Review of Expanding Choice in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Report on Rethinking the Federal Role in Education

Scott's review of this report finds that it lacks the evidence to support the call for an expansion of school choice. Scott identifies three major shortcomings in the report: it relies too heavily on research in progress and research produced by advocacy organizations; it neglects prior research concerning the nature of parental choice; and it fails to acknowledge that unconstrained school choice has segregative effects

Reanalisando Teach for America: Uma base conceitual para a próxima geração de análises

In this article, we advance a conceptual framework for the study of Teach For America (TFA) as a political and social movement with implicit and explicit ideological and political underpinnings. We argue that the second branch of TFA’s mission statement, which maintains that TFA’s greatest point of influence in public education is not in classrooms, but in its facilitation of entry into leadership positions aimed at reshaping public schooling, can be better understood in terms of the organization’s: a) infusion of “policy entrepreneurs” into educational policymaking processes; b) cultivation of powerful networks of elite interests; c) promotion of “corporate” models of managerial leadership; and, d) racial and social class identities of its corps members that facilitate entry into leadership and policy networks. Our framework is informed by the extant research literature on TFA, interview data from more than 150 alumni and corps members, and our observations of TFA’s 20th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C., as an illustrative case of TFA’s messaging and general orientation toward educational reform. We conclude that this framework can help illuminate under-examined political and ideological motivations behind the organization’s activities.En este artículo, presentamos un marco conceptual para el estudio de Teach For America (TFA) como movimiento político y social con fundamentos ideológicos y políticos implícitos y explícitos. Sostenemos que el segundo punto del documento que presenta la misión de TFA, indicando que el espacio de mayor influencia en la educación pública no son las aulas, sino su rol para facilitar la entrada en posiciones de liderazgo destinados a la re-hacer la escuela pública, se debe entender en términos de a) infusión de "emprendedores políticos" en procesos de política educativa;: de organización b) desarrollo de redes poderosas con intereses elitistas; c) la promoción de modelos "corporativos" de liderazgo gerencial; y, d) identidades de clase raciales y sociales de los miembros de TFA con mejores posibilidades de entrada en redes políticas y de liderazgo. Nuestro marco conceptual es informado por la literatura existente investigación sobre TFA, datos de entrevistas con 150 alumnos, y nuestras observaciones del 20 Aniversario de TFA y reunión Cumbre en Washington, DC, como un caso ilustrativo de los mensajes de TFA y la orientación general hacia la reforma educativa. Llegamos a la conclusión de que este marco conceptual ilumina aspectos poco estudiados de las motivaciones políticas e ideológicas detrás de las actividades de la organización.Neste artigo, apresentamos uma base teórica e conceitual para o estudo de Teach For America (TFA) como um movimento político e social com bases ideológicas e políticas implícitas e explícitas. Sustentamos que o segundo ponto do documento que apresenta a missão de TFA, indicando que o espaço de maior influência na educação pública não são as salas de aula, mas seu papel para facilitar a entrada a seus membros a posições de liderança destinados a re-fazer da escola pública deve ser entendido em termos de a) infusão de "empreendedores políticos" no processo de organização política de educação;: b) desenvolvimento de redes poderosas com interesses elitistas; c) a promoção de modelos de liderança de gestão "corporativa"; e, d) promoção entre membros da TFA de identidades de classe raciais e sociais com melhores chances de entrada em redes políticas e liderança. Nossa base conceitual é informada pela pesquisa bibliográfica sobre TFA, dados de entrevistas com 150 alunos, e as nossas observações do 20º aniversário da TFA e encontro de cúpula em Washington, DC, como um caso ilustrativo das mensagens e orientação geral sobre reforma educacional. Conclui-se que esta base conceitual ilumina aspectos pouco estudados das motivações políticas e ideológicas por trás das atividades da organização

NEPC Review: Expanding Choice in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Report on Rethinking the Federal Role in Education

