October 2, 2023
Publication Announcement
Sagamore-Venture Publishing is pleased to announce a new release: Best Practices for Inclusive Camps from editors Gary N. Siperstein, Stuart J. Schleien, Martin E. Block, and Utah Education Policy Center's own, Emily D. McDowell!
This comprehensive resource is designed to help camp leaders and staff create inclusive programs that welcome campers of all abilities, guided by the newly developed "Standards for Inclusive Recreation Programs." Part I of the book addresses best practices in various aspects of camp, while Part II is a series of case studies about inclusive camps that represent both day and overnight programs across a range of organizational affiliations and geographical locations.
Over the past decade, there has been a heightened focus on the inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities alongside their peers without disabilities in recreation programs. Research shows that there are many benefits of inclusive camps, such as increased self-esteem and social connections for campers with disabilities, and greater patience and empathy among campers without disabilities.
This book is an essential resource for anyone involved in the administration, planning, or implementation of camp programming, with a focus on helping camp leaders and staff create environments that intentionally foster inclusion for all children. Co-authored chapters represent decades of combined experience in the camping field, with perspectives and examples from major recreation organizations like the American Camp Association (ACA) and the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America (JCCA).
To learn more, or to order Best Practices for Inclusive Camps, visit sagamorepub.com/collections/camp.
November 30, 2020
STEM Landscape Report
April 19, 2018
State Afterschool Program Makes a Difference for Students in Utah Affected by Intergenerational Poverty
We found that students who participated in afterschool programs that were designed to serve those affected by intergenerational poverty performed better on year-end state assessments to the same students’ performance in the years they did not participate. Moreover, students in these programs also performed better the longer they were in the afterschool program. Students tripled the average academic gains in assessment scores after attending for three years compared to the gains in scores for one year of attendance. Read the full report here (uepc.live/igp2018).
The intergenerational poverty report was featured in multiple news outlets including KUTV and ABC4.
April 19, 2018
UEPC Director Speaks to RadioWest About Utah Teachers
Dr. Andrea K. Rorrer, Director of the UEPC, talked with Doug Fabrizio on RadioWest about the value and satisfaction of Utah teachers. Dr. Rorrer highlighted findings from report the UEPC published using the Educator Career and Pathway Survey (ECAPS) for Teachers survey.
Check out the audio here.
January 25, 2018
Deciding to Stay or Go: Making a Difference Matters
The Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) found that choosing to make a difference isn’t just a reason for becoming a teacher. As it turns out, teachers report that making a difference in the lives of children and young adults, and contributing to the greater social good are among the top factors in their decisions to remain a teacher. Turns out that the convenience of the work schedule doesn’t hurt either. Read the report on the Educator Career and Pathway Survey (ECAPS) for Teachers here.
June 29, 2017
Home Visiting Research Featured in National Report
A UEPC report on home visiting is highlighted by the Council for a Strong America in Parenting Works: The Public Safety and Economic Benefits of Home Visiting in Utah.
Check out the original report here.
May 18, 2017
Dr. Yongmei Ni Featured in ABC4 Report on Teacher Raises
Dr. Yongmei Ni was interviewed by ABC 4 about teacher raises and salary in Utah. Check out the segment here.
April 10, 2017
UEPC in the News: Teacher Turnover
Check out the briefs that are referenced in this article here.
More than half — 56 percent — of the public school educators who started teaching in 2008 left the profession by 2015, according to a recent report by the Utah Education Policy Center at the University of Utah.
University researchers say they are still exploring why so many new teachers leave the profession after just a few years in the classroom.
Source: Deseret News
March 20, 2017
Allison Nicholson, Research Associate at the UEPC, was interviewed by KUER about three teacher turnover research briefs and data brief recently released by the UEPC. Check out the article and interview here.
In addition, the reports were covered by The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, KSL, and US News & World Report.
January 27, 2017
In collaboration with the Utah State Board of Education, the UEPC published three Utah teacher turnover briefs and a summary brief.
Click here to read the briefs.
October 19, 2016
Dr. Andrea Rorrer and Allison Nicholson were featured in a Deseret News article about the Informed Decisions 2016 Utah Educators Policy Brief. The UEPC authored the brief in partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
October 1, 2016
In partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, the UEPC co-published an Informed Decisions 2016 Election Brief on early learning. Click here to read.
September 13, 2016
Dr. Andrea Rorrer presented on teacher retention in Utah at the Joint Education Conference.
View the PowerPoint slides here.
Jun 28, 2016
Allison Nicholson, Research Associate at the UEPC, and Dianne Meppen, Director of Survey Research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, sat down with ABC 4 Utah to discuss education issues important to voters as identified by Informed Decisions 2016. See the interview and read the Education Focus Group Snapshot for the "Informed Decisions 2016,” a collaborative project of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
Jun 14, 2016
In collaboration with Utah State Board of Education, the UEPC is exploring the teaching labor force in Utah through multiple data and research briefs. This first brief gives a general overview of the topic of teacher shortages and compiles existing data to help policymakers and the public understand the issue. Look for additional briefs in Spring 2017.