This document summarizes a study of academic supports for limited English proficient (LEP) students in the Jefferson County Public Schools district. The study found:
1) Academic supports for LEP students vary greatly between schools in terms of structures, resources and instruction.
2) While the district provides funding and resources, additional work is needed to establish clear goals and improve teacher training.
3) Co-teaching practices for LEP students show wide variability and lack structured planning and expectations. The report provides recommendations to strengthen supports for LEP students.
School learning resources are arguably one of the
most important influencers of students’ scores in
national examinations and hence affect each
individual school’s effectiveness. It had been pointed
out by the Nyanza Provincial Education Board that
the province’s performance in examinations and the
quality of education in general is unsatisfactory and
inadequate. A confidential document entitled the State
of Education in Nyanza Province points out factors
such as inadequate physical facilities, as one of the
factors impacting negatively on school performance in the province. The study sought to investigate the perceived
contribution of school learning resources on students’ scores
The document discusses the importance of offering more Advanced Placement (AP) courses to 21st century students. It argues that students need to be challenged and prepared to compete globally for jobs and careers. While the Verona school district is meeting standards, it could enhance AP course offerings compared to other similar districts. The document examines whether Verona is offering the most popular AP courses and maximizing student enrollment and achievement in AP. It suggests the district could improve by offering additional in-demand AP courses to better prepare diverse students for their futures.
Unfinished: Insights From Ongoing Work to Accelerate Outcomes for Students Wi...Jeremy Knight
Despite some gains over the past 20 years, significant numbers of students are not meeting grade-level expectations as defined by performance on academic assessments. Meanwhile, few schools are able to support the sort of accelerated academic learning needed to catch students up to grade-level expectations.
Evidence indicates this is not for lack of educator commitment or dedication. Instead, many educators lack clarity about how to help students catch up. Common messages about holding a high bar for academic rigor and personalizing learning to meet students where they are can be perceived as being at odds with one another.
“Unfinished: Insights From Ongoing Work to Accelerate Outcomes for Students With Learning Gaps” synthesizes a broad body of research on the science of learning in order to inform efforts to help students close gaps and meet grade-level expectations. This deck argues that helping students catch up is not about rigor or personalization — classrooms need both.
Closing learning gaps requires students to be motivated and engaged to grapple with challenging, grade-level skills and knowledge — while also having their individual learning needs met.
The report identifies what must happen among educators, systems-level leaders, teacher developers, instructional materials providers, and technology experts to move beyond the dichotomy of “rigor versus personalization” and toward a future that effectively blends the two.
Educating Youth in Short-Term DetentionTanya Paperny
Each year thousands of youth in America are uprooted from their schools and communities and sent to a juvenile justice detention center. The majority of these confined youth are there for nonviolent offenses, including technical violations, such as failing to complete treatment or violating probation. Even youth awaiting foster care placement can be placed in a detention center. Over the course of a year, we estimate between 90,000 and 170,000 youth spend at least one day in a short-term detention center, and over 40% are detained for more than a month.
While in these facilities, young people are entitled to the same educational opportunities that they would have in the outside world. However, there is little research or data about this population.
In “Educating Youth in Short-Term Detention,” we found that youth’s educational experiences in these facilities often compound, rather than alleviate, the challenges they face. They are commonly unenrolled from their home school once they are arrested, and while detained, youth often do not receive coursework aligned with their needs, nor do they receive credit for the work they complete. Moreover, once they’re released, youth face significant challenges reenrolling in school, so even a brief period in confinement can severely disrupt a youth’s education.
Title I is a federal funding program intended to help students who are falling behind academically or who are at risk of not meeting academic standards. Funds are allocated based on the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Schools can use Title I funds to hire teachers, purchase materials, support parental involvement activities, and fund professional development programs.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 aimed to provide equal access to education for all students. It has been reauthorized several times, most recently as the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. North Carolina received a waiver from some NCLB requirements in 2012 in order to increase flexibility and accountability at the state and local levels. Schools are now measured based on whether student
- Pukekohe Hill School is a large primary school in Franklin serving over 600 students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
- The school uses achievement data well to identify student progress, needs and to inform teaching. Most students are achieving at or above the National Standard.
- The curriculum promotes student learning effectively with a focus on literacy, numeracy and integrated learning. Recent efforts aim to further raise achievement for Māori and Pacific students.
- The board, leadership and teachers are well placed to sustain performance improvements through ongoing professional development, strengthened community relationships and targeted resources.
This document provides an overview of issues facing the US education system. It discusses how poverty rates, unequal funding between districts, and low teacher pay are major problems. Research shows that increased spending on instruction improves student outcomes. International test scores show US students performing in the middle of other nations. Finland recruits top teachers and funds small, community-focused schools with support services. State-by-state data shows a relationship between poverty rates, funding levels, and test scores. The document proposes strategies like equalizing funding, increasing teacher pay and education incentives, and holding all schools in a district accountable to improve overall performance.
School learning resources are arguably one of the
most important influencers of students’ scores in
national examinations and hence affect each
individual school’s effectiveness. It had been pointed
out by the Nyanza Provincial Education Board that
the province’s performance in examinations and the
quality of education in general is unsatisfactory and
inadequate. A confidential document entitled the State
of Education in Nyanza Province points out factors
such as inadequate physical facilities, as one of the
factors impacting negatively on school performance in the province. The study sought to investigate the perceived
contribution of school learning resources on students’ scores
The document discusses the importance of offering more Advanced Placement (AP) courses to 21st century students. It argues that students need to be challenged and prepared to compete globally for jobs and careers. While the Verona school district is meeting standards, it could enhance AP course offerings compared to other similar districts. The document examines whether Verona is offering the most popular AP courses and maximizing student enrollment and achievement in AP. It suggests the district could improve by offering additional in-demand AP courses to better prepare diverse students for their futures.
Unfinished: Insights From Ongoing Work to Accelerate Outcomes for Students Wi...Jeremy Knight
Despite some gains over the past 20 years, significant numbers of students are not meeting grade-level expectations as defined by performance on academic assessments. Meanwhile, few schools are able to support the sort of accelerated academic learning needed to catch students up to grade-level expectations.
Evidence indicates this is not for lack of educator commitment or dedication. Instead, many educators lack clarity about how to help students catch up. Common messages about holding a high bar for academic rigor and personalizing learning to meet students where they are can be perceived as being at odds with one another.
“Unfinished: Insights From Ongoing Work to Accelerate Outcomes for Students With Learning Gaps” synthesizes a broad body of research on the science of learning in order to inform efforts to help students close gaps and meet grade-level expectations. This deck argues that helping students catch up is not about rigor or personalization — classrooms need both.
Closing learning gaps requires students to be motivated and engaged to grapple with challenging, grade-level skills and knowledge — while also having their individual learning needs met.
The report identifies what must happen among educators, systems-level leaders, teacher developers, instructional materials providers, and technology experts to move beyond the dichotomy of “rigor versus personalization” and toward a future that effectively blends the two.
Educating Youth in Short-Term DetentionTanya Paperny
Each year thousands of youth in America are uprooted from their schools and communities and sent to a juvenile justice detention center. The majority of these confined youth are there for nonviolent offenses, including technical violations, such as failing to complete treatment or violating probation. Even youth awaiting foster care placement can be placed in a detention center. Over the course of a year, we estimate between 90,000 and 170,000 youth spend at least one day in a short-term detention center, and over 40% are detained for more than a month.
While in these facilities, young people are entitled to the same educational opportunities that they would have in the outside world. However, there is little research or data about this population.
In “Educating Youth in Short-Term Detention,” we found that youth’s educational experiences in these facilities often compound, rather than alleviate, the challenges they face. They are commonly unenrolled from their home school once they are arrested, and while detained, youth often do not receive coursework aligned with their needs, nor do they receive credit for the work they complete. Moreover, once they’re released, youth face significant challenges reenrolling in school, so even a brief period in confinement can severely disrupt a youth’s education.
