Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In A Middle School Avid Class, Julie Thoms

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to measure the effects of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) on academic engagement and behavior. Participants included eighth grade AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students from a Midwestern suburban middle school. The study took place over six weeks in the fall of students’ second year in the AVID Program. During four weeks of focused intervention, the teacher implemented CRP strategies, including dramatically increasing opportunities for peer collaboration and improving student-teacher relationships through brief but individualized interactions. At the end of the implementation period, data indicated an increase in grades, teacher assessment, and student perception …

Cross-Boundary Leaders For Education & Equity Symposium: Preparing Leaders For Public Education, José M. Torres

José M. Torres

Public education has become an increasingly polarizing topic. Yet, experience and research tell us that solutions to our most pressing educational issues are likely to emerge when leaders work together across boundaries—be they ideological, geographical, or institutional. For 50 years the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) has championed the need for leaders at all levels to shake off their in- stitutional constraints and jointly respond to the needs of young people and their families. IEL’s Cross-Boundary Leaders for Education and Equity Symposium offers an objective, open-mind- ed, nonpartisan space where leaders can come together and discuss complex issues facing public …

Encouraging Diversity And Multiculturalism In London, Ontario: A Case Study Of Two Elementary Schools, Abhilasha Duggal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Elementary school students have diverse learning needs and their academic learning in particular varies between students especially so for students those from culturally non-dominant backgrounds. The focus of my research is on understanding the perceptions and practices of eleven teachers teaching in two schools within the London, Ontario school system, along with the perceptions of two principals and two vice principals in relation to the organizational learning opportunities provided for encouraging multicultural education. This study’s purpose was to explore what teaching strategies were used to support diverse students’ learning within the classroom setting. My data gathering sought to respond to …

Creating Inclusive Learning Communities For Ell Students: Transforming School Principals' Perspectives, Kathryn Brooks, Susan R. Adams, Trish Morita-Mullaney

Susan Adams

School-level administrators are often concerned about tertiary supports for English language learners (ELLs), such as translating signs and school documents or offering Spanish classes for their teachers. Although modeling and learning the heritage language(s) of the ESL population can be helpful, its focus on language differences can limit our considerations of broader systemic challenges that impact the success of ELLs in our schools. This article shares the dialogues that school administrators are having about ELL students and discusses the use of social justice and equity focused professional learning communities as a way to transform this discourse to address the broader …

Inequitable School Funding In Illinois Colorblind Or Blindfolded: A Critical Race Theory Analysis Counterstory Of Illinois' Lewis E. V. Spagnolo, Mariette Yevette Cheatam

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the Illinois school funding formula continuing to be one of the most staggeringly unequal in the nation, the Illinois State Supreme Court excludes school finance from judicial review. Although entities such as the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education, continue to both collect and analyze education results along racial and ethnic lines, many studies leave out the importance of racism in their analysis.

In its search for the colorblind doctrine, this critical race theory (CRT) study focuses on Lewis E. v. Spagnolo, 710 N.E.2d 798 …

Children, Mathematics, And Videotape: Using Multimodal Analysis To Bring Bodies Into Early Childhood Assessment Interviews, Amy Noelle Parks, Mardi Schmeichel

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Despite the increased use of video for data collection, most research using assessment interviews in early childhood education relies solely upon the analysis of linguistic data, ignoring children’s bodies. This trend is particularly troubling in studies of marginalized children because transcripts limited to language can make it difficult to analyze embodied power relations between majority researchers and minority children. This article responds to this problem by outlining a theoretical position on power and bodies, describing multimodal analysis strategies, and using these strategies to analyze the subject positions available during a mathematical assessment interview for three African American preschool child-participants and …

Does Increased Family Income Reduce Fade Out Of Preschool Gains?, Colin C. Rose

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The current study examines the connection between a change of family income and the retention of academic gains for children in low-income households who have attended a center-based preschool program. These children are often shown to lose the academic advantage they gain during preschool as they move through k-12 education in a phenomenon called fade out. A theoretical framework was constructed positing that material and psychological effects of poverty inhibit the ability of these families to support and maintain growth during this critical time when children are highly nested in the family unit.

Treating family income as a causal risk …

Creating A Comprehensive Supportive Policy That Provides Equal Educational Access For The Mentally Ill Student: A Policy Advocacy Document, Lesley S. Roberts

Dissertations

The purpose of this policy advocacy document is to create a comprehensive policy supporting the education of students with mental illness disorders. Critical issues of school attendance, credit recovery, reintegration, and staff professional development formed the four parts of the policy statement. An examination of critical issues impacting students with mental illness, as well as an analysis of the educational, economic, social, political, moral, and ethical issues were used to inform the creation of this policy. Stafford High School in Stafford School District (psuedonym) is highlighted as an implementer of the proposed policy, as as a model for other districts …

