Speak Up Congressional Briefing Oct 20 2021 equity engagement empowerment v2

1. Engagement, Empowerment and Equity in Education
Speak Up 2021 Congressional Briefing
Release of the National Research Findings
October 20, 2021
JULIE A. EVANS, ED.D.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PROJECT TOMORROW

2. Welcome to this year’s Speak Up Briefing!
Be part of the discussion: @SpeakUpEd

3. Welcome to this year’s Speak Up Briefing!
 Let’s get to know each other!
 Welcome from AASA Executive Director, Dr. Daniel A. Domenech
 Opening remarks from Christina Fleming from Blackboard
 Selected Speak Up 2020-21 Research Findings
 Conversations with our expert panel of students
 Let’s talk! What are your questions, ideas, comments, insights?
 Wrap up call to action and additional resources

4. Please say hello in the chat
box.
Share your name, your role
and where you are from!

5. About Project Tomorrow
www.tomorrow.org
 Nonprofit education organization supporting K-12 education since 1996
 Mission is to ensure today’s students are well prepared for the future
 Programs and research focus on role of innovation and new learning models within the education
ecosystem. We believe in the power of transformational teaching and learning to support student
preparation for future success.
Speak Up Research Project: national research supporting the development of new
leadership capacities within K-12 through the translation of stakeholder feedback into
actionable assets – we believe in the immense power of actively listening to stakeholders.
Professional Learning, Evaluation & Efficacy Studies: helping education leaders
understand the impact, outcomes and ROI of innovative solutions and new learning
models (current projects include focus on computational thinking skill development).

6.  Annual research project since 2003
 We provide education leaders with a suite of
normed online surveys to use to collect valid
feedback from their stakeholders
 All preK-12 schools – public, private, parochial,
charter, virtual - are eligible to use the Speak Up
tools
 Participating entities get summary reports with all
locally collected data + state and national data
for benchmarks
 Turnkey service provided by Project Tomorrow
with no charge/fee to participating districts
 National reports inform education, business and
policy decisions on K-12 education
About the Speak Up Project
www.tomorrow.org/speakup

7. Project Tomorrow salutes the following innovative companies and
organizations for their support of Speak Up 2020-21

8. Project Tomorrow salutes the following innovative companies and
organizations for their support of Speak Up 2020-21
With special recognition for our host:

9. Project Tomorrow thanks our Champion Outreach Partners
for their support as well for Speak Up 2021-22!
 AASA, The School Superintendents Association
 American Association of School Librarians
 American Federation of Teachers
 Association of Educational Service Agencies
 California IT in Education (CITE)
 CUE, Computer-Using Educators
 Future Ready Schools
 K12 SIX
 Magnet Schools of America
 NASSP, Nat’l Association of Secondary School Principals
 National Association of Federally Impacted Schools
 National Parents Union
 NYSCATE
 National School Boards Association
 SETDA
 Texas Computer Education Association

10. Let’s meet our
student panelists!
Remy, Grade 12
Ava, Grade 12
Mirakle, Grade 11
Trinity, Grade 7
Speak Up Congressional Briefing
October 20, 2021

11. Dr. Daniel A.
Domenech
Executive Director
AASA
The School
Superintendents
Association
Speak Up Congressional Briefing
October 20, 2021

12. Christina
Fleming
Chief Marketing
Officer
Blackboard
Speak Up Congressional Briefing
October 20, 2021

13. Engagement, Empowerment and Equity in Education
Release of the National Research Findings
Speak Up 2020-21
Insights and ideas of 50,000 K-12 students, parents, teachers
and administrators nationwide

14.  Real time, live experiment with how to successfully implement virtual learning on a large scale
 New momentum for a broader definition of what constitutes effective learning
 Digital tools take on different jobs within education – from engagement tool to learning platform
 Increased awareness of social justice issues – especially in education
 Heightened focus on social, emotional and mental health considerations
 The role of the school in the community is evolving to meet new, unprecedented local needs
 Parents have new demands and expectations for education
 Understanding equity is about much more than access to a Chromebook and hotspot
 New vulnerabilities to cyberattacks due to more devices and access points
What has changed in the past two years
Speak Up Research Insights

15. Expanding our focus on equity in
education
Equity of Access
Equity in Learning Experiences
Equity Supporting Student Success
Equity of Student Agency

16. Equity of Access: Devices
2018-19 school year:
 Only 4 in 10 school principals said their 1:1 program
allowed students to take their devices home
 50% said they had no plans to do that!
2020-21 school year:
 9 in 10 principals say they are providing devices to
students to use in school and at home
 75% have WiFi hotspot loaner programs
Expanding our focus on equity in
education

17. Learning
Experiences
Student
Success
Student
Agency
Expanding our focus on equity in
education
Example: Students have consistency in learning
experiences and teacher quality
Example: Students can learn in environments that
are safe, trusting and supportive
Example: Students are explicitly empowered to take
ownership of their own learning

18. Learning
Experiences
Student
Success
Student
Agency
Other equity
factors to discuss:
Student
Empowerment
Student
Engagement
Equity Opportunities
Expanding our focus on equity in
education

19. Student engagement in learning
 Holy Grail in education – always seeking the elusive secret sauce for student engagement
 Concerns about decreased student engagement?
o 50% of parents say this is a concern for them about their child
o 47% of teachers say this is a concern for them about their students
 What is student engagement? “I cannot define it, but I know it when I see it!”
 Teachers identify metrics they use to evaluate tudent engagement in learning:
o Academic outcomes (67%)
o Number of assignments completed (61%)
o Student feedback on lessons (54%)
o Physical clues – eye contact, head nods, attentiveness (44%)

20. Student engagement in learning
Students’ perspective
“Doing well in school is important to me”
81% of students
“I like learning how to do things”
65% of students
“I like learning about new ideas”
59% of students
“I like learning how to make things”
54% of students
But are students
engaged in what they
are learning in school?

