Arkansas Public Schools Research Articles

Compliance with USDA Meal Pattern in Arkansas Public Schools Participating in the National School Lunch Program

Compliance with USDA Meal Pattern in Arkansas Public Schools Participating in the National School Lunch Program

Could minimum grading enhance high school graduation rates and cost-effectiveness across Arkansas?

High school graduation is a pivotal milestone that can shape students' future, offering them opportunities for higher education and gainful employment. Because research shows grade point averages and course failures to be predictive of high school graduation, it is important for students' life outcomes that their teachers assign them equitable grades. However, recent research has scrutinized how schools have traditionally graded students, calling for new approaches such as minimum grading. In this analysis, we simulate the economic impacts of implementing a minimum grading policy statewide during the ninth-grade year of the cohort of students who were in ninth grade in 2015-16 in Arkansas. On average, in Arkansas public schools, we estimate that minimum grading would affect about one (narrow bound) to 3% (broad bound) of students, increase cost-effectiveness by 6% (narrow bound) to 23% (broad bound), largely varying across districts, and have essentially no impact on the return on investment. The application of minimum grading shifted 1% of failing course grades to passing, thereby positioning 10% of previously failing students to pass. These findings suggest that minimum grading could serve as a cost-effective strategy to enhance graduation rates in districts with higher rates of affected students, without necessitating additional educational spending.

Creating Healthy Environments for Schools: A Comprehensive Approach to Improving Nutrition in Arkansas Public Schools.

Nutrition plays a vital role in children's physical and emotional health. More than half of school age children's calories are provided in the school food environment, making school interventions an opportunity to address child nutrition. The Creating Health Environments for Schools (CHEFS) program is designed to leverage local resources to create customized solutions that improve the nutritional content of school food and encourage children to choose healthier food. There are 8 components: (1) customizing nutrition plans, (2) modifying/replacing menu items, (3) helping procure healthier food, (4) providing equipment grants, (5) training cafeteria staff, (6) implementing environmental changes and nudges, (7) engaging students and parents, and (8) supporting sustainability. Supporting child nutrition directors is key to facilitating cooperation with schools. Menu modifications and procurement are interrelated and depend on successfully collaborating with corporate, independent, and local food services organizations. Limited school budgets require low or no-cost solutions and staff training. Student and parent engagement are critical to facilitate culturally-appropriate solutions that increase awareness of healthy food. Every school district has particular resources and constraints. CHEFs engaged stakeholders to design customized solutions and encourage healthier nutrition for school children.

Parents' Perceptions and Use of School-Based Body Mass Index Report Cards.

Obesity in children and adolescents has become one of the most critical public health problems in the United States. Schools may play an important role in raising awareness and possibly slowing the obesity epidemic. The purpose of this study was to gather information on parents' perception and use of body mass index (BMI) report cards provided by public schools through the administration of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed with the assistance of physical educators, pediatricians, and exercise scientists. The questionnaires were backpacked home with 1127 students in 6 Arkansas public schools. Parents completed and returned 404 questionnaires. Findings indicate that parents are supportive of schools reporting BMI and providing information on healthier lifestyles. However, most parents reported not making any adjustment to their child's diet and physical activity habits based on the BMI reports. Approximately half of parents (55%) thought the BMI report accurately reflected their child's health status. Approximately half of the parents reported their child's BMI report led them to think about their family's health habits. Although parents do support receiving BMI information from schools, many did not indicate using the data to initiate changes such as increased physical activity or healthy eating.

Effective resource utilization in Arkansas public schools

PurposeTeacher pay in Arkansas public schools varies widely from district to district across the state. This pay discrepancy is driven by both the funds available to a district and by how these funds are allocated. A standard per student budget is given to districts across the state, but this budget can be supplemented by additional property taxes collected on property within a district. This leaves districts with more highly valued property at an advantage. Districts are free to allocate their budget for teacher pay as they see fit, with constraints on number of students per teacher and minimum teacher salary.Design/methodology/approachUsing public data available through the Arkansas Department of Education, this research investigates what variables affect student performance in Arkansas public schools using feature selection and predictive modelling and determine the cost-effectiveness associated with changing possible decision variables in terms of improving student performance.FindingsIt was found that the most cost-effective ways for districts to increase student performance are to (1) increase average teacher salary and (2) increase average years of teacher experience. This result is validated by education research, as both of these methods have been identified in literature as being effective ways to increase teacher quality and increase student performance. Furthermore, districts should consider increasing student–teacher ratio and applying the resulting savings toward teacher salaries.Originality/valueThis methodology gives a fresh perspective on the most cost-effective use of resources in publicly funded schools.

