Vibrant Neighborhoods, Successful Schools: What the Federal Government Can Do to Foster Both

Recommends coordinating housing and education policies to create mixed-income neighborhoods with good schools and quality educators, to lower student turnover, and to improve health, nutrition, and school readiness. Presents examples of local initiatives

Race, Income and College in 25 Years: The Continuing Legacy of Segregation and Discrimination

The rate at which racial gaps in pre-collegiate academic achievement can plausibly be expected to erode is a matter of great interest and much uncertainty. In her opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger, Supreme Court Justice O’Connor took a firm stand: “We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary . . .” We evaluate the plausibility of Justice O’Connor’s forecast, by projecting the racial composition and SAT distribution of the elite college applicant pool 25 years from now. We focus on two important margins: First, changes in the black-white relative distribution of income, and second, narrowing of the test score gap between black and white students within family income groups. Other things equal, progress on each margin can be expected to reduce the racial gap in qualifications among students pursuing admission to the most selective colleges. Under plausible assumptions, however, projected economic progress will not yield nearly as much racial diversity as is currently obtained with race-sensitive admissions. Simulations that assume additional increases in black students’ test scores, beyond those deriving from changes in family income, yield more optimistic estimates. In this scenario, race-blind rules approach the black representation among admitted students seen today at moderately selective institutions, but continue to fall short at the most selective schools. Maintaining a critical mass of African American students at the most selective institutions would require policies at the elementary and secondary levels or changes in parenting practices that deliver unprecedented success in narrowing the test score gap in the next quarter century.

Race, Income, and College in 25 Years: The Continuing Legacy of Segregation and Discrimination

The rate at which racial gaps in pre-collegiate academic achievement can plausibly be expected to erode is a matter of great interest and much uncertainty. In her opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger, Supreme Court Justice O'Connor took a firm stand: "We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary . . ." We evaluate the plausibility of Justice O'Connor's forecast, by projecting the racial composition and SAT distribution of the elite college applicant pool 25 years from now. We focus on two important margins: First, changes in the black-white relative distribution of income, and second, narrowing of the test score gap between black and white students within family income groups. Other things equal, progress on each margin can be expected to reduce the racial gap in qualifications among students pursuing admission to the most selective colleges. Under plausible assumptions, however, projected economic progress will not yield nearly as much racial diversity as is currently obtained with race-sensitive admissions. Simulations that assume additional increases in black students' test scores, beyond those deriving from changes in family income, yield more optimistic estimates. In this scenario, race-blind rules approach the black representation among admitted students seen today at moderately selective institutions, but continue to fall short at the most selective schools. Maintaining a critical mass of African American students at the most selective institutions would require policies at the elementary and secondary levels or changes in parenting practices that deliver unprecedented success in narrowing the test score gap in the next quarter century.

Structural performance of cross laminated timber panels as walls

[Abstract]: Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is made from dimensional lumber, laminated in layers with the grain in each layer placed orthogonal to the layer before it. The resultant product is not dissimilar to thick plywood. CLT is made from timber, which is an environmentally attractive option in comparison to the reinforced concrete or steel structures which dominate the multistorey building market sector. Timber is one of the very few sustainable carbon neutral building materials available. New technology such as advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) software and high accuracy CNC machinery are giving CLT the advantage over traditional on-site construction methods. Prefabrication is the key to CLT’s improved construction time-frames, far greater quality control, than on-site construction can deliver. There are no CLT manufacturers currently producing in Australia. Hyne and Son Pty Ltd. is a leading Australian manufacturer and distributor of engineered, structural and decorative softwood products to the building industry. This project forms part of an initial investigation into cross laminated timber wall panels, manufactured from non-structural low grade pine. Initially, the investigations will be directed solely at the low-rise multistorey residential market sector, which Hyne already services with other products. The steps required to firstly select a suitable CLT panel using Finite Element Analysis through to fabrication of a sample CLT panel, experimental design and testing of structural properties, and finally comparing results with accepted formula from the Australian standards for the design of plywood. Considerations such as fire, and deflection under load are also made. Results from initial investigations show that, even though fabricated from low grade structural timber, CLT has enormous axial capacity. Conclusions are drawn as to the application of certain parts of AS1720 Timber Structures to cross laminated timber design

