Administrative Policies Research Articles

A high-stakes reading test as the White listening subject: Applying an antiracist validation lens

ABSTRACT In this paper, the White listening subject takes the form of a standardized high-stakes reading test, the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Although the test does not actually listen, it ‘hears’ and evaluates children’s responses to its questions. I present the results of the 2017 Grade 8 reading exams, from the March, May, and June administrations, with a focus on results for students who are learning English as an additional language, who are racially minoritized, and who are economically disadvantaged. The analysis looks at factors predicting test completion, passing rates, and test resitting: language proficiency status, race/racism, and economic disadvantage. In the discussion, I question these results’ validity by examining the STAAR validity arguments including the construct definition, development and scoring of the assessment, retake administration policies, and consequences for language minoritized and racialized students. I hope this study may spur changes in policy and practice, and the institution of a re-humanizing lens in assessment policies in Texas and beyond.

The Donald Trump Factor and US-Ukrainian Relations (2017-2020): From Strategic Friendship to Cold Partnership

This article analyses the dynamics of relations between Ukraine and the United States under the presidency of Donald Trump, covering the approaches of the parties to bilateral cooperation, key events and issues. It describes in detail the main features of Washington’s policy towards Ukraine during this period, the factors that shaped it and the reasons for any contradictions involved. It is noted that the course of the Trump administration’s foreign policy towards Ukraine has been shaped by three factors: strong pressure from Congress, contradictions between the president and his foreign policy team, and public suspicions of collusion between Trump’s entourage and the Kremlin in the 2016 US presidential election, which was accompanied by a bitter domestic political struggle. With no room for manoeuvre in such circumstances, the Trump administration chose the safest course of action – to continue the policy of the Obama administration with certain tactical changes designed to demonstrate a more decisive stance than its predecessor. These involved a significant increase in economic and military assistance to Ukraine, including the provision of lethal weapons and the appointment of Kurt Volker as US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations. Based on extensive empirical evidence, this paper also highlights the progress made and achievements with regard to cooperation in four areas that made up the Ukrainian-US relations agenda during the period covered: political dialogue, security, energy projects and the fight against corruption. The author shows that the contradictory nature of US policy towards Ukraine under Trump comprised a combination of a significant increase in military assistance and a decrease in the intensity of high-level political contacts.

Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: A Principals Fight Against Traditional Educator Pathways to Staff an Underperforming School in the Rural South

Marcus, a young principal hired to turn around an underperforming school in the rural South, struggles to stabilize the school’s current staffing challenges. Throughout the case study, Marcus navigates recruiting and retaining teachers; however, he also creates an innovative partnership that enables him to train prospective teachers on his campus. The purpose of this case study is to encourage school leaders to pursue non-traditional solutions to staffing. This case also benefits graduate students in education policy, principalship preparation, and educational administration. Further, this case benefits leaders struggling to staff schools in under-resourced communities like the ones in the rural South.

Climate policy shocks and crowdfunding success of renewable technology campaigns

AbstractThis study uses Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Accord as an exogenous policy shock and investigates its impact on crowdfunding outcomes. We find that this major policy change negatively affects the funding success of renewable technology campaigns. Mechanism tests suggest that social trust and availability bias transmit the influence of climate policy shock on crowd backers' decisions. Further analyses indicate that Biden's consequential policy reversal recovers the investors' support towards renewable technology. Overall, the Trump administration's climate policy shock induces significant shifts in the consumption preferences of small investors and incurs negative externalities upon renewable technology in crowdfunding markets.

Development of an Oral Epithelial Ex Vivo Organ Culture Model for Biocompatibility and Permeability Assessment of Biomaterials.