Inequitable Compliance: Implementation Failure of a Statewide Student Discipline Reform

ABSTRACTResearchers and others in the education community are concerned about over-reliance on exclusionary discipline such as out-of-school suspension (OSS) and expulsion. Exclusionary discipline is associated with lower student achievement, higher risk of drop-out or grade retention, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. In response, many schools, districts, and states are moving toward less exclusionary consequences. In 2013, the Arkansas state legislature passed a bill prohibiting the use of OSS as a consequence for truancy. Yet, even after 3 school years, there has not been a complete elimination in the use of OSS for truancy. In this article, I use 8 years of student achievement, demographic, and disciplinary data from all Arkansas public schools to assess which school-level factors are associated with the use of OSS as a consequence for truancy in the year the law was passed, and which are associated with policy compliance in the following 3 years. I find schools that served more minority students, had higher rates of truancy, and higher rates of OSS were less likely to comply with the policy, all else equal. Combined, these results suggest that the types of schools likely targeted by this policy are the same ones not fully complying with it. As a result, the impact of policy reforms, which sound beneficial prima facie, may be limited if changes are not communicated well to schools, if there is not accountability to ensure compliance, and if there is not school capacity to handle discipline effectively.

Association of School‐Based Influenza Vaccination Clinics and School Absenteeism—Arkansas, 2012‐2013

Influenza is a major cause of seasonal viral respiratory illness among school-aged children. Accordingly, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) coordinates >800 school-based influenza immunization clinics before each influenza season. We quantified the relationship between student influenza vaccination in Arkansas public schools and school absenteeism during the 2012-2013 influenza season. The relationship between the percent of students vaccinated in Arkansas public schools during ADH-facilitated clinics and the average daily percent of students absent from school during the 2012-2013 influenza season was quantified using linear regression modeling. The effect of increasing vaccination coverage among students on absentee days in the Arkansas public school system was estimated. For every 1% higher vaccination coverage, 0.027% fewer absenteeism days were predicted. Larger school size was associated with higher absenteeism and predicted decreases in absenteeism were larger in magnitude for larger schools compared with smaller schools. Extrapolation of the model showed that a 10% higher vaccination level was associated with a reduction of 16-163 student absentee days per school over a 12-week influenza season. Influenza vaccination is an effective tool to reduce school absenteeism. School-based clinics are a feasible way to target influenza vaccinations to school-aged children.

Creating and Using Index Scores in the Analysis of School Policy Implementation and Impact

Epidemic increases in childhood obesity and associated health risks are resulting in efforts to implement school policies related to nutrition and physical activity (NPA). With multicomponent policy efforts, challenges exist in characterizing the extent of policy change across the breadth of NPA policies. Aggregated policy indices were created to characterize NPA policy implementation in Arkansas public schools from 2004 through 2009. Index scores are presented by year, domain, and school level. Both mean and median index scores increased over time, with greater changes seen in nutrition than in physical activity policy scores. The composite index score was heavily dependent on the nutrition index score and, thus, is relatively less useful for the purposes of our evaluation. Policy index scores varied by school level, rurality, enrollment size, and percentage of students eligible for federal meal programs. The policy index approach facilitates the consideration of the effect of school policy change in a holistic, aggregated way. School characteristics influence policy adoption, and thus, should be taken into consideration in the promotion of policy change.

Relationship of Body Mass Index With Asthma Indicators in Head Start Children

Vargas P, Perry T, Robles E, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007;99(1):22–28 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To examine the relationship of BMI and asthma in children in the Head Start program in Arkansas. STUDY POPULATION. A group of 213 children aged 3 to 5 years with physician-diagnosed asthma were compared with 816 age-matched peer control subjects from the sample of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and with 1024 children in prekindergarten in Arkansas public schools. METHODS. Caregivers of the children with asthma from the Head Start program were interviewed with a structured questionnaire including the Juniper Asthma Quality of Life Survey, and the children's medical charts were reviewed. One hundred forty-one of the 213 children underwent skin-prick testing. One hundred forty-five of the children had urine cotinine levels measured to determine exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. These data were compared with the 2 reference groups in a cross-sectional analysis. RESULTS. The prevalence of obesity (BMI > 95th percentile) was significantly higher in the Head Start children with asthma compared with the NHANES children (P < .001) and the prekindergarten children (P < .05). Compared with Head Start children with a BMI at <85th percentile, Head Start asthmatic patients with a BMI at >85th percentile reported significantly more school days missed, lifetime hospitalizations, emergency department visits, activity limitations, and oral corticosteroid bursts. No significant differences were observed in rescue and controller medications, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, prick-puncture allergy testing, quality of life, or nighttime symptoms. CONCLUSIONS. Obesity (BMI > 95th percentile) was associated with increased asthma prevalence and morbidity. There was no association with the number or type of asthma medications or atopic status. REVIEWER COMMENTS. This is another study showing the association of obesity and asthma. In this study, 18.8% of the Head Start children with asthma had a BMI at >95th percentile, compared with 10.8% of the NHANES and 14.4% of the prekindergarten general-population children. The mechanisms of association have not been clearly established. Both conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation.

