EquityPlan:PartII

Winter2016

AshleyGreen
NicholasMcMaster

EDLD6000

Positioning

AshleyGreenhasbeenamemberofthesciencefacultyatCastroValleyHighSchoolsince
August2006.NicholasMcMasteristheAssistantPrincipalassignedtotheScienceDepartment.
Assuch,webothhaveanobligationtoservestudentsenrolledinBiology.

Therearemanybeliefsthatweshare:successofallstudentsandprovidingstudentswith
engaging,culturallyrelevantinstruction.Wehavegrownasleadersbyattendingworkshopson
CulturallyRelevantTeachingandLearningpresentedbyDr.SharrokyHollieandhisteam.We
arecontinuingourworkinthisareabybeingapartofasmallcohortoncampusandexamining
institutionalbiasingreaterdetail.Wearededicatedtothisworkandimprovingthe
achievementofallstudentsenrolledinBiology.Wearedatadrivenandlookforwardto
creatingandimplementingaplanthatwillhavealastingimpactonstudentsuccess.Inessence,
weareproactiveindividualsthatarecommittedtoseekingoutsolutionstoapossibledisparity.

DescriptionoftheContext:CastroValleyHighSchool

CastroValleyHighSchoolisalargecomprehensive,912publichighschoollocatedinan
unincorporatedsuburbancommunityintheSanFranciscoBayArea(CastroValleySchool
Profile,2015).CastroValleyHighSchoolisthesolecomprehensivehighschoolinthedistrict.
CastroValleyhasapopulationofapproximately61,000.

Thefollowinginformationwastakenfromthepublished20142015SCHOOLPROFILE:
ACaliforniaDistinguishedSchoolin2009
Enrollment:2980
Classof2015:689students
Accreditation(through2018):WesternAssociationofSecondarySchoolsand
Colleges
SchoolYear:TwoSemesters

 SchoolDay:Sixperiodsofcoursework,withaseventhperiodavailabletoa
limitednumberstudents
EthnicMakeup:33%White,26%Asian,22.3%Hispanic,10%AfricanAmerican,
1.4%NativeAmerican/Alaskan,7%PacificIslander,0.3%Unknown/Undeclared
Theteachingfacultyincludesapproximately129teachers.Theethnicmakeupof
theteachersis:79.9%White,6.9%Asian,3.8%Hispanic,6.1%AfricanAmerican,
0.8%NativeAmerican/Alaskan,0.8%PacificIslander,1.5%
Unknown/Undeclared
TheClassof2014selfreportedthat44%ofitsmemberswillattendafouryear
collegeandthat34%plantoattendatwoyearorvocationalschool.

Asreported,theteachingfacultyisapproximately130teachers.Thecultureoftheteaching
staffisthatofaheterogeneousgroup,withawiderangeofveteranandnovicestaffmembers.
Withintheschooltherearecloserrelationshipsfoundamongstaffmembersthatworkinthe
samedepartment.Itislikelythattheremaybelittletonorelationshipbetweenstaffmembers
workingindifferentdepartments.Inrecentyears,therehasbeenrecentturnoverinschool
leadership.Theleadershipteamiscomprisedofoneprincipalandfiveassistantprincipals(with
threeofthosefivebeingnewtotheirpositionsthisyear).Thecurrentprincipalwasappointed
tohispositioninMarch2015.

ThisstudywilllookattheachievementofstudentsenrolledinBiologyforthe20152016
academicschoolyear.CastroValleyHighSchoolhasonelevelsciencecourseofferedtoall9th
gradestudents:Biology.ThiscourseisafirstyearintroductoryBiologycoursecomposedof
th
th
mostly9
gradestudents(thereareafewothernon9
gradestudentsretakingthecourseor

takingforthefirsttimeforvariousreasons).Therearecurrentlyseventeachersthatteachthe
courseandtherearetwentythreesectionsofBiologyforthe20152016academicschoolyear.

