ASCD CONFERENCE ON ASCD CONFERENCE ON Teaching and LearningTeaching and Learning

October 23, 24, 25, 26October 23, 24, 25, 26

Leadership, Poverty, and KidsLeadership, Poverty, and Kids

William Parrett and Kathleen Budge

William Parrett - director of the Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies and professor of education at Boise State University.

Kathleen Budge - coordinator of the Leadership Development Program at Boise State University and assistant professor in the Curriculum, Instruction and Foundational Studies Department.

Leadership, Poverty, and KidsLeadership, Poverty, and Kids

HOW ARE WE DOING?HOW ARE WE DOING?

VALIDATEVALIDATE

CHALLENGE CHALLENGE to IMPROVEto IMPROVE

The World Has ChangedThe World Has Changed

TechnologyTechnology

EconomicsEconomics

DiversityDiversity

PolicyPolicy

EconomicsEconomics

Annual earnings of Annual earnings of 25-34 year olds25-34 year olds

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

H.s. nodipma

H.S

. D

iplo

ma

Some

Colleg

e

Ass

ocia

te

BA

Mas

ter’s

Profe

ssio

nal

TechnologyTechnology

Computers everywhere, Laptops, PalmsComputers everywhere, Laptops, Palms

Flash Drives, I Pods, PlayStations, WiiFlash Drives, I Pods, PlayStations, Wii

Cell Phones, E-Mail, Text MessagesCell Phones, E-Mail, Text Messages

Online Grade Books, Homework WebsitesOnline Grade Books, Homework Websites

ATMs, Blackberries, Industrial RobotsATMs, Blackberries, Industrial Robots

Geek Squads, YouTube, Myspace, FacebookGeek Squads, YouTube, Myspace, Facebook

EBay, MapQuest…Digital everythingEBay, MapQuest…Digital everything

What has changed in your life in the past 10 What has changed in your life in the past 10 years? years?

How can we better connect How can we better connect student interest in student interest in technology…to learning and technology…to learning and achievement? achievement?

SPARKNOTESSPARKNOTES

FREE ONLILNE STUDY GUIDESFREE ONLILNE STUDY GUIDES

ELL STUDENT ELL STUDENT ENROLLMENT ENROLLMENT

GROWTHGROWTH

New Educational PolicyNew Educational Policy

State Standards / AssessmentsState Standards / Assessments

Proficiency GoalsProficiency Goals

Dissagregation of DataDissagregation of Data

Achievement Gaps / AYPAchievement Gaps / AYP

Teacher QualityTeacher Quality

Legislated “Pressures”Legislated “Pressures”

ALL students must succeedALL students must succeedin school…period.in school…period.

……or live out their livesor live out their livesUnemployed, underemployed, or Unemployed, underemployed, or

UnemployableUnemployable

In 2007…an education representsIn 2007…an education representsThe ONLY door of opportunity…The ONLY door of opportunity…

……the ULTIMATE Civil Rightthe ULTIMATE Civil Right

Are we making Are we making

progress?progress?

So…So…

How do schools close How do schools close these gaps?these gaps?

What do they have in What do they have in common?common?

Research on High Poverty / Research on High Poverty / High Performing SchoolsHigh Performing Schools

Spheres of Influence, Action, Core Spheres of Influence, Action, Core Values and Beliefs, Equally Worthy, Values and Beliefs, Equally Worthy,

Equitably ServedEquitably ServedBuilding Leadership CapacityBuilding Leadership CapacityFostering Healthy, Safe, and Supportive Fostering Healthy, Safe, and Supportive Learning ContextsLearning ContextsFocusing on Student and Professional Focusing on Student and Professional LearningLearningCARING relationshipsCARING relationshipsHigh ExpectationsHigh ExpectationsCourage and WillCourage and WillCommitment to ActionCommitment to Action

19791979““How many effective schools would you have to How many effective schools would you have to see…see…

……to be persuaded of the educability of poor to be persuaded of the educability of poor children? If your answer is more than one, then children? If your answer is more than one, then I submit that you have reasons of your own for I submit that you have reasons of your own for preferring to believe that basic pupil preferring to believe that basic pupil performance derives from family background performance derives from family background instead of school response to family instead of school response to family background…background…

We can, whenever and wherever we choose, We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us.”is of interest to us.”

