Alex Torrez, PhD Dissertation Proposal
- 1. 1 The Impact of Smaller Learning Communities on Closing the Achievement Gaps among Student Population Groups in Texas High Schools A Dissertation Proposal by Alex Torrez Dissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D. Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership
- 2. Committee Member • Donald Collins, Ph.D. • Carl Gardiner, Ed.D. • Douglas Hermond, Ph.D. • Solomon Osho, Ph.D. 2
- 3. 3 Dissertation Defense Format I. Conceptual Framework II. Purpose of the Study III. Research Questions IV. Method V. Review of Literature
- 4. Smaller Learning Communities Conceptual Framework 19th -20th Century Traditional EducationalModel Student Academic Achievement Gaps 21 stCentury EducationalModel
- 7. 7 Theoretical Framework 4 Areas of Relevance Smaller Learning Communities ELA/Mathematics TAKS/ Eco. Disadvantaged Attendance ELA/Mathematics TAKS/ Sub-Populations Completion/ Drop Out Rate
- 8. 8 Purpose of the Study • The purpose of this conceptual quantitative study is to determine if a difference exists between the implementation of the career-themed smaller SLC design and an increase in high school students’ academic achievement, attendance, and high school completion/dropout rate between populations as reported in the Texas Education Agency AEIS report.
- 9. 9 Research Question 1. Is there a difference in student achievement between career-themed Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) and traditional high schools, as reported on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in Reading/ELA and Mathematics for ethnic subpopulations?
- 10. 10 Research Question 2. Is there a difference in student achievement between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS in Reading/ELA and Mathematics for economically disadvantaged subpopulations?
- 11. 11 Research Question 3. Is there a difference in student attendance between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported in the AEIS?
- 12. Research Question 4. Is there a difference in student dropout/completion rates between career- themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported in the AEIS? 12
- 13. Percent of Texas Population by Age Group and Ethnicity, 2000 39.5 41.6 45.0 45.0 43.1 44.4 47.8 53.0 57.2 60.2 63.5 66.4 67.1 72.6 44.0 41.3 38.0 38.4 40.5 38.6 35.3 30.5 26.7 24.2 22.4 20.6 20.3 16.7 < 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years 30 to 34 years 35 to 39 years 40 to 44 years 45 to 49 years 50 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 + years 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 Percent Anglo Hispanic
- 14. Percent of Texas Population by Age Group and Ethnicity, 2040* * Projections are shown for the 1.0 scenario 17.7 19.3 19.9 20.3 19.8 19.3 19.4 20.5 20.6 21.9 25.3 26.5 27.2 39.8 69.9 67.8 66.5 65.5 66.0 66.8 66.4 64.3 62.6 60.6 56.7 55.2 52.3 37.1 < 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years 30 to 34 years 35 to 39 years 40 to 44 years 45 to 49 years 50 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 + years 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 Percent Anglo Hispanic
- 15. 15 Null Hypotheses • H01 - There is no statistically significant difference in student achievement between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS in Reading/ELA and Mathematics for ethnic subpopulations?
- 16. 16 Null Hypotheses H02 - There is no statistically significant difference in student achievement between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported on the AEIS for TAKS in Reading/ELA and Mathematics for economically disadvantaged subpopulation?
- 17. 17 Null Hypotheses • H03 - There is no statistically significant difference in student attendance between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported in the AEIS?
- 18. Null Hypotheses • H04 - There is no statistically significant difference in student dropout/completion between career-themed SLCs and traditional high schools, as reported in the AEIS? 18
- 19. 19 Method • Independent Variable – Implementation of career themed Smaller Learning Communities design. • Dependent Variable – Student achievement based on change in Mathematics and Reading/English Language Arts TAKS scores, completion rate, attendance.
- 20. 20 Method Subjects of the Study 1. 25 Texas public high schools that have implemented smaller learning communities with career academies 2. 25 Texas public traditional high schools 3. Grades 9 through 12 4. Total student enrollment minimum of 1500 students
- 21. 21 Method Step 1 Research and Select Career Academy SLCs Department of Education Smaller Learning Communities Program Texas High School Project Texas schools that attended the 2010 Smaller Learning Communities: From Structure to Instruction conference at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas obtained from Education Northwest The National Career Academy Coalition Extensive internet search
- 22. 22 Method Step 2 Download the AEIS report from the TEA website from the 25 career themed SLC schools selected Step 3 A convenience sample of 25 traditional schools will be selected from the TEA assigned school cohort. The schools will be selected based on the TEA cohort school that is most similar in size, ethnic subpopulations (African American, Hispanic, and White) and economically disadvantaged.
