In partnership with RMC Research, Denver, Colorado and |
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____________________________________________________ This page lists updates for Year 3 of the IES grant, July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010. Year 3 is the second year of data collection. For Year 1 information, click here. For Year 2 information, click here. For an updated Project Summary, click here. ______________________________________________________ August 18, 2009 Six states are preparing for the Fall 2009 semester. MATC classes begin August 25. We now have 43 sites participating in these states: Iowa, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Nevada, Tennessee, Wisconsin RMC Research has completed preliminary findings for the first year of data collection and is in the process of finalizing the reports. Northstar will be conducting data collection this fall:
October 23, 2009 CEA is monitoring the field work and research for the IES study. Forty-three sites are now participating. This four-year grant will conclude in 2011. Northstar has completed Fall 09 data collection at eight sites in South Carolina, four in Tennessee, nine in Oklahoma, six in Iowa, eight in Massachusetts, six in Nevada, and two in Wisconsin. Fall data collection consists of meeting with eligible students to conduct CAAP Critical Thinking Exams, student surveys, and focus group interviews. They also interview site coordinators and collect student and site information. Spring data collection is more extensive and will take place March and April 2010. Site Coordinators in each state provide annual surveys, interviews, facility information, and participant information. Two major changes are impacting the 2009-2010 data collection--changes in the Incarcerated Individuals Program student eligibility requirements and reduction in federal funding for this program. The first change had the potential of considerably increasing the number of study participants; however, reduction in federal funding lessened the likelihood of that happening. RMC Research developed site reports for Project Year 2008-2009 and is in the process of disseminating them to states. They also have received and are aggregating the Fall 09 data for analysis. December 28, 2009 RMC Research and Northstar met in October to review fall data collection protocols and follow-up plans. In November and December, Dr. Meyer reviewed possible publication venues for the study. Karen Douglas is the new Institute of Education Sciences grant monitor replacing Ram Singh who retired this fall. Northstar will begin contacting students for post-release surveys in January 2010. College of the Air sites are currently registering for Spring 2010 semester. Registration closes January 11. January 27, 2010 Northstar and the forty-three sites are gearing up for spring data collection, which begins March 15. All states are encouraged to attend the CEA Leadership Forum in Annapolis, Maryland, March 28-30. Northstar and RMC will present a workshop for both preliminary findings and questions about the study. March 4, 2010 It is time for spring data collection! Northstar will be conducting data collection at 43 prisons in all seven states. As this is an impact-over-time study, Northstar will meet with all students pretested since fall of 2008. Each year is an individual cohort (Cohort One - 08/09; Cohort Two - 09/10; Cohort Three - 10/11). Post-testing is conducted in the spring, as well as in-depth interviews and focus groups at case study sites. Northstar's data collection schedule is:
April 12, 2010 Northstar has completed spring data collection in all but one state, Iowa, which will be completed next week. South Carolina has turned in particularly impressive student numbers. The research team is optimistic about the 09-10 cohort's enthusiasm during this spring's data collection visits. Students were excited to hear Northstar had been invited to the White House last fall to speak about correctional education. Northstar also had the opportunity to visit briefly with Assistant Secretary of Vocational and Adult Education in the U.S. Department of Education, Brenda Dann-Messier. She is very supportive of correctional education. An article will be published in the Correctional Education Association's Journal this summer and will discuss preliminary findings for the first year of the study, cohort one, 08-09. May 11, 2010 Northstar has completed spring data collection in all seven states which included students from both cohorts one and two (students from the 08-09 and 09-10 program years). Over 500 students were post-tested and surveyed. RMC Research is presenting a poster on the first year’s preliminary findings at the IES conference in Washington DC next month and both RMC and Northstar will present at the CEA International Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas in July. Thanks to all the wonderful educators in all seven states who are making this important research possible! |