KU ScholarWorks

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Recent Submissions

Open Access
Investigating Predictive Bias in Curriculum-Based Measures of Oral Reading Fluency and its Consequences
(University of Kansas, 2024-05-31) Izzo, James Ryan
Curriculum-based measurements (CBM) are used in schools to screen students for academic difficulties. Oral reading fluency curriculum-based measures (CBM-R) are the most popular, yet several studies have identified predictive bias in CBM-Rs in relation to key variables (e.g., race, sex). Despite a massive increase in the use of these measures as screeners, studies of predictive bias have not been conducted recently, and studies have not quantified how predictive bias may affect decisions about students. The present study used moderated multiple regression (MMR) to investigate if predictive bias was present in third (n = 484) and fifth (n = 460) grade student CBM-R data as tied to key demographic variables (e.g., sex, ethnicity/race, socio-economic status). From the analyses of third grade data, slope bias was identified in relation to sex. CMB-Rs predicted Kansas Assessment Program English Language Arts exam (KAP ELA) scores slightly better for girls than for boys. Ethnicity/race and lunch status led to statistically significant intercept bias. White students’ predicted KAP ELA reading scores were underestimated by CBM-Rs while African American and Hispanic students’ predicted KAP ELA reading scores were overestimated by CBM-Rs. Predicted scores of students paying for lunch were underestimated. Predicted scores of students receiving free/reduced lunch were overestimated. From the fifth grade analyses, slope bias was found for ethnicity/race. CBM-Rs predicted KAP ELA reading scores better for White students than for African American students. Lunch status also led to statistically significant intercept bias. Predicted scores of students paying for lunch were underestimated while predicted scores of students receiving free/reduced lunch were overestimated. Next, this study determined how many students were affected by predictive bias by comparing the number of students identified as non-proficient readers by common and group specific regression equations and cut scores. When group optimal cut scores were used versus a common cut score, the number of White third grade students identified decreased by 37%, but the number of Hispanic and African American students identified remained the same. When group optimal cut scores were used, the number of high SES third grade students identified decreased by 38%, while the number of low SES third students identified increased by 20%. For fifth grade students, the number of high SES students identified decreased by 27% while the number of low SES students identified increased by 16%. The practical implication of these findings is that when students are screened, some are either not receiving the necessary services or are wrongly receiving unnecessary services based on group status. As a screening tool, CBM-Rs need to be reviewed within the context of educational decision-making processes to safeguard against misidentification and to ensure proper provision of services.
Open Access
Exploring the Association Between E-Broker Services and Consumer Choice
(Institute for Policy & Social Research, The University of Kansas, 2025-11-20) Ginther, Donna; Onasch, Whitney; Wedel, Xan
This report examines how services offered by SelectQuote enhance access to insurance information and expand consumer choice, particularly for Medicare-eligible individuals and those in rural, underserved, and low-income areas. SelectQuote has operated for nearly four decades, connecting consumers with a wide range of insurance plans through a network of brokers who provide no-cost guidance, price comparisons, and policy recommendations. In recent years, a growing share of SelectQuote’s business has focused on Medicare insurance, with many clients living in rural communities and facing barriers to accessing traditional insurance brokers. This analysis explores whether and how SelectQuote’s services contribute to a more competitive and consumer-friendly insurance market. Specifically, it investigates the availability of knowledgeable brokers and insurance plan options across rural and small-town America, whether e-broker services help narrow rural-urban disparities in access to high-quality information, and whether SelectQuote services are reaching low-income seniors.
Open Access
Strategies to Reduce Secondary School Dropout in Rural Paraguay
(Geography of Education Policy Analysis Lab, University of Kansas, 2025-12-01) Chamorro, Rocio; Mann, Bryan
Secondary school dropout remains a significant challenge in Paraguay, particularly in rural areas where poverty, geographic barriers, limited inclusive education services, and a curriculum disconnected from local realities shape students’ decisions to leave school. This policy brief, produced by the Geography of Education Policy Analysis Lab (GEPAL) at the University of Kansas, outlines evidence-based strategies to improve retention in rural secondary education. Recommended actions include strengthening school feeding programs through the integration of edible forests, implementing peer tutoring and structured bilingual mentorship programs, and promoting locally managed school transportation systems supported by municipal funds. These low-cost interventions build on existing programs and have the potential to increase attendance, enhance educational relevance, and expand learning opportunities for rural adolescents, thus contributing to a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable secondary education system.
