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Connecting Policy, Programs, and Practice in Closing Achievement Gaps

Connecting Policy, Programs, and Practice in Closing Achievement Gaps. Denise Alston, Ph.D. Linda Bacon NEA Human & Civil Rights NCCRESt Conference February 2007. Helping Our Affiliates Address Achievement Gaps. Purpose of the Association Guide.

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Connecting Policy, Programs, and Practice in Closing Achievement Gaps

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  1. Connecting Policy, Programs, and Practice in Closing Achievement Gaps Denise Alston, Ph.D. Linda Bacon NEA Human & Civil Rights NCCRESt Conference February 2007

  2. Helping Our Affiliates Address Achievement Gaps

  3. Purpose of the Association Guide To enable leaders and staff to help their members: • Become knowledgeable and informed advocates and leaders on this complex issue • Advocate for working conditions to support closing the gaps

  4. Purpose of the Association Guide (continued) • Form partnerships with other education and community stakeholders to address factors that contribute to the gaps • Secure resources to advance individuals and their affiliates’ efforts to close the gaps • Organize themselves and their communities around closing student achievement gaps

  5. Contents of the Guide • Research and information to inform your work • Tools for affiliates and leaders to use • “Success Stories” of state and local affiliates engaged in the work – learning from one another • Examples of policy, programs, and practice

  6. Chapter 1: Being Responsive • Focus on the achievement gaps and setting a common understanding of the language • Introduction to NEA’s approach to closing achievement gaps through voice, advocacy, and affiliate engagement and support Voice Advocacy Affiliate Engagement & Support

  7. Chapter 2: Preparing to Close Achievement Gaps • Engage in key internal conversations • Examine your mission statement • Know your stakeholders’ needs • Consider implications for your goals • Plan how to assess your progress

  8. NEA’s Focus on Closing the Achievement Gaps • NEA Foundation grants to 3 local affiliates/districts • 22 State affiliate grants for closing gaps • Content-based training: • C.A.R.E.: Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gaps • English Language Learner and Multi-Cultural Training Module for Closing the Achievement Gaps • State grants to encourage highly skilled teachers to work in high needs schools • www.achievementgaps.org NEA Web site with resources, discussion boards, research

  9. Indiana State Teachers AssociationSuccess Story • Partnership – Indiana Consortium to Eliminate Achievement Gaps • Support for standards-based curriculum • Advocacy for P16 Education Plan for Improving Student Achievement • Communication with, and tools for, members

  10. Chapter 3: Getting the Job Done: Voice • Performance data related to the gaps • Data related to access • Data on student attainment • Message development for your affiliate on closing achievement gaps • Message delivery to members and other stakeholders

  11. Connecticut Education AssociationSuccess Story • Attacking the problem at the root: pre-school education • CEA/AFT/CT Assn. School Supts. Partnership on statement of principles Pre-K Education: Because the Future Starts Here • Legislation raising standards for pre-K teachers, increasing student slots for pre-K, developing curriculum standards

  12. Chapter 4: Getting the Job Done: Advocacy • Political advocacy for closing achievement gaps • Bargaining to close achievement gaps • Advocacy through partnerships • Funding sources to help close achievement gaps

  13. Seattle Education AssociationSuccess Story Bargaining to close achievement gaps: • Parent and community engagement • Cultural competence • Creating professional learning communities • Teacher compensation • “Flight schools”

  14. Appendix: Sample Legislation (p.87) • Improving data systems and their use • Establishing small class size policies and improved working conditions • Establishing program for recruitment and retention of high quality teachers • Establishing program to provide extended learning opportunities for students • Establishing program to increase and enhance family involvement in schools • Establishing preschool and full day kindergarten

  15. Chapter 5: Getting the Job Done: Affiliate Engagement and Support • Affiliate engagement in professional development that closes the gaps • School and system change • Investing in ESPs as prospective teachers • Recruiting and retaining minority teachers • Leadership development to close the gaps • Organizing members to close the gaps

  16. Milwaukee Teachers’ Education AssociationSuccess Story • Milwaukee Partnership Academy: UWM, MPS, MTEA, Board of School Directors, business partners • Goal: increase student achievement through better preparation, recruitment and retention of teachers, plus support ESPs in becoming teachers • Leadership Institute, curriculum reform, mathematics partnership with technical college, community engagement

  17. C.A.RE.: Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gaps

  18. Chapter 1: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Education • Background on NEA’s work • Closing the Achievement gaps research references • “C.A.R.E. for All Students” focus of guide • Priority Learner framework • Connection to CREDE research

  19. What Does Chapter 2 Talk About? • Why is it important for educators to know and understand diverse cultures? • Why is an understanding of the role of culture in learning so important now? • How is culture connected to language? • What can educators do? • Why is advocating for the understanding of the culture of our students important?

  20. Culture: The sum total of one’s experiences, knowledge, skills, beliefs, values, language, and interests. Learning is greatest when the cultures of home and school connect. Contextualization: Connect teaching and curriculum to the experiences, values, knowledge, and needs of students Learning through Observation-Modeling: Promote student learning through observation by modeling behaviors, thinking processes, and procedures C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

  21. What Does Chapter 3 Talk About? Challenging closely held beliefs about student learning: • How Sally scores on the standardized test tells me what she knows and what she can learn. • We all know what intelligence is. You either have it or you don’t. Whatever a child’s IQ is, well, that’s it. • My students don’t speak English: How can I expect them to grasp math concepts and other complex topics?

  22. Abilities: Intelligence is modifiable and multidimensional. Abilities are developed through cultural experiences; culture affects thoughts and expression. Challenging Activities/Teaching Complex Thinking: Challenge students toward cognitive complexity. Language and Literacy Development Across the Curriculum: Develop student competence in the language and literacy of instruction across the curriculum. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

  23. What Does Chapter 4 Talk About? • What is resilience and why is it important? • What can your school do to build resilience in students? • How do schools provide caring relationships for students? • How can you provide students with opportunities for participation?

  24. Resilience: Displayed when protective factors alter a person’s response to risk (poverty, crime, etc.) factors in the environment. Resilient students exhibit social competence, problem solving skills, and a sense of future. Instructional Conversation: Teaching through conversation. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standard

  25. What Does Chapter 5 Talk About? Assumptions we make about students and their motivation: • Students don’t put a lot of effort into the work that they turn in. • My students are unmotivated. • There is nothing I can do to motivate my students. Moving beyond assumptions: • How does an understanding of our students’ culture help us motivate them to excellence? • How can we tell if students are making an effort when we can’t see them doing it? • Are grades the only reward students should be trying for?

  26. Effort: The energy used in reaching a goal. Maximized when students receive educator encouragement and high expectations for quality work. Joint Productive Activity/Teachers & Students Producing Together: Facilitate learning through activity shared by educators and students. Student Choice: Encourage student decisionmaking. C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

  27. Chapter 6: Community Support for C.A.R.E. Strategies • Research on parent and community involvement • Connection of ESPs to the community • Community connection activities • Connecting the classroom to the family and community

  28. Chapter 7: Developing a Systems Perspective for School Organization • Core values • Continuous improvement • Policies, procedures, and practices in your school • KEYS 2.0 connection

  29. HCR Achievement Gaps TeamKey Contacts • Sheila Simmons, Ph.D., Director, • Human & Civil Rights, ssimmons@nea.org • Senior Policy Analyst & Program Consultants: • Denise A. Alston, Ph.D., dalston@nea.org • Linda Bacon, lbacon@nea.org • Linda Cabral, lcabral@nea.org • Marcella Dianda, Ed.D., mdianda@nea.org

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