corpus Christi, Texas

OpenAIRE

Toyin Ajisafe; Theresa Garcia; Hsin-Chen Fanchiang

2018-01-01

This study investigated current obesity prevalence and associations between musculoskeletal fitness test scores and the odds of being underweight, overweight, or obese compared to having a healthy weight in elementary school children in Corpus Christi, Texas. The sample analyzed consisted of 492 public elementary school children between kindergarten and fifth grade. Their ages ranged from 5 to 11 years. Trunk lift, 90° push-up, curl-up, and back saver sit and reach tests were administered. We...

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…

Social media for school nurses: promoting school health in the 21st century.

Science.gov (United States)

Wysocki, Regina

2015-05-01

People across the globe use social media to connect with one another, stay in touch with friends and family, and exchange information. Health care has embraced social media, and nursing organizations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and NASN have a presence in the social media landscape. The students in our schools today are digital natives who grew up with and are at home in the world of technology. With so many options in the digital world, the question is how can school nurses harness this technology to connect with their students and families? More importantly, how can school nurses use social media in a professional and responsible manner and help to enhance the profession of school nursing overall? This article will outline the planning and implementation of an ongoing social media campaign on wellness and healthy behaviors by one Texas suburban school district. © 2015 The Author(s).

Empowerment Zone: Texas School Beats the Odds with a Shared Commitment to Student Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Berkey, Timothy; Dow, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

The odds were stacked against the new elementary school from the beginning. In its favor, the school was a beautiful building with an established principal. Beyond that, anyone would predict that the first year would be tough. The staff consisted of new teachers and transfers from across the district. The students were reassigned from two…

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…

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.

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…

Hydrologic effects of floodwater-retarding structures on Garza-Little Elm Reservoir, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Clarence R.; Sauer, Stanley P.

1970-01-01

The Texas District of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has collected and analyzed hydrologic data since 1953 to define the effects of systems of floodwater-retarding structures on downstream water and sediment yield. The district project includes 11 study areas ranging from 18 to 80 square miles in size and from 0 to 67 in percent of study area controlled by floodwaterretarding structures. The 11 study areas are within that part of Texas where the west-to-east average annual runoff ranges from about 2 to 7 inches. This report presents results of analyses, development of methodolgy, and results of application of methods for defining the downstream effects of systems of floodwaterretarding structures.

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)

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…

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.

Elementary Bilingual and ESL Education Programs and Their Effectiveness within Schools. A Descriptive Study, Teaching Methods, and Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Cassandra Leigh; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

The purpose of this report was to collect a summary of information on instructional programs for bilingual students in Irving Independepent School District (Texas), so the parents of these students as well as staff members could evaluate the existing bilingual programs. The effectiveness of improving English-as-a-Second-Language skills for…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Providing Elementary Teachers in South Texas with Professional Development to Improve Earth Science Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Borrego, H.; Ellins, K. K.

2011-12-01

, public announcement, and pamphlet to the community. From great farming soil for organic gardens, to healthy recipes for diabetes and obesity health problems, our community benefited from the authentic scientific research these students presented. The results and knowledge gain by these 5th grade students at Quest Academy was impressive and top-rated by the community. In addition to providing professional development to teachers, I was asked to write the 5th grade science curriculum for IDEA Public School. I used my training in Earth Science by Design, offered by TXESS Revolution in partnership with TERC to accomplish the task. Teachers at Quest Academy followed this framework closely. I believe it is partially responsible for our district receiving an Exemplary rating by Texas Education Agency for two consecutive years. Only one more districts in South Texas was awarded the Exemplary rating. As a result of being part of TXESS Revolution, I am more confident in my teaching practice and I have been recently offered a part-time lecturer job at UT-Pan American teaching an undergraduate course in science for elementary teachers. I have made a commitment to continue to empower both teachers I train and students I teach.