DataAnalysis

Thegraphsonthefollowingpagescomparethedemographicpercentagesofallstudents
enrolledinBiologyversusthosestudentsthatreceivedaDorFinBiologyforQuarter1and
Semester1ofthe20152016academicschoolyear.

LanguageFluency,All:

Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasgeneratedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
)
andshowsthepercentagebreakdownoflanguageproficiencylevelsofthe6409thgraders
enrolledinBiology.Thisgraphistobeusedincomparisonwiththefollowingtwographsto
evaluatewhetherornotthereisasignificantimbalanceinachievementforstudentsbasedon
theirlanguageability.Itisimportanttonotethatour9thgradeBiologystudentsareover
NativeEnglishSpeaking.

LanguageFluency,D/F(Quarter1):


Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinQuarter
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonlanguageabilityiswhatweseereflectedinthe
graph.Incomparisonwiththepreviousgraph,wecanseethatthereisnonegativedisparityin
theachievementofEnglishLearners.

LanguageFluency,D/F(Semester1):

Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinSemester
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonlanguageabilityiswhatweseereflectedinthe
graph.Incomparisonwiththetotalenrollmentgraph,westillseenonegativedisparityfor
EnglishLearners.

SpecialPrograms,All:

Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasgeneratedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
)
andshowsthepercentagebreakdownofthe6409thgradersenrolledinBiologyintermsof
anyspecialprogramdesignationthattheyhave.Thisgraphistobeusedincomparisonwith
thefollowingtwographstoevaluatewhetherornotthereisasignificantimbalancein
achievementforstudentsbasedontheirspecialprogramdesignation.Itisworthnotingthat
lessthan10%of9thgradestudentsenrolledinBiologyhaveaspecialdesignation.

SpecialPrograms,D/F(Quarter1):


Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinQuarter
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonspecialprogramdesignationiswhatwesee
reflectedinthegraph.Thedatadoesnotshowasignificantstatisticaldisparitybasedon
specialprogramdesignation.

SpecialPrograms,D/F(Semester1):


Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinSemester
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonspecialprogramdesignationiswhatwesee
reflectedinthegraph.Thisgraphalsodoesnotshowasignificantstatisticaldisparityin
achievementforstudentswithspecialdesignations.

Ethnicity,All:


Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasgeneratedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
)
andshowsthepercentagebreakdownofthe6409thgradersenrolledinBiologyintermsof
ethnicityclassificationsthattheyhave.Thisgraphistobeusedincomparisonwiththe
followingtwographstoevaluatewhetherornotthereisasignificantimbalanceinachievement
forstudentsbasedonethnicity.Thegraphdisplaysadiversityin9thgradeBiologystudents
withsimilarpopulationsofWhite,HispanicorLatino,andAsianethnicities.

Ethnicity,D/F(Quarter1):

Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinQuarter
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonethnicityiswhatweseereflectedinthegraph.
Thisgraph,whencomparedtoenrollmentpercentages,showsasignificantdisparityin
achievementforbothHispanicorLatinoandBlackorAfricanAmericanethnicities.

Ethnicity,D/F(Semester1):

Thedatausedtomakethisgraphwasobtainedfromouronlineinformationplatform(
Aeries
).
Thegraphusesdatafromtheapproximately100studentsthatreceivedaDoranFinSemester
1.Categorizationofthesestudentsbasedonethnicityiswhatweseereflectedinthegraph.
Thisgraphalso,incomparisonwithenrollmentpercentages,showsasignificantnegative
disparityinachievementforHispanicorLatinoandBlackorAfricanAmericanstudents.


Thisgraphreflectsthedifferentlettergradesachievedbytheapproximately640Biology9th
gradersinSemester1.Thisgraphispresentedtoaidcommentsmadebycolleaguesduring
collaborationandalsotoprovideasnapshotofoverallstudentachievement.

