Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap : How to Measure Equity in Our Schools

Foreword: A Strategy to Challenge Inequality xi Anne Wheelock Introduction xv New to the Second Edition xvii Acknowledgments xix About the Author xxi Part I. Setting Our Sights on Student Achievement 1(68) The Achievement Gap: Framing Our Minds to Set Our Sights 3(10) The Achievement Gap 4(1) Some Other Considerations 5(1) Rethinking the Issues: Creating the Conditions for Moving Forward 6(4) Stages in the Change Process: How Data Offer Help and Hope 10(3) Building Dissatisfaction and Killing the Myths: Examining Data as a First Step Toward Motivating Reform 13(21) The Broader Picture: Societal Implications of Undereducating Certain Populations 16(6) Similar Aspirations, Unequal Chances: Data to Dispel Myths and Demonstrate Differential Expectations and Learning Opportunities for Students 22(1) Who Has the Opportunity to Go to College? 23(5) Changing Practices and Achievement Patterns: Exploding Myths That Perpetuate Underachievement 28(6) Data in the Reform Process: How and Why 34(19) Key Roles for Data 36(1) Assessing Data Use and Access 37(4) Stages of the Data User Process 41(9) Using Technology to Make Strong Presentations 50(3) Building Leadership and Data Teams 53(16) Establishing the Need: A First Step for Highly Resistant Schools 54(1) Creating the Team: The First Step in Most Schools 55(1) The Role of the Leadership Team 55(1) Structuring the Leadership Team's Work 56(1) Team Development 57(1) The Data Team: Core to the School's Success in Using Data to Achieve Reform 58(1) Planning for Team Success: Team Self-Assessment of Strengths and Needs 59(4) Assessing Perspectives of Team Effectiveness 63(4) Planning for Team Leadership Development 67(2) Part II. Inquiring About Equity 69(202) Talking About Data 71(12) Why the Need for Dialogue 72(2) Guiding the Dialogue 74(8) Outcomes From Dialogues 82(1) Conducting the Inquiry: Measurement Dimensions and Approaches 82(1) Examining Outcomes 83(43) Looking at the Big Picture 84(1) Outcome Data From Standardized Test Scores: Peeling the Data 85(13) Standardized Tests for College Going 98(5) Monitoring Student Grades 103(8) Displaying Middle and High School Course Enrollment and Student Overall Progress in College Preparatory Courses 111(5) Outcomes: Student Graduation Rates 116(3) College-Going Rates 119(6) Nonacademic Measures Related to Outcomes 125(1) Assessing Policies and Practices 126(53) Part I: Instruments 128(1) Assessing Perceptions of Attitudes, Readiness, and Commitment to Reform at the School 128(8) Process Indicators 136(7) Assessing Institutional Reform in the Academic Culture of Schools 143(9) Other Instruments to Assess Equity 152(1) Schools' and Districts' Assessments of Delivery of Precollege Guidance 152(2) Characteristics of High-Performing and Low-Performing Counseling Programs 154(3) Counselor College Preparatory Record Keeping for Individual Students 157(1) Which Counselors Are Providing College Access to Students? 157(3) Counselor's Plans for Counselees 160(2) Part II: Existing School Documents 162(1) How Does the Master Schedule Reflect Practices and Goals? 162(4) Assessing Documents, Policies, and Practices on How Time Is Used 166(1) Examining School Calendars 167(1) Teacher Plan Books 167(1) Part III: Assessing Equitable Classroom Practices 167(2) Survey-The Equitable School Classroom 169(6) Teacher Observations 175(2) Observing Students in Class and School 177(1) Parent and Student Information 178(1) Listening to Student and Parent Voices 179(19) Student and Parent-Guardian Questionnaires 180(14) Aspirations and Reality 194(3) Listening to Students' Voices Regarding the Academic Culture of the School 197(1) Evaluating Programs and Interventions 198(20) Analyses of Efforts to Raise Student Achievement 200(4) Assessing Elementary Programs and Practices 204(4) Assessing the Improvement of College Preparation and College-Going Rates 208(8) Professional Development 216(2) Using School Indicators to Answer Critical Questions 218(31) How and When to Gather Indicators 219(1) Combining Indicators to Answer Critical Questions 220(19) Sample Indicator Combinations 239(10) Will We Know It When We See It? Visioning, Planning, and Implementation 249(22) We Want Our School to Look Like This 252(4) Plan for Schoolwide Reform 256(8) Will We Know It When We See It? Monitoring for Progress 264(1) Planning for Monitoring 265(2) Plan for Monitoring the Improvement of College Preparation and College-Going Rates 267(1) The Role of the External Resource Person 267(4) Resources for Equitable School Reform 271(9) Bibliography 280(15) References 295(8) Index 303