Overview: Texas College and Career Readiness Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009

2009-01-01

The Texas College and Career Readiness Standards define what students should know and be able to accomplish in order to succeed in entry-level college courses or skilled workforce opportunities upon graduation from high school. This paper answers the following questions: (1) Who developed the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards?; (2) What…

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.

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…

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…

The Effectiveness of Business Leadership Practices among Principals on Student Achievement on Public School Campuses in Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Kary M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine if business leadership practices by Texas public school principals have an impact on principals' campus student achievement in mathematics and reading, as measured by TAKS scores. The survey instrument was the Leadership Assessment Instrument (LAI), developed by Warren Bennis in 1989. The…

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…

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,…

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…

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)

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,…

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.

Evaluation of the Texas tier system for seal coat binder specification.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-01

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) instituted a change in their seal coat binder specification in 2010 which allowed districts to select multiple binders within specified traffic levels or tiers for the purposes of allowing contractors to...

Using Geophysical Data in the Texas High School Course, Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography

Science.gov (United States)

Ellins, K.; Olson, H.; Pulliam, J.; Schott, M. J.

2002-12-01

Science educators working directly with scientists to develop inquiry-based instructional materials in Earth science yield some of the best results. The TEXTEAMS (Texas Teachers Empowered for Achievement in Mathematics and Science) Leadership Training for the Texas high school science course, Geology, Meteorology and Oceanography (GMO) is one example of a successful program that provides high-quality training to master teachers using geophysical data collected by scientists at The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG). TEXTEAMS is a certification program of professional development and leadership training sponsored by the National Science Foundation that is part of the Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative. UTIG scientists teamed with science educators at the Charles A. Dana Center for Mathematics and Science Education at UT and the Texas Education Agency to develop inquiry-based instructional materials for eight GMO modules. Our learning activities help students and teachers understand how Earth scientists interpret the natural world and test their hypotheses, and provide opportunities for the use of technology in classroom science learning; they are aligned with national and state teaching standards. Examples of TEXTEAMS GMO learning activities that use geophysical data. 1. Neotectonics: radiocarbon dates and elevation above current sea level of raised coral reefs in the New Georgia Islands are used to calculate rates of tectonic uplift and as a basis for the development of a conceptual model to explain the pattern of uplift that emerges from the data. 2. Large Igneous Provinces:geophysical logging data collected on ODP Leg 183 (Kerguelen Plateau) are analyzed to identify the transition from sediment to basement rock. 3. The Search for Black Gold: petroleum exploration requires the integration of geology, geophysics, petrophysics and geochemistry. Knowledge gained in previous GMO modules is combined with fundamental knowledge about economics to

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

Using the CAUSE Model to Understand Public Communication about Water Risks: Perspectives from Texas Groundwater District Officials on Drought and Availability.

Science.gov (United States)

VanDyke, Matthew S; King, Andy J

2017-12-05

Public communication about drought and water availability risks poses challenges to a potentially disinterested public. Water management professionals, though, have a responsibility to work with the public to engage in communication about water and environmental risks. Because limited research in water management examines organizational communication practices and perceptions, insights into research and practice can be gained through investigation of current applications of these risk communication efforts. Guided by the CAUSE model, which explains common goals in communicating risk information to the public (e.g., creating Confidence, generating Awareness, enhancing Understanding, gaining Satisfaction, and motivating Enactment), semistructured interviews of professionals (N = 25) employed by Texas groundwater conservation districts were conducted. The interviews examined how CAUSE model considerations factor in to communication about drought and water availability risks. These data suggest that many work to build constituents' confidence in their districts. Although audiences and constituents living in drought-prone areas were reported as being engaged with water availability risks and solutions, many district officials noted constituents' lack of perceived risk and engagement. Some managers also indicated that public understanding was a secondary concern of their primary responsibilities and that the public often seemed apathetic about technical details related to water conservation risks. Overall, results suggest complicated dynamics between officials and the public regarding information access and motivation. The article also outlines extensions of the CAUSE model and implications for improving public communication about drought and water availability risks. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

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,…

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.

