|
|
|
Achievement Gaps: Solutions #3 |
|
|
ACHIEVEMENT GAPS: SOLUTIONS #3
Studies, Reports, Articles, Guides and Films
Updated in April 2009
ADDED IN APRIL
(1) A Reason, A Season, or a Lifetime -- Relational Permanence Among Young Adults with Foster Care Backgrounds. (2) Administrators’ and Teachers’ Work in a New Age of Reform: Understanding the Factors for African American Students’ Success. (3) An Education Agenda for Latino Students. (4) Assessing and Addressing Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California. (5) Finding Out What Matters for Youth -- Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development. (6) Paving the Way for Success in High School and Beyond -- The Importance of Preparing Middle School Students for the Transition to Ninth Grade. (7) The Public Returns to Public Educational Investments in African American Males.
Titles are presented in alphabetical order. A Broader, Bolder Approach to EducationCoalition of leaders with diverse religious and political affiliations, and experts in the fields of education, social welfare, health, housing, and civil rights. (2008). H. F. Ladd, P. Noguera, & T. Payzant, Co-Chairs. This report is based on the premise that “the nation's education policy has typically been crafted around the expectation that schools alone can offset the full impact of low socioeconomic status on learning, a theory embodied in the No Child Left Behind law, which passed with bipartisan support in 2001 and is now up for reauthorization. Schools can ameliorate some of the impact of social and economic disadvantage on achievement. Improving our schools, therefore, continues to be a vitally important strategy for promoting upward mobility and for working toward equal opportunity and overall educational excellence. Evidence demonstrates, however, that achievement gaps based on socioeconomic status are present before children even begin formal schooling. Despite impressive academic gains registered by some schools serving disadvantaged students, there is no evidence that school improvement strategies by themselves can substantially, consistently, and sustainably close these gaps. Nevertheless, there is solid evidence that policies aimed directly at education-related social and economic disadvantages can improve school performance and student achievement. The persistent failure of policymakers to act on that evidence — in tandem with a schools-only approach — is a major reason why the association between disadvantage and low student achievement remains so strong.” Recommendations are included. Full text: http://www.boldapproach.org/ A Collective Responsibility, A Collective Work:
Supporting the Path to Positive Life Outcomes for Youth in Economically Distressed Communities
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Washington DC. (2008). R. Tsoi-A-Fatt “This paper presents a picture of risk and challenge for youth in distressed communities and outlines how these communities can band together to create a continuum of supportive activities to bolster youth’s success in school and life. . . . Data from ten communities across the country are used to highlight the magnitude of the challenges faced by youth growing up in these cities. Cities were selected based upon their graduation rates (less than 60 percent) and their rates of child poverty (greater than 30 percent). The 10 cities highlighted in this paper are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Oakland, and Philadelphia.” Full text – Scroll down:http://www.clasp.org/publications.php?id=14&year=2008#0
A New Day For Learning: A Report from the Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force V. L. Ferrandino, Chair Funded by the Charles Steward Mott Foundation, Flint, Michigan. (2007). Distributed by Edutopia, George Lucas Foundation, San Rafael, California The premise of the Task Force is that “we are not getting very far, very fast (in improving student outcomes) because we persist in placing all the responsibility for teaching on the schools and on a short school day. . . . The Task Force acknowledges that there is no complete model of this new day for learning. There are efforts across the country, however, that point the way toward restructuring and redesigning the education of children so that they have access to the best communities offer and can develop fully as learners and future citizens. The Task Force’s review of research and emerging strategies has led to a concept of a new learning system that needs all the following elements: (a) redefinition of student success; (b) use of knowledge about how students learn best throughout the day, early to late — and year round; (c) integration of various approaches to acquiring and reinforcing knowledge; (d) intentional collaboration across local, State, and national sectors; and (e) new leadership and professional development opportunities.” Full text with links to additional information on community collaboration, real-world learning, and learning around the clock:http://www.edutopia.org/new-day-for-learning
A Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform
Campaign for High School Equity: A National Coalition, Washington DC. (2007). This is the Campaign for High School Equity’s inaugural publication. It “makes a compelling case for the need to invest in high schools and provides a blueprint for meaningful reform.” Its recommendations include a call to: (a) make all students proficient and prepared for college and work; (b) hold high schools accountable for student success; (c) redesign the American high school; (d) provide students with the excellent leaders and teachers they need to succeed; and (e) provide equitable learning conditions for all students. Overview of the Campaign and coalition members: http://www.highschoolequity.org/aboutFull text of the Plan for Success: http://www.highschoolequity.org/node/18
A Positive Future for Black Boys: Building the Movement The Schott Foundation for Public Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts. (2006). R. Sen. Based on extensive documentation by various groups convened by the Schott Foundation, this report “lays out a framework for how stakeholders can begin organizing themselves and their communities to become agents of change for their schools. Guided by examples and worksheets, The Schott Foundation for Public Education encourages readers to use this publication to begin organizing efforts or strengthen existing efforts in their own schools, neighborhoods, and communities.” Full text – Scroll down: http://schottfoundation.org/drupal/projectsA Reason, A Season, or a Lifetime:
Relational Permanence Among Young Adults with Foster Care BackgroundsChapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago. (2008). G. M. Samuels “The phenomenon called ‘aging out’ includes approximately 20,000 young people who enter adulthood directly from foster care each year. . . . This interpretive study conducted in-depth interviews and created personal network maps with 29 young adults participating in a program offering resources to help them make successful transitions to adulthood. The aim of this study was to explore their social support networks and examine how foster care might constrain or facilitate supportive relationships into adulthood. This study is informed by a conceptualization of foster care as embedded in ‘ambiguous loss.’ . . . The report introduces the concept of familial support, providing a sense of family connection, as an important support provided by some participants’ inner-circle network members. Ultimately, these findings indicate that experiencing and learning to cope with ambiguous loss shapes and informs how participants interpret their social worlds and affects their sense of some relationships as seasonal, and others as permanent or enduring across the life course. The report closes with implications for practice and policy.” Full text: http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1466
A Review of the Research Literature on the Influences of Culturally Based Education on the Academic Performance of Native American Students
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon. (2003). W. G. Demmert Jr. & J. C. Towner. This report is to reviews “the research literature to determine whether there is a direct relationship between a culturally-based education curriculum and improved academic performance among Native American students. There is a significant amount of qualitative research that sets the stage for testing ideas through quantitative methods that may isolate specific factors that validate theories regarding culturally-based education in searching for ways to improve academic performance among Native children.” Full text: http://www.nwrel.org/indianed/cbe/
A Road Map for Learning -- Improving Educational Outcomes in Foster Care: A Strategic Guide to Success in School
Casey Family Programs, Seattle, Washington. (2004). This “is a guide for everyone working towards successful educational outcomes for youth in foster care or out-of-home care. The book provides a modular framework for achieving collaboration across the federal, state, and local legal, educational, and child welfare systems. A Road Map for Learning shows how to integrate the predictors of academic success into an educational plan and encourages letting youth in out-of-home care be the primary voice in their own decision-making.” Full text: http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/RoadMapForLearning.htm
A Summary of Best Practices in School Reentry for Incarcerated Youth Returning HomeJustChildren, Legal Aid Justice Center, Charlottesville, Virginia. (2004 with a 2006 Preface). S. Geddes & K. M. Keenan. “School re-enrollment for young people returning home from locked juvenile facilities is a problem throughout the United States. Although efforts to study and fix this problem are relatively recent, there nonetheless exist a number of studies, programs, laws, and regulations that point the way toward a set of best practices. . . . At the request of the Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Education, JustChildren has conducted research on best practices in school reenrollment for young people leaving juvenile facilities and returning to their home schools. This report summarizes JustChildren’s initial research.” States (and one district) profiled in this report are: California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York City, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington State, and West Virginia. Full text – Scroll to Summary of Best Practiceshttp://www.justice4all.org/our_programs/justchildren/links
Academic Success Among Poor and Minority Students: An Analysis of Competing Models of School Effects
Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR), The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. (2002).
G. D. Borman & L. T. Rachuba.
“Based on national data from the Prospects Study, (the authors) identified the individual characteristics that distinguished academically successful, or resilient, elementary school students from minority and low-socioeconomic-status (SES) backgrounds from their less successful, or non-resilient, counterparts. (They) also formulated and tested four distinct models of the risk factors and resilience-promoting features of schools: (a) the effective schools model; (b) the peer-group composition model; (c) the school resources model; and (d) the supportive school community model. Results suggest that minority students from low-SES backgrounds were exposed to greater risks and fewer resilience-promoting conditions than otherwise similar low-SES White students. In general, though, the results supported the applicability of uniform individual and school-level models of academic resiliency to all low-SES students, regardless of their race. Greater engagement in academic activities, an internal locus of control, efficaciousness in math, a more positive outlook toward school, and a more positive self-esteem were characteristic of all low-SES students who achieved resilient outcomes. The most powerful school characteristics for promoting resiliency were represented by the supportive school community model, which, unlike the other school models, included elements that actively shielded children from adversity. The implications of these findings for theory and for policy are discussed.”