Title I is a federal funding program intended to help students who are falling behind academically or who are at risk of not meeting academic standards. Funds are allocated based on the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Schools can use Title I funds to hire teachers, purchase materials, support parental involvement activities, and fund professional development programs.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 aimed to provide equal access to education for all students. It has been reauthorized several times, most recently as the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. North Carolina received a waiver from some NCLB requirements in 2012 in order to increase flexibility and accountability at the state and local levels. Schools are now measured based on whether student
- Pukekohe Hill School is a large primary school in Franklin serving over 600 students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
- The school uses achievement data well to identify student progress, needs and to inform teaching. Most students are achieving at or above the National Standard.
- The curriculum promotes student learning effectively with a focus on literacy, numeracy and integrated learning. Recent efforts aim to further raise achievement for Māori and Pacific students.
- The board, leadership and teachers are well placed to sustain performance improvements through ongoing professional development, strengthened community relationships and targeted resources.
This document provides an overview of issues facing the US education system. It discusses how poverty rates, unequal funding between districts, and low teacher pay are major problems. Research shows that increased spending on instruction improves student outcomes. International test scores show US students performing in the middle of other nations. Finland recruits top teachers and funds small, community-focused schools with support services. State-by-state data shows a relationship between poverty rates, funding levels, and test scores. The document proposes strategies like equalizing funding, increasing teacher pay and education incentives, and holding all schools in a district accountable to improve overall performance.
Moving Toward Sustainability: Kansas City Teacher ResidencyJeremy Knight
The Kansas City Teacher Residency program launched in 2016 to recruit, develop, and retain teachers for the Kansas City region. After three years of operation, the program underwent a strategic planning process to refine its business model and ensure long-term sustainability. The planning process included evaluating KCTR's current financial model and benchmarking other teacher residency programs. It revealed that KCTR relies heavily on philanthropic funding and has opportunities to optimize expenditures. The new strategic plan developed by KCTR focuses on strengthening partnerships, optimizing costs, exploring new revenue sources, and gradually growing enrollment while ensuring program quality. The changes are expected to lower KCTR's per-resident costs and reduce its long-term fundraising needs.
The document describes the process undertaken by U-46 school district to implement a district-wide focus on teaching vocabulary through Robert Marzano's six-step process. It discusses the need to improve vocabulary instruction based on research showing its importance. It then details how the district developed academic vocabulary lists, provided training to teachers, and supported implementation over two school years. The process resulted in improved student achievement and all elementary schools making adequate progress.
Forever Learning on Wheels is a nonprofit organization that provides mobile tutoring in reading, writing, and math for K-12 students in Colorado Springs and beyond. It aims to help students meet academic goals using research-based curriculum and assessments. Run by a CEO, executive director, and board, it hires teachers as contractors and operates with lower costs than facilities by bringing instruction to students. It has served 32 students so far and projects serving 70 students in its first year and 140 in its second with additional funding.
School surveys were introduced into the Young Lives research study in 2010 in order to capture detailed information about children’s experiences of schooling, and to improve our understanding of:
- the relationships between learning outcomes, and children's home backgrounds, gender, work, schools, teachers and class and school peer-groups.
- school effectiveness, by analysing factors explaining the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in school, including value-added analysis of schooling and comparative analysis of school-systems.
- equity issues (including gender) in relation to learning outcomes and the evolution of inequalities within education
This presentation gives details of the 2016 Survey.
The Challenges and Opportunities in School Transportation TodayJeremy Knight
Every day, America’s fleet of roughly 480,000 school buses transports more than a third of students to and from school. This fleet is more than twice the size of all other forms of mass transit combined, including bus, rail, and airline transportation.
The document summarizes research on the challenges faced by college students requiring remediation and the role of service learning in retention. It finds that students requiring remediation have lower graduation rates and face difficulties with peer relationships and integration into college. The author proposes a quantitative study to measure the correlation between incorporating service learning into remedial courses and retention rates over three years at Illinois public universities, excluding a highly selective institution. A literature review presented discusses theories of student retention and the benefits of experiential and engaged learning for students through service learning.
Factors Affecting the Contribution of 1st Year Female Students Tutorial Class...CrimsonPublishers-SBB
Factors Affecting the Contribution of 1st Year Female Students Tutorial Class on their Academic Achievement in First Semester of 2016, the Case of Afan Oromo and Literature Department by Itefa Degefa in Significances of Bioengineering & Biosciences
20140908 Alger Teacher Incentive Pay that WorksVicki Alger
This document provides a summary of a report on teacher incentive pay programs around the world. It discusses 10 case studies of effective programs that reward teachers based on student achievement. Two successful group incentive programs are from Chile and Dallas, Texas that keep teachers motivated by carefully defining incentive award groups. Two individual incentive programs that focus on student achievement are from Little Rock, Arkansas and England. The report also discusses programs that combine group and individual incentives. It provides lessons for policymakers on defining expectations, supporting teachers, rewarding performance, building sustainable programs, and promoting continuous improvement.
Michelle Colquitt Professional Development Lesson PlanMichelle Colquitt
This document provides information about a proposed professional development training for teachers at Jefferson Middle School on how to use the GALILEO database. It summarizes the context, including details about the school district and student demographics. The identified learning problem is that entering freshmen at Jefferson High School are struggling to use GALILEO for research assignments. The goals of the training are to teach middle school teachers about GALILEO so they can help prepare their students. A learner analysis section provides information about the teacher demographics, student entry skills, attitudes, and general learning preferences.
Constructing an innovative critical thinking syllabus for at risk postseconda...The Free School
This document constructs a “critical thinking syllabus” (Mok, 2010, p. 262) as an innovative approach for teaching Asian students at risk who speak English as a Foreign Language and study using English for Academic Purposes (EAP) but who are reluctant to write critically for cultural reasons. This syllabus is inclusive and flexible. It incorporates student input to redesign tasks and activities that aim to develop their ability to locate scholarly resources that may assist them to use EAP to think and write critically (Mok, 2010, p. 264). I shall modify the syllabus in real-time if a student’s suggestions are practical and align with course objectives.
The document discusses programs and services provided by Hoke County Schools to support English Language Learners (ELLs). It describes the ESL Saturday Academy program which provides small group instruction on weekends to improve reading skills. Data shows enrollment in the program has increased over time. The Migrant Summer Camp also aims to support ELL literacy needs through individualized instruction. Additionally, the Transition Center provides resources to help ELL families access school and community services upon entering Hoke County.
The document evaluates the need for after-school care programs in disadvantaged South African communities like Khayelitsha and Hangberg. It finds that South African public schools often have unsafe environments, lack resources, and struggle with high dropout rates. Communities face issues like poverty, crime, and inadequate policing. After-school programs aim to provide support like counseling, mentorship, and safety training to address these challenges and help learners succeed. The evaluation recommends increased state funding and support for issues of education, safety, and social services in schools.
Link of the research article where critique is based
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326395196_STATUS_OF_THE_MOTHER_TONGUE_BASED-MULTILINGUAL_EDUCATION_OF_THE_PRIVATE_PRIMARY_SCHOOLS_IN_VIGAN_CITY
language teaching practice in government and private schools of sangharpawan lal
This document summarizes a research study on language teaching practices in government and private schools in Sanghar, Pakistan. The study aims to identify and explore language teaching practices and factors affecting them. Research questions ask about practices used and impacting factors. A literature review found private school performance appraisal and education systems superior to public schools. The methodology involved observations of 100 students in various schools. Findings showed grammar teaching aids used more in public schools, while private school teacher attitudes were better. Discussion noted the importance of practice and activities for skills development. The conclusion stated current approaches are unsatisfactory and pre-service teacher education needs improvement.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Woodmansterne Primary School conducted in October 2013. It found the school to be outstanding overall, with outstanding achievement, teaching, behaviour, leadership and management. Pupils make exceptional progress from low starting points to exceed national averages. Teaching is highly effective and tailored to pupils' needs. Leaders ensure consistently high quality teaching and a rich curriculum. Pupils behave exceptionally well and feel very safe at school.
