This summer you will be working with a group of 3 or 4 classmates in collecting and analyzing data regarding equity, access, and opportunity for 2 area high schools. You will sign up for your group during our first class session. Your group should then select the person who will send your activities, progress, and comments to this blog.
Everyone needs to become a friend on this blog by going to our blogger address
eppspsummer2010.
Marilyn and Deb
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHave no idea if this is where I'm supposed to post, but here goes:
ReplyDeleteTonight, our group discussed the issue of Black Language in education. The author of the article argued that Black Language is so inextricably linked to Black culture that to not teach it in schools is unfair. Some may see this issue as more complex than others. During our group discussion, we heard multiple views on the issue and attempted as best we could to understand the author's argument from his point of view.
As for our thoughts regarding our upcoming project, aside from the initial preview of the data on both Manual and Franklin Central High Schools, we have determined that our starting point really should be to determine clearly what we mean when we refer to "Equity, Access and Opportunity." We feel that it would be imprudent to move forward at all until we've settled on an accepted definition of each of these terms.
Batman Group 7/6/2010 Group Discussion
ReplyDeleteOur group discussed a variety of issues we identified from the articles each of us brought to the group. We looked at the issue of digital equity from a variety of angles. Brent had an article regarding online courses and who is and is not enrolled in them, who can benefit from them, where they are offered. I had an article that examined what schools and school districts need in order to provide the digital instruction our students need. Courtney provided research on access to postsecondary education scholarship money for low SES students as well as an article that pushed for a focus not on the "culture of poverty" but on eliminating inequalities. Kris provided an interesting article on the topic of minority representation in special education.
With this information in mind we turned our focus to the summer research project. We discussed a variety of factors we could examine in our schools, AP courses, Courses offered, online class enrollment, access to technology, special education population, achievement, curriculum, extra curricular activities etc. It was agreed that we would discuss the direction of our research in greater detail after listening to our guest speaker on Wednesday.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteButterscotch Pudding Group
ReplyDelete7/6/2010 Group Discussion
Our group discussed many issues related to the idea that schools are becoming more segregated now than ever based on race, socioeconomic status, sex/gender, and achievement.
C's article stated that a proposal was turned down in New York after wanting to create a separate school for LGBT individuals. The idea was that a separate school would provide a safe haven for these students who were experiencing extreme bullying. After the proposal was turned down it was discussed that the issue of bullying should be more highly focused on in schools. This idea transitioned us into a further discussion about holding all students to higher expectations.
After reading the article "Culture of Poverty" which focused on defying myths about students and families who come from low socioeconomic statuses. As educators we must stop prejudging what students are capable of doing based on their background. Our beliefs should simply be that ALL STUDENTS are capable of meeting high standards. Some just need the extra resources. Our discussion continued as such through other articles that related to this same idea.
J-Mac Group Discussion
ReplyDeleteJuly 6th, 2010
The articles that our group discussed were all over the board. Below are the topics that were discussed and questions/thoughts that came from the articles or our dicussion.
1. Discipline- zero tolerance and its affect on drop out rates, PBS
2. Culturally diverse instruction- understaind student background, is PD following this?
3. Is curriculum offered standard for all students?
4. Achievement Gap- based on things outside the curriculum, schools has more control than often thought, tracking-when does it start, Extra Curriculum opportunities, selection process for classes- based on behavior/grades/street cred.
5. Self advocating students- looking to students to design and implement change.
6. Equal Chance- surveyed schools, cultural norms, what is sucess? Opportunity for students, take advantae (dated reference, but does it continue?)
7. Designed programs saw increase in attendance, open enrollement, achievement
In reflecting on the above articles, and discussion in class we identified some "big questions". While this is not a complete list, it is a starting point. Based on the dicussion with the guest speaker, we will re-evaluate these questions and adjust them as needed.
Big Questions:
1. What opportunities exist outside of academics (could have equity issue)?
2. What groups of studnet could be denied access formally or informally? Actively or passively?
3. Do the schools have criterias outlined for admission to academic classes/athletics?
The BATH group
ReplyDeleteWe have intitially identified the following areas to question:
Movement of population – number of kids moving in and out
Summer Achievement gains and losses – NWEA data comparing Spring to Fall
Parent Involvement – PTO
Class sizes
Rigor of the Curriculum – minimum requirements and course offerings for all groups
Teacher Preparation – fully certified and highly qualified
Teacher Experience – Years of experience
Technology – in the classroom and access by all students
Student Discipline – Does discipline play a part in allowing students to enroll in courses?
