DERDC Policy Briefs

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    School-Based Management
    (Delaware Education Research and Development Center, 1996-02) Noble, Audrey J.; Deemer, Sandra; Davis, Betsy
    Shared decision making (or school-based management) has become a centerpiece of efforts across the nation to improve America's schools. This policy brief considers three questions in light of current research and practice of SBM: 1) What are the ideals and assumptions that underlie this form of governance structure? 2) What are the enabling conditions and barriers involved in its implementation? 3) What are the research findings of its effects on schools?
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    Technology & Engineering in Delaware’s K-12 Education
    Grusenmeyer, Linda
    Delaware’s history is rich with innovations in science, technology, and engineering. Will the same be true about its future? This policy brief examines the current national debate surrounding K-12 technology and engineering education and suggests some considerations for Delaware’s policy makers.
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    Adolescent literacy: Reading to learn
    (2006-05-28T18:57:28Z) Grusenmeyer, Linda
    This policy brief addresses growing evidence for a need to provide reading instruction to students beyond elementary school years. Adolescent literacy practices are not only helpful to struggling readers, but they also teach average students how to develop skill in understanding printed texts as their course requirements grow in difficulty. One method that is discussed, Reading Apprenticeship, involves content and subject area teachers modeling and coaching students in the types of reading used in their specific fields.
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    Zero Tolerance Policies and School Discipline
    (2009-01-27T16:58:43Z) Janerette, Dariel
    Zero tolerance policies have been defined as school disciplinary practices that mandate automatic suspension and/or expulsion from school with the effect of redefining “students as criminals, with unfortunate consequences” (Martin, 2001, p. 1). Research suggests the harmful effects of zero tolerance policies on students and their families may outweigh the benefits of deterring student misbehavior. This policy brief discusses the efficacy of zero tolerance policies as a strategy to address school violence.
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    No Child Left Behind: A Realistic Expectation?
    (2008-04) Janerette, Dariel
    This policy brief explores No Child Left Behind’s requirement that all Delaware public school students reach proficiency on Delaware content standards in reading and mathematics by 2014 through the use of longitudinal data analyses of students’ Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) performance.
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    Class Size
    (1998-03) Noble, Audrey J.
    The issue of class size is a focus of recent policy initiatives. At the national level, President Clinton's State of the Union Address and the propsed FY '99 budget both call for reduced class size in America's public schools. In his 1998 State of the State address Governor Carper also proposed a reduction in class size in the core academic areas - capping class size at 22 students in elementary and 28 at the middle and high school levels.
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    Shared Decision Making
    (1998-01) Noble, Audrey J.
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    Discipline
    (1998-09) Giancola, Susan
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    Retention
    (2000-01) Noble, Audrey J.
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    Mentoring Students
    (2000-04) Banicky, Lisa; Noble, Audrey J.
    Research on student mentoring reveals benefits for students, schools, and mentors. Barriers to effectively implementing mentoring programs include difficulty recuriting and retaining mentors, cost of programs, and inadequate social services to address the multi-faceted needs of students.
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    Alternative Schools
    (2000-05) Banicky, Lisa
    Providing severely disruptive and expelled students with an alternative setting for learning has become an increasingly populare strategy for improving school safety and creating an atmorsphere where learning can occur. As a result of the Comprehensive School Discipline Improvement Program, established by Delarware HB 247 in 1993, severl alternative education schools have been created for students expelled from regular school or subject to expulsion, and others who have seriously violated local school district discipline code.
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    Opportunity to Learn
    (2000-10) Banicky, Lisa
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    Teacher Supply and Demand
    (2001-01) Banicky, Lisa; Parisella, Jennifer
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    Neighborhood Schools
    (2001-02) Noble, Audrey J.; Rodney, Marianne
    Across the nation, school districts are being released from court supervision of their desgregation efforts. As a result, many urban school districts are becoming resegregated as students return to their neighborhood schools. This policy brief primarily explores the research on the effects of poverty on education. It also explores some lessons that have been learned in other places that have neighborhood schools' policies.
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    Parent Involvement
    (2002-03) Brown, Pamela
    Research in the area of parent involvement indicates that parent involvement is of critical importance to student achievement (and behavior) and has benefits for parents, teachers, ands chools as well as students.
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    Charter Schools
    (2003-01) Coffey, Debra
    Because charter schools are so new, there is not yet sufficient datat to determine whether charter school students learn or achieve differently than regular public schools students. However, intial results indicate that charter schools have both strengths and weaknesses, some similare to, and some noticeably different from, those of regular public schools.
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    Full Day Kindergarten
    (2003-05) Noble, Audrey J.; Kedzior, Margarete
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    School Vouchers
    (2004-04) Coffey, Debra; Fifield, Steve
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    Teacher Professional Development
    (2004-05) Kedzior, Margarete; Fifield, Steve
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    Testing: Not an Exact Science
    (2004-05) Noble, Audrey J.; Nandkumar, Ratna; Sweetman, Heidi; Mislevy, Robert; Douglas, Karen
    The intent of this Education Policy Brief is to acquaint Delaware policymakers with some fundamental concepts about testing and thei nterpretation of test results. A full appreciation of these concepts is critical to sound policymaking as the state proceeds with its educational accountability agenda.