The Chafee Educational and Training Voucher Program: Six States' Experiences

This publication examines how the Chafee educational and training vouchers and other state-based supports for higher education have been working for these young adults. The National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC) has worked closely with six states to examine the implementation of the Chafee ETV Program since its inception in 2003: California, Maine, Montana, New York, North Carolina, and Wyoming. These states were selected to provide a diverse view of ETV program implementation, including state- and county-administered child welfare programs, urban and rural programs, and programs serving either very large or very small populations of youth. This publication documents a select number of young people's experiences with the ETV program and also shares recommendations from constituents and other stakeholders on how to improve this unique and important postsecondary education and training program

Root-feeding nematodes of cereals, especially Helicolyenchus species

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What makes a successful whole-school mental health intervention? A comparison of stakeholders’ perspectives and implications for schools and the future of English education

This small-scale study compares stakeholders’ perspectives regarding what makes a successful whole-school Mental Health Intervention. Four study groups were included from an all-ability coeducational secondary school in south-east England: Students (n = 8), Teachers (n = 5), School-Leaders (n = 3), and YMCA Youth Workers (n = 3). Students took part in a focus group whereas the adult groups participated in semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, all participants ranked potential aspects of what might make a successful whole school Mental Health Intervention. No theme was mentioned consistently across the four groups, suggesting a diversity of perspectives regarding the benefits of Mental Health Interventions. All participants, except teachers, valued student involvement, a feature confirmed by the literature. Teachers occasionally adopted misinformed perspectives – arguably a result of insufficient training. Generally, participants’ job roles informed their responses. However, a loose trend existed whereby School-Leaders’ results were more aligned to an external charity association – the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) – than Teachers’ despite the fact that the Teachers and School Leaders worked in the same context. Although the single context and small sample sizes for this research compromise generalisability, there are clear recommendations to inform future studies and for those who are leading and providing whole-school Mental Health Interventions. This study is set within the political and policy contexts of a competitive, market drive English education system and can comment on the wider system within which this intervention nests

Post-secondary Preparation: Strategic Transition Planning for Employment Outcomes in Vocational Education for Students on the Autism Spectrum

Many transition programs and services fail students on the autism spectrum, causing them to have the worst post-secondary outcomes. Due to the importance of helping high school students with disabilities transition to adulthood and consider post-secondary education, employment, and independent living, secondary transition education, and services are receiving increased attention. Situated Learning Theory-based transition intervention programs that led to post-secondary employment were tested. To demonstrate the need for effective transition intervention programs that lead to post-secondary employment, Florida professionals who worked with vocational education students with ASD in secondary schools completed a 38-question electronic survey. A thematic analysis addressed the three study objectives and informed post-secondary transition planning for secondary special education students. This study examined 17 participants from an urban school system in South Florida, most of whom were experienced female practitioners with over 16 years of experience working with secondary students on the autism spectrum in vocational educational settings. Data analysis revealed nine themes among the chosen codes of the three research questions. The study found that differentiated instruction for ASD students, real-world/hands-on work experiences, and vocational-based curriculum content lead secondary special education students to competitive post-secondary employment. Results also showed that Strategic Transition Planning\u27s family participation, student input, resource knowledge, and teacher/service provider input & training help students on the autism spectrum find post-secondary employment. Finally, Situated Learning Theory\u27s confidence-building and real-world experience helped ASD students find post-secondary employment. The study showed that Situated Learning Theory-based transition intervention programs lead to post-secondary employment. The researcher provided solutions to the research issues. The study\u27s results illuminated secondary transition facilitators that lead to post-secondary employment for students on the autism spectrum, and the study questions helped explain that incorporating Situated Learning Theory principles into post-secondary transition planning improved post-secondary employment outcomes for students on the autism spectrum

Public Information and the Persistence of Bond Market Volatility

We examine the reaction of daily bond prices to the release of government macroeconomic news. These news releases are of interest because they are released on periodic, preannounced dates and because they cause substantial bond market volatility. The news component of volatility is not positively autocorrelated on these dates, since the news is released at a specific moment in time. We find that (1) expected returns on the short end of the bond market are significantly higher on these announcement dates, and (2) the persistence pattern of daily volatility is quite different around these days.