Education Commons^™

Teacher Evaluations And Merit Pay: An Uneasy Mix, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Teacher evaluations are undergoing significant changes in response to demands for school reform and higher accountability. States are now including value-added data in teacher evaluations, experimenting with merit pay based on evaluations, or both. Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Texas are but a few states that have altered the way teachers are evaluated or that are incorporating value-added data.

Changes in evaluation practice will likely mean significant modifications in how building-level administrators evaluate teachers. Moreover, approaches to teacher salary systems are just as likely to be altered if merit pay is introduced. School business officials (SBOs) are typically …

Preferred Professional Development, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

As younger superintendents replace retirees, professional development needs have increased to meet new forms of accountability, teacher/ principal evaluation and rigorous curriculum reform. In a survey of New York state superintendents, more than half expressed a preference for local, high-quality professional development workshops so they did not have to travel from their districts. The superintendents also preferred professional development involving systemic change and best practices.

Update: The Supreme Court And Affirmative Action, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Few issues in education have generated more ongoing controversy during the last half-century than affirmative action. Supporters view it as a positive step to eliminate the effects of past discrimination. Conversely, critics speak of race-conscious policies that they maintain create greater problems by failing to address how granting preferences today remedies past inequities.

Although typically more contentious in higher education, affirmative action is the centerpiece of this column because of the impact that race-conscious policies can have on K–12 schools.

Rehired After Retired, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Slightly more than one in 10 superintendents participating in the "2012 AASA Superintendents Salary and Benefits Study" indicated they have been rehired as a superintendent after retiring from one state or another. This contrasts with a finding in AASP

Conference On The Future Of School Psychology, Susan C. Davies, Brooke Gosser

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The University of Dayton School Psychology Program recently participated in the 2012 Conference on the Future of School Psychology. This conference provided students and faculty at The University of Dayton the opportunity to participate in a national dialogue on the future of our field. This multi-site conference was jointly sponsored by the National Association of School Psychologists, Division 16 of the American Psychological Association, the Society for the Study of School Psychology, the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs, Trainers of School Psychologists, the American Academy of School Psychology, the American Board of School Psychology, and the International School …

Bridging The Gap Between Engineering Design And Pk-12 Curriculum Development Through The Use The Stem Education Quality Framework, Margaret Pinnell, James Rowley, Sandi Preiss, Rebecca P. Blust, Rebecca Beach, Suzanne Franco

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper will describe a unique partnership among the Department of Teacher Education and School of Engineering at the University of Dayton (UD) and the Dayton Regional STEM Center (DRSC). This partnership resulted in the development of the STEM Education Quality Framework (SQF), a tool to guide educators in teaching, learning and refining STEM education. The SQF resulted in a variety of educational tools, including a STEM curriculum template, that was implemented in the DRSCs teacher professional development and curriculum development program entitled the STEM Fellow Program. The STEM Fellow program was later modeled in a unique, NSF sponsored six …

Publicizing Job Evaluations, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

More than 50 percent of superintendents in a nationwide survey indicate their performance evaluations are not made public, while slightly more than a third say their evaluation results are released publicly. The findings were contained in AASA’s 2012 salary and benefits study. State-specific public records laws govern the release of such information. These laws are evolving as state legislatures and courts decide if superintendents are public officials. AASA’s decennial study of the superintendency in 2010 pointed to increased frequency of formal evaluations along with expanded use of performance measures leading to merit awards. Link this with the call for greater …

Fifth Amendment Rights: Questioning Students, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Because juveniles are increasingly subject to questioning about their potential involvement in what may constitute adult criminal activities, the role of law enforcement personnel, including police officers and school resource officers (SROs), in interrogating students is worth visiting.

This column examines early litigation on student Fifth Amendment rights and a more recent case, N.C. v. Commonwealth (2013), in which an assistant principal (AP) interviewed a student about giving prescription drugs to a peer. The questioning took place in the presence of a deputy sheriff who served as an SRO but because the AP did not read the student his Miranda …

Hesitancy About The Job, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Potential candidates hesitate to apply for their first superintendency for several, reasons. Foremost among them are the job's broad scope and their own school-age children.