No Change in Weight-Based Teasing When School-Based Obesity Policies Are Implemented

To examine rates of weight-based teasing before initiation of school-based childhood obesity prevention policies (Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003) and during the 2 years following policy implementation, as well as demographic factors related to weight-based teasing. Analysis of consecutive random cross-sectional statewide telephone surveys conducted annually across 3 years. Sample representative of Arkansas public school students with stratification by geographic region, school level (elementary, middle, and high school), and school size (small, medium, and large). Parents of children enrolled in Arkansas public schools and index adolescents 14 years or older. Intervention Statewide school-based obesity policies, including body mass index screening. Survey items about weight-based teasing, other teasing, body weight and height, and sociodemographic factors, as well as school characteristics obtained from the Common Core of Data of the National Center for Education Statistics. At baseline, 14% of children experienced weight-based teasing by parental report. The prevalence of weight-based teasing did not change significantly from baseline in the 2 years following school-based policy changes. Children and adolescents most likely to be teased because of weight were those who were overweight, obese, white, female, and 14 years or older, as well as those teased for other reasons. Adolescent report of weight-based teasing yielded similar patterns. Although the effectiveness of school-based obesity prevention policies remains unclear, policy changes did not lead to increased weight-based teasing among children and adolescents.

Parental Recognition of Overweight in School‐age Children

Examine the accuracy of parental weight perceptions of overweight children before and after the implementation of childhood obesity legislation that included BMI screening and feedback. Statewide telephone surveys of parents of overweight (BMI > or = 85th percentile) Arkansas public school children before (n = 1,551; 15% African American) and after (n = 2,508; 15% African American) policy implementation were examined for correspondence between parental perception of child's weight and objective classification. Most (60%) parents of overweight children underestimated weight at baseline. Parents of younger children were significantly more likely to underestimate (65%) than parents of adolescents (51%). Overweight parents were not more likely to underestimate, nor was inaccuracy associated with parental education or socioeconomic status. African-American parents were twice as likely to underestimate as whites. One year after BMI screening and feedback was implemented, the accuracy of classification of overweight children improved (53% underestimation). African-American parents had significantly greater improvements than white parents (P < 0.0001). Parental recognition of childhood overweight may be improved with BMI screening and feedback, and African-American parents may specifically benefit. Nonetheless, underestimation of overweight is common and may have implications for public health interventions.

A Web-Based Interactive Mapping System of State Wide School Performance: Integrating Google Maps Api Technology into Educational Achievement Data

Google Maps API (Application Programming Interface), released in late June 2005 by Google, is an amazing technology that allows users to embed Google Maps in their own Web pages with JavaScript. Google Maps API has accelerated the development of new Google Maps based applications. This article reports a Web-based interactive mapping system building with Google Maps API, to map all Arkansas public schools and linking the school on the Google map with its longitudinal educational achievement database. The goal of this system is to disseminate the longitudinal statistical summaries of school performance produced by experts with the school geographical information to public users. Educators can use this interactive mapping system for local educational research, and for analyses of school improvement through accessing the longitudinal educational achievement data. Parents can use this system to get information for deciding which school would provide the best educational environment, so that they can choose the best and nearest school for their children.

Relationship of body mass index with asthma indicators in Head Start children

To examine the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and asthma indicators on children with asthma in a Head Start (HS) program. In this cross-sectional study (November 18, 2000, to December 12, 2003) of children aged 3 to 5 years with asthma, we compared the BMI data of HS asthmatic patients (n = 213) with the data of peer control subjects from a sample (n = 816) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey aged 3 to 5 years and with children in prekindergarten in Arkansas public schools (n = 1,024). Parental reports of asthma symptoms, health care use, medication use, school days missed, and quality of life were used as indicators of asthma morbidity. Categorical analysis and chi2 tests were performed to examine the relationship between BMI and asthma morbidity. The prevalence of overweight (> or =95th percentile) was significantly higher in HS children with asthma compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey children (P < .001) and Arkansas prekindergarten children (P = .05). Compared with HS asthmatic children with a BMI less than the 85th percentile, HS asthmatic patients with a BMI of the 85th percentile or greater reported significantly more school days missed (P = .02), lifetime hospitalizations (P = .04), emergency department visits (P = .02), and activity limitations (P = .03) and fewer oral corticosteroid bursts (P = .04). There was also a trend for more daytime symptoms (P = .05) and lower quality of life (P = .06). No differences were observed in rescue (P = .28) or controller (P = .47) medications, environmental tobacco smoke exposure (P = .47), positive allergy test results (P = .85), and nighttime symptoms (P > .99). Having an increased BMI was associated with more asthma morbidity in this group of HS asthmatic patients. Despite the lack of a clear explanation for the link between asthma and BMI, our data suggest that an increased BMI significantly affects the well-being of young asthmatic patients and should be further addressed.

