Building Welcoming Schools for Academic Achievement 2014 Fall Summit October 28, 2014 Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center

Building Welcoming Schools for Academic Achievement

2014 Fall SummitOctober 28, 2014Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Session Agenda Overview of the Session

Goals Rationale Reflection Activity Introduction of Panelists

Panel Discussion/Q&A Next Steps

Community Resources Action Steps

Overview


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Goals of the Session Define a “Welcoming School” Identify the need for educators to be

culturally proficient Identify current practices: strengths and

areas for improvement Identify strategies needed to build a

welcoming (and culturally proficient) school


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What Is a Welcoming School?The National School Climate Center states that

“A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributing and satisfying life in a democratic society.”

This climate includes:

Norms, values and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe.

People are engaged and respected. Students, families and educators work together to develop, live and

contribute to a shared school vision. Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits

and satisfaction gained from learning. Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care

of the physical environment.

Source: http://www.schoolclimate.org/climate/


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What aspects are we looking at?Conditions for School Effectiveness

Tiered instruction and adequate learning time: The school schedule is designed to provide adequate learning time for all students in core subjects. For students not yet on track to proficiency in English language arts or mathematics, the school provides additional time and support for individualized instruction through tiered instruction, a data-driven approach to prevention, early detection, and support for students who experience learning or behavioral challenges, including but not limited to students with disabilities and English language learners.

Students’ social, emotional, and health needs: The school creates a safe school environment and makes effective use of a system for addressing the social, emotional, and health needs of its students that reflects the behavioral health and public schools framework.

Family-school engagement:The school develops strong working relationships with families and appropriate community partners and providers in order to support students’ academic progress and social and emotional well-being.


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What aspects are we looking at?District Standards & Indicators

1. Academic Support: The district has policies, procedures, and practices that promote student high achievement, support course completion, reduce grade retention, and encourage on-time graduation.

2. Access and Equity: District and school staff members work to close proficiency gaps by using aggregated and disaggregated data on student participation and achievement to adjust policies and practices and to provide additional programs or supports.

3. Educational Continuity and Student Participation: District and school policies and practices promote student attendance, which is continuously monitored, reported, and acted upon. They also promote and track staff attendance and participation, and appropriate provisions are made to ensure continuity for students. District and school policies and practices also help all students make effective transitions from one school, grade level, or program.

4. Partnerships and Services to Support Learning: The district ensures that

each school creates a safe school environment and makes effective use of a system for addressing the social, emotional, and health needs of its students.

5. Safety: The district supports schools to maintain safe environments for students.


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And Cultural Proficiency…

“…a mind-set…for effectively describing, responding to, and planning for issues that arise in diverse environments.” (Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell, 2009, p. 4)

Proactive and provides tools that can be used in any setting

Focus is values based and behavioral, not emotional To be applied to organizational practices and

individual behavior

(from p. 4 of Lindsey, R. B., Robins, K. N., & Terrell, R. D. (2009).Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders, 3rd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage)


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Culturally Proficient Leaders

Display personal values and behaviors that enable them and others to engage in effective interactions among the various stakeholders

Foster policies and practices that enable effective interactions among stakeholders

Address issues that emerge when cultural differences are not valued

(from p. 4 of Lindsey, R. B., Robins, K. N., & Terrell, R. D. (2009).Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders, 3rd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage)


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Rationale“One of the core needs of all children is to have their behaviors and beliefs mirrored and valued by adults around them.”

“When children do not find a sufficient degree of culturally responsive mirroring and validation, confusion and shame may result, often with delays or disruptions in learning and development.” (Barrera & Corso, 2003; p. 18 & 19)


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Quantifying the Achievement Gap

•Third Grade Reading•Sixth Grade Math and ELA•Passing All 9th Grade Courses•Graduating from High School

An achievement gap is defined by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2011) as an observed, persistent disparity of educational measures between the performance of groups of students, especially groups defined by socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity and gender. For our purposes, we are looking at the following outcomes:


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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Asian 0.670000000000001

0.690000000000001

0.690000000000001

0.660000000000001

0.680000000000001

White

0.700000000000001

0.690000000000001

0.690000000000001

0.650000000000001

0.650000000000001

All 0.630000000000001

0.610000000000001

0.610000000000001

0.57 0.57

African American/Black

0.42 0.37 0.38 0.32 0.38

His-panic/Latino

0.38 0.36 0.36 0.3 0.34

5%15%25%35%45%55%65%75%85%95%

Proficient/Advanced on 3rd Grade ELA MCASP

erc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

All 0.630000000000002

0.610000000000001

0.610000000000001

0.57 0.58

LowInc 0.43 0.4 0.4 0.35 0.390000000000001

HighNeeds NaN 0.390000000000001

0.4 0.35 0.380000000000001

ELL 0.27 0.24 0.24 0.2 0.25

SWD 0.25 0.24 0.24 0.18 0.21

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Proficient/Advanced on 3rd Grade ELA MCASP

erc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Asian

0.720000000000001

0.690000000000001

0.710000000000001

0.710000000000001

0.740000000000001

White

0.610000000000001

0.610000000000001

0.620000000000001

0.620000000000001

0.620000000000001

All 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54

African Ameri-can/Black

0.28 0.28 0.3 0.3 0.310000000000001

His-panic/Latino

0.27 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.3

5%15%25%35%45%55%65%75%85%95%

Proficient/Advanced on 6th Grade ELA and Mathematics MCAS

Perc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

All 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54

LowInc 0.3 0.3 0.310000000000001

0.310000000000001

0.330000000000001

HighNeeds 0.28 0.28 0.29 0.3 0.310000000000001

SWD 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.12 0.13

ELL 0.14 0.11 0.13 0.11 0.12

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Proficient /Advanced on 6th Grade ELA and Mathematics MCAS