Sniff Dogs In Schools: Do The Noses Know?, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

As drugs and other contraband made their way into schools starting in the 1960s, education leaders turned to drug-sniffing dogs, which typically work in conjunction with law enforcement officials, to detect the presence of contraband in learning environments. In fact, sniff dogs—or their noses—are a highly effective, reliable, and unobtrusive means of discovering potentially dangerous contraband, such as drugs, alcohol, and even gunpowder from firearms. Accordingly, the vast majority of courts have upheld the use of sniff dogs in schools when challenged under the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The use of drug-sniffing dogs has come to …

Whose Code Of Conduct Matters Most? Examining The Link Between Academic Integrity And Student Development, Ann E. Biswas

English Faculty Publications

Although most colleges strive to nurture a culture of integrity, incidents of dishonest behavior are on the rise. This article examines the role student development plays in students’ perceptions of academic dishonesty and in their willingness to adhere to a code of conduct that may be in sharp contrast to traditional integrity policies.

Pay By Gender And District Size, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Superintendents nationwide experienced small growth in median salaries from 2011-12 to 2012-13, according to a new study by AASA. As expected, salaries for the top district leaders generally increased with district enrollment. In four of the five categories across the size of school districts, the median salaries paid to female superintendents slightly exceeded those paid to their male colleagues. In drawing conclusions from these data, one must consider the relatively small number of respondents in the smallest and largest groupings of student enrollment in the school districts.

Latino Outreach, Michelle Sherman

Catholic Education Summit

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati Latino Outreach has touched the lives of children in many urban Catholic schools. The ministry's objective is to assist with the human/social issues facing Latino communities by collaborating with schools, agencies and services concerned with justice, peace and integrity of creation. The Latino Outreach initiative has partnered with the University of Dayton’s Urban Child Development Resource Center (UCDRC) in a variety of ways. UCDRC’s role and impact in this collaborative effort will be shared. Karyn Hecker, principal of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception School, will present outcomes of this work and changes that she has …

Beatitude Living: Contemplating A Way Of Being Human In A Digital Civilization, Angela Ann Zukowski

Catholic Education Summit

The Beatitudes are central to living a full Catholic Christian Life. Pope Francis continues to call our attention to the meaning and value of Beatitude living in the 21^st century. The infiltration of social media networking and the pervasive adaptation into a digital milieu is creating a new human consciousness. Furthermore, as we study the research and experimentation of the neurosciences, we begin to raise critical questions regarding what it means to be human in a digital milieu. Is it possible that we are living on the edge of a paradox that conflicts with Beatitude living? Do Catholic educators …

Boards That Lead: Sustaining Urban Catholic Schools, Regina Haney

Catholic Education Summit

Research provides characteristics of effective school boards that ensure urban Catholic schools flourish. This session will discuss these characteristics that position the board to lead. Case studies will be used to demonstrate how urban boards engage in valuable and meaningful work so that the gift of Catholic schools flourish.

Blocks, Dress-Ups, And Make Believe: The Power Of Play In The Faith Formation Of Young Children, Shauna M. Adams

Catholic Education Summit

Play is powerful at all stages of development and learning, but is especially important in the faith formation of young children. Play provides opportunities to learn and practice new concepts and skills. Play inspires children to act out stories, and in turn, provides opportunities for children to make meaning of their world. In this session, participants will learn how to create a play-based faith formation program that helps young children come to understand the wonders of God’s love.

The Challenges Of Being A Catholic School With Non-Catholic Students, Teachers, And (Gasp) Principals, Daniel Mulhall

Catholic Education Summit

Many Catholic schools today have students, teachers, and even principals who are not Catholic. This presentation will examine the role of the Catholic school as a catechizing community, explore some of the challenges that come with having non-Catholic students (and teachers and administrators), discuss how to engage everyone in the school’s Catholicity without proselytizing, and how to fully involve non-Catholic students in the religion classroom.

Mental Illness:A Non-Academic Barrier To Learning, Rhonda Mercs

Catholic Education Summit

The Urban Child Development Resource Center offers services to aid in the social and emotional development of children. The mental health therapists educate teachers and families in understanding and recognizing mental disorders prevalent in the classroom. The family advocates assist families in meeting basic needs.

Participants will be presented information regarding common mental disorders observed in the classroom and how this is a barrier to learning. What can educators do? Participants will be given ideas and suggestions to handle these situations.

Workshop Way, A System Of Human Growth For Education, Karyn Hecker, Mary Cordonnier

Catholic Education Summit

No abstract provided.

The Catholic Partnership Schools, A Post-Parochial Model Of Urban Catholic Education, Christine Healey

Catholic Education Summit

Located in Camden, New Jersey, the Catholic Partnership Schools serve 1,000 children living in the poorest and one of the most violent cities in the nation. How was this model created? Why do quality, scale, faith, innovative policies and advocacy matter? How can Catholic schools take their place in the education reform movement, accessing the resources that go with it? What is the future of urban Catholic school education?

