dr. william allan kritsonis, dissertation chair for elias alex torrez, dissertation defense ppt
Post on 14-Jul-2015
79 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
1
The Impact of Smaller Learning
Communities on Closing the
Achievement Gaps among Student
Population Groups in Texas High Schools
A Dissertation by
Alex TorrezDissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
PhD Program in Educational Leadership
2
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Dissertation Chair
-----------------------------------------------
Carl Gardiner, EdD
Patricia Hoffman-Miller, PhD
Solomon Osho, PhD
3
I. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
II. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
III. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
IV. METHOD
V. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
VI. FINDINGS
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS
4
Smaller Learning Communities
Student Academic
Achievement Gaps
5
6
7
Smaller
Learning
Communities
ELA/Mathematics TAKS/
Eco. Disadvantaged
Attendance
ELA/Mathematics TAKS/
Sub-Populations
Completion Rate
8
The purpose of this conceptual quantitative study is
to determine if a difference exists between the
implementation of the career-themed smaller SLC
design and an increase in high school students’
academic achievement, attendance, and high school
completion rate between populations as reported in
the Texas Education Agency AEIS report.
9
Is there a difference in student achievement between career-themed Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) and traditional high schools, as reported on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in ELA/Reading for ethnic and economically disadvantaged subpopulations?
10
Is there a difference in student achievement
between career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS in
Mathematics for ethnic and economically
disadvantaged subpopulations?
11
Is there a difference in student attendance
between career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported in the AEIS?
12
Is there a difference in student completion rates
between career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported in the AEIS?
13
What factors are driving Transformation?
14
In the 2009 Comprehensive report on Texas public schools, TEA (2009) stated that:
―In the 2008-09 school year, 48 percent (2,292,574) of the 4,749,571 public school students in Texas were identified as at risk of dropping out of school, the same percentage as in the previous year. On the 2009 TAKS assessments, students not at risk out-performed at-risk students at all grade levels and on all subjects tested‖. (p. viii)
15
Fryer and Levitt (2004) noted, ―on average, black
students typically score one standard deviation
below white students on standardized tests –
roughly the difference in performance between
the average 4th grader and the average 8th
grader‖ (p. 64).
16
39.541.6
45.0 45.043.1
44.4
47.8
53.0
57.260.2
63.566.4 67.1
72.6
44.041.3
38.0 38.440.5
38.6
35.3
30.5
26.724.2
22.420.6 20.3
16.7
< 5
year
s
5 to
9 y
ears
10 to
14
year
s
15 to
19
year
s
20 to
24
year
s
25 to
29
year
s
30 to
34
year
s
35 to
39
year
s
40 to
44
year
s
45 to
49
year
s
50 to
54
year
s
55 to
59
year
s
60 to
64
year
s
65 +
yea
rs
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0Percent
Anglo Hispanic
17
* Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario
17.719.3 19.9 20.3 19.8 19.3 19.4 20.5 20.6
21.9
25.3 26.5 27.2
39.8
69.967.8
66.5 65.5 66.0 66.8 66.464.3
62.660.6
56.755.2
52.3
37.1
< 5
year
s
5 to
9 y
ears
10 to
14
year
s
15 to
19
year
s
20 to
24
year
s
25 to
29
year
s
30 to
34
year
s
35 to
39
year
s
40 to
44
year
s
45 to
49
year
s
50 to
54
year
s
55 to
59
year
s
60 to
64
year
s
65 +
yea
rs
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0Percent
Anglo Hispanic
18
Lopez (2006):
―By 2050 the Anglo population is projected to be near 211 million people, the black population 61 million people, the Latino population 103 million people, and the Asian population nearly 33 million people. These changes represent only a 7.4 % increase for non-Latino Anglos, compared to 71.3 % growth for Blacks, 188 % growth for Latinos, and 212.9 % growth for the Asian population‖. (p.5)
19
Among minority students, the problem is even more severe with nearly 50 percent of African American and Hispanic students not completing high school on time (America's Promise Alliance, 2009).
The achievement gap is not closing fast enough to ensure improved living and earning opportunities for these sub-populations. According to Zhao (2009, p. 13), ―these gaps almost certainly put the minorities at a disadvantage for securing high-income jobs in the future.‖
20
The complexities resulting from a global
economy and an evolving workforce magnify the
importance of not just graduating students but
ensuring that they are well equipped with the
21st century skills they are going to need to
succeed.
21
H01 - There is no statistically significant
difference in student achievement between
career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS in
ELA/Reading for ethnic and economically
disadvantaged subpopulations.
22
H02 - There is no statistically significant
difference in student achievement between
career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS
Mathematics for ethnic and economically
disadvantaged subpopulation.
23
H03 - There is no statistically significant
difference in student attendance between
career-themed SLCs and traditional high
schools, as reported in the AEIS.
24
H04 - There is no statistically significant
difference in student dropout/completion
between career-themed SLCs and traditional
high schools, as reported in the AEIS.
25
The independent variable identified in the study
is the cohort of schools implementing the SLC
design and their paired counterpart traditional
high schools.
