Major Findings. Since the Agreement was signed in 2005, DJS cured nearly all of the deficits noted in the DOJ’s Findings Letter.1 In part, these changes were made possible by the significant fiscal resources that were dedicated to improving the conditions of confinement and the quality of care at Xxxxxx and Cheltenham. These resources, along with the unwavering commitment of agency and facility administrators, clerical staff, professional and line staff, and community volunteers, have radically improved the care and treatment of youth and also enabled to State to satisfy nearly all of the extensive requirements of this Agreement in just three years. To be sure, there have been many programmatic changes that substantially improved the quality of care at Cheltenham and Xxxxxx. These are discussed throughout the body of this report. Many of these programmatic improvements were greatly facilitated by changes to the facilities’ configuration. For example: ▪ The size of the facilities and the level of crowding have been drastically reduced. At the time the DOJ conducted its initial tour in 2003, Cheltenham had 180 beds and housed 216 youth (20% over capacity). Since the Agreement was signed, Cheltenham reduced its capacity to 110 beds and the average daily population for the first four months of 2008 was 100 youth. When the DOJ conducted its tour, Xxxxxx had 330 beds for both detained and committed youth and housed 263 youth. Currently, Xxxxxx operates only a 72‐bed detention program and the average daily population for the first four months of 2008 was 60 youth. ▪ Staff supervision of youth has improved dramatically given enhanced staff‐youth ratios. In its Findings Letter, DOJ noted that staff‐to‐youth ratios had been as high as 1—20 during the day and 1—60 at night. Obviously, the lack of supervision created many opportunities for violence to occur. Throughout latter part of the period the Agreement was in effect, both facilities were routinely staffed at 1—8 during the day and 1—16 at night. Since 2005, the State spent approximately $1.9 million to improve the physical plant at both facilities. Among the improvements were new medical clinics at both facilities and the renovation of a building at Hickey which situated facility administrators inside the facility’s fence and also allowed for expanded youth indoor recreation areas and incentive programs. In addition, the State committed over $2.5 million per year for a contract with Glass Health & Associates to provide mental h...
Major Findings. 1. Private Enterprise Activities and Opportunities 1 2. Finance and Banking 2 3. Legal and Regulatory Environment 2 4 . and Human Resources 2
Major Findings. The final sections of this report articulate more than 20 important findings and 11 major categories of constraints, each with several critical implications for private sector development. In this five primary findings are presented with selected points of emphasis to solidify the most salient issues.
Major Findings. This subsection gives a summary of major findings gained in the result of this research. Research findings illustrate that there are different factors that shape teachers’ perceptions toward formative assessment. Inconsistent professional development. The major finding of the study reveals that teachers’ professional development in receiving courses on classroom assessment is inconsistent. Teacher experiences with formative assessment need support from school administration and also there is a need in coherent system of professional development courses. Teacher professional development needs to be consistent and ongoing, rather than a quick course (Cambridge International Examinations, 2015). Teachers are likely to expand their knowledge and enhance their expertise on classroom assessment when they are consistently supported and guided in the process of implementation of educational reforms. Many experienced teachers, who received courses on classroom assessment, emphasized that they had professional development courses once in three years. What is more, these professional courses, according to the participants, usually were held for a week or even less days. The participants of the research did not find such courses beneficial for their practice. This factor is aligned with the statement by Xxxxx and Xxxxxx (2003) who claim that short-term professional training sessions from one to five days are not effective. Teachers in order to efficiently utilize formative assessment techniques need to perceive the underlying principles of formative assessment and be ready to change or adapt their teaching practices. Efficient implementation of formative assessment may be ensured, if teachers are involved in the process of the development of formative assessment belief model. Accordingly, as Fullan (2001) states, teachers are the agents of educational change, and therefore, if teachers receive quality ongoing training, as a result they will efficiently implement it into practice. At the same time, as the findings of the research indicate teachers need to accept the reforms, change their mindsets toward the reforms and it requires time. Both novice and experienced teachers had some theoretical knowledge regarding formative assessment, however, they were hesitant in using formative assessment strategies in the lesson. This factor aligns with the study toward formative assessment implementation by Xxxxx and Xxxxxx (1998) which says that the implementation of formative as...
