Getting to Outcomes: A User's Guide to a Revised Indicators Framework for Education Organizing

Research for Action (RFA) has been among those engaged in education organizing research and has drawn on its previous efforts–as well as the knowledge built by community organizing groups and other researchers–to create this User's Guide. The Indicators Framework can serve as a tool to help education organizing groups engage in self-reflection and evaluation of their efforts. Communities for Public Education Reform (CPER) commissioned RFA to update its theory of change, developed in partnership with CPER in 2002. The theory of change explains how education organizing works to strengthen communities and improve schools. Accompanying this theory of change was a set of indicators that could be used to assess the outcomes of the organizing process. This updated Indicators Framework reflects the adaptations education organizing groups are making in response to the new education realities, and to over a decade of experience working to change schools in low-income neighborhoods

A Philadelphia Story: Building Civic Capacity for School Reform in a Privatizing System

Following the 2001 state takeover of the School District of Philadelphia, a new governance structure was established and an ambitious set of reforms went into effect, generating renewed public confidence in the district. Despite this, maintaining reform momentum continues to be difficult in Philadelphia. This can be traced to on-going challenges to civic capacity around education. Defined by Stone et al (2001), civic capacity involves collaboration and mobilization of the city's civic and community sectors to pursue the collective good of educational improvement. Using interviews conducted with over 65 local civic actors and district administrators, and case studies of local organizations involved with education, the authors examine civic capacity in the context of Philadelphia. The authors find that while many individuals and organizations are actively involved with the schools, there are several factors that present unique challenges to the development of civic capacity in Philadelphia. Despite these challenges, the authors conclude that there are many reasons to be optimistic and offer several recommendations for generating civic capacity -- the kind that creates and sustains genuine educational change

Meanings of Cultural Participation at the Neighborhood Level: A Focus Group Analysis

In February and March 2004, Research for Action conducted three focus groups in North Philadelphia and Camden, NJ to shed light on the meanings of cultural participation in these low-income urban neighborhoods. Participants were recruited through neighborhood associations, senior centers, and churches to engage residents who were active in the community but not closely affiliated with arts and cultural organizations. The focus groups were designed to reveal how residents define cultural participation, the range of cultural activities in which they participate, how they express themselves creatively, and the barriers to cultural participation in these neighborhoods

Interview between Elaine Gold and Mark Turin

This interview between the Director of the Canadian Language Museum, Elaine Gold, and Board Member Mark Turin explores the history and goals of a small museum that achieves national reach through travelling exhibits dedicated to an intangible subject matter – language

Transition to High School: School 'Choice' and Freshman Year in Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia's tiered system of selective, nonselective, and charter high schools, and the process for high school choice, has created real variation in the degree to which high schools can successfully meet the needs of ninth graders. Research has shown that the ninth grade year is critical in determining a student's likelihood of graduating from high school. This mixed-methods study examines the transition to high school in Philadelphia, which we define as including the eighth grade high school selection process and students' experience in their ninth grade year. In our analysis of eighth grade applications to district-managed high schools for the 2007-08 school year, we found that most District eighth graders participated in the high school selection process, but fewer than half of them were admitted and enrolled in any of their chosen schools. Further, comparing across types of high schools, we found first, that the choice process contributes to system stratification, with low-income students, Black and Latino students, students who need special supports, and boys concentrated in nonselective neighborhood high schools and Whites, Asians, and girls concentrated in special admission high schools. Second, we learned that the choice process creates distinct challenges to the neighborhood schools' ability to support ninth graders. Enrollment at neighborhood high schools does not settle until the school selection process settles in late summer, and then continues to shift through the fall due to geographic mobility and returns from the juvenile justice system or other schools. Late enrollments undercut the ability of the neighborhood high schools to prepare for incoming classes, and contribute to changes in course schedules and teacher assignments after the school year begins, which cost important instructional time. Finally, we found that despite widespread acknowledgement of the importance of the freshman year, competing district agendas often mean it is not a priority in district and school planning. Freshman year interventions are often implemented piecemeal, without the professional support teachers need to adopt new practices, and without the assessments needed to know if they are effective. We argue that if low-performing neighborhood high schools are going to "turn around" or improve, it will require not only building school capacity but also implementing changes to the broader systems of district policy and practice in which these schools function, including the high school selection process

