text:
House of Commons Library briefing paper : number 08444, 11 April 2019 : Off-rolling in English schools
www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | papers@parliament.uk | @commonslibrary
Number 08444, 11 April 2019
Off-rolling in English
Shadi Danechi
Robert Long
1. Off-rolling: what it is and extent
2. Ofsted, Office of the School Adjudicator, and Children's Commissioner concerns 3. Why might off-rolling be
rising?
Summary 3
1. Off-rolling: what it is and extent 4
Permanent Exclusions Statistics 4
Teachers' Survey 2018 5
Education Datalab research 6
2. Ofsted, Office of the School Adjudicator, and Children's Commissioner
concerns 8
Ofsted concerns 8
Office of the School Adjudicator (OSA) annual reports 9
Ofsted Annual Report 2017/18 10
Ofsted: Revised inspection framework consultation (January 2019) 10
Children's Commissioner report on 'invisible children' 11
3. Why might off-rolling be rising? 13
DfE research: Financial incentives and school performance measures 13
Education Committee report: Impact of Progress 8 14
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) pressures 15
4. Policy developments 17
Exclusions policy and Timpson review 17
Home education consultation 17
Government White Paper proposals on school accountability and Alternative
Provision since 2010 18
5. Comment 19
There are many reasons why children might be removed from the school roll, from moving home to permanent exclusion following disciplinary action. In recent years, however, concerns have been raised about children leaving the school roll for other reasons, for example to 'game' the school performance system, or to relieve financial pressure on schools. Children who are removed from school for these reasons, perhaps through exclusions or parents withdrawing them from school for home education, are commonly said to be 'off-rolled'.
Off-rolling of this kind is difficult to measure, as it takes place through legitimate channels – pupils may be excluded according to the law, and parents have the right to home educate their child if they wish to do so. Rising exclusion numbers, particularly towards the end of schooling, as well as concerns raised from within the school system, have alerted Ofsted, the Office of the School Adjudicator, and the Children's Commissioner for England, as well as the Government, to off-rolling as a problem.
The suggested reasons behind a potential rise in off-rolling include:
• Unintended incentives through school performance measures such as Progress 8 to remove lower-performing pupils from a school's score
• Financial pressures on schools, incentivising the removal of some children from the school roll
The Government has made clear that it considers off-rolling unacceptable and that
exclusion for non-disciplinary reasons is unlawful. It has not ruled out legislation to provide more accountability for schools that permanently exclude children and place them in alternative provision, and is taking steps to limit the extent to which a pupil's poor results can affect the school average for Progress 8 and primary-level progress measures. A review of school exclusion policy, as well a consultation on home education that considers related measures, are also in progress.
Off-rolling: what it is and
What is 'off-rolling' and why are concerns being raised?
There are many reasons that children may be removed from the school roll. For example, children may legitimately be excluded from schools, move to another school that is more suitable for them, or simply move home. Parents also have the right to educate their child at home if they wish.
Recent years, however, have seen concerns being raised that children are leaving school rolls in rising numbers, in particular as they approach GCSE level, because of pressures within the school system. It has been suggested that increased 'off-rolling' is taking place because of the impact of pupils who are likely to perform relatively poorly in their examinations on school performance measures, and because schools may be struggling to support children who need high levels of support, for example pupils with special educational needs. Off-rolling of this kind might involve children being excluded for reasons that are not legitimate, or parents being encouraged to home educate a child where they would not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Excluding children from school for non-disciplinary reasons is unlawful. Children who are off-rolled may move to another school, into alternative provision, or into home education.
Permanent Exclusions Statistics
There are no official statistics that measure off-rolling. However, the
Department for Education publishes annual statistics on permanent and fixed term exclusions from state-funded schools in England.
The rate of permanent exclusions has increased from 0.07% of pupils in 2010/11 to 0.10% in 2016/17. However, the increase has not impacted year groups equally.
The bar chart below shows the rate of permanent exclusions by national curriculum year in 2010/11 compared to 2016/17. The chart shows that Year 10 experienced the largest increase in the rate of permanent exclusions (from 0.25% to 0.35%), followed by Year 9 (from 0.22% to 0.29%).
Rate of Permanent Exclusions
Source:Exclusions: 2016/17 and 2010/11, DfE
For detail about the rate of permanent exclusions in the years between 2010/11 and 2016/17 please see the table below.
Source:Exclusions: Various Years, DfE
Teachers' Survey 2018
A YouGov poll carried out for Ofsted, as part of its annual teachers' survey, published in July 2018, found that more than fifth of teachers in England have witnessed off-rolling at a current or previous school, with nearly half having heard of it happening:
RATE OF PERMANENT EXCLUSIONS BY NATIONAL CURRICULUM YEAR
England, %
N R 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+ Total 2010/11 2016/17
Nursery Reception 1 Total
RATE OF PERMANENT EXCLUSIONS BY NATIONAL CURRICULUM YEAR England, %
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17
Nursery 0 x 0 0 0 x 0
Reception 0 0 0 0 0 0.01 0.01
10 0.25 0.25 0.22 0.23 0.27 0.31 0.35
11 0.09 0.1 0.09 0.09 0.11 0.12 0.16
12+ 0 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
Total 0.07 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.10
• 66% of teachers are aware of off-rolling
• 45% have heard of it happening
• 11% have seen it happen at their school
• 10% have seen it happen in a previous school they taught at
• Those who said 'no, it is not a practice I have experienced' are more likely to work in a primary school (42%) compared to 22% of those at a secondary school.
• Those with less teaching experience are also less likely to have heard of this practice, with 48% of teachers with 1-3 years experience have not heard of off-rolling, compared to teachers with 16+ years, 31%.1
Education Datalab research
Research by Education Datalab published in January 2017 stated that "in some cases, pupils are being 'managed out' of mainstream schools before this point with the effect of boosting the league table
performance of the school which the pupil leaves." The key findings of the research were:
1. outcomes for all groups of pupils who leave the roll of a mainstream school are poor, with only around 1% of children who leave to state alternative provision or a special school, and 29% of those who leave to a university
technical college (UTC) or studio school, achieving five good GCSEs;
2. there exists a previously unidentified group of nearly 20,000 children who leave the rolls of mainstream secondary schools to a range of other destinations for whom outcomes are also very poor, with only 6% recorded as achieving five good GCSEs;
3. there is wide variation in leaver numbers observed from mainstream schools – in some schools, the number of pupils who have been on-roll but leave at some point between Year 7 and Year 11 is more than 50% of the number of pupils who complete their secondary education at the school;
4. pupils leaving can have a very flattering impact on the league table results of a school – with GCSE pass rates up to 17 percentage points lower in some cases if league tables are reweighted to include all pupils who received some of their education there, in proportion to how much time they spent there;
5. sponsored academies tend to lose more pupils after becoming an academy. No such trend is true of converter academies.2
An earlier blog by Professor Becky Allen, the then head of Education Datalab, published in January 2016, proposed weighted accountability
1 Ofsted, Annual teachers survey 2018: teachers' awareness and perceptions of
Ofsted, p37
metrics for children who leave schools, to reflect the amount of time that schools had taught pupils.
Further research by Education Datalab has highlighted that pupils who move out of state education tend to be at the lower end of the
attainment scale,3 and has investigated the link between particular pupil
characteristics and leaving the school roll, highlighting the difficulties in attempting to predict which pupils might be affected.4
3 Education Datalab, Who's Left 2018, part one: The main findings, 21 June 2018 4 Education Datalab, The link between exclusions, alternative provision and off-rolling,
Ofsted, Office of the School
Adjudicator, and Children's
Commissioner concerns
Ofsted concerns
Ofsted have been active in looking into off-rolling. Sean Harford, Ofsted's National Director of Education, stated in a letter to inspectors
in March 2017 that they should be assessing whether schools are 'off-rolling' pupils as they get close to their GCSE grades – that is, moving pupils who are not likely to perform strongly at GCSE to another school, sometimes in alternative provision, in order to improve the school's GCSE results:
In addition, there is evidence nationally that large numbers of pupils leave mainstream secondary education before year 11 through schools moving them out into alternative provision or on to other schools whose rolls are not full. This is known as 'off-rolling'. Inspectors should consider the number on roll by year group and whether this has decreased significantly by year 11, which is shown in the basic characteristics by year group table in RAISEonline.
A further letter from Mr Harford in September 2017 stated that off-rolling was still an issue:
If there are potential gaming issues within a school, including off-rolling, lead inspectors of secondary school inspections will be alerted to this either via the [inspection data summary report] or through discussions with our analyst support team. If inspectors have any concerns about a school's curriculum, qualification entries or any patterns of 'off-rolling', they must discuss them with the school leaders during the inspection. This should inform the evaluation of evidence for the effectiveness of leadership and management and outcomes for pupils.
In June 2018, Ofsted published a blog highlighting that 300 schools were 'above expectation' in the numbers of children leaving the school roll, and this data would focus attention during school inspections. The blog also highlighted that disadvantaged children were more likely to leave their school:
Unsurprisingly not all children are equally likely to be affected. Children with special educational needs, children eligible for free school meals, children looked after, and some minority ethnic groups are all more likely to leave their school.
For example, around 30% of pupils who leave their school between years 10 and 11 have special educational needs, against 13% of all pupils. Where these pupils go to is unclear for half of these pupils, which could be a sign that a large proportion are being home-schooled. More than a quarter of all the pupils that leave their school go to state-funded alternative provision/pupil referral units, but only a small proportion move to a state-funded special school.
country. Academies, particularly those in some multi-academy trusts, appear to be losing proportionately more pupils than local authority schools. Conversely, local authority schools seem to be taking on proportionately more pupils.5
The Ofsted blog included the below graphic on numbers of pupils leaving school rolls:
Office of the School Adjudicator (OSA) annual
The Office of the School Adjudicator's annual report for 2016/17, published in February 2018, also raised concerns about schools encouraging home education among pupils:
four local authorities reported significant increases in the number of children being educated at home and, in particular, concerns that this was not always in the children's interests. There were disturbing references to children being removed from schools to be educated at home with the encouragement of the school as an alternative to exclusion. One local authority described it thus: "schools off rolling learners to [elective home education] when the families have no means to educate in order to protect their results records and school performance." One local authority with nearly 2,000 children registered to be home educated said, "the majority have had some form of local authority intervention with a large proportion known to social services."6
The OSA's annual report for 2017/18, published in January 2019, stated that "several local authorities [reported] increases of between 40 to 70 per cent in recent years in the numbers of children electively home
5 Ofsted, Off-rolling: using data to see a fuller picture, 26 June 2018
6 Office of the Schools Adjudicator, Annual Report: September 2016 to August 2017,
educated."7 Local authorities stated that parents had cited several
reasons for electing to home educate their children, including concerns about the standard of education on offer or a failure to secure a place at their preferred school. Also listed were concerns about a child's special educational needs not being met, and also that parents were aiming to avoid a potential exclusion of their child and/or prosecution for poor attendance – some parents told authorities that they were advised by the school to take this step to avoid their child being permanently excluded.8
Ofsted Annual Report 2017/18
Ofsted's most recent annual report, published in December 2018, included further emphasis on off-rolling. The report stated that in the latest school census around 19,000 pupils did not progress from Year 10 to Year 11 in the same state-funded secondary school, around 4% of the total.
The report stated that, of those 19,000 pupils:
• the destination of 9,700 pupils is unclear, because they do not reappear in another state-funded school
• 25% of pupils move to other secondary schools and 20% move to alternative provision in the state-funded sector
• 30% of pupils who move have SEND compared with 13% of all pupils
• 54% of pupils who move are eligible for free school meals compared with 28% of all pupils.