Full text – See Report 52.
http://www.csos.jhu.edu/CRESPAR/reports.htm
Add it Up: Using Research to Improve Education for Low-income and Minority Students
Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Washington, DC. (2001).
A. Lewis with S. Paik
“This guide explains how low-performing schools can become high-achieving ones. . . None of the schools that have been successful with minority and/or low-income children could have made progress without accepting change and continuous improvement as givens in their daily efforts. How did they do it and what can be adopted by any school? (This publication presents) lessons learned from these schools and communities and the research base behind their success. For the most part, the research comes from studies of Title I schools, especially elementary schools. (The) guide organizes the information around clear, definitive issues— from early childhood education to what to expect from district leadership.”
Full text: http://www.prrac.org/pubs_aiu.php
Administrators’ and Teachers’ Work in a New Age of Reform: Understanding the Factors for African American Students’ Success
E-Journal of Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings. (2004).
Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
F. D. Beacham, A. M. Dentith, & C. R. McCray.
“This study focuses on the school practices and relationships among educators that foster success among African American students. In the spirit of renewed opportunity, the researchers examined the perspectives of teachers and administrators relative to the teaching and learning success with African American students in an urban middle school (sixth through eighth grade) program in a Midwestern school district. More specifically, the study employed a hybrid design that uses ethnographic strategies to develop a comprehensive case study. As a result, four preliminary themes emerged: (a) tough love or discipline with dignity; (b) shared culture; (c) disparate perception (between Black and White educators); and (d) student achievement (especially within the era of high-stakes testing and accountability).”
Full text:
http://www.subr.edu/coeducation/ejournal/Beachum%20et%20al.%20Article.htm
After-School Hours: Sustaining Student Participation in Academic-Linked Programs.
The School Administrator. (2005). American Association of School Administrators, Arlington, Virginia. This journal issue features: (a) Leveraging the After-School Value Added (new and creative learning opportunities and evidence of their success); (b) Evaluating After-School Programs (review of some studies on effectiveness); (c) Academics After-School Style (approaches of after-school programs to improving academic performance); (d) Finding the Right Hook (strategies for attracting and sustaining participation in after-school programs). Full texts: http://www.aasa.org/publications/saissuedetail.cfm?ItemNumber=2208&snItemNumber=950&tnItemNumber=1995Afterschool Training Toolkit
National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Austin, Texas “This toolkit is designed to give afterschool program directors and instructors the resources they need to build fun, innovative, and academically enriching activities that not only engage students, but extend their knowledge in new ways and increase academic achievement. . . . Each subject area is filled with standards-based multi-media resources including: research-based practices, sample lessons, interactive activities, and video segments taken from afterschool programs across the country.” The toolkit covers (a) arts; (b) literacy; (c) math; (d) science; (e) technology; and (f) homework help. Toolkit: http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/toolkits/index.htmlAlso see Curriculum Databases:http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/resources/curriculum.html
All Students Reaching the Top: Strategies for Closing Academic Achievement Gaps
A Report of the National Study Group for the Affirmative Development of Academic Ability. (2004).
Learning Point Associates, the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Columbia University Teachers College, and the College Board.
“During the course of one year, the National Study Group engaged 20 scholars in dialogue and writing for the purpose of producing (this) national report on critical interventions to help close the academic achievement gaps among ethnic minority groups of students.” Contents cover: (a) academic ability and achievement gaps; (b) high-quality teaching and instruction in the classroom; (c) the importance of trusting relationships in school; (d) supports for pro-academic behavior in the school and community; (e) all students at the top: what will it take?
Full text: http://www2.learningpt.org/catalog/item.asp?SessionID=1053239645&productID=145
An Education Agenda for Latino Students
Una Agenda Educativa para los Estudiantes Latinos
Center for American Progress, Washington DC. (2008). M. Lazarín
“One in five—approximately 10 million—public school students are Latino. And the proportion of Hispanic school-aged children is expected to grow by 166 percent by 2050, quickly outpacing the 4 percent expected growth of non-Hispanic children. Yet Latinos are among the least likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn and least likely to graduate from high school. Federal policymakers have a lot of work to do in improving education for Latinos. (This brief presents) eight ideas they can start with.”
Full text in English:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/09/latino_education.html
En español:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/09/agenda_educativa.html
Assessing and Addressing Disparities Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California. (2009).
M. R. Kilburn & D. Schultz.
“This study identifies some of the greatest disparities for boys and men of color relative to their white counterparts across specific socioeconomic, health, safety, and school readiness indicators in California and provides information about different strategies for reducing the disparities — including effective programs, practices, and policies — that can begin making an important difference in changing the life course of boys and men of color.”
News release and click for full text: http://www.rand.org/news/press/2009/02/05/
Between You and Me: Facilitating Cross-Race Dialogue About the Achievement Gap in Schools
Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education,
Appalachian Educational Laboratory (Now Edvantia). (2004).
M. C. Keyes & P. S. Kusimo.
"This paper describes a dialogue process that was conducted on a monthly basis over the course of a year. School and school district administrators in Kanawha County, West Virginia, worked with African American community members to develop an understanding about actions that could improve the academic performance of the community’s children. This account includes lessons learned from the process and suggestions for others who may wish to undertake similar dialogues. It addresses steps and issues involved in (a) recruiting participants; (b) planning meetings; (c) facilitating dialogue; (d) potential outcomes of the dialogue process; and (e) discussion topics and tools."
Full text:
http://www.edvantia.org/products/index.cfm?&t=products&c=products&id=458
Beyond the Bell® Toolkit -Third Edition
Learning Point Associates, Washington DC. (Undated). “Beyond the Bell is a suite of products designed by Learning Point Associates to help afterschool directors, coordinators, and staff create and sustain high-quality, effective afterschool programs. The suite provides resources and training for afterschool staff that are practical, easy-to-use, and grounded in research and experience. Beyond the Bell is one component of the Learning Point Associates resources for afterschool programs.” The package includes (a) Beyond the Bell Toolkit; (b) Beyond the Bell Staff workbook; (c) and a subscription to the Beyond the Bell website. For purchase: http://www.beyondthebell.org/
Challenging Racial Inequality in Education: One School’s Response to the End of Affirmative Action
In Motion Magazine, NPC Productions, New York City. (2000). P. A. Noguera. This paper begins by reviewing California’s Proposition 2009 “which officially brought an end to the use of race and gender as a factor in contracting, hiring, and college admissions in publicly supported institutions” and its impact on minority enrollments. The author believes that “to begin to ascertain the consequences of this change in law we must have an understanding of conditions in California's K-12 educational system which prepares students for higher education.” Then the major thrust of this extensive paper is to describe the Diversity Project at Berkeley High School, Berkeley Unified School District, California. Unfinished Business: Closing the Racial Achievement Gap in Our Schools is Noguera’s book (edited with J. Y. Wing) on the dynamics of race and achievement at Berkeley High School. Full text: http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/pnpd1.htmlAlso see the full text of a chapter from Unfinished Business: Closing the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School (2006):http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/er/pn_jy_ub.htmlTo purchase the book: http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787972754.html
Characteristics of Minority Students Who Excel on the SAT and in the Classroom
Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey. (2005). B. Bridgeman & C. Wendler. The authors’ premise is that “the familiar term ‘achievement gap’ describes racial/ ethnic differences that exist in many academic areas, including average SAT scores. But if we focus only on the average gap, we may overlook the fact that many minority students defy stereotypes and receive high SAT scores, succeed in rigorous high school courses, and excel in college. In this report, (they) attempt to better understand the characteristics and ambitions of these academic superstars from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds by examining characteristics of these students in terms of high school courses taken, participation in school activities, leadership experiences, academic success, and parental education.” Full text: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/
?vgnextoid=4930af5e44df4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=
5c75be3a864f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRDCity Kids, City Schools: More Reports from the Front RowNew Press, New York City. (2008). W. Ayers, G. Ladson-Billings, G. Michie, & P. A. Noguera (Eds.) According to a book review in Teachers College Record, “putting forth a call to action, the City Kids volumes ask educators to engage in a collective struggle to build a system that encourages citizenship, participation, engagement, and democracy. n contrast to an education based on elitism, hierarchy, and competition, the editors advocate a liberating, humanistic education for urban youth. The first volume, originally published in 1996, sets the call in motion, and the second volume, published twelve years later, reveals how the struggle has been pursued over the years, even with massive shifts in educational policy. Both volumes contain a unique collection of works that offer a much-needed glimpse into city life, allowing readers to explore the experiences and strengths of urban youth, to appreciate the passion and perspectives of teachers, and to critically examine the complexities and contradictions of urban schools and communities. Education texts rarely present such wide-ranging topics that raise fundamental issues about the challenges and possibilities of urban education, and City Kids does so in a way that provocatively summons both celebration and action.” For purchase: http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1719Book review: http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=15400
Closing the Achievement Gap SeriesAnnie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, Maryland. (2007-2008). “Through its education investments, the Annie E. Casey Foundation helps ensure that young people graduate from school prepared to succeed as adults. The Foundation achieves this by supporting quality school choices and strong connections between schools, families, and communities. Closing the Achievement Gap is a series of stories, results, and lessons learned from seven years of education investing.” Seven reports are freely available. The series:http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/PublicationsSeries/ Closing the Education Achievement Gap: Research Summary (Online Video Presentation) MDRC, New York City. (2003). J. Snipes. “Presenting insights from an exploratory investigation of successful districtwide school reforms, this seven-minute video outlines how public school systems in four big cities reduced ethnic and racial disparities in academic achievement while raising student performance overall.” The speaker reviews MDRC’s research on education in urban school districts and describes promising practices.: Online video – Scroll to the next to last item on the page:http://www.mdrc.org/video_archive.htmlClosing the Gap: How Northwest Schools Are Raising Minority AchievementNorthwest Education Magazine. (2002). Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon.
