Assignment Task PART 2Read a selection of your colleagues’ pos.docx

Assignment Task PART 2
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.
Respond to at least two or more of your colleagues in any of the
following ways in a 150 word response each:
· Explain an additional target area that would apply to both your
and a colleague’s program or specialization.
· Offer additional support or a reference to the data to support
your colleague’s target area(s).
Katheryn Gonzales
Data collection can have a significant impact on making
educational and social changes for a community. According to
Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin (2016), longitudinal data
systems incorporating administrative records, learning
management platforms, and analysis and reporting tools provide
significant feedback to stakeholders and diagnostic tools to help
create system change. The need for longitudinal data comes
from the fragmented approach of data collection that makes it
difficult for policymakers, school districts, and all stakeholders
to analyze and utilize data that regularly comes from
educational institutions.
Grand City has collected data over time and from many
different platforms, including demographics, graduation rates,
test results, family information, occupational information,
educational information, and early childhood educational data.
Using this data, the Grand City Task Force can look for trends,
compare data, and aggregate data from many sources to address
different areas of concern and questions presented to the task
force (Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin, 2016).
Based on my specialization, Early Childhood Education, I find
that three areas that need improvement include: increasing the
amount of children ages three to five years old who attend
preschool, increasing the amount of subsidized preschool and
daycare, and working with the community outreach center to

advance early literacy to improve overall K-12 English
Language Arts test scores.
The first area that needs improvement is increasing the number
of incoming kindergarten students attending preschool. The
current data from Grand City shows that only 43% of incoming
kindergarten students have participated in preschool (Walden
University, 2016b). Research suggests that phonological
awareness at the preschool level is a predictor of early learning
success (Callaghan & Medelaine, 2012). Students who lack
quality literacy instruction are at risk for future academic
struggles.
Grand City data indicates a low level of students who meet the
academic benchmark in English Language Arts test scores. 3rd –
5th-grade students scored as meeting or exceeding the
benchmark at 25.7%. The percentage of students who scored as
meeting or exceeding the standard in grades 6th – 8th dropped
to 19.7%, and the rate of 11th-grade students scoring as meeting
or exceeding the benchmark dropped even further to 13.5%
(Walden University, 2016b). To begin to make a positive
change, the Early Childhood Center and the Early Childhood
Program Association will need to work with Grand City’s
Community Outreach Center to support families to help provide
early childhood programs, literacy opportunities, and support to
families in the community. Quality preschool education can
strongly influence the development of young children. Early
childhood learning experiences allow children to develop social,
emotional, physical, and cognitive skills and concepts that will
lead to lifelong academic success.
Lastly, Grand City will need to find a way to subsidize
preschool and daycare for families. Grand City data indicates
that 48% of families need funded preschool and 72% need
subsidized daycare (Walden University, 2016b). These numbers
demonstrate the importance of providing state-funded
prekindergarten and financial assistance through HeadStart and
Early HeadStart to provide childcare for children birth to five
years old.

Targeting these areas will be most effective in supporting
positive change within my specialization of Early Childhood
Education, as well as Grand City community because providing
a solid foundation for our youngest community members will
reap benefits that can be seen throughout K-12 to graduation
and into the workforce.
References
Callaghan, G., & Madelaine, A. (2012). Levelling the playing
field for kindergarten entry: Research implications for
preschool
early literacy instruction. Australasian Journal of Early
Childhood, 37(1), 13-23.
https://doi.org/10.1177/183693911203700103
Gonzalez-Sancho, C., & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2016).
Transforming education by using a new generation of
information systems.
Policy Futures in Education, 14(6), 1-18.
Doi:10.1177/1478210316649287
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2017a). Grand City
opening task force meeting [Video file]. Baltimore, MD:
Author.
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b). Grand City
education and demographic data files [PDF]. Baltimore, MD:
Author.
Amanda Puryear
Module 1 Discussion 2: TARGET AREAS FOR CHANGE
After reviewing the Grand City Education and
Demographic data files (2016b), I identified three target areas
that require improvement in my field of curriculum and
instruction. These areas are (1) curriculum and training, (2)
discipline, and (3) special education.
According to reports, there is a growing racial imbalance
between teachers and students. The present data shows that 83
% of the teacher population is white, while the population of
students is 75.5 % minority. The data also shows that 88 % of
students are on free or reduced lunch, and 24.8% live in poverty

