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[...]Seligmann, in addressing the significance of the Endrew F. decision moving forward, opined that school districts need to \"clean up their acts or face further penalties. [...]a third school system attorney, who is in Mississippi, cited once \"many years ago\" filing a due process action on behalf of a school system in this context. [...]even where school systems narrowed the discretion to initiate a due process action against parents, long before Endrew F., it was extremely rare for them to do so. [...]it is incumbent on parents to communicate to IEP Teams when they do not understand or agree with IEP Team decisions. [...]probably most importantly, let us stop vilifying public school systems.

Can a school or district improve student achievement simply by switching to a higher-quality textbook or curriculum? We conducted the first multi-textbook, multi-state effort to estimate textbook efficacy following widespread adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and associated changes in the textbook market. Pooling textbook adoption and student test score data across six geographically and demographically diverse U.S. states, we found little evidence of differences in average achievement gains for schools using different math textbooks. We found some evidence of greater variation in achievement gains among schools using pre-CCSS editions, which may have been more varied in their content than post-CCSS editions because they were written for a broader set of standards. We also found greater variation among schools that had more exposure to a given text. However, these differences were small. Despite considerable interest and attention to textbooks as a low-cost, \"silver bullet\" intervention for improving student outcomes, we conclude that the adoption of a new textbook or set of curriculum materials, on its own, is unlikely to achieve this goal.

For millions of students at American colleges, freshman year starts off with an unpleasant surprise: despite graduating high school, students find themselves assigned to remedial classes in math or English, which they must pay for and pass before being allowed into college-level courses. Policymakers looking to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion have put their focus on lessening the delays created by remedial course requirements. The problem is especially acute in Tennessee, where in 2013, only one in three adults had more than a high-school diploma and two in three incoming college freshmen at local community colleges were placed in remedial classes. Studying Tennessee's experience is uniquely valuable because it provides a chance to compare two different alternatives to traditional remediation policies. First, the state began allowing students to complete their remedial math requirements while they were still in high school. Under the Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support (SAILS) program, students designated as needing remediation based on their junior-year ACT math scores can enroll in an online remedial course during their senior year. In order to learn about both alternatives to prerequisite remediation, the authors look at changes in outcomes for three different waves of high schools that introduced the SAILS program between 2013 through 2016, and they compare them with outcomes at high schools that never had the program. In the first year of the program's implementation, when completing SAILS allowed students to forgo prerequisite remediation, the authors measured the impact of eliminating the delay of prerequisite college remediation. In the second and third years, after the co-requisite policy was in effect, the authors again measured the effect of SAILS participation, this time measuring the effect of eliminating co-requisite requirements. Findings suggest that both high school-based remediation like SAILS and co-requisite remediation have advantages over prerequisite college remediation. Both allow students to get a faster start and complete more credits within the first two years. In addition, co-requisite remediation also may be more successful than high-school remediation in helping students to pass their college-level math classes, by eliminating the time lag between remediation and the demands of college courses. However, the findings also suggest that the role of remedial course requirements as a cause of low completion rates has been overstated. Prerequisite remediation is neither the major cause of low completion (as many of its critics have argued) nor a major solution for students with weak math skills--the authors find no effect of SAILS participation on the math achievement of remediation-eligible students in high school, relative to the typical high-school math course.

For millions of students at American colleges, freshman year starts off with an unpleasant surprise: despite graduating high school, students find themselves assigned to remedial classes in math or English, which they must pay for and pass before being allowed into college-level courses. Given that many of these students never complete a certificate or degree, advocates have begun to refer to remediation as a “bridge to nowhere.” Thus, policymakers looking to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion have put their focus on lessening the delays created by remedial course requirements. The problem is especially acute in Tennessee, where in 2013, only one in three adults had more than a high-school diploma and two in three incoming college freshmen at local community colleges were placed in remedial classes. That year, the state launched the “Drive to 55” initiative, with the goal of increasing the number of adults with postsecondary credentials to 55 percent by 2025. It is a priority widely shared by policymakers across the country, with 41 other states working toward similarly ambitious graduation goals.

Working Paper No. 26133 Many U.S. students arrive on college campus lacking the skills expected for college-level work. As state leaders seek to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion, public colleges have sought to lessen the delays created by remedial course requirements. Tennessee has taken a novel approach by allowing students to complete their remediation requirements in high school. Using both a difference-in-differences and a regression discontinuity design, we evaluate the program’s impact on college enrollment and credit accumulation, finding that the program boosted enrollment in college-level math during the first year of college and allowed students to earn a modest 4.5 additional college credits by their second year. We also report the first causal evidence on remediation's impact on students' math skills, finding that the program did not improve students’ math achievement, nor boost students’ chances of passing college math. Our findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of the current model of remediation—whether in high school or college—in improving students’ math skills. They also suggest that the time cost of remediation—whether pre-requisite or co-requisite remediation—is not the primary barrier causing low degree completion for students with weak math preparation.