The report noted that some of the unaccounted-for pupils may have moved to an independent school (including special schools and
alternative provision), or may have become home-educated, but "some may have ended up in an unregistered school or dropped out of
education entirely. Unfortunately, it is not possible to know the full story of where pupils went to, and why, from the data alone."9
Ofsted: Revised inspection framework consultation
In January 2019, Ofsted published a revised inspection framework for implementation from September 2019, and with an attached
consultation. The announcement stated that one of Ofsted's aims under the revised framework would be ensuring that "schools do not remove, or lose, pupils from their roll for reasons other those in the best
educational interests of those pupils."10
The draft Ofsted Handbook for inspection of maintained schools and academies states that off-rolling would likely lead to a school's
January 2019, p35
8 As above, p35
9 Ofsted, The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's
Services and Skills 2017/18, p50
10 Ofsted, Education inspection framework 2019: inspecting the substance of
leadership and management being judged as inadequate after an inspection (emphasis added):
235. There is no legal definition of 'off-rolling'. However, Ofsted defines 'off-rolling' as:
The practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without a formal, permanent exclusion or by encouraging a parent to remove their child from the school roll, when the removal is primarily in the interests of the school rather than in the best interests of the pupil. Off-rolling in these circumstances is a form of 'gaming'.
236. When an inspection finds evidence of off-rolling taking place, by Ofsted's definition it should always be addressed in the inspection report, and may (depending on scale and impact) need to be considered when reaching the judgement. If the off-rolling is lawful, inspectors must be careful to consider the context of the off-rolling and be clear about what impact the off-rolling has had on pupils involved and on the school. There are many different activities that can constitute off-rolling, so there can be no hard and fast rules as to how it should be addressed. However, if inspectors determine the school to be off-rolling according to Ofsted's definition, then the leadership and management of the school are likely to be judged to be inadequate. […] 238. Inspectors will be interested in high numbers of pupils moving on and off roll, but this may not in itself mean that off-rolling is taking place.11
The Education Inspection Handbook: overview of research published by Ofsted alongside the consultation gave further information on Ofsted's related research:
Off-rolling is more likely to occur in London and is more prevalent in academies than local authority schools. Conversely, local authority schools seem to be taking on proportionately more pupils. We developed a statistical model that used pupil
characteristics to predict 'typical' levels of off-rolling. This allowed us to then identify those schools that have significantly higher levels of off-rolling than would be statistically expected. We identified 300 schools with significantly higher than predicted rates of off-rolling over the past two years, which suggests that the problem is highly concentrated in a small number of schools.12
The consultation was open until 5 April 2019.
Children's Commissioner report on 'invisible
In March 2019, the Children's Commissioner for England published
Skipping School: Invisible Children, a report that looked at rising numbers of children not being educated in school, whether through increasing home education, exclusions, or off-rolling.
The report raised concerns about parents being pressurised into home educating their children:
Some parents report that they opted for home education after the school threatened to exclude their child or fine them for 11 Ofsted, Draft Handbook for inspection of maintained schools and academies,
January 2019, p66-67
attendance, believing that this would help their children by avoiding a formal record of exclusion. The Children's
Commissioner has heard of schools, anecdotally, where pro forma letters declaring a decision to home educate are kept at reception, ready for parents to sign when things at school get tough. She has met distraught parents who have signed up to home-educating their child without even realising that was what they were doing.13
The Commissioner's report gathered data from eleven local authority areas14 with a high number of fixed term exclusions, and which previous
qualitative research had suggested might be associated with off-rolling. It found that in these areas – which might by their nature not be representative of the whole country – home education referrals had risen significantly at both primary and secondary level.15
The report stated that "a very small number of schools have very high levels of [elective home education] referrals," and that:
In 2017-18, half of elective home education referrals in these 11 LAs were from only 10% of schools, while 80% of the referrals came from a quarter of the schools. However there is evidence that the practice is spreading: between 2015-16 and 2017-18, the proportion of schools making no referrals at all to home
education fell from 59% to 49%.16
The report also set out that elective home education referrals were more common at academies than local authority schools, although they were becoming more prevalent at the latter:
According to the data from all 11 LAs, academies do see children move into home education at a higher rate than LA schools: in 2017-18, academies had a rate of 2.8 [elective home education] referrals for every 1,000 children, compared with 2.4 per 1,000 children for LA-run schools. However, LA schools are catching up. Overall, between 2015-16 and 2017-18, the numbers of children moving from academies into home education increased by 43%, but from LA schools it grew by 58% (across the nine areas which provided data for the whole period).
Our data also indicates among pupil referral units (PRUs), the rates of EHE referral are much higher – 36 per 1,000 children in 2017-18. This has also grown much more since 2015-16, when it stood at 8.1 per 1,000 children. However these figures relate to a much smaller cohort of pupils, so it may be difficult to extrapolate more widely.17
13 Children's Commissioner for England, Skipping School: Invisible Children, March
2019, p9
14 Birmingham, Bristol, Doncaster, Hackney, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Newham, North
Yorkshire, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Wakefield
2019, p10-11
Why might off-rolling be
DfE research: Financial incentives and school
Investigative research into alternative provision, commissioned by the Department for Education and published in October 2018, suggested that the existing system financially incentivised schools to permanently exclude pupils, because fixed-term exclusions had to be funded by schools, while permanent exclusions were not:
There was a strong view among some [Alternative Provision] AP providers that schools were incentivised to permanently exclude children at the expense of fixed-term exclusions because local authorities funded placements for permanently excluded pupils, whereas schools funded those for fixed-term exclusions. AP providers described this as short sighted, as permanent exclusion would cost the LA more in the longer term and they deemed short-term placements to be highly effective in reducing permanent exclusions (although this was based on perception rather than hard evidence).18
The report also highlighted difficulties in reintegration, with mainstream schools sometimes reluctant to admit pupils who have been in
alternative provision, particularly later in schooling when their results would impact on a school's Progress 8 scores:
There were mixed views from AP on the ease of finding suitable placements in mainstream provision. AP providers reported some mainstream schools being reluctant to take pupils from AP (typically because of concerns about their behaviour, feeling that they would not be able meet the child's needs, and/or concerns about their likely academic performance). Difficulty finding mainstream schools willing or able to take on pupils from AP was a particular challenge for pupils that had been permanently excluded, and in rural areas with fewer local mainstream schools.19
A key factor was the willingness of mainstream schools to
accommodate pupils back from AP, particularly in Key Stage 4. AP providers often felt that schools were reluctant to take back Key Stage 4 pupils as they were concerned about the negative impact this could have on the school's Progress 8 performance. AP providers also mentioned that they sometimes struggle to find mainstream schools who are willing to take children who have been excluded previously.20
18 Department for Education, IFF Research Ltd, Professor Martin Mills (University
College London) and Professor Patricia Thomson (University of Nottingham),
Investigative research into alternative provision, October 2018, p10-11
Education Committee report: Impact of Progress 8
Progress 8 is a measure of school performance in England that aims to capture the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school. The measure aims to assess the impact a school has had on all pupils and take into account the relatively stronger or more challenging intakes that different schools have.
The Library briefing Changes to school accountability and 'league tables' in England in 2016 provides an introduction to Progress 8 and also the measure Attainment 8 – see section 3.2.
The DfE has published more detailed guidance on Progress 8 and Attainment 8.
The Education Committee report on Alternative Provision, Forgotten children: alternative provision and the scandal of ever increasing
exclusions, published in July 2018, drew attention to off-rolling and the impact of the Progress 8 performance measures for schools, stating that school accountability had been raised repeatedly as a cause of off-rolling during their inquiry. The Committee recommended reform of accountability measures to disincentivise off-rolling (emphasis in original):
29. Pupils count towards the Progress 8 scores of schools if they are registered on the school's census in the January in which they are in Year 11. While Progress 8 tracks the academic 'distance' travelled by a student and takes into account prior attainment, pupils who fall behind in secondary school, for example for medical reasons or because a pupil's additional needs which were met in their smaller primary school but then become unmet in larger secondary settings, can negatively affect a school's results. Off-rolling— the process by which pupils are removed from the school's register by moving them to alternative provision, to home education or other schools—was raised by many witnesses, and we were told that the accountability system and Progress 8 was a major factor. […]
36. An unfortunate and unintended consequence of the Government's strong focus on school standards has led to school environments and practices that have resulted in disadvantaged children being disproportionately excluded, which includes a curriculum with a lack of focus on
developing pupils' social and economic capital. There appears to be a lack of moral accountability on the part of many schools and no incentive to, or deterrent to not, retain pupils who could be classed as difficult or challenging.
Government response
The Government response to the Committee's report was published in October 2018.
The response stated that the Government had taken measures to improve Progress 8 in an attempt to reduce the impact of individual performance on a school's scores, and also that a consultation would be forthcoming on the measures taken to support floor and 'coasting' standards for schools:
Following feedback received about the disproportionate effect that a small number of extremely negative scores can have on a school's average progress score, from 2018, we are introducing a limit on how negative a pupil's progress score can be when calculating the school average for Progress 8 and for primary progress measures.
In a speech on 4 May 2018, the Secretary of State recognised the pressures inherent in the accountability system and consequently he set out some principles for a clear and simple accountability system. He announced that there will be a public consultation in the autumn on proposals to replace the current floor and coasting standards with a single, transparent trigger to identify schools that would benefit from an offer of support. He also confirmed that where a school is below the floor or coasting standards, but is not judged inadequate by Ofsted, the RSC will not use the Secretary of State's powers to issue a warning notice. This should help with concerns around 'high stakes' accountability and more broadly reduce incentives for schools to exclude pupils.21
The Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, has further stated that he "would not rule out legislation to ensure more accountability for schools that permanently exclude children and place them in alternative provision" once the current review of school exclusions (see section 4 of this briefing) was concluded.22
pressures
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Nadhim Zahawi, told the Education Committee in July 2018 that in some areas particular schools can act as a 'magnet' for children with SEND:
Q1370 Nadhim Zahawi: In some areas, what we are seeing happening is you get what is called a magnet school, which does really well for, let's say, SEND children, and you get perverse behaviours, where the other schools—whether by design or otherwise—just brush away those kids and push them towards that particular school. I want to be able to intervene to stop that sort of behaviour.
Q1371 Lucy Powell: How do you intend to do that?
21 Department for Education, Government response to the Education Select
Committee's fifth report of Session 2017-19 on alternative provision, October 2018, Cm 9709, p9-10
22 Department for Education, Education Secretary vows to take action on school
Nadhim Zahawi: I think it is a combination. I am talking to Ofsted, because I think we need to make sure that the inspection regime does help in this area. I am talking to the virtual school heads when it comes to looked-after children, and of course the schools themselves. The message from the Secretary of State at the ADCS conference was crystal-clear in this area. It is important that head teachers and teachers hear that message. Much of this can also be driven by leadership and the narrative that we deliver that it is unacceptable.