Perc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2011 2012 2013

Asian 0.89 0.870000000000002 0.89

White 0.830000000000001 0.840000000000001 0.850000000000001

All 0.750000000000002 0.770000000000002 0.78

African American/Black

0.58 0.600000000000001 0.630000000000002

Hispanic/Latino 0.49 0.53 0.56

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Passing All 9th Grade ClassesP

erc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2011 2012 2013

All 0.750000000000001 0.770000000000002 0.78

SWD 0.600000000000001 0.620000000000001 0.640000000000002

LowInc 0.55 0.59 0.610000000000001

ELL 0.53 0.52 0.53

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Passing All 9th Grade Classes

Perc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2009 2010 2011 2012

Asian 0.891 0.894 0.904 0.921

White 0.887 0.895 0.911 0.916

All 0.840000000000001 0.847000000000001 0.863000000000002 0.875000000000002

African Ameri-can/Black

0.737000000000001 0.735000000000001 0.764000000000002 0.8

His-panic/Latino

0.646000000000002 0.659000000000002 0.679000000000002 0.709000000000001

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Five Year Graduation RateP

erc

en

t of

Gro

up


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2009 2010 2011 2012

All 0.840000000000001 0.847000000000001 0.863000000000002 0.875000000000002

LowInc 0.713000000000001 0.723000000000001 0.750000000000002 0.775000000000002

SWD 0.693 0.686 0.708000000000001 0.738000000000002

ELL 0.633000000000002 0.637000000000002 0.642000000000002 0.685

5%

15%

25%

35%

45%

55%

65%

75%

85%

95%

Five Year Graduation RateP

erc

en

t of

Gro

up

Reflection Activity


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“Cultural/linguistically diversity is never problematic in and of itself. It is the response of individuals and institutions to diversity that can be problematic.” (Barrera & Corso, 2003, p. 8)

Thoughts for Reflection


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“Most cultural exploration begins with the annoyance of being lost. The control systems of the mind signal that something unexpected has arisen, that we are in uncharted waters and are going to have to switch off the automatic pilot and man the helm ourselves.”(Edward T. Hall)

Thoughts for Reflection


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Panelists Jessica Boss

Principal of Chandler Elementary Former principal of Columbus Park

Preparatory Academy Phala Chea

Educator and administrator at Lowell Public Schools

Edward Pratt Regina Wironen

Jessica Boss Principal of Chandler Elementary

Community School Former principal of Columbus Park

Preparatory Academy Columbus Park

Identified as needing restructuring in 2010 Identified as Level 1 in 2012

Columbus Park: Level 12013-2014 At a Glance

Subgroup % of School % of District % of State

Afr-American 16.6 14.7 8.6

Asian 10.8 8.1 6.0

Hispanic 47.5 37.8 16.6

White 19.1 35.6 65.8

ELL 38.5 31.7 7.9

Low-income 86.4 73.0 38.3

Sts w/disabilities

24.2 20.0 17.0

High Needs 93.3 81.4 48.8

Number of Students: 465Average Class Size: 15.8 (State: 18.2)


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Dr. Phala Chea Educator and administrator at Lowell Public Schools since

1995. Board member of the Lowell Heritage Partnership, Lowell

General Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council and Community Teamwork, Inc.

Annual visits to Cambodia, her native country, to work with the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-CAM) on the Genocide Education Project.

Co-writer of the Teacher’s Guidebook for the History of Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979)—a textbook that is currently being used in high schools across Cambodia. In addition, Dr. Chea has organized and provided professional development to more than 500 educators in Cambodia.

Former Chair of the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association and Treasurer of the Southeast Asian Water Festival.


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Lowell Public SchoolsGrade Span

Total SPED % Low Income

%

FLNE Former ELL%

PK-12 14,031 15.1 75.1 39.6 7.4

ELL # ELL % ELL to ESL

Teacher

Most Common

Language/%

2nd Most Common Language/

%

# of Languag

es

4,121 29.4 191.6 Spanish37.1

Khmer35.8

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Enrollment of Refugee Students

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

2014-2015June - Sept

158 305 163 204 239 103

Iraq Burma Bhutan/Nepal Congo Somalia

Zambia Eritrea Kenya Liberia Afghanistan

Cameroon Zimbabwe Ghana Rwanda Central Africa


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Edward Pratt and Regina WironenLeominster Public Schools


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Leominster Public Schools 6203 Students 46.2% Low Income 18.6% Disabilities 7.8% ELL 3 ECE Sites 4 Elementary Sites 2 Middle Schools 1 High School

2 Innovation Schools Parent Info Center School Resource

Officers –(SRO) - (3) Level 3 District – Two

Level 1, Four Level 2, One Level 3

Did Not Meet Target for All But 1 Subgroup


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Next Steps

Community Resources Reflection Activity Q&A

Documents

Building Welcoming Schools for Academic Achievement 2014 Fall Summit October 28, 2014 Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center