The inspection found that Long Sutton Primary School requires improvement in the areas of pupil achievement, teaching quality, and leadership and management. While pupil behavior and safety were judged to be good, standards in core subjects are below national averages and teaching is not consistently effective in challenging all pupils. However, the school has shown progress since the previous inspection through improved teaching methods and accelerated pupil progress. Continued development is still needed to ensure teaching supports strong and consistent achievement for all pupils.
Finland has consistently ranked highly in international education comparisons. Five factors contribute to Finland's success: (1) Striving for equity by ensuring all schools receive adequate funding and there are no private schools; (2) Fewer standardized tests and more creative student assessments designed by teachers; (3) High-quality teachers who require a master's degree and spend less time teaching and more collaborating; (4) Integrating games and play into the classroom curriculum despite a culture that does not emphasize competition; (5) Prioritizing student welfare through universal healthcare, counseling, nutritious meals, and guidance counselors.
This document discusses a study that explored the methodology used by an English teacher at a public high school in Costa Rica to improve students' academic achievement on the National-High-School-Graduation Examination. The study found that the teacher focused on developing reading strategies and techniques as well as memorizing grammar structures and vocabulary. Based on the findings, the researchers intended to provide coaching and advice to the teacher on a plausible methodological approach using techniques, strategies, and skills to help students increase their scores on the graduation exam in the future. Test results from the school showed a decline in the promotion rate on the exam from 2013 to 2014, motivating the study.
Supporting the academic success of underprepared college students at an Engli...Serpil Tekir
Pre-conference presentation for the study entitled "Supporting the academic success of underprepared college students at an English Medium Instruction (EMI) university."
Moving Toward Sustainability: Kansas City Teacher ResidencyJeremy Knight
The Kansas City Teacher Residency program launched in 2016 to recruit, develop, and retain teachers for the Kansas City region. After three years of operation, the program underwent a strategic planning process to refine its business model and ensure long-term sustainability. The planning process included evaluating KCTR's current financial model and benchmarking other teacher residency programs. It revealed that KCTR relies heavily on philanthropic funding and has opportunities to optimize expenditures. The new strategic plan developed by KCTR focuses on strengthening partnerships, optimizing costs, exploring new revenue sources, and gradually growing enrollment while ensuring program quality. The changes are expected to lower KCTR's per-resident costs and reduce its long-term fundraising needs.
The document describes the process undertaken by U-46 school district to implement a district-wide focus on teaching vocabulary through Robert Marzano's six-step process. It discusses the need to improve vocabulary instruction based on research showing its importance. It then details how the district developed academic vocabulary lists, provided training to teachers, and supported implementation over two school years. The process resulted in improved student achievement and all elementary schools making adequate progress.
Forever Learning on Wheels is a nonprofit organization that provides mobile tutoring in reading, writing, and math for K-12 students in Colorado Springs and beyond. It aims to help students meet academic goals using research-based curriculum and assessments. Run by a CEO, executive director, and board, it hires teachers as contractors and operates with lower costs than facilities by bringing instruction to students. It has served 32 students so far and projects serving 70 students in its first year and 140 in its second with additional funding.
School surveys were introduced into the Young Lives research study in 2010 in order to capture detailed information about children’s experiences of schooling, and to improve our understanding of:
- the relationships between learning outcomes, and children's home backgrounds, gender, work, schools, teachers and class and school peer-groups.
- school effectiveness, by analysing factors explaining the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in school, including value-added analysis of schooling and comparative analysis of school-systems.
- equity issues (including gender) in relation to learning outcomes and the evolution of inequalities within education
This presentation gives details of the 2016 Survey.
The Challenges and Opportunities in School Transportation TodayJeremy Knight
Every day, America’s fleet of roughly 480,000 school buses transports more than a third of students to and from school. This fleet is more than twice the size of all other forms of mass transit combined, including bus, rail, and airline transportation.
The document summarizes research on the challenges faced by college students requiring remediation and the role of service learning in retention. It finds that students requiring remediation have lower graduation rates and face difficulties with peer relationships and integration into college. The author proposes a quantitative study to measure the correlation between incorporating service learning into remedial courses and retention rates over three years at Illinois public universities, excluding a highly selective institution. A literature review presented discusses theories of student retention and the benefits of experiential and engaged learning for students through service learning.
Factors Affecting the Contribution of 1st Year Female Students Tutorial Class...CrimsonPublishers-SBB
Factors Affecting the Contribution of 1st Year Female Students Tutorial Class on their Academic Achievement in First Semester of 2016, the Case of Afan Oromo and Literature Department by Itefa Degefa in Significances of Bioengineering & Biosciences
20140908 Alger Teacher Incentive Pay that WorksVicki Alger
This document provides a summary of a report on teacher incentive pay programs around the world. It discusses 10 case studies of effective programs that reward teachers based on student achievement. Two successful group incentive programs are from Chile and Dallas, Texas that keep teachers motivated by carefully defining incentive award groups. Two individual incentive programs that focus on student achievement are from Little Rock, Arkansas and England. The report also discusses programs that combine group and individual incentives. It provides lessons for policymakers on defining expectations, supporting teachers, rewarding performance, building sustainable programs, and promoting continuous improvement.
Michelle Colquitt Professional Development Lesson PlanMichelle Colquitt
This document provides information about a proposed professional development training for teachers at Jefferson Middle School on how to use the GALILEO database. It summarizes the context, including details about the school district and student demographics. The identified learning problem is that entering freshmen at Jefferson High School are struggling to use GALILEO for research assignments. The goals of the training are to teach middle school teachers about GALILEO so they can help prepare their students. A learner analysis section provides information about the teacher demographics, student entry skills, attitudes, and general learning preferences.
Constructing an innovative critical thinking syllabus for at risk postseconda...The Free School
This document constructs a “critical thinking syllabus” (Mok, 2010, p. 262) as an innovative approach for teaching Asian students at risk who speak English as a Foreign Language and study using English for Academic Purposes (EAP) but who are reluctant to write critically for cultural reasons. This syllabus is inclusive and flexible. It incorporates student input to redesign tasks and activities that aim to develop their ability to locate scholarly resources that may assist them to use EAP to think and write critically (Mok, 2010, p. 264). I shall modify the syllabus in real-time if a student’s suggestions are practical and align with course objectives.
The document discusses programs and services provided by Hoke County Schools to support English Language Learners (ELLs). It describes the ESL Saturday Academy program which provides small group instruction on weekends to improve reading skills. Data shows enrollment in the program has increased over time. The Migrant Summer Camp also aims to support ELL literacy needs through individualized instruction. Additionally, the Transition Center provides resources to help ELL families access school and community services upon entering Hoke County.
The document evaluates the need for after-school care programs in disadvantaged South African communities like Khayelitsha and Hangberg. It finds that South African public schools often have unsafe environments, lack resources, and struggle with high dropout rates. Communities face issues like poverty, crime, and inadequate policing. After-school programs aim to provide support like counseling, mentorship, and safety training to address these challenges and help learners succeed. The evaluation recommends increased state funding and support for issues of education, safety, and social services in schools.
Link of the research article where critique is based
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326395196_STATUS_OF_THE_MOTHER_TONGUE_BASED-MULTILINGUAL_EDUCATION_OF_THE_PRIVATE_PRIMARY_SCHOOLS_IN_VIGAN_CITY
language teaching practice in government and private schools of sangharpawan lal
This document summarizes a research study on language teaching practices in government and private schools in Sanghar, Pakistan. The study aims to identify and explore language teaching practices and factors affecting them. Research questions ask about practices used and impacting factors. A literature review found private school performance appraisal and education systems superior to public schools. The methodology involved observations of 100 students in various schools. Findings showed grammar teaching aids used more in public schools, while private school teacher attitudes were better. Discussion noted the importance of practice and activities for skills development. The conclusion stated current approaches are unsatisfactory and pre-service teacher education needs improvement.