Open Access
Metabolites derived from bacterial isolates of the human skin microbiome inhibit Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation
(American Society for Microbiology, 2025-9-2) Le, Viet Hoang; King, Tetyana; Wuerzberger, Breanna; Bauer, Olivia R.; Carver, Megan N.; Chan, Tiffany S.; Henson, Annabeth L.; Hubbard, Grace K.; Kopadze, Tamar; Patterson, Claire F.; McGraw, Sabrina M.; O'Hara, Aidan; Yarkosky, Eryk J.; LaMontagne, Michael G.; Hotze, Eileen M.; Ferreira, Rosana
The human skin microbiome is a diverse ecosystem that can help prevent infections by producing biomolecules and peptides that inhibit growth and virulence of bacterial pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen responsible for diseases that range from acute skin and soft tissue infections to life-threatening septicemia. Its ability to form biofilms is a key virulence factor contributing to its success as a pathogen as well as to its increased antimicrobial resistance. Here, we investigated the ability of bacterial skin commensals to produce molecules that inhibit S. aureus biofilm formation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified 77 human skin microbiome bacterial isolates from Staphylococcus and Bacillus genera. Metabolites from cell-free concentrated media (CFCM) from 26 representative isolates were evaluated for their ability to inhibit biofilm formation by both methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) S. aureus strains. CFCM, derived from most of the isolates, inhibited biofilm formation to varying extents but did not inhibit planktonic growth of S. aureus. Size fractionation of the CFCM of three S. epidermidis isolates indicated that they produce different bioactive molecules. Cluster analysis, based on either MALDI-TOF mass spectra or whole-genome sequencing draft genomes, did not show clear clusters associated with levels of biofilm inhibition among S. epidermidis strains. Finally, similar biosynthetic gene clusters were detected in all S. epidermidis strains analyzed. These findings indicate that several bacterial constituents of the human skin microbiome display antibiofilm in vitro activity, warranting further investigation on their potential as novel therapeutic agents.
Open Access
Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Community-Based High-Intensity Functional Training for Adults with Mobility Disabilities and Overweight/Obesity: A Pilot Study
(MDPI AG, 2025-10-11) Koon, Lyndsie; Donnelly, Joseph E.; Sherman, Joseph R.; Rice, Anna or Annie; Clina, Julianne; Thyfault, John; Handlery, Reed; Handlery, Kaci; Crawford, Derek A.
Background: Preliminary evidence supports high-intensity functional training (HIFT) for improving various health outcomes in non-disabled adults with overweight/obesity. It remains unknown whether HIFT produces similar benefits in individuals who are overweight/obese and also have a mobility disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis)—a population disproportionately affected by obesity-related health conditions and systemic barriers to exercise. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 24-week HIFT intervention, delivered at community sites by certified trainers, for adults with mobility disabilities (MDs) who were overweight/obese. Methods: Twenty adults with MD and overweight/obesity (self-reported BMI 25–46 kg/m2) enrolled in a 24-week HIFT intervention (3 days/wk, 60 min sessions) delivered at four community-based facilities by certified trainers. Feasibility indicators included recruitment, retention, and attendance; adverse events were tracked. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated for changes in obesity-related measures, physical function, work capacity, and psychological measures from baseline to post-intervention. Results: Feasibility targets were met, with a recruitment rate of 72.2%, 76.9% retention, and 80.7% attendance. Thirteen adverse events occurred. Effects on obesity-related measures ranged from negligible to moderate, with stable weight/BMI, reduced waist circumference (45% ≥ 3 cm decrease), decreased body fat, and increased lean mass. Functional outcome effects ranged from small to large and included grip strength, balance, and walking speed. Large improvements were observed for the endurance, speed, work capacity, and self-reported physical function. Conclusions: A community-based HIFT program is feasible and may improve health outcomes in adults with MD and overweight/obesity.