This topical issue presents an extensive overview of achievement gap issues and strategies for addressing it. This is followed by seven articles on promising practices of schools, districts, an Indian reservation, and a university.
Full texts: http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/2002f/index.html
Closing the Racial Achievement Gap: The Role of Reforming Instructional Practices
Education Policy Analysis Archives. (2004). Arizona State University and University of South Florida. H. Wenglinsky This study “applies the technique of hierarchical linear modeling to a nationally representative sample of 13,000 fourth graders who took the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress in mathematics to identify instructional practices that reduce the achievement gap. It finds that, even when taking student background into account, various instructional practices can make a substantial difference.” Full text: http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v12n64/
Community Schools: Working Toward Institutional TransformationCenter for Mental Health in Schools, University of California Los Angeles. (2008). H. Adelman & L. Taylor, Co-Directors. “Supporters of Community Schools often are drawn to the term because of their concern with improving school climate, focusing on the whole child. Addressing diversity needs, and taking a ‘broader and bolder approach’ in order to transform public education. Diverse concepts commonly raised in discussions of Community Schools include establishing a psychological sense of community; promoting well-being, resilience, and protective factors; increasing student and family empowerment and collaborative governance; pursuing culturally responsive pedagogy and advocacy-oriented assessment; and ensuring social justice and equity of opportunity. . . . This report explores (a) the concept of Community Schools; (b) the state of the art; (c) guiding frameworks for designing interventions at a Community School; (d) the process of school-family-community cooperation; and (e) considerations related to moving forward.” Center’s home page: http://smhp.psych.ucla.eduFull text: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/csinstitutionaltrans.pdf
Cooperative Learning, Values, and Culturally Plural ClassroomsThe Cooperative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota. (Undated). D. W. Johnson & R. T. Johnson.
“While competitive, individualistic, and cooperative efforts should all three be part of schooling, cooperation is by far the most necessary if diversity is to result in positive outcomes. Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning. Cooperative learning experiences are based on students' perceiving that they sink or swim together and that they must provide face-to-face help and support, do their fair share of the work, provide leadership and resolve conflicts constructively, and periodically process how to improve the effectiveness of the group. There is considerable evidence that students will learn more, use higher level reasoning strategies more frequently, build more complete and complex conceptual structures, and retain information learned more accurately when they learn within cooperative groups than when they study competitively or individualistically.” The chapters in this publication cover (a) interdependence and values; (b) the nature of cooperative learning; (c) basic elements of cooperation; (d) what we know about cooperative learning; and (e) making diversity among students a strength.
Full text: http://www.co-operation.org/pages/CLandD.html
Creating Postsecondary Pathways to Good Jobs for Young High School Dropouts: The Possibilities and the ChallengesCenter for American Progress, Washington DC. (2008). L. Harris & E. Ganzglass “The fact that 30 percent of young people — and 50 percent of minority youth — leave our public schools without a high school diploma suggests that not only do we need to shore up the K-12 pipeline, but we must also explore aggressive ways to reconnect dropouts to the education infrastructure in ways that will impart the secondary, postsecondary, and occupational skills they will need to succeed in the labor market. A range of estimates exist on the number of disconnected youth—those out of school, out of work, and in other high-risk situations. A recent Government Accountability Office report estimates there are between 2.3 million and 5.2 million disconnected youth between the ages of 16 and 24, depending on definition and methodology. In 2004, the National Center for Education Statistics estimated that there were 3.8 million youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who were not enrolled in school and were without a high school diploma. . . . These dropouts are disproportionately concentrated in high-minority and high-poverty districts and communities. . . . This paper looks at strategies for connecting high school dropouts between the ages of 16 and 24 to pathways to postsecondary credentials that have value in the labor market. (The authors) highlight examples of innovations in policy, program delivery, pedagogy in adult education, youth development and dropout recovery, and postsecondary education.” Full text: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/10/postsecondary_pathways.htmlCulturally Responsive Response to Intervention: A Professional Learning ModuleNational Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt). Arizona State University, Tempe. (2008). “Participants in this professional learning module will become familiar with the basic structures and features of culturally responsive RTI with a focus on ensuring that general education provides robust, high quality opportunities to learn for all students. Participants will also identify traditional attitudes related to what counts as evidence in research and practice, expand upon these views, and design interventions for their own pedagogy that take into account the role of culture in teaching and learning.” The module includes (a) Culturally Responsive Response to Intervention Models; (b) Using Data to Assess Student Progress and Inform Educational Decisions in Culturally Responsive RTI Models; and (c) Ensuring Culturally Responsive Student Supports. To download the module:http://nccrest.org/professional/culturally_responsive_response_to_intervention.htmlAlso see: Cultural Considerations and Challenges in Response-to-Intervention Models: An NCCRESt Position Statement http://www.nccrest.org/publications/position_statements.htmlDemilitarizing What the Pentagon Knows About Developing Young People:
A New Paradigm for Educating Students Who Are Struggling in School and in LifeThe Brookings Institution, Washington DC. (2007). H. B. Price. “This working paper examines the approaches, wisdom, and experience generated by the National Guard ChalleNGe program as well as the vast storehouse of knowledge and research, models and systems possessed by the military services that are potentially applicable to educating and developing youngsters who are at greatest risk of academic failure, economic marginality, and outright poverty. . . . The United States military enjoys a well-deserved reputation for its ability to reach, teach, and develop young people who are rudderless, and for setting the pace among American institutions in advancing minorities. Young people receive military-style education and training in an array of settings, most typically in a branch of the military. Various branches also partner with public schools to operate programs that emulate the military atmosphere and methods.
