Transcript High School Reform and the Achievement Gap: Do Limited

Addressing the Achievement Gap:
New Hope for K-12 University
Partnerships
Dr. Bernard Oliver, Director/Professor
Dr. Diane Archer-Banks, Program Coordinator
Diana Melendez, Doctoral Candidate
Sophie Maxis, Graduate Assistant
Jacqueline Basallo, Graduate Assistant
Mary Ann Primack, Graduate Assistant
A paper presented at the 48th Annual FASCD Conference
Nova Southeastern University, Orlando Campus
November 30, 2007
OVERVIEW
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Introductions
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High School Reform - Diane Archer-Banks
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Ninth Grade and Transition to High School Sophie Maxis
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Establishing Support for Beginning and
Experienced Teachers - Diane Archer-Banks
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Connecting Parents to Schools in Challenged
Communities - Diana Melendez
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Achievement Gap Strategies – Diana Melendez
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A Final Outcome: Scholarship Support and
Postsecondary Attendance – Jacqueline Basallo
Factors Associated with School Success
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Guaranteed and viable curriculum
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Challenging goals & effective feedback
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Parent and community involvement
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Safe & orderly environment
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Collegiality & professionalism
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Instructional strategies
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Classroom management
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Classroom curriculum design
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Home Environment
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Learned intelligence & background knowledge
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Motivation
(Morel, 2006)
Factors Influencing Achievement
Before/Beyond School
 Parental participation
 Student inability
 Birth weight
 Lead poisoning
 Hunger/Nutrition
 Reading to young children
 Television teaching
 Parent availability
(ETS, 2003)
Factors Influencing Achievement
School
 Rigor of curriculum
 Teacher quality
 Teacher experience & attendances
 Class size/technology assisted instruction
 School safety
(ETS, 2003)
Key Practices to Raising Student Achievement
in High Schools
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High expectations
Vocational/Career studies
Academic studies & contextualized teaching
Challenging programs of study
Integration of school-based and work based
learning
Teachers working together (learning communities)
Engaged students
Academic/Career guidance
Extra support for all
Continuous improvement data!!!
(SREB, 1998)
Successful “Beat the Odds” Schools
Instruction
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Clear goals
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Strong classroom management
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Differentiated instruction (based
on data)
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Opportunity to learn (challenging
& standards based
(Morel, 2006)
Successful “Beat the Odds” Schools
School Environment
 Clear rules for behavior
 Parental involvement
 High expectations - academic
press
(Morel, 2006)
Successful “Beat the Odds” Schools
Professional Community
 Targeted professional development
 Collaborative work -professional
learning communities (We versus
me)
 Teacher leadership opportunities
(Morel, 2006)
Successful “Beat the Odds” Schools
Leadership
 Clear/common vision, school
mission
 Clear focus for resources
 Maintaining instructional practice
 Organized change (policy &
culture)
(Morel, 2006)
9th Grade and Transition to High School
Key Point
Transition is a process, not an event
(Hertzog & Morgan, 1999)
Key Points for Transition Strategies
 Should be age-appropriate and continue to the end
of 9th grade
 Transition teams to include all stakeholders (parents,
teachers, administrators, students from middle and
high school level)
 Transition activities must start early in eighth grade
and occur about once a month
 Middle and high school principals need to
collaborate with stakeholders in the planning of
transition activities
 Professional learning communities to address the
distinct needs and develop action plans of teachers
and administrators from middle and high school levels
(NASSP, 2006)
Indicators of Successful Learning Communities
 Collaborative leadership for student success
 Principals are highly committed to shared leadership that
focuses on mission, vision, curriculum/instruction, assessment
and professional development
 Collaboratively developed values about adolescent
learners and success
 Strong community of learners (students, teachers,
administrators, parents and community members) working
together to determine needs, strategies and nurture
learning
 Fostering a culture of cooperation, trust, respect, support
and appreciation
 Organizational structures provide opportunities for frequent
and meaningful participation in leadership and decision
making
 Time, resources, professional development and support
necessary to facilitate collaboration
(NASSP, 2006)
Key Points for Framework
 Teams should have meaningful discussions about
pedagogy, student behavior and academic
performance
 Allow for reflection and dialogue that support best
practices
 Teaming lessens the feelings of isolation in teaching
profession
 Training should support collaboration
 Stakeholders should be involved in process to address
at least three critical questions:
 What are students expected to learn
 How will it be known when they learn it
 How to respond when students don’t learn it
(Mcintosh & White, 2006)
Key Points for Framework
 Core freshman area within school (classrooms,
locker, principal, counselor, common lunch
period)- freshman “academy”, “center’,
“wing”, “house”, seminar
 Teams of core ninth grade teachers
 Common preparation time for core ninth grade
teachers
 Strong collaboration between middle school
and ninth grade counselors
(McIntosh & White, 2006)
Support for Novice and Other Teachers
 4 to 5 days of orientation at the beginning of the
semester
 Strong administrative support
 Continuous professional development
 Modeling of effective instructional strategies during
mentoring and in-service trainings
 Structured mentoring program
 Opportunities for novice teachers to observe successful
veteran teachers
 Small learning communities that provide networking
opportunities and commitment to teacher success
(Wood, 2005; Wong, 2004)
Support for Novice and Other Teachers
Wood, 2005; Wong 2004)
Schools and Families
Students/schools with engaged parents
earn higher grades/test scores
enroll in higher level programs
more likely to be promoted
have more regular school attendance
have better social skills, adaptive behavior, etc.