Dependent Variable – Student achievement based
on change in Mathematics and Reading/English
Language Arts TAKS scores, completion
rate, attendance.
26
Subjects of the Study
(1). 21 Texas public high schools that have
implemented smaller learning
communities with career academies
(2). 21 Texas public traditional high schools
(3). Grades 9 through 12
(4). Total student enrollment minimum of
1500 students
27
Step 1:
Researched and Selected Career
Academy SLCs
Department of Education Smaller
Learning Communities Program
Texas High School Project
28
Texas schools that attended the 2010 Smaller Learning Communities National Conference: From Structure to Instruction conference at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas obtained from Education Northwest
The National Career Academy Coalition
Extensive internet search
29
Step 2: Downloaded the AEIS report from the TEA website from the 21 career themed SLC schools selected.
Step 3:A convenience sample of 21 traditional schools was selected from the TEA assigned school cohort. The schools were selected based on the TEA cohort school that is most similar in size, ethnic subpopulations (African American, Hispanic, and White), and economically disadvantaged.
30
Step 4: Collected the AEIS data
Step 5: Disaggregated the data by ethnic and economically
disadvantaged
ELA scores
Mathematics scores
Attendance
Completion
31
Step 6:SPSS was utilized to disaggregate and analyze data
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
Step 7:Interpreted the results of the statistical procedure
32
The academies are designed to address the broad spectrum of student interest and career possibilities and provide transferable skills. The goals of the Academies are to open a student's mind to relevancy of academic courses and to show how high standards relate to career success.
In addition to the essential academic elements, students will develop knowledge regarding careers where they may best utilize their talents and aptitudes.
33
Academy of Business, Marketing & Finance
Academy of Consumer Science & Education
Academy of Fine Arts, Communications & Humanities
Academy of Government, Law & Criminal Justice
Academy of Health Science
Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Academy of Veterinary & Agricultural Science
34
Alliance for Excellence in Education
America's Promise AllianceAmong minority students, the problem is even more severe with nearly 50 percent of African American and Hispanic students not completing high school on time (America's Promise Alliance, 2009).
35
Bill & Melinda Gates ―It has been estimated that between 53% and 55% of minority students nationwide are not completing high school in the four-year format‖ (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2003, p. 2).
Bill Daggett, International Center for Education
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
36
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
1. Competencies needed to succeed in the current economy and prepare
for the changing world as a wage earner and citizen (Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, 2004).
2. Wolfe (2007) explained, "In virtually any occupation, learning is part
of the job. Gone are the days when employees learned to master a
single task and then spent the next 40 years repeating that task‖ (p. 40).
U.S. Department of Education
37
Schlechty, P. (2009). Leading for learning: How to transform schools into learningorganizations (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA:Jossey Bass Publications.
―Transformation by necessity includes altering the
beliefs, values, and meanings – the culture – in which
programs are embedded, as well as changing the current
system of rules, roles, and relationships – social structure –
so that the innovations needed will be supported‖. (p. 3)
38
Cotton, K. (2001). New small learning communities: Findings from recent literature. (ERIC No. ED459539). Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
1. Self-determination
2. Identity
3. Personalization
4. Support for Teaching
5. Functional
39
Daniels, D., Bizar, M., & Zemelman, S. (2001). Rethinking high schools: Best practice in teaching, learning, and leadership.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, A division of Reed Elsevier.
―Research has been rapidly accumulating that, as far as high schools are concerned, size does matter – and smaller is better‖ (p. 27).
40
Sammon, G. (2008). Creating and sustaining smaller learning: Strategies and tools for transforming high schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Noted that SLCs, when done well and comprehensively, build in the rigor, relevance, and relationships that lead to the all-important results we seek in school improvement.
41
Schargel, F., & Smink, J. (2001). Strategies tohelp solve our school dropout problem.Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Strong leaders know that decreasing the dropout out rate
―requires fundamental changes in curriculum design
process, work-flow design, and staff training; it demands
creative technology use and the development of partnerships
with key stakeholders‖ (p. 10).
42
Klimek, K., Ritzenhein, E., & Sullivan, K. (2008). Generative leadership: Shaping newfutures for today’s schools. Thousand Oaks,CA: Corwin Press.
―Generative leaders see their school as a dynamic system that is being co-created through the interactions of all its participants internally and with the outside environment. They emphasize systems thinking consistently. They question assumptions and presumed limits of an issue that are embedded in the prevailing mental models‖. (p. 55)
43
Schlechty (2009) states:
―Make no mistake, transformation is not as
simple as installing a new program, a new
process or new procedure. Unlike efforts to
improve the operation of existing
systems, transformation requires more than
changes in what people do; it requires changes in
what they think and what they feel about what
they do‖. (p. 210)
44
Oxley (2006) states:
―The central feature of a high-functioning SLC
(Small Learning Community) is an
interdisciplinary team (or teams) of teachers who
work closely together with a group of students
they share in common for instruction.