IdentificationofIssues/Challenges

ThethreecomparisonsofdatafromQuarter1whicharebasedonlanguageability,ethnicity,
andspecialprogramsareinterestingtoanalyze.Accordingtothedata,therewasnota
disparityofachievementinBiologybasedonlanguageability.Studentswithinthedifferent
languageabilitylevelsthatreceivedDsandFscloselymirroredenrollmentpercentages.The
samewastrueforspecialprograms.Itwasnotobservedthattherewasanystatistically
significantdisparityofachievementinBiologybasedonthisfactor.Studentsinthese
categoriesreceivedDsandFsinpercentagesthatreflectedoverallcourseenrollment.

ThereisadisparitybetweenthepercentageofBlackstudentsenrolledinBiologycomparedto
thenumberofBlackstudentsreceivingDsandFsinBiology.While10%ofallstudentsenrolled
inBiologyareBlack,almost20%oftheDsandFsareattributedtoBlackstudents.TheDsand
Fsdonotreflecttheenrollmentpercentagesbyrace.Thereisanevengreaterdisparity
betweenthepercentageofHispanic/LatinostudentsenrolledinBiologycomparedtothe
numberofHispanic/LatinostudentsthatreceivedDsandFsintheclass.While26%ofthe
studentsenrolledinBiologyareHispanic/Latino,thisgroupaccountsfor42%ofthestudents
receivingDsandFs.

IncomparingtheQuarter1datawiththeSemester1data,wecanseethattheseissues
continuedthroughthesecondQuarter.Therewereapproximately100studentswithDsandFs
attheSemester1gradingperiodwhichmeansthat1percentagepointequatestoonestudent.
FromQuarter1toSemester1,wesawaslightincreasefrom42%to43%intermsofHispanicor
LatinostudentsreceivingDsorFs.Therewasa3%increaseinthenumberofBlackorAfrican
AmericanstudentsreceivingDsorFsfromQuarter1toSemester1.Whiletherewereno
dramaticincreasesordecreasesobservedinthecomparisonofQuarter1andSemester1data,
thesameissuesofinequityarevisible.Basedoninformationfromthetwodifferentdatasets
wecanconclude,concretely,thatthereisadisparityofachievementfromHispanicorLatino
andBlackorAfricanAmericanstudentsinBiologyclasses.

LiteratureReview

ThedisparityevidentinourBiologyclassesatCVHSisnotspecifictotheschoolalone.There
aresomestaggeringstatisticsinvolvingbothgroups,especiallywhenitcomestocollege.
AccordingtotheCampaignforCollegeOpportunity(CCO,2015),12%ofLatinosholdaBA
degreeorhigherwhereasthestatewideaverageperethnicgroupis31%.Thisissignificant
consideringthatLatinosarethesinglelargestethnicgroupinCaliforniawith15millionpeople.
8in10LatinostudentsenrolledatCommunityCollegesareinprecollegelevelcourses.6in10

LatinostudentsenrolledatCSUsareinprecollegelevelcourses.TwothirdsofLatino
applicantstoUCsaredeniedacceptancetoacampus.Morealarmingisthat1inevery2
Californiaresidentsundertheageof18isLatinowhichmeansthatCaliforniawillnotmeetits
workforcedemandforcollegeeducatedworkersunlessitfindsawaytohelpthisgroup.The
percentofcollegeagedCaliforniansthatareBlackis6.3%whilethissamegrouponly
represents4.6%ofstudentsenrolledatCSUsand2.4%ofstudentsenrolledatUCs.These
statisticsshowthatourBiologyissueisinlinewithalargerstateissueandfollowsthatweare
failingthesetwogroupsatmanylevels.(CCO,2015)

Gardner,Mason,andMatyas(1989)identifytheneedforguestspeakersthatrepresent
minoritygroups.Theymaintainthateverystudentneedsarolemodeland,whileCaucasian
studentsmaynotbedisconnectedfromminorityspeakers,minoritystudentsmaybe
disconnectedfromtraditionallywhite,malespeakers.Thisdisconnectcanmakeminority
studentsautomaticallyfeelliketheSciencerelatedcareersandmaterialsarenotoptionsfor
themandtakeawaythenoveltyoftheclassand,thus,motivationtodowellinit.Thesepoints
madebyGardner,Mason,andMatyas(1989)implythatonereasonforthedisparityobserved
inourstatisticscouldbeattributedtoalackofperceivedaccesstoSciencerelatedcareers.