Social Justice In Mathematics Education, Renee Lenise Colquitt

Doctoral Dissertations

Today’s mathematics classrooms are filled with students with different races, ethnicities, abilities, and socioeconomic status environments, and other issues that impact their learning. Students of color, in particular, often score lower than their White counterparts on standardized mathematics tests and are underrepresented in advanced placement mathematics classes. The historically marginalized students will soon be the majority. If careful attention is not paid to this shift in demographics, the United States runs the risk of falling farther behind other countries economically and academically. Since mathematics often serves as a gatekeeper for admittance to postsecondary institutions and many well-paying jobs, the discrepancy …

Culturally Diverse And Underserved Populations Of Gifted Students In The United States And In Taiwan: Equitable Access To Gifted Education, Ya-Ting Ho

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

There is a continuing increase in the African American and Hispanic student populations in public schools. The students who are invited to gifted programs are overwhelmingly White. This is the situation in schools in the United States and also in Taiwan. Misunderstanding or unawareness of culture difference among educators might contribute to underrepresentation of minority students in gifted programs. The research literature reviewed indicates that a deficit in orientation, ineffective teacher referral policies, and the use of culturally biased assessments are the major reasons responsible for low rates of identification for gifted minority students. The purpose of this thesis is …

The Relationship Between Teachers’ Levels Of Cultural Competence And The Nomination/Referral Process For Gifted Identification Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students, Patrice C. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the extent to which teachers’ levels of cultural competence is a factor in the nomination/referral process for gifted identification of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Specifically, this study compared the self-assessed perceptions of second and third grade elementary teachers’ cultural competence to the various factors included in the gifted referral process. A quasi-experimental quantitative study was used. However, this study superficially included some qualitative exploration due to the nature of the open-ended survey questions and secondary data set analysis. Quantitative data were collected via an adapted version of the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment for Teachers survey created by …

Moving Toward Equitable, Accessible, And Relevant Mathematics For All. A Book Review Of Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice By The Numbers, Lauren Provost

Democracy and Education

A book review of Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers, edited by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson.

Not Second-Class: Title Ix, Equity, And Girls’ High School Sports, David Stader, Jeanne L. Surface

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Title IX is designed to protect students from discrimination based on sex in any educational institution that receives financial assistance. This article focuses on Title IX as it applies to high school athletic programs by considering the trial of a high school district in California. A federal court found considerable inequalities between boys and girls athletic teams in the district. While this case may not be representative of a majority of school districts, it does provide guidance to ensure compliance.

Dominican Honors Melba Beals, Celebrates Diversity, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

Dominican's Office of Diversity and Equity and its advisory board, the Diversity Action Group, created the awards to recognize significant contributions to diversity work by individuals, groups (including student organizations and honor societies), and programs from the Dominican community.

The Effects Of The Property Tax Extension Limitation Law Adjustment And Hold Harmless Provision On Equity In The Illinois General State Aid Funding System, 2000-2011, Toni Marie Waggoner

Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzed the effect that the General State Aid (GSA) Property Tax Extension Limitation Law adjustment and Hold Harmless component had on equity in the Illinois General State Aid funding system. The equity criteria defined in the study was permissible variance, wealth neutrality, and conditional wealth neutrality. This study consisted of four simulations. First, baseline indices were calculated for the Illinois funding system for 2000 to 2011. Second, the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law adjustment (PTELL) was eliminated, the associated cost savings used to increase the GSA foundation level, and new equity indices were calculated. Third, the Hold Harmless …

An Explanatory Mixed-Methods Approach To Tracing “Career Pathways” Policy In Virginia: How School Counselors And Student Demographics Influence Implementation Fidelity, Michael Ormsmith

Theses and Dissertations

This explanatory mixed-methods policy analysis describes how school counselors' thoughts and attitudes contribute to the implementation fidelity of the Academic and Career Plan (ACP) policy in a suburban Virginia school division. A quantitative survey investigated counselor thoughts about the policy, implementation behaviors, and counselor ideas about equity issues related to providing college and career planning services to at risk students. Counselor interviews were conducted to provide deeper insight about the street level implementation practices and beliefs of counselors. Findings reveal that counselors place substantial value in the ACP policy and think the process is useful for connecting student interests and …

Integrating Universal Design And Response To Intervention In Methods Courses For General Education Mathematics Teachers, Kelley E. Buchheister, Christa Jackson, Cynthia Taylor

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Traditionally, teacher education programs have placed little emphasis on preparing mathematics teachers to work with students who struggle in mathematics. Therefore, it is crucial that mathematics teacher educators explicitly prepare prospective teachers to instruct students who struggle with mathematics by providing strategies and practices that specifically address their needs. In this study, we describe the principles of Universal Design for Learning and Response to Intervention. More specifically, we discuss how one Mathematics Teacher Educator uses these frame works in her mathematics methods course to help prospective teachers become cognizant of early interventions and effective strategies that can be implemented to …