I want the message to go out from this hearing that it is unacceptable for schools to off-roll. It is illegal to unofficially exclude. Even if parents somehow are cajoled into accepting it, it is illegal and must not happen. In terms of exclusions, schools should work together in an area to determine that there are no exclusions.23
During an evidence session with the Education Committee in October 2018, Justin Cooke, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Ambitious about Autism, stated that mainstream schools have a financial incentive to off-roll children with SEND, particularly those whose needs are the greatest, as they would retain funding that has already been received to support that pupil:
If you have a resourced unit where you get place funding at £10,000, you get that funding no matter what. If you off-roll a pupil halfway through the year you carry on getting that £10,000. If you have a school budget that is so tight you simply cannot pay teachers, there is an incentive to off-roll or exclude.24
23 Education Committee, Accountability Hearings, HC 341, 18 July 2018. Q1368-1380
discuss exclusions more broadly.
24 Education Committee, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, HC 968, 23
Policy developments
Exclusions policy and Timpson review
School exclusions
Statutory guidance is in place on School exclusion. The guidance makes clear that it is unlawful to exclude a pupil for a non-disciplinary reason.25 Timpson review
In March 2018 the Government established a review of school exclusions practice, led by the former Children's Minister Edward Timpson. The review is expected to report early in 2019.26
The Schools Minister Nick Gibb stated that the review "will consider how schools use exclusion overall and how this impacts their pupils, and in particular, why some groups of pupils are more likely to be excluded from school. It will also consider practice in relation to behaviour management and alternative interventions schools take in place of exclusion."27
Home education consultation
Updated guidance on home education was published in April 2019, following a consultation launched in April 2018. Two guidance documents were published, one for local authorities and one for parents.
Following an earlier call for evidence, on 2 April 2019 the Government published a consultation on proposed legislation concerning children not in school. The consultation closes on 24 June 2019.
The response to the call for evidence did not cover off-rolling directly, stating that action on this issue "is being taken forward separately."28
The consultation however notes that increasing numbers of children are receiving their principal education outside of mainstream schools. Some of these, it said, are being educated very well at home by parents, but others are receiving "such education as they get…mainly or entirely through attendance at unsuitable settings such as unregistered
independent schools or multiple part-time settings". There are also likely to be a number of children, it added, who are receiving an unsuitable education because their parents cannot educate them effectively at home. The consultation stated that it is "mainly in the interest of such vulnerable children that the proposals" are being brought forward.29
The consultation seeks views on proposals to create four new duties in primary legislation:
25 Department for Education, Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil
referral units in England, July 2017, p9
26 PQ 179103, 19 October 2018 27 PQ 163072, 20 July 2018
28 Department for Education, Elective Home Education: Call for Evidence 2018, April
29 Department for Education, Children not in school: proposed legislation Government
1 A duty on local authorities to maintain a register of children of compulsory school age who are not registered at a state-funded or registered independent school.
2 A duty on parents to provide information to their local authority if their child is within scope of the register.
3 A duty on education settings attended by children on the register to respond to enquiries from local authorities about the education provided to individual children.
4 A duty on local authorities to provide support to home educated families if requested by such families.
Government White Paper proposals on school
accountability and Alternative Provision since 2010
The Government's 2016 White Paper on the schools system Educational Excellence Everywhere, proposed to "reform the alternative provision (AP) system so that mainstream schools remain accountable for the education of pupils in AP and are responsible for commissioning high quality provision"30
The 2010 White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, had made similar proposals:
3.38 […] Schools will be free to exclude pupils, but they will then be responsible for finding and funding alternative provision themselves. […]
3.39 In order to ensure the decision to exclude is never abused, schools will be held accountable for the pupils they exclude. The academic performance of excluded children would count in the school performance tables. This would create a strong incentive for schools to avoid exclusion where possible, and ensure that where it does happen it is appropriate and pupils receive good alternative provision.31
However, these proposals have not been taken forward.
30 Department for Education, Educational Excellence Everywhere, March 2016, p102 31 Department for Education, The Importance of Teaching: the schools white paper
In August 2018, a Times article stated that almost 13,000 teenagers did not have results recorded in league tables in the previous year, despite appearing on their schools' rolls a year earlier, a rise from just over 9,000 in each of the previous two years. The Conservative MP and chair of the Education Committee, Robert Halfon, was quoted in the piece as stating that:
Off-rolling is a huge problem. Not only are schools gaming the system but as a result thousands of vulnerable children are not getting the education they deserve. They are the victims of schools that manipulate statistics.32
Responding to the Times article, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner, said:
The link between expulsions and league tables is a serious and a growing concern. Off-rolling is a worrying situation, the education of our most vulnerable children is being put at risk.33
The Times piece also included comment from the DfE:
The Department for Education said that although there had been an increase in the number of exclusions, the issue was worse ten years ago. A spokeswoman said: "Informal or unofficial exclusions are unlawful and we wrote to schools last year to remind them of the rules. Permanent exclusion should only ever be used as a last resort."34
Ofsted's chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, stated in an interview on the piece that off-rolling "absolutely could get worse."35 A further
Times article in September 2018 raised concerns about the alternative provision excluded children often attend, in particular in relation to gang crime exploiting pupils in those institutions.36
In March 2019, the Times published a further piece, based on a survey of PRU admissions stating that pupils are most likely to be excluded during the autumn term of their GCSE year, "the last chance that schools have to remove them before their results count towards league table rankings."37
Geoff Barton, the General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, raised concerns in November 2017 about "unethical practice" in off-rolling, and also relayed reports that some schools were telling parents they could not accommodate children with SEN at admissions stage.38
32 Times, Weak pupils expelled as heads 'game' exam tables, 28 August 2018 33 Tweeted 29 August 2018
https://twitter.com/AngelaRayner/status/1034787485073788929
34 Times, Weak pupils expelled as heads 'game' exam tables, 28 August 2018
35 Schools Week, Spielman warns off-rolling 'could get worse' after sharp rise in pupils
leaving school before GCSEs, 28 August 2018
36 Times, Exclusions from school drive rising gang crime, 29 September 2018 37 Times, Weaker pupils removed before exams, 11 March 2019
38 TES, 'Off-rolling is unethical, inappropriate and beyond repugnant – the
In a Guardian article in November 2017, Adam Boddison, the chief executive of the charity the National Association for Special Educational Needs, was cited as saying that schools are finding it difficult to be inclusive in part because of pressures on their budgets.39
The education writer Laura McInerney has suggested that while gaming of the performance system may be an issue, restricted school funding means that schools cannot afford pastoral support for their children, and this is the main driver for increased exclusions.40
39 Guardian, The UK is turning back the clock on the education of disabled children, 30
40 Guardian, Blame cuts – not headteachers – for school exclusions, 18 September
Number 08444 11 April 2019
The House of Commons Library research service provides MPs and their staff with the impartial briefing and evidence base they need to do their work in scrutinising Government, proposing legislation, and supporting constituents. As well as providing MPs with a confidential service we publish open briefing papers, which are available on the Parliament website.
Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in these publicly available research briefings is correct at the time of publication. Readers should be aware however that briefings are not necessarily updated or otherwise amended to reflect subsequent changes.
If you have any comments on our briefings please email papers@parliament.uk. Authors are available to discuss the content of this briefing only with Members and their staff.
If you have any general questions about the work of the House of Commons you can email hcenquiries@parliament.uk.
This information is provided to Members of Parliament in support of their parliamentary duties. It is a general briefing only and should not be relied on as a substitute for specific advice. The House of Commons or the author(s) shall not be liable for any errors or omissions, or for any loss or damage of any kind arising from its use, and may remove, vary or amend any information at any time without prior notice.
Download (N/A - 21 Page - 540.34KB)
Related subjects : Alternative provision House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 07714, 1 April 2019: The Family Test House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper Number 07819: 27 June 2019: Constituency casework: schools in Scotland House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Number 1078, 11 September 2019: Education spending in the UK House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 8389, 5 April 2019: Returns to a degree House of Commons Library briefing paper : number 7951, 23 April 2019 : T levels : reforms to technical education
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 08444, 20 February 2019: Off-ro...
In addition, there is evidence nationally that large numbers of pupils leave mainstream secondary education before year 11 through schools moving them out into alternative provision
House of Commons Library briefing paper : number 07236, 23 April 2019 : Careers...
Drawing on this session, we recommended in our report on apprenticeships that the Government urgently review the incentives for schools to provide good quality careers advice and
House of Commons Library: briefing paper : Number 06113, 11 February 2019: Appre...
This was the first time that apprentices were expected to contribute to the costs of their learning, and led to an 88% fall in the number of people aged 25+ starting an advanced or
House of Commons Library briefing paper : Number 7647, 11 July 2019 : Early Inte...
The Health and Social Care Committee's report in the first 1000 days of life recommended that the Government, working with local areas and the voluntary sector, develop a programme
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper Number 07059: 18 June 2019: FAQs: Acade...
DfE guidance sets out the intervention options currently available to local authorities, the ESFA, and Regional Schools Commissioners for both maintained and academy schools, and the
House of Commons Library: Briefing paper: Number 8023, 5 June 2018: Safeguarding...
Part four of the Keeping children safe in education guidance provides information for schools on how to manage allegations against a member of staff that might indicate that they
House of Commons Library: Briefing paper: Number 8023, 5 October 2018: Safeguard...
House of Commons Library briefing paper : Number 08444, 10 December 2018 : Off-r...
It has not ruled out legislation to provide more accountability for schools that permanently exclude children and place them in alternative provision, and is taking steps to limit the
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 06103, 11 February 2019: Relati...
The new requirements on health education would apply in state schools but not independent schools – this is because the broader subject of Personal, Social, Health, and Economic
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number CBP 07345, 11 April 2018: Count...
We, therefore, recommend that all organisations offering out-of-school-hours provision, as well as individuals offering private tution on a commercial basis, be required to register
Careers Education and Advice : debate on 6 September 2018
Further information on careers guidance in higher education is provided in the House of Commons Library Briefing, Careers Guidance in Schools, Colleges and Universities (England), 9
House of Commons Library: Briefing paper: Number 7946, 11 April 2017: Millennial...
Levels of median wealth of older and younger age groups have followed a different course in recent years: median wealth for households headed by 25-34 year olds decreased by 3%
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper Number 07819: 27 June 2019: Constituenc...
House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Number 1078, 11 September 2019: Educati...
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 7857, 7 February 2019: Higher e...
House of Commons Library briefing paper : number 5108, 12 April 2019 : Home educ...
House of Commons Library briefing paper : number 8526, 11 April 2019 : Update on...
House of Commons Library : briefing paper : number 07972, 28 June 2019 : Indepen...
House of Commons Library briefing paper : Number 06103, 11 July 2019 : Relations...
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper: Number 07148, 5 April 2019: The School...
House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Number 07388, 18 September 2019: Langua...
Off-rolling in English schools
House of Commons Library: Briefing Paper Number 06972: 20 December 2019: Faith S...