This inspection report summarizes the findings of an inspection of Woodmansterne Primary School conducted in October 2013. It found the school to be outstanding overall, with outstanding achievement, teaching, behaviour, leadership and management. Pupils make exceptional progress from low starting points to exceed national averages. Teaching is highly effective and tailored to pupils' needs. Leaders ensure consistently high quality teaching and a rich curriculum. Pupils behave exceptionally well and feel very safe at school.
The inspection found that Long Sutton Primary School requires improvement in the areas of pupil achievement, teaching quality, and leadership and management. While pupil behavior and safety were judged to be good, standards in core subjects are below national averages and teaching is not consistently effective in challenging all pupils. However, the school has shown progress since the previous inspection through improved teaching methods and accelerated pupil progress. Continued development is still needed to ensure teaching supports strong and consistent achievement for all pupils.
Finland has consistently ranked highly in international education comparisons. Five factors contribute to Finland's success: (1) Striving for equity by ensuring all schools receive adequate funding and there are no private schools; (2) Fewer standardized tests and more creative student assessments designed by teachers; (3) High-quality teachers who require a master's degree and spend less time teaching and more collaborating; (4) Integrating games and play into the classroom curriculum despite a culture that does not emphasize competition; (5) Prioritizing student welfare through universal healthcare, counseling, nutritious meals, and guidance counselors.
This document discusses a study that explored the methodology used by an English teacher at a public high school in Costa Rica to improve students' academic achievement on the National-High-School-Graduation Examination. The study found that the teacher focused on developing reading strategies and techniques as well as memorizing grammar structures and vocabulary. Based on the findings, the researchers intended to provide coaching and advice to the teacher on a plausible methodological approach using techniques, strategies, and skills to help students increase their scores on the graduation exam in the future. Test results from the school showed a decline in the promotion rate on the exam from 2013 to 2014, motivating the study.
Supporting the academic success of underprepared college students at an Engli...Serpil Tekir
Pre-conference presentation for the study entitled "Supporting the academic success of underprepared college students at an English Medium Instruction (EMI) university."
1) O documento lista a programação de TV de domingo para as emissoras Bandeirantes, CNT, TV Gazeta, SBT, Rede Família e Record.
2) Inclui uma coluna sobre momento coaching que discute os resultados da preguiça e a importância de agir em direção aos objetivos.
3) Sugere que empurrar tarefas para a frente acaba sobrecarregando os fins de semana, que seria melhor usar o tempo com qualidade e foco no que importa.
Natalie Plummer is seeking an agricultural position. She has a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Reading with relevant coursework and experience in crop appraisal, agronomy, and food systems. During her degree, she assisted a PhD student in a wheat research project involving root sampling and analysis. She also has experience crop-walking with an agronomist and growing up on a dairy farm.
El documento lista las fechas y horarios para la toma de fotos e información de certificación para varios programas en tres sedes diferentes. En Caracas 1 y 2, las fechas van del 15 al 19 de noviembre a diferentes horas para programas como Salud Oral, Mecánica, Cosmetología, Farmacia y Administrativo. En Itagüí, las fechas son el 16 y 19 de noviembre. En Bello, la fecha es el 18 de noviembre a las 2 pm. Finalmente, se especifican las fechas del 22 al 26 de noviembre
Valladolid tiene sus orígenes en la Edad Media, cuando fue poblada por orden del rey Alfonso VI. Se desarrolló como sede de la corte castellana y capital del Imperio Español entre 1601-1606. Fue un importante centro político, judicial y cultural hasta que la capitalidad pasó a Madrid en el siglo XVII, iniciando un periodo de decadencia sólo superado con la industrialización en el siglo XX.
This document discusses task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership styles. It explains that most leaders exhibit a blend of both styles but have a preference for one over the other. Task-oriented leaders prioritize goals and achievement, while relationship-oriented leaders focus on connecting with others. Effective leadership requires adapting one's style to meet followers' needs, integrating both task and relationship behaviors appropriately.
Este documento presenta las tasas de interés activas y pasivas vigentes en Ecuador en noviembre de 2015. Incluye tasas máximas y referenciales para diferentes tipos de crédito como productivo, comercial, consumo e inmobiliario, así como tasas para depósitos, reportos y otros instrumentos. También proporciona información histórica de tasas de interés y la base legal que regula estas tasas.
Este documento resume la historia y estructura del sistema educativo ecuatoriano. Explica que la educación ha sido un factor fundamental para el progreso del país y que ha evolucionado desde la época colonial hasta convertirse en un sistema público, laico y gratuito. También describe la organización actual del sistema educativo ecuatoriano, incluyendo sus principios fundamentales y su estructura general compuesta por los subsistemas del Ministerio de Educación y el sistema universitario.
Impact Of Educational Resources on Students' Academic Performance in Economic...AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT : The study focused on the impact of Educational resources on students‟ academic performance
in Economics: a study of some Senior Secondary Schools in Lagos State Educational District one. Research
objectives, question and hypotheses were formulated to guide the direction of the study. The study covers 110
senior secondary students and 40 teachers. Convenience sampling technique was used in selecting the sample
size. 110 of the questionnaires were properly filed and returned. The study relied on the 110 properly filed and
returned questionnaires for analysis. The data for the study was collected through research instrument developed
by the researcher to obtain the appropriate data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using both
descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and simple percentages
were used to analyze the demographic and socio-economic background of the target respondents and the
research question were analyzed. Pearson product moment correlation analysis and regression analysis were
used to test the stated hypotheses. The research design that was adopted was the descriptive survey design. The
result reveals that educational resources have an impact on students‟ academic performance in Economics. The
finding also reveals that there is a significant effect of the level of qualification and preparation of teachers on
students‟ academic performance in Economics in senior secondary schools. Based on the findings made in this
study, it is therefore recommended that School administrators must constantly review, inspect and monitor
school teaching and learning resources. Constant and consistent monitoring of school resource and ensuring its
availability and proper utilization will make teachers and students take care of the school resources as well as
take learning and academic activity seriously.
Wong ratcliff effects of the reading first program on acquisition of early li...William Kritsonis
Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, PhD - Editor-in-Chief, NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS (Established 1982). Dr. Kritsonis earned his PhD from The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; M.Ed., Seattle Pacific University; Seattle, Washington; BA Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington. He was also named as the Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Education and Professional Studies at Central Washington University.
The NC State Northeast Leadership Academy (NELA) provides an innovative principal preparation program that is preparing school leaders to improve student achievement in rural, low-performing schools. The program places graduates as principals and assistant principals, many in their first leadership roles. Data shows that after one year, schools with NELA graduates increased the percentage of students scoring at or above grade level, despite research showing new principals typically face declines. The rigorous program provides authentic, field-based training unlike traditional programs. It has been recognized nationally for its success in developing leaders who can dramatically turn around student outcomes.
Denise M. Lowe has over 35 years of experience in education, including serving as Superintendent of the Asbury Park School District from 2009 to 2013. She holds a Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Columbia University and certifications in School District Administration, School Administrative & Supervisory, and Special Education from New York. Her experience also includes serving as Assistant Superintendent, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Special Education Teacher.
For this week’s discussion, the question still arises if adopting .docxericbrooks84875
For this week’s discussion, the question still arises if adopting a set of standards limits or improves education for all students. This question will be answered through the lens of a classroom teacher. Using the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as an example, as a teacher, I may have mixed emotions towards adopting a set of standards. During the adoption of CCSS, teachers were not provided with a trial period to measure the effectiveness of CCSS; this, in turn, did not provide teachers with concrete evidence that the CCSS were designed to execute their goals intended for student success (Laureate Education, 2014c).
As an educator, I am going to wonder how a set of standards will support the needs of my English Language Learner (ELL) students. For ELLs, it is imperative that instruction builds upon students’ academic English and social English. Acquiring knowledge of academic language is essential for ELLs because it is related to standards-based curriculum in math, science, social studies, and language arts (Colorín Colorado, n.d.).