An analysis of the factors affecting the supply and demand for teacher quality

This paper analyzes the factors that have influenced the supply and demand for teacher quality in Arkansas' public schools. The paper relies on results from a basic skills test, given to all Arkansas public school teachers in 1985, to measure teacher quality. Relying on these data, a simultaneous equation model is constructed to disentangle the supply and demand forces that determined the level of teacher quality in a county. Price and income elasticities are also calculated and compared to elasticity estimates found in other studies.

The decision inMcLean v.Arkansas board of education

Introduction On March 19, 1981, the Governor of Arkansas signed into law Act 590 of 1981, entitled the "Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Ac t . " The Act is codified as Ark. Star. Ann. w et seq., (1981 Supp.). Its essential mandate is stated in its first sentence: "Public schools within this State shall give balanced treatment to creation-science and to evolut ion-science." On May 27, 1981, this suit was filed (1) challenging the constitutional validity of Act 590 on three distinct grounds. First, it is contended that Act 590 constitutes an establishment of religion prohibited by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which is made applicable to the states by the Fourteenth Amendment. Second, the plaintiffs argue the Act violates a right to academic freedom which they say is guaranteed to students and teachers by the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. Third, plaintiffs allege the Act is impermissibly vague and thereby violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The individual plaintiffs include the resident Arkansas Bishops of the United Methodist, Episcopal, Roman Catholic and African Methodist Episcopal Churches, the principal official of the Presbyterian Churches in Arkansas, other United Methodist, Southern Baptist and Presbyterian clergy, as well as several persons who sue as parents and next friends of minor children attending Arkansas public schools. One plaintiff is a high school biology teacher. All are also Arkansas taxpayers. Among the organizational plaintiffs are the American Jewish Congress, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the American Jewish Committee, the Arkansas Education Association, the National Association of Biology Teachers and the National Coalition for Public Education and Religious Liberty, all of which sue on behalf of members living in Arkansas (2). The defendants include the Arkansas Board of Educat ion and its members, the Director of the Department of Education, and the State Textbooks and Instructional Materials Selecting Committee (3). The Pulaski County Special School District and its Directors and Superintendent were voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs at the pre-trial conference held October 1, 1981. The trial commenced December 7, 1981, and continued through December 17, 1981. This Memorandum Opinion constitutes the Court ' s findings of fact and conclusions of law'. Further orders and judgment will be in conformity with this opinion. There is no controversy over the legal s tandards under which the Establishment Clause portion of this case must be judged. The Supreme Court has on a number of occasions

Equal Employment Opportunity Consciousness Among Arkansas Public School Districts

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 changed the focus of civil rights enforcement efforts from the intent of actors to the results of their actions. In the area of employment, Title VII of the 1964 Act, along with subsequent legislation, Executive Orders, implementing regulations and court decisions, mandates that traditional approaches to the overall hiring and promotion process be re-evaluated to insure that personnel procedures do not negatively impact on the employment chances of an individual because of his/her race, sex, religion, national origin, age or physical handicap. The Federal effort (in some cases bolstered and extended by state and local law) to generate and enforce guidelines for equal employment opportunity and affirmative action has been among the most maligned governmental programs of this century. Although hampered by misconceptions, informed disapproval and bureaucratic ineptitude, as of 1982, equal employment opportunity (EEO) is the law of the land. This paper explores the extent of EEO compliance in one aspect of the hiring process, the employment application form. Application forms for teaching positions were collected from school districts throughout the state of Arkansas. These forms were then reviewed to ascertain the extent of EEO consciousness and compliance in each district. Prior to discussing the findings of this study, a brief review of Federal equal employment opportunity guidelines is presented to acquaint the reader with the basis for judgments made later in the paper.

Refunding Arkansas school bonds

Debt adjustment is a procedure occasionally required in the administration of commercial and public organizations. In recent years the boards of directors of local public schools in Arkansas have undertaken the refunding of the bonded indebtedness of the schools. The fiscal independence of the local districts and the plans proposed by the various agents employed by them have led to a diversity of practices in school bond refunding. The purpose of this study is to investigate the circumstances and conditions which necessitated a readjustment of the bonded debt structure of the schools; to summarize and evaluate the procedures, techniques, and principles employed in refunding; and, if possible, to recommend sound procedures for the refunding of school bonds. The refunding plans of all Arkansas public school districts which have attempted to reorganize their bonded debt structures between January 1, 1931, and August 31, 1939, are included in this study. The bonded debt structure of the public schools is not the concern of the study except as the refunding of the indebtedness has involved an adjustment of the structure. The study is intended to examine all means of bond refunding available to the local districts under existing constitutional and statutory regulations. Data were secured from three sources: the statutes of the State of