Ronald_Taylor_Thesis_Defense_Presentation
- 1. The Fire this Time Assessing the Scalability of Supportive Service Programs for Young Men of Color, a case study Ronald James-Terry Taylor 8 April 2015 Political Science Distinction Project Defense
- 2. Presentation Outline ¡ Introduction ¡ Central Framework and Background ¡ Thesis Statement ¡ Selected Findings ¡ Implications ¡ Limitations ¡ Next Steps * The findings highlighted here are specifically chosen to highlight findings that advanced and led to specific conclusions in this study. 2
- 3. Introduction ¡ 1. engage in the larger research conversation on the implementation of federal initiatives on the local level ¡ 2. build knowledge on the ability of the case study high school to build, sustain, and operate a supportive service (mentorship) program for young men of color, while also questioning how government initiatives can be implemented through “street level bureaucrats.” ¡ 3. critically analyze what supports are effective in serving this demographic of students and what supports are ineffective 3
- 4. Introduction (con’t.) ¡ Project divided into Phase I and II ¡ Why the case study high school? ¡ Why the EMLC? 4
- 5. Central Frameworks & Background ¡ Theory of Implementation and Effectiveness: ¡ M. Lipsky’s Street Level Bureaucrats ¡ S. Huntington and MBK as an expression of decentralized implementation ¡ Principal-Agent Model of Implementation (w.r.t. Lipsky) ¡ Theories on Black Male Achievement and Success: ¡ P. Noguera ¡ T. Howard: black male socialization w/ historical emphasis ¡ S. Harper: engaging black males as experts on their experiences ¡ My Brother’s Keeper TF Rpt: the potential and promise in mentoring using a national perspective. 5
- 6. Thesis ¡ This thesis project uses a case study of a high school in New York City (called case study high school) to: ¡ Question to what extent the case study urban local high school can implement vaguely defined and unfunded federal initiatives, and in this case, carry out the goals of the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative through the Empowering Males Leadership Class. ¡ Within this same discourse, this project seeks to understand how a federal initiative with broad guidelines is applied on the local level, and through what means. (effectiveness) 6
- 7. Overall findings ¡ Effectiveness ¡ The EMLC is effective in creating and maintaining spaces that produce social and emotional supports; however, it fails in producing academic supports to increase student academic standing. ¡ Implementation ¡ While the EMLC does provide space and programming focused on goals it has set for itself, it fails in having the proper environment to implement the full degree of both its personal goals and the goals of MBK. 7
- 8. Selected Findings (Implementation) Principal (USA) • MBK outline • National partnerships and resource pools • Puts the call on local municipalities Agent (EMLC Coordinator) • No outline or alignment with MBK • Attends a host of workshops and reads various materials to form program. The EMLC seeks to provide specific alternatives to young men and boys of color. Within these conditions it is important to acknowledge what is produced (Taylor, 2015, p. 24). It is found that the EMLC and MBK are extensions of S. Huntington’s theory, but I go on to assert that in implementing this program a specific series of conditions must exist: (1) thought partners, (2) structural capacity 8
- 9. Selected Findings (Effectiveness) ¡ Findings were divided into three essential sections on support: ¡ Academic ¡ Social ¡ Emotional 9
- 10. Academic ¡ Academic supports are to be understood as the services the high school offers students to successfully move toward their high school diploma and beyond. ¡ This definition (as all) was created based on the school’s mission toward academic success and goal setting. ¡ Thinking of academic as: (1) student driven, (2) environmental, and (3) benchmarked. NOTE: By the 3rd MP, the majority of students did not improve academically. 10
- 11. Selected Academic Findings ¡ 4 of 6 students interviewed identified either the leader of the Empowering Males Leadership Class or a family member as a main source of support when it came to school work (2 students for each respectively) (n=6). ! Source: Assessing the Scalability of Supportive Service Programs for African American Males, Ronald Taylor, Political Science Distinction Thesis/Honors Capstone, 2014. NOTE: Students majorly found support in external spaces, opposed to the physical school. Although small, this implies that students may not feel supported academically at school. 11
- 12. ¡ Only 2 of 6 students found the Empowering Males Leadership Class to be the most academically supportive place compared to other academic supportive services (n=6). ¡ Note that in social and emotional factors, that come later, this is the reverse. 12