For Special Education (SPED) students, I would have to work closely with SPED teachers to provide instruction that reflects the exceptionalities of my students. Raising expectations for all students is a positive in that supports must be used to ensure such goals are attainable for all students. For instance, professional developments can be provided to teachers where they can learn how to apply instructional strategies that reflect the goal of CCSS and the needs of students. However, concerns arise in preparation. When adopting a set of standards, an emphasis on the resources needed for SPED students must be known and accessible to teachers. Without this, the expectation of wanting all students to be college and career ready may not follow-through effectively (Laureate Education, 2014a).
I believe the information provided in documents 5 – 8 of this week’s resources provided reliable sources because as a teacher, I am going to wonder how teaching these standards will look like in a classroom with ELL or SPED students. Through these resources, I learned how ELLs academic language can be supported using Tier 2 instruction that promotes higher-order thinking skills, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills with additional supports provided in their home language (Laureate Education, 2014b). Additionally, I learned the importance of collaboration between general education and SPED teachers when ensuring instruction aligns with students’ academic needs to promote student success.
The next steps I might take to follow up on this information as a teacher would be to determine what resources are provided to teachers so that they can periodically assess student achievement throughout the year. With the adoption of CCSS came changes in high stakes testing. Issues with CCSS and testing were that tests were developed before standards could be implemented to reflect if student knowledge gained from standard-b.
For this week’s discussion, the question still arises if adopting .docxshericehewat
For this week’s discussion, the question still arises if adopting a set of standards limits or improves education for all students. This question will be answered through the lens of a classroom teacher. Using the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as an example, as a teacher, I may have mixed emotions towards adopting a set of standards. During the adoption of CCSS, teachers were not provided with a trial period to measure the effectiveness of CCSS; this, in turn, did not provide teachers with concrete evidence that the CCSS were designed to execute their goals intended for student success (Laureate Education, 2014c).
As an educator, I am going to wonder how a set of standards will support the needs of my English Language Learner (ELL) students. For ELLs, it is imperative that instruction builds upon students’ academic English and social English. Acquiring knowledge of academic language is essential for ELLs because it is related to standards-based curriculum in math, science, social studies, and language arts (Colorín Colorado, n.d.).
For Special Education (SPED) students, I would have to work closely with SPED teachers to provide instruction that reflects the exceptionalities of my students. Raising expectations for all students is a positive in that supports must be used to ensure such goals are attainable for all students. For instance, professional developments can be provided to teachers where they can learn how to apply instructional strategies that reflect the goal of CCSS and the needs of students. However, concerns arise in preparation. When adopting a set of standards, an emphasis on the resources needed for SPED students must be known and accessible to teachers. Without this, the expectation of wanting all students to be college and career ready may not follow-through effectively (Laureate Education, 2014a).
I believe the information provided in documents 5 – 8 of this week’s resources provided reliable sources because as a teacher, I am going to wonder how teaching these standards will look like in a classroom with ELL or SPED students. Through these resources, I learned how ELLs academic language can be supported using Tier 2 instruction that promotes higher-order thinking skills, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills with additional supports provided in their home language (Laureate Education, 2014b). Additionally, I learned the importance of collaboration between general education and SPED teachers when ensuring instruction aligns with students’ academic needs to promote student success.
The next steps I might take to follow up on this information as a teacher would be to determine what resources are provided to teachers so that they can periodically assess student achievement throughout the year. With the adoption of CCSS came changes in high stakes testing. Issues with CCSS and testing were that tests were developed before standards could be implemented to reflect if student knowledge gained from standard-b ...
This document summarizes a discussion between researchers at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education about their experiences bringing evidence-based educational programs to scale. The researchers discuss the importance of having dedicated coaches and facilitators to support implementation, the challenges of high turnover rates in schools, the need to adapt programs to local contexts while maintaining fidelity, and the importance of ongoing evaluation and communicating data to demonstrate program effectiveness. The researchers emphasize facilitating quality implementation, establishing local and national support networks, and maintaining program integrity as key factors for successfully expanding evidence-based programs.
The document is a submission from Box Hill High School to a parliamentary inquiry into gifted education. It discusses the school's Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program, which began in 1994. The submission argues that current policies are ineffective at identifying gifted students, with many remaining unidentified. It notes girls and students from certain backgrounds are underidentified. The SEAL program helps identify more students but many still miss out on support. The submission makes recommendations to improve gifted student identification and support.
The North Carolina Science of Teaching Reading ProjectEducationNC
The document summarizes the findings of a survey sent to North Carolina K-3 teachers to assess their knowledge of the science of reading. Key findings include:
1) Teachers performed better on factual knowledge questions than application questions, suggesting they would benefit from professional development on how to apply their knowledge to classroom instruction.
2) Survey results showed particular need for support in teaching phonemic awareness, a foundational reading skill.
3) The report provides recommendations to help North Carolina strengthen teacher professional development, support, and implementation of evidence-based reading instruction practices.
Closing Achievement Gaps in U.S. Public Schools: Exploring Global Models of L...Meghan Lee
Research essay on U.S. public school reformation solutions to close achievement gaps for language minority students taking into account best global models for language instruction and overall education of students.
The Madison County School District in Mississippi implemented a 4-6 week summer literacy program to boost academic achievement for their English language learner (ELL) students. The program focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for elementary students through hands-on activities and flexible grouping. Pre- and post-testing of students' reading levels showed that 55% increased their reading ability and 24% maintained their level after the summer program. The district found the program successfully helped ELL students retain literacy skills over the summer break.
The Madison County School District in Mississippi implemented a 4-6 week summer literacy program to boost academic achievement for their English language learner (ELL) students. The program focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for elementary students through hands-on activities and flexible grouping. Pre- and post-testing of students' reading levels showed that the program was successful, with 55% of students increasing their reading level and 24% maintaining their level with no regression. The program aimed to reduce the achievement gap and better prepare ELL students for the next school year.
The Madison County School District in Mississippi implemented a 4-6 week summer literacy program to boost academic achievement for their English language learner (ELL) students. The program focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for elementary students through hands-on activities and flexible grouping. Pre- and post-testing of students' reading levels showed that 55% increased their reading ability and 24% maintained their level after the summer program. The district found the program successfully helped ELL students retain literacy skills over the summer break.
The Madison County School District in Mississippi implemented a 4-6 week summer literacy program to boost academic achievement for their English language learner (ELL) students. The program focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for elementary students through hands-on activities and flexible grouping. Pre- and post-testing of students' reading levels showed that 55% increased their reading ability and 24% maintained their level after the summer program. The district found the program successfully helped ELL students retain literacy skills over the summer break.
The Madison County School District in Mississippi implemented a 4-6 week summer literacy program to boost academic achievement for their English language learner (ELL) students. The program focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills for elementary students through hands-on activities and flexible grouping. Pre- and post-testing of students' reading levels showed that 55% increased their reading ability and 24% maintained their level after the summer program. The district saw less summer regression in reading skills for ELL students as a result of the literacy program.
This document discusses a study on the factors that correlate with sixth grade students' academic performance in English in Libmanan North District, Northern Sector of the Philippines. It found that English performance decreased by 1.05% from pre-to-post testing while Filipino and Math increased slightly. The study aims to determine performance levels, personal, environmental, and socioeconomic correlates, and recommendations. A questionnaire will assess these factors and prior academic grades will measure performance.
PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF SCHOOL BASED EXAMINATION IN RELATION TO WAEC AND NECO ...FRANCIS SOLOMON
PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF SCHOOL BASED EXAMINATION IN RELATION TO WAEC AND NECO SSCE EXAMINATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND HISTORY IN
BORNO STATE, NIGERIA
1Haman Modu, 2Gideon Istifanus and 3Ruth Ishaku
1Department of GST, 2Government Day Secondary School, Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, Department of Public Administration, 1&3College of Business and Management Studies, Konduga, Borno State, Nigeria;
ABSTRACT
Test constructed by the teacher at the class room leve l at the end of a term or end of the year is referred to as school based examination (SBE) student often perform well in the SBE because items are drawn from topic covered by the class teacher. This study is to find out the predictive validity of SBE in relation to NECO and WAEC, SSCE. The population of the study was all (670) senior secondary school in Borno state. Student performance in SBE and WAEC and NECO in English language and history in senior secondary school in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were correlated. Purposive sampling was used in selecting the school. At the time of this study only three school were found to be offering English language but not history) one school in Gwoza zone and two in Maiduguri zone. These three schools were used as samples. The result of the analysis revealed that student’s performance SSCE IN WAEC and SSCE NECO was low but there performance in SBE is high. The student performance is low in English in NECO and WAEC because no student score A or B grade for the three years in school studied. While no student obtained A or B in NECO and WAEC, the student performance in history for the three years show that few student obtained A and B grades the researcher recommend that teacher in senior secondary schools should be made to go for workshops on test construction so that they can construct good test items to match WAEC and NECO standard.
Joy o'neill 2012 report based on m sc researchjoyoneill
This document summarizes an MSc dissertation that studied how service children cope with transitions between schools. It focused on a primary school where 75% of students were from military families who experienced high mobility. The research aimed to understand the impact of multiple transitions and implications for learning. Through interviews and assessments, it found that service children often faced gaps in education, lack of school records transferred, and social/emotional issues adjusting to new schools. Interventions like individual learning plans and social/emotional support sessions were implemented, but differing views between parents and teachers were still found. The research highlighted challenges service children face with school transitions and implications for supporting their learning needs.
The Kingston City School District is proposing a restructuring that merges some administrative positions and expands support. Specifically:
- Two assistant superintendent positions will be merged into one new "Deputy Superintendent" position each for curriculum and business functions.
- Three director positions will be replaced with new assistant superintendent positions for humanities, STEM, and special education. Each will have additional director/assistant director support.
- This restructuring aims to better support teachers, principals, and students by streamlining some roles and increasing specialized academic support.
Understanding sei instruction through the lens of the teacherehanson21
This document provides an overview of Emily Hanson's thesis project which examines how teachers implement Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs for English Language Learners. The thesis will explore how SEI teachers differentiate instruction, identify effective instructional strategies, and address challenges. Hanson conducted research by observing an SEI teacher at Nathaniel Bowditch School. The purpose of the research is to understand SEI programs and how they can promote academic achievement for English Language Learners, while informing teaching practices and curriculum development.
Understanding sei instruction through the lens of the teacher
JCPS Summary Report
1. 1 | P a g e
An Investigation of Academic Support
for Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Students in Jefferson County Public
Schools
A Summary Report April 2016
Miah Daughtery, William Hayes, David Williams
Eskola ~Colegio ~Scoil~School~Schule~Paaralan~Akwukwo~學校
2. 2 | P a g e
This project is a one‐year investigation of the nature of academic supports afforded
to limited English proficient students in the Jefferson County Public Schools district in
Louisville, KY. Surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis were
conducted to illuminate some of the ways the district, schools, and individual
teachers increased the chances for academic success during the 2015‐2016 academic
year. This summary report provides a truncated version of the full report, offers
highlights, and concludes with recommendations. This report shows that while the
district makes available human and financial capital, additional work on measurable
goals, professional development, and structures for tracking and scheduling will
ultimately serve LEP students well. This project was conducted by final year doctoral
students at the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University. A complete
works cited page accompanies the full report.
About the Authors
MIAH E. DAUGHTERY is the K‐12 Literacy Coordinator for the Tennessee Department
of Education. She has worked as a secondary English teacher, literacy strategist,
fellow for ACT, Inc., coach, and professional developer in Detroit, MI, Las Vegas, NV,
Iowa City, IA, and Nashville, TN.
WILLIAM HAYES is the principal of a turnaround K‐8 school in Camden, NJ. He is a
fellow for the America Achieves Fellowship for Teachers & Principals, and has
worked as a secondary special education teacher.
DAVID S. WILLIAMS is the Director for Mathematics Education for the Metropolitan
Nashville School District in Nashville, TN. He has worked as a secondary
mathematics teacher, K‐12 mathematics coordinator for the Tennessee Department
of Education, statewide instructional coach, and professional developer.
3. 3 | P a g e
Overview of JCPS LEP Students and Project Questions
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, Kentucky is experiencing a rise in
the number of students who enter school with limited English proficiency (LEP). The
number of LEP students is projected to continue to increase, reflecting a national trend in
student demographics. The number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students has
increased 15.8% since 2011-12 in grades preK-12. As such, JCPS has an interest in
discerning the best ways LEP students may be served to meet academic proficiency, as
determined by the Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP). K-
PREP data for JCPS in 2014-2015 show LEP
students score at much lower rates of proficiency
than their non-LEP counterparts. The increase in
LEP students is further complicated by limited
available resources which include adding an
English as a Second Language (ESL) program at a
school, offering co-teaching as a school-based
support, and providing ESL teachers and Bilingual Associate Instructors (BAI). These
factors led to the following project questions:
What is the scope and nature of academic support for Limited English
Proficient (LEP) students in JCPS?
How does JCPS utilize BAIs in the general education classroom?
How does JCPS utilize co-teaching to support in the instruction of LEPs in the
general education classroom?
Project Design
This analysis addresses the project questions by focusing qualitatively on five middle
schools with ESL programs (i.e., Olmstead North, Olmstead South, Thomas Jefferson,
Western, & Westport) and quantitatively on all nine middle schools with ESL programs.
A mixed-methods design allowed for a triangulated descriptive analysis. Surveys to
district staff, principals, teachers, BAIs and counselors collected data from all nine middle
schools with ESL programs. Teacher survey respondents are broadly representative of
teachers in all middle schools across two critical factors. The mean number of years’
experience for all teachers in middle schools with ESL programs is 8.4; respondents
represented a range of grades 6, 7 and 8 and content areas: math, English Language
Arts, science, social studies, art and physical education.
Five middle schools and the district office staff were selected from the group of nine for
extended qualitative research, including interviews and observations of classrooms.
Thirty-four interviews were conducted across the 5 middle schools with ESL programs: 4
principals; 7 counselors; 17 teachers; 5 BAIs; 3 ESL district staff. Twenty-nine classroom
DURING THE 2014‐2015 K‐PREP CYCLE,
THE GAP BETWEEN LEP STUDENTS AND
NON‐LEP STUDENTS WAS CONSISTENTLY
WIDE.
4. 4 | P a g e
observations were completed across the 5 selected schools. Observations included all
grades 6-8, and a range of content areas. Observed classrooms included classes with
and without BAI support, co-taught/ inclusion, and general education both with and
without LEP students. Interview and observation data from the five selected schools and
document analysis were used to provide insight to information gleaned in surveys of the
nine schools.
Document analysis provided a broad understanding of how JCPS supports LEP students.
An analysis of the FY 2015-2016 Working Budget and Per Pupil Spending examined how
funding resources are allocated and distributed to schools and determined the extent of
future allocation plans given the expected increase in the LEP population. An analysis of
the professional development calendar provided insight to the ongoing learning
opportunities available to staff. An analysis of the class assignments provided insight to
the depth of cognitive complexity LEP students are expected to demonstrate.
Three Key Findings
District
JCPS provides both direct and indirect academic support to LEP students in schools with
ESL programs. Direct supports touch students directly (i.e., translation services, human
capital, funding); indirect supports impact students indirectly (e.g., professional
development and resource teachers).
JCPS provides direct academic support to schools with ESL programs through services
including translation services for schools and the allocation of human capital (i.e., BAIs
and ESL teachers). Schools were very clear that one of the biggest resources available
to their disposal is the use of translation services.
