Disproportionality Project Overview

1. Disproportionality Project Overview HESC Task Force on Quality Inclusive Schooling September 28, 2007 Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Ph.D.- Yolanda.ruiz@nyu.edu Brian Williams - bw43@nyu.edu

2. Presentation Objectives By the end of this presentation participants will have been provided with: • An overview of the TACD Project. • A cursory review of the TACD technical assistance and professional development training modules. • A connection between the TACD project modules and possibilities for teacher education.

3. TACD Project Overview • Develop, implement, and assess a process of providing comprehensive technical assistance to New York State school districts addressing issues of disproportionality, in particular, the over-representation of black and Latino students in special education. • Build capacity of regions and districts on understanding the root cause and systemically addressing the disproportionate assignment of various subgroups into special education. • Provide professional development trainings, coaching, training follow-ups, materials and resources.

4. Six New York State Pilot Districts(and supporting regions) • Cheektowaga Central School District--Western Region • Haverstraw-Stony PointCentral School District--Hudson Valley Region • HudsonCity School District--Eastern Region • New York City—CSD 21 • Patchogue-Medford UFSD--Long Island Region • UticaCity Schools--Mid-State Region

5. What Has NYU Provided to Pilot Districts? • Training Modules on Data Analysis • Service Plans • Web-based Clearinghouse • On-site Coaching/Technical Assistance • Professional Development • Disproportionality-related Tools and Resources

6. Disproportionality Training Sequence TACD Professional Development Training Modules

7. Sequence 1 – 2005-2006:Data Analysis Training Modules • A - Understanding Disproportionality -provides common language for discussing disproportionality and presents national, state, and district level data trends. • B - Disproportionality Data Repository (DDR)-a self-monitoring tool that allows districts to examine the classification and placement of special education students by race/ethnicity and gender, at the building level. • C - Data Analysis/Collection Procedures -presents community context data to provide districts with an understanding of the demographic shifts that have occurred over time and the district’s policy/practice responses to the shifts. Policy/practice data collection procedures are also presented.

8. Sequence 1 – 2005-2006:Data Analysis Training Modules • D - Root Cause Identification -root causes are identified based on the data examined in Modules A-C. • E - Root Cause Identification -disproportionality research is examined and root causes identified in Module Dare discounted or validated. The root cause results report is produced by NYU. • F - Professional Development Service Plan -outlines the professional development that will be delivered by NYU in accordance with the district needs, based on the root cause results report, and in collaboration with regional TA provider training.

9. Sequence 2 – 2006-2007:Professional Development Modules withCultural and Linguistic Foci • Strand 1: Curriculum & Instruction - Principles of Culturally Responsive School Environments - Differentiated Instruction - Managing Your Classroom - Bilingual Strategies for Developing Learners • Strand 2: Building Student Engagement - Reaching Out to Black and Latino Male Students - Developing Programs for At-risk Students

10. Sequence 2 - 2006-2007:Professional Development Modules withCultural and Linguistic Foci • Strand 3: Building Home, School & Community Connections - Effective Home/School Connections • Strand 4: Assessment - Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Special Education Assessments • Strand 5: Leadership - Self-assessing Culturally Responsive Policies, Practices and Beliefs

11. Linking TACD Modules to Teacher Education

12. NYU TACD developed the following modules specifically with teachers in mind to directly impact their beliefs and practices: • Principles of Culturally Responsive School Environments • Differentiated Instruction • Managing Your Classroom • Creating Inclusive Classrooms • Bilingual Strategies for Developing Learners • Reaching Out to Black and Latino Males • Effective Home/School Connections

13. The modules bridge the gap between teachers and students… McIntyre (1997) notes: • Pre-service teachers typically see themselves as committed individuals, having good parents, good values, a good education and a good sense of what is expected from them as teachers. • In contrast, they see students, particularly students of color as not having these things present in their lives. Many rely on stereotypical notions of who their students are.

14. NYU TACD modules encourage teachers to re-examine how they see students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds: • Recognize the networks rooted in students’ communities and extended families. • Being poor or working class is not equated with intellectual inferiority (Ladson-Billings, 2002). • Have high expectations and high regard for those students who are culturally and linguistically different from them. • Respect and appreciate the differences between their students and themselves.

15. References • Byrd, E. & J. McIntyre. (1997). Research on the education of our nation’s teachers, teacher education. Corwin Press, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA. • Ladson-Billings, G. (2006). It’s not the culture of poverty, it’s the poverty of culture: The problem with teacher education. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, v.37, n2, pp.104-109.

16. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For additional information, please contact: • Project Director, Dr. Edward Fergus, eaf7@nyu.edu or 212 998-5253 • Project Administrative Assistant, Beverly Murphy, bim1@nyu.edu, or 212 992-9436

17. Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality Metropolitan Center for Urban Education New York University Steinhardt School of Education 212.998.5100 http://nyu.edu/education/metrocenter