In the present study, a customized device (Epi-ExPer) was designed and fabricated to facilitate an epithelial organ culture, allowing for controlled exposure to exogenous chemical stimuli and accommodating the evaluation of permeation of the tissue after treatment. The Epi-ExPer system was fabricated using a stereolithography (SLA)-based additive manufacturing (AM) method. Human and porcine oral epithelial mucosa tissues were inserted into the device and exposed to resinous monomers commonly released by dental restorative materials. The effect of these xenobiotics on the morphology, viability, permeability, and expression of relevant markers of the oral epithelium was evaluated. Tissue culture could be performed with the desired orientation of air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions, and exposure to xenobiotics was undertaken in a spatially guarded and reproducible manner. Among the selected monomers, HEMA and TEGDMA reduced tissue viability at high concentrations, while tissue permeability was increased by the latter. Xenobiotics affected the histological image by introducing the vacuolar degeneration of epithelial cells and increasing the expression of panCytokeratin (pCK). Epi-ExPer device offers a simple, precise, and reproducible study system to evaluate interactions of oral mucosa with external stimuli, providing a biocompatibility and permeability assessment tool aiming to an enhanced in vitro/ex vivo-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) that complies with European Union (EU) and Food and Durg Administration (FDI) policies.

Promoting Research Utilization Through Social Media: Evidence from U.S. Public Administration and Policy Researchers

Public affairs research has explored how researchers communicate their findings to practitioners, notably through social media. Many researchers use social media as one means of communicating with practitioners, but to what extent do social media postings affect research utilization? Few studies, if any, provide evidence about the effectiveness of social media communication in promoting research utilization by public policy and public administration practitioners. Our study seeks to address this gap in knowledge regarding the effects of social media on perceived utilization by policy practitioners. Data for the present study come from an original survey, developed and implemented at Arizona State University from November 2020 through February 2021. Since the basic unit of analysis for the study was a specific research article drawn systematically from seven leading peer-reviewed journals associated with public affairs research, the study was anchored in a discrete referent: the published article. Online questionnaires were sent to the authors of each article appearing in the journals. Using the article as the data point, a response rate of 47.5% was obtained. Questions were asked about perceived research utilization by practitioners and various issues related to motives and communication strategies, including whether the researchers posted their published results on social media. We find that researchers’ social media use has no significant impact on perceived research utilization by practitioners; however, strong policy research motivations and contacts initiated by policymakers may increase it.

Simultaneous comparison of the chemical composition and attributable source of PM2.5 during 2014–2018 in major metropolitan cities in South Korea: impacts of policy interventions

Abstract Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is one of the most concerning pollutants, characterized by its diverse chemical composition. Although various studies have revealed PM2.5 chemical components, there is limited knowledge on how to reduce PM2.5 concentrations through administrative policies focusing on source management. We compared PM2.5 compositional characteristics and performed source apportionment using the positive matrix factorization in four metropolitan cities (Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Ulsan) in South Korea from 2014 to 2018. The annual average of PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the annual national ambient air quality standard of 15 μg m−3 in all areas while secondary inorganic aerosols constituted the largest fraction of PM2.5. This implies that secondary formation from gaseous precursors in the atmosphere was the main factor contributing to ambient PM2.5. However, the concentrations of PM2.5 constituents varied significantly across cities, suggesting that PM2.5 is a heterogeneous pollutant considerably influenced by region-specific conditions. In line with the chemical composition, secondary nitrate, secondary sulfate, and mobile-related sources were found to be significant contributors of PM2.5. Additionally, the extent of contribution from each source varied across the study regions. We also evaluated the impacts of policy interventions by comparing the PM2.5 composition and source apportionment before and after the policies for improving air quality. Intensive programs focused on the vehicle sector in Seoul led to a considerable decrease in the concentrations of carbonaceous compounds and mobile-related sources. In addition, strengthened regulations on coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) since 2016 have influenced the contributions of coal combustion sources in two cities adjacent to the west coastal area, where approximately half of the CFPPs of the country are densely distributed. Overall, the study’s findings indicate that region-specific PM2.5 chemical constituents and source contributions should be considered for establishing PM2.5-related policies, considering the high heterogeneity of PM2.5.