These military and quasi-military programs exhibit many attributes that appear to contribute to the young people's success and therefore might be appropriate to incorporate in a new approach to educating youngsters who are performing way below par, disengaged from school, or dropping out.” Executive summary and click for full text:http://www.brookings.edu/views/papers/price200705.htmDisconnected Youth: Federal Action Could Address Some Challenges Faced by Local Programs That Reconnect Youth to Education and EmploymentReport to the Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives. United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2008). “Several federal agencies oversee a number of programs and grants that assist local programs in serving this population at the local level. GAO reviewed: (a) the characteristics of locally operated programs that serve disconnected youth, (b) the key elements of locally operated programs to which directors attribute their success in reconnecting youth to education and employment, and (c) challenges involved in operating these programs and how federal agencies are helping to address these challenges. GAO interviewed officials from four federal agencies, experts, and directors of 39 local programs identified by agencies and experts as helping youth meet educational and employment goals. . . . GAO recommends that the Department of Labor work with States and workforce investment boards to better ensure they have the information and guidance needed to develop and implement contracts that allow local programs to serve youth who are in need of more assistance than others while still achieving performance goals. Labor agreed with these recommendation and identified several steps it plans to take to implement it.” Highlights and full text:http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-08-313 Educating African American Males: Voices from the Field
Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, California. (2005). O. Fashola (Ed.). “Contributions in this book represent the proceedings from a conference co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and Howard University and devoted to African American male achievement. (This book) brings this important discussion to the field and offers unique perspectives covering sociological, emotional, economic, pedagogical, and cognitive realms.” For purchase: http://www.corwinpress.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book227390Book review in Education Review:http://edrev.asu.edu/reviews/rev541.htmElements of Effective Practice, 2nd Edition (Mentoring)MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, Alexandria, Virginia. (2003). The guidelines presented here are geared toward helping mentoring relationships thrive and endure. They include measures any mentoring program can implement to offer the best mentoring possible. . . . These guidelines are based on solid research — research that affirms the importance of accountability and responsibility in meeting young people's needs. . . . The first Elements of Effective Practice were developed and published in 1990 by a national panel of mentoring experts brought together by MENTOR and United Way of America. For more than a decade, those Elements have served as the gold standard for mentoring. These new guidelines are the culmination of a process that, once again, brought together many of the nation's foremost authorities on mentoring. In 2003, this newly formed group began by reassessing the existing Elements. They took the best of those Elements and added new ideas and new practices that reflect the latest in mentoring policies, practices, experiences, and research.” Full text: http://www.mentoring.org/find_resources/elements_of_effective_practice/And click at the right for the accompanying toolkit.Effective Standards-Based Practices for Native American Students: A Review of Research Literature
Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), Aurora, Colorado. (2003). H. S. Apthorp, E. D. D’Amato, & A. Richardson. “To better understand the qualities of education programs and supports necessary for Native American students to reach standards, researchers and technical assistance providers at McREL have reviewed research and are conducting field studies. . . . The purpose is to establish access to Native American research by recognizing the educational innovations developed by Native American people, their purposes and outcomes, and lessons learned.” Although the authors found “few reports on students’ academic achievement when the curricula were implemented, (they) did find case study and evaluation reports that included academic achievement results in association with multi-year, multi-component program innovations. These innovations were implemented and evaluated in schools serving Native American students (in Alaskan, Hawaiian, and Navajo communities).. . . . Positive relationships between improved student achievement and certain program characteristics and classroom practices were found, including: (a) teaching indigenous language and literacy first, followed by instruction in learning to read and write in English and promotion of bilingualism; (b) emphasizing reading comprehension and peer interactions and frequent monitoring of student progress; and (c) using culturally congruent curriculum materials and instruction in mathematics.” Full text: http://www.mcrel.org/topics/productDetail.asp?topicsID=14&productID=15Equity in Education in Finland: Country Note
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2006). Paris, France.
N. Grubb, H. M. Jahr, J. Neumuller, & S. Field
“Equity in education has been a concern of almost all countries, whether developed, transitional, or in the process of developing. Inequality in education — whether inequality is measured by differences in measures of learning like test scores, measures of educational attainment like years completed, or more abstract conceptions like opportunity — is partly an issue of equity, or its close synonym fairness. Countries differ in the extent to which they value fairness and equity, to be sure, but more than most countries Finland seems to consider equality of both status and opportunity important.”
Full text: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/40/36376641.pdf
Every Child, Every Promise: Turning Failure Into ActionAmerica’s Promise: The Alliance for Youth, Alexandria, Virginia. (2006). America’s Promise has established Five Promises for America’s Youth: (a) caring adults; (b) safe places and constructive use of time; (c) a healthy start and healthy development; (d) effective education for marketable skills and lifelong learning; and (e) opportunities to make a difference through helping others. “ Every Child, Every Promise is the first comprehensive study of how well children are receiving the Five Promises -- the key developmental resources that correlate with success. . . . Only 31% of school-age children are receiving enough Promises to be confident of success. . . . This report also shows how we can turn failure into action and change the lives of young people now at risk.” Full text: http://www.americaspromise.org/APAMini.aspx?id=5906Expanding the Circle: Transition from High School to Postsecondary Experiences for American Indian Students (A Curriculum)University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. (2002). “The Expanding the Circle curriculum offers culturally relevant activities that facilitate the successful transition from high school to postsecondary experiences for American Indian students. . . . The curriculum is designed to help youth explore who they are, what skills they need, and what their options are for life after high school. Lessons are designed for use by teachers as well as elders, community members, or other professionals who may work with American Indian youth. Although the materials are designed for high school students, particularly those ages 14 and older, the activities are also beneficial for middle school students or those in their first year of college.” Introduction to the curriculum, view samples, and click to purchase:: http://ici1.umn.edu/etc/curriculum/index.htm
Faith in Learning: Supporting Faith-Based Efforts to Improve the Academic Achievement of African American and Low-Income Youth Edvantia, Charleston, West Virginia. (2004). M. Keyes
“In 2000, Edvantia (formerly AEL) began a collaboration with a partnership of faith-based organizations in Charleston, West Virginia. The partnership wished to expand educational support for African American and low-income youth. Edvantia aimed to bring its knowledge of education to organizations having long-term relationships with young people and commitment to their futures. This paper offers lessons from Edvantia's experience about developing relationships with faith-based organizations, understanding their culture, assessing the potential for collaboration, and providing technical assistance. It is intended to assist other organizations wishing to form similar collaborations.”
Full text:
http://www.edvantia.org/products/index.cfm?&t=products&c=products&id=462
Finding Out What Matters for Youth:
Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development
Youth Development Strategies Inc, and the Institute for Research and Reform
in Education, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (2002).
M. A. Gambone, A. M. Klem,& J. P. Connnell.
The framework described in this report “is based on both academic and applied research on youth and communities, and on the fieldwork of this project’s two principal investigators. As a first step toward clarity and precision, the framework presents a research-based set of developmental supports and opportunities to guide the design and evaluation of programs, organizations, and initiatives serving youth. (The authors) also offer two sets of outcomes that these supports and opportunities are hypothesized to influence both directly – youth learning to be productive, to connect and to navigate – and indirectly – young adults becoming economically self-sufficient, having healthy family and social relationships and contributing to their communities. The Community Action for Youth Development Framework seeks to integrate basic knowledge about youth development and the community conditions that affect it with emerging hypotheses about what it will take to transform communities into places where all young people (and particularly those young people currently least likely to succeed) can achieve their fullest potential. It reorganizes existing information from other youth development frameworks, research, and practical experience in terms that explicitly seek to translate developmental principles into a systematic approach to planning, implementing and evaluating activities and investments for youth.”
Full text – Scroll down: http://www.ydsi.org/ydsi/publications/index.html
Also see two papers on Youth Development in Community Settings further down the same page.
Five Standards for Effective Pedagogy.Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence (CREDE),
University of California, Santa Cruz (Various dates)
CREDE products are now distributed by the Center for Applied Linguistics.
CREDE researchers identified a model that works for diverse students, which was gleaned from the best practices of master teachers and then scientifically tested to measure its effectiveness. “These pedagogy standards are not intended to represent the full spectrum of complex tasks that comprise teaching; rather, they represent instructional activities that promote active student learning and must be adapted to varying contexts and diverse student needs. (Further), these standards do not stand in opposition to direct instruction.” Researchers "have been testing and refining the Five Standards for more than a decade", and quantitative studies conducted annually since 2000 show that their use “improves achievement for ALL students and is critical for at-risk students.” In a 2003 technical report, CREDE showed that “recent research has found a consistent relationship between use of the standards and a wide range of student outcomes. This research has examined teachers’ use of the standards, both separately and in combination, with a variety of methods including case studies of multiple classrooms, short-term randomized designs and quasi-experimentation in single classrooms, and longitudinal studies of entire schools.” CREDE materials are now distributed by the Center for Applied Linguistics. Pedagogy Matters: Standards for Effective Teaching Practice:
Full text:http://calstore.cal.org/store/detail.aspx?ID=15Paper on two studies/NABE Journal of Research and Practice – Five Standards and Student Achievement:http://www.uc.edu/njrp/A Rubric for Observing Classroom Enactments of CREDE’s Standards for Effective Pedagogy:http://crede.berkeley.edu/standards/spac.shtmlFragile Futures: Risk and Vulnerability Among Latino High-Achievers
Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey. (2005). P. Gándara.
Fragmented: Improving Education for Mobile Students
Poverty and Race Research Action Council. (2004). Washington, DC. L. Williams.