text:
package org.edx.mobile.view;

import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;

import org.edx.mobile.base.BaseSingleFragmentActivity;

import roboguice.inject.InjectExtra;

public class UserProfileActivity extends BaseSingleFragmentActivity {
    public static final String EXTRA_USERNAME = "username";
    public static final String EXTRA_SHOW_NAVIGATION_DRAWER = "showNavigationDrawer";

    public static Intent newIntent(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String username, boolean showNavigationDrawer) {
        return new Intent(context, UserProfileActivity.class)
                .putExtra(EXTRA_USERNAME, username)
                .putExtra(EXTRA_SHOW_NAVIGATION_DRAWER, showNavigationDrawer);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        if (getIntent().getBooleanExtra(EXTRA_SHOW_NAVIGATION_DRAWER, false)) {
            configureDrawer();
        } else {
            blockDrawerFromOpening();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public Fragment getFirstFragment() {
        final UserProfileFragment fragment = new UserProfileFragment();
        fragment.setArguments(getIntent().getExtras());
        return fragment;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A simulation of the 3D magnetohydrodynamics at play in the outer third of a star. Each "hair" represents a magnetic field line embedded in the stellar plasma flow. Near the equator, the convective flows tend to align with the axis of rotation; in higher latitudes the convection is more cyclonic.
Complicated by wild convection occurring in the outer third of a star's plasma, and by rotation that twists a star's magnetic field into a spiral, stellar magnetohydrodynamics really is as complex as it sounds.
The "hydro" bit refers to fluids, the "dynamics" bit means movement, and the "magneto" part comes into play because magnetic fields induce currents in moving conductive fluids, and are themselves amplified by the fluids' motions.
So when the moving conductive fluid you're discussing is an enormous ball of turbulent, spinning stellar plasma, things can really start to get interesting.
A team of scientists at the University of Colorado are using grid power to visualize the magnetohydrodynamics at work in stars.
Understanding this phenomenon is essential to our understanding of the solar magentic dynamo, which in turn results in solar flares, sun spots and the solar wind.
The visualization was conducted over the TeraGrid using VAPOR-the Visualization and Analysis Platform for Ocean, Atmosphere and Solar Researchers.
The VAPOR software was developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research's Scientific Computing Division in collaboration with U.C. Davis and Ohio State University, all in the U.S.
VAPOR is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation.


Clues found in free email services such as Gmail helped US investigators track down a North Korean hacker charged Thursday with crimes stemming from the 2014 attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment and the 2017 "WannaCry" ransomware operation.
The email services were used for routine business as well as for phishing attacks and other crimes by a company identified as the Korean Expo Joint Venture that's a front group for the North Korean government, according to a Justice Department complaint filed in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The department lodged criminal charges against Park Jin Hyok, a North Korean national who works for the company and allegedly belongs to a group of conspirators known as the Lazarus Group. The Treasury Department simultaneously imposed sanctions against Park and his employer.
"The scale and scope of the cyber-crimes alleged by the complaint is staggering and offensive to all who respect the rule of law and the cyber norms accepted by responsible nations," John Demers, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said in a statement.
The Korean Expo Joint Venture engaged both in hacking and regular business, working with clients on software and information technology projects and using free email services including Gmail, according to the criminal complaint. It said a clue that helped investigators break the case came when Park's purported superior sent his resume and picture to another company in the course of doing its everyday technology operations.
Investigators accessed about 1,000 email and social media accounts using about 100 search warrants, and used them to piece together a picture of the hackers and their front operation, according to the complaint.
Alphabet Inc.'s Google, which operates Gmail, responded to a request for comment by referring to a recent blog post written by Kent Walker, the company's senior vice president of Global Affairs. Google, Walker wrote, "identifies bad actors, disables their accounts, warns our users about them, and shares intelligence with other companies and law enforcement officials."
Eric Chien, technical director of security response at Symantec Corp., a Mountain View, California-based digital security firm that tracks the Lazarus Group and is cited in the Justice Department report, said the hackers are likely to pause their activity to retool their email infrastructure.
"The expectation is there will be a bit of a lull, and then they will be right back at it," Chien said in an interview. He said the hacking group has "shifted their sights" to cryptocurrency in the last year. The Justice Department said the conspirators also commit wire fraud on behalf of the cash-strapped North Korean government.
The Korean Expo Joint Venture operated in China, North Korea and other places, the Justice Department said in the complaint. Park, the complaint added, is believed to have returned to North Korea from China in 2014.
The charges and sanctions came amid President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate with Kim Jong Un's regime to give up its nuclear arsenal. But officials underscored that North Korea's growing cyber offensive capabilities also remain a concern.
"We will not allow North Korea to undermine global cybersecurity to advance its interests and generate illicit revenues in violation of our sanctions," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "The United States is committed to holding the regime accountable for its cyber-attacks and other crimes and destabilizing activities."
The massive Sony attack was seen at the time as representing a new, aggressive type of hacking operation because it crippled computers, deleted data and released embarrassing internal emails in retaliation for the company's film, "The Interview," a comedy about a CIA plot to kill Kim.
During the 2017 attacks, known as WannaCry, hackers infected computers with malicious software that encrypted data and demanded ransom payments from users to be released. Park was also cited by US officials as part of a conspiracy that conducted the fraudulent transfer of $81 million from the central bank of Bangladesh in February 2016.
The US government has previously said that North Korea was behind the attacks, and North Korea has denied that it was involved.


