Differential Item Functioning (DIF) is commonly employed to examine measurement bias of test scores. Current approaches to DIF compare item functioning separately for select demographic identities such as gender, racial stratification, and economic status. Examining potential item bias fails to recognize and capture the intersecting configurations…

Using the Theory of Social Representations as a theoretical and methodological framework, the purpose of this study was to describe children's representations of music, musical identities, and musical engagement across middle childhood. Participants were primary students aged 8 to 11 (N = 132) from four schools in a large city in the Southeastern…

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in South Africa is unknown and, to date, very little research has been performed within school systems that could inform the rates, distribution and profile of needs of children with autism spectrum disorder in education. We performed a comprehensive database search of all children with autism spectrum…

Background/Context: The problems that school district leaders identify and how they frame them have consequences--for both policy implementation and the ways that teachers respond. Although that is likely true in all community contexts (from rural to urban, inside and outside metropolitan centers), the influence of broader discourses associated…

In this descriptive and comparative study, we present results highlighting the complexity and scope of the challenges facing rural districts as they navigate the changing demographics of the students and families they serve. Rapid increases in the number and concentration of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in rural areas…

Undergraduate student dropout is gradually becoming a global problem and the 39 Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) are no exception to this trend. The purpose of this research was to develop a method that can be used for early detection of students who are at-risk of performing poorly in their undergraduate studies. A sample of 279 students…

Having a well-qualified, effective teacher in every classroom is a cornerstone of current educational reforms. Clearly, retaining these effective teachers is critical to achieving this goal. This brief presents a strategic accountability approach to managing teacher talent retention and turnover. The brief begins with an overview of a strategic…

The current study addressed some of the methodological shortcomings of previous studies on internet addiction. The main purpose of the study was to determine if two different internet addiction assessments would identify the same individuals as addicted to the internet. A total of 224 undergraduate internet users were surveyed using a stratified…

Emerging themes in demography, developmental medicine, and psychiatry suggest that a comprehensive understanding of mental health across the life course requires that we incorporate the lives of children into our research. If we can learn more about the ways in which the stress process unfolds for children, we will gain important insights into the…

There has been a growing body of research on the identification of particular characteristics or factors that can be used to predict learners' success in online learning environments. However, there still exists much uncertainty about the conditions that are essential to create a successful online venture for both learners and educators. The…

Bridgewater State University (BSU) is a public institution that falls under the Carnegie classification of Master's Colleges and Universities. BSU is committed to serving students in the New England region. This student population includes a sizeable number of underrepresented students. BSU is dealing with intense pressure to serve these students…

A recent major trend in distance education is the emergence of K-12 virtual schools. This evaluative case study looked at the issues encountered and lessons learned by one school district during the first year of a virtual high school program. The purpose of the evaluation was to examine what happened when the school district initiated its virtual…

Although no Canadian studies have been conducted, studies suggest parents of children with autism experience difficulties obtaining a diagnosis for their child. Fifty-six parents of children with autism completed three questionnaires providing information on the families' demographics, parents' experiences throughout the diagnostic process, and…

An excerpt from the U.S. Census General Coding Procedures Manual, this paper consists of: (1) an abbreviated list of common Spanish surnames and (2) a detailed list of Spanish surnames. These lists are used to determine Spanish surnames by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. More than 2,000 names are listed in alphabetical order. Spelling variations…

The report examines the identification of potentially handicapping conditions in an adolescent population using data from the National Center for Health Statistics' survey (approximatey 8,000 adolescents selected in 1968). Identification of the following disabilities were examined: hearing impairment, vision problems, orthopedic handicaps, mental…