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CASE STUDY:
URBAN MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Dr. Lisa R. Peck
Presentation order
1. Goals and challenges
2. About the project
3. Emerging change variables at Urban Middle
School
4. Conclusions, implications,
recommendations
1. Goals and Challenges
The research study:
develop a school profile
The primary goal of the research project was to identify and examine emerging variables likely to influence current and future conditions at Urban Middle School. The school is an educational organization operated by Southwest School District, and is located in Southwestern Urban City.
Methods of data collection:*Interviews with teachers and students
*Surveys of teachers and students
*Interviews with parents
*Examination of school-collected records
*Classroom observations
Hard copies of collected data can be obtained from the researcher at:
lisa.peck@cox.net
Research challenges
The researcher was not an Urban Middle
School employee Teacher cooperation was required to collect evidence
for the study.
Relationships had to be built from beginning.
Teacher skepticism about researcher’s education
credentials.
Stereotyping [Contact the researcher for more information about her
experiences with employees of Urban Middle School: lisa.peck@cox.net].
Limited access to Southwest School District
resources: visitor status.
2. About the research project
Project details
Urban
Middle
School
Research goal: Develop a school profile
Organization characteristics - Influential emerging variables
Student diversity
AIMS scores
School climate
Student behavior
Teacher attitudes
Urban Middle School: A school in
transition
The case study theme:
Dynamics of change
Family mobility – Southwestern Urban City is a desirable community
Recession - Southwestern Urban City is more affordable now
Southwest School District - a positive reputation
Empty nests – resident population of children in Southwest
Urban City is declining
Southwest School District has an open enrollment policy – 3000 out-of-
district students
Reduction in state funding for education
Emerging influential variables
Student diversity
Test scores
School climate
Effects of change dynamics
Emerging variable 1: student diversity
8th graders taking AIMS math -
2007
Urban Middle School
All students 366
Black 10%
Hispanic 17%
White 67%
Econ
Disadvantage
18%
Economic
Advantage
82%
8th graders taking AIMS math -
2012
Urban Middle School
All students 380
Black 17%
Hispanic 25%
White 48%
Economic
Disadvantage
48%
Economic
Advantaged
51%
2007 School Diversity 2012 School Diversity
Emerging variable 2: AIMS Reading Scores
FFB App Meets Exceeds
All
students
7 16 71 12
Economic
Disadvntg
7 24 69 N/A
Economic
Advantge
3 12 72 14
FFB App Meets Exceeds
All
students
5 16 73 6
Economi
c
Disadvnt
g
7 21 68 4
Economi
c
Advanta
g
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Urban Middle School
AIMS Reading 2007
Urban Middle School
AIMS Reading 2012
Emerging variable 2 cont.: AIMS Math 2012
FFB App Meets Exceeds
All
students
10 12 54 24
Economi
c
Disadvnt
g
28 16 52 10
Economi
c
Advntg
8 11 54 27
FFB App Meets Exceeds
All
students
26 14 34 26
Economi
c
Disadvnt
g
39 17 32 13
Economi
c
Advntg
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Urban Middle School
AIMS math - 2007
Urban Middle School
AIMS math - 2012
Emerging variable 3: School climate -
students
Student Behavior
Student compliance with standards and effective
management of student behavior
Peer relations
Student
compliance
with
standards
&
Effective
managemen
t of student
behavior
125 student visits to ISI in one week Classroom disturbance, defiance, non-compliance
85% of ISI visitors were boys
85% of ISI visitors were 7th and 8th graders
59 (47%) of ISI visits from Black students 17% of Urban Middle School student population is Black
Typical ISI student: Black, male, 7th or 8th grade
Peer
relations
Most students and teachers show
respect for diversity
Some teachers may be unaware of the
extent to which they link beliefs about
student ethnicity and student behavior Stereotyping
Poor peer relations – ethnic disrespect is a
‘tool’ Students: teachers need to take more action for disrespect
Girls most often say teachers don’t’ take action
Female aggression
Emerging variable 3: school climate -
teachers
Teacher Attitudes
Student behavior and school safety
Teacher evaluation
Staff turnover
School
safety
Teachers say they do not feel safe at
school.
Site access from the surrounding
neighborhood.
Student behavior
Large groups of congregating students – same
ethnicities
Student verbal disrespect
Between-group tensions
Teacher
performance
evaluation
Teachers experience tension over:
Standards for performance evaluation
• Student behavior
• Student academic performance – Math!!
• Evaluator skill
• Reasonableness of expectations
• Perceived lack of District support
Staff
turnover
Staff departures – voluntary and involuntary Principal
Media Center Specialist
Facilities Manager
Cafeteria Manager
3.5 science teachers
2 math teachers
2 Special education teachers
Instructional assistant
Media center specialist
3.5 Language Arts teachers
1 Social Studies teacher
4. Conclusions and
recommendations
Conclusion – school profile
Urban
Middle
School
A school in transition
New principal
New staff
Changing student demographics
Changing test scores
Changing school climate
Need for new district programs
Implications of the profile
Threat to Southwest School District’s
competitive advantage
Parents of talented students may choose other
schools
Charter School 1
Charter School 2
Southwest District School #2 [boundary exceptions]
Southwest School District High School feeder schools
Talented teachers may leave/apply elsewhere
Reduction in neighborhood appeal/quality
It will be more difficult for students to learn
Recommendations
What a
principal can
do
Target peer-relations skills – teach friendship,
acceptance
Hire more diverse staff – mission is low achieving
students
Provide more diversity training
Provide more student management training
Target math skills – be a math-centric school
Mobilize /beef up the math department – less pod
emphasis
Al l pod teachers are math teachers – integrate into all
subjects
Seek grant money for resources, extra staff, training
Ask math teachers to work together on school-wide remediation
program
Develop a comprehensive math curriculum/program –integration
training
What
Southwest
School
District can
do
Admit reality:
Demands of teaching disadvantaged students are
different than high SES students
Taking open enrollment students is an obligation to meet
their needs.
Need for greater school management/classroom support:
Instructional resources
Behavior management and intervention – current program is not
adequate
More relevant/applied curriculum
Involvement of diverse parents
Remove stigma for teaching disadvantaged students
Recommended