This 64-page handbook draws “on the material from the Winter 2003 Journal of Negro Education (‘Student Mobility: How Some Children Get Left Behind’). . . (It) outlines the specific classroom mobility issues faced by low-income and minority students, especially homeless, immigrant, farmworker, special education and foster children; and provides a series of specific action steps to ameliorate this problem — drawn from ‘best practices’ case studies in Chicago, Texas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Department of Defense schools.” For purchase: http://www.prrac.org/pubs_fiems.phpGood Schools in Poor Neighborhoods: Defying Demographics, Achieving SuccessThe Urban Institute Press, Washington DC (2007). B. C. Clewell & P. B. Campbell. Based on three years of research, this book “contrasts highly effective schools serving urban, low-income, minority youth with their more typical, struggling counterparts. Highlighted are two disparate districts -- one serving predominately African American students in a large northeastern city and one serving Latino students in a southwestern urban area. Through solid data from original research, as well as lively vignettes and vivid quotes from principals, teachers, parents, and students, a picture of exceptional schools emerges to guide policymakers and practitioners.’ For purchase and to view contents and introduction: http://www.urban.org/books/goodschools
Improving Academic Performance Among American Indian, Alaska Native,
And Native Hawai’ian Students: Assessment of Learning and Identification of Learning and Learning Disabilities (Workshop Summary).National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, National Institute for Literacy, and Office of Indian Education Programs. (2005). In March 2005, “several federal agencies, professional organizations, and associations joined forces to hold a national colloquium to address the educational needs of Native American students. . . . This document represents a summary of the presentations and discussions of that gathering.” Topics include (a) who and where are the children?; (b) culture, language, and literacy; (c) what do we know and need to know?; (d) substance abuse among native youth; (e) neuro-imaging in the study of reading, native language, and education; (f) cultural pedagogy and educational policy; (g) biology, environment, and culture; (h) innovative programs; (i) comprehensive summary of culture-based education programs; (j) issues and challenges; (k) solutions; and (l) a blueprint for research on Native American students’ educational issues. Full text: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs_details.cfm?from=&pubs_id=5651 Increasing the Achievement of Native American Youth at Early College High Schools
New Horizons for Learning, Seattle Washington. (2003) L. Campbell, K. Egawa, & G. Wortman This article describes how three secondary schools initiated programs in 2003 that “forego the all-too-common remediation options for American Indian students. . . . These three sites are part of the Early College High School Initiative sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Together, the four foundations have funded partners to establish Early College sites across the nation for underserved youth.” Full Text:http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/multicultural/campbell_egawa_wortman.htmIn-School and Out-of-School Factors That Build Student Achievement: Research-Based Implications for School Instructional Policy
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Naperville, Illinois. (2002). R. Clark
“Students routinely spend time learning academic and social skills during school activities, home activities, and community activities. However, researchers have conducted few studies of achievement patterns among the same cohort of urban students that adequately takes into account the role of family, school, and neighborhood process factors. That is, studies rarely analyze students' school achievement patterns in relation to the students' daily and weekly activities and routines and their overall lifestyles. Nevertheless, these types of ecological research studies are essential if we are ever to definitively answer questions about the relative impact of school, home, and community policies and practices on urban children's learning and school achievement. . . . Data presented in this paper show that variations in students' achievement test scores closely associate with actions that are taken by students, teachers, parents, and others in pursuit of achievement. . . . Data from four samples drawn from exploratory research studies are discussed. . . . There are three elementary school samples (Nashville, Tennessee; Bakersfield, California; Los Angeles, California) and one high school sample (Long Beach, California).” Full text: http://www.ncrel.org/gap/clark/Learning From the Youth Opportunity Experience: Building Delivery Capacity in Distressed Communities
National Center for Children in Poverty, Mailman Center for Public Health, Columbia University, New York City. (2006). L. Harris.
“In May 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded sizable Youth Opportunity (YO) Grants to 36 high-poverty urban, rural, and Native American communities. . . .The Youth Opportunity Grants—ranging from $3.1 to $43.8 million over five years—provided the resources to put in place comprehensive approaches at considerable scale. The Department’s expressed intent in awarding these grants was to demonstrate that the educational outcomes and economic prospects for young people in high-poverty communities could be dramatically improved by infusing these communities with resources; building capacity and infrastructure; connecting systems; and developing comprehensive, age-appropriate opportunities for youth. . . . The observations in this paper are based on the responses of 22 of the YO sites to a . . .survey administered by the Center for Law and Social Policy, wherein respondents were asked to identify areas of strength and challenges on 120 items in four categories: (a) mobilizing and engaging leadership, (b) connecting systems, (c) implementing comprehensive program strategies, and (d) engaging the business sector. Focus group discussions were conducted with several of the YO sites shortly after the start of the final grant year and then again as the year ended. This paper presents an assessment of the capacity building efforts in YO communities, the strengths and challenges of the program, lessons learned, and recommendations for policy and approach.” Full text: http://www.clasp.org/publications.php?id=24#0Lessons Learned About Effective Policies and Practices for Out-of-School Time Programming
American Youth Policy Forum, Washington DC. (2003). G. L. Partee.
This report, compiled from visits by groups of policymakers, discusses the challenges to out-of-school-time (OST) program implementation, including issues of going to scale, State and local roles and responsibilities, funding and sustainability, the role of intermediaries and advocates, and the relationship between OST programming and academic achievement. The reader will find tips on how communities provide OST activities that are both effective and responsive to local needs. Also illustrated are (a) numerous uses and public policy solutions to which OST programming has been applied, including leverage for school reform initiatives; (b) opportunities for teacher professional development; (c) expanded resources for schools and communities; (d) sites for school-based services; (e) reinforcement of mutual school and community interests; and (f) outlets for individual/group expression, extended youth development, community culture, and community education.” Press release and click for full text: http://www.aypf.org/pressreleases/pr25.htm
Leveling the Playing Field and Raising African American Students’ Achievement in Twenty-Nine Urban Classrooms.
New Horizons for Learning Online Journal. (2005). J. McKinley.
"This article highlights the results of a two-year study to examine (teacher/student) interactions to identify and describe the specific and common instructional and management strategies and contextual features used by 29 teachers whose African American students closed achievement gaps. Analyses of the data in that study suggest teachers enhanced their pedagogy to meet their students’ needs. Teachers and principals agreed that teachers 'leveled the playing field' for students as they applied 42 strategies, related to three areas: curriculum and instruction, contextual features and environment, and classroom assessments." Full text: http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/differentiated/mckinley.htm
Little Boy Lost: The Truth About Achievement Numbers for Black Males
District Administration Magazine. (2005). J. Sturgeon. Professional Media Group LLC, Norwalk, Connecticut This article reviews data on under-achievement of Black male students, and then describes programs that help to reverse it. These include Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID); restructuring at Louisa May Alcott Elementary School in Cleveland; The M2EN program at North Lawndale College Prep Charter High School in Chicago; and mentoring at the Eagle Academy for Young Men in New York City. Full Text:http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=289Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community SchoolsCoalition for Community Schools, Washington DC. (2003). With funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation M. Blank. A. Melaville, & B. Shah. This report “features 20 different community school models across the country that help improve student performance by mobilizing community resources in support of student learning. In short, a community school is a place as well as a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, services, supports, and opportunities leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.” It is accompanied by a toolkit of resources to inform others about the benefits of community schools. Full text and executive summary:http://www.communityschools.org/mtdhomepage.htmlCommunity Schools Toolkit: http://www.communityschools.org/CCSDocuments/ccstoolkit.html
Meeting the Needs of Significantly Struggling Learners in High School:
A Look at Approaches to Tiered InterventionNational High School Center, American Institutes for Research, Washington DC. (2007). H. Duffy “This brief first defines the Response to Intervention (RTI) model, drawing from various examples established in K–8 settings. The brief then explores implications of applying RTI to the high school level and provides resources appropriate for this application. In particular, this brief points to the promise that RTI constructs hold for monitoring instruction and learning for all students at the high school level and specifically for monitoring the success of targeted interventions focused on transitions and dropout prevention.” F ull text: http://www.betterhighschools.org/pubs/#AccessMentoring for Meaningful Results: Asset-Building Tips, Tools, and Activities for Youth and Adults Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota. (2006). This book “is a mentoring program leader’s complete “start-up kit” that provides mentors, mentees and parents or caregivers everything they to need to establish and maintain a successful mentoring relationship. Using practical tips and activities along with the Developmental Assets framework, Mentoring for Meaningful Results will enhance both mentoring programs in schools, organizations, and communities across the country, and the lives of the children and youth they serve.” For purchase: http://www.searchinstitutestore.org/product.php?productid=16424Multisubculturalism: Computers and the End of Progressive Education
Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison. WCER Working Paper (2005). D. W. Shaffer. “Multiculturalism is an essential tool for democratic citizenship in a world made ever more closely interconnected by information technologies. (This paper proposes) a model for progressive multicultural education in the computer age. (The author begins) by describing the Pragmatic Progressive model of learning implicit in Dewey’s writing on education. (He) then discuss two revisions to the model in light of technological developments and theoretical work over the last few decades. Taken together, these revisions suggest that we might profitably revisit -- and revise -- Dewey’s ideas in the postindustrial era. (The author brings) these ideas together to describe a theory of pedagogical praxis that offers an opportunity to move from multiculturalism to multisubculturalism -- a view of education that focuses on diverse educational goals rather than diverse pathways to a single pedagogical end -- and thus a view of learning better suited to the diverse ways of thinking and living that characterize our increasingly integrated world. Abstract and click for full text: http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/publications/workingPapers/Working_Paper_No_2005_5.phpNew on the Shelf: Teens in the Library – Findings from the Evaluation of Public Libraries as Partners in