(Walden University, 2016b). This imbalance calls for teachers
to be trained in interacting with students from diverse
backgrounds. A possible solution to this area of need is the
integration of culturally relevant teaching strategies. In these
strategies, teachers are trained to understand and relate to
culturally diverse students. Teachers and curriculum specialists
will also need to review the curriculum to ensure that students
can see themselves in the curriculum and become more invested
in the educational process and enabling them to build a sense of
belonging in the classroom. (Quinonez & Olivas, 2020).
Integrating more culturally diverse learning materials will aid in
this investment.
Over the past five years, the rate of office referrals and
suspensions has increased (Walden University, 2016b). The
largest increase has been seen in the minority groups of African
American, Hispanic, and Riza refugees. As students are referred
to the office and/or suspended, they are out of the classroom
and losing instructional time. When this cycle is allowed to
continue, the student falls further behind, and motivation
decrease. A possible solution is the use of restorative justice
practices. Restorative justice practices have been proven in
several studies to positively impact student outcomes by
decreasing office referrals and suspensions ( Katic et al., 2020).
Restorative justice accomplishes this by validating the views of
each student and allows for students to discuss problems in a
structured setting and heal any wrongs that could have
happened.
The number of students receiving special education
services has grown from 15% to 18 % (Walden University,
2016b). This increase could lead to a deficit in sound
accommodation practices due to a lack of training or support for
the general education teacher. For the student, this can lead
them to become frustrated and disengaged in the lesson. The
Co-teaching model can address the issues that arise with the
increase in special education students. This model pairs a
special education teacher and a general education teacher to

plan and execute lessons. This model can help general education
teachers properly serve their special education students and help
them feel included (Jortveit & Kovač, 2022), therefore
increasing their engagement and positive student outcomes.
References
Jortveit, M., & Kovač, V. B. (2022). Co-teaching that works:
special and general educators’ perspectives on collaboration.
Teaching
Education,
33(3), 286–300.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2021.1895105
Links to an external site.
Katic, B., Alba, L. A., & Johnson, A. H. (2020). A systematic
evaluation of restorative justice practices: School violence
prevention and
response.
Journal of School Violence,
19(4), 579–593.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2020.1783670
Quiñonez, T. L., & Olivas, A. P. (2020). Validation theory and
culturally relevant curriculum in the information literacy
classroom.
Urban
Library Journal, 26(1), 2.
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b).
Grand City education and demographic data files [PDF].
Baltimore, MD: Author.
Elizabeth Anne Mcclenaghan
YesterdayDec 5 at 8:18pm

Manage Discussion Entry
Module 1 Discussion 2: Target Areas for Change
Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin (2016), argue that
while the use of data has become a prominent strategy for
educational innovation and improvement across multiple
countries, due to the fragmentation of data collection, a
longitudinal data system that incorporates administrative
records, learning management platforms, and reporting tools are
needed to help create change. Access to longitudinal
information can not only help educators identify and monitor
student academic progress, but it can also help to gauge the
effectiveness of implementing various programs and provide
education policymakers with more accurate and reliable data
needed to evaluate school systems.
Though the data collected by Grand City (Walden
University, 2016b), is fragmented, providing a small snapshot
of information about five years ago and the current year, it does
allow the Grand City Task Force to compare the information,
analyze it for trends, and generate questions and concerns to be
researched.
Based on my specialization in elementary and middle
school academics and after reviewing the Grand City Education
and Demographic data files (2016b), the areas that I find need
the most improvement include increasing the percentage of
children ages three to five who attend early childhood
programs, increasing the percentage of students attending
school daily, and discipline.
In Grand City, only 43% of children ages 3-5 years old
attend preschool, this is 22% lower than the state average.
When broken down into demographics, the data indicates that
currently, Grand City has fewer children than the state average
in all demographic groups. As stated by Ms. Stephens, the
youngest members of the community will be the future of the
community and should be a priority for the task group. Studies
have shown that students who are academically behind at the
end of third grade have little to no chance of closing the gap