Hollie(2012,p.24)identifiesunderservedstudentsas,anystudentwhoisnotsuccessful
academically,socially,and/orbehaviorallyinschoolbecausetheschoolasaninstitutionisnot
beingresponsivetothatstudentsneeds.Thesociohistoricalcontextofunderservedstudents
presentsauniqueperspectiveonthelinkbetweenunderservedstudentsinthecontextof
immigration.Holliedistinguishesbetweenvoluntaryandinvoluntaryimmigrants.Voluntary
immigrantsarealsoknownasEllisIslandImmigrantswhileinvoluntaryimmigrantsarethose
whosemovetoAmericacamethrough,colonization,enslavement,conquest,orlessthanlegal
means(2012,p.26).Hollieexplainsthatinvoluntaryimmigrantshavesufferedthrougha
systematicdenialofcultureandlanguagewhilealsobeinggivennoopportunitytobecomepart
ofmainstreamculture(2012,p.27).Nosystem,Holliemaintains,haseliminatedhomeculture
andalienatedinvoluntaryimmigrantsmorethanUSPublicEducation(2012,p.27).This

processhasbeencoinedassubtractiveschoolingandisdefinedas,thedivestmentof
studentsofimportantsocialandculturalresources,leavingthemprogressivelyvulnerableto
academicfailure,andthediscouragementofculturalidentitybypresentingsuchcharacteristics
asundesirable(2012,p.27).Thisliteratureimpliesthatonepossiblereasonforthedisparity
observedinthedatacouldbeattributedtocontinuedsystematicalienationofsubgroupsasa
functionoftheschoolingprocess.

Chapmans(2014)focusesonthehistoryoftheintegrationofschoolswhichhelpstoexplaina
laginsupportingunderservedstudents.Chapman(2014)explainsthatintegrationinschools
wouldsolveallproblemsasstudentsofcolorwouldthrivewhengivenaccesstoeducationin
whitespaces.Itfollowedthatmixedrace,majoritywhiteschoolsprovidedbetterresources
andabettereducationalopportunityforminority.However,similartoHolliesinput,minority
studentsarenotreceivingthebestculturalandsocialenvironmentstothrive(Chapman2014).
ResearchcitedbyChapmanidentifiesthatBlackstudentsinmajoritywhiteschoolsexhibited
lowerlevelsofselfesteemthanBlackstudentsinschoolswithstudentsofcolorbeingthe
majority.Fromadifferentresearchstudy,Chapmanmentionscolorblindnessasthe
discoursecitedbyadultsinmajoritywhiteschoolstoexplainthepractices,policies,andbeliefs
thatstudentsofcolordistrust.Further,thesesameadultsposedadeficitdiscourseof
studentsofcolorasunderachievingandlesscapablewhendescribingtheirstudent
populations(Chapman2014).Chapmanidentifiesthatscholarsonthesubjectrecommend
guidelinesforgoodpracticeforteachers,counselors,andprincipalsinmajoritywhiteschools.
ThisliteratureechoesthatofHollieinthatstudentsofcoloraresystematicallydiscludedfrom
thecultureofmajoritywhiteschoolswhichcreatesastudentdistrustofschool.Thisliterature
highlightsdatathatteachersinmajoritywhiteschoolshaveadeficitdiscourseofstudentsof
colorwhichcouldexplainthedisparityevidentinourschoolsstatistics.

