Implementation and Effects of LDC and MDC in Kentucky Districts

This brief summarizes early evidence on the success of two tools Kentucky districts have used to support their teachers' transition to these more demanding goals: Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and Math Design Collaborative (MDC). With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, LDC and MDC tools have been designed and implemented to embody the key shifts in teaching and learning that the new standards demand. By implementing the tools, teachers then engage in new pedagogy and address relevant learning goals of the Kentucky Core Academic Standards

Untersuchung der Beziehung zwischen der Teilnahme am LA\u27s BEST-Programm und dem kognitiven Gewinn von LA\u27s BEST-Schülern

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of participation in the Los Angeles Better Educated Students for Tomorrow (LA\u27s BEST) after-school program on positive achievement outcomes in math and English-language arts. A quasi-experimental design was utilized, and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was employed to examine the relations between intensity of program participation and achievement outcomes across four years of data using two cohorts of students. Results revealed that regular attendance (over 100 days per year) in the LA\u27s BEST after-school program led to higher achievement in California Standards Test (CST) math performance, but not in CST English-language arts performance. Therefore, LA\u27s BEST can improve their program outcomes in math by setting program structures, activities, and policies to encourage all students to attend regularly. (DIPF/Orig.)Die Absicht dieser Studie war es, das Ausmaß zu erforschen, in dem die Teilnahme an dem Nachmittagsförderprogramm "Los Angeles Better Educated Students for Tomorrow" (LA\u27s BEST) zu Leistungssteigerungen in den Fächern Mathematik und Englisch geführt hat. Dabei wurden ein quasi-experimentelles Studiendesign und Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) genutzt, um den Zusammenhang zwischen der Intensität der Teilnahme am Programm und der Leistungen der Schüler, über einen Zeitraum von vier Jahren und unter Einbezug von zwei Schülerkohorten, zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass eine regelmäßige Teilnahme am LA\u27s BEST-Programm (über 100 Tage pro Jahr) beim California Standards Test zu besseren Ergebnissen in Mathematik, nicht aber in Englisch führte. Daher kann LA\u27s BEST die Ergebnisse seines Programms im Fach Mathematik dadurch verbessern, dass es durch die Struktur des Programms, angebotene Aktivitäten und Leitsätze alle SchülerInnen dazu anregt, regelmäßig teilzunehmen. (DIPF/Orig.

Identification of key indicators for quality in afterschool programs

Researchers are increasingly interested in the issue of school accountability. Despite this, program standards for afterschool programs are not as fully developed as in other fields. This study bridges that gap and presents the results from a study to identify benchmarks and indicators for high quality afterschool programs. This research employed a multi-method approach including a synthesis of literature on afterschool programs, observations and survey data collection at 15 high quality afterschool program sites. Results of the study suggest that most of the issues emphasized in the afterschool literature can be considered core components of a quality afterschool program. This finding was consistent across the three broad categories of program organization, program environment, and instructional features. This study also revealed that some issues emphasized in the afterschool literature should be considered extra components that can increase quality, but are not necessary. As a result, this study argues for a checklist strategy in assessing programs to meet quality-based standards. (DIPF/Orig.

Examining the long-term effects of afterschool programming on juvenile crime: A study of the LA\u27s BEST afterschool program

This article examines the extent to which participation in a large urban afterschool program had an impact on reducing participants\u27 future juvenile crime rate. The research tracked the academic and juvenile crime histories for a sample of 6,000 students, including 2,000 participants in LA\u27s BEST and 4,000 matched control students not participating in the program. Multilevel propensity scores were used to match control to treatment students, and applied to multilevel longitudinal models and multilevel survival analyses methods to analyze the data. Results indicate that LA\u27s BEST positively impacted the probability of juvenile crime. Furthermore, analyses indicated that students who were actively and intensely engaged benefited the most from the program. (DIPF/Orig.