At-Risk Indicators: The Impact on School Success.

The hope of educators is that children will obtain a strong educational foundation that will lead to life-long learning and a bright future. However, several factors may play a role in hindering a successful outcome. Addressing the at-risk indicators of excessive absences, discipline referrals, socioeconomic status, disability status, early grade retention, and family composition gives insight into struggles students face. Looking at 6 research questions, an independent sample t test was used to determine the difference in students who had excessive absences and discipline referrals in relation to school success. A chi-square analysis was used to identify the relationship between socioeconomic status, disability status, family composition, early grade retention, and school success. Results of the study suggested that there was a significant negative relationship between school success and poor attendance and with discipline referrals. Socioeconomic status was not significant when looking at school success. The study showed that students eligible for free and reduced price meals program had nearly the same chance for school success as students who were not eligible for free and reduced price meals program. Disability status and grade retention were not significant factors in school success. Students who lived in a nontraditional family were not at risk for school failure

Passion for Teaching: Self-Efficacy of Elementary Special Education Teachers Who Have Persisted in the Special Education Teaching Field for at least 5 Years.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to gather perceptions of elementary general curriculum special education teachers who have persisted in the special education teaching profession past the 5-year mark. Based on Bandura’s (1977) Social Cognitive Concept of Self-Efficacy Theory, this study sought to understand self-efficacy in elementary general curriculum special education teachers who have remained in special education for at least 5 years. Lived experiences of nine elementary general curriculum special education teachers were gathered through three in-depth interviews. Follow-up interviews provided rich, thick description and member checking was utilized to triangulate the data

Evaluation of Member and Non-Member Professional Growth and Development Needs for the Illinois Principals Association

Professional associations have been one source of continued professional growth and development for practicing school administrators since 1857. In order to maintain their viability and credibility, these professional associations must provide quality programs and services to attract and maintain membership. The effectiveness of these professional associations is measured by how well they meet their members\u27 needs. Changes in the role of the public school principal have been initiated as a result of the educational reform movement of the 1980s. These changes have necessitated a reexamination of the role of the professional associations which serve this population. The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) is a professional organization for persons employed in administrative or educational leadership roles, primarily the principalship. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of effectiveness of the programs and services currently offered by the IPA, as perceived by practicing public school administrators (both IPA members and non-members) throughout Illinois. The study was conducted during the spring of 1997 utilizing a survey of a random sample of 525 practicing public school administrators of elementary, middle level, and secondary schools throughout Illinois. Approximately 25 administrators were chosen from each of the 21 IPA regions to participate. Responses to the survey were received from 270 administrators, both IPA members and non-members, for a response rate of 51%. Demographic information confirmed that as the principal\u27s role is changing from that of building manager to one of instructional leader, the demographics of the principalship are changing likewise. New members of the profession have very different perspectives on the leadership role than do veteran administrators. As a result, the reasons why new administrators join and maintain membership in professional organizations differ from those of veteran administrators. Data generated provided information in four areas: demographic profiles of both IPA members and non-members, membership in professional associations, perceptions regarding the IPA, and suggestions for the improvement of the IPA as a professional organization. This study revealed that increased IPA membership and the provision of meaningful, appropriate professional development programs and services which best benefit the association\u27s members can be achieved by addressing several identified needs. There is a need for continued dissemination of information about the programs and services offered by the IPA, particularly for veteran members. To accommodate the limited availability of time most administrators have to participate in professional activities, the association could increase members\u27 participation in IPA activities by using easily accessible meeting sites and conveniently scheduled meeting times. As a primary source of information for principals, the IPA needs to continue to address salient legal issues and trends in curriculum and staff development through its publications. Drives to increase IPA membership should focus on assistant principals, women and other minorities, and new principals. These efforts should include increased opportunities for collegial networking for administrators from similar demographic areas

Defining Fiscal Transparency: Transnational Norms, Domestic Laws and the Politics of Budget Accountability

Since the early 1990s, the issue of fiscal or budget transparency has attracted increasing attention at transnational and domestic policy levels, among agencies such as the IMF and OECD, and through NGOs initiatives such as the International Budget Project. At the domestic level, where budgeting takes place, some jurisdictions have enacted legislation to formalize their commitments to fiscal disclosure. This paper tracks the emergence of global norms about fiscal transparency through the interaction of \u27soft law\u27 measures with more conventional legal forms, drawing on examples from both higher and lower income countries. It offers a critical analysis of the various purposes and interests that transparency may serve, and of the role of international norms and legal institutions in shaping domestic political processes of budgeting. We find that prevailing models of budget transparency focus primarily on reinforcing fiscal discipline, and on the provision of information to establish credibility for financial markets, international lenders and aid donors. These imperatives have overshadowed attempts to shed light on other dimensions of fiscal policy, such as its distributive impact and its democratic legitimacy. As a result, we conclude, the current understanding of best practices in this field will be of limited use in generating the political consensus needed to ensure equitable development at the national or the global level