JCPS oversees human capital decisions as they pertain to some positions in ESL
schools. The district tries to allocate a minimum of one BAI and ESL teacher per school;
schools are able to purchase additional positions from school funds. These personnel
provide direct academic support to LEP students. Analysis of the Working Budget for
2015-16 indicates that the overall spending for ESL programming provides students with
extra support in light of the ESL student population and overall LEP population. Total
ESL program expenditures are $13,200,000, and the overall district general fund is
$1,149.075,659. The district spending for ESL students is 11.5% of overall expenditures,
1
LEP Students in JCPS are Offered a Variety of Academic Supports from
Three Levels: District, School, & Classroom. Academic Supports Vary
Greatly from School to School, Both Structurally and Instructionally.
FINDING
5. 5 | P a g e
the ESL population is 5.0%, and the LEP student population is 6.6%. The inclusion of
ESL as a “notable new allocation initiated in FY 2014-15 and sustained in the new-year
budget” indicates a district-level financial commitment to the support of ESL programs
and students.
JCPS provides indirect academic supports to LEP students as well, primarily in the
function of professional development and district resource teachers. In the 2015-2016
school year, 66 professional development sessions out of 4,618 total sessions had an
ESL academic focus (1.4%). During interviews teachers reported that the professional
development they attend is useful; teachers also reported that more professional
development is needed. One teacher said, “While these supports do not directly touch
students, their focus on increasing the instructional and pedagogical capacity of teachers,
counselors, administrators and BAIs do impact students,” indicating that teachers find
utility in the professional development. However, the majority of teacher interviews
indicated not having enough professional development from the district. In the 2015-2016
school year, the district offered no professional development sessions to BAIs specific to
their instructional duties. During interviews, teachers reported not having any professional
development focused on how to work with BAIs, and BAIs consistently reported not
having access to professional development on how to perform the academic duties
specific to a BAI.
JCPS provides a district-housed resource teacher, a resident expert on second-language
students. The resource teacher is an aid teachers and school leaders can call upon with
questions, concerns, clarifications and coaching. Consistently, schools indicated that
having the resource teacher was beneficial on their campuses.
School
There is a high degree of structural variability for
tracking, scheduling, professional development
and planning between ESL schools that impacts
the academic support students have available
during the school day.
Structures for student arrangements varied
across all schools visited, but across all schools
there was evidence of tracking (a series of set
courses for students), the use of cohorts (a fixed
class of students that travel together), and class
groupings (fixed or fluid arrangements of students
within the classroom). Each visited school utilized
its own structure for tracking; no consistent
patterns were found from school to school. What
was consistent from school to school during
interviews is that LEP students are absent from the highest tracks (i.e., AP or honors),
ZERO OF THE 8 COUNSELORS WHO
RESPONDED REPORTED THAT STUDENT
ASSIGNMENT WAS RANDOM. HOWEVER,
DURING INTERVIEWS ONE COUNSELOR
REPORTED RANDOMIZED PLACEMENT
WITHIN TRACKS. “IT’S JUST
RANDOM....EACH TEAM HAS TWO OF
EVERY CONTENT TEACHER, SO IT’S
REALLY JUST BALANCING OUT THE
TEAM....”
6. 6 | P a g e
though there is some belief among teachers that LEP students can thrive in high
academic tracks.
In addition to the variety of tracks in which students can be placed are the ways students
could be placed in those tracks. In the counselor’s survey, 6 out of 9 counselors stated
they provide input into the master schedule.
All schools provide site-based professional development and have some time for
professional development built into the school day; however, the attendees for site-based
professional development vary from school to school. Additionally, 6 out of 9 principals
indicated that their teachers are “minimally prepared” to meet the needs of LEP students
with whom they work; 1 out of 9 responded that their teachers are “not well-prepared.”
In every school, teachers and BAIs expressed not having time to plan together, and not
having received any focused professional development on how to forge working
relationships between teachers and BAIs. Fifty-five percent of teacher and 3 out of 5 BAI
survey respondents said they never planned with someone (e.g., another teacher, BAI)
with whom they work to provide instruction.
Classroom
There is wide variability in the instructional practices in classrooms with LEP students.
Across individual classrooms that serve LEP students in ESL middle schools with ESL
programs, the types of academic support students receive varies widely. This variability
exists among the teacher identified practices, and observed physical supports, visual
supports, oral language expectations, and written expectations
All BAIs interviewed discussed performing functional school duties as they pertain to
students receiving ESL services: translating for parents, making phone calls, and
conducting lunch duty. BAIs work with the school as a bridge between the school and
LEP parents, providing services like translating in face-to-face meetings and during phone
calls when necessary.
FINDING
2 BAIs Perform a Variety of Functional & Academic Duties That
Impact the General Education Classroom.
A Day in the Life of a BAI
“Basically it’s not a collaboration between me and the other teachers in the sense that I don’t
help them with lesson planning. Basically, I show up at the class with students and get an idea
for what’s going on right then in the class. So when I walk into the room the teacher will hand
me sheets about the work for the day and give me a quick brief on what they’re doing. And
maybe sometimes they’ll get it to me the day before but usually with teachers’ schedules
everything is so crazy and it’s up in the air so usually I’ll just get it that da…. this is my 5th year, I
know the content now. But the first two years it was a little rockier because you know when
you’re doing 5 different subjects and like you know I’d be teaching something in science I didn’t
really know.”
7. 7 | P a g e
During observations, BAIs were noted monitoring students and reactively responding to
students who had questions or were exhibiting off-task behavior; translating assignments;
and proctoring assessments.
In 2 of the observed middle schools with ESL programs, interviewees did not indicate co-
teaching as a structure specific to the needs of LEP students, and no classes were
observed using co-teaching as a structure specific to the needs of LEP students. In the
other 3 observed middle schools with ESL programs, co-teaching specific to the needs to
LEP students was self-reported and
observed as a practice. Principals
expressed an expectation for how co-
teaching should occur, but teachers in all 3
schools said that there was minimal to no
structured planning time for co-teaching
with their ESL co-teacher and/or BAI as
well as no verbalized expectations for how
to make co-teaching effective.
Three Key Takeaways
Successful organizations have a clear vision that is actualized by setting goals and
objectives. The development, communication, and operationalization of a vision
that is guided by strong leadership is consistently identified as a catalyst for change
in complex organizations (Baum, Locke, & Kirkpatrick, 1998; Kotter, 1990; Collins
& Porras, 1991; Murphy, Elliott, Goldring & Porter, 2007; Yukl, 2012).
For ESL schools, attention must be on developing explicit academic goals
(Coleman & Goldenberg, 2010).
“Schools with high quality programs have a cohesive school-site vision, shared
goals that define their expectations for achievement, a clear instructional focus on
FINDING
3
There is Wide Variability Across ESL Middle Schools in
Regards to Co-teaching.
One teacher said “I have not received support in co‐
teaching in a few years because I feel like it’s not one
of those things the district has targeted that way. It’s
almost presented as “Hey, these PDs are out here
and if you want more information then you are
welcome to come.” There are currently no district
models for co‐teaching.
Takeaway
1 Vision, Goals, and Measurable Objectives Should Guide
the Work
8. 8 | P a g e
and commitment to achievement, and high expectations. The
importance of these characteristics has been found in mainstream
schools, low-performing schools, and bilingual programs serving
English Language Learners” (Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Saunders, &
Christian, 2006)
A considerable amount of direct and indirect supports are delivered
to ESL schools. However, no evidence was found that these supports
are focused on fulfilling any specific district-led objectives or goals
unique to the academic progress of LEP students. A lack of objectives
and goals results in confusion for school leadership, which, in turn,
results in confusion for teachers.
One principal said,
“...everything has a formula and I don’t know if it is the state or who it
is....Right now we’re [the school] working on reading and language is
our primary goal....For our goal the K-PREP test next year we have to
have a state goal and we have to have a local goal and included in the
goals are your goals for gap students....I don’t know if there is a
separate [goal for LEPs], no one has ever been communicated to me
that there is a ‘separate’ [goal], I’m sure there is a mission for that,
haven’t seen it. Everything that I see we have vision fifteen [2015] now
we’re putting this vision 2020 in. It is that all students, you hear this
word ‘all.’ What I’m hearing is that we want all [emphasis added]
students to move that is why it is so key and so frustrating.”
