US School Districts Research Articles

‘I don't do it for the money, I do it for the kids’: Examining school foodservice staff and student interactions using the lens of school connectedness

AbstractThis study investigated social interactions between students and school foodservice staff in six US school districts. Qualitative data was analysed from 23 in‐depth interviews with school foodservice managers and 17 focus groups in five high schools, seven middle schools and five elementary schools. Applying the lens of school connectedness, findings highlight the various forms of care experienced by students and staff. However, structural constraints limit opportunities for staff and students to interact and demonstrate care, suggesting potential opportunities for interventions to enhance the role of the cafeteria in contributing to students’ social‐emotional well‐being.

Science teachers can teach computational thinking through distributed expertise

Content area K-12 teachers are increasingly asked to integrate computing and computational thinking into their classrooms, yet they often have little experience with computing. The purpose of this study was to understand how science teachers, new to computing and integrating computational thinking into their classrooms, supported students as computational problem solvers. In the project from which this research was drawn, 8th grade science teachers in three US school districts integrated computer game design into their study of climate systems and climate change. We conducted participant observation, collected teacher implementation logs and interviewed 15 teachers engaged in the three-year design research project, Building Systems from Scratch. Analysis through grounded theory yielded several results related to teachers’ orientations, strategies, and use of resources to create systems of distributed expertise. We identified five major themes: a) releasing responsibility to students, b) co-learning with students, c) encouraging students’ independent problem solving, d) building interdependence among students, and e) providing multiple other resources. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature on integrating computational thinking into content area classrooms.

Specific Learning Disability Identification Practices in the USA: a Survey of Special Education Administrators

Specific learning disorder (SLD) identification is arguably one of the most significant controversies in school psychology. One component of this issue is that guidelines and practices vary substantially across professionals and states, which leads to inconsistent identification rates and outcomes for students. To assess the extent of this problem at the district level, we surveyed special education administrators from 725 US school districts regarding their districts’ current specific learning disability (SLD) identification practices in the USA. Significant differences in SLD identification methods were reported across districts. Significant differences in SLD identification methods were also found across regions and between districts that used different educators to collect academic achievement test data. Curriculum-based measures were also used more frequently in districts that identify SLD using response to intervention. Implications of these findings for policy and for practice are considered.

How Managerial Openness to Voice Shapes Internal Attraction: Evidence from United States School Systems

In this study, the authors explore a heretofore unappreciated benefit of managerial openness to employee voice: internal attraction. Previous work has shown that managers who are more open to listening to employees receive valuable information and their units have higher relative retention levels. The authors explain and empirically demonstrate that managers who are more open to employee voice also more effectively attract workers from other units in their organizations. They describe how and why managerial openness to voice likely shapes the information that employees in a focal organizational unit (“employee insiders”) share with employees in other units (“employee outsiders”). They find that units with managers who are perceived as more open to voice are viewed as more attractive places to work. Conducting two field studies in separate US school districts, the authors find that managerial openness to voice positively predicts a work unit’s attractiveness among employees who work in other areas of the organization. They discuss the implications of their findings for organizations in general and school districts specifically.

Evaluation of a Farm-to-School Intervention to Improve Locally Grown Vegetable Choices of Low-Income, Primary School Students.

The study objective was to determine impact of a Farm-to-School intervention on low-income, diverse elementary school students' nutrition-related attitudes, self-efficacy, behaviors, and locally grown vegetable choices. Six elementary schools within 1 US school district were equally assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: Local Message, Nutrition Message, or Control. Locally grown vegetables (kale, green beans, zucchini, butternut squash, and beets) were served twice during lunch over 16 weeks. "Local" and "Nutrition" groups also received biweekly nutrition education and a messaging campaign in the cafeteria. Knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and related behaviors were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Vegetable selection was assessed using the food service daily production records. General linear model analysis, analysis of covariance, and t tests were performed. Students in the "Local" group (N=81) had significantly improved nutrition-related attitudes (p=.0001), preferences (p=.001), and overall vegetable behavior score (p=.002), compared to control (N=79). There was no difference in overall locally grown vegetable choices, but local beet choices were higher in the "Local" (p=.005) and "Nutrition" (p=.02) groups compared to control. Messages about local foods in school cafeterias may improve students' attitudes, preferences, and selection of certain locally grown vegetables.