Traditional schools organize teachers around
subject areas or departments‖. (p. 22)
45
Subpopulation of Interest
SLC Non-SLC df* F-ratio Sig**
ELA African
American
91.94 92.38 31 .035 .852
ELA Hispanic 91.48 92.10 41 .195 .659
ELA White 97.53 96.53 37 .848 .363
ELA Eco. Dis. 90.33 90.90 41 .163 .688
*Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS
practice of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented on a particular campus.
**No statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported
ELA/Reading Rates between selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high
schools for any subpopulation of interest, African-American, Hispanic, White, or
Economically Disadvantages at the p <.05 criterion value.
46
Subpopulation of Interest
SLC Non-SLC df* F-ratio Sig**
Math African
American
86.69 84.44 31 .71 .463
Math Hispanic 89.76 87.05 39 1.53 .134
Math White 96.21 94.32 33 1.64 .111
Math Eco. Dis. 88.71 85.90 40 1.64 .110
*Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS
practice of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented on a particular campus.
**No statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported
Mathematics Rates between selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high
schools for any subpopulation of interest, African-American, Hispanic, White, or
Economically Disadvantages at the p <.05 criterion value.
47
Subpopulation of Interest
SLC Non-SLC df* F-ratio Sig**
Campus 93.414 93.578 41 .651 .424
African American 93.790 94.321 37 .520 .476
Hispanic 92.567 93.691 41 2.972 .092
White 93.871 93.619 41 .105 .748
Eco. Dis. 92.26 93.238 41 2.932 .095
* Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS practice
of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented on a particular campus.
** No statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported
Attendance Rates between selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high schools
nor were differences found between African-American, Hispanic, White, or Economically
Disadvantages subpopulations at these campuses at the p <.05 criterion value.
48
Subpopulationof Interest
SLC Non-SLC df* F-ratio Sig**
Campus 91.585 91.400 39 .009 .924
African American 89.333 91.327 29 .467 .500
Hispanic 90.180 90.460 39 .020 .889
White 95.145 92.116 38 1.256 .270
Eco. Dis. 89.725 90.760 39 .424 .519
*Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS practice
of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented or underrepresented within a particular
campus.
**No statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported
Completion Rates between selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high
schools for any subpopulation at these campuses at the p <.05 criterion value.
49
Subpopulation Of Interest
N Mean Std. Dev. *df **Sig
Pair 1 ELA AA-ELA White 32 92.16--97.44 6.471--2169 31 .000
Pair 2 ELA AA- ELA
Hispanic32 92.16--92.53 6.471—4.600 31 .703
Pair 3 ELA Hispanic-ELA
White
38 92.16—97.03 4.415—3.341 37 .000
* Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS
practice of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented on a particular campus.
**Statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported in Reading/
ELA for all selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high schools for the
subpopulation of interest, African-American, Hispanic, White, or Economically
Disadvantages at the p <.05 criterion value.
50
SubpopulationOf Interest
N Mean Std. Dev. *df **Sig
Pair 1 Math AA-Math
White32 85.56--95.59 8.879--2.781 31 .000
Pair 2 Math AA- Math
Hispanic32 85.56--89.50 8.879—5.442 31 .002
Pair 3 Math Hispanic-
White38 88.95--95.26 5.467—3.652 37 .000
* Degrees of freedom (df = N-1) vary as a result of case exclusions due to AEIS
practice of not reporting subpopulations unrepresented on a particular campus.
**Statistically significant differences were found within the AEIS reported in
Mathematics for all selected SLC high school campuses and non-SLC high schools for
the subpopulation of interest, African-American, Hispanic, White, or Economically
Disadvantages at the p <.05 criterion value.
51
The review of literature, findings for each question of
the study, and their subsequent conclusions provide
the basis for the following recommendations.
1. School districts must select innovative and contemporary leaders who are prepared to initiate change in the 21st century.
2. Educational leaders should implement disruptive transformation designs in an effort to close the achievement gaps of subpopulations.
52
3. Educational leaders must support the selected design
for 7 to 10 years to create authentic and systemic
transformation.
4. Educational leaders must use effective communication
to ensure the alignment and success of professional
development.
53
1. A qualitative study could be conducted of
SLCs and their relationship to student performance.
2. A national study could be conducted comparing the
difference between ACT and SAT scores between
SLC schools and traditional high schools.
54
3. A study could be conducted comparing the
difference in teacher retention between SLC and
traditional high schools.
4. A study could be conducted on SLCs and their
impact on student performance for African American, Hispanic, and White subpopulations for the four 11th grade required TAKS tests.
55
5. A study could be conducted in which different types
of Smaller Learning Communities are compared on
student performance.
6. A study could be conducted comparing the difference
in student achievement for the schools studied in this research for multiple years.
7. A study could be conducted comparing traditional
small schools of 900 students or less to large schools of 1500 students or more that have implemented SLCs.
56
Future transformation efforts must have
a core axis overhauling the inherent
shortfalls of an outdated system of
delivering instruction that was designed
to reflect the 19th century industry model.
57
As transformational discussions continue
toward the quest for change, I believe
there is still much to learn about Smaller
Learning Communities and this design
will stay at the forefront of this
movement.
58
Thank You
top related