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Full-Text Articles in Education
Examination Of School Value-Added Growth By Student Population, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid
Examination Of School Value-Added Growth By Student Population, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid
Policy Briefs
In this brief, we assess the relationship between Arkansas’ school-level value-added content growth scores for student racial and programmatic groups. We find that on average, African American students receive lower growth scores than other student groups, and that African American elementary students demonstrated large drops in growth since COVID
Advanced Placement Course-Taking And Act Test Outcomes In Arkansas, Sarah Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid, Jessica S. Goldstein
Advanced Placement Course-Taking And Act Test Outcomes In Arkansas, Sarah Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid, Jessica S. Goldstein
Policy Briefs
Since 2008, Arkansas has sought to dramatically increase the number of students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. This program, which allows students to access college -level content while still enrolled in high school, has been linked to higher student achievement and attainment. This brief shares recent research from the Office for Education Policy investigating whether students who take AP courses demonstrate better college readiness and examines how these trends vary for different demographic and socioeconomic groups in the state.
School Discipline In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
School Discipline In Arkansas, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
This brief examines school discipline practices and outcomes in Arkansas. Using data publicly available from the Arkansas Department of Education, we examine state-wide discipline trends, summarize the analysis on school-level data demonstrating disparities in student discipline, and make recommendations for utilizing this information.
National Board Certified Teacher Incentive Bonuses: Senate Bill 555, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
National Board Certified Teacher Incentive Bonuses: Senate Bill 555, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
National Board Certification is a voluntary process that, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, certifies that they “have developed and demonstrated the advanced knowledge, skills, and practices required of an outstanding educator.” Currently, National Board Certified (NBC) teachers in an Arkansas public school receive an annual bonus of $5,000 for up to 10 years. In this brief, we examine NBC in Arkansas and Senate Bill 555, which proposes the modification and enhancement of NBC incentive bonuses for teachers receiving certification after January 2018.
Quality Counts 2017, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Quality Counts 2017, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
Education Week released their 21st Quality Counts report last month. In addition to the annual grades, this year’s report takes a comprehensive look at the steps states are taking to turn their blueprints for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act’s to a finished structure. Overall, Arkansas received a C– and was ranked 43rd among the 50 states. This policy brief examines Arkansas’ rank in each category of the report as well as the quality of the report itself.
Integration In Little Rock Area, Part 5: Are Students Moves More Integrative Or Segregative?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Integration In Little Rock Area, Part 5: Are Students Moves More Integrative Or Segregative?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
School integration has been a contentious policy issue in Little Rock since the 1950s. Recent charter expansions have raised questions about the current level of integration in public schools (charter and traditional) in the Little Rock metro area. As part of our series on integration in Little Rock, this brief examines the impact of student moves on the overall level of integration in the Little Rock area public school system.
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 4: What Is The Current Level Of Integration In Little Rock?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 4: What Is The Current Level Of Integration In Little Rock?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
School integration has been a contentious policy issue in Little Rock since the 1950s. Recent charter expansions have raised questions about the current level of integration in public schools (charter and traditional) in the Little Rock Area. As part of our series on integration in Little Rock, this brief examines the prevalence of hyper segregated white, black, and economically disadvantaged schools, and calculates the average difference between school demographics and the area’s demographics.
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 3: Where Do Students Move?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 3: Where Do Students Move?, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
School integration has been a contentious policy issue in Little Rock since the 1950s. Recent charter expansions have raised questions about the current level of integration in public schools (charter and traditional) in the Little Rock Area. As part of our series on integration in Little Rock, this brief examines the differences in school-level demographics and academics between the schools students leave and the schools these students enter
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 2: Disproportionalities Among Student Movers, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 2: Disproportionalities Among Student Movers, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
School integration has been a contentious policy issue in Little Rock since the 1950s. Recent charter expansions have raised questions about the current level of integration in public schools (charter and traditional) in the Little Rock Area. As part of our series on integration in Little Rock, this brief examines the demographics and academic performance of students switching between public school sectors, and disproportionate representation of certain students among sector switchers
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 1: Demographic Trends In Enrollment, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Integration In The Little Rock Area, Part 1: Demographic Trends In Enrollment, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
School integration has been a contentious policy issue in Little Rock since the 1950s. Recent charter expansions have raised questions about the current level of integration in public schools (charter and traditional) in the Little Rock Area. As an introduction to this work, we begin by examining broad changes in enrollment before we drill down in later briefs and study the impacts of individual moves
Postsecondary Remediation And Rogers’ Academic Guarantee, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Postsecondary Remediation And Rogers’ Academic Guarantee, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
Over a decade ago, Rogers School District implemented a policy called the Academic Conclusion P.4 Guarantee, promising to reimburse eligible graduates who have to enroll in remedial courses in college. In this brief, we examine Arkansas’s college remediation policy, Rogers’ policy, and how this might affect other Arkansas school districts.