Many U.S. students arrive on college campus lacking the skills expected for college-level work. As state leaders seek to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion, public colleges have sought to lessen the delays created by remedial course requirements. Tennessee has taken a novel approach by allowing students to complete their remediation requirements in high school. Using both a difference-in-differences and a regression discontinuity design, we evaluate the program’s impact on college enrollment and credit accumulation, finding that the program boosted enrollment in college-level math during the first year of college and allowed students to earn a modest 4.5 additional college credits by their second year. We also report the first causal evidence on remediation's impact on students' math skills, finding that the program did not improve students’ math achievement, nor boost students’ chances of passing college math. Our findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of the current model of remediation—whether in high school or college—in improving students’ math skills. They also suggest that the time cost of remediation—whether pre-requisite or co-requisite remediation—is not the primary barrier causing low degree completion for students with weak math preparation.

Research has consistently found that people with mental illness (known as consumers) experience lower levels of participation in meaningful activities, which can limit their opportunities for recovery support. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of participation in a group program designed to address all stages of activity participation, known as Pathways to Participation (P2P). A descriptive longitudinal design was utilized, collecting data at three time points. Outcomes were measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal (CANSAS), Recovery Assessment Scale—Domains and Stages (RAS-DS), Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), Living in the Community Questionnaire (LCQ), and time-use diaries. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square analyses. A total of 17 consumers completed baseline data, 11 contributed post-program data, and 8 provided follow-up data. Most were female (63.64%) and had been living with mental illness for 11.50 (±7.74) years on average. Reductions in unmet needs and improvements in self-rated recovery scores were reported, but no changes were identified in either time use or psychosocial health. The findings indicate that the P2P program may enable consumers to achieve positive activity and participation outcomes as part of their personal recovery.

Purpose Leadership is a critical topic in healthcare because of its influence on direction and culture. This study aims to measure perceptions of leadership styles amongst occupational therapy clinicians. The study also sought to identify any significant differences between the perceptions of clinician groups, compare findings with established norms and explore associations between leadership styles and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A cross sectional, descriptive study method was used, using the multifactor leadership questionnaire 5X (MLQ-5X) to survey occupational therapists working in physical and mental health clinical services in Australia. Descriptive statistics were used to address the aims of this study. Findings A number of significant differences in leadership perceptions were identified between junior and senior clinicians, however, very few differences were detected between the physical and mental health settings. The scores provided by participants were consistently lower than those reported for geographically relevant norms, with the majority on or close to the 40th percentile. A significant relationship was found between transformative leadership and outcomes, and a strong relationship between contingent reward and outcomes. However, the negative relationships between other leadership styles and outcomes reported in other studies were not found. Research limitations/implications Transformational leadership, and some aspects of transactional leadership, are used in occupational therapy. The career stage has an impact on how leadership behaviours are perceived. The MLQ-5X could enable a consistent approach to research into healthcare leadership, and the exploration of whether these findings are generalisable beyond the Australian context. Practical implications Career stage may be a more significant influence on leadership perception than service setting, and efforts to develop leadership in occupational therapy should focus on both transformative and transactional leadership. Perceptions of occupational leadership from all areas of the workforce are important to understand, given their potential impact on workplace behaviour, career progression, recruitment and retention. Originality/value This study is a partial replication of a previous study conducted in the USA, being the first to use the MLQ-5X with the Australian occupational therapy workforce. As such, it consolidates the existing evidence base in this area and also enables international comparisons of findings.

Background The aim of this scoping review was to identify the range, extent and nature of research around the use of touchscreen tablets by people with dementia in their home environment, particularly in regards to its use as a means of supporting participation in meaningful and socially connected activity. Methods A review of both peer-reviewed and grey literature was undertaken across 61 databases, along with reference list checking for articles published between 2010 and 2016. Results Twelve articles were included in this review, predominantly from Western European cultures and community-based home environments. The studies were exploratory in nature, with the majority focusing on the development of applications for people with dementia. Conclusions The study identified a range of exploratory research related to the use of touchscreen tablets by people with dementia. However, there were significant gaps within this evidence base, which provide opportunities for further research using more robust methodologies. Given the ubiquitous nature of touchscreen tablets in modern communities, further research could facilitate their use as a minimally stigmatizing and culturally appropriate form of support for people with dementia.