The Potential Impact of Undiagnosed Vision Impairment on Reading Development in the Early Years of School

This article presents a critical review of the literature surrounding the potential impact of undiagnosed and untreated vision impairment on reading development in the early years of primary school. Despite pre-school screening programmes, it is still possible for children to enter school with undiagnosed, uncorrected vision impairments. This can be due to healthcare access issues for children. Data reviewed indicated correlations between hyperopic vision impairment and poor reading development. However, the relationships reported remain complex, with myopic vision impairment being reported to correlate with high reading ability in some studies. In addition, correlation does not necessarily imply causation. Previous research in the field is reported. Deficiencies in the current literature base are discussed. Finally, recommendations for teaching practice and the nature of research that explores whether vision impairment is the cause of poor reading development for some children in school are suggested.     

Does Merit Aid Program Design Matter? A Cross-Cohort Analysis

Twenty-one US states currently offer some form of merit-based postsecondary financial aid, although the generosity and eligibility requirements of merit aid programs varies from state to state. This article uses nationally representative data from high school students in the early 1990s and the early 2000s to evaluate the relationship between the design of merit aid programs and their effects on student achievement and college trajectories. The findings suggest that programs that guarantee full tuition to recipients have greater effects on students’ high school course-taking and college choice than less generous programs. Further, I find provisional evidence to suggest that programs with relatively simple merit-based eligibility requirements are more effective than programs with more complex means-tested eligibility requirements.