- 13. Academic Findings (con’t.) ¡ 3 of 6 students reported that they commit no hours to studying per week (n=6). ! Source: Assessing the Scalability of Supportive Service Programs for African American Males, Ronald Taylor, Political Science Distinction Thesis/Honors Capstone, 2014. NOTE: Students majorly did not commit time to studying for their course work, implying that a lack in personal ownership of their studies. 13
- 14. Concluding thoughts on academic supports ¡ 1. The Empowering Males Leadership Class is understood as a major source of academic support. With 4 of 6 of students identifying the Empowering Males Leadership class or a family member as academic support and 5 of 6 of the students reporting that the class helped them with their schoolwork, it is evident that the class is important to the academic supportive environments for the young men. In this specific context it is important to note that this is a physical space where students feel open to receive help for their academic shortcomings. ¡ 2. Other areas of academic support within the school seemed to be lacking. Students consistently labeled teachers as being unsupportive to student extracurricular academic needs. Although afterschool and extra-help are time commitments teachers offer on their own accord, students who feel that they don’t get the needed outside support suffer. 14
- 15. ¡ 3. A lack in taking ownership of one’s education was prevalent among the students in the Empowering Males Leadership Class. 3 of 6 of the students in the class committed no time to studying. When asked during interview specifically why they did not study, the students replied: “I don’t see a point,” I tried but I can’t do some classes, so I stop,” and “I probably can just re-take the class for credit, so I’m good.” Given that these students have their reasons for not studying, that are each valuable, it is still concerning that despite the space that exists within the Empowering Males Leadership Class, the students still felt that way. 15
- 16. Selected Social Findings ¡ Social supports, are to be understood specifically as the methods and modes employed for the students and/or by the students to produce the most comfortable and healthy atmosphere for the students. ¡ Thinking of social as: (1) student driven, (2) environmental 16
- 17. Selected Social Findings ! 3 of 5 students said the way they feel most supported was by “constant family support” or “constant teacher support” (n=5). NOTE: constant support from consistent individuals gave students the support they needed. 17
- 18. ! 2 of 5 students rated the supportive environment in the school at an “8” (n=5). 18 NOTE: the students mostly cluster in the upper end of the scale. Although only three students are shown here, we see that generally in the class students feel supported.
- 19. ! ! NOTE: Students felt jointly that they had friends and supporters, in addition to the presence of the EMLC. 19
- 20. ¡ 1. In order for the school to be supportive, inclusive, family oriented environments must be replicated. However, when considering the school these same students only felt supported when in spaces that give them the same qualities such as intimacy and active listening. For the Empowering Males Leadership Class to continually improve this model and become more effective it ought to continue creating the space needed to facilitate these forms of support. ¡ 2. In order for the school to implement social supports more effectively, there needs to be a “wrap around” model of services. Isolating needs of students, but also making sure all members of a community are aware of their needs makes the implementation of a program much more effective. The issue within the case study high school is that the students clearly see that all aspects of the school do not buy into the program and are therefore less motivated by the tenets of the Empowering Males Leadership Class. 20 Concluding thoughts on social supports
- 21. Selected Emotional Findings ¡ emotional supports are defined specifically as the spaces that are created to provide students with the support to deal with their social experiences, and more specifically the experiences that influence their mental well-being. ¡ Thinking of emotional as: (1) student perception, (2) environmental, (3) social location(s) 21
- 22. Selected Emotional Findings ! ! NOTE: students felt that the EMLC was the place where they received a great deal of emotional support in school. This space is beneficial for student development. 22
- 23. ! NOTE: block to implementation by a failure in wrap around. 23
- 24. Concluding thoughts ¡ 1. The EMLC is moving towards an asset based model of implementation, but lacks the structural support within the school to insulate these progressions. The EMLC does a great deal of work to frame the students as assets and not deficits, but it lacks the ability to get teachers to express buy in or commitment for these programs. If this program seeks to be effective, greater staff buy in is needed. 24