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…

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…

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)

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)

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…

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…

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

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,…

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.

12 CFR 4.5 - District and field offices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., northeast and southeast Iowa, central Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, eastern Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio..., Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Western District Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 1225... and western Iowa, Kansas, western Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South...

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…

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…

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....

Changes between early development (1930–60) and recent (2005–15) groundwater-level altitudes and dissolved-solids and nitrate concentrations In and near Gaines, Terry, and Yoakum Counties, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Jonathan V.; Teeple, Andrew; Payne, Jason; Ikard, Scott

2016-06-21

Llano Estacado Underground Water Conservation District, Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District, and South Plains Underground Water Conservation District manage groundwater resources in a part of west Texas near the Texas-New Mexico State line. Declining groundwater levels have raised concerns about the amount of available groundwater in the study area and the potential for water-quality changes resulting from dewatering and increased vertical groundwater movement between adjacent water-bearing units.

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;…

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…

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…

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…

An Examination of Self-Perceived Transformational Leadership Behaviors of Texas Superintendents

Science.gov (United States)

Fenn, Walter Lloyd; Mixon, Jason

2011-01-01

This study examined self-perceived transformational leadership behaviors among Texas superintendents. The purpose of this study was to examine if relationships existed between superintendents' self-perceived transformational leadership style, district size, teaching, principal, and superintendent years of experience. A review of the literature…

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…

[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.

Correlates of walking to school and implications for public policies: survey results from parents of elementary school children in Austin, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xuemei; Lee, Chanam

2009-01-01

Walking can be a healthy, sustainable, and equitable mode of transportation, but is not widely used for children's school travel. This study identifies multi-level correlates of walking to/from school and relevant policy implications. We surveyed parents/guardians of 2,695 students from 19 elementary schools in Austin, Texas, which featured diverse sociodemographic and environmental characteristics. Among the personal and social factors, negative correlates were parents' education, car ownership, personal barriers, and school bus availability; positive correlates were parents' and children's positive attitude and regular walking behavior, and supportive peer influences. Of physical environmental factors, the strongest negative correlates were distance and safety concerns, followed by the presence of highways/freeways, convenience stores, office buildings, and bus stops en route. Our findings suggest that society should give high priority to lower socioeconomic status populations and to multi-agency policy interventions that facilitate environmental changes, safety improvements, and educational programs targeting both parents and children.

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…

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,…

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...

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...

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…

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.

Musculoskeletal Fitness Measures Are Not Created Equal: An Assessment of School Children in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Ajisafe, Toyin; Garcia, Theresa; Fanchiang, Hsin-Chen

2018-01-01

This study investigated current obesity prevalence and associations between musculoskeletal fitness test scores and the odds of being underweight, overweight, or obese compared to having a healthy weight in elementary school children in Corpus Christi, Texas. The sample analyzed consisted of 492 public elementary school children between kindergarten and fifth grade. Their ages ranged from 5 to 11 years. Trunk lift, 90° push-up, curl-up, and back saver sit and reach tests were administered. Weight status was determined using BMI scores and the CDC growth charts. Obesity prevalence remains high among elementary school-aged children in Corpus Christi, Texas. Higher 90° push-up test scores were most consistently associated with decreased odds of being obese as compared to being overweight and having healthy weight except in kindergarten. Conversely, higher trunk lift test scores were associated with increased odds of being obese in second and fourth grades. When children achieved the minimum score to be classified in the Healthy Fitness Zone, those with healthy weight had similarly low musculoskeletal fitness (i.e., abdominal strength and endurance, hamstring flexibility, and trunk extensor strength and flexibility) as peers with overweight and obesity, especially in the lower grades. It was concluded that increased obesity prevalence in higher grades may be precipitated (at least in part) by low musculoskeletal fitness in the lower grades, especially kindergarten. Given previous associations in the literature, low musculoskeletal fitness may be symptomatic of poor motor skill competence in the current sample. These findings suggest a need for early and focused school-based interventions that leverage both known and novel strategies to combat pediatric obesity in Corpus Christi.