- 23. 23 Method Step 4 Collect the AEIS data Step 5 Disaggregate the data by ethnic and economically disadvantaged ELA scores Mathematics scores Attendance Completion/Dropout
- 24. 24 Method Area 2009 AEIS 2010 AEIS Grade AA Hispanic White Eco. Dis. Completion Attendance
- 25. 25 Method Step 6 SPSS will be utilized to disaggregate and analyze data Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Analysis of Covariant (ANCOVA) Step 7 Interpret the results of the statistical procedure
- 26. 26 Career Theme Academies The academies are designed to address the broad spectrum of student interest and career possibilities and provide transferable skills. The goals of the Academies are to open a student's mind to relevancy of academic courses and to show how high standards relate to career success. In addition to the essential academics elements, students will develop knowledge regarding careers where they may best utilize their talents and aptitudes.
- 27. 27 Career Theme Academies • Academy of Business, Marketing & Finance • Academy of Consumer Science & Education • Academy of Fine Arts, Communications & Humanities • Academy of Government, Law & Criminal Justice • Academy of Health Science • Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math • Academy of Veterinary & Agricultural Science
- 28. 28 Review of Literature • Alliance for Excellence in Education • Bill & Melinda Gates • Bill Daggett, International Center for Education • Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory • Partnership for 21st Century Skills • U.S. Department of Education
- 29. 29 Books • Leading for Learning: How to Transform Schools into Learning Organizations by P. Schlechty • Creating and sustaining smaller learning: Strategies and tools for transforming high schools by G. Sammon • Choosing Small: The Essential Guide to Successful High School Conversion by Feldman, Lopez, Simon • Catch up or leading the way: American education in the age of globalization by Y. Zhao • Classroom Instruction That Works, School That Work, and What Works in Schools by R. J. Marzanno • On Common Ground, Whatever It Takes, and Professional Learning Communities at Work by R. DuFour
- 30. 30 Books • Schools That Learn and The Fifth Discipline by P. Senge, • The Heart of Change and Leading Change by J. P. Kotter • Learning Communities at Work by R. DuFour • Change Forces and The New Meaning of Education Change by M. Fullen
- 31. 31 Review of Literature • Cotton K. (1996) School Size, School Climate and Student Performance. Close up #20. Portland OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., and Many, T. (2006) Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. By Solution Tree (formerly National Educational Service) • Daniels, D., Bizar, M., and Zemelman, S. (2001) Rethinking High Schools: Best Practice in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership. Heinemann A division of Reed Elsevier Inc. 361 Hanover Street Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912
- 32. 32 Review of Literature • Hord, M. and Sommers, W.A. (2007) Leading Professional Learning Communities: Voices from Research and Practice. Thousand Oaks California; Cowin Press • Kotter, J. P. & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organization. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. • Mathews, J. (2005, May). How to build a better high school. Newsweek, 145(20), 52, 54-57. Retrieved April 29, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 839507411).
- 33. 33 Transformation • Schlechty (2009) states: • Make no mistake, transformation is not as simple as installing a new program, a new process or new procedure. Unlike efforts to improve the operation of existing systems, transformation requires more than changes in what people do; it requires changes in what they think and what they feel about what they do.
- 34. 34 Smaller Learning Communities • Oxley (2006) stated: • The central feature of a high-functioning SLC (Small Learning Community) is an interdisciplinary team (or teams) of teachers who work closely together with a group of students they share in common for instruction. Traditional schools organize teachers around subject areas or departments.
Editor's Notes
- #6: pictures
- #10: TAKS data was obtained from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to answer this research question.
- #12: TAKS data was obtained from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to answer this research question.
- #26: PLC schools were obtained through 2 sources: Solution Tree – districts hosting PLC conferences in Texas Southwest Educational Development Laboratories (SEDL) – schools given grant money because of NCLB to implement learning communities. The response rate was low but is considered acceptable considering the population and time of year. The instrument was mailed in April and again in June to the non-respondents. Don Dillman’s Total Design Method was also used to increase the response rate. --short instrument --short and personal introduction letter --self-addressed stamped envelope --assured confidentiality by coding the instrument