School Leadership Team Competence for Implementing Equity Systems Change: An Exploratory Study

Operationalizing practices for equity has eluded the educational community for some time. This exploratory, mixed methods study examined the practices, operationalized by 29 competencies, of ten school leadership teams in one urban, US school district engaged in the initial stages of equity systems change (ICS for Equity™). ICS for Equity is a system-wide, capacity-building framework and process for creating equitable and socially just outcomes for students. The framework guides systemic, educational change for school systems within and beyond the United States. Findings suggested that overall school leadership team competency levels for early-stage ICS for Equity implementation met or exceeded the expectations of district leaders, potentially providing some evidentiary support for ICS as a capacity/competency building model for equity systems change. We also discuss the factors that supported or inhibited team competency growth. Implications for districts engaged or considering equity work are provided.

Academic Achievement Test Use and Assessment Practices: A National Survey of Special Education Administrators

This study examined current academic achievement test use and assessment practices in the United States. Special education administrators from 725 US school districts were surveyed using an online platform to determine current trends in the use of norm-referenced academic achievement tests (NRTs) and curriculum-based measures (CBMs). Administrators reported that school psychologists most commonly administered the NRTs used to help determine special education eligibility, although special education teachers also fill this role frequently, particularly in Western states. General and special educators are the most likely staff to administer CBMs. A detailed accounting of academic achievement assessment practices is discussed including which tests are used and the differences in assessment roles by region and district locale. Implications of these findings for the training of educators and for research are considered.

Teacher corps stability: articulating the social capital enabled when teachers stay

PurposeThe evidence is strong that the instability of teacher rosters in urban school settings has negative consequences for student learning, but our concern is with the opposite phenomenon: What is the value added to the organization when a school's teaching roster is stable over time? Our theory of teacher corps stability hinges on the claim that the stability of a teacher corps over time is a sine qua non that, under certain conditions, permits formation of the social capital needed to catalyze school effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachWe test this claim using longitudinal data from 72 schools in a large, urban southwestern US school district. We first identified a subset of 47 schools with either chronic teacher turnover (high, stable turnover) or a stable teacher roster (low, stable turnover) via school-level HLM growth modeling techniques. These classifications were then used as a covariate in a series of HLM growth models investigating its relationship to growth in structural, relational and cognitive social capital over time.FindingsOur findings sustain a claim of the importance of teacher corps stability. In our sample of urban schools, we found robust increases in the relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital over time in those schools with stable rosters. Furthermore, schools with chronic turnover were declining significantly in relational social capital, but no appreciable growth in structural social capital was found in either stable roster or chronic teacher turnover schools.Practical implicationsGiven the nature of teacher corps stability and its relationship to key organizational outcomes, school leaders play a central role in realizing teacher corps stability within their school. A certain amount of this effort must necessarily be focused on retaining a stable corps of quality, happy, committed teachers. However, building social capital concerns the active engagement of all actors; thus, school leaders need to think beyond retention to how the teachers that remain can play larger leadership roles in this process.Originality/valueFew studies have examined the positive benefits that can emerge in schools where the majority of teachers remain year after year. Collectively, the study findings suggest that teacher corps stability can provide fertile conditions for the development of social capital that has the potential to enhance school effectiveness and that its staff can leverage for school improvement.

Can Monitoring Make It Happen? An Assessment of How Reporting, Monitoring, and Evaluation Can Support Local Wellness Policy Implementation in US Schools.