and being on grade level. Early childhood education has also
been shown to not only increase reading and math abilities, but
also increases a child's ability to socialize with others relating
to a decrease in discipline issues (Nold et. al, 2021). The Task
Force will need to analyze the cost and availability of early
childhood programs, the quality of programs being offered,
other reasons why families are not sending children to
preschool, and possibly offering courses or classes for stay-at-
home parents on ways in which they can support their children’s
educational foundation.
Over the past five years, Grand City the average daily
attendance rate has decreased and there has been an increase in
chronically absent students across most demographic areas
(Walden University, 2016b). Chronic absence is a measure of
how much school a student misses for any reason, missing more
than ten days in a given school year will place students in the
chronically absent category. The most significant increase in
chronically absent students was seen in the minority groups of
African-Americans, Native HI/Pac Islanders, and Riza.
According to Cunningham et. al (2022), children’s absence
from elementary school is associated with lower academic
achievement and increased social difficulties. If absenteeism is
persistent in early education, it will often continue or worsen as
students progress into secondary education, leading to increased
discipline and dropout rates. The role of the Task Force will be
to investigate solutions to help families get their children to
school, analyze school transportation, work with teachers to
increase the level of student engagement during class periods,
delve into cultural expectations and beliefs regarding education,
and look at the possibility of providing work-study programs for
high school students that are working to help provide for their
families.
Similar to the attendance data, Grand City is seeing an
increase in the percentage of students receiving office referrals
or suspensions, especially in many of the minority groups. A
study conducted by Chu and Ready (2018) found that while

suspensions were designed to be aversive, aiming to deter
students from exhibiting the same behaviors in the future, they
can exacerbate the negative behaviors, increase dropout rates,
and cause students to rebel or feel stigmatized. The
implementation of restorative practices and Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a possible solution for the
Task Force to research. PBIS, which involves practices designed
to improve academic and social-behavioral outcomes for all
students, has been shown to reduce the number of office
discipline referrals and suspensions, increase academic
achievement, and improve perceptions of school safety
(Hollands et. al, 2022).
References:
Chu, E.M., & Ready, D.D. (2018). Exclusion and urban public
high schools: Short- and long-term consequences of school
suspensions. American Journal of Education, 124(4), 479-509.
https://doi.org/10.1086/698454
Cunningham, A., Harvey, K., & Waite, P. (2022). School staffs’
experiences of supporting children with school attendance
difficulties in primary school: a qualitative study. Emotional
and Behavioral Difficulties, 27(1), 72-87.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2022.2067704
information systems. Policy Futures in Education, 14(6), 1-18.
Doi:10.1177/1478210316649287
Hollands, F.M., Leach, S.M., Shand, R., Head, L., Wang, Y.,
Dossett, D., Chang, F., Yan, B., Martin, M., Pan, Y., & Hensel,
S. (2022). Restorative practices: Using local evidence on costs
and student outcomes to inform school district decisions about
behavioral interventions. Journal of School Psychology, 92,
188-202.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2022.03.007

Author.
ReplyReply to Comment
·
Collapse SubdiscussionSophia Lanette Ruffin HedringtonSophia
Lanette Ruffin Hedrington
Grand City is a town on the rise both economically and
educationally because Mayor Tara Keller has decided to
incorporate a Task Force to develop a plan to improve how to
town approaches education, healthcare, childcare, and
technology. Under the mayor’s guidance the taskforce has comb
through years of data to target the main challenges that Grand
City is faced with today. Within the educational realm, one of
the main focuses of the task force is special education.
To improve special education, the task force has three target
areas within the specialization of Special Education that they
will focus on the rise in the number of students who have
qualified for special education, teachers’ preparation, and
teacher availability. The rationale behind focusing on these
three targets to bring awareness to the community. The
subjective realities of these targets show Grand City that if
things cannot be changed or improved than the educational
system of Grand City will begin to fail (Fullan, 2016).
Stabilizing the number of special education referrals is the
number one target. According to the data, 18% percent of the
students enrolled in the Grand City School System have some
exceptionality and receives special education services. The city
also had a 20% influx of students with disabilities from Riza
(Walden, LLC, 2016b). School districts must do a better job at
gathering appropriate and culturally responsive data during the
pre-referral process. Many of the special education evaluations
are dated and do not give an overall clear picture of the

