Transcript Slide 1

2010 Leadership for Equity &
Excellence Forum
Voices of Color: Using student voice
to achieve educational equity
Cheryl S. Greene, Ed.D.
Kyrene de la Esperanza
www.voicesofcolor.com
February 16, 2010
Phoenix, AZ
Welcome and
Introductions!
Learning Outcomes:
• Recognize the power of student voice in
exploring issues of equity and race
• Develop a deeper understanding of the
intersection of race and student achievement,
especially from the perspective of students
• Discover new methods for successfully using
student voice to address equity and other
critical issues within your learning environment
The difficulty inherent in the work
of equity is that of breaking the
silence…deliberately and
purposefully engaging in
conversations that often evoke
feelings of defensiveness,
resentment, and confusion.
Courageous
Listen with an open heart and mind.
Conversations
Maximize the power of
conversations to
envision new
possibilities and create a
culture of change
Pair Share
Consider the achievement of students
in your school or district.
What are your successes?
What are your challenges?
What other critical issues come to mind when you
think about your school, district or educational
setting?
– What are the current processes or strategies that
are used to address these issues?
– Who has been engaged and/or involved in the
solution?
The Kyrene Story
“Academic Excellence”
Kyrene School District
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Kindergarten – 8th Grade
Located in Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler
6 Middle Schools (Grades 6 – 8 )
19 Elementary (Grades K – 5)
Student Demographics (2004)
71% White
13.5% Hispanic
7% Asian
6% African American
1.8% Native American
“Kyrene students excel academically”
“Since the 2000 administration of the
Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards
(AIMS), Kyrene students in grades 3, 5,
and 8 have consistently out performed
the state in the percent of the Meet or
Exceeds Category.”
Kyrene School District
A Top Performing District (2004)
• All 25 schools met or exceeded state
performance and progress goals
• 19 Kyrene schools, including all 6 middle
schools, received the "Excelling" rating
• All 25 schools ranked "Excelling" or "Highly
Performing"
Kyrene and Arizona
8th Grade Math AIMS 2003
490
Mean Standard Score
485
480
475
State
470
Kyrene
465
460
455
450
All Students
“Excellence without equity
is a hollow victory.”
--Mary Hatwood Futrell
Kyrene 8th Grade Math AIMS 2003
District and State MSS by Ethnicity
550
Mean Standard Score
525
500
State
475
Kyrene
450
425
400
All
W
A
B
H
Kyrene School District
Challenges and Barriers
• A focus on aggregate v. disaggregated
data
• Avoidance of courageous conversations
• Reluctance to acknowledge the racial
achievement gap
“The real voyage of discovery
consists not of seeking new
landscapes but of seeing
through new eyes.”
--Marcel Proust
Student voice can serve as a
catalyst for engaging staff in
difficult equity conversations
and provide the necessary lens
to clearly identify critical issues.
Voices of Color
The Power
of Student
Voice to Foster
Courageous
Conversations
As you watch Voices of Color,
listen for the factors
(identified by the students)
that contribute to the
achievement gap.
Voices of Color
What spoke to you?
• Stereotypes
• Expectations for Student
Achievement
• Making School Real for Students
• Parental Support of Education
• Finding Your Voice
The Changing Landscape
of Schools Today:
An Unprecedented
Challenge for Educators:
Ensure high levels of learning
for all students.
“Not everything that
is faced can be
changed, but
nothing can be
changed until it is
faced.”
--James Baldwin
A New Vision for
Kyrene
All students can learn.
Schools can and do make a
difference.
Success in our future world
depends on meeting
unforeseen challenges.
Kyrene “Post
Script”
• Dr. Schauer clearly communicates the message
that “all means all”
• Leadership team examines disaggregated data
• June 2008: 3-day “Beyond Diversity” training for
Leadership Retreat
• Ongoing professional development on race and
equity, including workshops by Bonnie Davis
• November 2009 Board Study Session to share
achievement gap data and Voices of Color
Kyrene “Post
Script”
• In October 2008, a cross disciplinary team of
7 attended Glenn Singleton’s 2008 Summit for
Courageous Conversations
• At this Equity Forum, we have a cross
disciplinary team of 11, which includes again
our Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent,
School and District Administrators, Prevention
Specialist, etc.
Utilizing Student Voice to
Transform Learning Environments
• Seek multiple voices; value multiple
perspectives
• Respect students’ need for safety
• Consider co-curricular and natural ways to
involve students
• Talk less, listen more!
• Co-create/team up with students (Do with,
not to!)
Examples of youth/student voice:
• School and/or community forums
• Print or web-based forums or news
columns
• Leadership/advocacy
• School announcements/assemblies
• Student Superintendency Advisory
Council
Student Voice
What are some ways students have given
voice to issues of educational equity at
your school, district or organization?
What are some additional ways students
can “give voice” to issues of equity (and
other critical issues) impacting your
school, district, or organization?
“Once you've found your own
voice, the choice
to expand your influence,
to increase your contribution,
is the choice to inspire others
to find their voice.”
--Stephen Covey, “The 8th Habit”
Find your voice.
Express your voice.
And, help others
find theirs.
Together, we can be
the voice of equity.
“The courage to be
great lies deep within
each of us.”
Fortune cookie
Cheryl S. Greene, Ed.D.
Kyrene de la Esperanza
480-783-1700
[email protected]
http://www.voicesofcolor.com
[email protected]
A feeling I have…
A thought I have…
A step I will take…