-- Ron Edmonds, 1979-- Ron Edmonds, 1979

Today in 2008…Today in 2008…

““We know what works in education. The We know what works in education. The research is prolific.”research is prolific.”

““Amazingly, then, the question today is not Amazingly, then, the question today is not about what works, but about why we do about what works, but about why we do not implement what we know works in all not implement what we know works in all schools for all kids.”schools for all kids.”

Ensure Effective District and School Ensure Effective District and School LeadershipLeadership

Build Leadership CapacityBuild Leadership Capacity

““Leadership is second only to Leadership is second only to classroom instruction classroom instruction among all school-related among all school-related factors that contribute to factors that contribute to what students learn at what students learn at school.”school.”

Source: Leithwood, K., Seashore.K.L., Anderson, S. Wahlstrom, K., (2004). Source: Leithwood, K., Seashore.K.L., Anderson, S. Wahlstrom, K., (2004). How Leadership Influences Student Learning.How Leadership Influences Student Learning.

It Takes Skill and WillIt Takes Skill and Will

Swift, dramatic improvement requires an Swift, dramatic improvement requires an encounter with the “brutal facts” – those encounter with the “brutal facts” – those awkward, unpleasant truths that awkward, unpleasant truths that organizations prefer not to address – or organizations prefer not to address – or even talk about.even talk about.

M. Schmoker, A Charge for Change. American School Board Journal, April 2007, J. Collins, Good to M. Schmoker, A Charge for Change. American School Board Journal, April 2007, J. Collins, Good to Great, 2001.Great, 2001.

Building Leadership CapacityBuilding Leadership Capacity

Confront the Brutal FactsConfront the Brutal Facts

Promote a Vision of High Achievement for Promote a Vision of High Achievement for ALLALL

Set Goals and Use DataSet Goals and Use Data

Embed Professional DevelopmentEmbed Professional Development

Develop Teacher Leadership/Collaborative Develop Teacher Leadership/Collaborative RelationshipsRelationships

Prioritize ResourcesPrioritize Resources

Eliminate Practices that Eliminate Practices that Manufacture Low AchievementManufacture Low Achievement

Low ExpectationsLow Expectations

Blaming FamiliesBlaming Families

Ineffective InstructionIneffective Instruction

Tracking / Retention / PulloutsTracking / Retention / Pullouts

Miss-assigning Special EducationMiss-assigning Special Education

Reorganize Time, Space, and Reorganize Time, Space, and TransitionsTransitions

Must Increase quality instruction time for Must Increase quality instruction time for low achieving studentslow achieving students

Must provide time for collaborationMust provide time for collaboration

Must ensure successful transitions for Must ensure successful transitions for every studentevery student

(SLCs – FOCUS)(SLCs – FOCUS)

Foster Healthy, Safe, Foster Healthy, Safe, and Supportive and Supportive Learning ContextsLearning Contexts

Understand and Hold Understand and Hold High Expectations for High Expectations for Poor and Culturally Poor and Culturally Diverse StudentsDiverse Students

College Prep CurriculumCollege Prep Curriculum

Focus on Reading / VocabularyFocus on Reading / Vocabulary

Summer ProgramsSummer Programs

““We can’t ‘fix’ the poverty that surrounds our We can’t ‘fix’ the poverty that surrounds our kids…but we can get them the skills they kids…but we can get them the skills they need to achieve and succeed in school…need to achieve and succeed in school…every one of them.”every one of them.”