- 25. Implications ¡ Effectiveness ¡ The EMLC is effective in creating and maintaining spaces that produce social and emotional supports; however, it fails in producing academic supports to increase student academic standing. ¡ Implementation ¡ While the EMLC does provide space and programming focused on goals it has set for itself, it fails in having the proper environment to implement the full degree of both its personal goals and the goals of MBK. 25
- 26. Limitations ¡ Size ¡ Detail ¡ Consistency 26
- 27. Next Steps ¡ Comparable case study on programs, do a parallel story ¡ Larger assessment of NYC programs that operate in a similar fashion 27
- 28. References 28 Bruce, M., & Bridgeland, J. (2014). The mentoring effect: Young people’s perspectives on the outcomes and availability of mentoring. Civic Enterprises with Peter D. Hart Research Associates. Bjornstad, C., Karlovits, K., Kraus, T., Owusu-Daaku, K., Schrader, S., & Shoemaker, P. (2013). Schools, Neighborhoods, and Student Outcomes in Dubuque, Iowa. Davis, J. E., & Jordan, W. J. (1994). The effects of school context, structure, and experiences on African American males in middle and high school. Journal of Negro Education, 570-587. Educational Testing Services. (2011). A strong start: Positioning young black boys for education success. Retrieved Novemeber 10, 2014 from http://www.ets.org/s/achievement_gap/conferences/strong_start/overview.html Harper, S. R., & Kuykendall, J. A. (2012). Institutional efforts to improve Black male student achievement: A standards-based approach. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 44(2), 23- 29. Harro, B. (2000). The cycle of socialization. Readings for diversity and social justice, 15-21. Holzman, M., Jackson, J., & Beaudry, A. (2012). The urgency of now: The Schott 50 state report on public education and black males. The Schott Foundation. Howard, T. C. (2013). Black male (d): Peril and promise in the education of African American males. Teachers College Press. Huntington, S. P. (1966). Political Modernization: America vs. Europe. World Politics, 18(3), 378-414. Johnson, U. (2013). The psycho-academic holocaust: The special education and adhd wars against black boys. Prince of Pan-Africanism Publishing. Knowledge is Power Program. (2013). The kipp framework for excellent teaching. KIPP Infinity Charter Taylor 69 School. Lipsky, M. (2010). Street-Level Bureaucracy, 30th Ann. Ed.: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Service. Russell Sage Foundation. Massachusetts Advocates for Children. (2014). Helping traumatized children learn: A report and policy agenda. Retrieved August 22, 2014 from, http://traumasensitiveschools.org/tlpi- publications/download-a-free- copy-of-helping-traumatized-children-learn/ McPartland, J. M., & Nettles, S. M. (1991). Using community adults as advocates or mentors for at-risk middle school students: A two-year evaluation of Project RAISE. American journal of education, 568-586.
- 29. 29 My Brother’s Keeper Task Force. (2014). My brother’s keeper task force report to the president. Retrieved, May 31, 2014 from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/053014_mbk_report.pdf Nealon, J., & Giroux, S. S. (2011). The theory toolbox: Critical concepts for the humanities, arts, & social sciences. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Noguera, P. A. (2003). The trouble with Black boys: The role and influence of environmental and cultural factors on the academic performance of African American males. Urban education, 38(4), 431- 459. New York State School Report Cards. (2015). The New York State School Report Cards for the High School for Leadership and Public Service. Retrieved, November 10, 2014, from https:// reportcards.nysed.gov/files/2011-12/RC-2012-310200011425.pdf Obama, B. H. (2014). My Brother’s Keeper. Speech Presented at the White House. Sawyer, D. (2013). I Ain't Do Nothing: The Social and Academic Experiences of Black Males in a Dismantled School. Shaun, R. (2014). Succeeding in the city: A report from the New York City Black and Latino male high school achievement study. Toldson, I. A. (2011). BREAKING BARRIERS 2. Plotting the path away from Taylor 70 juvenile detention and toward academic success for school-age African American males. Washington, DC: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. United States Department of Education. (2014). Office of civil rights data collection, snapshot discipline. Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc- discipline- snapshot.pdf Vilson, J. (2014). This is not a test: A new narrative on race, class, and education. Haymarket Books. West, C. (1993). Race matters. Vintage. Zweifler, R., & De Beers, J. (2002). Children Left behind: How Zero Tolerance Impacts Our Most Vulnerable Youth, The. Mich. J. Race & L., 8, 191.