Nelson,Bustamante,Wilson,andOnwuegbuzie(2009)focusontheculturalcompetenceofthe
schoolasthesinglebiggestpredictorofthesuccessofstudentsofcolorandidentifycounselors
asthedrivingforcetoachieveit.Theauthorsidentifythemainrolesofcounselorsoncampus

toinclude1)focusingonimprovingstudentachievement,2)usingadvocacyskillstochallenge
socialinequities,3)usingdatatoadvocateforunderservedstudents,4)becominganexpertof
organizationalchange,5)becomingacompetentuseroftechnology,6)seekingsystemic
change,and7)developingcompetenciestooperateinadiversecommunity.Theauthorsstate
thatcurrentcounselingmethodsgenerallycenteronindividualstudentadjustmentto
institutionalnormsratherthantheotherwayaround.Thedisparityinourstudentdata
identifiesaneedforinstitutionalchangeandthisarticle,beingverydifferentfromtheothers,
providesanexplanationforcounselorsbeinginthebestpositiontomakethatchange.

DuFourexplainsthatourcurrenteducationalsystemwasoriginallydesignedtogetonlysome
studentspreparedforcollegeand,thus,doesnotmatchtheneedsofstudentsortheambitions
ofeducators(2015,p.189).Theauthorgoesontosaythat:
Itisimpossibleforindividualteacherstoprovidecoreinstructiondesignedtomeetthe
learningstylesofeachstudent,provideadditionaltimewhenstudentsdontmasterkey
conceptsafterinitialteaching,successfullyaddresstheacademicandsocialbehavior
needsofeverystudent,provideintensiveremediationforstudentsonskillsnot
masteredinpreviousyears,extendlearningforstudentswhohavealreadymastered
gradelevelcurriculum,andcompensateforhomeenvironmentsthatareworking
againsttheseoutcomes(2015,p.190).

ThislengthysentencebyDuFouridentifiestheissuesforunderperformanceasbeingrootedin
manychallengesthatheinsinuatesareunrealisticoroutofthecontrolofteachers.Taking
DuFoursexplanationofstudentunderperformanceintoconsideration,wearesimplyunableto
addresstheneedsofourstudentsinthecurrenteducationalmodel.DuFourexplainsthat
studentsuccessinthismodel,requiresschoolstodevelophighlyeffective,systematic
interventionstoprovidestudentswithadditionaltimeandsupport(2015,p.190).Specifically,
schoolsmustgoaboveandbeyondcoreinstructionforeverylearnerthatneedshelpwith
methodsthatareproventobetargetedandsuccessful(2015,p.190).FollowingDuFours
input,manyofthefactorsthatimpactstudentachievementlieinanoutdatededucational
systemandstudentfactorsthatareoutofthecontroloftheschool.WhileDuFourgivesagreat
explanationitisriskytorationalizeanyissueasoutofourcontrolandIcautionanyschoolthat

embracesthismindset.Hisrecommendationforaninterventionmodelisagreatsuggestion
thatshouldbeincludedinanyconversationabouttheachievementdisparity.

Steele,inanalyzingunderperformanceofunderrepresentedstudents,becamepreoccupied
withfindingasolutionforthegaps(2010,p.29).Steelenotedthat,becausescientificinquires
havemanyplaceswhereinvestigatorshavetodecidewhattodowithoutformalguidance,
intuitionandbestguessescomeintoplay(2010,p.29).Forthesereasons,Steelepositedthat
stigmatizationwastheculpritforunderperformanceashefoundtheargumentthatbiological
differencesbetweengroupswasadiscouraginganddehumanizingidea(2010,p.30).Jane
Elliottsclassroomexperiment,whichweviewedinclass,wasreferencedasanexampleofhow
stigmatizedgroupscanachievebelowtheirabilities(2010,p.30).Theauthoranalyzedthe
performanceofwomeninadvancedmathclassesasanexperimentinstigmatismandnegative
effectsonachievementashethoughtthisexamplewouldexplainallexamplesof
underperformance(2010,p.31).WhatSteelefoundwasthattherewassignificantevidenceto
supporttheideathat,stigmatizationalone,oradevaluedsocialstatus,hadthecapacityto
impairintellectualperformance(2010,p.30).Thisliteratureisinterestinginthatithighlights
thesocial/emotionalimpactonperformanceforstudentsofcolor.Itgoesbeyondthe
curriculuminclassesandidentifiesadevaluedsocialstatusasextremelyharmful.Thispoint
hassignificantrelevanceandwillbeapointofreflectionwhenwecollaborateandconsider
waystoaddressthedisparitiespresentinthedata.