students’ academic performances (Fullan, 2016).
The second and third target correlate because school system are
lacking qualified teachers and those who are teaching are not
equipped to handle the cultural change they are faced with in
the classroom. Offering more professional development to
teacher to help them learn how to incorporate more culturally
responsive lessons and activities into their teaching is critical.
The teachers must be able to meet the needs of each student and
understand how each students culture and background relates to
how they learn in the general education setting (Samuels, 2018).
It is important to target these areas because Grand City leaders
want to promote positive change in the growing community. If
more teachers are trained to incorporate culturally responsive
pedagogy into their lesson instruction by differentiating and
scaffolding more students can be reached at one time
(Mandinach et al., 2015)). Another way to make things easier
for Grand City is to incorporate a longitudinal information
system that collects and maintains data across systems
(Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lacrin, 2016).
Positive change begins with the government’s ability to identify
the problem and designate a team of leaders with an invested
interest in seeing Grand City thrive. Mayor Tara Keller has
assembled a team of leaders to dissect their respective
specialization and make recommendation of how to improve
them. This is the first step lowering special education numbers,
improving attendance, increasing the graduation rate, and
increasing the number of students attending pre-school.
References
Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of education
change (5th ed.)/ New York, NY: Teacher College Press.
Gonzalez-Sancho, C. & Vincent-Lancrin, S.
(2016). Transforming education by using a new generation of
doi:10.1177/1478210316649287.
Mandinach, E.B., Parton, B., Gummer, E.S., & Anderson, R.

(2015). Ethical and appropriate data use requires data literacy.
Phi Delta Kappan 96(5), 25-27. doi:10.1177/0031721715569465
Samuels, A. (2018). Exploring culturally responsive pedagogy:
Teachers' perspectives on fostering equitable and inclusive
classrooms. SRATE Journal, 27(1), 22-30.
education and demographic data files {PDF}. Author.
·
Collapse SubdiscussionIda M GreenIda M Green
1:23amDec 6 at 1:23am
Three target areas that need improvement or change
Three different areas will need improvement/change in this
specialization: the education sector. One situation facing the
school system in Grand city is overcrowding schools. The
student population in the school district has increased
significantly, and this has caused a significant burden on
administrators and the school staff (Hachem & Mayor,2019).
Another major issue affecting the education sector in this
scenario is inadequate personnel and the requirement for
special-skills training for teachers, which can help support the
education system. And last, the significant change in Grand City
calls for a demand for a wider variety of educational approaches
for the students.
A rationale for each area supported with specific data from
Grand City
Evidence from data concerning Grand City gives sufficient
information concerning the issues of concern in this scenario.
Overcrowding in schools is a major issue. A quarter of public
institutions have registrations which have about 5 % of the
capacity that the organization can hold (Mandinach et al.,
2015). Additionally, a third of the schools have enrollments
below their required capacity. This means that overcrowded
schools will usually be overburdened by too many students and

will experience wear and tear on their facilities. Limited staff in
schools is a significant issue that impacts the education sector,
leading to a lower quality of education (Howells, 2018).
Evidence reveals that nearly 44% of public schools have a low
number of staff, which leads to low teacher-to-student ratios,
affecting the quality of education the students receive. Sectors
such as special education will usually experience the most
vacancies due to fewer teachers who specialize in such sectors.
Evidence also reveals increased demand for a wider variety of
student educational approaches. There is a need for new and
more practical skills in education, which would improve
outcomes for the student population, leading to improved
outcomes in education (González-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin,
2016). The issues for broader educational goals, especially with
rapid advancements in science and technology have widened
inequalities (González-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin, 2016).
Educational instructors will need to require skills that can
create new value, leading to improved outcomes in the
educational sector.
How and why targeting these areas will be effective in
supporting positive change
These targeting areas are important to support positive change.
Addressing overcrowding in schools will not only lead to
improvements in the educational sector but will improve the
quality of education at Grand City, leading to better overall
educational outcomes (Howells, 2018). It will also lead to more
individualized focus, which means that the teachers can
dedicate specific time to each student to improve their quality
of education. Addressing overcrowding will ensure that the
struggling students can be attended to, which would lead to
positive outcomes in their performance. Solving the issue of
limited staff in the school setting is critical to better education
outcomes (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2013). Increasing staff
members that are skilled and talented will help ensure that all
students receive equal attention in the classroom. This will
improve service delivery because teachers can deliver the

