<p> Education policy and mandates have changed drastically over the last 40 years. As politicians began adopting educational platforms as part of their political agenda, the educational standards of the United States have risen. Politicians have specifically targeted underserved populations as the focus of their educational reforms. Programs such as Race to the Top, FERPA, and No Child Left Behind are examples of politicians attempting to provide all students with equitable educations, regardless of ethnicity, gender, and economic background. </p><p> Just as it is na&iuml;ve to believe that all students learn the same, it is also na&iuml;ve to believe that there is one perfect program that will meet the needs of all students in all areas of the country. Under the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2009, the US Department of Education strove to close the education gap with the introduction of School Improvement Grants. The SIG provided federal funds to underserved schools through a rigorous application process. The funds were available to approved schools for 3-year period. The purpose of this grant was to help underserved schools create and implement a program that was tailored to meet the needs of their students, while promoting academic growth. </p><p> This study focused on urban, public New England schools who received SIG funds between 2010 &ndash; 2016. Through semi-structured interviews with administrators at identified successful SIG schools, a list of best practices has been compiled as a reference for future urban, public New England schools who receive SIG funding. The key findings of this study indicated that communication, strong leadership, collaboration, and good staffing choices played a significant role in the success of the SIG programs. The conclusion of this study indicated that while schools and students have a vast range of needs and difficulties, there are several common shared experiences that could possibly help other administrators in their quest to implement a successful SIG program.</p><p>

M.Ed. / The aim of this dissertation is focused on how the knowledge of accounting concepts effects the financial management of schools. The aim of this research is divergent and contains the following aspects according to Mouton and Marais (1989: 43): • to gain new insight over an unknown domain; • to explore central concepts; • to set priorities for further research. Overall, the aim of this dissertation is: • identify those accounting concepts applicable to financial school management; • discuss these accounting concepts; • discuss the application and use of these accounting concepts; • discuss the implication of application of these accounting concepts on financial school management. Guidelines will be set how accounting concepts can be used in financial school management.

Private elementary schools in Mexico are usually seen by wealthy and middle-class families as an alternative to public education. However, private schools have not been seen until very recently as an academic alternative for the poor. In my dissertation, I used data on students from poor families (beneficiaries of Oportunidades program) attending sixth grade of elementary school, who participated in the Quality and Educational Achievement Test assessment 2009 (EXCALE06-2009), to evaluate if there is a private school advantage for the poor in Mathematics in Mexico. I also investigated the extent to what achievement differential is explained by important features of private schools, such as physical resources, school management, teacher quality, teaching practices and classroom organization, and peer group composition. I used propensity score-matching to correct for bias arising from the self-sorting of students into type of schools. I concluded that private schools in Mexico offer a clear advantage for poor students in elementary education, even after accounting for selection bias. On average, private school students who are beneficiaries of Oportunidades program outperformed their public counterparts by 48 test points in Mathematics, or 48% of a standard deviation. The results passed different robustness checks and are technically reliable. The 0.48 sd effect size of private school is larger relative to much of the existing literature, especially if it is compared to the results of true experiments or quasi-experiments of private schools conducted in the U.S. I hypothesize that these large results might have to do in part with two factors: the use of the right counterfactual for this research: poor students attending private urban schools; and the fact that students in the sample attending private schools are all beneficiaries of Oportunidades, a comprehensive poverty alleviation program. This might mean that the treatment under study is more complex than just private schooling. After statistically accounting for selection bias, all of the remaining private school effect is accounted for by identifiable school factors. Peer group composition, school management, teacher practices and classroom organization, are the most important factors explaining the private school advantage in Mathematics in elementary schools in Mexico.

