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Connecting Policy, Programs, and Practice in Closing Achievement

GapsDenise Alston, Ph.D.

Linda BaconNEA Human & Civil Rights

NCCRESt ConferenceFebruary 2007

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Helping Our Affiliates Address Achievement Gaps

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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

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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

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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

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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

AdvocacyAffiliate

Engagement& Support

Voice

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Seattle Education AssociationSuccess Story

Bargaining to close achievement gaps:

• Parent and community engagement• Cultural competence• Creating professional learning communities• Teacher compensation• “Flight schools”

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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

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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

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Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association

Success 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

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

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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

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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?

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C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

• 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

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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?

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C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

• 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.

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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?

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C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standard

• 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.

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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?

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C.A.R.E. CREDETheme Standards

• 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.

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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

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Chapter 7: Developing a Systems Perspective for School

Organization

• Core values• Continuous improvement• Policies, procedures, and

practices in your school • KEYS 2.0 connection

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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