Major Findings. The workshop achieved the short-term objective of increasing participants' knowledge and ability regarding central communication concepts. Gains of from eight to 15 percent were measured in participants' ability to make key distinctions, with the largest and most consistent improvement seen in their ability to distinguish between requests and demands. On a combined measure of discernment skills, individuals scored an average of eight percent higher than pre- workshop at two weeks, and ten percent higher at six weeks, post-workshop. More than half of participants (46 out of 70) indicated before or after the workshop, or both, that they already apply NVC tools and principles in their daily lives. Half of remaining respondents (12 of 24) both entered and left the workshop with very high expectation of applying what they learned. In the two weeks after the workshop, all except one of the 58 respondents reported having used NVC some amount since the workshop: 33 (57 percent) had done so from a few times a week to about every day; 20 (34 percent) said they had applied the skills occasionally; and four (seven percent) said only rarely. Of respondents who had never used NVC tools and principles before, all had done so within the first two weeks, 90 percent of them more than rarely. Over the next month, approximately one-third of respondents applied NVC about every day, one-third a few times a week, and one-third occasionally. Of the 36 new users who responded to the T4 survey, 18 (50 percent) had used it a few times a week or more, and another 14 (39 percent) had done so occasionally. Surveys at T4 also revealed that both participants and observers thought that participants displayed more frequent use of specific workshop-related, positive communication behaviors. Participants were somewhat or much more frequently expressing feelings without blame (83 percent), making requests without pressure (66 percent), and describing events without criticizing (71 percent), according to participants themselves. observers fairly closely echoed these responses (79, 72, and 63 percent, respectively). In addition to putting their communication skills into practice, workshop participants also took measures to further and to share their learning. Two individuals who had not participated in a peer support group before had joined or formed one within the first two weeks after the workshop; and another four had done so by the end of the next month. Seven of 51 respondents at T4 (14 pe...
Major Findings. 2. The Framework Agreement has played a significant role in facilitating a coordinated and cooperative approach to irrigation research, demonstration and education. CSIDC “Getting the right results” Performance Measurement
Major Findings. 3. The Framework Agreement has been successful in creating awareness of its outputs and encouraging adoption of management practices which enhance the impact of irrigation. CSIDC Performance Measurement “Getting the right results” MAJOR FINDINGS: OUTPUTS (BMPs) • When asked to rate the effectiveness of the Agreement and the CSIDC in identifying BMPs, key informants provided an average rating of 4.0/5.0; • A wide variety of outputs (BMPs) have been generated; • 64% of irrigators and 87% of key informants report using one or more of the resources (BMPs). CSIDC Performance Measurement “Getting the right results” MAJOR FINDINGS: OUTPUTS (BMPs) # of Resources (BMPs) Used Key Informants Irrigators 0 13% 36% 1-3 13% 28% 4-6 21% 16% 7-10 13% 9% 11-14 21% 5% 15-18 4% 3% 19-23 13% 2% CSIDC Performance Measurement “Getting the right results” MAJOR FINDINGS: OUTPUTS (BMPs) • When all these sources are taken in consideration, the key informants view the CSIDC and its partners as being successful in creating awareness of the BMPs and other outputs (average rating of 3.8/5.0); • The irrigators report being generally satisfied with the information they obtain through the events, factsheets, publications and other resources (average rating of 3.5/5.0). CSIDC “Getting the right resu lts” Performance Measurement Resource Key Informants Irrigators Crop Varieties for Irrigation guide 65% 51% Annual ICDC Research and Demonstration Program Report 83% 39% Irrigation Scheduling Manual 35% 27% Canada-Saskatchewan Irrigation Diversification Centre Annual Review Reports 57% 25% Irrigation Economic and Agronomics guide 49% 24% Irrigating with a Centre Pivot 39% 24% Time to Irrigate reports 65% 23% Irrigated Alfalfa Production in Saskatchewan 52% 21% Intensive Irrigation Kicks out $800/Acre 43% 14% Assessment of Irrigation Water Quality in Saskatchewan 50% 13% Corn Production 26% 13% Alberta Irrigation Management Model 22% 12% Management of Irrigated Dry Beans 30% 10% Keeping the Promise 43% 9% Saskatchewan Trickle Irrigation Manual 39% 9% Food Safety/Water Quality 30% 9% Water Quantity and Use Efficiency Indicators for Canada 17% 9% Solar Irrigation Management 30% 7% Season Extension Technology for Vegetable Production in the Prairie Climate 22% 6% Pepper Production Using High Tunnels 26% 5% Develop Agronomic Practices for Small Potato Production in Saskatchewan 26% 5% Organic/Pesticide-free Higher-Value Crops: Sustainable Production, Maintain Quality and Extend Shelf Life 22% 3% Impr...
Major Findings