<p> This qualitative, phenomenological case study was designed to illuminate the perceptions and experiences of eight undocumented community college students navigating the California public higher education systems with the aim of identifying factors associated with college persistence. These factors fall into three categories: financial, academic, and legal. The specific problem of interest is the lack of undocumented student persistence in California community colleges. Given that college students depend more on financial aid to reach their college goals; it is important to understand the relationship between California State funding and undocumented student persistence. A qualitative case study design enabled the exploration of undocumented students&rsquo; perceptions and experiences with financial assistance for college due to the new and changing federal and state immigration policies, and the academic and legal factors that contribute to their persistence. Emerging themes from interviews conducted with eight undocumented student participants were analyzed and coded. The financial factors contributing to persistence included understanding the financial aid process for undocumented students, information on grants and scholarships, and knowledge of AB540 for lower college fees. Academic factors contributing to persistence included support from: Faculty, Dream Club membership, Puente Project, EOPS, and Tutoring Centers. A welcoming campus environment was also a factor in having students feel safe to continue their education. Legal factors contributing to persistence included: knowledge of federal and state laws such as DACA, AB540, and the California DREAM act application for state aid. </p><p> One limitation of qualitative research is the reliance on small participant samples, which allows for in-depth explorations but limits generalization. The use of standardized instruments to capture the experiences of undocumented students would also facilitate comparison studies involving students at various institutions and in different states. Given the numerous variations in state and institutional policies this would help researchers, college administrators, and practitioners understand how different policies and practices affect the educational trajectories of undocumented students.</p><p>

<p> Osteopathic physician (D.O.) residency programs that do not achieve accreditation under the new Single Accreditation System (SAS) standards by June 30, 2020 will lose access to their share of more than $9,000,000,000 of public tax dollars. This U.S. Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) funding helps sponsoring institutions cover direct and indirect resident physician training expenses. A significant financial burden would then be shifted to marginal costs of the residency program&rsquo;s sponsoring institution in the absence of CMS funding. The sponsoring institution&rsquo;s ability or willingness to bare these costs occurs during a time when hospital operating margins are at historic lows (<i>Advisory.com /Daily Briefing /May 18, 2017 | The Daily Briefing / Hospital profit margins declined from 2015 to 2016, Moody's finds</i>). Loss of access to CMS funding may result in potentially cataclysmic reductions in the production and availability of primary care physicians for rural and urban underserved populations. Which osteopathic residency programs will be able to survive the new accreditation requirement changes by the 2020 deadline? What are some of the defining attributes of those programs that already have achieved <i>&ldquo;initial accreditation&rdquo; </i> under the new SAS requirements? How can the osteopathic programs in the process of seeking the new accreditation more effectively &ldquo;pivot&rdquo; by learning from those programs that have succeeded? What are the potential implications of SAS to both access and quality of health care to millions of Americans? This report is based upon a study that examined and measured how osteopathic physician residency programs in the U.S. are accommodating the substantive structural, financial, political and clinical requirements approximately half way through a five-year adaptation period. In 2014, US Graduate Medical Education (GME) physician program accreditation systems formally agreed to operate under a single accreditation system for all osteopathic (D.O) and allopathic (M.D.) programs in the U.S. Since July 1, 2015, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) accredited training programs have been eligible to apply for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation. This agreement to create a Single Accreditation System (SAS) was consummated among the AOA, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and ACGME with a memorandum of understanding. As this research is published, the ACGME is transitioning to be <i>the</i> single accreditor for <i>all</i> US GME programs by June 30, 2020. At that time, the AOA would fully relinquish all its GME program accreditation responsibilities. The new SAS operates under published ACGME guidelines and governance. Business policy and health care resource allocation question motivated this research. Failure of osteopathic programs to &ldquo;pivot&rdquo; to the new standards could result in fewer licensed physicians being produced in the high demand primary care field. Potential workforce shortage areas include urban and especially rural populations (<i>CRS Report 7-5700 R44376 Feb 12, 2016</i>). Large physician shortages already have been projected to care for a rapidly aging US population without considering the impact of the GME accreditation changes currently underway (<i>Association of American Medical Colleges 2017 Key Findings report www.aamc.org/2017projections</i>). The goal of this research is to provide osteopathic GME programs practical insights into characteristics of a sample of osteopathic GME programs that have successfully made the &ldquo;pivot&rdquo; into SAS requirements and been accredited by ACGME and those that have not. The study seeks to better understand the experiences, decisions, challenges and expectations directly from osteopathic programs directors as they strive to meet the realities of the new SAS requirements. Do programs that are already accredited differ significantly from those that have not? How do characteristics such as program size, geographic locations, clinical program components, program sponsor structure, number and experience of faculty and administration, cost planning and perceived benefits of the movement to SAS factor into successfully meeting the new requirements before the 2020 closing date? A cross-sectional research survey was designed, tested and deployed to a national sample of currently serving osteopathic GME program directors. The survey elicited data about each program&rsquo;s &ldquo;pivot&rdquo; from AOA GME accreditation practices and guidelines to the new Single Accreditation System (SAS). The survey instrument was designed to obtain information about patterns in osteopathic GME program curricula, administrative support functions, faculty training, compliance requirements and program director characteristics shared by those programs that have been granted <i>&ldquo;initial accreditation&rdquo; </i> by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) who administer SAS. Thirty five (35) osteopathic GME program directors responded to the 26 question survey in June 2017. Descriptive statistics were applied and central tendency measures determined. The majority of survey respondents were Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) from specialty residency programs sponsoring an average of 16 residents. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.) </p><p>