Expanding Choice in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Report on Rethinking the Federal Role in Education presents a seemingly egalitarian prescription for the federal government to expand school choice. An examination of the arguments and evidence for increasing choice, however, reveals at least three important shortcomings. First, the authors tend to overuse research that is still in progress and research produced by advocacy organizations and think tanks, leading them to be overly optimistic about particular school choice reforms’ effects on educational achievement, access and equity. The second oversight is the neglect of important scholarship, causing the authors to fail to acknowledge the complex social and political dynamics informing parental choice processes as well as choice schools’ practices that limit and shape their student enrollments. A third shortcoming emerges from this omission: the authors do not sufficiently consider issues of diversity, including the social categories of race, ethnicity, special education, and English Learners. They fail to acknowledge that some school choice reforms have had segregative effects. As such, in the singular pursuit of their goal to universally expand school choice the authors miss an opportunity to affirm the federal role in ensuring the creation of diverse, equitable, and high-quality choice schools that would produce individual and societal benefits

Coligações para o uso de evidências e advocacia: organizações intermediárias e filantrópicas em Denver, Colorado

The increasing involvement of philanthropists in education policy has contributed to the emergence of a dynamic sector of intermediary organizations (IOs), entities that serve a number of functions in school reform, including advocacy, consultation, policy design, alternative teacher and leadership preparation, and research. In recent years, many IOs have converged into coalitions that are pushing for incentivist educational policies like “parent trigger” laws, charter schools, vouchers, and teacher merit pay or sanctions often tied to value added metrics of teacher performance. This article draws on data from a mixed-methods, multiyear study of research use and dissemination. In this article, we examine the role of foundations in a broader advocacy coalition in Denver, Colorado, a key site for various incentivist reforms, including teacher pay-for-performance and charter schools. We find that IOs and their affiliated networks broker the production and use of research evidence, often targeting government and education policymakers, journalists, and increasingly, influential bloggers and social media communities. This brokering function positions foundations as the “hub” of research production, promotion, and utilization. La creciente participación de filántropos en el área de política educativa ha contribuido a la aparición de un sector dinámico de organizaciones intermediarias (OI), entidades que tienen un número de funciones en reformas escolares, incluyendo la promoción, consulta, diseño de políticas, formación docente alternativa y preparación de lideres y de investigación. En los últimos años, muchas organizaciones intermediarias han convergido en coaliciones que estimulan políticas educativas de incentivos como las leyes "gatillo", escuelas charter, vales educativos, y el pago por mérito docente o sanciones a menudo ligadas a métricas de valor añadido de desempeño de docentes. Este artículo se basa en datos recogidos durante varios años sobre el uso y difusión de la investigación de usando métodos mixtos. Este artículo, examina el papel de las fundaciones en una coalición de acción política en Denver, Colorado, un sitio clave para diversas reformas por incentivos, incluyendo el pago por rendimiento a los maestros y escuelas chárter. Encontramos que las OI y sus redes afiliadas intermediaban la producción y el uso de investigaciones, a menudo para orientar el gobierno y grupos de políticos, periodistas, y cada vez más, bloggers influyentes y las comunidades de redes sociales. Esta función de intermediación posiciona fundaciones como el “centro" de la producción, promoción y utilización de investigación.O crescente o envolvimento de filantropos na política educativa tem contribuído para o surgimento de um setor dinâmico de organizações intermediárias (OIs), entidades que servem um número de funções na reforma da escola, incluindo advocacia, consultadoria, formulação de política, professor alternativo e preparação de liderança e pesquisa. Nos últimos anos, muitas das OIs têm convergido em coligações que estão empurrando por incentivistas das políticas educacionais como leis de “gatilho dos pais”, escolas ‘charter’, vouchers, e pagamento de mérito ou sanções aos professores muitas vezes vinculadas a métricas de valor acrescido do desempenho dos professores. Este artigo foi baseia-se em dados de métodos mistos, estudo em vários anos sobre o uso e disseminação da pesquisa, neste artigo, examinamos o papel das fundações numa coligação de advocacia mais ampla em Denver, Colorado, um sítio-chave para várias reformas de incentivistas, incluindo remuneração pelo desempenho dos professores e escolas ‘charters’. Descobrimos que as OIs e as suas redes afiliadas fazem a intermediação na produção e uso da pesquisa baseada em evidências, frequentemente focando o  governo e decisores políticos em educação, jornalistas, e crescentemente, bloggers influentes e comunidades dos media sociais. Esta função intermediadora posicionam as fundações como o “centro” da produção, promoção, e utilização da pesquisa