syllabus to the students according to the required specifications,
which would lead to positive outcomes for the student
population (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2013).
The third targeted area is the demand for new educational
approaches, a critical issue in the education sector. By dealing
with this issue, the teachers will gain specialized skills for
dealing with the new student population based on new teaching
approaches, such as integrating technology into student
teaching. Additionally, by addressing this issue, the educational
sector will create a more inclusive environment for learning,
which would lead to improved education outcomes for all
students.
References
González-Sancho, C., & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2016).
information systems. Policy Futures in Education, 14(6), 741-
758.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210316649287
Hachem, H., & Mayor, P. (2019). Overcrowding in schools:
Why is it a huge Issue? Retrieved December 4, 2022.
https://patch.com/michigan/dearborn/overcrowding-
schools-why-it-huge-issue
Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2013). The power of professional
capital. The Learning Professional, 34(3),36.
https://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Do
main/219/JSD-Power-of-Professional-Capital.pdf
Howells, K. (2018). The future of education and skills:
education 2030: the future we want.
http://www.oecd.org/education/2030/E2030%20Position%20Pap
er%20(05.04.2018).pdf

Mandinach, E. B., Parton, B. M., Gummer, E. S., & Anderson,
R. (2015). Ethical and appropriate data use requires data
literacy. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(5), 25-28.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721715569465
·
Collapse SubdiscussionJermaine WhiteJermaine White
1:34pmDec 6 at 1:34pm
With my specialization being in administration with a focus on
high school, there are a few things that I could target when it
comes to improvement in Grand City. When looking at the
Grand City Education and Demographic data files (2016b), the
three areas that I would focus on are discipline, instruction, and
special education.
When looking at the discipline for Grand City, 16.7 % of
students had at least one office referral last year, and at least
19% were suspended at least once last year (2016b). The data
for suspension has been broken down further to show the
ethnicity of the student referrals. When looking at the number
of students with referrals and students that have been
suspended, all races have shown an increase in referrals.
African American students have been identified as the group
with the largest number of referrals.
The next target area that I have identified is an instruction in
the classroom. This is evident when it comes to students' test
data. When looking at the test data for math, only 36.8% of
11th graders meet or exceed the state benchmark test (2016b).
When looking at the test data from five years ago, the number
of students who met or exceeded the math benchmark was
46.2%. When looking at the English Language Arts test data,
they also have gone down over five years. The English scores

went from 25.7% of students met or exceeded to 13.5% met or
exceeded the necessary score on the exam(2016b). When
looking at these scores show that there is an issue with teachers'
methods when it comes to the delivery of instruction. Training
needs to occur to show how data can be used to improve their
instructions. For example, data can be used to differentiate
instruction for students (Mandinach et al., 2015). The
percentage of students being successful on the test was already
low but has gone down even further. Instruction looks like an
area that needs attention to correct the direction that the test
data is going in.
The last target area that would be a focus would be special
education. When looking at special education can also coincide
with the instructions piece for the teachers. When looking at the
students in Grand City, 18% of students qualify for special
education services (Walden, 2016b). When looking at the
demographics of the students, each group has had an increase in
special education services over the past five years. For special
education students to succeed, systems need to be in place. For
this to occur, teachers need to be trained to ensure that special
education services are in place, which would also impact the
instruction that is given in the classroom. If the students are not
getting proper support could also lead to struggles in the
classroom.
When looking at these three target areas, if changes are made, it
can impact the schools as a whole. These three areas can help
with a culture change in the schools. When looking at these
three areas, systems, along with training, will need to be
implemented for success. For Grand City to see improvement,
the use of a longitudinal information system would be
beneficial. This system would allow for different forms of data
to be collected and link them together over time to provide a
complete academic and performance history of students
(Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Laurin, 2016). The schools could
partner with the community to help with things in school that
could improve in the target areas. Starting with these target

areas could build the ideal environment, which would lead to
school improvement.
Reference
Gonzalez-Sancho, C. & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2016).
doi:10.1177/1478210316649287.
Mandinach, E.B., Parton, B., Gummer, E.S., & Anderson, R.
(2015). Ethical and appropriate data use requires data literacy.
Phi Delta Kappan 96(5), 25-27. doi:10.1177/0031721715569465
education and demographic data files {PDF}. Author.
·
Collapse SubdiscussionKelli A BarnesKelli A Barnes
3:25pmDec 6 at 3:25pm
Grand City has experienced many changes within their
community that has affected many components of their society.
With the leadership of Mayor Keller and the task force
developed, positive progress is the goal for Grand City. Along
with the leadership of the task force, Mayor Keller and her
advisers are tasked with supporting the economic, educational,
and social change and development of their city. For change to
occur, a new direction with transformation within a system must
be evident (Gonzalez-Sancho, et al, 2016). Three target areas
that fall under my specialization in Early Childhood Education
are the decline of students having preschool or daycare
experience before entering kindergarten, the increase in special
education services, and the decline of students attending school
consistently.
Only 43% of students entering kindergarten in Grand City had
previous preschool or daycare experience (Walden, 2016). This