Abstract not available.

Abstract not available.

M.Ed. / In this research project, attempts have been made to find ways and means to address the financial needs of Kathorus schools. The concept of financing schools through establishment of sound external relations has been discussed as one possible mechanism to give broad access to education opportunities. Such mechanisms will enable students to participate actively in their educational careers. Funding of schools through establishing of a sound external relation will not be successful if developed in a vacuum. Therefore, the process will require a new and intelligent approach to private sector with the development of new kinds of skills and knowledge. Reorientation courses for school principals should be pursued so that a paradigm shift can be achieyed in relation to a sound external relation aimed at financing of education. In conclusion, the following statements describe some of the principles discussed in this project document: • • Private sector should form an integral part of educational funding system . School governance should be 'in conjunction with the community (partnership) structures and stakeholders in the institutions, while conforming to the national policy framework.

M. Ed. (Educational Management) / Accountability and transparency in financial management is the cornerstone to all democratic government policies. All spheres of government should encourage participative collaboration and involvement of all stakeholders. Schools as organs of state are not immune to this call. The aim of this research was to investigate the level of accountability and transparency in school financial management with the ultimate aim of encouraging efficacy in financial school management. Accountability and transparency must be approached with resiliency. The findings are clear indications of what might be happening in schools. It is our responsibilities as educationist to reverse and normalise the scenario. It was a carefully planned policy of the previous government to alienate and discourage African parents from playing a significant role in education. As a result the role of stakeholders in education diminished. Educational managers must acknowledge the fact that it will be an awesome struggle to encourage all stakeholders to playa meaningful role in the education ofourchildren. This task requires managers who must be change agents themselves. For managers to achieve this task they must first have a change of heart, change of mindset and strong will power. These leaders must have courage and determination. This task requires managers who are not afraid offailure. There is evidence of internal wrangling in schools. This wrangling sometimes prevents schools from its core function, which is effective teaching and learning...

Despite the push for universal education, many disadvantaged and poor children in developing countries still do not have access to basic education. This among other reasons is due to poverty where poor families cannot afford the cost of basic education even when it is ‘free’ of tuition (McDonald, 2007). Demand-side financing interventions such as scholarship programs are promising to be viable financing interventions of reaching out to the poor and marginalized children in order for them to access basic education. Although such financing strategies have been praised as having worked in mostly Latin American countries, very little is systematically known about how these interventions would work in poor African countries such as Malawi. This study therefore examines demand-side financing strategy through an evaluation of a scholarship program implemented in Malawi. It uses qualitative mode of inquiry through in-depth interviews of 36 key participants as a primary method of data collection. In addition it reviews program documents and conducts some cohort tracking on beneficiaries in Zomba rural district which is the site of the study. The findings show that community based targeting was used in the program and proved successful in identifying the right beneficiaries in a cost effective manner. It seems to offer a model to be adopted for such interventions in low resource countries. Findings further show that beneficiaries who received scholarships were able to persist however there was a substantial number that dropped out. There were a number of factors that caused this but it seems the internal motivation of beneficiaries to persist was very critical. This puts under the microscope an assumption that once scholarship is received, beneficiaries would persist in school. Last but not least, the findings also show that an assumption that local communities will be able to sustain such programs might be but a mere illusion as communities view themselves too poor to do this. Overall the study praises such programs as effective in targeting the poor and marginalized children however it puts a caution on assumptions about persistence & sustainability. It suggests further scrutiny on these assumptions to improve on the effectiveness of such programs and demand-side financing strategies in general.