Digital Commons Network^™

Agricultural Water Management In A Changing Mid-Atlantic: Stakeholder Experiences And Attitudes Towards Alternative Water Sources, Weather Variability, And Related Factors, Alexa Siglar, Michele Romolini

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Water and agriculture are inextricably connected, and so are the impacts of climate change upon water supplies which will impact agriculture with greater intensity as the earth continues to warm. In the mid-Atlantic, climate change will intensify extremes such as flood and drought, resulting in greater water quantity variability (NIACS). Other consequences of climate change will include significant sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, as well as increased temperatures and decreased water quality (NIACS). In a region already experiencing significant but commonly overlooked impacts on water quality and quantity due to population and development increases, land use modifications, and agricultural …

No. 14, March 2024: Advancing Coherence: Aligning Educator Preparation With California’S English Learner Roadmap Policy, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Anaida Colón-Muñiz, Ed.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

The purpose of this brief is to support English Learner success by encouraging stronger alignment between educator preparation efforts in IHEs and TK-12 policies and practices The current study explores the implementation and alignment of core concepts of the California English Learner Roadmap (ELR) in institutions of higher education (IHEs) – where the majority of California’s future educators are being prepared to serve our students. Researchers conducted a rigorous inquiry process to analyze the degree to which educator program expectations for teaching, school counseling, and administration/leadership are aligned to the ELR. Findings reveal that that there is currently insufficient alignment …

No. 13, January 2024: Bilingual Teacher Residencies In California: Findings And Recommendations For Policy And Practice, Elvira G. Armas , Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz , Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research brief presents a study that explores one type of teacher residency program, bilingual teacher residencies (BTRs). The Center for Equity for English Learners at Loyola Marymount University (LMU CEEL) partnered with the Californians Dedication to Education Foundation (CDEF) to investigate BTRs participating in CDEF’s California Teacher Residency Lab (The Lab). To expand the knowledge base around bilingual teacher residencies and provide policy and practice recommendations, researchers conducted interviews with a sample of BTR grantee program leaders to capture and analyze their perspectives regarding BTRs based on their implementation phase and context. Four key findings emerged: (1) Bilingual Teacher …

The Sociological Eye 2024, Loyola Marymount University, Sociology Department

The Sociological Eye Student Journal

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stacy Burns

Editor: Katie Shepherd

Attic Salt, 2024, Loyola Marymount University, The Honors Program

Attic Salt

No abstract provided.

No. 12, October 2023. The Impact Of The Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program: Expanding Opportunities To Grow The Profession, Linda R. G. Kaminski , Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz , Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas , Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research brief presents a study on the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program (BTPDP), a legislature-approved initiative to help California schools meet the growing demand for bilingual teachers in alignment with increasing state policies promoting multilingualism. The BTPDP funded eight grantees to support their preparation and professional development of bilingual educators. The study examines the BTPDP implementation from 2017-2021 to document trends in program impact and develop policy and program recommendations that address bilingual teacher shortages. Key findings revealed successes in increasing the bilingual teacher workforce as well as challenges that must be addressed to ensure the state’s vision can …

Examining And Developing Environmental Stewardship Funding Networks In Los Angeles, Lily Maddox, Michele Romolini

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Following general patterns in non-profit funding, environmental grants have a continuing history of being inaccessible to the groups that could benefit from them the most. While many environmental stewardship organizations (ESOs) are in need of funding for projects, Los Angeles lacks a clear network of environmental funders that is accessible to all potential actors. In this study, we will be researching existing funder coalitions as well as philanthropic trends in Los Angeles. The findings from this review will be used to compile a database of environmental grant sources in Los Angeles detailing funders as well as specific grant programs, and …

Core Results From A Three-Year Management Study Of Human-Coyote Conflict In Culver City, Ca With Suggestions For Conflict Amelioration, Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, Michele Romolini, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

A three-year management study of urban coyotes (Canis latrans) by the LMU Center for Urban Resilience is being conducted in Culver City, CA in order to assist local government officials and residents in managing human- coyote conflicts. The study is in response to an increase in predation of domestic cats (80+) by local populations of coyotes. Our research has been focused on the ecological factors that have been drivers of the recent increase in predation events.

Multiple techniques were employed to better understand coyote behavior, including radio telemetry, diet analysis, remote camera trap systems, molecular analysis and direct …

William H. Hannon Library Year In Review 2022 – 2023, William H. Hannon Library

William H. Hannon Year-in-Reviews

No abstract provided.