A rich collection of iconic and rare portraits of one of the world?s most photographed women, international film legend Audrey Hepburn. During her lifetime, Belgian-born British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993), star of such films as Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany?s, My Fair Lady, Charade, and Two for the Road, was recognized around the world. Two decades after her death, Hepburn remains one of the most celebrated actresses of all time, inspiring new generations of admirers.
Here, Hepburn?s career is charted from her early years in London as a student of ballet and a performer on the West End stage to her Hollywood heyday to her final years as a special ambassador for the United Nations Children?s Fund (UNICEF). Alongside work by the renowned photographers whose portraits defined Hepburn?s image and shaped her career are publicity photographs, images during the production of her films, as well as rare family photographs and other informal archive pictures. ?
Possessing the features, height, and poise of a model, Hepburn collaborated with such couturiers as Hubert de Givenchy, and her image graced the pages and covers of Harper?s Bazaar and other fashion magazines. She was photographed by legends, including Richard Avedon, whose work is represented here, together with portraits by Cecil Beaton, Antony Beauchamp, Philippe Halsman, Angus McBean, Norman Parkinson, and Irving Penn. An iconic figure whose image including her unmistakable silhouette from Breakfast at Tiffany?s left an indelible impact on many cultural contexts, Hepburn played an essential role in the development of celebrity and visual culture in the twentieth century.


text:
Missy's Corner Café opens at new location
Mike Kramer/Times Correspondent
PEKIN — At 5 a.m. Wednesday, while much of central Illinois was still asleep, the staff at Missy's Corner Café welcomed regular customers to the restaurant's new location at 2111 Court St. in Pekin. Missy's had been closed for approximately a month during the move from the previous site on Fourth Street in Pekin.
The main attraction for the new site is its proximity to a busy thoroughfare, which owner Melissa Hockaday of Pekin hopes will result in increased revenue.
"About 30,000 people drive past this site every day," she said. "More traffic means we could potentially have more business."
Phil Underwood of Pekin, a regular customer at Missy's for six years, agreed that the new location, nearer to the center of Pekin, is likely to result in increased commerce for the restaurant. Although the move has added a few minutes to the morning commute to his place of work at the Lonza Inc. chemical plant in Mapleton, he plans to continue his patronage of the restaurant, and expressed his appreciation of its informal atmosphere.
"Missy's is worth the extra few minutes," said Underwood. "I like to chat with the other regulars, and the staff's always been really friendly. That's a big plus anywhere."
Hockaday prides herself on the friendly, informal atmosphere of her restaurant, as well as the meticulous attention to quality control regarding the food.
"We serve normal, everyday people from all walks of life," she said. "We get lawyers, doctors, nurses, and even teenagers. They like the quality of the food. A lot of that comes from when my daughters were students at Pekin High School and would bring their friends in. Those friends told their friends and families, and word of mouth spread. People who come in here know when they come in and order something, it's going to be made fresh and it's going to be good. If it's not, I'll know the reason why not. We're not a fast food restaurant by any stretch of the imagination. We cook all of our food from scratch and make it to order. It might take a little longer to get your food than it would if you went somewhere else, where they pre-cook a lot of menu items, but everything we serve is made fresh."
Although the new location has opened for business, renovations are still in progress, according to Hockaday. The recent wet weather has slowed down such projects as repainting the building, and setting up awnings. She is also in the process of ordering new signs and setting up a pick-up window to replace the drive-through window from the Long John Silver's restaurant that previously occupied the building.
In addition to the main storefront, Hockaday also operates a smaller restaurant in the United Auto Workers' Senior Living Center on Parkway Drive in Pekin. While the main restaurant was closed, business at this facility picked up considerably.
"We had a lot of customers at Li'l Missy's, as we call it, in the month since we closed the downtown location for the move," said Hockaday. "The residents up there are extremely excited that we're reopening, because our restaurant in the UAW Highrise closes at two in the afternoon. It's closed all day on Sundays because they hold a lot of functions then in the community room, which basically serves as our dining room. The residents there are good for us, because they generate a lot of business, and we're good for them."
Hockaday has been working in food service for over 25 years. Before opening her own restaurant in 2002, she bused tables, cooked, washed dishes and waited tables.
"I did a little bit of everything," Hockaday said. "It's what I love to do. I tried doing office work, and I tried a variety of different jobs, but I always came back to restaurants. I opened my own restaurant when I felt like I had enough experience from my other food service jobs. We have customers coming in today whom I've known since I was a waitress or a cook, more than 15 years ago, which I find to be pretty amazing."
Missy's Corner Café serves a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Signature dishes include jumbo tenderloins, horseshoes, Belgian waffles, breakfast horseshoes, hand-dipped milk shakes, and homemade desserts. "We're known as the Home of the Jumbo Tenderloin," said Hockaday. We hand-cut our pork loins, pound them out, and use a special breading. We also make our own chicken strips. We also make a chicken breast tenderloin and we just introduced Belgian waffles."
Missy's Corner Café is open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant offers breakfast specials Monday through Friday, daily lunch specials, and dinner specials Monday through Saturday.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are Four Seasons Resorts Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Landaa Giraavaru, Private Island at Voavah & Four Seasons Explorer. Please follow us for the latest news.
Glad to hear you had a wonderful experience on the DeepFlight submarine and thank you for sharing this photo!


Return time from your river trip is approximately 4:00 PM at the Marriott in Moab.
On the morning of your river trip, you'll meet in the lobby of the SpringHill Suites located at 1865 N. Hwy 191, Moab, UT. Bus is scheduled to depart at 7:30 am. Return time from your river trip is approximately 4:00 PM at the SpringHill Suites.
When personal duffle bags and gear board the bus with you, you'll travel down Potash Road (red dotted line) along the Colorado River to the Potash Boat Ramp. This is where you will meet your guides and transfer your duffle and personal gear into the rubber dry-bags provided for you. Tip: pack the night before with items you want during the day (ie. sunscreen, lip balm, camera, rain gear, medications) in a zip-loc for easy transfer into the smaller day-bag. The larger dry-bag will contain a sleeping bag (provided) and your personal duffle.
Enjoy your time on the river for two days, then return via ground shuttle (3.5 hrs) from Hite Marina to Moab, Utah. You can expect to arrive at the Marriott around 4:00 PM.


text:
Andrew Bishop
Instrument Principal, Trumpet
Kansas City based trumpet player Andrew Bishop has enjoyed a successful and diverse career throughout the Midwest and Colorado front range area. In the spring of 2019, Andrew won the Principal Trumpet chair with the Des Moines Symphony.
Andrew was born and raised in Lindsborg, KS, known as "Little Sweden U.S.A." He cultivated his musical endeavors under Lindsborg's extraordinary support of the fine arts and strong musical traditions. During his youth, he performed in the Bethany Oratorio Society's production of Handel's Messiah and studied trumpet with Roger Thorstenberg. He studied trumpet performance at Wichita State University, where his primary instructors were Les Linn, Bob Grim and John Hagstrom. He also holds a Masters degree in trumpet performance from the University of Missouri.
During his academic studies, Andrew was a winner of the Wichita State University Concerto/Aria Competition and performed the Tartini Concerto in D with the WSU Symphony. He won the 2004 University of Missouri Concerto Competition and performed the J.F. Fasch Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo with the University Philharmonic. He was a recipient of the MU Emerging Artist Award, and appeared as a featured soloist with the University of Missouri Trumpet Ensemble at the 2004 International Trumpet Guild convention in Denver, CO, performing the Concerto in E-flat by G.H. Stölzel.
In 2010, Andrew won the Principal Trumpet chair with the Fort Collins Symphony, performing to acclaim Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 on his first Masterworks Concert. He was granted full tenure after his first full season in 2011, and went on to appear with FCS as a featured Guest Artist performing Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat.
While in Colorado, Andrew was also Principal Trumpet with the Colorado Bach Ensemble, Opera Fort Collins and Canyon Concert Ballet. He has also appeared regularly with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, Greeley Philharmonic, Pro Musica Colorado and Cheyenne Symphony. As a chamber player, Andrew is Co-Principal Trumpet with the Apollo Chamber Brass, as well as a member of the Boulder Brass. He has also appeared with the Denver Brass, Epic Brass Quintet, Wichita Brass Quintet and the University of Missouri Faculty Brass Quintet. He has been a trumpet lecturer at the University of Northern Colorado and is also in demand as a featured soloist and clinician.
Andrew enjoys spending free time arranging music for trumpet, brass quintet and large brass ensemble. He is a three-time World Champion (self-given title) Cribbage player. He also has an affinity for the game of baseball, and faithfully carries on the Bishop family tradition of being loyal St. Louis Cardinals fans.
In addition to his position with the Des Moines Symphony, since relocating to Kansas City, he has performed with the Kansas City Symphony and Wichita Symphony Orchestra. He lives in Olathe, KS with his wife Jillian, and their Puggles, Bella and Matai.


