The document discusses strategies for motivating disenfranchised students on high-stakes assessments, noting achievement gaps in California between student subgroups. It proposes practices like common assessments, test retakes, and school-wide review sessions to boost scores and provides examples of successful programs at schools that engaged staff, targeted underperforming groups, and shifted school culture. The goal is for students to intrinsically want to succeed rather than relying on external motivators.

1. LEADING EFFORTS TO REIGNITE THE
DISENFRANCHISED: MOTIVATING
STUDENTS ON HIGH STAKES
ASSESSMENTS
CALSA Summer Institute
San Jose, CA
July 18-20

2. INTRODUCTIONS
 Sergio Flores, Partnership for LAUSD Assistant
Superintendent
 Martin Gomez, SFUSD High School Principal
 Abram Jimenez, Partnership for LAUSD Director
 Greg Peters, Executive Director SF-CESS
WRITTEN REFLECTION
In your experience, what practices have effectively
supported student motivation and achievement? Which
practices worked best with your disenfranchised
students?How might school or regional context matter?”

3. A COMPLEX DISCONNECT(N OT A PRO-TESTING STANCE)
Educators frequently take a social justice stance against
high stakes testing... even when status quo methods and
measures persist in producing inequitable results for and
beyond school.
Arguments often are strongest where students (especially
our black, brown and EL students) are served least well
and where high results by other rigorous measures don’t
exist.
Adult feelings (dislike, fear, apathy etc.) frequently transfer
to students – and in turn, student test taking skills and
results.
The best strategy to eliminate the role and influence of high
stakes test will be to educate ALL students excellently and
equitably.

4. CONTEXT OF WORKSHOP
California API By Subgroup California API By Subgroup
Grades 2-6 Grades 7-8
950
970
900
920
850
870
800
820
750
770
700
720
Black or 650
Hispanic or Black or
African White Asian Hispanic or
Latino African White Asian
American Latino
American
Grades 2-6 739 763 873 918
Grades 7-8 692 724 851 913
California API By Subgroup
Grades 9-11
900
850
800
750
700
650
600
Socioeco
Black or
Hispanic nomically
African White Asian
or Latino Disadvant
American
aged
Grades 9-11 650 689 684 810 867

6. CONTEXT OF WORKSHOP
% Proficient At or Above By Subgroup In ELA and
Math (2011)
90
85 84
80
75 72.4 78.7
70
70.2
65
60 (ELA)
55 49.1 (Math)
50 43.5 49.6
45 41.5 44.1
44.7
40
Black or African Hispanic or Latino Socioeconomically White Asian
American Disadvantaged
CAHSEE Passage Rate By Subgroup
95%
90%
85%
80%
75%
70%
Black or African Hispanic or Economically
White Asian
American Latino Disadvanteaged
Percent Passed 74% 78% 76% 92% 92%

7. SOCIAL JUSTICE IN HIGH POVERTY
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
 Schools that engage multiple “push out” (dropout)
strategies cannot rest on theoretical/ idealistic
laurels.
 Evenwith weighing circumstances, it does little to
blame our high failure rates on students or the
system. We are morally obligated to
motivate, support and educate all students.
 DifferentAction (not tweaking) is Required: start with
what is in our control – our work.
 Focus on Equity (not equality) to prioritize best
practices and design. We can “flip the script” and
make the system serve those it currently hurts.

8. IGNITING THE DISENFRANCHISED AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
 John O’Connell High School
 What was happening with students and staff?
 What the data said.
 Response to data. “Bump it UP!”
 How the change took place.
 Fontana High Experience
 Culture of Students: Before and After
 A.P. Expansion
 Culture of Staff: Before and After
 Santee Experience
 STAR “Band Jump” Student Sheet discussions
WRITTEN REFLECTION
What reactions/ implications would you expect if you tried
these strategies at your school?

9. STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING STUDENT MOTIVATION (IN
ADDITION TO GOOD INSTRUCTION)
 Common Assessments and Discussion on Best
Practices
 Consistent Retake Opportunities School Wide
 Bump it Up Campaigns
 Assemblies
 CST Review in Every Class
 Band jumping
Regardless of the strategy, it is essential for a school
to know its philosophy behind the strategy.
Think About: Would your staff see these strategies as the
principal’s self interest?

10. CHANGE OF SCHOOL CULTURE
 REGARDLESS of tools, consider long term goals of any
motivational strategy (change of culture, extrinsic to
intrinsic).
A lack of intentionality and buy-in can either build or
deter our goal of equity.
 Ultimategoal is for students to not need these
strategies because they want to be successful!
Think About:Who is involved with and impacted by the
achievement and engagement gaps at your school?

11. CONTACT INFO AND QUESTIONS
 Sergio Flores, sergio.flores@partnershipla.org
 Martin Gomez, gomezm4@sfusd.edu
 Abram Jimenez, abram.jimenez@parnershipla.org
 Greg Peters, gpeter@sfcess.org
 Questions or comments?
WRITTEN REFLECTION
What is one strategy that you are committed to trying in order to
help your disenfranchised students?