Summary

ThedataprovidedillustratesadisparityinthesuccessrateofBlackorAfricanAmericanand
HispanicorLatinostudentsenrolledinBiology.ThepercentofstudentsthatreceivedaDorF
doesnotmirrorthatoftheoverallpopulation.Thisissueisalignedwiththedataforthesetwo
groupsofstudentsacrossthestate.Theredoesnotseemtobethesameissuewhenlookingat
languageorspecialpopulations.Accordingtotheresearch,thismaybeduetostudentsofcolor
notbeingrepresentedinthecoursematerial,ornotbeingrepresentedwithguestspeakers.

Overallthisleavesstudentsfeelingalienatedandleadstotheirlackofmotivation.Thedataand
literaturepointstotheneedtohaveallethnicgroupsportrayedandvalued.Furthermore,the
literaturesupportstheneedforstafftoreceivefurtherdirectiononeducatingstudentsof
color.Staffmembersneedtoovercomeanyperceptionofnotseeingcolorandembracethe
ethnicgroupspresentintheirclassrooms.Inaddition,someofthedisparityisoutofthecontrol
ofstaffmembersandthereisneedforeffectiveinterventionprograms.

FindingsofCollaborationEfforts

WehadtheopportunitytoidentifytwoadditionalcollaboratorsatCastroValleyHighSchool.
TheindividualsincludedMelissaKindelspire,aveteranbiologyteacherandScienceDepartment
Chair,andLesiaWhitehurst,aveteranchemistryteacherandadvisortotheBlackStudent
Union.Ourcollaboratorsreviewedboththefirstquarterdataandthefirstsemesterdata
presentedinthisplanandprovidedtheirperspectives.

PerspectivepresentedbyMs.Kindelspire
Ms.KindelspirestatedthatherfirstimpressionisthatwearedoingpoorlywithourHispanic
students.Theymakeup26%ofourtotalpopulationofBiologystudents,yetabitover40%of
themearnedaDorF.Shewasleftwonderingifitwasattributedtoattendance,studentbuyin,
teacherexpectation,orpossiblyclassclimate.Overall,sheaskedformoreinformationonthe
specificsofthesesituations.SherecognizedthatwearedoingjustaspoorlywithourAfrican
Americanstudents,butnotedthatitwasasmallergroupofstudents.

AnotherpieceofdatathatMs.Kindelspirediscussedwasthenumberofstudentsthatearned
anAinthecourse.ShenotedthatwehaveasmanyAsasD/Fs.Butsheexpressedconcernof
thevalidityofthatmanystudentsearninganadvancedgrade.Ms.Kindelspiredescribeda
bimodalaspecttothegradeswherestudentsareeitheracingthecourseorbombingit.She
questionedhowwecangetmorestudentstopasstheclasswhilealsomakingsuretheother
24%ischallenged.


Lastly,Ms.Kindelspireaskedaboutgatheringfurtherdatatolookatthetrendsbrokendownby
teacher.ShewishedtobettersupportthoseteacherswithclustersofDs/Fs.Shealsoexpressed
interestinlookingattheissuefurthertofindrelevantProfessionalDevelopmentor
opportunitiesforrolemodeling.

PerspectivepresentedbyMs.Whitehurst
Ms.WhitehurstnotedthatourLatinostudentsareoneandhalftimesmorelikelytoearnaDor
FinBiology,withonlyabout22%ofthisdemographicpassingthecourse.Shenotedthatwithin
thepopulationofAfricanAmericanstudents,alittleoverhalfofthisdemographicispassingthe
class.ShewishedtoreallydrawattentiontotheissuethatAfricanAmericanstudentsareover
oneandhalftimesmorelikelytoearnaDorFinBiology.