Reasons and Consequences for The Obama Administration's policy of Military Withdrawal in Iraq (2009-2017)

Reasons and Consequences for The Obama Administration's policy of Military Withdrawal in Iraq (2009-2017)

Concept of the digital state: concept, nature and ontology

The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon and concept of the digital state. The general concept and meaning of digitization in public administration is revealed. The problems of relevant interpretation and the limits of applicability of this concept to public administration are explained. The author’s concept and definition are presented, explaining the concept, nature and ontology of the digital state. The author suggests to consider the digital state in 4 interpretive projections: 1) as an ecosystem of operational, multi-service and proactive state digital super-services; 2) as an integrated computer-software meta-platform (platform system); 3) as an organizational and technological approach and corresponding paradigm; 4) as the digital ontology of state-building and functioning, public administration and public policy. According to the author’s interpretation, the concept of the “digital state” structurally includes the concepts: 1) the concept of the “digital government”; 2) the “digital democracy” concept; 3) the concept of the “digital justice”; 4) the concept of the “digital electoral technologies”; 5) the concept of the “digital public control over public administration”. The article details the author’s concept of “digital government”. The article is based on application of research methods of analysis and synthesis, induction, deduction and abduction, classification and formalization; through application of research methods, the essential descriptive characteristics of the phenomenon and the concept of the digital state were revealed.

Teacher-Turnover In the Archdiocesan School System: A Basis for Faculty Retention Program

This study conducted an in-depth exploration into the phenomenon of teacher turnover within the nineteen member schools of the Tuguegarao Archdiocesan School System (TASS), focusing particularly on the interplay of motivation and hygiene factors and their impact on teacher retention. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational design and survey data gathered from 139 teachers who transitioned from TASS to public schools during the school years 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023, the research illuminated several critical aspects of the issue. There is a prevailing sense of motivation and satisfaction among TASS teachers regarding various aspects of their professional lives, particularly those linked to intrinsic rewards such as job fulfillment, recognition, and professional development opportunities. Results revealed that TASS schools generally perform well in providing hygiene factors, encompassing areas like working conditions, administrative policies, and interpersonal relationships. However, some areas are requiring significant attention, most notably concerning salary and benefits, suggesting that these factors contribute significantly to teacher attrition. There is a significant positive correlation between motivation and hygiene factors, indicating that enhancements in areas such as salary and benefits could not only elevate teacher satisfaction but also bolster their overall motivation levels. There is interconnectedness of these two factors in shaping the overall teacher experience and retention within TASS. The research proposes a comprehensive Faculty Retention Program tailored to the unique challenges and needs of TASS schools. This program underscores the importance of addressing both motivational and hygiene factors to cultivate a stable, supportive, and rewarding environment for educators within the Tuguegarao Archdiocesan School System.

Heterogeneity in the health effects of PM2.5 sources across the major metropolitan cities, South Korea: Significance of region-specific management

Ambient PM2.5, well-known for its adverse impacts on human health, is a very heterogeneous pollutant. Its chemical composition and attributable sources vary by region, influenced by meteorological and geographical conditions as well as emission sources. However, administrative policies are currently focused on mass concentrations. However, not all PM2.5 sources provide equally toxic particles. Thus, those sources that should be the focus of controls has not been the priority. In the present study, we conducted source apportionment utilizing positive matrix factorization (PMF) and investigated the association of PM2.5 source contributions with emergency department visits (EDVs) in major megacities in South Korea. Overall, an interquartile range (IQR) increment in source contribution increased the number of emergency room visits. Industry and coal combustion sources, marked by heavy metals, were principally associated with the adverse health impacts. However, the sources showing significant associations with EDVs differed across the study area. In addition, we found that region-specific relationships between PM2.5 sources and morbidity were plausible, considering the existence of relevant sources such as industrial complexes and coal-fired power plants. The analysis of source contributions according to wind conditions also supported the source-morbidity relationships. These findings suggest that administrative policies for PM2.5 control should be established and implemented considering region-specific characteristics of the links between PM2.5 sources and health impacts to maximize the control’s public health effects. Furthermore, the results of the present study indicate that PMF was an effective method for linking acute exposure to PM2.5 source types with health outcomes to prioritize its sources.