Musculoskeletal Fitness Measures Are Not Created Equal: An Assessment of School Children in Corpus Christi, Texas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toyin Ajisafe

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study investigated current obesity prevalence and associations between musculoskeletal fitness test scores and the odds of being underweight, overweight, or obese compared to having a healthy weight in elementary school children in Corpus Christi, Texas. The sample analyzed consisted of 492 public elementary school children between kindergarten and fifth grade. Their ages ranged from 5 to 11 years. Trunk lift, 90° push-up, curl-up, and back saver sit and reach tests were administered. Weight status was determined using BMI scores and the CDC growth charts. Obesity prevalence remains high among elementary school-aged children in Corpus Christi, Texas. Higher 90° push-up test scores were most consistently associated with decreased odds of being obese as compared to being overweight and having healthy weight except in kindergarten. Conversely, higher trunk lift test scores were associated with increased odds of being obese in second and fourth grades. When children achieved the minimum score to be classified in the Healthy Fitness Zone, those with healthy weight had similarly low musculoskeletal fitness (i.e., abdominal strength and endurance, hamstring flexibility, and trunk extensor strength and flexibility as peers with overweight and obesity, especially in the lower grades. It was concluded that increased obesity prevalence in higher grades may be precipitated (at least in part by low musculoskeletal fitness in the lower grades, especially kindergarten. Given previous associations in the literature, low musculoskeletal fitness may be symptomatic of poor motor skill competence in the current sample. These findings suggest a need for early and focused school-based interventions that leverage both known and novel strategies to combat pediatric obesity in Corpus Christi.

Hearing the voices of alternatively certified teachers in Texas: Narratives of teaching English language learners in urban secondary mainstream classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Zannou, Yetunde Mobola

In Texas, nearly half of all new teachers are alternatively certified (AC) whilst English language learners (ELL) are over one-third of the public school population in some districts. As this trend continues, the likelihood that AC teachers will teach ELLs increases and alters what Texas teachers must know upon entering the classroom. This research explores teacher knowledge and beliefs about teaching ELLs through constructivist and narrative lenses. Four AC science teachers in two diverse school districts participated in in-depth interviews and reflective interviews following classroom observations to answer the research questions: (1) how do AC teachers describe and interpret their acts of teaching ELLs in mainstream classrooms; and (2) how do AC teachers describe and interpret their learning to teach ELLs in mainstream classrooms. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic narrative methods. This study found that participants saw ELL instruction as: (1) "just good teaching" strategies, (2) consisting primarily of cultural awareness and consideration for student comfort, and (3) less necessary in science where all students must learn the language. The most experienced teacher was the only participant to reference specific linguistic knowledge in describing ELL instruction. Many of the teachers described their work with ELL students as giving them an opportunity to improve their lives, which was consistent with their overall teaching philosophy and reason for entering the profession. Participant narratives about learning to teach ELLs described personal experience and person-to-person discussions as primary resources of knowledge. District support was generally described as unhelpful or incomplete. Participants portrayed their AC program as helpful in preparing them to work with ELL students, but everyone desired more relevant information from the program and more grade-appropriate strategies from the district. Participant narratives reveal AC teachers

Innovative Noyce Program for Preparing High School Physics Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagedorn, Eric; Kosheleva, Olga; Wagler, Amy; Wagler, Ron

2011-10-01

The ``Robert Noyce Scholarships for Teaching Miners'' program at the University of Texas at El Paso currently consists of 14 mathematics majors minoring in secondary education, most of whom are preparing for the Mathematics-Physics Certification. From the time of their selection (junior year), till after they begin teaching, participants in this program will have financial support consisting of a 10,000 per year scholarship during the last two years in college. Programmatic support during these two years consists of four, half-day workshops emphasizing: 1) inquiry-based teaching, 2) mathematics & science integration, and 3) actual inquiry in the form of a senior research project. The workshops are facilitated by a team of university faculty and school district partners (EPISD and YISD). These district partners help with the workshops, but also mentor the scholars when placed at their classroom observation and student teacher sites. Once the scholars graduate and receive certification, they will experience unique induction year support: being hired in pairs or small groups and placed together in the same school. This placement with classmates combined with the mentoring of the same district personnel with whom they are familiar is hypothesized to be uniquely effective.