Youth DevelopmentChapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago. (2005). J. Speilberger, C. Horton, L. Michels, & R. Halpern. “This study reports on findings from the Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development (PLPYD) Initiative, a 4-year, 9-site initiative funded by the Wallace Foundation to develop innovative models for public libraries to provide high-quality educational enrichment and career development programs serving underserved low-income children and youth. The evaluation reveals that public libraries can be a resource for youth in low-income communities. In addition to providing access to technology and a ‘safe’ place to be during out-of-school hours, evaluation results indicate libraries can provide high-quality youth employment programs that include training in both specific job skills and more general personal and social skills. These programs also can have positive impacts on the library system and the community.” The report describes implementation of the project, its impact, and its implications. Full text and summary of key findings:http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1380&L2=62&L3=105Overcoming Underachievement: How a Simple Writing Exercise Dismantled Negative Racial Preconceptions Summary of a Study Published in Science in 2006. Summarized in Edutopia, The George Lucas Educational Foundation. San Rafael, California. (2007). G. Rubenstein “Believing that the disparity in academic performance between white and African American students is partly fueled by a psychological effect called stereotype threat, (researchers from Yale) proposed to narrow the gap using a simple fifteen-minute writing exercise. . . . For the experiment, the researchers asked teachers to assign a short, in-class essay early in the fall term. Half of the kids, chosen at random, were asked to choose from a list of attributes ones they value, such as relationships with friends or being good at art, and write about them. The other half received instructions to select things on the list that matter least to them and write about why they might be important to someone else. . . . When the results came in, they were proof that the researchers' goal to improve performance on a single assignment was too modest; the effects of the writing exercise reached far beyond that. In the class in which the exercise was given, African American students who wrote the affirming essay earned final term grades that were (on a four-point scale where A equals 4 and F equals 0) an average of 0.26 points higher than those of their classmates of the same race. The results were so startling that the psychologists tried the experiment again the next year with a different group of students. The effect was even more powerful; this time, the affirming essay boosted African American students' final grades by an average of 0.34 points. Across all classes, the rise in the affirmed students' overall grade point averages was nearly as large. According to the researchers' calculations, the likelihood of two such outcomes happening due to chance, with no influence from the essay, is just 1 in 5,000. The exercise benefited low- or moderate-performing African American students the most, while it had no effect on the grades of white students. Combining results from both years, the essay narrowed the achievement gap between African American and white students in that class by 40 percent.” Summary of the study:http://www.edutopia.org/overcoming-underachievementPathways To Our Future: A Multimedia Training Program For Youth That Works
The Children’s Partnership, Washington DC and Santa Monica, California. (2002). J. Lau & W. Lazarus. “This report summarizes how a pilot program demonstrating how to successfully train low-income youth with marketable skills in technology and multimedia production works, and its accomplishments. It also features recommendations for how public and private sector leaders can extend the program’s benefits.” Full text:
http://www.childrenspartnership.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Reports1&CONTENTID=8651&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfmPaving the Way for Success in High School and Beyond: The Importance of Preparing Middle School Students for the Transition to Ninth GradePublic/Private Ventures, Philadelphia. (2009). J. B. Grossman & S. M. Cooney. This brief “presents an overview of issues surrounding the ninth grade transition: why it is so important; why many middle school students find it so difficult; traits related to a successful transition; and what schools can do to ease difficulties in the transition. Research indicates that students unprepared to handle the transition are more likely to disengage from school, which in turn may lead to dropping out — and a host of related problems, thus perpetuating a cycle of poverty for disadvantaged, low-income youth.” Full text: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publication.asp?search_id=0&publication_id=269§ion_id=0
Promoting Access to Network Technologies in Underserved Communities: Lessons Learned Digital Steppingstones Project: Final Report Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. (2002). E. Macias, R. Cutler, S. Jones, & M. Barreto This study had two primary objectives. “First, because overcrowded and under-funded institutions are a common feature of low-income communities, the programs highlighted in this report have overcome considerable obstacles in providing equitable access to technology. This report identifies the specific strategies that these programs are using to increase access to information technologies in underserved communities. Second, identification and description of these strategies allows policy makers, community leaders, educators, librarians, parents, and others to replicate effective technology programs in their own communities.” Featured programs include schools, libraries, family organizations, business partnerships, and community initiatives. Full text – Scroll to Product 5014:http://www.trpi.org/update/informationtechnology.htmlRace, Poverty, and Community Schools
Poverty and Race. (2002). Poverty and Race Research Action Council, Washington DC.
I. Harkav & M. J. Blank.
The authors advocate for community schools, which “strategically combine community resources with the assets and expertise of educators and schools to better meet the learning and development goals of students and schools, and to support families and communities; offer a range of services” to children and families; operate before, during, and after school and throughout the year; and engage residents in school planning and community problem-solving. They describe keys and action steps for creating community schools, the conditions that community schools create. and evaluations that verify their results. Full text: http://www.prrac.org/full_text.php?text_id=766&item_id=7798&newsletter_id=64
&header=September/October%202002%20Newsletter
Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men
Urban Institute Press, Washington DC. (2006).
P. Edelman, H. J. Holzer, & P. Offner.
The authors “offer analysis and policy prescriptions to solve this growing crisis (of disconnectedness among disadvantaged youth). They carefully examine field programs and research studies and recommend specific strategies to enhance education, training, and employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth; to improve the incentives of less-skilled young workers to accept employment; and to address the severe barriers and disincentives faced by some youth, such as ex-offenders and noncustodial fathers. The result is a clear guidebook for policymakers, and an important distillation for anyone interested in the plight of today’s disconnected youth.” For purchase: http://www.urban.org/pubs/reconnecting/Press release/extensive summary: http://www.urban.org/publications/900909.htmlReflecting on the Gap: What Can the Implementation of an Urban School Counseling Project Teach Us About the Achievement Gap?
E-Journal of Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings. (2004). Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A. Green, J. A. Conley, K. Barnett, & E. Benjamin “To learn more about how an urban school counseling model can promote academic achievement and development among African American students, a federally funded elementary school counseling project was implemented in historically under-performing urban elementary schools that serve predominately African American students. This implementation project grew out of a partnership between a large, urban school district’s school counseling office and the graduate department of a counselor education program located at a local university. . . . This article has three foci. First, the authors discuss how the academic achievement gap is as much of a by-product of poor schools and student performance, as it is a by-product of the social-ecological context in which schools are placed. Second, they present highlights of a program evaluation of a school counseling program intended to promote academic achievement in an urban context. Third, they discuss the lessons learned from this program implementation and make specific recommendations for decreasing academic disparities in the future.” Full text: http://www.subr.edu/coeducation/ejournal/Green%20et%20al.%20Article.htmReforms That Could Help Narrow the Achievement Gap
WestEd, San Francisco, California. (2006). R. Rothstein “Without complementary investments in early childhood education, health care, housing, after-school and summer programs, and other social and economic supports, the academic achievement gap between lower- and middle-class children will never be closed. In this new Policy Perspectives paper, (the author) outlines a series of reforms, in addition to school improvement, that could help narrow the achievement gap. As Rothstein writes: ‘ If as a society we choose to preserve big social class differences, we must necessarily also accept substantial gaps between the achievement of lower-class and middle-class children. Closing those gaps requires not only better schools, although those are certainly needed, but also reform in the social and economic institutions that prepare children to learn in different ways. It will not be cheap.’” Full text: http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/819Resilient Children: Literature Review and Evidence from the HOPE VI Panel Study--Final Report
Urban Institute, Washington DC. (2005). E. Cove, M. Eiseman, S. J. Popkin
“The HOPE VI program targets the nation's most distressed public housing-impoverished communities with substandard housing and extreme levels of drug trafficking and violent crime. Created by Congress in 1992, the HOPE VI program was designed to address not only the bricks-and-mortar problems in distressed public housing, but also the social and economic needs of the residents and the health of surrounding neighborhoods. . . . The HOPE VI Panel Study addresses the questions of whether the HOPE VI program has met its goal of providing residents with an improved living environment and how HOPE VI families have fared as relocation and revitalization have proceeded. The study tracks outcomes for original residents at five sites where redevelopment activities began in 2001. . . . In this report, (the authors) first review existing research from a range of social science disciplines to identify key factors that seem to be related to resiliency and understand the ways in which these factors act to protect children from negative outcomes. Then, using data from the HOPE VI Panel Study, (they) explore which of these factors are related to resiliency in the sample of children from HOPE VI developments. Finally, (they) discuss the potential implications of this research for policy. An annotated bibliography on resiliency is included in appendix A.” Introduction and click for full text:http://www.urban.org/publications/411255.htmlSafe Havens -- School, Community, and the Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Promising Practices Guide
New England Comprehensive Assistance Center at the Education Development Center,
Newton, Massachusetts. (2005).