Kids Through College: How Helena-West Helena And Kipp Delta Are Serving All Students, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Kids Through College: How Helena-West Helena And Kipp Delta Are Serving All Students, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
Two years ago, KIPP Through College advisors from KIPP Delta Collegiate High School started working at Central High in Helena. What’s happened since reveals the power of collaboration and suggests best practices for all schools.
Advanced Placement In Arkansas: Increasing Equity, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Advanced Placement In Arkansas: Increasing Equity, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
Each spring, secondary students across Arkansas sit for Advanced Placement (AP) Exams. Arkansas has one of the most aggressive policies promoting AP in the nation. Despite this, Arkansas students are still struggling with inequitable and inadequate access to AP courses. This brief examines the effects of Arkansas’ AP legislation on equity, adequacy, and productivity in AP policy, particularly for the state’s low-income and minority students.
National Assessment Of Educational Progress (Naep) Results For 2015, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
National Assessment Of Educational Progress (Naep) Results For 2015, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
The National Center for Education Statistics has released this year’s NAEP results which measure nationwide student performance in 4th and 8th grade Reading and Math. NAEP is administered nationally to a representative sample of students from all 50 states, so acts as a standard measure of student performance across states and time. This policy brief will examine Arkansas’ 2015 results and consider possible causes and implications.
Teacher Survey: Common Core Standards, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Teacher Survey: Common Core Standards, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 English language arts (ELA) and mathematics were adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education in July 2010. Teachers have been implementing CCSS in their classrooms for several years, and this spring students across the state are being assessed on CCSS through the PARCC assessments. In February 2015, Governor Hutchinson announced the formation of a Council on Common Core Review, and the Office for Education Policy began a survey of Arkansas public school teachers to gather their opinions on this important topic. In this brief, we will share the preliminary findings from …
Charter School Authorizers, Reed Greenwood, Gary W. Ritter
Charter School Authorizers, Reed Greenwood, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
Two types of charter schools exist in Arkansas: open-enrollment charter schools, which operate independently of any district, and district conversion charter schools, which operate within an existing school district. Charter schools have more autonomy on certain rules and regulations than traditional public schools; however, charter schools are held accountable for academic results and fiscal matters, as defined by the charters contract. Charter schools are approved and held accountable by a charter authorizer. In the 2013 General Assembly, a law passed to change Arkansas’ charter authorizer from the State Board of Education to a newly created panel within the Department of …
Categorical Funding In Arkansas, Reed Greenwood, Gary W. Ritter
Categorical Funding In Arkansas, Reed Greenwood, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
As a result of the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Lake View v. Huckabee Decision, the Public School Funding Act of 2003 established Arkansas’ current funding system. A part of the current system allocates additional funding for districts based on need (categorical funding). In doing so, the state recognizes that it is necessary to distribute additional funding based on educational need to meet adequacy and equity standards. The system allocates funding for groups of students who face particular challenges: Alternative Learning Environment students (ALE), English-language Learners (ELL), and students in poverty (National School Lunch Act). In the current legislative session, lawmakers are …
Oep Welcomes New Commissioner: Tom Kimbrell, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter
Oep Welcomes New Commissioner: Tom Kimbrell, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
The Office for Education Policy is excited to welcome the new Arkansas Education Commissioner – Dr. Tom Kimbrell.
Quality Counts 2009, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Quality Counts 2009, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter
Policy Briefs
In an attempt to gauge the educational progress of the nation and each state, Education Week has published state report cards since 1997 in its annual Quality Counts series. The 13th annual report — Quality Counts 2009 — was released in early 2009. As for the overall score, Arkansas was one of only ten states in the United States that received a B. Arkansas got the highest possible grade (A+) for financial equity among districts, and its grade for “Transitions and Alignment” — or how well a state’s educational system is coordinated from elementary school to college — was a …