EDUCATIONAL POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA (EPIC)

RESEARCH STRANDS FOR 2009

1. ABC School District
by Dr. Thomas R. Harvey

Abtract.

ABC school district has an exemplary collaboration between the district and the teachers association.

How It Works
District superintendent and president of the association meet every week for two hours. 
District cabinet and association cabinet meet two-three times a year and talk confidentially.
The association has converted building representatives into learning representatives.
Much training is done.
Conflict Resolution Principles
They abide by the following four conflict resolution principles:

  1. They both have an interest to cooperate and a capacity to compete.
  2. They have norms
  3. They have mutual trust born out of interdependence
  4. They look for the middle ground of agreement.

Every district should take heed of this model and institute such actions.

2. An exploration of best practices in Pre-K programs.
by Cindy Thomas-Cary

Abtract.

This policy paper presents the components of exemplary pre-kindergarten programs. Exemplary pre-kindergarten programs are established using an educational model. An educational model is a sound organization of 1) programs practices, 2)curriculum content, 3) program and child assessment, and 4) teacher training/compensation. The aim of an educational model is to contribute to all stages of children’s development. The value of a model is measured by its effectiveness in advancing children’s development and has been scientifically proven. Science has confirmed that exemplary preschool programs yield long-lasting academic and social benefits for young children.

3. Public Education Funding for K-12 Schools: Weighted Student Formula-An Alternative Approach
by Doug DeVore, Ed. D.

Abtract.

The state of the global, national and state economies is causing educational policy makers to reexamine how funds are allocated to meet the needs of students. Coupled with the strong focus on accountability with the passing of No Child Left Behind states and districts are looking for solutions to increase disadvantaged student achievement in the face of declining budgets. The Governor’s Committee of Educational Excellence in California recently released a report recommending a funding system that places an emphasis on more dollars following students with greater needs rather than the use of grants and/or block funding. Several school districts have adapted a form of weighted student formula (WSF) funding to create a system that has the financial resources following the students to the school site budget based on student needs. It is recommended that all districts review their current system of allocating funds to sites and consider a form of weighted student formula to support the students with greatest needs.

4. Effective Board Development for Public School Districts.

Abtract.

Boards of trustees in school districts have been in existence since the 1700’s. While they have commonly accepted purposes that include establishing a vision, maintaining an effective and efficient structure, ensuring accountability, and providing community leadership as advocates for children, their district and public schools, not all boards live up to these purposes. No prerequisites for serving exist generally beyond residency and citizenship. Yet, boards do have a strong influence on the culture, values and direction of the districts.

Ineffective boards demonstrate various characteristics such as role confusion with the superintendent, micro-management, focusing on personal agendas and disrespect for district leadership. Effective boards work as a team with their superintendent, have the education of all children as a priority, commit time and energy to their role, and act as liaisons with the community. Is it possible for boards to be developed into effective governing teams? Yes is the short answer.

This paper suggests several practices and guidelines for board members and the board as a whole to improve and become truly effective. While conferences to learn about the role and to understand broad and important concepts in finance, personnel practices, etc. are of value, they do not have long-lasting effect. Information in the California School Boards Association’s Masters in Governance program can be helpful. However, given its voluntary nature and one-time option, it is not the way to get to true effectiveness.

Quality board development stresses the development of protocols or norms, a system of dealing with violations of those protocols, revisiting the protocols, and on-going evaluation and accountability. All members of the governance team – the board members and the superintendent – must agree to the protocols, practice them, hold themselves accountable, and be public about these expectations.

5. Closing the Achievement Gap
by Dr. Bonita Drolet

Abtract.

The literature is clear and unequivocal on closing the achievement gap. An extensive, but not exhaustive review of the literature resulted in twenty six characteristics/behaviors of schools which accomplished this goal.

They included, in no particular order, high quality pre-school, alignment of Pre-K through college standards, common standards, established partnerships, high quality teachers, teacher experience, professional development, culture, high expectations, clear goals, a focus on learning, accountability, rigorous curriculum, assessments, incentives/rewards, information systems, data analysis and use, collaboration, high speed networks, flexibility, leadership, funding, frequent observations, hands on projects, focus beyond high school, and established support systems.

Further synthesis of the frequency of the characteristics resulted not only in a refined list, but a priority of behaviors/characteristics to be implemented.

Closing the Achievement Gap occurs in schools that are focused on the following:

  1. Strong leadership
  2. Changing the existing culture
  3. Retrain or train high quality teachers
  4. Insist on Curriculum rigor
  5. Have high expectations
  6. Establish clear goals
  7. Focus on Learning
  8. Provide support
  9. Plan embedded professional development
  10. Schedule collaboration
  11. Use and analyze data
  12. Form partnerships

Closing the achievement gap for all students, English Language Learners, minority, high poverty and special education, is difficult but not impossible if the above twelve items are implemented. While there are additional items mentioned above, these twelve occur over and over in the literature. Stay focused on them and you will find that your students will succeed and that pesky learning gap will be closed for good.