The Economics of a Centralized Judiciary: Uniformity, Forum Shopping and the Federal Circuit

In 1982, the US Congress established the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) as the sole appellate court for patent cases. Ostensibly, this court was created to eliminate inconsistencies in the application and interpretation of patent law across federal courts, and thereby mitigate the incentives of patentees and alleged infringers to "forum shop" for a preferred venue. We perform the first econometric study of the extent of non-uniformity and forum shopping in the pre-CAFC era and of the CAFC's impact on these phenomena. We find that in patentee-plaintiff cases the pre-CAFC era was indeed characterized by significant non-uniformity in patent validity rates across circuits and by forum shopping on the basis of validity rates. We find weak evidence that the CAFC has increased uniformity of validity rates and strong evidence that forum shopping on the basis of validity rates ceased several years prior to the CAFC's establishment. In patentee-defendant cases, we find that validity rates are lower on average, but do not find either significant non-uniformity of validity rates across circuits or significant forum shopping.

Evidence-Based Design: Theoretical and Practical Reflections of an Emerging Approach in Office Architecture

Evidence-based design is a practice that has emerged only relatively recently, inspired by a growing popularity of evidence-based approaches in other professions such as medicine. It has received greatest attention in design for the health sector, but has received less in office architecture, although this would seem not only to be beneficial for clients, but increasingly important in a changing business environment. This paper outlines the history and origins of evidence-based practice, its influence in the health sector, as well as some of the reasons why it has been found more difficult to apply in office architecture. Based on these theoretical reflections, data and experiences from several research case studies in diverse workplace environments are presented following a three part argument: firstly we show how organisational behaviours may change as a result of an organisation moving into a new building; secondly we argue that not all effects of space on organisations are consistent. Examples of both consistent and inconsistent results are presented, giving possible reasons for differences in outcomes. Thirdly, practical implications of evidence-based design are made and difficulties for evidence-based practice, for example the problem of investment of time, are reflected on. The paper concludes that organisations may be distinguished according to both their spatial and transpatial structure (referring to a concept initially introduced by Hillier and Hanson in their study of societies). This means that evidence-based design in office architecture needs to recognise that it deals with a multiplicity of possible organisational forms, with specific clients requiring case-dependent research and evidence gathering. In this evidence-based design practice differs markedly from evidence-based medicine. Finally, we suggest a framework for systematic review inclusion criteria in the development of Evidence-Based Design as a field of practice. We argue that it is only through the development of an approach tailored to the specific nature of design practice and organisational function that research evidence can properly be brought to bear. Keywords: Architecture; Design Practice; Evidence-Based Design; Workplace; Research; Case Study.</p

Classroom assistants in primary schools: Employment and deployment

The study investigates the ways in which classroom assistants in primary schools are deployed in classrooms, and the terms and conditions under which they are employed. The number of classroom assistants in primary schools has grown considerably in recent years, but very little is known about their work. Despite this, government policy is paying increasing attention to their potential to contribute to raising standards of achievement. The study aimed to understand the range of practices which govern the employment of classroom assistants, and the range of ways in which they are deployed in classrooms. The study sought to understand the factors that determine employment practices and patterns of deployment, and the way in which these are interrelated. The study contributes to the growing debate on professional and para-professional roles in primary schools. The study uses a combination of large sample survey and small scale case study methodology. In the first phase, policy and practice in three LEAs were explored through semi-structured interviews with key informants among LEA staff and representatives of trade unions and professional associations. In the second phase, questionnaires were sent to a large sample of schools in these three LEAs for completion by the head teacher, a classroom assistant and a teacher. The returns from LEA 3 were very low and therefore not included in this phase. Finally, three schools in LEA 1 and two schools in LEA 2 were chosen for in-depth case studies, drawing data from non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews with school staff