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…

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.

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…

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…

The relationship between future orientation and street substance use among Texas alternative school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, R J; Tortolero, Susan R; Johnson, Regina Jones; Addy, Robert C; Markham, Christine M; Escobar-Chaves, S Liliana; Lewis, Holly; Yacoubian, George S

2005-01-01

Self-reported substance use data were collected from 963 alternative school students in grades 7-12 who were surveyed through the Safer Choices 2 study in Houston, Texas. Data were collected between October 2000 and March 2001. Logistic regression analyses indicated that lower levels of future orientation was significantly associated (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.81-0.97) with thirty-day substance use after controlling for age and gender. In addition, lower levels of future orientation was found to have a significant association with students' lifetime substance use (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.87-.99) after controlling for age, race, and gender. While the relationships tested in this study are exploratory, they provide evidence for an important connection between future orientation and substance use among adolescents attending alternative schools.

"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…

Texas High School Principals' First Year Experiences and Perceptions Relating to the Leadership of Career and Technical Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Nix, Toby Lee

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of three Texas high school principals regarding their first-year of leadership involving Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. A narrative non-fiction methodology was used to present the participants' stories and perceptions of their lived experiences. The three…

The Struggle against Separate and Unequal Schools: Middle Class Mexican Americans and the Desegregation Campaign in Texas, 1929-1957.

Science.gov (United States)

San Miguel, Guadalupe, Jr.

1983-01-01

Despite the efforts of Mexican American groups, such as the League of United Latin American Citizens and the G.I. Forum, and court orders to end segregation, schools in Texas continued to segregate Mexican American children. The political liberalism of these groups kept them from developing effective strategies against segregation. (IS)

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.

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…

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…

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...

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...

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

CSCOPE and Impact on Student Achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn Korelich

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Curriculum models number many in the world of education. One particular curriculum SCOPE, a comprehensive web based curriculum management program, implemented in Texas schools, has drawn the interest of various educators throughout the state. The purpose of this paper was to carry out a quasi-experimental study to test that the CSCOPE curriculum will improve math TAKS scores for eleventh grade students in a south central Texas urban school district. This paper reviewed three studies in particular pertaining to CSCOPE and its effects on improving math TAKS scores of eleventh grade students in south central Texas urban school districts. The independent variable(s were the curriculum used by the districts. The dependent variable(s are the TAKS math scores. The results were mixed. Ultimately, the studies should expand by further disaggregating commended performance, college career and readiness, dig deeper into the subpopulations and subjects of English and Spanish language arts, and social studies.

CSCOPE and Impact on Student Achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn Korelich

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Curriculum models number many in the world of education. One particular curriculum SCOPE, a comprehensive web based curriculum management program, implemented in Texas schools, has drawn the interest of various educators throughout the state. The purpose of this paper was to carry out a quasi-experimental study to test that the CSCOPE curriculum will improve math TAKS scores for eleventh grade students in a south central Texas urban school district. This paper reviewed three studies in particular pertaining to CSCOPE and its effects on improving math TAKS scores of eleventh grade students in south central Texas urban school districts. The independent variable(s were the curriculum used by the districts. The dependent variable(s are the TAKS math scores. The results were mixed. Ultimately, the studies should expand by further disaggregating commended performance, college career and readiness, dig deeper into the subpopulations and subjects of English and Spanish language arts, and social studies.  

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…

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…

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,…

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.

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.

Experiences of Texas Public School Communication Directors in the 21st Century: A Phenomenological Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Sonja A.