Praziquantel Resistance in the Zoonotic Cestode Dipylidium caninum

Dipylidium caninum is a cosmopolitan cestode infecting dogs, cats, and humans. Praziquantel is a highly effective cestocidal drug and resistance in adult cestodes has not been reported. From 2016 to 2018, a population of dogs with cestode infections that could not be eliminated despite multiple treatments with praziquantel or epsiprantel was identified. Cases of D. caninum were clinically resistant to praziquantel and could not be resolved despite increasing the dose, frequency, and duration of treatment. Resistant isolates were identified and characterized by sequencing the 28S, 12S, and voltage-gated calcium channel beta subunit genes. Cases were only resolved following treatment with nitroscanate or a compounded pyrantel/praziquantel/oxantel product. Clinicians should be aware of this alarming development as treatment options for cestodes are limited in both human and veterinary medicine

Physical and Emotional States as Memory-Relevant Factors: Cognitive Monitoring by Young Children

The Flavell (l981) model of cognitive monitoring and metamnemonic development was tested by four experiments conducted to determine whether preschool children (1) recognize that mood, fatigue, and fear are variables that influence learning; and (2) self-monitor their internal states and adjust their study behavior when they are sad or tired

A Means of Codifying Safety Cross-Training Knowledge Expectations For Biosafety Professionals

INTRODUCTION: The health and safety issues encountered by biosafety professionals in the daily conduct of their work is rarely limited solely to potentially infectious pathogens. A basic understanding of the other types of hazards inherent to laboratories is necessary. As such, management of the health and safety program at an academic health institution sought to ensure crosscutting competency for its technical staff, including staff members within the biosafety program. METHODS: Using a focus group approach, a team of safety professionals from a variety of specialties developed a list of 50 basic health and safety items that any safety specialist should know, inclusive of basic but important information about biosafety that was considered imperative for staff members to understand. This list was used as the basis for a formal cross-training effort. RESULTS: Staff responded positively to the approach and the associated cross-training, and overall compliance with an array of health and safety expectations was experienced across the institution. Subsequently, the list of questions has been shared broadly with other organizations for their own consideration and use. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The codification of the basic knowledge expectations for technical staff within a health and safety program at an academic health institution, which includes the biosafety program technical staff, was warmly received and helped establish what information was expected to be known and what issues warranted input from other specialty areas. The cross-training expectations served to expand the health and safety services provided despite resource limitations and organizational growth

Pivoting the Biosafety Program in Response to Covid-19: Recommendations of Key Services and Tasks to Consider For the Next Pandemic

INTRODUCTION: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid adjustment of work tasks was necessary for many biosafety programs (and other safety programs) to address drastic shifts in workload demands amid pandemic-related shutdowns and subsequent needs for supporting COVID-19-related safe work protocols, diagnostic testing, research, vaccine development, and so forth. From a program management standpoint, evaluating and understanding these tasks were critically important to ensure that appropriate support and resources were in place, especially during such unprecedented times of rapid change and significant impact to normal life and routine. METHODS: Described here are examples of how the biosafety program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) addressed these challenges. RESULTS: As part of this required pivot, key services and tasks emerged into three distinct categories: (1) those that were temporarily diminished, (2) those that had to continue despite COVID-19 and the associated shutdowns for safety or compliance purposes, and (3) those that dramatically increased in volume, frequency, and novelty. CONCLUSION: Although the adjustments described were made in situ as the pandemic evolved, the cataloging of these tasks throughout the experience can serve as a template for biosafety programs to plan and prepare for the next pandemic, which will inevitably occur

Scholarly Information Seeking Habits and Behaviors of Missouri State University (MSU) Faculty

A group of faculty and staff of the MSU Libraries (J. Johnson, coordinator, L. Cline, W. Edgar, S. Fischer, G. Jackson-Brown, A. Miller), assisted by W. Meadows of the MSU Department of Anthropology, conducted an ethnographic study using direct observation and semi-structured interviews of a sample of MSU faculty members to gain knowledge about faculty scholarly information seeking habits and behaviors to provide insight into the following research questions: ● What information sources and technologies are used by MSU faculty members in their scholarship?● Where do faculty members conduct their research?● Whom do faculty members consult for research, writing, and information seeking assistance?https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/reports-lib/1000/thumbnail.jp