Challenging The Core Assumption Of Chronic Absenteeism: Do Excused And Unexcused Absences Equally Contribute To The Effective Early Identification Of Students At Risk For Future Achievement Problems?

In response to the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), nearly three-fourths of states in the U.S. have adopted chronic absenteeism—defined as missing 10% of the school year—as a measure of school quality and student success (Jordon, Fothergill, & Rosende, 2018). Due to its widespread adoption and the strong predictive relationship between early absences and negative educational outcomes, chronic absenteeism is increasingly being utilized by schools as an early warning indicator of later problems, such as low academic achievement. As such, chronic absenteeism theoretically allows schools to identify academically at-risk students in the early primary grades using readily available attendance data and provide them with additional resources to prevent later difficulties (Balfanz, Herzog, & Mac Iver, 2007). Given its pervasive use as both an accountability metric and an early warning indicator, the need to ensure the scientific integrity of chronic absenteeism is vital. Major theoretical assumptions underlying this indicator, however, have never been empirically validated. The current study represents the first effort to scientifically test the most basic assumption upon which chronic absenteeism is based—that all absences from school (i.e., both excused and unexcused absences) are equally detrimental to student outcomes and should be utilized to identify at-risk students. The purpose of this study was thus to test whether excused and unexcused absences have comparable diagnostic accuracy in the early identification of academically at-risk students. Using the state-of-the-art receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology, this study presented evidence that only unexcused absences provided diagnostic accuracy for academic risk status in math and English achievement for an entire cohort of young students in Philadelphia. This diagnostic accuracy was evident in kindergarten and increased across the early elementary years. Excused absences, on the other hand, provided no diagnostic utility in differentiating between students at risk for academic problems and students on track for success within and across the early elementary grades. The findings presented here indicate that chronic absenteeism could be a more effective early warning indicator for students in large urban school districts by taking absence types into account. These results have further implications for researchers and policymakers, surfacing the need to prioritize additional empirical studies testing the underlying assumptions of chronic absenteeism

Design and Synthesis of Colorimetric Halide Sensors Based on Dimeric Dye Chromophores

Investigation of current ion sensing technology has revealed both the great need for new anion sensors in medicine and environmental science, as well as a number of trends in structural development that can aid in the design of new colorimetric halide indicators for use in aqueous media. Previously, a survey of commercial dyes led the way to a new bromide-sensing design based on the structure of Sudan Black B. Building off of this success, a new approach was taken for the synthesis of iodide detectors from Victoria Blue BO units in a dimeric fashion, incorporating a three-dimensional ion binding site and chromogenic signaling unit in one molecule. Syntheses were attempted for a methylene chain linked dimer through substitution reactions, and a para-phenylene linked dimer through Pd-catalyzed Buchwald-Hartwig coupling. Through promising TLC and prep TLC results were obtained by using methods from Marshall and Lewis, NMR and HPLC-TOF mass spectroscopy revealed that almost no product was formed. Rather, partially due to the heat of the reaction conditions, VB appears to have degraded into three major unknown compounds. Future experiments should strive for more mild reaction conditions when working with VB, as well as better purification methods so that modes of analysis can be properly used.No embargoAcademic Major: Chemistr

Is Dynamic Pricing Viable for Small Market Collegiate Athletics?

Sport organizations use dynamic ticket pricing (DTP) strategies to generate extra revenues. DTP is based on demand and occasions. This exploratory study reported the results of the online survey data collected from 48 mid-west college/university athletic directors and marketing managers. The participants shared responses regarding their perceptions of the use of DTP by regional and private smallmarket collegiate athletic programs. Specifically, the study examined the perceived benefits and shortcomings of DTP. Past experiences implementing the strategy are also discussed. The results concluded that the majority of respondents were receptive to DTP although they questioned whether the strategy could deliver excessive financial benefits. They also noted that the practice of frequent ticket price change may be cumbersome and challenged

Using Integrated Data to Understand Early Childhood Risks and Access to Quality Early Childhood Education

These slides were presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Antonio, Texas. The session was titled Data-Driven Decision Making: Not the Usual Contexts.https://repository.upenn.edu/pennchild_presentations/1000/thumbnail.jp

The Use of Integrated Data to Inform Quality Pre-K Expansion in Philadelphia

This research brief describes how integrated administrative data from the City of Philadelphia\u27s CARES data system were used to inform the expansion of pre-k services in the City of Philadelphia. It provides a model for other states and municipalities seeking to use integrated data to inform policy-making, particularly for young children and their families.https://repository.upenn.edu/pennchild_briefs/1000/thumbnail.jp