College Graduates by Age 26College Graduates by Age 26

Young People from Young People from 60%60%

High Income FamiliesHigh Income Families

Young People from Young People from 7%7%

Low Income FamiliesLow Income Families

Understanding PovertyUnderstanding Poverty

Poor Health Care / NutritionPoor Health Care / Nutrition

Few Books/ ComputersFew Books/ Computers

Limited VocabularyLimited Vocabulary

High MobilityHigh Mobility

Externally ControlledExternally Controlled

Often Single ParentOften Single Parent

Unchallenging Summer VacationUnchallenging Summer Vacation

Research on VocabularyResearch on Vocabulary

Affluent Familes:Affluent Familes: 2300 words/hour2300 words/hour

Blue Collar Families:Blue Collar Families: 1,200 1,200 words/hourwords/hour

Poverty Families:Poverty Families: 600 words / hour600 words / hour

Bracy, 2000Bracy, 2000

Underachieving Students Living in Underachieving Students Living in Poverty Need…Poverty Need…

High ExpectationsHigh ExpectationsEarly InterventionEarly InterventionNeeds based “catchup” plansNeeds based “catchup” plansIntensive Reading / Math InstructionIntensive Reading / Math InstructionExtra Instructional TimeExtra Instructional TimeRelevant Rigorous Well Targeted CurriculumRelevant Rigorous Well Targeted CurriculumParent Education / Home SupportParent Education / Home SupportSummer Programs …Nutrition/ Targeted Instruction, Summer Programs …Nutrition/ Targeted Instruction, Acceleration / EnrichmentAcceleration / EnrichmentPlans for Mobility / Transition/ BehaviorPlans for Mobility / Transition/ BehaviorAlternative Schools / ProgramsAlternative Schools / Programs

All of us need to stop making excuses!All of us need to stop making excuses!

Address Student Mobility…Address Student Mobility…

Access and Maintain Accurate DataAccess and Maintain Accurate DataBe readyBe ready– Departures – Counseling /Exit InterviewDepartures – Counseling /Exit Interview– Arrivals – Welcome packets / Diagnostics/Appropriate Arrivals – Welcome packets / Diagnostics/Appropriate

PlacementsPlacements– Catch up – Tutoring / Extended DAYCatch up – Tutoring / Extended DAY

Build Relationships – Peers/ ParentsBuild Relationships – Peers/ Parents Frequent CommunicationFrequent Communication Address Transportation IssuesAddress Transportation Issues Engage All Staff – School-wide SupportEngage All Staff – School-wide Support

What at-risk children want at school more What at-risk children want at school more than anything else…than anything else…

……a caring relationship a caring relationship

with an adult.with an adult.

Engage Parents, Communities, and Engage Parents, Communities, and Schools to Work as PartnersSchools to Work as Partners

Home VisitsHome Visits

Monthly Whole School/Community Monthly Whole School/Community GatheringsGatherings

Student Led Conferences / Report Card Student Led Conferences / Report Card Conferencing (9Conferencing (9thth and 10 and 10thth Grade) Grade)

It’s all about RelationshipsIt’s all about Relationships

Engage parents and families in authentic Engage parents and families in authentic decision makingdecision making

Communicate, communicate, Communicate, communicate, communicatecommunicate

Focusing on Student and Focusing on Student and Professional LearningProfessional Learning

Teach ReadingTeach Reading

Re-teach/AccelerateRe-teach/Accelerate

Extend LearningExtend Learning

Ensure a Personal ConnectionEnsure a Personal Connection

““Basic skills are the foundation of all learning Basic skills are the foundation of all learning and nothing is as important as reading.”and nothing is as important as reading.”

Compelling ConclusionsCompelling Conclusions

We must combat We must combat hopelessness…hopelessness…

and instill in every child the and instill in every child the self-confidence that they self-confidence that they can achieve and succeed in can achieve and succeed in school.school.

Any school can overcome the Any school can overcome the debilitating effects of poverty…debilitating effects of poverty…

……demographics do not equal demographics do not equal destiny!destiny!

Every school can become a high Every school can become a high performing school…performing school…

We are a high performance diverse We are a high performance diverse school. school.

TEACHERS MAKE TEACHERS MAKE

THETHE DIFFERENCE! DIFFERENCE!

……They think …They think …

we can learn this!!we can learn this!!