text:
Texas Library Association
TLA Governance
TLA FAQs
Contact TLA
TLA Engage
Support the Profession
TLA Jobline
Join TLA
Maximize Your Membership
Texas Legislative Session
TALL Texans
TLA Summit
Annual Assembly
Texas Library Connection
A-Z Training for Your Library Team
Ticketed Author Sessions
Preconferences
Health & Safety Protocol
Presentation Opportunities
Authors Area
TLA Awards & Scholarships
Unit Awards & Scholarships
TLA Groups
Texas Council of Academic Libraries
Libraries Transform Texas
Retention & Recruitment
TLA Officer Resources
TLA Talks: Legal & Policy Issues Related to Materials Challenges
« New Member Round Table Online Social
New Member Round Table Online Social »
Materials challenges in school and public libraries are increasing at a dramatic rate in Texas and around the country. In the heat of this public outcry, librarians are seeking tools and resources to support their efforts to keep books on the shelves. But the legal and policy issues can be confusing and complicated. At this TLA Talks, experts will provide information on legal precedents, how librarians can protect themselves, and their students' and patrons' right to read.
Presenters: Joy Baskin, Director of Legal Services, Texas Association of School Boards; Theresa Chmara, General Counsel, Freedom to Read Foundation; and Megan Santee, Attorney, Denton Navarro Rocha Bernal & Zech, P.C.
Moderator: Mary Woodard, Director of Library Services, Mesquite ISD.
Joy Baskin has been the Director of Legal Services of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) for 16 years and before that she worked as an attorney in TASB's Legal Services division for eight years. As director, Joy plans and oversees the activities of ten attorneys, a policy consultant, and four support staff. TASB Legal Services provides legal information through online publications, phone consultations, and live and online training for Texas public school officials, along with specialized services for education service centers and community colleges. She is the chair of the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys and a member of the School Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.
Theresa Chmara is an attorney in Washington, DC, and the General Counsel of the Freedom to Read Foundation. She is the author of Privacy and Confidentiality Issues: A Guide for Libraries and their Lawyers (ALA 2009). She has been a First Amendment lawyer for over thirty years and is a frequent speaker on intellectual freedom issues in libraries. She is a contributing author for the Intellectual Freedom Manual published by the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association. She also served as an instructor for the Lawyers for Libraries training seminars and an instructor for the American Library Association First Amendment and Library Services E-Course.
Megan Santee is an Attorney with 20 years of municipal legal experience including serving as an assistant city attorney, executive director of a Municipal Housing Authority, assistant director of Planning and Community Development, and as a director of Public Works. She is experienced in litigation, appeals, local government and municipal law, Texas Public Information Act, Open Meetings Act, ordinance and resolution drafting, personnel policies, and employment issues. She also has legal experience as a Briefing Attorney for the Eleventh District Court of Appeals and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern District.
Mary Woodard, Texas Library Association president-elect, is the Director of Library Services for Mesquite ISD She is responsible for supervising district processing center staff, designing professional development for librarians, establishing, and implementing a vision for school libraries. She has more than 30 years of experience as a school librarian.
JOBLINE
3420 Executive Center Drive, Suite 301
E: tla@txla.org
Site by Monkee-Boy
Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Please accept the use of cookies. Review our privacy policy if you have any questions. Accept Read More


text:
The Center for Brooklyn History is now providing grab and go lobby service for Brooklyn Public Library materials. See below for details. CBH is also offering digital exhibitions, archives and events featuring Brooklyn's vibrant history.
Learn more about grab and go lobby service at CBH here.
Visit the Center for Brooklyn History at our historic landmarked building on Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights, home to the Othmer Library. Use the map below to plan your visit. For detailed directions, click here.
CBH Pierrepont Lobby Service
Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm
CBH Pierrepont
Monday to Sunday Closed
CBH Pierrepont Gift Shop
Othmer Library
Attend a virtual event
Join us online for expanded and enriched series of public programs exploring Brooklyn's history and many more subjects.
Explore our new Muslims in Brooklyn website
Listen to the stories of Muslim Brooklynites through this new interactive online resource. Hear how these stories, collected as part of the multi-year Muslims in Brooklyn project, connect to broad historical and cultural themes.
Explore our online collections
The Center for Brooklyn History is home to the most expansive collection of materials relating to Brooklyn's history in the world. Search through thousands of photographs, maps, objects, oral history collections, and more.
The Othmer Library Reading Room is currently closed. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2021. Until then, please get in touch through the information below.
The Center for Brooklyn History is ADA accessible.
128 Pierrepont Street building
Entrance: The accessible entrance is adjacent to the main entrance at 128 Pierrepont Street.
Galleries: All levels of the museum are accessible by elevator.
Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are located on the lower level. Brooklyn Historical Society offers a visual description of the building for people who are blind or partially sighted through New York Beyond Sight.
Service animals are welcome at 128 Pierrepont Street.
Visitors are welcome to take photographs of the building, exhibitions, and objects except where otherwise noted. Use of flash, monopods, tripods, and selfie sticks is not permitted.
Eating and drinking is not allowed in any of the galleries. Thank you for your cooperation.
Thank you for smoking outside at a reasonable distance from the building.
While we encourage the use of mobile devices to access information about the collections, please do not place or receive phone calls in the galleries or library.
Luggage and Oversized Bags
At our main site on Pierrepont Street, please store luggage and oversize bags in the free lockers on the first floor.
Sketching and Note-Taking
Please feel free to be creative and take notes. We ask that you use pencils only. Should you need one, please ask at the front desk.


looking for a 1960s seamaster. any thoughts on the authenticity?
Is this a fake Vintage omega seamaster??
Watchco sm300 - notch in bezel? and polished?
New member - old watch - how old?
Help With Vintage Seamaster - Is It Real?
Bracelet for Constellation 14900-62 SC?
Ebay Ultraman "Best Example In The World"
Speedmaster 125 bracelet screws help please!
Noob question - What does reference mean exactly?
La Generale - Successeur de L 's BRANDT & FRÈRE. A piece of Omega history?
Anyone knows what model omega quartz this is?
Omega - 1940s 30T2? Bullseye - Frankenwatch?
De Luxe or not ?
What do you think about there bukles?
Help me win a bet - fake or not?
Anyone have a CK2039 XXL (Giant/Jumbo)?
Considering buying. Is it fake?
any thoughts on whether this is real? just starting to buy some vintage watches.


text:
class Wrapped_ID3D12Device;
class Wrapped_ID3D12RootSignatureCreateInfo;

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/// Utility function used to wrap the D3D12 interface.
/// \param inParentDevice The parent device for the interface.
/// \param inRealRootSignature The real runtime instance of the D3D12 interface.
/// \param inCreateInfo A structure containing the interface creation info.
/// \returns True if the interface was wrapped successfully.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
bool WrapD3D12RootSignature(Wrapped_ID3D12Device* inParentDevice, ID3D12RootSignature** inRealRootSignature, Wrapped_ID3D12RootSignatureCreateInfo* inCreateInfo = nullptr);

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/// A class used to wrap D3D12's ID3D12RootSignature interface.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
class Wrapped_ID3D12RootSignature : public ID3D12RootSignature
{
public:
    //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// Default constructor accepts the real runtime instance.
    /// \param inRealRootSignature The real runtime instance being wrapped.
    //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Wrapped_ID3D12RootSignature(ID3D12RootSignature* inRealRootSignature) { mRealRootSignature = inRealRootSignature; }

    //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// Default destructor.
    //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    virtual ~Wrapped_ID3D12RootSignature() {}

    // IUnknown
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE QueryInterface(REFIID riid, void** ppvObject);
    virtual ULONG STDMETHODCALLTYPE AddRef();
    virtual ULONG STDMETHODCALLTYPE Release();

    // ID3D12Object
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE GetPrivateData(REFGUID guid, UINT* pDataSize, void* pData);
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE SetPrivateData(REFGUID guid, UINT DataSize, const void* pData);
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE SetPrivateDataInterface(REFGUID guid, const IUnknown* pData);
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE SetName(LPCWSTR Name);

    // ID3D12DeviceChild
    virtual HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE GetDevice(REFIID riid, void** ppvDevice);

    ID3D12RootSignature* mRealRootSignature;        ///< The real runtime instance being wrapped.
};

#endif // WRAPPED_ID3D12ROOTSIGNATURE_H


Material: Leather, PP Leather, Rexine, Fabric, Leatherite.
We offer variety of High Back Executive chairs, which are made from premium quality material. These chairs have been made while giving attention to each minute detail enabling them to have a regal look. These elegant looking chairs are highly suitable and appropriate for any executive cabin. We are looking queries for Delhi/NCR region.
With a main aim to accomplish high level of patron trust, we have been engrossed in providing a vast assortment of High Back Executive Chair.
We are offering High Back Executive Chair.
high back chair, Pu arms, chrome plated pipe frame and base, gas lift, seat and back leatherite tapestry.
Our clients can avail from us a wide array of best quality Black Executive Chairs. The offered chairs can be availed from us in various sizes and pattern according to the need of clients. Highly acclaimed for its high load bearing capability and fine finishing, this product is offered at very reasonable rates.