J. D. Wong, J. Peace, A. Want, C. Feeley, & B. Carlson
“Approximately 1.35 million children are homeless during the course of a year, comprising 39 percent of the 3.4 million people who experience homelessness. Single women with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. . . . Addressing the needs of students who are homeless is a new challenge for many school districts. Some educators are not familiar with the extraordinary hardships of families coping with homelessness. Many do not understand the requirements and safeguards of the McKinney-Vento Act and the rationale for them. . . .This guidebook brings together practices and strategies from different schools that (the authors) believe improve education for students who are homeless.” Full text: http://eec.edc.org/Products/titleview.asp?titleid=1720
School-Based Mentoring: A Closer Look
Public/Private Ventures, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (2004). C. Herrera
This book follows up on two earlier studies “by analyzing the results of surveys we conducted with youth, mentors, teachers and case managers involved in three Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring programs. The report addresses the following questions: (a) what are the characteristics of mentor-youth matches in school-based programs?: (b) what is the quality of the relationships?; and (c) what kinds of benefits may youth be gaining from involvement?” Full text: http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/publications_description.asp?search_id=7&publication_id=180School Connections: U.S. Mexican Youth, Peers, and School Achievement
Teachers College Press, New York City. (2004). M. A. Gibson, P. Gandara, & J. P. Koyama (Eds.). Foreword by J. Oakes. “This collection examines the ongoing social dynamic between peer relations and academic achievement, bringing together the latest thinking from prominent scholars in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and education. These expert contributors: (a) address two key questions overlooked in the literature on Mexican-descent youth (In what ways do peers and peer relationships influence the school performance of Mexican-origin high school youth? In what ways do schools participate in structuring these peer relationships?); (b) provide a theoretical discussion of the concept of ‘peer social capital’ and the ways in which relationships among students can help to promote school achievement; (c) present six new studies that analyze the diverse types of peer interactions and influences in various school settings between Mexican-descent youth and their non-Mexican peers, as well as among Mexican-descent youth themselves; and (d) link prior analyses with recommendations for policy and practice, indicating where findings may be applied to the critical issue of raising the school achievement of a significantly underachieving portion of the American youth population. " For purchase: http://store.tcpress.com/0807744379.shtmlSmall Classes in the Early Grades, Academic Achievement, and Graduating From High School
Journal of Educational Psychology. (2005). J. D. Finn & S. B. Gerber.
American Psychological Association, Washington DC.
“It is well established that small class size in the early elementary grades boosts student achievement in those grades and allows students to be more engaged in learning than they are in larger classes. But there has been little research on the long-term effects of small class size. A new study involving a large sample of students followed for 13 years shows that four or more years in small classes in elementary school significantly increases the likelihood of graduating from high school, especially for students from low-income homes.” The article is summarized in an APA press release, which includes a link to the entire paper. Full text – Scroll to end of press release:http://www.apa.org/releases/smallclasses.htmlSocial Capital, Civic Engagement, and Positive Youth Development Outcomes
Policy Studies Associates Inc, Washington DC. (2003). N. Winter. “While this document reviews what research there is that speaks directly to the outcomes fostered by increased civic engagement, it goes beyond this base to lay out an argument about how we should think about civic engagement in the broader context of fostering positive youth development. Based on this review of the literature, (the authors) argue that civic engagement is an extremely important and promising path to improving youth outcomes. (They) develop this argument by situating youth civic engagement in terms of several bodies of literature, including those on social capital, civic engagement, and finally youth development.” Full text: http://www.policystudies.com/studies/community/social%20capital.htmlStudent Context, Student Attitudes and Behavior, and Academic Achievement: An Exploratory Analysis.
MDRC, New York City. (2006). T. M. Akey. “What are the key factors that promote academic success among students whose demographic characteristics and school circumstances place them at high risk of failure? This paper provides highly suggestive, although not conclusive, answers to this question. Through path analysis modeling techniques applied to data collected in MDRC’s evaluation of the First Things First school reform initiative in a large urban school district, the paper explores the influence of two psychological variables — student engagement and perceived academic competence — on achievement in reading and mathematics.” Summary and link to full text:http://www.mdrc.org/publications/419/overview.htmlSupporting Learning and Behavior of At-Risk Young Children: Computers in Urban Education
Journal of Research on Technology in Education. (2003).
J. M. Laffey, L. Espinosa, J. Moore, & A. Lodree.
Distributed by the National Institute for Early Education Research
“This article examines an exploratory study that aims to investigate the potential of interactive computer technology (ICT) to contribute to learning and behavior improvement. The study employed an experimental design comparing the performance of young, urban, African-American children from low socioeconomic status homes who were given specially selected ICT experiences with a comparison group who did not have the ICT treatment. The study also compared the performance of children identified as with or without behavioral problems, but not identified for special education. . . . The authors hypothesize a role for ICT in supporting both the learning and behavior of young children who are at risk because of behavior problems.” Full text: http://nieer.org/docs/index.php?DocID=75Technology, Academic Preparation, and Equity: A Comparative StudyUC ACCORD: All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity, University of California. (2004). M. Warschauer. This “study included school-based research at eight high schools in Southern California over a six-month period. Five of the schools are located within underserved communities and three were in wealthy communities — determined by socioeconomic status and the Academic Performance Index. (The research) focused primarily in the subject areas of English, mathematics, science, and social studies -- interviewing teachers of these subjects, observing their classes, and surveying and interviewing their students — all with the aim of better understanding how schools use technology to support academic preparation in diverse classrooms.” The authors offer a number of policy recommendations for promoting out-of-school computer access; establishing training and support networks; and addressing the needs of English language learners. Full text – Scroll down to October 6, 2004: http://ucaccord.gseis.ucla.edu/publications/index.html
The Best of Both Worlds: A Critical Pedagogy of Place The Educational Researcher. (2003). American Educational Research Association. D. A. Grunewald. The author analyzes and synthesizes “elements of two distinct literatures, critical pedagogy and place-based education, and argue that their convergence into a critical pedagogy of place offers a much needed framework for educational theory, research, policy, and practice. Place-based pedagogies are needed so that the education of citizens might have some direct bearing on the well being of the social and ecological places people actually inhabit. Critical pedagogies are needed to challenge the assumptions, practices, and outcomes taken for granted in dominant culture and in conventional education, as well as other approaches that are concerned with context and the value of learning from and nurturing specific places, communities, or regions. “ Full text – Under Features: http://www.aera.net/publications/?id=396
The Boys of Baraka: An Award-Winning Documentary FilmLoki Films, New York City. (2005). H. Ewing & R. Grady (Directors). As described by PBS, this film “tells the story of a group of middle school boys from inner city Baltimore who are selected to attend a boarding school in rural Kenya, East Africa. As part of an educational experiment sponsored by the Baltimore City Public School System and a local educational foundation, a group of 20 frequently disruptive middle school boys were given the opportunity to attend 7th and 8th grades at the Baraka School. The film documents their experiences in Baltimore and at Baraka. Viewers hear directly from the boys and their families about how the experience inspires their hopes and dreams.” A review by the Education Sector points out that “the film explodes some pervasive myths about black boys' academic underachievement, such as the idea that they don't perform well in school because they and their families don't value education. Throughout the film, in group scenes and in one-on-one shots, the boys demonstrate the depth of their understanding of the significance of education as a means to a better life.” DVD for purchase: http://lokifilms.com/site/barakanews.htmlBackground, lesson plan, and other information from PBS:http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/boysofbaraka/Film review from the Education Sector:http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=401844The Evaluation of Enhanced Academic Instruction in After-School Programs: Findings After the First Year of ImplementationInstitute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. (2008). A. R. Black, F. Doolittle, P. Zhu, R. Unterman, & J. B. Grossman. “This study tests whether interventions of structured approaches to academic instruction in after-school programs (one for reading and one for math) produce better academic outcomes than regular after-school services that consist primarily of help with homework or locally assembled materials that do not follow a structured curriculum. Compared to students attending regular after-school program activities, the students selected for the after-school math program received, on average, an additional 49 hours of instruction; students selected for the reading program received 48 hours of additional instruction, on average. The evaluation found a statistically significant difference in student achievement between students in the math after-school program and those in the regular after-school activities. In study sites, implementing the reading program, there was no statistically significant difference in reading achievement between students in the reading after-school program and those in the regular after-school activities.” (Based on expert review of proposals for this study, “Harcourt School Publishers was selected to adapt its math materials for use in after-school programs, and Success for All was selected to adapt its reading materials for after-school use”.) Executive summary and full text: http://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=NCEE20084021