Energy Transition to Green Energy Sources – Role of Socioeconomic Disparities and Administrative Policies

This study establishes the policy structure needed for achieving an energy transition in accordance with the goals of the COP26 Summit, taking into consideration disparities in socioeconomic status and the efficacy of regulations. We suggest a newly created energy transition index. It is a hypothesis-based output measure that employs the energy steps. By including (a) the shift to a green energy source and (b) the shift to more effective sources, the index makes it possible to understand the energy transition possibility in all countries. We examine the dynamic and absolute marginal consequences of energy transition factors on parameter estimations by applying the two-step System GMM method and data from 37 OECD countries between 2001 and 2022. The findings demonstrate that energy transition factors have less of an effect due to economic and social inequalities, but effective governance can increase those effects. Consistent with a scenario-based policy-development methodology, the results contribute significantly to the advancement of prospective policy discussions. Focusing on the completion of SDGs 7 and 13 they have significant real-world consequences for the creation of the SDG-oriented policy structure.

School Students' Perceptions on School Management and Pedagogical Approaches

This study investigates students' perspectives on teaching-learning pedagogy and school management techniques. The information was collected from 240 students attending schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas, across different grade levels. To get this data, a variety of research techniques were combined. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, the study looked at students' attitudes, beliefs, and experiences in the classroom. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of students' viewpoints on a range of school administration topics, such as classroom dynamics, teacher-student interactions, administrative policies, and the use of technology in the classroom. Ann extensive analysis was conducted to obtain a comprehensive understanding of students' inclinations, difficulties, and recommendations concerning instructional strategies, evaluation procedures, and the school's general ethos. The study underlines the value of taking into account students' opinions when making decisions about education and stresses the necessity of creating a welcoming and stimulating learning environment that can accommodate a wide range of learner needs. The implications for educators, policymakers, and school administrators are examined in this paper. It makes recommendations for improving teaching-learning pedagogies and school management techniques to support student engagement, academic achievement, and general well-being.

Análisis de políticas en Argentina. Nelson Cardozo & Pablo Bulcourf (Editores) (2023) Bristol: Policy Press & Bristol University Press, ISBN 9781447364900, pp. 370

This book provides an overview of the state of research on the state, administration and public policies in Argentina, taking into account what is produced in different institutional spaces (Bourdieu, 2008). Universities, research centers, the different spheres of the state itself and the different civil society organizations that are oriented towards it are taken as axes. This allows for a broad map of the complexity of the issue to be shown. At the same time, the book offers a comparative perspective, since it is part of a much larger collection of twenty volumes to date.

National Policies and Their Reverberations on the Art Making and Art Scenes in Malaysia under Mahathir Mohamed’s Premiership

This article examines the direct and indirect reverberations of the 1971 National Culture Policy, followed by the indirect impact of the Islamic resurgence and the 1985 Dasar Penerapan Nilai-Nilai Islam dalam Pentadbiran (Inculcation of Islamic Values in Administration Policy) on Malaysian art and art scene. The National Culture Policy (NCP), reiterated the ethnic preference policy of the National Economic Policy which resulted in an espoused policy that centres on Malay culture and Islam. Although there were incongruences and inconsistencies in the impact of the policy towards the art field in general, this policy has resulted in the rethinking of the presentation of art in Malaysia. This article first discusses the context of the NCP and traced how many exhibitions and discourses along the line of Islamic/Malay culture are frequently organised. This article also discusses the tendency of the artworks that were selected to be included in these exhibitions based on the selection of works that alludes to Islamic art, the Malay culture and works that have both elements of Islam and Malayness.

Research on Public Policy and Public Administration Based on Social Research Methods

Public policy and public administration, as integral components of modern societal governance, have their efficacy directly impacting social stability and development. Social research methods, as crucial tools for the scientific inquiry of social phenomena, play an irreplaceable role in the formulation of public policies and the practice of public administration. Whether through quantitative or qualitative research methods, these approaches provide essential theoretical support and empirical evidence for policymakers and administrators. By systematically applying these research methods, one can significantly enhance the scientific basis of policy formulation and the efficiency of public administration, thereby advancing social equity and justice. In the context of globalization and information technology, a profound exploration of the application of social research methods in the public domain holds significant practical importance for improving governance capabilities.