US school districts participating in federal child nutrition programs are required to develop a local wellness policy (LWP). Each district is allowed flexibility in policy development, including the approaches used for policy reporting, monitoring, and evaluation (RME). The aim of this convergent mixed-methods study was to quantitatively examine RME provisions in policies among a nationally representative sample of districts in the 2014–2015 school year in order to examine whether policies were associated with RME practices in those districts, and to qualitatively examine perceived challenges to RME practices. Data were compiled through the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study and the National Wellness Policy Study. In multivariable regression models accounting for demographics, survey respondents were significantly more likely to report that their district had informed the public about LWP content and implementation, if there was a relevant policy provision in place. Having a strong policy (as compared to no policy) requiring evaluation was associated with reports that the district had indeed evaluated implementation. Having definitive/required provisions in policies was significantly associated with actual use of RME practices. RME activities are an important part of policy implementation, and these results show that policy provisions addressing RME activities must be written with strong language to require compliance. In interviews with 39 superintendents, many reported that RME activities are challenging, including difficulty determining how to monitor and show impact of their district’s wellness initiatives. Furthermore, the qualitative results highlighted the need for vetted tools that are freely available, widely used, and feasible for districts to use in assessing their progress toward meeting the goals in their LWPs.

Meatless Monday National School Meal Program Evaluation: Impact on Nutrition, Cost, and Sustainability

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the nutritional, economic, and environmental impacts of a Meatless Monday (MM) National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in a large urban US school district. After averaging the nutrient content of entrees across the week and comparing changes relative to recommendations, there were no pre-post differences >15%. Monday entrees offered post-MM required considerably less water to produce (−51%) and were associated with fewer greenhouse gas emissions (−74%). The MM program had little impact on entrée cost (−2.5%). Further research is needed to determine how MM program goals can be achieved within the NSLP context.

Learning is inhibited by heat exposure, both internationally and within the United States.

Human capital generally, and cognitive skills specifically, play a crucial role in determining economic mobility and macroeconomic growth. While elevated temperatures have been shown to impair short-run cognitive performance, much less is known about whether heat exposure affects the rate of skill formation. We combine standardized achievement data for 58 countries and 12,000 US school districts with detailed weather and academic calendar information to show that the rate of learning decreases with an increase in the number of hot school days. These results provide evidence that climatic differences may contribute to differences in educational achievement both across countries and within countries by socioeconomic status and that may have important implications for the magnitude and functional form of climate damages in coupled human-natural systems.

Effects of Four-Day School Weeks on Physical Education Exposure and Childhood Obesity.

Use of 4-day school weeks (FDSWs) as a cost-saving strategy has increased substantially as many US school districts face funding declines. However, the impacts of FDSWs on physical activity exposure and related outcomes are unknown. This study examined physical education (PE) exposure and childhood obesity prevalence in 4- versus 5-day Oregon schools; the authors hypothesized lower PE exposure and higher obesity in FDSW schools, given reduced school environment exposure. The authors utilized existing data from Oregon to compare 4- versus 5-day models: t tests compared mean school-level factors (PE exposure, time in school, enrollment, and demographics) and complex samples weighted t tests compared mean child-level obesity data for a state representative sample of first to third graders (N = 4625). Enrollment, time in school, and student-teacher ratio were significantly lower in FDSW schools. FDSW schools provided significantly more PE, both in minutes (120 vs 101min/wk in 4- vs 5-d schools, P < .01) and relative to total time in school (6.9% vs 5.0%, P < .0001). Obesity prevalence did not differ significantly between school models. Greater PE exposure in FDSW schools was observed, and it remains unknown whether differences in PE exposure contributed to obesity prevalence in this sample of students. Efforts to better understand how FDSWs impact physical activity, obesity risk, and related factors are needed.