proves to be an issue as early literacy deficiency was detected
in students entering school. As an early childhood education
specialist literacy is the foundation to all learning. Without the
phonemic awareness or previous exposure to letters, sounds, or
books being read, students enter kindergarten with a lack of
foundational skills.
Another area of concern is connected to the lack of literacy
foundation building. In Grand City the student numbers of
those receiving special education services rose from 15%-18%
(Walden, 2016). This could be due to demographics or more
interestingly, there is lack of students entering kindergarten
with previous foundational skills. Unfortunately, schools are
faced with increasing numbers and lack of support. Thus,
Grand City’s task force has identified this as a target concern.
Rationale for the concern would be the lack of students
attending due to their frustration with school and lack of
services that they are intended to receive.
Lastly, it is evident how the next area of student attendance
becomes a plane of the scaffolding concerns in Grand City. In
Grand City, student attendance has been on a steady decline
(Walden, 2016). Students are skipping school due to lack of
interest or consequence, while younger students are not
attending for lack of parental responsibility. Grand City will
have to become more supportive of students’ overall
development to ensure their motivation to attend (Cunningham,
et al, 2022). As analyzed, this could be due to demographics or
socioeconomics. However, it is apparent that all three target
areas are intertwined and affect one another. Thus, Grand City
will need to address the lack of foundational readiness that
students have entering kindergarten. Then, each target area will
be addressed, and support given for all parties. With appropriate
acknowledgment and support for each area, Grand City could be
on the bring of a social and developmental change. Considering
families, students, teachers, and staff, Grand City can
potentially build a better and stronger school system for their
community.

References
Cunningham, A., Harvey, K., & Waite, P. (2022). School staffs’
experiences of supporting children with school attendance
difficulties in primary school: a qualitative study. Emotional
and Behavioral Difficulties, 27(1), 72-87.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2022.2067704
Doi:10.1177/1478210316649287
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016). Grand City
Author.
·
Learning Resources
Required Readings:
Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of educational change (5th
ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
· Chapter 1, “A Brief History of Educational Change” (pp. 3–
17)
· Chapter 2, “The Meaning of Educational Change” (pp. 18–38)
· Gonzalez-Sancho, C., & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2016).
Links to an external site.Policy Futures in
Education, 14(6), 1-18. doi: 10.1177/1478210316649287
· Mandinach, E. B., Parton, B., Gummer, E.S., & Anderson, R.
(2015).
Ethical and appropriate data use requires data literacy.
Links to an external site. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(5),
25-27. doi: 10.1177/0031721715569465

· Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2013).
The power of professional capital.
Links to an external site. Learning Forward, 34(3),
36–39. Retrieved from http://www.michaelfullan.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2013/08/JSD-Power-of-Professional-Capital.pdf
· Walden University. (2017b).
About: Our history
Links to an external site.. Retrieved from
https://www.waldenu.edu/about/who-we-are
Review this site for information on Walden University’s
mission and vision and its focus on social change.
· Walden University (n.d.).
APA course paper template (APA 7th ed.)
Links to an external site.. Retrieved February 2,
2016, from
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/gen
eral
Required Media:· Grand City CommunityWalden University has
created a simulated community known as Grand City. This
community is being used in various other courses, as well as
this one. The community consists of several locations that will
be useful in completing some of the assignments in this course.
When you use a resource within the Grand City community in
this course, instructions will be provided pertaining to which
location and resource you are to view. The community may be
viewed at the link provided in the citation.Go to the
Grand City Community
Links to an external site.and click into City Hall to
view the following for this module:
· Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2017a).
Grand City opening task force meeting [Video file].

· Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b).
Optional Resources
· Meyer-Looze, C. L. (2015). Creating a cycle of continuous
improvement through instructional rounds. International Journal
of Educational Leadership Preparation, 10(1), 29–45.
· Roberts-Holmes, G., & Bradbury, A. (2016). The datafication
of early years education and its impact upon
pedagogy. Improving Schools, 1–10.
doi:10.1177/1365480216651519
points possible
due Dec 7 at 1pmModule 1: Discussion 2
2
TARGET AREAS FOR CHANGE
As you have observed, each member of Mayor Keller’s task
force views the need for change from his or her role in the
community and specialization perspective. Whether their issues
stem from a lack of teaching staff and resources to training for
employees, task force members are committed to addressing the
learning and development needs of Grand City’s children,
students, and citizens. With such myriad needs, how should the
mayor’s task force prioritize these issues to enact both
educational and community change?
For this Discussion, you will evaluate programs within your
specialization to determine target areas of improvement for

educational and social change in Grand City.
To prepare:
· Review all Learning Resources for this module. Think about
the meaning of educational change, the impact of data
collection on change initiatives, and the impact of positive
social and educational change on all individuals in a
community.
· Review the Grand City data and media for this module as well
as your analysis of the data from the Module 1 Discussion 1.
Consider what programs are most critical in supporting Grand
City’s children and students, including both those in early
childhood programs and K–12 schools. Think about how data
supports the need for change initiatives. How might a successful
change in those programs impact the community as a whole?
· Hargreaves and Fullan (2013) note the difference between
business capital and professional capital. Reflect on the concept
of capital, your investment in your own education, and the
benefits you anticipate in your career and in the lives of the
children you reach.
· Review Walden University’s mission and vision for social
change. Imagine you are on the Grand City task force
representing your specialization, and consider the areas needing
improvement or change. How might you propose the task force
address those areas? What impact might such changes have on
social change in the Grand City community?
Assignment Task Part 1
Write a 1 ½ page response that explains the following:
· At least three target areas that are in need of improvement or
change in your specialization
· A rationale for each area supported with specific data from
Grand City
· How and why targeting these areas would be most effective in
supporting positive change within both your specialization and
the Grand City community
For this Discussion, and all scholarly writing in this course and

throughout your program, you will be required to use APA style
and provide reference citations.
Assignment Task Part 2
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.
Respond to at least two or more of your colleagues in any of the
following ways in a 150 word response each:
· Explain an additional target area that would apply to both your
and a colleague’s program or specialization.
· Offer additional support or a reference to the data to support
your colleague’s target area(s).
· Support or refute a colleague’s claim regarding how his or her
target area(s) would support positive change in the Grand City
community.
· For this Discussion, and all scholarly writing in this course
and throughout your program, you will be required to use APA
style and provide reference citations.
Search entries or author Filter replies by unreadUnread
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ReplyReply to Module 1: Discussion 2
·
Collapse SubdiscussionKatheryn GonzalesKatheryn Gonzales
Data collection can have a significant impact on making
educational and social changes for a community. According to
Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin (2016), longitudinal data
systems incorporating administrative records, learning
management platforms, and analysis and reporting tools provide
significant feedback to stakeholders and diagnostic tools to help
create system change. The need for longitudinal data comes
from the fragmented approach of data collection that makes it

difficult for policymakers, school districts, and all stakeholders
to analyze and utilize data that regularly comes from
educational institutions.
Grand City has collected data over time and from many
different platforms, including demographics, graduation rates,
test results, family information, occupational information,
educational information, and early childhood educational data.
Using this data, the Grand City Task Force can look for trends,
compare data, and aggregate data from many sources to address
different areas of concern and questions presented to the task
force (Gonzalez-Sancho & Vincent-Lancrin, 2016).
Based on my specialization, Early Childhood Education, I find
that three areas that need improvement include: increasing the
amount of children ages three to five years old who attend
preschool, increasing the amount of subsidized preschool and
daycare, and working with the community outreach center to
advance early literacy to improve overall K-12 English
Language Arts test scores.
The first area that needs improvement is increasing the number
of incoming kindergarten students attending preschool. The
current data from Grand City shows that only 43% of incoming
kindergarten students have participated in preschool (Walden
University, 2016b). Research suggests that phonological
awareness at the preschool level is a predictor of early learning
success (Callaghan & Medelaine, 2012). Students who lack
quality literacy instruction are at risk for future academic
struggles.
Grand City data indicates a low level of students who meet the
academic benchmark in English Language Arts test scores. 3rd –
5th-grade students scored as meeting or exceeding the
benchmark at 25.7%. The percentage of students who scored as
meeting or exceeding the standard in grades 6th – 8th dropped
to 19.7%, and the rate of 11th-grade students scoring as meeting
or exceeding the benchmark dropped even further to 13.5%
(Walden University, 2016b). To begin to make a positive
change, the Early Childhood Center and the Early Childhood