Robo‐compliance in Australian employment services

AbstractSince the late 1990s, Australia's employment services have enforced mutual obligation compliance as part of a transition to a disciplinary regime of conditional welfare. In recent years, the digitisation of employment services has extended the disciplinary approach to self‐activation. Notably, self‐activation extends mutual obligation requirements so that online reporting is a condition of benefit eligibility, or a digital obligation, enforced by threats to financial security in the form of automated payment suspensions. Guided by recent developments in the conceptualisation of digital welfare to work programs, case study analysis is used to explore the ways the technologies of self‐activation have changed the location of power in mutual obligation compliance decisions. This shift represents a move from street‐level decision making to Robo‐compliance. The article discusses the significance of this shift in the digital administration of disciplinary social policy in employment services. It highlights the need for further empirical research to explore this shift and how it affects individuals whose social security payments depend on interactions with these technologies.

Social Role of the Tradition of Protest Song Tradition of Popular Music mid-20th century in the United States

Introduction. The article considers the integrating social role of the tradition of protest songs in the period 1950–1970 on the example of the United States of America. This period was characterized by a series of military conflicts against the background of geopolitical confrontation between the USSR and the USA, which was reflected in creative and sociocultural movements for peace and contributed to social and political changes in the USA. Protest music not only contributed to a positive influence on political decision-making, but also became a powerful means of expressing public opinion and feelings.Methodology and sources. The methodology and theory is based on comparative historical analysis of socio-cultural, political and historical events and facts related to the period covered. The material for the study was also made up of biographies, descriptions of events by eyewitnesses and documents of secondary analysis, telling about the social and musical impact of the phenomenon of protest songs of folk music and rock'n'roll counterculture on American society, as a reaction to the political decisions of the U.S. government to create hotbeds of military conflicts in the world.Results and discussion. The period from the late 1940s to the 1950s in the United States was marked by an acute confrontation between communism and capitalism, which was reflected in the culture and music of the time. The emergence and proliferation of protest songs, as well as other forms in the arts, occurs because of important crisis events on a global scale, or when people begin to see these events as such. Because of the impact the conflict between the two superpowers and their allies had on the world, people began to react to it in their own way. Music reacted to the events instantly and vividly. Although most protest songs were not a national success and their message was mostly appreciated by radicals, the songs united people and helped them express their discontent with what was happening.Conclusion. Folk and rock music became an integral part of life during the Cold War within the United States. Musicians and poets protested against the administration's policies, against unnecessary military conflicts, and warned against the possible destruction of the world. As a result, these genres became a powerful means of expressing public feelings, opinions, and influenced the formation of public consciousness right up to our time.

Economic Impact of United States Presidential Election Years: A Comparative Analysis

The United States Presidential elections are held every four years, and they bring a time of economic uncertainty that raises many questions domestically and internationally. In this essay, the relationship between the economy and the presidential election years will be analyzed. Some of those include changes in the investment markets like stocks and real estate, the expectation of the president's policies and how they will affect the economy, what the consumers should expect, how each presidential candidate (Donald Trump and Kamala Harris) has different policies, and how those policies will affect the economy of the US and internationally. By looking at stats from past elections and trends, the confusing connection between the economy and the years that have a presidential election can be further understood, showing how the outcome of United States presidential elections impacts the growth and the power of the economy.

Legal and Administrative Factors of the Transformation of the Content of Education under the Pressure of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The objective of this study is to examine the administrative and legal aspects impacting the transformation of educational content and form during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of understanding their role in adapting educational systems to crisis conditions. This research is grounded in administrative law and educational theory, exploring how legal frameworks and administrative policies have shaped educational transformations during the pandemic. The IDEF0 method, a functional modeling methodology, provides a structured approach to analyzing these transformations. The methodology adopted for this research utilizes the IDEF0 method to model the administrative and legal influences on education during the pandemic. This approach involves a detailed analysis of existing legal documents, administrative guidelines, and educational policies that have been implemented in response to COVID-19. The analysis resulted in the development of an IDEF0 model that maps the key administrative and legal factors influencing educational transformation. The discussion contextualizes these findings within the broader framework of emergency education response and administrative law, highlighting the dynamic interplay between legal mandates and educational practices. The implications of this research are significant for policymakers and educational administrators as they provide insights into the effective legal and administrative strategies that can support educational continuity in crisis situations. These findings can inform future legislative and policy-making processes to enhance the resilience of educational systems. This study contributes to the literature by employing the IDEF0 method to model the influence of administrative and legal frameworks on education during a global health crisis.