School Vouchers and Student Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from Washington,DC

School vouchers are the most contentious form of parental school choice. Vouchers provide government funds that parents can use to send their children to private schools of their choice. Here we examine the empirical question of whether or not a school voucher program in Washington, DC, affected achievement or the rate of high school graduation for participating students. The District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) has operated in the nation's capital since 2004, funded by a federal government appropriation. Because the program was oversubscribed in its early years of operation, and vouchers were awarded by lottery, we were able to use the “gold standard” evaluation method of a randomized experiment to determine what impacts the OSP had on student outcomes. Our analysis revealed compelling evidence that the DC voucher program had a positive impact on high school graduation rates, suggestive evidence that the program increased reading achievement, and no evidence that it affected math achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of recent policy developments including the reauthorization of the OSP and the enactment or expansion of more than a dozen school voucher or voucher‐type programs throughout the United States in 2011 and 2012.     

Male Victims of Domestic Violence

Most studies regarding DV focused mainly on female victims. To gain more insight into the problems male victims encounter, this study investigated the characteristics of this group in the Netherlands. Adult male victims of DV filled out an online questionnaire regarding the characteristics of the abuse (N?=?372). When men are victims of DV, they are physically as well as psychologically abused with the female (ex)-partners often being their perpetrator. The most important reason for men not to report the abuse is the belief the police would not take any action. Our findings suggest society should be aware that men are also victims of DV and feel the need to talk about it and desire support.     

21世纪东盟与非盟合作的必要性分析

21世纪非盟与东盟为彼此之间共同利益加强合作是全球一体化趋势的结果。分享发展理念和科学技术交流已成为双方合作的重要领域,也是保持社会经济持续发展的关键。因此,要优先考虑东盟国家和非盟之间的合作,两个区域组织的国家要充分利用彼此资源和人力资本,融入技术进步和产业发展中,利用知识创造的产品和服务,有效地解决各自发展中所面临的挑战,以进一步保持经济持续增长。此外,东盟中新加坡和马来西亚的发展经验证明,可通过采取有效的发展战略促进社会经济的持续增长。因此,这为面临类似的发展挑战的非洲所借鉴,可促进其经济的快速增长。     

Persistent Retinal Iron in Abusive Head Trauma

Retinal hemosiderin deposition is a histologic indicator of sustained hemorrhage but cannot be used to precisely estimate the elapsed time since an episode of trauma. A 5‐month‐old male infant was admitted to hospital after acute deterioration. Examination revealed encephalopathy, subdural hematomas, and retinal hemorrhages consistent with abusive head trauma (AHT). At the age of 3, he was readmitted to hospital with spontaneous osteopenic fracture of the right femur. The patient deteriorated and died after unsuccessful resuscitation. Ophthalmopathological investigation showed atrophy of the retina and optic nerve and hemosiderin deposition in both eyes. Retinal hemosiderin deposition is currently generally assumed to disappear within 6–8 weeks after the occurrence of hemorrhage in AHT. This case report describes an infant with bilateral retinal hemosiderin depositions due to hemorrhages sustained from AHT occurring 32 months prior to death. Implications of this finding for the interpretation of retinal hemosiderin depositions in AHT are discussed.