No Stairs in this ground floor 2 bed 2 full washroom townhouse in gated Berkshyre Gardens with s/c garage and one exterior parking all within walking distance to shops, services and transit. Roofs were replaced in 2011 and privacy fences replaced in 2012, also complex allows 2 pets. Upon entering this cozy unit you will see the elegant gas fireplace in the living room with 81x27 inch knockout and adjacent spacious dining room with pass through to large kitchen which has room for breakfast table and has access to the private 9x13 south facing patio. Master bedroom is a good size with access to its own private patio, shower ensuite and walk-in closet. The second bedroom has a spacious closet as well.
Listing Brokerage Omax Realty Ltd.


text:
Change At What Cost?
So, I guess none of us can use the expression, as I sit here today, anymore. Donald has blown up the government, and, in turn, the country, as we sit here yesterday, today, and tomorrow, until the fool is either impeached, imprisoned, or not re-elected. Mulvaney has indicated that he's willing to shut the government down again in a few days over the ridiculous and ill-advised border wall. And, I read yesterday that not all federal workers have been reimbursed. The shutdown cost billions, but Donald doesn't care, not as long as he gets his wall.
This is what we've been reduced to. Parenting a 72-year-old man who hasn't lived in reality for, in all likelihood, his entire life. Holding our breath while he tweets policy that the rest of his administration has no idea about. He doesn't read intelligence briefings or pay attention when anyone tells him anything.
And for that, his supporters cheer.
He's draining the swamp putting multi-millionaires and billionaires in charge of it all.
But as his supporters discover, like many Americans, that they're either going to owe the government additional tax money on April 15th or that their typical tax refund will be pennies on the dollar, will the cheering stop? Or will they fall in line with the biggest lie of all?
He never meant to make the country great again. He only meant to score business deals around the world. Which is what he's doing now. Just think about how many trademarks his daughter has received from China. Just think about the $100,000 of campaign contributions used to pay attorneys on behalf of her husband, a millionaire in his own right. Did supporters realize when they were buying their MAGA hats that their money would be going for legal fees for the son-in-law? Did they know it was all a grift?
Oh, we sure have some change here, but change at what cost? Donald has undone everything he can possibly do that President Obama and other Presidents accomplished for the country. And because he has no clue how to run a country, he can't see the benefit of those policies and programs and how undoing all of it sets us back to a dangerous place. It may take decades to fix the damage from the environmental impact alone, never mind the impact of his tariffs on regular Americans.
He's the useful idiot, a person so filled with greed that he can be manipulated by anyone singing his praises. He emulates dictators and creates policies which respond to their every desire. The country does not matter, only his bottom line.
He appears so beholden to Saudi Arabia that he cannot bring himself to condemn them for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi even though his intelligence advisors have given him proof. He appears so beholden to Putin that sanctions have been lifted on Manafort's buddy, Deripaska. Quid pro quo? But for what, exactly? Are the allegations of money laundering true? Has he been laundering money for Russian oligarchs to build his fortune?
Or is there a fortune at all?
At the end of the day, I believe we'll find that any fortune is an illusion and that anything he's achieved has been done so at the expense of this country in one fashion or another. Whether it's hiring undocumented immigrants at his golf courses, all while claiming that employers who do so should be massively fined, or it's violating the emoluments clause prohibiting a president from making money off the office, the Republican Party has allowed this guy to run amok while they gleefully get everything they want.
Changes in the tax code to suit the rich…check.
Two SCOTUS judges who will overturn Roe v. Wade…check.
Environmental protections…gone…to make corporations happy…check.
Increasing racism and an us versus them attitude to keep everyone at each other's throats to distract from how he's destroying everything…check.
Destroying the financial security of millions of federal workers…check.
And the list goes on. Notice that I didn't add anything about the border wall because other than folks like Steve King, I'm not convinced that Republicans actually want the thing. What's happening to the immigrant children at the border may eventually bring charges of crimes against humanity, and yet Republicans are silent, so who knows?
At some point, the nightmare will be over, however, the clean-up may take decades. And for what? Are all the Republicans in Congress compromised in some manner? Or are they simply shameless and craven? But whether they remain in office or possibly take up residence in a prison cell, their damaging legacy will affect us for years to come. The stain alone over ripping children away from their parents, the worst legacy of all.
So, I'll ask again. Change at what cost?
Originally published at www.imsteppingaside.com on February 10, 2019.
Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos
Interrogating the future of digital democracies
12 Limitations of Western Democracy
Truman Project
Truman Doctrine Blog
Promoting Engagement throughout the World Without Sacrificing our Values at Home
Noah Dunlap
Biden vs. Trump Hosted By Joe Rogan Would Be Phenomenal
The Republican Party And Primary Elections
Robert Stribley
A Generous Assessment of Why Donald Trump Retweets Bigots
The Poison In Politics
Lavadakormanrpc
From a model to a source of chaos: the defects of the American democratic system have become a…


text:
Xbox & PC – "Let our powers combine"
Opinion 03/12/2016
OPINION – Microsoft finally realized something that console manufacturers should have recognized much earlier in my opinion. Nowadays it's common to see a console that already has lower specs than a PC even before it launches. This is why the Redmond-based company wants to have a different strategy.
Maybe the Xbox 360 was the last console that made the games look better on consoles than on an average PC. Also the PlayStation 3 with its Cell processor. Today, the roles are reversed. Even a 400-dollar, low-budget PC can provide graphics and quality as high as a current-gen console in a multiplatform title. The framerate can also be better than on a PS4 or X1. However, if this said game isn't optimized for PC, which can be quite common, then it's not our fault but instead the developers' (or those who ported the game to the computer). Remember last year's farce with Mortal Kombat X and Batman Arkham Knight. MKX isn't even supported on the PC anymore, so Mortal Kombat XL (the game with the two Kombat Packs) isn't even available on PC, just on PS4 and X1…
UWA!
No, I do not mean the Japanese "wow", but instead, the Universal Windows Application. This is Microsoft's plan to make games run both on PC and Xbox One, putting both platforms under one roof. This idea was announced by none other than Xbox-boss Phil Spencer. Therefore, we can't even call this fake information. What does this UWA-plan mean?
Well, UWAs would bring backward compatibility similar to PCs, allowing us to run older games on our Xbox One in the future. Let's say you like the old SCUMM-engine games on PC. You can somewhat easily just get them to run on your brand new computer. (maybe you'll need DOSBox, though) You'd like to play say, Day of the Tentacle before the remastered version releases. You can do it. However, on the Xbox One, it's impossible to put a classic Xbox disc in and play. Sure, there's some Xbox 360-compatibility, but that is not the point I'm trying to make.
Spencer says UWAs will allow an easy way to walk between PCs, consoles, tablets, and smartphones. It would still be weird to see Halo run on our phone, though!
We expected Microsoft to do something like this, as it's been a while since they said that Windows 10 will get a Xbox app.
Why is it a good thing that the Xbox is "PC-ing"? First off, the hardware isn't going to be fixed. Microsoft can upgrade the hardware and – hopefully – release newer "consoles" at the same price, making the upgrade sensible every 1-1.5 years. However, the term console generation would cease to exist. From when would we call the new Microsoft product part of the next generation? After one upgrade? Two upgrades? Can we even call the new Xbox a console? We could only think about this; answers are nowhere near to be seen here.
The other positive thing is the obvious backward compatibility. However, multiplatform titles need to be developed as UWA-s in that case. This would have potential: both the PS4 and the X1 have x86 architectures, and we use x64 on PC, as it's common to have more than 4 gigs of RAM in our computers. But wait… UWAs would put Microsoft into a monopoly status as PlayStation would be forced to run UWAs for its multiplatform titles. Unless… Sony teams up with another company to follow Microsoft. (For this move, Sony would need a company that manufactures both motherboards and graphics cards – CPU would be probably AMD-based. But then again, GPUs are both AMDs in recent consoles…)
The backside of it is one question: what the heck is going to happen with older consoles then? Should we keep selling the older consoles to buy the updated ones? Are we forced to throw out multiple hundred dollars every few years? Many people have consoles as they couldn't afford or cannot be bothered always to upgrade the computer to have games run normally. Microsoft would set a trap for themselves with this step. Sony would get a chance to rule even more, but the situation would be even more inside-out. Nintendo is not competing against Sony with their consoles and they released the Wii U a year before the PS4 and X1. The NX would also be out earlier than the next-gen hardware. The PlayStation 4 will be in a vacuum if the Xbox starts to go down the PC route. Sony would be alone. That would not pull the best out of the Japanese company. In the 90s, Nintendo and SEGA always tried to compete directly against each other and thus, they kept providing the best they had. Then Sony and Microsoft entered the market changing everything.
And again, where would we draw the line of the next console generation? Would we even get to see the tenth generation?
…also, this might be a little farfetched, but what if this ends up as another 1983?
I don't know how "PC-ing" will change the future of consoles, but because of Microsoft, I'm afraid of a few things, like a required internet connection. Windows 10 doesn't seem that safe to me, and this idea is similarly risky. The constant upgrading must have a reason for the PR speech.
Let's wait until this starts up – I would not decide too early. It might be good. It might be bad.
Tagged consoleMicrosoftmultiplatformPCPlayStation 4PS4SCUMM engineUniversal Windows ApplicationUWAX1Xbox 360Xbox One
Grabbing controllers since the middle of the nineties. Mostly he has no idea what he does – and he loves Diablo III. (Not.)
Mission Impossible Top List – The Hair-Raising Action Series From Worst to Best
Bringing Fantasy to Life – The Challenges, Triumphs, and Failures of Video Game Adaptations


