These reports are related to the research behind our work on designing a Leadership Academy as a part of the DESE’s Readiness Advantage Schools project. These reports were recommended by members of our team to facilitate discussion in the design phase of our work in the summer of 2009.
Please add comments below. All members of our team are encouraged to contribute. For students who are using my site in the 2009-2010 school year, please add your feedback and questions as well. You are the reason why we are ‘thinking outside of the box’ to better help you reach your potential in the 21st century.
English Learners in Boston Public Schools: Enrollment, Engagement and Academic Outcomes (2003-2006)
[From the Preface] The main objective of this report is to inform local and state policy makers, educators and advocates, as well as the families andthe communities of the children affected by English learning policies. This report is based on a study of the academic experience of Boston English Learners (ELs) after 2002, when the Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) was replaced with Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) in response to the passing of Question 2. ELs represent about 14.5% of the student population in the Boston school district, the largest and more diverse school district in Massachusetts. The research team documented the impact of the policy change on the academic experience of ELs using existing local statistics, public records and staff accounts obtained through interviews. Salient results for both students and their teachers are disheartening and highlight the urgency for rigorous monitoring of student outcomes, teacher competencies and transparency of results. This report also calls for local policy makers to make a solid commitment to teacher training that focuses on evidence based instructional practices and positive outcomes. This report is released in the wake of statistics showing that English Learners are the fastest-growing segment of the K-12 student population in the United States, and that their educational outcomes are the biggest failure of the No Child Left Behind policies. Results from this study resemble those from other schools districts in California. Addressing the needs of English Learners is a critical element of improving schools’ capacity to eliminate achievement disparities. This is clearly acknowledged in the Obama-Biden Education Agenda with the commitment to increase accountability of school for the educational success of students in transitional bilingual education and other supportive structures for students with limited proficiency in English.
Link: http://www.gaston.umb.edu/articles/2009%20Final%20ELL%20Report_online.pdf
Another example to examine can be examined in the journal, Equity and Excellence in Education. The article is titled, Best Practices for English Language Learners: Five Years after the Question 2 Mandate. It offers specific advice on training teachers and transitioning students. It spotlights schools in Brockton, Malden and Framingham.
We also looked at a study by the Barr Foundation and UMASS Boston on Latino student performance here: http://www.gaston.umb.edu/articles/uriarte_delosreyes_boston_exsum_large.pdf
It’s our intent in the new academy to meet the specific needs of all of our students. This requires equity on many levels. Since it is a small learning community, this is a serious concern for us. We hope to make specific recommendations from this report and apply them to our unique circumstances.
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