6. An examination of models for local control other than sanctions.
by Lawrence Kemper

Abtract Coming Soon.


RESEARCH STRANDS FOR 2010

7. Policy Paper #7 Charter Schools: To Implement or Not
by Thomas R. Harvey

Abtract.

This policy paper analyzes the current literature on charter schools.  It discusses how you start them and the status of their performance.  It analyzes their cost and gives examples of best practices in charter schools.  It ends with a list of recommendations which are: 

  • Do not start any high school charter schools
  • Do not implement any charter programs for minority students merely based on their ethnicity
  • Start elementary and middle charter schools that serve ELL students and students in poverty (30% enrolled free and reduced lunch program)
  • Implement charter schools with an eye to:
      1. Empowerment
      2. Shared Vision
      3. Culture of High Expectation
      4. Flexibility
      5. Collaboration
      6. Hard Work
  • Implement the keys to success in TPS

Dissertation Abstracts

Training with the brain in mind: A study of brain-compatible strategies and their relationship to elementary grades K--6 teacher professional development

by Buster, Sue, Ed.D., University of La Verne, 2008 , 257 pages; AAT 3301961.

Purpose . The purpose of this study was: (1) to identify, through a review of the literature, prominent brain-compatible strategies; (2) to identify which brain-compatible strategies are used when training or teaching K-6 teachers in the area of K-6 content, skills, and instructional strategies; and (3) to identify which specific brain-compatible strategies are being used and their effectiveness for specific adult learning outcomes for K-6 teachers.

Methodology . This study utilized the descriptive research design to focus on the purpose and questions intended for exploration. A qualitative descriptive design was used to seek out the opinions and perceptions of participants as they related to brain-compatible strategies and K-6 teacher professional development. The interview questions were asked in a predetermined order. Of the eight interviews conducted seven were face-to-face and one was completed by telephone. The interviewees' responses were recorded and analyzed using tables displaying frequency of specific responses.

Findings . Examination of qualitative data from the review of the literature and eight interviews revealed eighteen brain-compatible strategies. Secondly, the most effective strategies were identified under training circumstances, such as a core curriculum adoption, content skill and standards mastery, and instructional strategies. Thirdly, learner outcomes were matched to effective brain-compatible strategies named by the interviewees.

Conclusions . The study data support the conclusions: (1) experts deliberately chose professional development strategies to match the audience's needs; (2) teachers have always recognized effective teaching strategies, brain research explains why it works; (3) understanding basic brain anatomy and terminology is important for teachers to analyze research; (4) teachers need to be good consumers of brain research; (5) effective professional developers consistently prescreen and research the needs of their audiences before training; and (6) brain-compatible strategies which are based on socializing and interacting appear to work most effectively during professional development.

Recommendations . Further research is advised: (1) to determine the effectiveness of teachers trained using brain-compatible strategies and the academic achievement of the students whom they teach, and (2) to determine the perceptions of the extent of personal learning for teachers who receive training where brain-compatible strategies are used during the training.


Professional Learning Communities and the effectiveness of the teams within those communities

by Wiseman, Perry P., Ed.D., University of La Verne, 2008 , 282 pages; AAT 3322850

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference in the degree of teamness in middle school teams whose schools have strong evidence of the five dimensions of a Professional Learning Community, compared to middle school teams in schools that do not have strong evidence of the five dimensions of a Professional Learning Community.

Methodology. The researcher employed a descriptive and ex post facto study, which included middle school principals and their respective teachers in the County of San Bernardino, California. The two survey instruments utilized for data collection consisted of Huffman and Hipp's (2002) "Professional Learning Community Questionnaire" and Harvey and Drolet's (2003) "Characteristics of Effective Teams Survey."

Findings. This study found that the aggregate of teacher responses rendered a significant difference in the each of Harvey and Drolet's 17 Characteristics of Effective Teams. Additionally, this study found that the means of the school means displayed a significant difference in 15 of the 17 Characteristics of Effective Teams. The data also revealed that both the schools with strong evidence of a Professional Learning Community and those schools without strong evidence of a Professional Learning Community had a substantial degree of teamness.

Conclusions. Although each group had considerable degrees of teamness, the significant differences in means put forth the conclusion that schools attempting to build a Professional Learning Community should attend to each of the 17 Characteristics of Effective Teams. It was also concluded that schools without strong evidence of a Professional Learning Community ought to spend additional time on teambuilding activities that nurture collegial relationships.

Implications for Action. Recommendations were made to assist practitioners in the charge of building a Professional Learning Community. Specific teambuilding processes were suggested. Furthermore, the researcher proposed that school principals should designate time to properly train, develop, and empower individuals who will be leading teams.