San Juan Unified School District Newcomer Support: Promising Practices, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Linda Kaminski, Ed.D, Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Reports

This report was developed through a partnership between the Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) Newcomer Research-Practice-Policy Partnership and the Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). It presents a case study that identifies promising practices for newcomer education implemented in San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD), one of 12 local educational agencies (LEAs) funded under the California Newcomer Education and Well-Being (CalNEW) project between 2018 and 2021. The case study was conducted during a 2022 summer program for recently arrived immigrant students. Using interviews with 32 school and community leaders and educators, a review …

An Exploratory Study Of Bilingual Teacher Residencies In California., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D

Practitioner Journal Articles

This research brief presents a study that explores the underexamined area of bilingual teacher residencies (BTRs) in California. The authors build upon research on teacher residencies to better understand the perspectives of program leaders- those who implement BTRs in Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). The study describes the program leaders’ insights into the implementation of BTRs at various stages of development and implementation based on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s (CTC) funding phases from 2018 to 2023. Four findings are highlighted: 1) Forging New Relationships to Build on Community Cultural and Linguistic Wealth, 2) …

Attic Salt, 2023, Loyola Marymount University, The Honors Program

Attic Salt

No abstract provided.

The Sociological Eye 2023, Loyola Marymount University, Sociology Department

The Sociological Eye Student Journal

Faculty Advisors: Dr. Stacy Burns & Dr. Rebecca Sager

Editor: Katie Flint

No. 11, November 2022: Insights From Co-Designed English Learner Improvement Networks, Linda R. G. Kaminski , Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz , Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas , Ed.D., Grecya V. López , M.S.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research brief presents a case study of an English Learner Improvement Network (ELIN), a group of educators focused on a shared problem of practice in English Learner education and supported through extensive collaboration between researchers and practitioners in English Learner education and Improvement Science. The case study involves an urban school district and a charter organization each serving between 50-80% of students who have ever been English Learners. The research brief identifies five key themes that contribute to knowledge of the English Learner Improvement Networks’ ability to support English Learner improvement: (1) Expert Partnerships Support Improvement; (2) Context Impacts …

The California English Learner Roadmap Toolkit For Institutes Of Higher Education (Ihes): (Re)Designing Educator Preparation Focused On Equity For English Learner/Multilingual Students, Anaida Colón-Muñiz, Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Reports

The California English Learner Roadmap Toolkit for Institutes of Higher Education was developed to address the education of English Learner and Multilingual students in California’s current university credentialing programs for teacher education, counseling, and educational administration/leadership. The purpose of this Toolkit is to: (1) provide a context for California’s university and other professional credentialing programs’ obligation to engage in reflection and (re)design processes that prioritize preparation of candidates who are well-equipped to serve culturally and linguistically diverse students in preschool–12 settings; (2) delineate the process and results of an examination of the alignment between the standards for Teacher Education, School …

City Of Montebello Tree Canopy Prioritization, Center For Urban Resilience, Treepeople, Gateway Cities Council Of Governments

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, TreePeople, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments partnered to conduct tree canopy prioritization in the City of Montebello. This process utilized high resolution, high accuracy tree canopy data as a foundation to engage the public in identifying their priorities for tree planting in the city. Analysis of tree canopy data showed that the City of Montebello has 13% existing tree canopy cover, which the lowest tree canopy cover in all of Los Angeles County. The analyses also found that Montebello has great opportunity to increase its tree canopy, with …

City Of Vernon Tree Canopy Prioritization, Center For Urban Resilience, Treepeople, Gateway Cities Council Of Governments

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, TreePeople, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments partnered to conduct tree canopy prioritization in the City of Vernon. This process utilized high resolution, high accuracy tree canopy data as a foundation to engage the public in identifying their priorities for tree planting in the city. Analysis of tree canopy data showed that the City of Vernon has 2% existing tree canopy cover, which is the lowest tree canopy cover in all of Los Angeles County. The analyses also found that Vernon has great opportunity to increase its tree canopy, …

City Of Culver City Coyote Management Report, Melinda Weaver, Michele Romolini, Eric G. Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The scientific staff at the LMU Center for Urban Resilience, along with affiliated scientists, collaborators and students conducted a three-year management study in order to assist the City of Culver City and its residents in managing the dynamic challenge of coexisting with resident and transient coyotes. Despite the considerable social and logistical upheaval caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, CURes staff and collaborators collected and analyzed data continuously through the various phases of the pandemic. The goals of the project were to: 1) Gather appropriate ecological, technical and human social data with regard to coyote ecology and human-wildlife conflict, …

Diet Analysis Of Scat From Coyote Pack In Culver City, Anna Monterastelli, Melinda Weaver, Eric Strauss

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Culver City’s residential and recreational areas have experienced more frequent encounters with native wildlife in recent years. The increase in these interactions with the city’s population and coyotes (Canis latrans) in particular have sparked interest in understanding why these canids have habitualized to urban environment. A possible hypothesis for this occurring could be that the coyotes’ diet has evolved to prey upon domesticated cats, which are also highly prevalent in urban areas. A dry fecal analysis has been developed to quantify how often the coyotes have incorporated cats into their diet. To track the consistency of their diets, …