attend post secondary schools
stronger teacher-parent relationships
improves overall quality of schools
(Henderson, Mapp 2002)
Achievement Gap Strategies
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Focus on early childhood education
Well prepared/experienced teachers for Black
children
Reduce class sizes (particularly in early grades
Equitable grouping practices
Adequate representation across the curriculum
Bridge home and school cultures by adopting
instruction and schooling to students background
High expectations
Strong accountability
Student support programs
Desegregate schools and programs
(Thompson & Quind, 2001)
Related Florida Recommendations
 High school diploma based on student interest
 Recognition for different levels of proficiency
 Focus on middle school academic skills
 Focus/emphasis on transition from 8th to 9th
grade
 Research base professional development
 Instructional leadership for principals
 Smaller learning communities
 Parental involvement
(Florida Department of Education, 2006)
UF Alliance: Our Core Values
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We believe that culturally responsive schooling is
conducive to student success.
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We believe that early outreach and college awareness
enhances college participation.
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We believe in equal access and opportunity to postsecondary education for all students.
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We believe that all students deserve a high quality and
well-balanced education.
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We believe that parents and families are key partners in
the educational process.
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We believe that mentoring and academic support are
necessary for student success.
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We believe that all students have the individual talents
and abilities to succeed.
REFERENCES
(1998) Outstanding practices: Raising student achievement
by focusing on the 10 key practices. Atlanta, GA SREB
Black, S. (2004). The pivotal year. American School Board
Journal: Alexandria, VA: National School Boards
Association.
Blankstein, H. M. (2004) Failure is not an option: Six principles
that guide student achievement in high performing
schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Hertzog, C.J. & Morgan, P. L. (1999). Transition: A process,
not an event. Reston, VA: National Association of
Secondary School Principals.
Krantrowitz, B. & Wingert, D. (May 2006) What makes a great
high school. Newsweek, May 8, 2006.
Mcintosh, J. & White, S. H. (2006). Building for freshman
success: High schools working as professional learning
communities. American Secondary Education, 34, 40-49
REFERENCES
Neild, R. C., Stoner-Eby, S. & Furstenberg, F. (2001).
Connecting entrance and departure: The transition
to ninth grade and high school dropout. Presented at
Harvard Civil Rights Project Conference on Dropouts in
America, Harvard University, January 13, 2001).
Schlechty, P. (2005) Creating great schools: Six critical
systems at the heart of educational innovation. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss
Wurtzel, Judy (2006) Transforming high school teaching and
learning: A district-wide design. Maryland: The Aspen
Institute
(2005) An action agenda for improving America’s high
schools. Washington, D.C. : Achieve Inc.
REFERENCES
2005) A call to action: Transforming high school for all
youth. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Educational
Leadership
(2006)Success in sight: A comprehensive approach to
school improvement. Denver, CO: MCREL
(2006) High school reform: Task report and
recommendations. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of
Education
2006) Breaking ranks in the middle: Strategies for leadingmiddle
level reform. Reston, VA: National Association of
Secondary School Principals.
2002) Outstanding practices: Opening doors to the future,
preparing low-achieving middle grades students to
succeed in high school. Atlanta, GA: SREB.