Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ Role in Monitoring and Meeting the Terms of

the Office of Civil Rights Memorandum of Agreement (OCR MOA)

The Journey to Greatness

Historical Perspective1989 - 2007

• 1989 - Task Force on Black Male Achievement

• 1991 - OCR Complaint - Discipline

• 1992 - African American Curriculum Audit Committee

• 1994 - Disciplinary Sanction Review Committee

• 1999 - Minority Achievement Committee

• 2005 - OCR Agreement

The 2005 OCR AgreementOffice of Civil Rights

A Memorandum of Agreementbetween the

Anne Arundel County Public School System and Complainants including

The Anne Arundel County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other parents and citizens

The agreement between the two parties was signed and became official September 7, 2005

What is it?

Complainants’ Claim

“Anne Arundel County Public Schools has categorically denied and limited educational opportunities for African American students.”

Specific Charges

• Less likely to participate in advanced classes• More likely to be expelled or referred to

Alternative school programs• Experience less educational success due to lower

expectations and lack of encouragement• More likely to be assigned to special education• Substantially less likely to graduate

African American Students are:

Recognition of the Problem

• Not a recent or one-time occurrence

• Developed and institutionalized over time

• Solutions must be:– Concerted and targeted efforts to de-institutionalize conditions

– Cooperative and include a review of policies, regulations, and practices that may contribute to disparities that are applied fairly for all students

– Strong enough to last beyond current Superintendent, Board of Education, and local political leadership

– Collaborative efforts between the school system, parents, and the community

Source: Office of Civil Rights Memorandum of Agreement. 2005

Resolving the Concerns

Develop a cooperative plan addressing the problems affecting African American students which will have a direct impact on other groups of students who are not meeting the standards.

Source: Office of Civil Rights Memorandum of Agreement. 2005

What is the school system doing?

• Established an Office of Equity Assurance and Human Relations - October, 1006

• Added Outreach Specialists at the Central Office level who reach out to parents, schools and communities January- 2008

• Schools are aligned in K-12 vertical teams and structures promote vertical communication and planning

• Academic Achievement Steering Committees for schools that did not meet the “No Child Left Behind” “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP)

What is the school system is doing?

• Strategic plan & goals for 2007-2012 with equity infused in all goals.

• Cultural Proficiency Professional Development -all school and Central Office leaders, Student Services personnel, all bus drivers, school secretaries, AVID teachers, AHS, and other school personnel

• Identified Equity Liaison at each school to provide Cultural Proficiency perspective on the school improvement team and at the school/classroom level.

• Using Data to identify problem areas and providing support to individual students.

2012 Goals of Anne Arundel County Public Schools

I Academic

Achievement

All diploma-bound students will reach high standards as established by Anne Arundel County Public Schools and state performance level standards in English/Reading/ Writing, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Achievement disparities among all No Child Left Behind (NCLB) groups of students will be eliminated.

II Safe and Supportive

Learning Environment

III

Workforce Quality

Anne Arundel County Public Schools will ensure and maintain a work environment of respect and mutual collaboration by attracting and retaining a quality work force that demonstrates a commitment to providing a positive learning environment, values diversity, and reflects the diversity of the county and the relative labor market.

IV Community Engagement

All Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) students will be educated in schools that are family-friendly and welcoming. AACPS will eliminate disparities in parent and community representation and participation in traditional and non-traditional school-community activities.

Equity is infused in every one of the goals.Anne Arundel County Public Schools will address the diversity that students and staff bring to the

learning environment and organize schools and classrooms to support the academic achievement and success of all students.

All students will be educated in a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment with a focus on security enhancements that support system-wide safety and discipline standards. AACPS will eliminate disparities among all No Child Left Behind (NCLB) student groups in the referral, suspension, and expulsion rates for violation of the Code of Student Conduct. V

Equity

Areas Monitored Under the OCR MOA

• Academic Achievement • Maryland School Assessments• High School Assessments

• Graduation and Drop-out Rates

• Access and Success in Rigourous Instructional Opportunities (Honors, AP, IB, AVID, PVA, STEM, etc.)

• Special Education Identification and Placement

• Discipline Referrals, Suspensions and Expulsions

• Community Engagement

The OCR MOA is not additional work

for AACPSParticipation

in APParticipation

in IBIncrease in SATs taken

High graduation

rate

High graduation

rate for special

education

Reduced number of

racial incidents

Reduced Dropout rates

Eliminate disparity in Alternative Education

Eliminate disparity in

Special Education

Academic Proficiency

Successful completion Algebra I by end of Grade 8

Co-curricular involvement

The OCR MOA is not additional work

for AACPSParticipation

in APParticipation

in IBIncrease in SATs taken

High graduation

rate

High graduation

rate for special

education

Reduced number of

racial incidents

Reduced Dropout rates

Eliminate disparity in Alternative Education

Eliminate disparity in

Special Education

Academic Proficiency

Successful completion Algebra I by end of Grade 8

Co-curricular involvement

Our focus is on African American

Students

OCR Monitoring OCR Monitoring ProcessProcess

Defining “the Achievement Gap”

Communicating a Common Understanding

Two ways to look at the Achievement Gap

African American Students

All Students Excluding AA

Compared to All Other Students Compared to the Standard

54%63%

70%

77%

83%86%

Proficiency

EquityAA White Hisp. Asian Sp.Ed. FARMS

2003 2004 2005

African American Students

0

100

20

40

60

80

Achievement Gap

29%

26%23%

2006

22%

35%

48%57% 60%

64%

74%80% 82%

Scores reflect MSA 3-8. Special, Evening and Charter Schools are not included .