Urbanization’S Effect On A Coyote Population In Culver City, Colby Mallett, Eric Strauss, Melinda Weaver

Center for Urban Resilience Research Posters

Due to the increased rates of urbanization in once biodiverse areas, it is now critical to study the effects of urbanization on species abundance and biodiversity. This study investigates the impact of urbanization in the Culver City area on coyote abundance. As part of a larger multi-year study, four sites across Culver City were studied and split into two groups, inner city, known as the urban area, and edge of city, known as the rural area. Coyote abundance was determined through the use of systematic camera trapping at each site for the year of 2020. A final total that accounts …

La River Stew-Map: The Los Angeles River Stewardship Mapping & Assessment Project, Michele Romolini, Alyssa Thomas

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP) was applied in the Los Angeles River Watershed to answer the questions: Who are the active environmental stewardship groups in my area and where, why, and how are they caring for the land? STEW-MAP defines a “stewardship group” as a civic organization or group that works to conserve, manage, monitor, transform, educate on and/or advocate for the environment.

Leveraging national expertise and previous regional investment in Los Angeles County STEW-MAP, the Los Angeles (LA) River STEW-MAP provides detailed information on the geographical footprint and collaborative relationships of organizations working in the …

Ensuring Equity And Excellence For English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography For Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of over 350 annotations from both recent and seminal literature (released between 1984–2021) that have significant implications for research, policy, and practice for English learner (EL) linguistic, social, and academic achievement. This annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

The authors provide a comprehensive selection of works focused on theory, research, and practice. The annotations are a result of purposeful searches of 23 topics in empirical and theoretical articles …

No. 10, April 2022: Uplifting The Perspectives And Preferences Of The Families Of English Learners In Los Angeles Unified School District And Charter Schools: Findings From A Representative Poll, Jeimee Estrada-Miller, M.P.P., Leni Wolf, M.P.A., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This research and policy brief uplifts findings from a 2021 poll of 129 LAUSD and affiliate charter school English Learner families. The poll covers a broad range of topics including families’ pandemic experiences in and outside of school, communication with schools, levels of engagement and representation in school-based decisions, and expectations of schools for the future. Findings indicate that: (1) a majority of EL families are engaged and report that they attend school activities; (2) EL families report feeling heard at their school sites and would like more personalized communication like home visits and calls; (3) EL families want more …

Attic Salt, 2022, Loyola Marymount University, The Honors Program

Attic Salt

No abstract provided.

William H. Hannon Library Year In Review 2021 – 2022, William H. Hannon Library

William H. Hannon Year-in-Reviews

No abstract provided.

Los Angeles Miscellany Volume 70, 2022, Loyola Marymount University English Department

LA Miscellany

Faculty Advisor: Sarah Maclay

Editor-in-Chief: Kellie Toyama

The Sociological Eye 2022, Loyola Marymount University, Sociology Department

The Sociological Eye Student Journal

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stacy Burns

Editor: Viannie Egbunike

City Of Paramount Tree Canopy Prioritization, Center For Urban Resilience, Treepeople, Gateway Cities Council Of Governments

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, TreePeople, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments partnered to conduct tree canopy prioritization in the City of Paramount. This process utilized high resolution, high accuracy tree canopy data as a foundation to engage the public in identifying their priorities for tree planting in the city. Analysis of tree canopy data showed that the City of Paramount has 15% existing tree canopy cover. The analyses also found that Paramount has great opportunity to increase its tree canopy, with 45% of the land area of the city shown to be Possible …

Equity Leadership For English Learners During Covid–19: Early Lessons, Magaly Lavadenz, Linda R. G. Kaminski, Elvira G. Armas, Grecya V. López

Academic Journal Articles

This article provides the findings of an exploratory, qualitative study on distance learning policies and practices from a purposeful sample of five California school districts and 25 district and school leaders with large numbers and/or larger percentages of current or former English Learners. To understand the extent to which leaders address English Learners’/Emergent Bilinguals’ (EL/EM) needs during the pandemic, we posed the following research question: What are leaders’ local policies and practices in designing and implementing distance learning to promote equity for English Learners? We gathered three key district policy documents across three moments during the pandemic: (1) COVID-19 Operations …

City Of Lynwood Tree Canopy Prioritization, Center For Urban Resilience, Treepeople, Gateway Cities Council Of Governments)

Center for Urban Resilience Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience (CURes), TreePeople, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments partnered to conduct a tree canopy prioritization in the City of Lynwood. This process utilized high resolution, high accuracy tree canopy data as a foundation to engage the public in identifying their priorities for tree planting in the city.

Analysis of tree canopy data acquired through a previous project between CURes and TreePeople showed that the City of Lynwood has 16% existing tree canopy cover. The analyses also found that Lynwood has great opportunity to increase its tree canopy, with 41% …