2017-01-01

Communication directors have become part of public school districts' administrative framework in the 21st century. Maintaining a social media presence and satisfying stakeholders' expectations for current, up-to-date, and accurate information have increased the need for superintendents to employ a public relations professional. The purpose of this…

Print News Coverage of School-Based HPV Vaccine Mandate

Science.gov (United States)

Casciotti, Dana; Smith, Katherine C.; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based HPV vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. METHODS We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005-2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. RESULTS Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages, and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. PMID:25099421

Education as Instrument or as Empowerment? Untangling White Privilege in the Politics of Ethnic Studies: The Case of the Tucson Unified School District

Science.gov (United States)

Dotts, Brian W.

2015-01-01

Public school curriculum battles offer great examples for illustrating how politics saturates education policy, particularly in the State of Texas. However, Arizona has emerged as another peculiar contender in contemporary battles to control high school curricula. Curriculum battles have deep historical roots in Arizona and elsewhere that go…

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…

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…

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

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…

Crime rates and sedentary behavior among 4th grade Texas school children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoelscher Deanna M

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Although per capita crime has generally fallen over the period which coincides with the obesity epidemic, it has not fallen uniformly across communities. It also has not fallen enough to allay fears on the part of parents. Over the past 30 years, technological changes have made the indoor alternatives to playing outside, where children are more vulnerable to criminal activity, more enjoyable (cable TV, video games, and the internet and comfortable (the spread of air conditioning to low income neighborhoods. We determined whether indoor sedentary behavior patterns are associated with community crime statistics. 4th graders in the U.S. are typically 9 or 10 years old. Methods We used data from the 2004–2005 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN survey linked with U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics data for the years 2000 through 2005 and Texas State data on sexual offenders. The probability-based sample included a total of 7,907 children in grade four. Multistage probability sampling weights were used. The dependent variables included were hours of TV watching, video game playing, computer use and total indoor sedentary behavior after school. Incremental Relative Rates were computed for community crime rates including robberies, all violent crimes, murders, assaults, property crimes, rapes, burglaries, larcenies and motor vehicle thefts as well as for sexual offenders living in the neighborhood. The neighborhood refers to the areas where the students at each school live. In the case of sexual offenders, sexual offenders per capita are estimated using the per capita rate in the zip code of the school attended; all other crime statistics are estimated by the crimes per capita in the police department jurisdiction covering the school attended. After controlling for sex, age, and African-American and Hispanic, cross-sectional associations were determined using

Reflections on implementing several models of teaching in a high school biology class

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Michael E.

This research investigates the challenges faced in enacting instructional models that previous research has found to foster student learning. In order to complete this study, the researcher documented, through a strategy of reflective practice, his return to teaching high school science after having served for a time as a science specialist and instructional coach. The study develops quality personal insights and questions that may be used by other educators and researchers to investigate the enactment of these different models and strategies. The research is limited to the spring of the 2010 school year and use notes, journals, and planner documents from the 2008--2009 school year. In order to appreciate complex interactions, triangulation was made through dovetailing personal observations with requested observations of the campus assistant principal, the district science specialist, and an out of district observer. Also, a short questionnaire administered to the students in these classes. Throughout this study, the researcher demonstrates that it is feasible to use these models. However, such external factors as imposed curriculum and standardized testing play a large role in everyday decision making of this particular teacher. The sheer amount of content to be covered under the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) also influenced instructional decisions that were made. Choices about what strategy to use resided mainly within the teacher/researcher and were governed and affected mostly by his interactions with students and professional judgments about what would both bolster student understanding and help students score well on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).

Delivery of pilot workshop on preserving and enhancing the functionality of highways in Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

This report summarizes the delivery and results of a one-day pilot workshop conducted at the Texas : Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Waco District office in August 2010. This workshop was based on : material developed for research project 0-6208...

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...

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…

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…

Measurements of ultrafine particles and other vehicular pollutants inside school buses in South Texas