Master of Science

thesisThis thesis examines the feasibility of inverting surface waves in common shot point (CSP) scismic data for S- and P-wave velocities. Several approaches to surface wave inversion are examined: 1) separate Love and Rayleigh wave inversions for S- and P-wave velocities; 2) Love wave inversion for S-wave velocities that is then followed by Rayleigh wave inversion for S- and P-wave velocities; and 3) Love wave inversion for S-wave velocities that are then used in Rayleigh wave inversion for P-wave velocities. Inversion of synthetic data suggests that a combination of Love and Rayleigh wave inversion will provide the best results, especially if the Love waves are first used to reconstruct the S-wave velocities and the Rayleigh waves are then used to recover the P-wave velocities. Results also suggest that S-wave velocities inverted from Love waves may be more reliable than those from Rayleigh wave inversion, and that combining Love and Rayleigh wave inversion will provide the most accurate S-wave velocity reconstruction from field data. Density determination appears impractical using surface wave inversion. To verify the practicality of surface wave inversion, a nine-component surface wave experiment was performed in northeast Texas (courtesy of Arco Research). Tau-p and Fourier transforms are applied to the YY (cross-line component source recorded on cross-line component gcophones) and ZZ (z-component source recorded on z-component geophones) CSP gathers to recover Love and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves respectively. These curves show clearly the fundamental and higher harmonic modes from about 2 Hz to 14 Hz. Inversion of the fundamental mode data suggests shear velocities of 180 m/s near the surface with an abrupt change to 400 m/s within the first 10 meters followed by a gradual increase to 650 m/s at a depth of 65 meters. This is in good agreement with the shear velocities measured from vertical seismic profile (VSP) data. Results suggest that either Love or Rayleigh wave inversion can be used to provide shear wave statics and near-surface layer velocities, but that a combination of the two can improve the reliability of the velocity reconstruction

Long term restoration of peak torque, endurance and muscle activation post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

In recent years, Accelerated Rehabilitation (A.R.) protocols have been used following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (A.C.L.) reconstructions, the longer term effects of these programs are seldom analysed. This study examined musculoskeletal mechanisms that might affect long term functional restoration, the control subjects (n = 19) of mixed age and gender, had no previous knee deficiencies and were recreationally fit. The experimental subjects (n = 17) had undergone intra-articular A.C.L reconstruction, using bone patellar-tendon bone grafts performed by the same surgeon and had also participated in the A.R. protocol, similar to that described by Shelbourne and Nitz (1990). The experimental group attended Edith Cowan University (E.C.U.) research laboratory between 20-36 months post operation, where tl1ey participated in tests on a Cybex 6000 isokinetic dynamometer. Isokinetic knee extensions and flexions at 90, 180 and 300 degrees per second were performed, with torque output recorded from the hamstring and quadricep muscle groups, in the involved leg (l.N.) and in the uninvolved leg (U.N.). To examine quadriceps inhibition, maximal isometric contractions with twitch superimposition were analysed for each leg. Functional endurance was examined during repeated isokinetic contractions at 90 degrees per second for a duration of two minutes. To study muscle activation and co-activation, surface electromyography (S.E.M.G.) of the quadricep and hamstring muscle groups was recorded during all isokinetic contractions. 1be results from this study indicate that A.R. does not fully restore all long term musculoskeletal mechanisms that influence function. Compared to those of the uninvolved leg, the involved quadriceps were significantly deficiency whilst the hamstrings/ quadriceps ratio increased since the hamstrings peak torque did not diminish as much as the quadriceps peak torque. This long \term evaluation of muscle functions after A.C.L reconstructions, indicates a need for further research into surgical and rehabilitation procedures, that would enable complete restoration of all parameters and a return to maximal bilateral equality