Incidence and risk factors of severe adverse events with nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected women. MTCT-Plus program, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In resource-limited settings where nevirapine-containing regimen is the preferred regimen in women, data on severe adverse events (SAEs) according to CD4 cell count are limited. We estimated the incidence of SAEs according to CD4 cell count and identify their risk factors in nevirapine-treated women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All HIV-infected women who initiated nevirapine-containing regimen in the MTCT-Plus operational program in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, were eligible for this study. Laboratory and clinical (rash) SAEs were classified as grade 3 and 4. Cox models were used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of SAEs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From August 2003 to October 2006, 290 women initiated a nevirapine-containing regimen at a median CD4 cell count of 186 cells/mm³(IQR 124-266). During a median follow-up on treatment of 25 months, the incidence of all SAEs was 19.5/100 patient-years. The 24-month probability of occurrence of hepatotoxicity or rash was not different between women with a CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm³and women with a CD4 cell count ≤250 cells/mm³(8.3% <it>vs</it>. 9.9%, Log-rank test: p = 0.75). In a multivariate proportional hazard model, neither CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm³at treatment initiation nor initiation NVP-based regimen initiated during pregnancy were associated with the occurrence of SAEs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm³was not associated with a higher risk of severe hepatotoxicity and/or rash, as well as initiation of ART during pregnancy. Pharmacovogilance data as well as meta-analysis on women receiving NVP in these settings are needed for better information about NVP toxicity.</p

Immunological response to highly active antiretroviral therapy following treatment for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV-1: a study in Côte d'Ivoire

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Information is currently limited on the long-term follow up of HIV-1 infected women who are on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) that contains nevirapine and lamivudine and who were previously exposed to antiretroviral drugs for the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied the 36-month immunological response to HAART in HIV-1 infected women in Côte d'Ivoire. The women were previously exposed to antiretroviral drug regimens for PMTCT, including single-dose nevirapine and/or short-course zidovudine with or without lamivudine. All HAART regimens included a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At 36 months: the median absolute increase in CD4+ T cell count was +359 cells/mm³(IQR: 210-466) in 200 women who had undergone 36-month follow-up visits; +359 cells/mm³(IQR: 222-491) in 88 women not exposed to PMTCT antiretrovirals; and +363 cells/mm³(IQR: 200-464) in 112 women exposed to at least one antiretroviral PMTCT regimen. Overall, 49 (19.8%) of the 247 women who initiated HAART met the immunological failure criteria at least once during follow up. The overall probability of immunological failure was 0.08 (95% CI: 0.12-0.15) at 12 months, and 0.21 (95% CI: 0.16-0.27) at 36 months. No difference was observed according to the presence or absence of resistance mutations to nevirapine or lamivudine in women tested at four weeks postpartum. In addition, at 36 months, 23% of women were lost to follow up, dead or had stopped their treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral regimen, initiated a year or more after PMTCT exposure and that includes nevirapine, remains a good option for at least the first 36 months of treatment.</p

The role of interface organizations in science communication and understanding

“Interface” organizations are groups created to foster the use of science in environmental policy, management, and education. Here we compare interface organizations that differ in spatial scale, modes of operation, and intended audience to illustrate their diversity and importance in promoting the application of science to environmental issues. There has been exciting recent growth in the nature and extent of activities by interface organizations and in new methods for science communication and engagement. These developments can help scientists – who face personal and institutional challenges when attempting to convey the results of their research to various audiences – interact with society on specific issues in specific places, and with a wide range of non-traditional audiences. The ongoing mission for these organizations should be to move beyond simply increasing awareness of environmental problems to the creation of solutions that result in genuine environmental improvements

The role of interface organizations in science communication and understanding

“Interface” organizations are groups created to foster the use of science in environmental policy, management, and education. Here we compare interface organizations that differ in spatial scale, modes of operation, and intended audience to illustrate their diversity and importance in promoting the application of science to environmental issues. There has been exciting recent growth in the nature and extent of activities by interface organizations and in new methods for science communication and engagement. These developments can help scientists – who face personal and institutional challenges when attempting to convey the results of their research to various audiences – interact with society on specific issues in specific places, and with a wide range of non‐traditional audiences. The ongoing mission for these organizations should be to move beyond simply increasing awareness of environmental problems to the creation of solutions that result in genuine environmental improvements

Novel Cephalosporins Selectively Active on Nonreplicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis

We report two series of novel cephalosporins that are bactericidal to Mycobacterium tuberculosis alone of the pathogens tested, which only kill M. tuberculosis when its replication is halted by conditions resembling those believed to pertain in the host, and whose bactericidal activity is not dependent upon or enhanced by clavulanate, a β-lactamase inhibitor. The two classes of cephalosporins bear an ester or alternatively an oxadiazole isostere at C-2 of the cephalosporin ring system, a position that is almost exclusively a carboxylic acid in clinically used agents in the class. Representatives of the series kill M. tuberculosis within macrophages without toxicity to the macrophages or other mammalian cells