2007

84%

63%

21%

All Students Excluding AA

2008

86%

64%

22%

MSA Math and HSA AlgebraPercent of Students performing at ‘Proficient’ Level Countywide

0

100

20

40

60

80

Achievement

Gap26%

23% 21% 20%

41%

54%60%

63%

67%

77%81% 83%

66%

86%

20%

2003 2004 20050

2006 2007 2008

70%

86%

16%

Scores reflect MSA 3-8. Special, Evening and Charter Schools are not included .

MSA Reading and HSA EnglishPercent of Students performing at ‘Proficient’ Level Countywide

African American Students

All Students Excluding AA

MSA Reading and HSA English Assessments

2003

2007

20%points

Countywide Performance

African American Performance

25%points

2003–07 Successes

2003–07 Successes

MSA Mathematics and HSA Algebra I Assessments

28%points

African American Performance

2003

2007

21%points

Countywide Performance

We are making progress…

African American Students

All Students Excluding AA

Achievement Gap

…but need to move faster to meet our goals

’03

’08

2012

EquityThe state, action,

or principle of treating people

in accordance with differential needs

(fairness)

EqualityThe quality or

condition of being exactly the same as something else.

When all students are taught equally, they may not all reach the standard

What is Equity?

Equity is giving students the individual help they need so everyone meets the standard

How Can the Gap Be Eliminated?

• It is important to note that while both groups have improved over the past five years, the rate of improvement among African American students has been greater over this 5 year period. This acceleration of performance is necessary to close the achievement gaps.

SPECIAL EDUCATION SPECIAL EDUCATION DISPROPORTIONALITYDISPROPORTIONALITY

Disproportionality is not the result of inappropriate identification but instead is driven by eligibility criteria and student needs

A decrease is noted in the number of African American students identified as Intellectually Disabled, Emotionally Disturbed and/or Learning Disabled

MSDE has recognized that AACPS is no longer significantly disproportionate for identification

Using the State’s identification risk ratio assessment for placement, AACPS is no longer significantly disproportionate for any placement

Total Student

Population

Student Population 2003–04 through 2006–07

Average

African American

22%

The % of Students Receiving Referrals

Source: AACPS, Student Services, DAAR

who are African American

Total ofStudents

Receiving Referrals

African American Students

All Other Students

Total Student

Population

Student Population 2003–04 through 2006–07

AverageAfrican American Students

African American

22%

The % of Students Receiving Suspensions

Source: AACPS, Student Services, DAAR

who are African American

Total ofStudents

BeingSuspended

All Other Students

Since 2005–06, there has been a dramatic decrease in the total number of Expulsions and expulsion for African American students

263%

2004-05 2008-09

2006-07

211

African American Expulsions

2005-06

2007-08

8

RecommendationsRecommendations for Addressing Discipline

Disparities

Adopted by the Executive Team Safe and Orderly Sub-Group

OCR Steering Committee

Illustrate discipline disparities and specify terms for addressing the disparities as indicated in the OCR Mediated Agreement

“Illustrate Discipline Disparities”

– “African American students are more likely to be expelled or suspended from school or referred to alternative programs.”

– Reduce the number of racial incidents at all schools (Bias Motivated)

Hold monthly or quarterly

“Discipline Conversations”at the Secondary Principals meeting (aligned with Curriculum Conversations)

Develop and implement a

Discipline Data Template Monitor each secondary school's progress toward strategic plan by providing each school a template which establishes benchmarks necessary to achieve the goal by school, by student group.

OSAS will share data bi-annually with each principal.

Require template with

Submission of Current Discipline Data and Action Steps at each of the three

Supervisory Visits Review for evidence of practice as it relates to Standard 9- Safe and Orderly Schools

“Who is Responsible for Closing the Achievement Gaps?”

“This is an incredibly multi-dimensional problem. It is not limited to instruction alone or early literacy or peer pressure, or culturally relevant curriculum, or tracking. Each and every issue needs a strategy attached to it.”

Allan Alson, Superintendent Elvaston Township, Illinois High School District and Founder of the Minority Student Achievement Network

The Journey to Greatness

“In relentless pursuit of excellence for all students!”

Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Parents, and the entire Community.

“Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.”

Chinese Proverb