Ensuring Equitable Access to School Meals

Ensuring Equitable Access to School Meals

Sports Participation Fee Policies in US High Schools: A National Survey of Athletic Directors

ABSTRACT Purpose Because of budget constraints, many school districts are reducing or eliminating sports programs. An alternative trend is to maintain programs but charge fees for student participation in sports. Fees may discourage participation and unfairly burden students unable to pay. The purpose of this study was to explore sports participation fee policies in US high schools among a national sample of athletic directors. Methods We developed a survey and sent it online or through postal service to a national sample of athletic directors (N = 3342) from a randomized list of US school districts. Descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models were computed comparing respondents from districts with and without policies, and those with and without fee waivers. Results We received 991 responses (response rate of 30%). Almost 40% (39.9%) reported participation fees for interscholastic sports, and 26% reported the likelihood of a policy within 5 yr. These policies varied; 32% charged fees per season, 26% per year, and 42% by sport. The average amount was $120. Most (78%) had waiver provisions. Lower-income districts had significantly lower odds of charging fees than higher-income districts, and when they did, they were less likely to have waivers. Conclusion Overall, respondents from districts with fee polices had significantly different perceptions of policies compared with no policy respondents. High schools are implementing a wide variety of sports participation fee policies, and majority of those with policies provide waivers for students unable to pay. There were significant differences by district income level. Further exploration on the extent to which these policies are influencing sports participation, especially among lower-income students, is needed.

Reconciling mixed messages from mixed methods: A randomized trial of a professional development course to increase trauma-informed care

In a previously reported randomized trial, we used both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the impact of a professional development course, Enhancing Trauma Awareness, to increase trauma-informed care among preschool teachers in a large, urban, US school district. Although quantitative data from surveys showed no impacts of the course, the qualitative data from focus groups suggested that the course had positive, meaningful impacts on the teachers. These contrasting results are reconciled here by describing our experience of conducting and analyzing the focus group data. We explain how the course impacted the teachers and the implications of these mechanisms for implementing and evaluating approaches to increasing trauma-informed care. The course combined content about the effects of trauma with a key ingredient—a group-based relational process carried out over 12 weeks by two trainers. Through their engaged presence, the trainers allowed the course participants to feel emotionally safe. This safety allowed the participants to develop awareness and acceptance of trauma in their own lives and those of others. Teachers described the course as healing. They developed relational capacities manifested in their own engaged presence, characterized as a compassionate approach to addressing trauma experienced by children and families.

Sleep patterns and sleep deprivation recorded by actigraphy in 4th-grade and 5th-grade students

ObjectiveThis study investigates sleep patterns of fourth- and fifth-grade students using actigraphy. MethodsThe study included 257 students enrolled in a Southwestern US school district who participated in a novel sleep science curriculum during the Spring 2016–17 and Fall 2017-18 semesters and met the study inclusion criteria. As part of this curriculum, participants underwent 5–7 days of continuous wrist actigraphy and completed an online sleep diary. ResultsApproximately two-thirds of the 9-11-year-old fourth- and fifth-grade students slept less than the minimum 9 h per night recommended by both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine/Sleep Research Society and the National Sleep Foundation. The sleep midpoint time on weekends was about 1 h later than on weekdays. There was a significant effect of age on sleep duration. Compared to 9-year old students, a larger proportion of 10-year old students had a sleep duration less than 8.5 h. Boys had shorter sleep duration than girls, and a larger percentage of boys obtained less than 9 h of sleep compared to girls. ConclusionsInsufficient sleep is a highly prevalent condition among 9-11-year-old fourth- and fifth-grade elementary students. Importantly, there is a difference between sleep patterns on weekdays and weekends which may portend greater problems with sleep in adolescence and young adulthood.