Professional Development – ongoing and long-term
Substitute Teachers/Teacher attendance
Facilities – inoperable bathrooms, vermin, etc
Summer School opportunities
Look at the infrastructure of the school
Special Education – December 1 count vs. May (end-of-year); disproportionality of enrollment
AP enrollment – compare gender, race
GLAM group
ReplyDeleteOn day one, we discussed an article about educating black males and the importance of the discussions and texts used for instruction. We also talked about how we change attitudes about attending college would look different with black males than it would with black females or other groups. The ever-pervasive Savage Inequalities came up as we discussed school funding, and Grant shared an article about LGBT students and their right to access extracurricular activities. Lastly, we discussed how instruction in classrooms with poor students needs to change.
We discussed researching the following with our high schools:
- curriculum and instruction
- gender and race in AP, IB, and honors courses
- gender and race in technical training/alternative routes
- drop out rates
- college attendance rates - 2 yr, 4 yr, etc.
- standardized tests
- socioeconomic
- attendance data for students and teachers - gender and race
- discipline referrals - gender and race
- Higher level math and science courses
- Teenage pregnancy
- Title 1/RTI
- remedial classes- gender and race
Girls Group
ReplyDeleteLast night we came up with some good discussion questions that we plan to talk more about tonight as we look closer at our data. Some of the questions we plan on researching are:
- How many AP science and math classes are offered?
- How many ROTC classes are there?
- How many Af. Am. are in each of these classes?
- What is the learning level of parents in our schools?
- How many suspensions were there in Af. Am. students?
- What PD have the teachers received? Is it working?
- Are the students and teachers being held accountable?
- What are the classes the students need to graduate?
- What are the Core 40 classes?
- Are the parents made aware of these classes and the differences?
- Are the parents notified of which track their child is on?
- What is the graduation rate?
- How many students are involved in Title 1?
After looking closer at our original list of questions the girls group decided to narrow it down to the top four. We will then pick one or two from this list. Our top four are:
ReplyDelete- What are the course offerings?
- How many suspensions/expulsions are there?
- What professional development is being offered and is it successful? Is there data to show the results of the prof. dev.?
- How does the school notify parents about important items? Do the parents know if their child is on the right track for graduation? Is it email, phone calls, written letters, delivered in multiple languages?
The No Names have decided to look at the following data points for our two schools:
ReplyDelete• Discipline numbers for African American males
• Staff demographic in relation to student demographics
• Professional development and support for teachers
• Finish with the comparison of types of diplomas for African American males
• Creation of program for project:
o Professional development for staff to meet the needs of African American male student population
• Student demographics to identify Latino numbers
• Student identify/tested for ESL level
o How many are at each level?
• Types of supports for those students?
o ESL coordinator?
o ESL class offered/program
o Community supports for students or parents?
• Finish with the comparison of types of diplomas for Latino population
• Creation of program for project:
o Professional development and program development for ESL students and staff working with those students
o Parent/community support for language acquisition
Based on the data we have collected for our two schools, we are planning on going in two different directions for each of our schools. We hope this will aide us in "getting our hands dirty" in data!
"J" and the Girls
ReplyDeleteWe met to discuss our two schools. One school is a magnet school and the other is a traditional high school. While looking at the data of the two, we discoverd that there were significant differences between them.
The questions that we have are the following:
1.Do you think every student has equal access, equity, and opportunity for student achievement?
2.What training do you have to deal with cultural competency within your building? (EQUITY)
3. In your experience as a building administrator (traditional schools, magnet, charter), what do you see as benefits of your type of school? (OPPORTUNITY)
4. Do your graduates lean towards a specific career path and what opportunities support that? (OPPORTUNITY)
5. What is your student admission criteria and/or policy? (ACCESS)
In order to answer these questions, we plan to research the information from the DOE as well as conduct a qualitative study with the principals of the two schools. Additional information that we are looking at includes but is not limited to the following:
-teacher experience
-the number of total courses that are offered at both schools
-the kind of courses that are offered in a magnet school vs. the traditional school.
-test scores
-enrollment
-attendance
-suspensions and expulsions
-AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress)
-desagregated data by gender and ethnicity.
After the analysis of the data for the two schools, we will put forth an action plan that addresses the needs for student achievement.
I hope all groups are moving along with this project. Please let us know if you have questions.
ReplyDeleteM and D
Butterscotch Pudding Group (6/27)
ReplyDeleteWe have essentially finished up our research project and are preparing to give our presentation tomorrow. We decided to divide and conquer for our project because the data we had access to led us to different questions for each school. For Beech Grove we will be looking at graduation rates and for Shortridge we are looking at access to academically rigorous classes. Our biggest challenge was trying to put together a presentation with differing data from various resources. All in all...we definitely learned a lot through this research project.