Program Association will need to work with Grand City’s
Community Outreach Center to support families to help provide
early childhood programs, literacy opportunities, and support to
families in the community. Quality preschool education can
strongly influence the development of young children. Early
childhood learning experiences allow children to develop social,
emotional, physical, and cognitive skills and concepts that will
lead to lifelong academic success.
Lastly, Grand City will need to find a way to subsidize
preschool and daycare for families. Grand City data indicates
that 48% of families need funded preschool and 72% need
subsidized daycare (Walden University, 2016b). These numbers
demonstrate the importance of providing state-funded
prekindergarten and financial assistance through HeadStart and
Early HeadStart to provide childcare for children birth to five
years old.
Targeting these areas will be most effective in supporting
positive change within my specialization of Early Childhood
Education, as well as Grand City community because providing
a solid foundation for our youngest community members will
reap benefits that can be seen throughout K-12 to graduation
and into the workforce.
References
Callaghan, G., & Madelaine, A. (2012). Levelling the playing
field for kindergarten entry: Research implications for
preschool
early literacy instruction. Australasian Journal of Early
Childhood, 37(1), 13-23.
https://doi.org/10.1177/183693911203700103
Policy Futures in Education, 14(6), 1-18.
Doi:10.1177/1478210316649287
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2017a). Grand City
opening task force meeting [Video file]. Baltimore, MD:

Author.
Author.
·
Collapse SubdiscussionAmanda PuryearAmanda Puryear
Module 1 Discussion 2: TARGET AREAS FOR CHANGE
After reviewing the Grand City Education and
Demographic data files (2016b), I identified three target areas
that require improvement in my field of curriculum and
instruction. These areas are (1) curriculum and training, (2)
discipline, and (3) special education.
According to reports, there is a growing racial imbalance
between teachers and students. The present data shows that 83
% of the teacher population is white, while the population of
students is 75.5 % minority. The data also shows that 88 % of
students are on free or reduced lunch, and 24.8% live in poverty
(Walden University, 2016b). This imbalance calls for teachers
to be trained in interacting with students from diverse
backgrounds. A possible solution to this area of need is the
integration of culturally relevant teaching strategies. In these
strategies, teachers are trained to understand and relate to
culturally diverse students. Teachers and curriculum specialists
will also need to review the curriculum to ensure that students
can see themselves in the curriculum and become more invested
in the educational process and enabling them to build a sense of
belonging in the classroom. (Quinonez & Olivas, 2020).
Integrating more culturally diverse learning materials will aid in
this investment.
Over the past five years, the rate of office referrals and
suspensions has increased (Walden University, 2016b). The
largest increase has been seen in the minority groups of African

American, Hispanic, and Riza refugees. As students are referred
to the office and/or suspended, they are out of the classroom
and losing instructional time. When this cycle is allowed to
continue, the student falls further behind, and motivation
decrease. A possible solution is the use of restorative justice
practices. Restorative justice practices have been proven in
several studies to positively impact student outcomes by
decreasing office referrals and suspensions ( Katic et al., 2020).
Restorative justice accomplishes this by validating the views of
each student and allows for students to discuss problems in a
structured setting and heal any wrongs that could have
happened.
The number of students receiving special education
services has grown from 15% to 18 % (Walden University,
2016b). This increase could lead to a deficit in sound
accommodation practices due to a lack of training or support for
the general education teacher. For the student, this can lead
them to become frustrated and disengaged in the lesson. The
Co-teaching model can address the issues that arise with the
increase in special education students. This model pairs a
special education teacher and a general education teacher to
plan and execute lessons. This model can help general education
teachers properly serve their special education students and help
them feel included (Jortveit & Kovač, 2022), therefore
increasing their engagement and positive student outcomes.
References
Jortveit, M., & Kovač, V. B. (2022). Co-teaching that works:
special and general educators’ perspectives on collaboration.
Teaching
Education,
33(3), 286–300.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2021.1895105Links to
an external site.

Katic, B., Alba, L. A., & Johnson, A. H. (2020). A systematic
evaluation of restorative justice practices: School violence
prevention and
response.
Journal of School Violence,
19(4), 579–593.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2020.1783670Links to
an external site.
Quiñonez, T. L., & Olivas, A. P. (2020). Validation theory and
culturally relevant curriculum in the information literacy
classroom.
Urban
Library Journal, 26(1), 2.
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2016b).

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