Contracting school meals in a rural Florida district

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the decision to contract school meal services and the associated nutritional and financial impacts on school districts. Given the increase in the use of competitive contracting of public school meal services and the critical role that school meal services play in public health, this is an important subject to investigate. Design/methodology/approach A case study was performed using one US school district with privatized food service. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with school food service decision makers. Other data collection included the analysis of public documents such as the school district’s budgets and financial statement reports (the cost per lunch and breakfast meals, the cost for labor, contract, transport, supplies and food expenses) and school food service policies (contract policies). Supplementary data pertaining to district social-demographic profiles and full-time equivalent enrollment figures were also collected from state departments. Findings Analysis of interviews revealed that positive financial motivations and impacts were dominant factors related to contracting food services in the district. A significant finding was the relatively short turnaround in the district’s negative financial situation as a result of contracting out the food services. These findings provide valuable insight and support for rural school districts in similar negative financial situations seeking to contract out food services. Originality/value Many studies have examined contracting out of technical services, such as transport and waste management, and social services, such as correctional services and health; however, there is a lack of studies documenting the effects of contracting out of school meal services.

Barriers to and facilitators of using MyPlate nutritional guidelines in K-12 teachers and principals

Objective: MyPlate, a tool for communicating the federal nutrition guidelines in the USA, may contribute to healthy diets and behaviours, yet whether and how it is used by teachers and school principals is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine (1) the prevalence of using nutrition lessons and MyPlate guidelines by K-12 teachers and principals; (2) barriers to, and facilitators of, using them; and (3) suggested strategies to improve their use. Methods: A convenience sample of teachers and principals ( n = 124) from a Midwestern US school district were surveyed. Results: The majority of respondents were women (88%), elementary school teachers (76%) and Caucasian (90%). A total of 18% ( n = 16) of teachers included nutrition in lesson plans. A total of 17% ( n = 15) of teachers used MyPlate in their classrooms, primarily through handouts and group activities. Being a parent and being more familiar with MyPlate were positively associated with including nutrition in lessons, and income and higher education were inversely associated with including nutrition in lessons. Barriers included lack of time, knowledge and resources, and facilitators included believing nutrition was important, nutrition being part of the curriculum and personal interest. Suggested strategies to improve use of MyPlate included introducing the MyPlate curriculum into health, physical education or other classes; using MyPlate messages in the cafeteria; and posting signage around the school. Conclusion: MyPlate use was low in this sample of teachers and principals in a Midwestern US school district. Handouts, group activities, signage and curriculum integration could potentially increase schools’ use of the resource. Strategies should be developed to reduce the barriers for using MyPlate. Future research should examine a more diverse sample of teachers and strategies to integrate MyPlate into curriculum.

Long-Term Effects of Truancy Diversion on School Attendance: a Quasi-Experimental Study with Linked Administrative Data.

Over 60% of US school districts implement court diversion programs to address chronic unexcused absenteeism, yet the effectiveness of these programs is not known. We evaluated whether the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) improved the school attendance of students in grades 7-10 in a metropolitan county in the Midwestern USA. Similar to most truancy court diversion programs, TIP consisted of three increasingly intrusive steps: (1) a parent meeting, (2) a hearing to develop an attendance contract, and (3) a petition to juvenile court. The intervention group consisted of students from the intervention county who had been referred to TIP between 2006 and 2009. The comparison group was drawn from a contiguous, same-sized, and socio-demographically similar county that petitioned truant students directly to court. To construct the comparison group, we applied multi-level matching procedures to linked, individual-level administrative data from eight state and local agencies for all public school students in the state between 2004 and 2015. Using the matched samples, we conducted difference-in-differences analyses to identify program effects for two intervention groups: all students referred to TIP and students whose family participated in the group parent meeting. In the 4years after the intervention, the intervention groups had similar or slightly lower attendance than the comparison groups. However, most coefficients were not statistically significant, and there was no consistent pattern of effects across different samples and different specifications of the intervention. This pattern of findings was not robust enough to conclude that the program influenced school attendance.

Lifetime cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants in US public school districts

BackgroundChildren are sensitive to the health impacts of environmental contaminants, but research assessing outdoor environmental exposures for children and schools is underdeveloped. There are no national-level studies examining geographical and...