Ms.Whitehurstdiscussedsomelongtermimplicationsforthegroupsofstudentsnotpassing
Biology.Thesestudentsmaynotmatriculateintohonorssciencecoursesorthemore
challengingsciencecourses.Thisisfurtheringthedivideinouradvancedplacementandhonors
classes.Shewishedtolookmoreintotheliteracyandmathskillsofourstudentstoidentify
problemareastoensuretheirsuccessinsubsequentscienceclasses.

Furthermore,Ms.Whitehurstwantedtofurtherexaminethechallenges,learninghistories
and/orexperiencesthatthesestudentsfaceintheirschoolingthataffecttheirsuccessin
Biology.

PossibleNextSteps/Recommendations

Uponthefindingsofthecollaborationefforts,wehaveidentifiedseveralpossiblefurthersteps.
Therecommendednextstepsincludebothaneedforadditionaldata,areflectivelookatbest
practicescurrentlyinplaceandalookintobestpracticesatothersites.

Thefirstpieceofdatatobefurtherinvestigatedisthatoftheachievementdataatthetwo
middleschoolsinthedistrict.Thereisaneedtoexaminethisdatatoseeifthedisparityin
successofethnicgroupsisroughlythesameasthehighschoollevel,worse,orpossiblybetter.
Thisinformationwouldbehelpfultobegintoidentifywherethisachievementgapbegins,or
widens,inourdistrict.Movingforwardwithfuturestudents,thismayhelpidentifystudents
thatareinneedformoreextensiveinterventionswhentheymatriculatetothehighschool.

Furtherdatatobeinvestigatedincludesthatoftheachievementofstudentsbrokendownby
section/teacher.Itisrecommendedtogatherthisdatainordertoidentifybestpracticesin
place.Thisdatacouldbeusefulinidentifyingparticularteachersthatarebetterservingcertain
groupsofstudents.Aneffective,collaborativesiteprogrammayhelplessenthenumberofD
andFstudentswhenteachersworktogethertoachievetheessentialstandards.Thismustbe
approachedfromanareaoflookingathowbesttoservethestudents,andnotusedina
mannerassociatedwiththeevaluationprocess.Teachersshouldbegiventheopportunityto
reflect,andcollaborate,onaweeklybasistoexplorethesuccessofstudentsonamoreregular
basis.

Anothersourceofdatathatwouldbebeneficialasanextstepwouldbetogatherthe
achievementrateofthesespecialpopulationsinothercorecontentcourses.Thisis
recommendedtoseeifthedisparityisgreaterinBiology,orifitismuchthesameacrossthe
school.Thiswillhelpidentifyifthenextstepshouldbeschoolwide,ordepartmentspecific.

Adepartmentwiderecommendationwouldbetoconductastaffsurveytoidentifycurrent
staffperceptions.Thiscouldbehelpfulinseeinghowthestaffperceivestudentsuccessand
currentattitudesrelatedtostudentsuccess.Inaddition,asurveycouldaskaboutthe
effectivenessofpastProfessionalDevelopment,andwhatProfessionalDevelopmentmightbe
needed.TheremayhavebeenProfessionalDevelopmentopportunitiesinthepastthatwere
trulyeffective,butwasgivenbeforecurrentteacherswerehired.Perhapsanyeffective
ProfessionalDevelopmentcanberepeatedforcurrentstaffmembers.


IntermsofProfessionalDevelopment,itwouldbehelpfultoidentifysuccessfulRTiprogramsat
otherschools.Asearchcanbedoneofschoolswithsimilardemographics,thathave
successfullyimplementedaprogramthathashelpedincreaseachievementofspecial
populations.Itisrecommendedthatacasestudybedoneofanysuchschool,anda
schoolwidediscussionisdonetoidentifyhowbesttoservethesespecialpopulationsacrossall
courses.

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TheCampaignforCollegeOpportunity,
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