Lessons From Our Recent History: K-12 Catholic Schools In Boston, 1965-2010, John White

Catholic Education Summit

Today, many Catholic schools struggle with issues of identity, funding, staffing, and curriculum. This presentation examines the experience of one major American archdiocese as schools shifted from religious to lay staffing in the 1960s and 1970s through closures and consolidations that continue to this day. The reasons behind the archdiocese's failure to plan for or to manage the shift to lay staffing is explored, as is the apparent decision to sacrifice Catholic schools for secular social ends during the 1974 public school desegregation crisis. Overall, this session provides some discussion points for how the crisis in Catholic schools came about, …

From Parish-Based Schools To A Unified System: Sustaining A 150 Year-Old Legacy, Kenith Britt, Peg Haemmerle, Pamela Cross Young

Catholic Education Summit

Catholic Central School consolidated the 150 year-old parish-based elementary schools and the Archdiocesan high schools to form a unified PK-12 system in 2005. Since the formation of the system, the establishment of the Board of Trustees, and the hiring of a president, teacher salaries increased by 40%, the school has maintained a strong balanced budget, major facility improvements were made, and over $6 million was raised toward the construction of a new school.

A Winning Combination! Leadership Skills And Formation For Catholic School Leaders, Louise Moore, Alana Campion, David Alan Dolph

Catholic Education Summit

This session emphasizes the importance of balancing personal and spiritual growth with leadership skills. Some practical tips and a model that illustrates this approach to leadership development will be shared via an interactive format.

“Ready Families, Ready Children” Family Engagement Approaches That Matter, Cindy Currell, Teresa Wendell

Catholic Education Summit

This presentation will explore examples of successfully implemented approaches to family engagement in a community collaborative environment. Approaches include the Family Café model adapted to different neighborhoods, schools, and missions, and incorporating different styles of parent leadership and involvement. Participants will explore ingredients for success, gathering and using feedback from parents and other stakeholders, and learning from experience. Planning resources for developing an engagement activity in the participant's setting will be shared.

Building A Dynamic And Peaceful Classroom, Mary Hallinan, Deb Ruscitelli, Pat Greger

Catholic Education Summit

Peacemaking circles bring together the ancient wisdom of community and the contemporary value of respect for individual gifts, needs and differences. Participants will learn how to create an environment of caring and respect in their classroom, resulting in students who are motivated to learn and empowered to respect and care for themselves and others.

Cristo Rey Network: Opening The Doors To A Catholic Education For Everyone, Mary Ann Vogel

Catholic Education Summit

Catholic education has a history of opening doors for our nation's marginalized. During the 20th Century, Catholic education allowed many an immigrant or individual of low socio-economic standing to change his/her destiny. In today's world of high cost education, the Cristo Rey Network offers a Catholic education to families who would not otherwise be able to afford one.

Ipads In The Classroom, Jenny Holzmer

Catholic Education Summit

As technology becomes increasingly present in the lives of our students, the integration of technology into our instruction and assessment is becoming more and more vital. Come learn and discuss effective and interactive techniques for the iPad in the classroom. Attendees will leave with a handout that includes multiple ideas for how to enhance curriculum using the iPad.

Lessons Learned In Preparing 100 Teachers For The Urban Classroom, Rochonda Nenonene, Pamela Cross Young

Catholic Education Summit

Who will successfully teach the growing population of ethnically diverse poor in our country? What lessons have been learned from the University of Dayton’s Urban Teacher Academy regarding teacher leadership qualities, commitments and cultural sensitivities that are needed to increase student achievement in urban and similar settings that serve diverse communities?

Emerging Governance Models In Urban Catholic Elementary Schools, Erik Goldschmidt

Catholic Education Summit

The future of urban elementary schools requires an exploration of governance models that contribute to increased institutional sustainability. This session will present seven governance models currently in use by Catholic elementary schools across the United States that arose as an alternative to the traditional parish school. Common themes will be discussed to guide exploration, development, and implementation of efforts to improve school governance.

Diversity: The Challenge And Promise Of Urban Catholic Schools, Satish Joseph

Catholic Education Summit

One of the hallmarks of our nation is its diversity—cultural and religious. Yet, in Catholic elementary schools, diversity remains a challenge. Perhaps because of age old mindsets or because of increasing social conflicts, diversity is increasingly seen as a disadvantage. Parents and sometimes educators would rather have a similar clientele. This paper presents diversity as a promise and an opportunity for Catholic elementary schools. The task is gargantuan, but the fruit is even more desirable.