Problems in Classroom Engagement: Validation of an Assessment for District-wide use in the Early Primary Grades

Research Findings: The aim of this study was to provide an initial investigation into the psychometric properties of the Problems in Classroom Engagement Scale (PCES). The PCES was designed and tested for district-wide use as part of the report card system for a large urban school district. The PCES was administered to all first, second, and third grade students in the district. Factor analytic examination revealed a bifactor structure as the best fit to the data. The bifactor structure reflected a general factor of Problems in Behavioral Engagement and two key group factors: Problems in Social Engagement and Problems in Academic Engagement. These factors were found to be reliable within and across grades and demonstrated convergent and divergent relations with academic and behavioral outcomes. Practice or Policy: Findings provide initial evidence to support the routine use of PCES in a large, urban setting. As such, use of the PCES can help in fostering district-wide attention to students’ early behavioral, social, and academic engagement difficulties

Environmental Estrogens Alter Early Development in Xenopus laevis

A growing number of environmental toxicants found in pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents are believed to have deleterious effects on development by disrupting hormone-sensitive processes. We exposed Xenopus laevis embryos at early gastrula to the commonly encountered environmental estrogens nonylphenol, octylphenol, and methoxychlor, the antiandrogen, p,p-DDE, or the synthetic androgen, 17 alpha-methyltestosterone at concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 10 microM and examined them at tailbud stages (approximately 48 hr of treatment). Exposure to the three environmental estrogens, as well as to the natural estrogen 17 beta-estradiol, increased mortality, induced morphologic deformations, increased apoptosis, and altered the deposition and differentiation of neural crest-derived melanocytes in tailbud stage embryos. Although neural crest-derived melanocytes were markedly altered in embryos treated with estrogenic toxicants, expression of the early neural crest maker Xslug, a factor that regulates both the induction and subsequent migration of neural crest cells, was not affected, suggesting that the disruption induced by these compounds with respect to melanocyte development may occur at later stages of their differentiation. Co-incubation of embryos with the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 blocked the ability of nonylphenol to induce abnormalities in body shape and in melanocyte differentiation but did not block the effects of methoxychlor. Our data indicate not only that acute exposure to these environmental estrogens induces deleterious effects on early vertebrate development but also that different environmental estrogens may alter the fate of a specific cell type via different mechanisms. Finally, our data suggest that the differentiation of neural crest-derived melanocytes may be particularly sensitive to the disruptive actions of these ubiquitous chemical contaminants

Land use change in the river basins of the Great Barrier Reef, 1860 to 2019: a foundation for understanding environmental history across the catchment to reef continuum

Land use in the catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon has changed considerably since the introduction of livestock grazing, various crops, mining and urban development. Together these changes have resulted in increased pollutant loads and impaired coastal water quality. This study compiled records to produce annual time-series since 1860 of human population, livestock numbers and agricultural areas at the scale of surface drainage river basins, natural resource management regions and the whole Great Barrier Reef catchment area. Cattle and several crops have experienced progressive expansion interspersed by declines associated with droughts and diseases. Land uses which have experienced all time maxima since the year 2000 include cattle numbers and the areas of sugar cane, bananas and cotton. A Burdekin Basin case study shows that sediment loads initially increased with the introduction of livestock and mining, remained elevated with agricultural development, and declined slightly with the Burdekin Falls Dam construction

Perceptions about prenatal care: views of urban vulnerable groups

BACKGROUND: In the United States, infant mortality rates remain more than twice as high for African Americans as compared to other racial groups. Lack of adherence to prenatal care schedules in vulnerable, hard to reach, urban, poor women is associated with high infant mortality, particularly for women who abuse substances, are homeless, or live in communities having high poverty and high infant mortality. This issue is of concern to the women, their partners, and members of their communities. Because they are not part of the system, these womens' views are often not included in other studies. METHODS: This qualitative study used focus groups with four distinct categories of people, to collect observations about prenatal care from various perspectives. The 169 subjects included homeless women; women with current or history of substance abuse; significant others of homeless women; and residents of a community with high infant mortality and poverty indices, and low incidence of adequate prenatal care. A process of coding and recoding using Ethnograph and counting ensured reliability and validity of the process of theme identification. RESULTS: Barriers and motivators to prenatal care were identified in focus groups. Pervasive issues identified were drug lifestyle, negative attitudes of health care providers and staff, and non-inclusion of male partners in the prenatal experience. CONCLUSIONS: Designing prenatal care relevant to vulnerable women in urban communities takes creativity, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity. System changes recommended include increased attention to substance abuse treatment/prenatal care interaction, focus on provider/staff attitudes, and commitment to inclusion of male partners