The Influence of Multicultural Education Practices on Student Outcomes
and Intergroup Relations
Teachers College Record. (2008). Columbia University, New York City. S. Zirkel. The author uses “James A. Banks’ widely used conceptualization of the five components of multicultural educational practice — content integration, knowledge construction, prejudice reduction, equity pedagogies, and empowering school cultures — to examine the empirical evidence for the influence of each of these five different components on the academic outcomes of students of color and intergroup relations in schools. (She concludes that) the empirical research reveals that all five components of multicultural educational practice outlined by Banks to have a strong, positive impact on the educational outcomes of students of color and to improved intergroup relations, although research has been stronger in some areas (e.g., prejudice reduction and some equity pedagogies such as cooperative learning) than others (e.g., the specific effects of content integration and knowledge construction). The evidence suggests several additional conclusions: (a) multicultural educational practice has benefit for the academic outcomes of all students, not just students of color. (b) multicultural educational practice is most effective when implemented with careful attention to issues of race and power; (c) the academic and intergroup relations outcomes are linked, in that efforts designed to improve one improve the other.” Abstract (full text by membership or purchase):http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=14711
The No Child Left Behind Act; The Civil Rights PerspectiveRoundtables Sponsored by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University and Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute, University of California, Berkeley. (2006). Distributed by the Civil Rights Project at the University of California, Los Angeles The sponsors “commissioned a series of new research from prominent scholars to review evidence concerning the effects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) accountability on schools, identify critical gaps in the current research base on NCLB, and propose recommendations for reforming NCLB. This research examines the effects of NCLB for low-income and minority students and their schools from a civil rights perspective. To present this research, the Civil Rights Project and the Warren Institute convened a series of roundtables. . . . The first set of papers evaluated what is known about the law’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) provisions and developed recommendations for reforming these accountability provisions. The second set of papers focused on the challenges States face in meeting the law’s ambitious educational goals and how outcome-based accountability systems have worked in States where they were tried prior to NCLB. The final set of papers examined elements of successful high school reforms, exploring how NCLB requirements affect those conditions and how to change the law in ways that support effective high school reform.” Eleven papers presented at the roundtables are available. Full texts of eleven papers: http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/esea/nclb_roundtable/The Public Returns to Public Educational Investments in African American MalesCenter for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City. (2007). H. L. Levin, C. Belfield, P. Muennig, & C. Rouse “This paper calculates the public savings (financial benefits) from greater public investments in the education of African American males. Over one-fifth of each age cohort of black males in the U.S. is not a high school graduate. (The authors) identify five interventions that would -- based on credible research -- increase the graduation rate. (They) also report the public cost of each intervention . . . and then calculate the lifetime public benefits in terms of increased tax revenues and lower spending on health and crime. In present values for a black male aged 20, these public benefits amount to $256,700 per new graduate, and the median intervention would cost $90,700. The benefit/cost ratio is 2.83. Simply equating the high school graduation rate of black males with that of white males would yield savings of $3.98 billion for each age cohort. These results suggest that increased investments in education for black males at risk of dropping out of high school should be an economic priority.” Full text -- Click on the third title:http://www.cbcse.org/pages/cost-benefit-studies/leeds-national-benefit-cost-studies.phpThe Seventh Generation: Native Students Speak About Finding the Good PathEdvantia, Charleston, West Virginia. (2003) A. Bergstrom, L. M. Cleary, & T. D. Peacock “This book is based on interviews with 120 Native youth from across North America. Written especially for today's Native middle and high school students, the authors share students' stories of life's challenges and their struggles to find and stay on the Good Path. They focus especially on how students developed strong Native identities; coped with troubles in their families, communities, and schools; reached their breaking points or responded resiliently to high-pressure situations; learned to appreciate their own intellectual gifts and abilities; and met the academic and social challenges they encountered in school. . . . The final chapter, written for teachers and youth workers, provides information about how to help Native youth develop resilience.” For purchase and to view the Table of Contents and Chapter 1:http://www.edvantia.org/publications/index1.cfm?§ion=publications&area=
publications&id=628Transforming Urban Schools Through Investments in the Social Capital of Parents
In Motion Magazine, NPC Productions, New York City. (2004). P. A. Noguera.
“This paper “explores some of the ways in which parental involvement at local school sites can generate social capital that can be used to improve inner-city schools and the communities they serve. The form of involvement examined goes beyond traditional calls for parents to be more interested in the education of their children and more supportive of teachers . . . . The case is made for schools to become more responsive and supportive to the children, families and communities they serve by consciously developing partnerships based upon mutual accountability and responsibility.” Full text: http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/er/pn_parents.html
Using Ethnic Music to Improve Academic Achievement Within Multicultural Settings
E-Journal of Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings (2003). Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. J. W. van der Jagt “Based on brain research in language and music (e.g., memory and associative processes), the author proposes that educators can meet the needs of diverse students and improve academic achievement by integrating ethnic music from diverse populations with best practices for teaching basic skills and content area curricula. Several strategies for integrating instructional activities and music are described.” Full text: http://www.subr.edu/coeducation/ejournal/van%20der%20Jagt%20Article.htmWhat Doesn’t Meet the Eye: Understanding and Addressing Racial Disparities in High-Achieving Suburban Schools
Wiener Center for Social Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. (2002). R. F. Ferguson. Distributed by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory This paper concerns racial and ethnic achievement disparities in places where schools are reputedly excellent. The author describes the Minority Student Achievement Network, a group of middle and upper income districts that have mutually resolved to narrow achievement gaps. “Among their first joint initiatives was an effort to understand better what students of different racial and ethnic groups were experiencing in school that might affect their engagement and achievement. During the 2000-01 school year, 95 schools across all 15 districts surveyed middle and high school students using a survey titled the Ed-Excel Assessment of Secondary School Student Culture.” . . . This paper describes some of the findings “from the responses of students in Grades 7-11 and discusses some implications. For these grades, the sample included 7,120 blacks, 17,562 whites, 2,491 Hispanics, 2,448 Asians, and 4,507 mixed-race students. The analysis and associated tables in the paper pertain to this full sample of 7th to 11th graders” Full text: http://www.ncrel.org/gap/ferg/The Minority Student Achievement Network is described elsewhere in the SERRC collection – Scroll down at: http://www.rrfcnetwork.org/content/view/286/47/Why Some Schools With Latino Children Beat the Odds and Others Don’tC William Morris Institute, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, Tempe, and the Center for the Future of Arizona, Phoenix. (2006). M. J. Waits, H. E. Campbell, R.Gau, E. Jacobs, T. Rex, & R.K. Hess. The research team for this study “found 12 elementary and middle schools in Arizona -- schools whose students are mostly Latino and mostly poor -- that are ‘beating the odds’ on reading and math scores. . . . The research team found six keys to success that can translate into broader messages for education policy and strategy. These are (a) clear bottom line; (b) ongoing assessment; (c) strong, steady principal; (d) collaborative solutions; (e) stick with the program; and (f) built to suit. Describing this study as the ‘second wave’ of education reform, the authors have recommended a package of policy changes and strategic initiatives aimed at engaging policy makers and empowering educators with the tools and skills necessary to help students succeed.” Full text -- Click at the bottom of the page. This might not look like the title but it is:
http://www.beattheoddsinstitute.org/articles/beat-the-odds-report.php
This information is an attempt to gather wide-ranging information in one place, to convey what others have accomplished, and to make valuable resources readily accessible. Information is presented in the language of the developer, publisher, distributor, or author. The Southeast Regional Resource Center has no ownership of anything described in this library.
Readers should review the copyright and distribution policies shown at the websites of the sources. SERRC is not the source of any document in this library, but simply conveys information to show the availability of these resources.
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position of policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and no endorsement of the U.S. Department of Education should be inferred. Information from sources funded by the U.S. Department of Education is likely to have been vetted by the Department; information from other sources is unlikely to have been vetted.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 22 April 2009 )
|
|
|
