School Library Selection Policies Research

Researchers examined policies from 80 school districts across the United States to determine the status of selection policies in school libraries and whether the policies contain components recommended by the “Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries” published by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom in 2018. The research team also sought to determine the overall effectiveness of policies by discussing the discrepancies between the toolkit and the sample selection policies.&The research team determined that most of the school library selection policies included at least half of the expected key components. However, they state a need for school librarians to advocate for revision of policies to keep them current and provide effective guidance for school librarians as they make selections for their collections.

Dawkins, A., & Eidson, S. (2021). A content analysis of district school library selection policies in the United States. School Library Research, 24.

https://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/pubs/slr/vol24/SLR_SelectionPolicies_V24.pdf

Four-Day School Weeks Correlated with Higher Juvenile Crime

Four-day school weeks could lead to higher rates of juvenile crime, according to a study published in the journal Economics of Education Review. Data show the model could increase crime by as much as 20%. This paper documents the short-term causal effect of school attendance on youth crime. To estimate this relationship, this study exploits the adoption of the four-day school week policy –a long-lasting schedule change – across schools within the jurisdiction of rural law enforcement agencies in Colorado over the period 1997–2014. As a result of policy adoption, on average juvenile crimes increase. The findings are particularly strong for property crime. Juvenile crime appears to increase in non-school locations and decline at school on Friday, the day treated students are off from school, suggesting incapacitation as a mechanism.

Fischer, S., & Argyle, D. (2018). Juvenile crime and the four-day school week. Economics of Education Review, 64, 31-39. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.03.010

Classrom digital resources report

This national analysis of the digital learning landscape highlights how state policies and guidance are evolving to support the shift to digital instructional materials for learning. The report identifies the "essential conditions" for successful use of digital resources in the classroom, introduced in an earlier report: state and local leadership, equity of access, accessibility for all students, interoperability and policies that support student data privacy and security, and leveraging federal funds.The report also offers a collection of "exemplar" profiles of districts and states to demonstrate how others are tackling their transitions.
Navigating the digital shift. (2018).  Glen Burnie, MD: State Education Technology Directors Association. https://www.setda.org/priorities/digital-content/navigating-the-digital-shift2018/

Report by Digital Learning Now on Education

Digital Learning Now’s report provides lawmakers, governors, and policymakers with tangible steps to transform education into a model for the world, a system where every student graduates from high school with the skills and knowledge to succeed in college and careers. The report organizes the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning around the three following areas:

• Customization and Success for All Students
• A Robust Offering of High-quality Options
• 21^st Century Infrastructure
• 
  

This comprehensive framework of actionable state-level policies is designed to advance the integration of technology into K-12 public education.

Wise, B., & Bush, J. (2010). Roadmap for reform. United States: Digital Learning Now. https://www.inacol.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/About-the-10-Elements-1.pdf

Identifying Gifted Students

This study found that definitions of what constitute students who are gifted and talented as well as policies and procedures to identify these high-ability students play a critical role in determining which individuals actually receive gifted services. Results indicate substantial changes in definitions and categories of giftedness over the past decade. Results also reveal variability in identification methods. It should be noted that at present, no state advocates use a single-score decision-making model for gifted classification. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for school psychology.

McClain, M. & Pfeiffer, S. (2012). Identification of gifted students in the United States today: A look at state definitions, policies, and practices. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 28, 59–88. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2012.643757