Since 2004, I have been making an indie pop comp for my birthday (prior entries into the series includes Ides of April, Glide, Bees Knees, Carousel, Treehouse, Walking Through Walls, Roam the Breezy Pastures, Now That I'm Older, Alien Ways, and Memory Machine). This year's comp is called Sound Eclipse. All songs are from 2012-2013. As usual for this series, I think it is relatively accessible, and much of it may be familiar to the indie music followers among you.


text:
Q: how to write new xml file with same header I have an xml file with this as the header
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type='text/xsl' href='\\segotn12805\ppr\PPRData3\StyleSheet\PPRData3.xslt'?>

when I modify the file I use .write (for example)
mytree.write('output.xml')

but the output file does not contain the header info.
The first two lines of the output file look like this
<ns0:pprdata xmlns:ns0="http://ManHub.PPRData">
  <ns0:Group name="Models">

any ideas on how I can add the header info to the output file?

A: The first line is the XML declaration. It is optional, and a parser will assume UTF-8 if not specified.
The second line is a processing instruction.
It would be helpful if you provided more code to show what you are doing, but I suspect that you are using ElementTree. The documentation has this note indicating that by default these are skipped:

Note Not all elements of the XML input will end up as elements of the parsed tree. Currently, this module skips over any XML comments, processing instructions, and document type declarations in the input. Nevertheless, trees built using this module's API rather than parsing from XML text can have comments and processing instructions in them; they will be included when generating XML output. A document type declaration may be accessed by passing a custom TreeBuilder instance to the XMLParser constructor.

As suggested in this answer, you might want to try using lxml

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Lucifer season 5 : coming soon: spin-off ? The showrunner reveals his ideas
magictr | November 12, 2019 | Entertainment | No Comments
Lucifer : soon to be spin-off after season 5 ? The showrunner reveals his ideas
And if the season 5 Lucifer isn't really the end of this universe if particular worn by Tom Ellis ? The showrunner of the series available on Netflix just admit it, it is already prepared to extend it through different spin-off.
Lucifer come back for a season 5 on Netflix in 2020, but it will unfortunately be the last of the series. However, nothing says that it will be really the end of this universe. At the micro Tele-Loisirs, Joe Henderson, co-showrunner, has in fact opened the door… to a spin-off.
Lucifer was ready to decline ?
Asked by the site about a possible new project "centered on one of the characters at the end of the series, "Joe Henderson astonishment said : "Oh yes, it has a number of good stories !" And this topic seems to truly be passionate about, since it is then assigned on of these famous ideas.
"For example, Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) is an excellent character to make a spin-off. But also Eve (Inbar Lavi), now that it has installed its story in season 4, with his journey and his discovery," he declared. Not enough for you to pack ? This is not serious, he has other original concepts in mind : "Or, a mystery series centered on a duet for a male with Amenadiel (D. B. Woodside) and Dan (Kevin Alejandro). You have a lot of ideas of absurd and others more interesting because we have amazing characters who could each be the main character of a series."
Convince the streaming platform ? Hard to say. After all, despite the incredible support of the fans, Netflix has strangely not hesitate to cancel Lucifer. Therefore, start to cross your fingers (in addition to you prepare to watch the future episodes) to hope for such a miracle.
You season 2 : Joe found his new target in the trailer
Died legendary actor Rutger Hauer
Sponge Bob, the movie : Bob and Patrick set off on an adventure in the trailer
Tina won one of the most mysterious places on the planet: "Goddess of the canyon"


today was phenomenal as we hit the only tropical forest in the US national forest system - el yunque. muy bonita! we hiked to some gorgeous falls and breathed in the delicious air.
i've included two photos of my puerto rican adventure - one of the lovely wedding cake and another of me shopping in old san juan. the wedding cake was soooo gorgeous that i had to snap a shot and beau took this candid of me shopping away in this ultra european district of puerto rico.
after we returned from our excursion today, i spent 3 hours drafting long overdue e-mails as i had accumulated quite a backlog (my apologies). beau watched that game with some ball that peeps were all excited about while i awaited the always fab performance by prince (ok, he probably needs no link but i thought you would enjoy the photos). oh, and by the way, if you haven't seen him in concert yet, you must. his passion brings tears to my eyes every time as he is a very impressive performer who connects beautifully with his audience.
tomorow we return to dc and i'm homebound until i lead our annual spring blossom retreat the first weekend of march. it's been a fun journey here in puerto rico and i'm very enamored with this island of enchantment (that's what their license plates say) where everyone (especially boys) have impressively groomed eyebrows. come here, you'll immediately see what i mean. ciao for now!
love the outfit in your shopping pic ... very chic, tres Audrey!


PSPCL surpassed the record of highest ever energy supplied during a day on 04-08-2018, when it supplied 2749 LUs of energy. Unrelenting hot and relatively dry weather conditions have increased energy requirements, so much that even on Saturday, when many of the government offices, public institutions, colleges and schools etc are not working due to weekend holiday in state, a new record of highest ever energy supplied in a day was set.
While disclosing, this achievement, Er. Baldev Singh Sran, CMD, PSPCL said with a ray of smile on his face that PSPCL has beaten its own record of highest ever energy supplied during a day with supply of as high as 2749 LUs of energy within state and in addition sold 6 LU in power exchange @ Rs. 6.78 per unit. Peak demand on this day touched 12059 MW. Earlier also, PSPCL had set a new record on 10-07-2018, when it supplied 2745 LUs of energy and 12556 MW of peak power demand was met.
Er. Sran further added that despite such huge energy demand and shortfall in availability of hydro power, PSPCL is supplying uninterrupted 8 hour supply to agriculture consumers also and no cut on general and industrial consumers is imposed.
Er. Sran assured that PSPCL have made all the necessary arrangements of power supply during these extreme weather conditions and due to round the clock monitoring, PSPCL is well prepared to continue to meet with the expectations of the people of Punjab during this scorching and humid weather conditions in future too.


text:
This article was published on October 22, 2021
Conservatives say Twitter suppresses their voices. Twitter says it amplifies them
Color me surprised
Thomas Macaulay
Writer at Neural by TNW — Thomas covers AI in all its iterations. Likes Werner Herzog films and Arsenal FC. Writer at Neural by TNW — Thomas covers AI in all its iterations. Likes Werner Herzog films and Arsenal FC.
It's tough being a conservative on Twitter. Everywhere you look, those damn liberals are censoring right-wingers for dropping truth bombs based on facts, not feelings.
At least, that's what I've heard from conservative pundits and politicians. The reality, however, appears to be rather different.
A new study by Twitter found that the platform's algorithms actually amplify right-wing voices.
The research revealed that tweets from right-wing politicians and news outlets are both amplified on Twitter's algorithmically ranked Home timeline. However, the social network isn't sure why.
Rumman Chowdhury, the head of Twitter's machine learning, ethics, transparency and accountability team, tweeted that the company will now investigate the causes:
Twitter is a sociotechnical system — our [algorithms] are responsive to what's happening. What's next is a root cause analysis — is this unintended model bias? Or is this a function of what and how people tweet, and things that are happening in the world? Or both?
Twitter is a sociotechnical system – our algos are responsive to what's happening. What's next is a root cause analysis – is this unintended model bias? Or is this a function of what & how people tweet, and things that are happening in the world? Or both? 6/n
— Rumman Chowdhury (@ruchowdh) October 21, 2021
The first part of the study examined millions of tweets by elected officials in seven countries (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US).
In every country other than Germany, tweets from accounts on the political right received higher algorithmic amplification than those on the political left when studied as a group.
Notably, however, the recommender systems did not amplify extreme ideologies over more moderate ones. Per the study paper:
We found that in countries where far-left or far-right parties have substantial representation among elected officials (e.g. VOX in Spain, Die Linke and AfD in Germany, LFI and RN in France) the amplification of these parties is generally lower than that of moderate/centrist parties in the same country.
The researchers used public, third-party sources, such as official institutional websites, to identify the account's political party affiliation. Credit: Twitter
The researchers also analyzed whether the recommendation algorithms amplify political content from news outlets in the US. To this, they examined hundreds of millions of Tweets containing links to articles shared by people on Twitter.
They found that right-leaning news sources were also favoured by the algorithmic system.
The outlets were categorized based on media bias ratings from two independent organizations, AllSides and Ad Fontes Media. Credit: Twitter
Twitter's study is not the first to contradict the claim that conservatives are suppressed on social media. Or the second. Or the third.
It is, however, unusual for a platform to share so much internal research into algorithmic recommendations. I find it hard to imagine Facebook providing similar transparency.
Published October 22, 2021 - 4:39 pm UTC