Transforming Urban Schools: Promoting Educational Excellence for All Americans

1. Transforming Urban Schools: Promoting Educational Excellence for All Americans The OSEP Leadership Conference March, 2005

2. Grounded in NIUSI – first generation – Improving Education – the Promise of Inclusive Schooling Intro

3. History of schools that don’t work for all students The impetus to exclude Ambitious agenda for change Local control, parental involvement, evidence based practice & accountability Moving from Access to excellence No child left behind - EFA Diversity – cultural, socio economic, historical Challenges

4. LEARNING IS THE CORE Monday morning quarterbacking I went to school, my kids went to school I know what works Those who can do – those who can’t teach Teachers are constrained by district mandated scripted content materials with preset pacing that do not allow time for differentiation of instruction to meet the needs of all learners Challenges

5. Coherence Learning Teachers are working together on behalf of kids & families Schools as organizations about learning Districts helping schools get the work done Sustainability Why it’s so hard

6. Traditions & Values Bell Curve The natural order of things – Natural selection a-go-go Not evolution but natural selection at work Competitive vs. collaborative goal structures Kids, cultural groups, organizations…. Tyranny of lowered expectations That kid doesn’t belong here The temptation to categorize and organize kids by their abilities and characteristics Leads to segregation, separation, marginalization & exclusion Why it’s so hard

7. Technology, Global Economy Dramatic changes to teaching and learning to prepare this generation for a new world Democracy Inclusiveness Work Force Too much money spent on maintaining separate facilities & structures Things that don’t work Why we need to be different

8. What we’re doing now doesn‘t work for the growing majority NAEP Pisa Study Achievement Gap Drop Outs Standards Post School demands Resources being pissed away Too much money spent on maintaining separate facilities & structures Things that don’t work Why we need to be different

9. Inclusiveness Standards Systemic, coherent, explicit instructional practices Culture of learning What is learning For students, teachers & building leaders Learning is the core of teacher work About their students, their practice… Differentiated Instruction Universal designs for Learning Content specific instruction What we need to do: Doing what works What we need to do: Doing what works

10. What we need to do: Doing what works Focus on student learning – What is working and what needs to be changed in order to produce strong outcomes Progress monitoring Evidence-based practice Parental Involvement – cultural piece Local control Include all learners Measure their successes Work on improving results What we need to do: Doing what works

11. Increase knowledge and understanding through evaluation of our current practice, change efforts and impact. Synthesize and expand research-based practices for inclusive urban schools, students and families. NIUSI Goals

12. Leverage continued improvement of Inclusive Practices in Urban Schools through regional technical assistance plans, collaborative work with Leading Urban Districts focusing on Research Validated Practices in early intervention, reading, behavior, and Universal Design. Engage national discourse in local, professional practice, and policy communities on improving educational outcomes for urban students. NIUSI Goals

13. 10 Denver Public Schools Urban Schools of Excellence

14. Systemic Change Using Data Inclusive Schools Universal Designs for Learning Co-teaching Assessing Student Progress Managing Inclusive Classrooms Literacy for Urban Schools Using technology to support Learning Impact of Urban Culture on Teachers and Students Building Capacity Through Family Voice and Participation Modules

15. Web site provided a place for building community through computer-mediated communication (CMC) and interactive dialogue and activities 10 E-News monthly electronic newsletter keeps subscribers informed of new developments in urban education and inclusive schooling 3+2 briefing book and quarterly reports Products

16. Active, redesigned website Design & development of 9 cities’ TA & PD plans 11 On Points 18 District Profiles Data Maps and Data Map system 3,000 entries in our NIUSI metatag library 10 Family Linkages Products Products

17. 3 National Inclusive Schools Weeks 2 Teleconferences 2 Advisory Board Meetings 2 NIUSI Synergy Site Meetings 5 NIUSI Site Liaison Professional Development Meetings 2 NIUSI Site Liaison Retreats 30 NIUSI Meetings in Synergy Sites 6 Trainer of Trainer Meetings TASH Leadership Academy 2 Urban Strands at TASH 3 LRE Teleconferences Events

18. 177 NIUSI Schools Provided academies to over 577 schools Provided training to over 2,000 individuals Over 186,000 products downloaded from website 2,000 subscribers to eNews About 19,000 hits per month to the website (over 1,000,000 during NISW 3; about 12,000 unique visitors per quarter) Current Results

19. Training Satisfaction Range: 3.17 to 4.71 on 5 point scale (mean = 3.9) LRE Commitment influenced by NIUSI 3 districts committed to full implementation of inclusive schools 5 districts contributing individual student record data on their schools State of Ohio is requesting NIUSI support in all cities Delaware and Louisiana, Boulder Valley PS are linking sites 20 Family School Linkage products 5 new On Points Current Results

20. Las Vegas Data Maps