21. Student engagement in learning
But are students engaged in what they are learning in school?
“I am engaged in what I
am learning in school
most of the time”
% of students who agree and disagree
2019-20 school year
2020-21 school
year
Before school
closures
During school
closures
Students in grades 6-12
Agree
Disagree
51%
49%
52%
48%
50%
50%
Persistent
engagement
gap*
* But it is not the
result of the
pandemic and
remote learning

22. Student engagement in learning
Persistent
engagement
gap*
* But it is not the
result of the
pandemic and
remote learning
Attitudes about school
% of Gr 6-8 student agreement
with each statement
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
“I am interested in what I am
learning in school.”
41% 41% 46% 41%
“I wish my classes were more
interesting.”
45% 46% 58% 48%
“What I am learning in school is
important to my future.”
47% 46% 54% 47%

23. Student engagement in learning
What types of learning experiences do students say will best prepare
them for future success?
Experience: Having real work experience or internship
Real world: Participating in authentic problem solving around real-world issues
Leadership: Being part of a leadership group at school
Community: Engaging with the local community on collaborative projects
Fluency: Developing communications skills including learning a second language
Technology: Using technology outside of school to pursue self-directed learning

24. Let’s talk with our experts!
Remy, Grade 12
Ava, Grade 12
Mirakle, Grade 11
Trinity, Grade 7
Speak Up Congressional Briefing
October 20, 2021

25. New perspectives on equity in
education
Learning
Experiences
Student
Success
Student
Agency
Other equity
factors to discuss:
Student
Empowerment
Student
Engagement
Equity Opportunities

26. Student empowerment in learning
Understanding the Student Vision for Learning:
Socially-based, un-tethered, contextually rich, and independently driven

27. Student empowerment in learning
Example: Personalizing learning
with new school formats School formats
Students in fully
virtual learning
environments
Students in fully in-
person learning
environments
% of Grade 6-12 students who agree
“I learn best in a virtual
classroom setting with my
teacher and classmates”
27% 16%
“I learn best in a physical
classroom setting with my
teacher and classmates”
52% 72%
Students’ views on the
value of virtual learning :
 Learn at my own pace
 Less school drama
 Develop tech skills
 Responsible for learning
 Self-remediation

28. Student empowerment in learning
How students say they learn
best:
“I like learning when I can
be in control of when and
how I learn”
51% of students in
grades 6-12
Teachers’ comfort level with
student choice:
“I am very comfortable
allowing students to have
choice about how they learn”
32% of teachers with
assignments in grades 6-12
The disconnect
between students
and teachers on
student choice in
the classroom
impacts student
agency
Example: Developing self-efficacy with student choice

29. Student empowerment in learning
47% 44% 47%
51%
24% 22% 20%
32%
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
Student preference for choice Teacher comfort with choice
But teachers’ comfort level with allowing students to have choice is increasing …

30. Student empowerment in learning
What students want educators to know: Top 5 benefits of technology use within learning
1. Enables students to learn at their own pace
2. Students can have greater control over the learning process
3. Supports increased communications with teachers and classmates
4. Provides real opportunities for students to develop responsibility for their learning
5. Facilitates better collaborations with other students

31. Let’s talk with our experts!
Remy, Grade 12
Ava, Grade 12
Mirakle, Grade 11
Trinity, Grade 7
Speak Up Congressional Briefing
October 20, 2021

32. Expanding our focus on equity in
education
Equity of Access
Equity in Learning Experiences
Equity Supporting Student Success
Equity of Student Agency

33.  We can no longer look away from the equity challenges we see – and those that
we maybe cannot see yet.
 Students in seats ≠ engagement. Learning is about more than seat time.
 Time to re-think what we mean by technology use effectiveness in education.
 Be explicit about supporting student agency and self-efficacy.
 Equity, engagement and empowerment start with school culture.
Where do we go from here?

34. Where do we go from here?
“We’ve learned so much over the past year. I
hope that we can build a better future now and
not go back to how school was in the past.”
High school student
March 2021

35. More resources available at
www.tomorrow.org
Collection of national Speak Up reports and infographics
Targeted and thematic reports on topics such as:
Educational equity
Digital learning trends
School communications
Teacher PD needs
STEM trends
Latest presentations, podcasts and webinars
Services: consulting, workshops, evaluation and efficacy studies
✔ We have expertise in the evaluation of new learning
environments including mobile implementations, online
resources, blended learning and digital content usage

36. Participate in Speak Up 2021-22
https://tomorrow.org/speakup/about_SU.html
Learn about the views of your stakeholders.
Register your school or district to access the Speak Up
surveys:
 K-12 students (grade level appropriate, English & Spanish)
 Parents (English & Spanish)
 Teachers
 School Site Administrators
 District/Central Office Administrators
Online surveys are accessible from October 20 through April
30. Pick the time period that works best for your community.
All data collected is 100% protected.
School level and district level reports available with state
and national comparative data for benchmarking.

37. Engagement, Empowerment and Equity in Education
Speak Up 2021 Congressional Briefing
Release of the National Research Findings
October 20, 2021
JULIE A. EVANS, ED.D.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PROJECT TOMORROW