While some teachers discussed targeting their
instruction and strategies for LEP students, the
majority expressed the sentiment that “good
instruction is good instruction, and what is good
for one is good for all.”
When asked about district or school’s goals for
LEP students, one teacher said “I don’t think we
have anything lined out...other than we have the
same goals for all our students.” A counselor
expressed a similar sentiment, “...we have the
same goals for all of our students.”
Differentiation strategies alone are not enough for
developing language skills for LEP students. LEP
students should develop discipline-specific
language practices both for text and discourse in
order to merge language development with
Vision alone,
however, is not
enough to enact
enduring change:
attention must
be paid to
developing
tangible goals &
measurable
objectives that
fulfill the vision
of the
organization
(Bolman & Deal,
2008).
Takeaway 2 Academic Support--When “All” Doesn’t Focus on “Some”
“Special instruction and
tailored services
provided to ELs...can
offer academic
benefits....ELs fare worst
on academic measures
(compared to ELs in
other instructional
scenarios) when they
receive no special
instruction of any kind
and are simply placed
into mainstream
classrooms”
(https://www2.ed.gov/rschs
tat/eval/title-iii/language-
instruction-ed-programs-
report.pdf).
9. 9 | P a g e
conceptual understanding of content (CCSSO, 2012; Goldenberg, 2008). Six key
practices for LEP students include:
1. Both linguistic and discourse competencies and include supporting
analyses of a range of grade level complex text with evidence;
2. Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and
audience;
3. Constructing valid arguments from evidence and critiquing the
reasoning of others;
4. Building and presenting knowledge through research by integrating,
comparing, and synthesizing ideas from text;
5. Building upon the ideas of others and articulating their own when
working collaboratively; and
6. Using English structures to communicate context specific messages
(CCSSO, 2012).
Professional development is critical for teachers and other instructional personnel
to encourage student academic development (Coleman & Goldenberg, 2010).
Professional development leads to better instruction and improves student
learning when focused on instructional practices that connect pedagogy and
content in order to strengthen teachers’ content knowledge. (August & Shanahan,
2006).
For instructional partners (e.g., principals, teachers & BAIs) to enact the most
cohesive instructional change, they need time to learn and plan together. All
schools discussed having structures for Embedded Professional Development
(EPD) built into the school day.
Frequently, EPDs focused on differentiation for all students, and sometimes the
ESL teacher presented strategies to other teachers. Though schools have time
and structures for professional learning, there was no consistent identification of
ongoing professional development time targeted specifically to the instructional
needs of LEP students.
Takeaway 3 Professional Development and Planning Anchor the Work
Informal Professional Development Networks
Though BAIs are not offered any specific professional development from the district, several BAIs
have formed an informal network to meet during off‐work hours to discuss their job
responsibilities. One BAI, when asked where she receives guidance or support for her work said,
“sometimes I meet up with some of the ESL BAIs [from other schools] and I’ll ask them, you know,
what seems to work at your school. And we’ll have lunch or something. And they kind of share
some of the stuff that has worked for them and some of the stuff that has not.” This networking
and sharing of ideas outside of official work time indicates a willingness from the BAIs to grow
professionally and may highlight a willingness to attend more formal professional development
sessions.
10. 10 | P a g e
Professional development, learning and planning are not intended to be
undertaken as solo endeavors. Westheimer (2009) notes that professional
development should be collaborative, and that teachers should use their collective
bodies of knowledge to enact instructional change across the school in support of
student achievement. For instructional partners (e.g., principals, teachers and
BAIs) to enact the most cohesive instructional change, they need time to learn and
plan together.
Recommendations
The findings suggest that while teachers and leaders at all levels of JCPS articulate the
importance of focusing on LEP students, very few can articulate a specific vision or set
goals for LEP student growth. Some schools have included references to such goals in
their improvement plan but the overall vision for ESL instruction and programming is not
clearly articulated or formalized in a systematic way across the district. The district should
develop a theory of action intended to highlight changes in student achievement.
Subsequently, the district should create a clear vision for the academic progress for LEP
students, both those receiving ESL services and those who have waived ESL services.
The district currently has an online repository of electronic resources (Internal
Documents--ESL, 2016) to support schools with LEP students. JCPS should continue to
develop and expand these online resources, but also develop a handbook in order to
establish consistency and increase efficiency across JCPS. The handbook should
include the vision for ESL, data, definition and explanation of terms, procedural supports
(e.g., guidance on scheduling and tracking, guidance on accessing LEP student
information on Infinite Campus), requests for translation services, Program Service Plans
(PSP), and a space for online communication between staff at schools with ESL
programs.
Recommendation
1
Develop a Theory of Action and Establish a “Vision for
ESL” with Corresponding Goals and Measurable
Objectives.
Recommendation
2 Develop an Electronic Handbook for Leaders, Teachers
and BAIs in Schools with ESL Programs.
11. 11 | P a g e
Currently, the work in schools with ESL programs is performed in silos and represents a
network in name clustering only. While the district manages the allocation of resources
and support from a top down system, it is important to provide schools with opportunities
for collaboration and networking. The district should work to establish an ESL network of
schools that connects teachers and leaders with targeted opportunities for development.
Byrk, Gomez & Grunow (2011) establish clear ways to create networked communities
intended to help the members of the community improve in their practice.
Most schools were able to articulate at least one person in the building who either formally
or informally managed the planning or support for ESL instruction. Additionally, at many
schools at least one person demonstrated both a high capacity for ESL instruction and a
high interest in serving the needs of LEP students, essentially an untapped resource.
However, few schools identified this person as a primary advocate or driver of the school
level vision for ESL instruction in an official capacity. Four of the nine principals indicated
on the survey that no specific individual at their respective schools is responsible for
advocating specifically for LEP students on the School Improvement Team. Schools
should identify an ESL advocate for each who has the explicit purpose of driving the vision
for ESL instruction on a school level.
BAIs are a primary lever in supporting the growth and development of LEP students as
outlined in their job description and receive general training with other non-licensed staff
such as custodians and secretaries. Such training, while helpful, is often untargeted
towards the specific job functions of the BAIs. JCPS should develop and deliver two types
of BAI professional development. First, professional development focused on the
instructional duties of being a BAI would provide BAIs specific information about
strategies for language acquisition. Second, professional development focused on
professional collaboration would provide both BAIs and teachers opportunities to learn
strong systems for partnership in the classroom.
3Recommendation Establish a Network of Schools with ESL Programs.
Recommendation
4 Select an LEP Advocate on Each Campus to Drive
the Vision for LEP Instruction.
Recommendation 5 Provide Unique Professional Development for
BAIs and Teachers in Schools with LEP Students.
12. 12 | P a g e
Much variability existed between schools in regard to scheduling and tracking; therefore,
JCPS should conduct an internal audit of the systems schools use to place students in
classrooms, including the implications for replacing the grade-level ELA with an ESL
class. As a result of this audit, JCPS should publish a set of guidelines, considerations,
or “best-practices” for student class assignment.
JCPS is limited in its own human capital and may benefit from leveraging a stronger
relationship with the University of Louisville and/or other higher education partners. The
district may push to formalize and make public a partnership with local universities to
increase the number of teachers pursuing the ESL endorsement or to offer ongoing
training and development.
School personnel consistently reported that LEP students are absent from the higher and
advanced tracks within the school. Though students technically may be able to take
classes in the higher tracks, it is unlikely that they do. As such, the ESL department and
the Advance Program should make a concerted effort to inform parents of LEP students
that the Advance Program exists for academically gifted and talented students. JCPS
should ensure that LEP students have equal access to the Advance Program by
administering the placement assessment in the student’s home language, or offer the
assessment with the aid of a translator.
Recommendation 6 Continue to Conduct Research Internally.
Recommendation
7
Continue to Build and Strengthen the Partnerships
with the University of Louisville and Other Higher
Education Partners.
Recommendation 8 Offer the Advance Program Placement Test in the
Student’s Native or Home Language.